52 Ways to Walk

52 Ways to Walk: The New Science and Timeless Joy of How, When, Where, and Why
By Annabel Streets
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2022. 272 pgs. Nonfiction

Are you stuck in a rut with your walking routine?  Looking to get out and walk more and maybe shake things up at the same time?  52 Ways to Walk is full of ideas on new locations, new companions, new times to walk, and new skills for the way we walk.  Structured so that each new idea can be implemented during each week of the year, this book will inspire, challenge, support, and encourage anyone who want to make a change and experience something new.

Not only is this book full of new ideas for the ways we can walk, it's all backed up by studies, research, and testimonials of just how good it can be for us in all its different forms.  For those who are especially motivated by research, this can be a great catalyst to get out and walk more in new ways.

If you like 52 Ways to Walk, you might also like:

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to do is Healthy and Rewarding
By Daniel Lieberman
Pantheon Books, 2020. 440 pgs. Nonfiction

A natural history of exercise by the Harvard University paleoanthropologist challenges popular myths about the evolution of physical activity while outlining anthropological approaches to exercising effectively in the modern world.

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
By John Ratey
Little, Brown. 2008. 294 pgs. Nonfiction

An investigation into the effects of exercise on the brain evaluates how aerobic exercise positively influences the progression of such conditions as Alzheimer's disease, ADD, and depression, in a report that shares theory-supporting case studies.

BHG

The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog

The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog
By Rick McIntyre
Greystone Books, 2019. 304 pages. Nonfiction

In the 1920s, park rangers in Yellowstone killed the last of the wild wolves that roamed the park, and in the following decades the ecosystem changed without this important apex predator.  After they were reintroduced to the park in the mid-1990s, Rick McIntyre, an employee of the park, spent years carefully observing and documenting their behavior.  In this book he tells the story of Wolf 8: born smaller than the other pups in his litter, he was bullied by his brothers in his youth.  But in early adulthood, he meets an alpha female whose mate was shot and builds a bond with her that allows him to become her new adopted mate.  He must navigate raising his adoptive pups, hunting skillfully, defending his new pack, and fathering his own pups.  This is his story, and the stories of his offspring and their neighboring packs.

I became interested in Rick McIntyre after reading the fantastic American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee.  McIntyre has devoted most of his life to studying the behavior of wolves in Yellowstone, and has now written several books that describe much of his findings.  This book in particular details much of the early behavior of the wolves after they were reintroduced to Yellowstone in the 1990s, not just Wolf 8 but his descendants and their interactions and tensions with neighboring packs.  McIntyre's writing sometimes gets a bit bogged down in detailed descriptions of sequential behavior of the wolves, but his overall observations, conclusions, and epiphanies about their behavior are truly fascinating to read.  Recommended for anyone interested in National Parks, wildlife, and wolves in particular.

American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
By Nate Blakeslee
Crown Publishers, 2017. 300 pgs. Nonfiction


Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995 and since then, park rangers and conservationists have been watching and tracking individual wolves and wolf packs throughout the Rockies.  Using this data so meticulously collected, Blakeslee has written the dramatic story of O-Six, a large, clever alpha female who reigned the Lamar Valley.  But the story of this beloved wolf cannot be told without also introducing wolf watcher Laurie Lyman and park wildlife expert Rick McIntyre who together helped to build O-Six's the celebrity and use her life to argue the case for keeping wolves on the endangered species list and safe from hunters determined to keep their numbers low.

Down From the Mountain: The Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear
By Bryce Andrews
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. 256 pages. Nonfiction

The grizzly is one of North America’s few remaining large predators. Their range is diminished, but they’re spreading across the West again. Descending into valleys where once they were king, bears find the landscape they’d known for eons utterly changed by the new most dominant animal: humans.

