We are still getting to know each other, but one thing I can surmise about you is that you like to read. After all, why would you sign up for a newsletter otherwise?
Well for readers of all persuasions summer is a season to immerse ourselves in the magic of the written word. For me that still means the pages of a book, although I know many prefer the digital files of high-tech readers or even listening to audio books.
Today, I am less concerned about your preferred medium (still, feel free to share) than what you are reading, or plan to read. How are you approaching your list? Do you make a big one going into summer and then try to check off the titles? Do you step in with one book and hopscotch through recommendations? Do you read to be entertained, to escape, to learn, or all of the above?
I confess, there is a certain selfishness in these questions. I would love some suggestions myself. I will try to share some titles that I recommend in future summer postings. But for now let’s open the virtual “floor” to all of you. And let’s help each other expand our minds, our hearts, and our commitment to shared human experiences one page at a time.
One final note, while we are on the subject of books. Libraries and independent book stores are vital parts of our communities. Please support them whenever possible.
Thanks as always for adding your voice and engaging with the Steady community.
Some ground rules for these Wednesday chats (and also the comments sections on other posts):
I want a space where people feel safe to express their views, as long as they are offered in good faith.
I want a space where ideas can be challenged, especially my own.
I want debate. But I want it to be civil.
I want people to come here with open minds, and open hearts.
I want this to be fun as well as serious.
We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
I am reading "The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred" by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. As a science educator, I am always trying to make sure my challenging courses are accessible and interesting my students. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein is an amazing writer and really is able to bring home both her joy in her research and what it is in an accessible-to-a-layman way, but she also really lays bare the truth about racism and lack of access in academia and elsewhere. It is a fabulous read so far, I am about half-way through. Did you know that the sun changes 4 million tons of matter into energy every SECOND??? I didn't until I read this book.
This is gonna seem like a circular path but, I promise, it's nearly all connected. Several years ago, I was asked to write a small book about the history of steamboats. It involved a lot of reading and organization of my thoughts, and most of the books I used as reference I still have and read bits of from time to time; those books I don't have are too expensive for my pocketbook. The resulting book left me with the possibility of writing two or three more, all of which I think would make nice movies. But, for one reason or another I get side-tracked, picking up the thread again when I least expect it. Earlier this spring, I was watching "Pride and Prejudice" when it occurred to me that the characters, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, were of the same years (1810-1812) that the first steamboat was taken to New Orleans by Nicholas Roosevelt and his wife, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt. Suddenly, the Roosevelts were given a context they haven't had before. So I've re-read "Pride and Prejudice", "Sense and Sensibility" and articles about the economics of the time. Off and on, I'm reading "Networked Machinists: High Technology Industries in Antebellum America," by David R. Meyer. Nicholas Roosevelt and his company built the copper boilers for The New Orleans and he is mentioned in the book. Also, to occupy my "Great Stay-at-Home" time, I took part in Zoom talks about medieval stonemasons, given by an English buildings archaeologist. And while reading a little book on the topic, I was reminded of the name of a worker I saw incised in one of the stones used to construct the Muskingum Lock and Dam system in southeastern Ohio. I'm thinking I may be able to look up info about the man, to see whether he settled in that area, set up a business as a stonemason somewhere in the Ohio river Valley. Who knows?
Having just finished Malcolm Nance's great and densely factual book about Trump and his Russian allies, I felt the need of some cheer. So I am rereading the Bob and Nikki sci-fi series, which has some adventures, but also lots of banter and humor.
Not having been an avid reader in my early years, I've found a love of historical non-fiction through reading 'Team of Rivals' by Goodwin plus I enjoy reading about art, creativity and philosophy. In an article I read, Stacy Abrams recommended the book 'Master of the Senate' for any President to read. That peaked my curiosity of why that book, and I now have a copy. It will take time to read most likely one chapter at a sitting. Usually the path to my selections is hearing a title recommendation from multiple people, and sometimes there is just synchronicity. I read to learn, to be inspired, and to be touched emotionally year-round.
All my life I have read fiction as my primary source of sociological and political truth. I learned early on that non-fiction of all types whether news, opinion, media, history, biography, or scholarship must be read with an acute awareness of the biases of the authors who always are the winners. It is too much work. Fiction on the other hand must sell to be noticeable, and the biases are readily apparent. I have recently been promoting the adage that “Fiction is lies that tell the truth. Non-fiction is truth that tells lies.”
