A Hymn to Life by Gisele Pelicot

A Hymn to Life by Gisele Pelicot, 246 pages

In 2020, as the world ground to a halt because of the pandemic, Gisele Pelicot's life similarly began to unravel as she discovered her husband had been drugging her, raping her, and inviting over 50 other men into their home to similarly abuse her. Despite the overwhelming sense of shame and turmoil, Pelicot opted to have an open trial to give courage and embolden other survivors. 

This book was simultaneously an easy read and an extrodinairely difficult one. Easy because Pelicot's way of speaking and navigating her past, present, and future is honest, searching, and open. Difficult because of the subject matter. Sexual violence is inherently abhorrent, but it seems especially unfathomable when it comes from someone you thought you'd spent decades building a life with. 

I can't imagine, even after reading this book, how much strength it must have taken for Gisele Pelicot to have withstood this tempestuous path, but as a woman, I am grateful she has let her story be heard loudly, publically, and without shame.

 

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson, 117 pages

From the MARC: "Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you'd ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children's art projects). Digging into her late husband's tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go."

 

Tainted Legacy of Bertha Gifford by S. Kay Murphy

Tainted Legacy of Bertha Gifford by S. Kay Murphy, 167 pages

What would you do if you found out your grandmother was a serial killer?

After one particularly cnhinged family lore drop, S. Kay Murphy found herself taking a journey could could not have foreseen to seek out answers to her grandmother's possible guilt after seventeen friends and neighbors passed under her care.

This work was crafted fastidiously and fairly. It was a winding path that Murphy approached purposefully. The end, while not as definiative as I had hoped, had a satisfying finality to it.

 

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, 318 pages

Jenny Lawson, proprietor of TheBlogess.com, weaves an unholy tapestry of her childhood: squirrel puppets, deer pockets, bobcats in the house, bread bag shoes.  She also takes readers on a brief tour of her courtship with her husband, her struggles with domesticity and motherhood, and coping with unstable health. Eventually there's a taxidermied Hamlet mouse in a cape.

​I expected to be entertained by this (mostly true) memoir and I was not disappointed. There's something about Lawson's weirdness and the way she recounts the strange tales of her life thusfar that is raw and peculiar and bizarre and beautiful all at once.

 

Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields, 240 pages

From Cindy Huskey's GoodReads review: "let’s address the obvious: Brooke Shields is aging like a bottle of top-shelf wine sealed in a vault somewhere (and probably blessed by skincare wizards), so her insights on the struggles of midlife feel a bit, well, aspirational for the rest of us mere mortals."

 

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

 The Woman in Me by Britney Spears-287 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Britney Spears tells all in this memoir of her life so far. It is both fascinating and heartbreaking to read her account of the events in her past. I found the section about her relationship and falling out with Justin Timberlake to be one of the most fascinating sections. She's right that women are held to a different standard than men. It seems Justin Timberlake (and so many others) could sleep around and be wild and have fun with no consequences. However, Britney Spears didn't do these things nearly to the same extent and was labeled wild. Some of these events led to her conservatorship by her father. The most harrowing section is her recounting her time in the conservatorship. She details many of the events during these 13 years and I can see why she is upset at her parents. I'm glad she finally was able to get out of that situation. 

It does at times read a bit like a teenager's journal, but it is still a pretty good read. There are definitely some interesting revelations. 

Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan

Grimoire Girl: A Memoir of Magic and Mischief by Hilarie Burton Morgan -- 222 pages

Since childhood, Hilarie Burton Morgan has felt the call to record, keep, and catalogue life in all its strange wonder. It was a whimsical habit, with no clear goal. And then, when she became a mother, the importance of all that collecting snapped into focus. 

In an effort to patchwork together an anthology of traditions, curiosity, and magical thinking that she could pass down, Burton Morgan realized she was crafting a grimoire. 

In her most intimate book yet, Burton Morgan shares how she’s creating an inheritance of mischief and magic that will outlive her. What’s more, she shows readers how they too can look at the elements of their lives and collect the pieces into a tangible collection of a lifetime of learning. Because in its purest form, a grimoire was a guide to keep you alive.

Like the grimoires of old, full of life-saving wisdom, these pages record the people, places, ideas and habits that have kept Burton Morgan alive, in her signature voice that is at once honest, witty, and charming. Accompanied by whimsical two-color illustrations by Olivia Faust, the book also includes Simple Spells, which are ways to bring magic into your daily create an altar that delights and inspires, practice candle magic and poetry spells, make an oracle deck, or channel your inner kitchen witch with recipes and potions. So begin creating your own inheritance, take a long look inward and decide...What wisdom will be written on the pages of your Grimoire?

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears, 277 pages

​I didn't read this book for salacious details; I read it to hear about Britney's struggles in her own words.  This is a powerful read. It begins innocuously enough, but before long, the story takes on unbearable weight. Britney's candor, coupled with her rawness and humor, paint an indelible picture. 