 

 

BHG

Book Lovers

Book Lovers
By Emily Henry
Berkley, 2022. Fiction. 384 pgs

We all know the Hallmark movie formula: man leaves the big city to go back home to try to save his family's struggling bookstore/bed and breakfast/Christmas tree farm.  While he's there he meets the down-to-earth laid-back lady of his dreams, while back in the city his frigid fiance scoffs at his humble roots and asks when he's coming back.  Little does the fiance know that she's about to be dumped so he can spend the rest of his life blissfully sipping beers on the back porch, watching fireflies with the love of his life in his arms.  But... what about that fiance back in the city?  Nora is that woman.  She's lost more than one boyfriend to the small-town life, and while she won't apologize for being driven and successful in her career, she's starting to wonder if she's cursed.  When her younger sister asks her to go to a small town in North Carolina to fulfill a checklist of their own Hallmark movie tropes, Nora reluctantly agrees.  But while new experiences and potential romance are possible in Sunshine Falls, Nora has never been the woman who longs to settle down into small town life.

This book delightfully turns the Hallmark romance tropes on their heads, and both the characters and the plot of this book have surprising depth and complexity.  I found myself enjoying the progression of Nora and her sister's relationship as much as the romance, and I related to far more of this book than I have to any other chick-lit/romance/Hallmark work of fiction.  Readers should know that a few adult situations take place.  Somehow in this post-pandemic world, this book feels like the romance novel that we need right now.

 

If you like Book Lovers, you might also like: 

I Owe You One
By Sophie Kinsella
Dial Press, 2019. 488 pages. Fiction

Fixie Farr spends most of her time working in her family's housewares store to carry on the legacy of her late father and help her mother with the workload.  When a stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, she saves it from certain disaster.  To thank her, he scribbles a quick "IOU" on a coffee sleeve, though Fixie would never think of taking him up on it.  But when an old flame walks back into Fixie's life and needs a favor, she can't help but think of the kind stranger and wonder if he might be able to help her out after all.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
by Abbi Waxman
Berkley, 2019. 332 pages, General Fiction

Nina Hill has a very simple and lovely life. She works in a bookstore, is an asset on her competitive trivia team, enjoys a carefully regimented schedule of exercise and socializing, and even sets aside specific time to read and do nothing with her cat. When the father she never knew she had dies, his lawyer contacts her about the reading of his will in which she is included. When he informs her that the brother and sisters who didn’t know she existed either are not happy about her encroaching on their inheritance, her simple life quickly becomes a lot more complicated.

 

BHG

 

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music
by Dave Grohl
Dey Street Books, 2021. Biography/Memoir

In this colorful autobiography, David Grohl talks about his life, from growing up in Springfield, Virginia with a growing passion for rock and drumming, his struggles in school, then touring with the band Scream starting at 18 years old, his time with Nirvana, and his subsequent projects and passions both in the music world and outside of it.  He shares stories of his time with the Foo Fighters and many other incredible musicians, some heart-wrenching, some inspiring, and many hilarious.  His experiences as a father round out the book with heart and depth that the reader might not have expected.  Grohl has a passionate love for music and his loved ones, endearingly enthusiastic nerd/fanboy tendencies, and lots of heart, and it all comes through in spades in this compellingly readable book.

If you like The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, you might also like:

The Beatles: The Biography
By Bob Spitz
Little Brown, 2005. 983 pages. Biography

Even before the Beatles hit the big time, a myth was created. This version of the Beatles legend smoothed the rough edges and filled in the fault lines, and for more than forty years this manicured version of the Beatles story has sustained as truth -- until now.

 

 

Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery
by Scott Kelly
Alfred A. Knopf, 2017, 387 pages, Autobiography

The veteran of four space flights and the American record holder for consecutive days spent in space, Scott Kelly has experienced things very few have. Now, he describes navigating the extreme challenges of long-term spaceflight, both existential and banal: the devastating effects on the body; the isolation from everyone he loves and the comforts of Earth; the pressures of constant close cohabitation; the catastrophic risks of depressurization or colliding with space junk, and the still more haunting threat of being unable to help should tragedy strike at home.