My fiction reading is eclectic although best sellers are generally not of interest. Science fiction and fantasy authors seem to be generally intelligent although I read intelligent authors in any genre based on recommendations of friends who read. New books are ebooks but if they are worth reading again, a paper copy is needed. Rereading on an ebook is frustrating as finding parts needed for context is impossible.
Most reread authors are Heinlein, Steinbeck, and Tolkien. New authors are too numerous to select one. Only time will tell if I buy the paper. A few columnists are worth subscribing to, thanks, Dan.
I just completed "What Unites Us" and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a writer you are! Duh...I do not care for audio books as I tend to drift away quickly. I read a lot with my 7 yo granddaughter who was born with a book in her hand! She is very much into all age levels up to the 4th grade level and I hope she never loses that passion.
I guess the recent hate crimes have brought me back to books about the holocaust. One of my favorites is Stones from the River. Now I’m reading
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. Although both of these highlight the hatred and bias, they also provide some hope that there were people who came forward then. Perhaps some will step up now.
I like to keep a non-fiction and a novel going...the non fiction is daytime reading and the novel a treat at the end of the day. I am trying to learn as much as I can about the history of slavery and things connected. I am currently reading "Four Hundred Souls...A community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain. I can't recommend the novels I've read lately and would love suggestions...I like to be interested in the characters and learn life lessons subtly through them. I love reading!
I'm editing a novel (mine) and don't have time to read much right now. I just finished as a beta reader for an upcoming novel coming out July 13th on Amazon called Headspace by J.D. Edwin. Mark your calendars. Definitely worth the read and she'd love to have your reviews. My next book up is Where The Crawdads Sing.
I am thoroughly enjoying James Michener's "The Source" this summer and may throw into that (just for some escapism) some science fantasy by S.M. Stirling!
Always a great question, especially for a retired librarian. My summer reading is, I guess I'll call it - eclectic. I stack up a pile of books and start reading, reshuffling the pile to meet my mood. I bought books at Book People (hurrah for independent booksellers) during the quarantine and picked them up curbside, and I relied on the Austin Public Library, which also offers curbside pickup. I've just finished A Burning by Megha Majumdar and now have lightened things up a bit with Jacques d'Amboise's memoir, I Was A Dancer. I've recently read John Banville's books Snow and The Sea, and his Quirke Dublin crime novels written under his pseudonym Benjamin Black. Charles Yu's Interior Chinatown is a painful and necessary reminder of the Chinese immigrant journey and the experiences of their descendants. bitter, brutal, funny. Next on my stack are His Very Best, a biography of Jimmy Carter by Jonathan Alter, and Peniel Joseph's The Sword and the Shield.
My best audio book was Born A Crime, read by Trevor Noah himself.Even if you've read it, the listening experience is pure pleasure.
Just finished reading "The Emotional Lives of Animals". Cannot recommend it highly enough. A bit academic in part, but also very readable for the non-scientist. I also just finished the Don Winslow trilogy centered around the drug cartels of Mexico. Not for the squeamish, but one of the best explanations/explorations of the politics of drug running.
I recently discovered two new (to me) authors, Kristin Hannah and Jodi Picoult. Both are great! I was thrilled to learn they’ve each written 20+ books so I am set for the summer!
I try to read something informative then a novel. Right now I am reading One Billion Americans about the need for America to increase it's population. Interesting ideas and good read. Before that I read a Robert Parker who-done-it novel. Switching back and forth gives me incentive to learn and be entertained. I am entertained by learning new things and ideas!!
Braiding Sweetgrass by ROBIN Wall Kimmerer: The author takes us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise” (Elizabeth Gilbert).
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings—asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass—offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices... the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.
This spring I was blessed to discover and read several truly wonderful books. First, "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics," by Daniel Brown. I found it utterly fascinating, not only because of the story itself but because of the parallel to today's times. The other two I deeply enjoyed reading were "The Secret Life of Bees," by Sue Monk Kidd, and "Where the Crawdads Sing," by Cassandra Campbell. All well written, powerful, and deeply moving. I'll definitely enjoy revisiting and recommending them!
Omnivorous reader here, and currently convalescent so I have plenty of time. Among the current crop are The Biggest Estate on Earth by Bill Gammage about the ancient indigenous people of Australia and how they effectively controlled their environment, John Norris' biography of Mary McGrory, Kindred by Rebecca Wragg Sykes which discusses some of the newer research about the Neanderthal, Dan Lyons' Lab Rats, which has a lot to say about how the world of work has changed, and why (not pretty....), and fiction seems to be sci-fi for me right now, including the Collected Short Fiction of Clifford Simak (12 volumes!) and Nnedi Okorafor's Binti triology that's fascinating and quite different from the usual offerings, and a re-read of Kerry Greenwood's Delphic Women Triology.