 

Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar

 Counting The Cost by Jill Duggar, 271 pages

​

This memoir was a surprising read. While the Duggar exploits are widely reported and known, the individual Duggar "children" often seem to get lost in the considerably bigger picture. Jill's unique perspective of the on- and offscreen exploits shapes a very different picture. 

Jill's book was both enlightening and encouraging, especially coming from an evangelical childhood. Regardless of where you fall into the religious spectrum, I think it's worth a read.

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

 Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe-240 pages

Gender Queer is the story of Maia Kobabe's journey to realizing e doesn't identify as female or male. Maia goes by the pronouns e, em, eir. I wanted to read this because there's been a lot of talk about it and it's been challenged frequently. There are some somewhat sexual images, but they are all in the context of Maia's exploration of eir gender identity. Maia was assigned female at birth, but as I mentioned, doesn't identify as female or male and identifies as asexual. This is a very personal story about Maia's journey. 

Spare by Prince Harry

Spare by Prince Harry -- 410 pages

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love.

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio-256 pages

In this memoir, Macchio discusses his experiences auditioning for and playing the lead role of Daniel LaRusso in "The Karate Kid," which released in 1984. I enjoy reading these types of memoirs (I previously read and thoroughly enjoyed As You Wish by Cary Elwes) and this one did not disappoint. It's fun to learn behind-the-scenes tidbits, such as Macchio sharing that Pat Morita was not the first choice for the role of Mr. Miyagi. In fact, one of the producers wouldn't even consider him for the role because of his previous comedic roles. Macchio also shares thoughts on his relationships with his co-stars (Elisabeth "Lisa" Shue, William "Billy" Zabka, Pat Moritz, et al.). He devotes an entire chapter to each of these co-stars mentioned. I especially liked his story of how the fly-catching with chopsticks scene was "attempted," according to him. Another story I enjoyed reading about is how the iconic crane kick was filmed and that it took something like 30 takes to shoot well. Macchio discusses all that led to Cobra Kai, the hit Netflix series, including many fan theories and pitches by industry professionals over time. I am a huge fan of the original trilogy of films and Cobra Kai. I have also seen both My Cousin Vinny and The Outsiders. I really enjoyed reading this book and would rate it five stars. 

Educated by Tara Westover

 Educated by Tara Westover-368 pages in paperback; 10 discs audiobook

I started reading the paperback edition of this a few months back, but got log jammed reading other works. I decided to finish this by listening to the rest on audio cd on my road trip to the MLA Conference. This is a frustrating, harrowing coming-of-age story about a woman who grew up in an eccentric, insane family. Her father was a paranoid zealot Mormon who ruled his household with an iron fist. One of Tara's brothers was an abusive, violent follower of their father. He repeatedly beat up his sister, Tara, over her being, in his words, a whore. This is the story of how Tara finally left her family and was educated at BYU and the University of Cambridge. It's frustrating at times because Tara repeatedly tried to rationalize her family's insanity and beliefs and numerous times tried to rejoin her family's zealotry. She couldn't quite seem to shed her family and their insane beliefs (her father believed the government was run by the Illuminati; he believed hospitals and doctors were evil; he didn't believe in medication; her mother was a homeopathic healer). To illustrate how insane and paranoid her father was I'll paraphrase a story from the book. He was caught in an explosion and badly burned one day and nearly died. However, he refused all medical treatment save for his wife's homeopathic cures. Amazingly, he survived but with permanent defects. He thought this was a mercy from God and a good thing. He also predicted the world would end on Y2K and numerous times thereafter. He also "prophesied" to Tara multiple times that if she didn't recant her ways and statements that God would spite her and a reckoning would come. I can't imagine growing up in a home with such a crazed, paranoid father and an abusive brother. Her mother and many of her other siblings were complicit in this. She had one brother who had previously left the family that was on her side. It would be unbearable to live in these conditions. Somehow, Tara finally got out from under her family's insanity. I would recommend this book to anyone. I really liked reading/listening to it, even though it was frustrating at times, especially when Tara tried to believe her father's insanity after learning that it was in fact insanity. 

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris

Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris -- 259 pages

David Sedaris, the “champion storyteller,” (Los Angeles Times) returns with his first new collection of personal essays since the bestselling Calypso.

Back when restaurant menus were still printed on paper, and wearing a mask—or not—was a decision made mostly on Halloween, David Sedaris spent his time doing normal things. As Happy-Go-Lucky opens, he is learning to shoot guns with his sister, visiting muddy flea markets in Serbia, buying gummy worms to feed to ants, and telling his nonagenarian father wheelchair jokes.
 
But then the pandemic hits, and like so many others, he’s stuck in lockdown, unable to tour and read for audiences, the part of his work he loves most. To cope, he walks for miles through a nearly deserted city, smelling only his own breath. He vacuums his apartment twice a day, fails to hoard anything, and contemplates how sex workers and acupuncturists might be getting by during quarantine.
 