 

BHG

This is Your Mind on Plants

This is Your Mind on Plants
By Michael Pollan
Penguin Press, 2021. 352 pages. Nonfiction

Bestselling author Michael Pollan discusses three mind-altering natural substances found in plants: opium, caffeine, and mescaline.  Each drug is discussed from different angle and contexts, historical use and significance, and impact in the world today.  In the case of each, the author's overall goal is to explore the powerful human attraction to and relationship with psychoactive plants.

Rather than being a cohesive whole, this is more a compilation of three lengthy essays on each topic, but each one has a fascinating story to tell.  Starting with poppy growing and the lost practice of of opium brewing, Pollan shares his personal experiences with growing this controversial flower, and his resulting paranoia once he investigated the legal ramifications of doing so.  The section on caffeine includes the author's own experiences with abstaining and then re-introducing caffeine into his system, and its use by humans over the past several centuries.  Finally, he investigates how mescaline is used in religious Native American ceremonies today.  Those who enjoyed Pollan's book How to Change Your Mind will find interesting stories here, as will anyone with an interest in natural science writing and journalism.

If you This is Your Mind on Plants, you might also like:

Sapiens: A Graphic History. The Birth of Humankind. Volume One

By Yuval N. Harari

Harper Perennial, 2020. 245 pages. Graphic Novel. 

One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited the Earth. Yet today there is only one: homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? In this first volume of the full-color illustrated adaptation of his groundbreaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human." 

A Really Good Day

By Ayelet Waldman

Knopf, 2017. 256 pages. Memoir.

A lighthearted account of the author's experiment with microdoses of LSD in an effort to treat a debilitating mood disorder details what she has learned about the misunderstood drug and how she believes psychedelics can be appropriately used as therapeutic medicines.

BHG

Will

Will
By Will Smith, Mark Manson
Penguin Press, 2021. Memoir

One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully in this memoir about his life.  Covering not just the details of his life, but major life lessons learned along the way, this book is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, and a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. 

This book is an incredibly honest look at the author's life, describing both success and loss, triumphs and mistakes.  The story of his career taking off is a thrill, to be sure, but the book is given additional depth by his honest recounting of his difficult childhood and frank admission of missteps and their impact on those around him.  I was also not expecting the level of insight and transcendence he seems to have experienced later in life.  Interspersed audio clips of music bring the narrative to life and illustrate key points in Smith's journey.  Add to all of this the dazzling color of his personality, especially as delivered through his audiobook narration, and you get one of the best memoirs published in recent memory.

BHG

 

If you liked Will, you might also like:

Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys
By Billy Crystal
Henry Holt and Co., 2013. 288 pgs. Nonfiction

In this book Billy Crystal tells about his life starting in childhood, his rise to fame, important people in his life, and recent events of the last decade that will have a lasting impact on him. These are all interspersed with humorous bits about aging and being a baby boomer in this modern age. I listened to the audiobook which I enjoyed immensely, Billy's inflection and presentation add to the story immeasurably.

Bossypants
By Tina Fey
Little, Brown and Co. 2011. 277 pgs. Biography.

Tina Fey is best known for her years writing and performing on Saturday Night Live, as the star and executive producer of 30 Rock, and her imitations of Sarah Palin during the past presidential election. In her memoir she tells of growing up as an outsider, finding her love for performance, and years of work in the comedy field, which is notoriously dominated by men.

The Personal Librarian

The Personal Librarian
By Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Berkley, 2021. 336 pgs. Historical Fiction

In 1906, J.P. Morgan hired Belle da Costa Greene to run the Pierpont Morgan Library and its fabulous collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork.  Belle has thousands of dollars at her disposal as she participates in high-stakes auctions, while also navigating the tenuous social world of New York's elite and the volatile personality of Mr. Morgan himself.  As she attains international renown for her success, she hides a dangerous secret: she was born Belle Marion Greener, a black woman, the daughter of prominent African American parents.  Born with fair skin, Belle must keep her heritage a secret or risk all that she has accomplished, along with her family's safety.  Maintaining her secret drives every decision she makes and word she utters, as she rises through the ranks of an all-white, all-male world of curators and dealers, as well as a society that would love a good scandal.