I belong to a "classic" novels library discussion group which, during Covid, has continued online. Among recent books were Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth," Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby. On my own, It's also time for another John Grisham legal thriller! Reading: good for the mind, good for the soul.
I hopscotch merrily through recommendations sometimes surprised at where I land. I read to be entertained (& often charmed), to escape, and to learn. I plan to read your book What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism as soon my husband finishes it.
This is only a day late, but here is a list of what I’ve read over the past 18 months or some still to be read. It represents seasonal interests and hobbies; a desire to learn more about the US; health concerns; a desire to be a thinking, discerning person; interest in Africa and Australia and a love of biography.
The US and Biography
Reaganland, Rick Perlstein (on page 343 of 900+)
Becoming, Michelle Obama. Absolutely loved it.
A Promised Land, Barack Obama. Still to read.
Too Much and Never Enough, Mary Trump on Trump. Read before their election, sobering.
Promise Me Dad, Joe Biden. I know I will want to read more by him and about him.
Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance. So much to think about, Appalachia, poverty and how and can people change? I want to know more about Appalachia.
Health and Thinking
Keep Sharp, Sanjay Gupta
Think Again, Adam Grant
Other Countries, Other People
The Long Song, Andrea Levy. Jamaican Slavery. Very moving, saw later on PBS
Nervous Conditions, the Book of Not, This Mournable Body all by Tsitsi Dangarembga, a female writer shedding light on sad times in Zimbabwe and a young woman navigating through life.
I am a Girl From Africa, Elizabeth Nyamayaro. Set in Zimbabwe, still to read.
Poppie Nongena, The Hunchback Missionary both by Elsa Joubert, transl. from Afrikaans. South Africa
I Can Jump Puddles, Alan Marshall. Australian classic about a young boy’s childhood in Australia and how he deals with polio. First of 3 in his autobiography series.
Seasonal Interests/hobbies
English Gardens, Kathryn Bradley-Hole. Gardening eye candy, beauty to feed the soul. Every few days I look at gardens.
A Way to Garden, Margaret Roach. Fascinating new-to-me info about gardening, earthworms, micromoles etc. Written in monthly sections so I follow along. She also writes articles for NY Times.
Quilts in Burano, and Kaffe Fassett in the Studio, both by Fassett. Wonderful textile and floral feasts for the eye. Very inspirational and gives insight into the workings of a highly creative artist.
Six Seasons, Joshua McFadden. Plenty of interesting recipes using vegetables. Discovered when I was wondering what on earth to do with my generous quantities of home grown kale.
Jerusalem, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Will buy the book after watching Ottolenghi teach online classes. Cooking, culture and travel.
The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion. My husband ended up becoming the family and neighborhood bread baker in covid times.
I have enjoyed this topic, taken note of interesting books that others have mentioned. Thank you Dan for the prompt.
My reading recently is mostly audio books and here is a sampling: Martin Luther, Metaxas; Lakota America, Hamalainen; The Zimmerman Telegraph, Tuchman; H is for Hawk, Macdonald; Fall of Giants, Follett. on the list: Birdseye, Kurlansky; The Book of Eels, Svensson; Vesper Flights, Macdonald; My Detachment, Kidder. Authors I particularly enjoy are John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky. I also like "single subject" books, Coal, Salt, Oranges, The Toothpick, which give a wide ranging history of that item and their cultural implications. Mysteries on the other hand are read only occasionally.
I love anything by Steve Berry, Louise Penny, Diana Gableton, Eva Gates, and so many more! I read books, ebooks, and listen to audiobooks, usually having three books going at a time! I've donated books to the library for their book sales, and I volunteer to work at the sale. Our public libraries need all the help we can give them!
I’ve been re-reading mostly poetry by David Frost and by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to balance out the political news and garbage we’re fed daily although I’m quite relieved we’re in the right track now in the WH. I also do gardening and check in emails & info from you snd Maria Shriver. Thank you for being a real journalist & reporter all these years, Mr. Rather.