As the world gradually settles into a new reality, Sedaris too finds himself changed. His offer to fix a stranger’s teeth rebuffed, he straightens his own, and ventures into the world with new confidence. Newly orphaned, he considers what it means, in his seventh decade, no longer to be someone’s son. And back on the road, he discovers a battle-scarred America: people weary, storefronts empty or festooned with Help Wanted signs, walls painted with graffiti reflecting the contradictory messages of our time: Eat the Rich. Trump 2024. Black Lives Matter.
 
In Happy-Go-Lucky, David Sedaris once again captures what is most unexpected, hilarious, and poignant about these recent upheavals, personal and public, and expresses in precise language both the misanthropy and desire for connection that drive us all. If we must live in interesting times, there is no one better to chronicle them than the incomparable David Sedaris.

The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey

 The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey-321 pages

I really enjoyed reading this. I was a huge fan of The Office (and I still am). It's really cool that Angela and Jenna are best friends in real life and started their friendship on set while filming the first season of The Office. It's fun to learn some behind the scenes facts and stories. It seems like genuine friendships were made while filming the show and the crew sincerely got along well. The authors share that it was a very collaborative work environment on set and that the actors had some say in the direction of their characters. This is very rare in film and tv, which the authors mention. It's also cool that Jenna grew up in St. Louis and studied theater at Truman State University before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. I've enjoyed reading stories about happenings on set and behind the scenes. The cast celebrated holidays together in real life in addition to on set. The authors share tips on attending awards shows and share encounters with other celebrities (like meeting Meryl Streep at an awards show and Angela being photographed with Billie Eilish, who is a big fan of The Office, at an airport). Also, Jenna shares some stories and favorite moments from the onscreen relationship between her character and John Krasinki's character, Jim. She titles this chapter "Jam" (Jim plus Pam). I especially enjoyed reading what she writes about the Casino Night episode and the kiss between Jim and Pam. I also enjoyed reading about their filming for the wedding scene at Niagara Falls. Angela writes a chapter about Dwangela (Dwight and Angela). They share a story about an episode during the final season when they have to ride a bus to film the episode and almost die of accidental poisoning. Their chapter on the series finale episode is really good. They share thoughts on different moments from filming the finale and watching the finale months later. The final chapter is about them starting the podcast Office Ladies and how it came about. I would recommend this to anyone who was/is a fan of The Office. I really enjoyed reading it. 

The Answer is...:Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek

The Answer is...:Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek-304 pages

I grew up watching Jeopardy! and I still catch it when I can. I don't get the opportunity to watch it often anymore, but I still very much enjoy it when I do. I've taken the online test a few times, but I've never gotten called for an audition. When I heard that this was coming out I immediately knew I would want to read it. A few reviews on Goodreads have knocked it for Trebek's writing not being as eloquent as his speaking, but he states in the Introduction to the book that his writing is not on par with his speaking. I feel this is an unfair criticism and I have enjoyed reading this book. I have learned a few things I didn't know about Trebek before, such as that his mother spent 36 hours in labor with him and wouldn't let him forget it during her 95 years on earth, his father was an immigrant to Canada from Ukraine, Trebek's given name is George Alexander Trebek (his dad's was George Edward Trebek, so that's why he started going by Alex), and so on. Also, he spent 3 days in military college, but quit because he decided it wasn't for him. Trebek shares his thoughts on some of the more notable contestants and his thoughts on the show and it's success over the years. Finally, I enjoyed a story he shared about meeting Queen Elizabeth II in a greeting line after a show he participated in while living in Canada. On the first night, he conversed with Her Majesty the Queen for about 5 minutes because Prince Philip was lingering behind and it's customary for them to leave together. Trebek thought he had a good, short conversation and a connection with the Queen. However, he was in a different greeting line the next night and the Queen didn't remember who he was or their conversation from the previous night. Finally, I find it very cool that we both sponsor (in his case now, sponsored) a child through World Vision. He also traveled to many different countries with World Vision and donated time and money to several other charities. It seems (from this book and having watched Jeopardy! many times over the years) that Trebek was a humble, kind, caring man and it would have been cool to meet him. 

 

Ghost Warriors: Long Range Patrol Airborne Rangers by Bob Stein

Ghost Warriors: Long Range Patrol Airborne Rangers by Lt. Bob Stein -291 pages

Stein served as an officer in Vietnam and organized this book to give the enlisted men who served in the same reconnaissance unit a chance to reflect on their service in Vietnam. Their stories convey the varied background of the men recruited into the Long Range Patrol service. Surprisingly, most felt much safer in enemy territory as part of a small unit rather than in larger conventional units considering the guerrilla tactics of the enemy.  These men also felt much more valued by their superiors than they had been in conventional units. Overall, this is an interesting book recalling encounters with an omnipresent enemy and even unusual encounters with wildlife such as tigers.