This book was based on the true story of Belle da Costa Greene, a fascinating historical figure who seemingly did the impossible in a time when the stakes were incredibly high.  The real Belle left almost no records of her personal thoughts and correspondence, so the authors have taken the known facts of her life and inferred or made educated guesses as they filled in the rest.  The closeness of Belle's relationship with Mr. Morgan himself is one of the most astonishing aspects of the novel.  Supported by true details, it's clear that the two were close, although how close is left to conjecture.  It's a pleasure to come to know Belle better through this book, as such a remarkable life needs to be remembered and celebrated.

If you enjoy The Personal Librarian, then you may also like...

Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker 
By Jennifer Chiaverini
Dutton, 2013. 356 pgs. Historical Fiction

Elizabeth Keckley was born a slave, but thanks to her skills as a dressmaker she was able to purchase her freedom. Eventually she worked her way to Washington D.C. and becomes one of the most sought after ‘modistes’ in the city. After Lincoln’s election, Elizabeth was hired by First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. The two women began their relationship on a professional level, but Mrs. Lincoln comes to rely heavily on Elizabeth’s calming influence and steady support as she navigates the trials of being the First Lady during a civil war, grieves over the loss of her son,and later as she survives the horrors of her husband’s assassination.

All That Makes Life Bright: The Life and Love of Harriet Beecher Stowe
By Josi Kilpack
Shadow Mountain, 2017. 336 pages. Historical Fiction

Resolving to pursue her literary life and retain her identity after marrying the supportive, deeply religious Calvin Stowe, Harriet Beecher is overwhelmed by a pregnancy while her husband travels in Europe, a situation that makes her question her place in her husband's heart.

 

BHG

Taste: My Life Through Food

Taste: My Life Through Food
By Stanley Tucci
Gallery Books 2021. 320 pages. Biography/Memoir

The food-obsessed, award-winning actor reflects on the intersection of food, life, and loved ones and presents a heartfelt and delicious memoir of life in and out of the kitchen that takes readers on a gastronomic journey through the good times and bad.

Tucci's delightful personality shines in this memoir lovingly recounting the significant food experiences of his life.  From a childhood in a food-loving family with a talented cook for a mother, to adventures as an adult exploring new regions and the tastes they have to offer, Tucci's stories are as charmed as they are charming.  Recipes are included with almost every story, described not in dry instructions but with all the flavor of sitting around a table with the author as he conversationally describes the process to you ("Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan.  Put a lid on the pan and shake the hell out of it...").  The book also offers more depth than expected when he describes a recent brush with cancer that left him unable to eat anything for several months, and the importance and centrality of food in his life became more meaningful to him than ever.  Told with charm, heart, humor, and chatty familiarity, this book will appeal to fans of food and memoirs, and those who don't mind a few swear words here and there.  The audiobook, read by the author, is particularly recommended as his personality shines more than ever through his delivery.

 

If you liked Taste: My Life Through Food, then you may also like:

Eat a Peach
By David Chang
Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2020. 288 pgs. Biography 

David Chang is best known as the chef and owner of Momofuku Noodle Bar in Manhattan's East Village, although he has by now opened several more restaurants in addition to Momofuku.  Chang is surprisingly open about challenges he has faced, including serious struggles with mental health that nearly cost him his life.  Chang isn't afraid to admit when he was wrong or made mistakes, and what it cost him to learn those lessons.  What he has learned along the way is relatable and even inspiring, and his journey as a chef becomes almost secondary to the description of his growth as a person.  

My Life in France
By Julia Child
Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. 317 pages. Biography/Memoir

A memoir begun just months before Child's death describes the legendary food expert's years in Paris, Marseille, and Provence and her journey from a young woman from Pasadena who cannot cook or speak any French to the publication of her legendary Mastering cookbooks and her winning the hearts of America as "The French Chef." 