I’ve also been reading Karl Jackson’s series “Harry’s Game” which is the exploits of Harriet “Harry”Cornwall, a fictional WW2 RAF female fighter pilot who got swept up into the war quite by accident, along with her best friend, Nicole Delacourt. Aside from the fact that there were not actually any female fighter pilots in the RAF during WW2, the series is well researched and the conditions described are accurate. I‘m finding it exceptionally enjoyable and I’ve definitely gotten hooked on the series.
I just finished re-reading John Hersey’s “Hiroshima” which now contains reporting on the remainder of the lives of the six survivors whose stories are the basis for the original text.
Last summer, I read Evicted by Matthew Desmond. This nonfiction work shares important stories about eviction and it's devastating consequences. In my opinion, it became even more important during the pandemic. It's been out for a few years, but I highly recommend it if you haven't read it.
This summer, I'm interested to read Let the Record Show, A Political History of ACT UP by Sarah Schulman. In the midst of all the turmoil our country is facing now, I wonder if ACT UP offers any lessons for how we can move forward. Like so many books I read, this one was recommended on a podcast.
Last week I finished reading Andrew Jackson. Good read ... he was really for the people and believed that the government should work for the people, not the other way around. I am waiting for James Madison and James Monroe from the President's Series. While I am waiting, I am reading a James Patterson "Alex Cross" series.
I am reading the mystery series by Warren Easley. It is set in Oregon where I live and they are so far good mysteries.. I also read James Patterson and like his writing particularly the Womens Mystery series and the ones of late he has co written with former President Bill Clinton.
While I will be turning 31 soon, and a lot of my friends have switched to some type of e-reader, I routinely buy physical books. There's nothing like feeling a book in your hand, or watching your library grow. Every evening before bed I enjoy reading. I usually opt for sci-fi and just began Death's End. It's the final book in The Three-Body Problem series. While it can be a technical and difficult read at times, the prose is beautiful and immersive. I find myself not being able to put it down and go to sleep sometimes. When I'm in need of perspective, I read an essay from Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin. As a young black man, it's so easy to be disillusioned by what is still happening in this world. While Baldwin doesn't always help assuage these anxieties, I find it helpful to remember I am not alone, and try to remain steady, not getting too high or low with each piece of news about the state of race relations in our country.
My current reads are, "American Gospel" by Jon Meacham and "Newport Rising" by John Rolfe Gardiner. Both are quite relevant to the current fault lines fracturing our country. Old Sooner
I usually have several books going at once. Right now I have The Book of Tea, by Kakuso Okakura, You Are Your Best Thing, by Tarana Burke and Brene' Brown, Tweeting Truth To Power, by Cyrus McQueen, The Warmth Of Other Suns, by, Isabel Wilkerson, Eastern Body Western Mind, by, Anodea Judith, and Life By The Cup, by Zhena Muyka. I pick up whichever book fits my mood or attention span, which has definitely dwindled over the last year and a half.
Just finished The Luminaries. Extremely well written. Set during the gold rush in New Zealand it’s written in a style from that era. You have to pay attention to the dry sense of humor beneath the writing style The story itself is absorbing and well paced. Large cast of characters and each gets chance to tell a piece of the story from their viewpoint and the reader needs to piece together what really happened.
My apologies, but I do not have your e-mail. We do, of course, go way back to when I was the Paris correspondent for CBS News and you so graciously introduced me evenings on the CBS Evening News.
Since you asked for a book suggestion: Here's my latest, just out: "A Red Line in the Sand: Diplomacy, Strategy and the History of Wars That Might Still Happen, published by Pegasus/Simon & Schuster. There's also a 12-part podcast of the same name from Evergreen/Apple !
I do hope you and your amazing readers will enjoy them!
Three recent books come to mind. First “Witness, Lessons from Elise Wiesel’s Classroom” by Ariel Burger which I found so interesting that I bought copies for 3 friend. Second, Madame Secretary by Susan Page which was a fascinating biography of Nancy Pelosi. Finally I just finished a wonderful book by Lisa Napoli - “Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie” - about 4 great women journalists who helped to put NPR on the map and break through the barrier against women in the newsroom.
I am reading Stacey Abrams' newest novel, "While Justice Sleeps." I am so impressed with her and I thought this sounded like a great summer read as well as a nice way to support her personally. (-:
Currently reading The American Presidency: Origins and Development 1776-1998. It's a book I had to use in college 20 years ago and now getting a chance to read it in its entirety. It has me curious to look into some presidents I know little about, this adding MORE books to my wish list and the pile i physically have. I plan on readinf King's The Dead Zone soon. Also have Ken Follet's A Column of Fire and some trilogy series set in WWI given to me by my dad. I like reading historical fiction & biographies/ autobios.
I am reading "The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred" by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. As a science educator, I am always trying to make sure my challenging courses are accessible and interesting my students. Dr. Prescod-Weinstein is an amazing writer and really is able to bring home both her joy in her research and what it is in an accessible-to-a-layman way, but she also really lays bare the truth about racism and lack of access in academia and elsewhere. It is a fabulous read so far, I am about half-way through. Did you know that the sun changes 4 million tons of matter into energy every SECOND??? I didn't until I read this book.
This is gonna seem like a circular path but, I promise, it's nearly all connected. Several years ago, I was asked to write a small book about the history of steamboats. It involved a lot of reading and organization of my thoughts, and most of the books I used as reference I still have and read bits of from time to time; those books I don't have are too expensive for my pocketbook. The resulting book left me with the possibility of writing two or three more, all of which I think would make nice movies. But, for one reason or another I get side-tracked, picking up the thread again when I least expect it. Earlier this spring, I was watching "Pride and Prejudice" when it occurred to me that the characters, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett, were of the same years (1810-1812) that the first steamboat was taken to New Orleans by Nicholas Roosevelt and his wife, Lydia Latrobe Roosevelt. Suddenly, the Roosevelts were given a context they haven't had before. So I've re-read "Pride and Prejudice", "Sense and Sensibility" and articles about the economics of the time. Off and on, I'm reading "Networked Machinists: High Technology Industries in Antebellum America," by David R. Meyer. Nicholas Roosevelt and his company built the copper boilers for The New Orleans and he is mentioned in the book. Also, to occupy my "Great Stay-at-Home" time, I took part in Zoom talks about medieval stonemasons, given by an English buildings archaeologist. And while reading a little book on the topic, I was reminded of the name of a worker I saw incised in one of the stones used to construct the Muskingum Lock and Dam system in southeastern Ohio. I'm thinking I may be able to look up info about the man, to see whether he settled in that area, set up a business as a stonemason somewhere in the Ohio river Valley. Who knows?
Mostly trashy romances and historical fiction. My current read is "My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton".
Having just finished Malcolm Nance's great and densely factual book about Trump and his Russian allies, I felt the need of some cheer. So I am rereading the Bob and Nikki sci-fi series, which has some adventures, but also lots of banter and humor.
I just finished “The Home for Unwanted Girls” by Joanna Goodman. I couldn’t put it down and finished reading it in two days. I highly recommend it!
Not having been an avid reader in my early years, I've found a love of historical non-fiction through reading 'Team of Rivals' by Goodwin plus I enjoy reading about art, creativity and philosophy. In an article I read, Stacy Abrams recommended the book 'Master of the Senate' for any President to read. That peaked my curiosity of why that book, and I now have a copy. It will take time to read most likely one chapter at a sitting. Usually the path to my selections is hearing a title recommendation from multiple people, and sometimes there is just synchronicity. I read to learn, to be inspired, and to be touched emotionally year-round.
All my life I have read fiction as my primary source of sociological and political truth. I learned early on that non-fiction of all types whether news, opinion, media, history, biography, or scholarship must be read with an acute awareness of the biases of the authors who always are the winners. It is too much work. Fiction on the other hand must sell to be noticeable, and the biases are readily apparent. I have recently been promoting the adage that “Fiction is lies that tell the truth. Non-fiction is truth that tells lies.”
My fiction reading is eclectic although best sellers are generally not of interest. Science fiction and fantasy authors seem to be generally intelligent although I read intelligent authors in any genre based on recommendations of friends who read. New books are ebooks but if they are worth reading again, a paper copy is needed. Rereading on an ebook is frustrating as finding parts needed for context is impossible.
Most reread authors are Heinlein, Steinbeck, and Tolkien. New authors are too numerous to select one. Only time will tell if I buy the paper. A few columnists are worth subscribing to, thanks, Dan.
I'm reading The Book of Longings. It's amazing!
OLYMPUS TEXAS by Stacey Swann, an Austin writer.
Hour of the Witch by Bohjalian
I just completed "What Unites Us" and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a writer you are! Duh...I do not care for audio books as I tend to drift away quickly. I read a lot with my 7 yo granddaughter who was born with a book in her hand! She is very much into all age levels up to the 4th grade level and I hope she never loses that passion.
I guess the recent hate crimes have brought me back to books about the holocaust. One of my favorites is Stones from the River. Now I’m reading
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. Although both of these highlight the hatred and bias, they also provide some hope that there were people who came forward then. Perhaps some will step up now.