 

 

BHG 

The Body: A Guide for Occupants

The Body: A Guide for Occupants
By Bill Bryson
Doubleday Book, 2019. 450 pages. Nonfiction

This book walks the reader through each system in the human body, noting how it functions and recounting short histories of how discoveries were made in that particular area.  Bryson is well-known for taking nonfiction subjects and making them both understandable and entertaining, and this book didn't disappoint, in fact it might be one of his best.  

Some aspects of anatomy, biology, and medicine can be dry or difficult to understand, but Bryson successfully repackages them into basic but compelling understandings of how the human body works and how many medical breakthroughs have been discovered.  One gains a deeper appreciation of our amazing bodies while reading, as well as a deeper desire to care for them as they care so well for us, to ensure we have a little more time with them comfortably while we are here on this earth.

BHG

If you liked The Body: A Guide for Occupants, you might also like: 

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal
By Mary Roach
Norton & Company, 2013. 336 pages. Nonfiction

The humor scientist behind Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife takes a tour of the human digestive system, explaining why the stomach doesn't digest itself and whether constipation can kill you.

Idiot Brain: What Your Head is Really Up To
By Dean Burnett
Norton & Company, 2016. 336 pages. Nonfiction

A delightful tour of our mysterious, mischievous gray matter from neuroscientist and massively popular Guardian blogger Dean Burnett.

The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld

The Dark Net: Inside the Digital Underworld
By Jamie Bartlett
Melville House, 2015. 320 pages. Nonfiction

Beyond the familiar online world that most of us inhabit — a world of Google, Facebook, and Twitter — lies a vast and often hidden network of sites, communities, and cultures where freedom is pushed to its limits, and where people can be anyone, or do anything, they want. This is the world of Bitcoin and Silk Road, of radicalism and pornography. This is the Dark Net. In this important and revealing book, Jamie Bartlett takes us deep into the digital underworld and presents an extraordinary look at the internet we don't know.

This is honestly a hard book to read at times.  While some aspects of the Dark Net can be liberating, it's hard to read how people's worst instincts and inclinations can be manifested as well. And yet, there is something to be said for being aware of what is happening in "the Dark Net."  If we live in ignorance of it, we risk never being equipped to deal with how it can impact our lives offline.  A challenging but thought-provoking read.

BHG

 If you liked The Dark Net you might also like:

The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data
By Kevin Mitnick with Robert Vamosi
Little, Brown and Company, 2017. 320 pages. Nonfiction

A world-famous hacker reveals unsettling truths about information vulnerability while outlining affordable online and offline strategies for maximizing privacy and computer security.

Future Crimes: Everything is Connected, Everyone is Vulnerable and What We Can Do About It
By Marc Goodman
Doubleday, 2015. 392 pages. Nonfiction

An FBI futurist and senior advisor to Interpol analyzes the digital underground to reveal the alarming ways criminals, corporations and countries are using emerging technologies to target individuals and wage war.

Come Fly the World

Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am
By Julia Cooke
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021.  266 pages.  Nonfiction

Required to have a college education, speak two languages, and possess the political savvy of a Foreign Service officer, a jet-age stewardess serving on Pan Am between 1966 and 1975 also had to be between 5'3" and 5'9", between 105 and 140 pounds, and under 26 years of age at the time of hire. Cooke weaves together the real-life stories of stewardesses as they embraced the liberation of their new jet-set life. She brings to light the story of Pan Am stewardesses' role in the Vietnam War, as the airline added runs from Saigon to Hong Kong for planeloads of weary young soldiers straight from the battlefields, as well as Operation Babylift, the dramatic evacuation of 2,000 children during the fall of Saigon.