I like to keep a non-fiction and a novel going...the non fiction is daytime reading and the novel a treat at the end of the day. I am trying to learn as much as I can about the history of slavery and things connected. I am currently reading "Four Hundred Souls...A community History of African America, 1619-2019, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain. I can't recommend the novels I've read lately and would love suggestions...I like to be interested in the characters and learn life lessons subtly through them. I love reading!
The Gentle Answer
I'm editing a novel (mine) and don't have time to read much right now. I just finished as a beta reader for an upcoming novel coming out July 13th on Amazon called Headspace by J.D. Edwin. Mark your calendars. Definitely worth the read and she'd love to have your reviews. My next book up is Where The Crawdads Sing.
I'm reading the Wall Street Journal, Science News Magazine, and the Bible. Hoping to find time for some "brain candy" next week - maybe a whodunit. :)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
I am thoroughly enjoying James Michener's "The Source" this summer and may throw into that (just for some escapism) some science fantasy by S.M. Stirling!
Always a great question, especially for a retired librarian. My summer reading is, I guess I'll call it - eclectic. I stack up a pile of books and start reading, reshuffling the pile to meet my mood. I bought books at Book People (hurrah for independent booksellers) during the quarantine and picked them up curbside, and I relied on the Austin Public Library, which also offers curbside pickup. I've just finished A Burning by Megha Majumdar and now have lightened things up a bit with Jacques d'Amboise's memoir, I Was A Dancer. I've recently read John Banville's books Snow and The Sea, and his Quirke Dublin crime novels written under his pseudonym Benjamin Black. Charles Yu's Interior Chinatown is a painful and necessary reminder of the Chinese immigrant journey and the experiences of their descendants. bitter, brutal, funny. Next on my stack are His Very Best, a biography of Jimmy Carter by Jonathan Alter, and Peniel Joseph's The Sword and the Shield.
My best audio book was Born A Crime, read by Trevor Noah himself.Even if you've read it, the listening experience is pure pleasure.
Just finished reading "The Emotional Lives of Animals". Cannot recommend it highly enough. A bit academic in part, but also very readable for the non-scientist. I also just finished the Don Winslow trilogy centered around the drug cartels of Mexico. Not for the squeamish, but one of the best explanations/explorations of the politics of drug running.
I recently discovered two new (to me) authors, Kristin Hannah and Jodi Picoult. Both are great! I was thrilled to learn they’ve each written 20+ books so I am set for the summer!
I try to read something informative then a novel. Right now I am reading One Billion Americans about the need for America to increase it's population. Interesting ideas and good read. Before that I read a Robert Parker who-done-it novel. Switching back and forth gives me incentive to learn and be entertained. I am entertained by learning new things and ideas!!
Braiding Sweetgrass by ROBIN Wall Kimmerer: The author takes us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise” (Elizabeth Gilbert).
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings—asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass—offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices... the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.
This spring I was blessed to discover and read several truly wonderful books. First, "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics," by Daniel Brown. I found it utterly fascinating, not only because of the story itself but because of the parallel to today's times. The other two I deeply enjoyed reading were "The Secret Life of Bees," by Sue Monk Kidd, and "Where the Crawdads Sing," by Cassandra Campbell. All well written, powerful, and deeply moving. I'll definitely enjoy revisiting and recommending them!
Omnivorous reader here, and currently convalescent so I have plenty of time. Among the current crop are The Biggest Estate on Earth by Bill Gammage about the ancient indigenous people of Australia and how they effectively controlled their environment, John Norris' biography of Mary McGrory, Kindred by Rebecca Wragg Sykes which discusses some of the newer research about the Neanderthal, Dan Lyons' Lab Rats, which has a lot to say about how the world of work has changed, and why (not pretty....), and fiction seems to be sci-fi for me right now, including the Collected Short Fiction of Clifford Simak (12 volumes!) and Nnedi Okorafor's Binti triology that's fascinating and quite different from the usual offerings, and a re-read of Kerry Greenwood's Delphic Women Triology.
Dewy: THe Small Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron.
And, Homer’s Odyssey. A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love And Life With A Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper.
I belong to a "classic" novels library discussion group which, during Covid, has continued online. Among recent books were Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth," Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby. On my own, It's also time for another John Grisham legal thriller! Reading: good for the mind, good for the soul.