This is a compelling examination of this time period through the eyes of Pan Am stewardesses.  They were definitely unique women in this time, prioritizing careers and professional accomplishment at a time when women were frequently discouraged from both.  But the changes in the workforce for women, the impacts of broader socio-cultural changes, and events occurring on the international stage are intertwined with the fates of the stewardesses, as they both reflected and impacted the world around them.

If you like Come Fly the World, you might also like: 

Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History
By Keith O'Brien
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. 338 pages. Nonfiction

High adventure and high ideals merge when a corps of intrepid female aviators battle to take part in the hugely popular air shows of the 1920s and 1930s. Ultimately, one of our heroines would win a race that earned her the right to be called America's best pilot.

Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight
By Amy Shira Teitel
Grand Central Publishing, 2020. 436 pages. Nonfiction

The mostly-unknown tale of Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb--two accomplished aviatrixes, one generation apart, who each dreamed of being the first woman in space, but along the way battled their egos, their expectations, and ultimately the patriarchal society that stood between them and the stars.

BHG

Sensational: The Hidden History of America's "Girl Stunt Reporters"

Sensational: The Hidden History of America's "Girl Stunt Reporters"
By Kim Todd
Harper, 2021. 400 pages. Nonfiction

In the waning years of the nineteenth century, women journalists across the United States risked reputation and their own safety to expose the hazardous conditions under which many Americans lived and worked. In various disguises, they stole into sewing factories to report on child labor, fainted in the streets to test public hospital treatment, posed as lobbyists to reveal corrupt politicians. Inventive writers whose in-depth narratives made headlines for weeks at a stretch, these “girl stunt reporters” changed laws, helped launch a labor movement, championed women’s rights, and redefined journalism for the modern age.

This was a fascinating look at an infrequently acknowledged chapter in American history.  This title will have particular appeal for readers interested in women's issues: many of the problems examined by stunt reporters will be easily recognizable to any woman living today.  And yet, we have much to thank them for, as they exposed harsh working conditions, blatant sexism, wage-gaps, and more in ways so impactful that laws were created to help protect workers and the general populace.  There is still  ground to cover in these areas, but these women helped get these movements off the ground.  The reader for this book is particularly well-chosen, as her voice evokes newsreels of the early 20th century.

If you like Sensational, you might also like:

 

Trailblazer: A Pioneering Journalist's Fight to Make the Media Look More Like America 

By Dorothy Butler Gilliam

Center Street, 2019. 368 pages. Biography

The barrier-breaking civil-rights journalist presents a comprehensive view of racial relations and the media in the U.S. that draws on her personal and professional experiences to celebrate the behind-the-scenes victories that have shaped decades of struggle.

 

 

 

Mary McGrory: The First Queen of Journalism 

By John Norris

Viking, 2015. 352 pages. Biography

Before there was Maureen Dowd or Gail Collins or Molly Ivins, there was Mary McGrory. She was a trailblazing columnist who achieved national syndication and reported from the front lines of American politics for five decades. From her first assignment reporting on the Army–McCarthy hearings to her Pulitzer-winning coverage of Watergate and controversial observations of President Bush after September 11, McGrory humanized the players on the great national stage while establishing herself as a uniquely influential voice.

BHG

All That Makes Life Bright: The Life and Love of Harriet Beecher Stowe

All That Makes Life Bright: The Life and Love of Harriet Beecher Stowe
By Josi Kilpack
Shadow Mountain, 2017. 336 pages. Historical Fiction

Resolving to pursue her literary life and retain her identity after marrying the supportive, deeply religious Calvin Stowe, Harriet Beecher is overwhelmed by a pregnancy while her husband travels in Europe, a situation that makes her question her place in her husband's heart.

If you like All That Makes Life Bright, you might also like:

Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker
By Jennifer Chiaverini
Dutton, 2013. 356 pages. Historical Fiction

Chosen as the personal modiste for Mary Todd Lincoln, freedwoman Elizabeth Keckley is drawn into the intimate life of the Lincoln family as she supports Mary in the loss of her husband from the assassination that stunned the nation and the world.