I hopscotch merrily through recommendations sometimes surprised at where I land. I read to be entertained (& often charmed), to escape, and to learn. I plan to read your book What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism as soon my husband finishes it.
This is only a day late, but here is a list of what I’ve read over the past 18 months or some still to be read. It represents seasonal interests and hobbies; a desire to learn more about the US; health concerns; a desire to be a thinking, discerning person; interest in Africa and Australia and a love of biography.
The US and Biography
Reaganland, Rick Perlstein (on page 343 of 900+)
Becoming, Michelle Obama. Absolutely loved it.
A Promised Land, Barack Obama. Still to read.
Too Much and Never Enough, Mary Trump on Trump. Read before their election, sobering.
Promise Me Dad, Joe Biden. I know I will want to read more by him and about him.
Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance. So much to think about, Appalachia, poverty and how and can people change? I want to know more about Appalachia.
Health and Thinking
Keep Sharp, Sanjay Gupta
Think Again, Adam Grant
Other Countries, Other People
The Long Song, Andrea Levy. Jamaican Slavery. Very moving, saw later on PBS
Nervous Conditions, the Book of Not, This Mournable Body all by Tsitsi Dangarembga, a female writer shedding light on sad times in Zimbabwe and a young woman navigating through life.
I am a Girl From Africa, Elizabeth Nyamayaro. Set in Zimbabwe, still to read.
Poppie Nongena, The Hunchback Missionary both by Elsa Joubert, transl. from Afrikaans. South Africa
I Can Jump Puddles, Alan Marshall. Australian classic about a young boy’s childhood in Australia and how he deals with polio. First of 3 in his autobiography series.
Seasonal Interests/hobbies
English Gardens, Kathryn Bradley-Hole. Gardening eye candy, beauty to feed the soul. Every few days I look at gardens.
A Way to Garden, Margaret Roach. Fascinating new-to-me info about gardening, earthworms, micromoles etc. Written in monthly sections so I follow along. She also writes articles for NY Times.
Quilts in Burano, and Kaffe Fassett in the Studio, both by Fassett. Wonderful textile and floral feasts for the eye. Very inspirational and gives insight into the workings of a highly creative artist.
Six Seasons, Joshua McFadden. Plenty of interesting recipes using vegetables. Discovered when I was wondering what on earth to do with my generous quantities of home grown kale.
Jerusalem, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Will buy the book after watching Ottolenghi teach online classes. Cooking, culture and travel.
The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion. My husband ended up becoming the family and neighborhood bread baker in covid times.
I have enjoyed this topic, taken note of interesting books that others have mentioned. Thank you Dan for the prompt.
My reading recently is mostly audio books and here is a sampling: Martin Luther, Metaxas; Lakota America, Hamalainen; The Zimmerman Telegraph, Tuchman; H is for Hawk, Macdonald; Fall of Giants, Follett. on the list: Birdseye, Kurlansky; The Book of Eels, Svensson; Vesper Flights, Macdonald; My Detachment, Kidder. Authors I particularly enjoy are John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky. I also like "single subject" books, Coal, Salt, Oranges, The Toothpick, which give a wide ranging history of that item and their cultural implications. Mysteries on the other hand are read only occasionally.
I love anything by Steve Berry, Louise Penny, Diana Gableton, Eva Gates, and so many more! I read books, ebooks, and listen to audiobooks, usually having three books going at a time! I've donated books to the library for their book sales, and I volunteer to work at the sale. Our public libraries need all the help we can give them!
I’ve been re-reading mostly poetry by David Frost and by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to balance out the political news and garbage we’re fed daily although I’m quite relieved we’re in the right track now in the WH. I also do gardening and check in emails & info from you snd Maria Shriver. Thank you for being a real journalist & reporter all these years, Mr. Rather.
5 Gifts of the Mind by Eran Katz.
Nomadland. Finally. I am hoping to find more like it.
I’ve also been reading Karl Jackson’s series “Harry’s Game” which is the exploits of Harriet “Harry”Cornwall, a fictional WW2 RAF female fighter pilot who got swept up into the war quite by accident, along with her best friend, Nicole Delacourt. Aside from the fact that there were not actually any female fighter pilots in the RAF during WW2, the series is well researched and the conditions described are accurate. I‘m finding it exceptionally enjoyable and I’ve definitely gotten hooked on the series.
I just finished re-reading John Hersey’s “Hiroshima” which now contains reporting on the remainder of the lives of the six survivors whose stories are the basis for the original text.
Last summer, I read Evicted by Matthew Desmond. This nonfiction work shares important stories about eviction and it's devastating consequences. In my opinion, it became even more important during the pandemic. It's been out for a few years, but I highly recommend it if you haven't read it.
This summer, I'm interested to read Let the Record Show, A Political History of ACT UP by Sarah Schulman. In the midst of all the turmoil our country is facing now, I wonder if ACT UP offers any lessons for how we can move forward. Like so many books I read, this one was recommended on a podcast.
Last week I finished reading Andrew Jackson. Good read ... he was really for the people and believed that the government should work for the people, not the other way around. I am waiting for James Madison and James Monroe from the President's Series. While I am waiting, I am reading a James Patterson "Alex Cross" series.
I am reading the mystery series by Warren Easley. It is set in Oregon where I live and they are so far good mysteries.. I also read James Patterson and like his writing particularly the Womens Mystery series and the ones of late he has co written with former President Bill Clinton.
While I will be turning 31 soon, and a lot of my friends have switched to some type of e-reader, I routinely buy physical books. There's nothing like feeling a book in your hand, or watching your library grow. Every evening before bed I enjoy reading. I usually opt for sci-fi and just began Death's End. It's the final book in The Three-Body Problem series. While it can be a technical and difficult read at times, the prose is beautiful and immersive. I find myself not being able to put it down and go to sleep sometimes. When I'm in need of perspective, I read an essay from Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin. As a young black man, it's so easy to be disillusioned by what is still happening in this world. While Baldwin doesn't always help assuage these anxieties, I find it helpful to remember I am not alone, and try to remain steady, not getting too high or low with each piece of news about the state of race relations in our country.
Mr. Rather,
My current reads are, "American Gospel" by Jon Meacham and "Newport Rising" by John Rolfe Gardiner. Both are quite relevant to the current fault lines fracturing our country. Old Sooner
I just finished President Obama's book, "A Promised Land." It's a terrific read.
I"m reading John Green's The Anthropocene Reviewed. Not my usual read, but saw him interviewed and it sounded interesting.
I usually have several books going at once. Right now I have The Book of Tea, by Kakuso Okakura, You Are Your Best Thing, by Tarana Burke and Brene' Brown, Tweeting Truth To Power, by Cyrus McQueen, The Warmth Of Other Suns, by, Isabel Wilkerson, Eastern Body Western Mind, by, Anodea Judith, and Life By The Cup, by Zhena Muyka. I pick up whichever book fits my mood or attention span, which has definitely dwindled over the last year and a half.
Just finished The Luminaries. Extremely well written. Set during the gold rush in New Zealand it’s written in a style from that era. You have to pay attention to the dry sense of humor beneath the writing style The story itself is absorbing and well paced. Large cast of characters and each gets chance to tell a piece of the story from their viewpoint and the reader needs to piece together what really happened.
Greetings, Dan ...
My apologies, but I do not have your e-mail. We do, of course, go way back to when I was the Paris correspondent for CBS News and you so graciously introduced me evenings on the CBS Evening News.
Since you asked for a book suggestion: Here's my latest, just out: "A Red Line in the Sand: Diplomacy, Strategy and the History of Wars That Might Still Happen, published by Pegasus/Simon & Schuster. There's also a 12-part podcast of the same name from Evergreen/Apple !
I do hope you and your amazing readers will enjoy them!
Fondest regards
David
Three recent books come to mind. First “Witness, Lessons from Elise Wiesel’s Classroom” by Ariel Burger which I found so interesting that I bought copies for 3 friend. Second, Madame Secretary by Susan Page which was a fascinating biography of Nancy Pelosi. Finally I just finished a wonderful book by Lisa Napoli - “Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie” - about 4 great women journalists who helped to put NPR on the map and break through the barrier against women in the newsroom.
I am reading Stacey Abrams' newest novel, "While Justice Sleeps." I am so impressed with her and I thought this sounded like a great summer read as well as a nice way to support her personally. (-:
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou, The Dry and Force of Nature by Jane Harper, Slow Horses and Dead Lions by Mick Herron, Old Filth by Jane Gardam.
Currently reading The American Presidency: Origins and Development 1776-1998. It's a book I had to use in college 20 years ago and now getting a chance to read it in its entirety. It has me curious to look into some presidents I know little about, this adding MORE books to my wish list and the pile i physically have. I plan on readinf King's The Dead Zone soon. Also have Ken Follet's A Column of Fire and some trilogy series set in WWI given to me by my dad. I like reading historical fiction & biographies/ autobios.