 

 

The Invention of Wings
By Sue Monk Kidd
Viking Adult, 2014. 384 pages. Historical Fiction

Traces more than three decades in the lives of a wealthy Charleston debutante who longs to break free from the strictures of her household and pursue a meaningful life; and the urban slave, Handful, who is placed in her charge as a child before finding courage and a sense of self.

BHG

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
By V. E. Schwab
Tor Books, 2020. 442 pages. Fiction

As a young woman, Addie  makes a deal with the devil to save herself from the tedium of  an arranged marriage, asking to not belong to anyone. The devil grants her immortality but curses her to a life of horrible isolation because no one she meets is able to remember her.  After 300 years of moving through the world like a shadow, Addie hears the words she thought she never would: "I remember you."

If you like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, you might also like:

How to Stop Time
By Matt Haig
Penguin Group, 2019. 352 pgs. Sci-Fi

Tom Hazard looks like an ordinary 41-year-old man, but due to a rare genetic condition, he's actually over 400 years old.  He has recently moved back to London to begin teaching history, but London hides memories around every corner, some centuries old.  Tom keeps his condition a secret, which isolates him from everyone except the Albatross Society, a small and secretive group of people who, like Tom, age slowly over centuries.  The Society has one rule: never fall in love, as forming attachments leads to trouble.  But for the first time in centuries, Tom is captivated by a woman, the school's French teacher.  The only way to keep her safe is to stay away from her, but Tom is finding that more and more difficult.

 

The Hollow Kingdom
By Clare B. Dunkle
Henry Holt & Company, 2006. 230 pages. Young Adult Fiction

In nineteenth-century England, a powerful sorcerer and King of the Goblins chooses Kate, the elder of two orphan girls recently arrived at their ancestral home, Hallow Hill, to become his bride and queen...

BHG

Love Your Life

Love Your Life
By Sophie Kinsella
The Dial Press, 2020. 432 pages. Romance

While visiting an anonymous writers' retreat in Italy where names and personal information can't be shared, Ava shares an idyllic love affair with a fellow romantic before they return to London.  Back on their home turf, they share their true identities and learn how different their lives are.  They must decide if opposites not only attract but if they can make a life together.

 

 

If you like Love Your Life, you might also like:

The Garden of Small Beginnings
By Abbi Waxman
Berkley, 2017. 368 pages. Fiction

Lilian Girvan has been reeling ever since her husband died in a car accident three years ago.  Now raising her two daughters herself, aided and cheered on by her sister Rachel, Lilian makes ends meet working as an illustrator of textbooks.  When her company takes on a commission to do all of the illustrations for a new gardening book, Lilian's boss signs her up for a vegetable gardening class to become more familiar with flora and fauna.  Spending her Saturdays tilling and planting isn't exactly Lilian's idea of fun, but when she meets the patient instructor and quirky fellow students in her class, she can't help it when they start to worm their way into her heart.

Attachments 
By Rainbow Rowell
Dutton, 2011. 323 pgs. Fiction

Lincoln O'Neill took a job at as an "internet security officer" at a newspaper, but he didn't realize that he would basically be reading other people's email.  He imagined building firewalls and installing security software, not checking for gamblers and inappropriate workplace language.  When Lincoln comes across Beth and Jennifer's emails, he knows their conversation is just a harmless (but hilarious) discussion of their personal lives.  But he can't help being drawn in by their stories.  By the time he realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

 

BHG

The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life

The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life
By Alex Trebek
Simon & Scuster, 2020. 304 pages. Biography

Best known as the host of Jeopardy! for 37 seasons, Trebek made headlines in 2019 when he announced that he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer.  After an outpouring of well-wishes and support from fans of the show and people across the world, Trebek decided to write a book of personal anecdotes, answers to frequently asked questions, and thoughts on a range of topics. 

Trebek has been a staple in American households for decades and is known as a beloved and respected figure in the entertainment world.  He also dedicated much of his life to philanthropy and activism.  Despite the tragic circumstances that ended his life, this is a heartwarming and inspiring book, recommended for any fans of Jeopardy! or anyone looking to learn more about this extraordinary figure.  The audiobook is narrated partly by Ken Jennings and partly by Trebek himself. 

 BHG

Eat a Peach

Eat a Peach
By David Chang
Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2020. 288 pgs. Biography

David Chang is best known as the chef and owner of Momofuku Noodle Bar in Manhattan's East Village, although he has by now opened several more restaurants in addition to Momofuku.  Chang is surprisingly open about challenges he has faced, including serious struggles with mental health that nearly cost him his life.  Chang isn't afraid to admit when he was wrong or made mistakes, and what it cost him to learn those lessons.  What he has learned along the way is relatable and even inspiring, and his journey as a chef becomes almost secondary to the description of his growth as a person. 

It seems like the chef biographies I have read have all included stories of hard work and overcoming big challenges.  But Chang's book stands out from the pack.  There is a vulnerability, a readiness to admit imperfections, and a steely determination that I haven't often seen in biographies.  There were even a few passages that I wrote down because they paint the world in a light I hadn't considered before.  His observations have an unexpected wisdom, insight, and depth that make this an inspiring read.  There is plenty of adult language in the book, but fans of biographies and stories of overcoming hardships should find a lot to love here.

BHG

How to Stop Time

How to Stop Time
By Matt Haig
Penguin Group, 2019. 352 pgs. Sci-Fi

Tom Hazard looks like an ordinary 41-year-old man, but due to a rare genetic condition, he's actually over 400 years old.  He has recently moved back to London to begin teaching history, but London hides memories around every corner, some centuries old.  Tom keeps his condition a secret, which isolates him from everyone except the Albatross Society, a small and secretive group of people who, like Tom, age slowly over centuries.  The Society has one rule: never fall in love, as forming attachments leads to trouble.  But for the first time in centuries, Tom is captivated by a woman, the school's French teacher.  The only way to keep her safe is to stay away from her, but Tom is finding that more and more difficult.

This book bridges the gaps between several literary genres: science fiction, romance, and historical fiction.  Tom's present-day story is interspersed with glimpses of his life through the centuries.  Some cameos from famous historical figures enliven the text, but the observations about the changes in society over time and the nature of time itself offered some of the most interesting moments of the book.

BHG

You Are Not So Smart

You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself
By David McRaney
Gotham Books, 2011. 302 pages. Nonfiction

McRaney uses studies and research to illustrate ways that we as humans can be not so smart sometimes.  There are a great many logical fallacies and failures of reasoning pointed out here, all things that even the best of us fall victim to from time to time.  This is an interesting study of human behavior and a humorous ego check to boot.  Recommended for fans of popular science and humor.

BHG

A Promised Land

A Promised Land
By Barack Obama
Crown, 2020. 751 pages. Biography

Former President Barack Obama sat down to write his memoir and thought he might be able to sum everything up in about 500 pages.  700+ pages later, we have Volume 1, which covers his early political career, campaign for president, and first four years in office. The most momentum of the book occurs during his decisions to run for office and the whirlwind campaign trail, culminating in an historic election.  The second half of the book gives way to description of challenges facing his first four years in office, and while this half is somewhat slower as he can't resist outlining much of the complexity of the challenges that he faced, it is interesting as political power struggles can sometimes be, and always underscored by his values and a sense of the responsibility he carried.  I was surprised at how honestly he described many behind-the-scenes experiences, both positive and negative, and many small but interesting details were included about what life is like as a president, how it can be both surreal and bizarre.

 

Obama certainly did seem to inspire a lot of people, and his election seemed a phenomenon that surprised him as much as anyone.  Outside of platforms and politics, he was a president who cared deeply, and who cared enough to try to understand even the most complex issues the best that he could.  Overall, this is a fascinating look at a figure who inspired both hope and vitriol.

 

BHG