Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt's Journey To His Musical Language by Joonas Sildre, Translated by Adam Cullen

(Thank you to Plough Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

Between Two Sounds follows the life of world-famous composer Arvo Pärt from his birth in Estonia in 1935 through 1980, when the Soviets forced him to emigrate because of the nonconformist and religious nature of his music.

Based on years of research and close collaboration with Arvo Pärt himself, Joonas Sildre paints an atmospheric portrait of a restless artist who does not shy away from confronting state control or his own internal contradictions. 

Arvo Pärt stormed Soviet-occupied Estonia's music scene in the 1960s as a brash young man pushing the limits of avant-garde modernism. Then he fell silent, no longer able to express what he felt through the musical language he had inherited. When he reemerged a decade later, he had found, in that silence between sounds, a new musical language inspired by ancient sacred music, the basis of his distinctive tintinnabuli technique. This graphic novel will appeal not just to fans of Arvo Pärt’s music but to anyone who has known the struggle to remain true to oneself whatever the cost.

my thoughts:

My knowledge about composers and Estonia are both nil, which is rather disappointing considering this wonderful book I had the privilege of reading. I was given an early copy of Between Two Sounds: Arvo Pärt's Journey To His Musical Language by Joonas Sildre and translated by Adam Cullen.  Then again, my ignorance turned out to be for the best, because I was able to learn so much about a talented composer and his life's story, which made for an exciting reading adventure. 

So, why did I fall in love with this book? Well, first off, I loved the title of the book - it immediately intrigued me. Secondly, the books' cover - oh, my! I loved it! It had me wanting to grab a copy of the book straightaway. And, third, it was a graphic novel - I love graphic novels! How could I resist reading this book, right? Plus, it was about a new-to-me topic, the composer, Arvo Pärt. I love learning new things and learning about a composer sounded like fun. It really did, especially given that it would be in graphic novel form - anything with illustrations will make learning a thrill. Suffice it to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - it was eye-opening and fascinating. Learning about Arvo Pärt's journey is amazing - you can't help but get carried away in his story and the history - plus, the visuals add a layer of depth. Oh, and his music - what he composed was just brilliant! I found myself looking it up and listening to it as I read his story. Talk about an excellent soundtrack!

All in all, Between Two Sounds is a definite must- read! I enjoyed every second I spent with this book and would definitely recommend it to everyone - make sure to check it out!

Thank you to Plough Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book!

Slow Noodles: A Cambodian Memoir Of Love, Loss, And Family Recipes by Chantha Nguon

(Thank you to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

Wow! What an excellent read! I absolutely LOVED Slow Noodles: A Cambodian Memoir Of Love, Loss, And Family Recipes by Chantha Nguon - it was amazing! A definite must-read for everyone! This is one book you won't want to miss out on.

So, what is Slow Noodles about? (summary from NetGalley)

A haunting and beautiful memoir from a Cambodian refugee who lost her country and her family during Pol Pot's genocide in the 1970s but who finds hope by reclaiming the recipes she tasted in her mother's kitchen. 

Take a well-fed nine-year-old with a big family and a fancy education. Fold in 2 revolutions, 2 civil wars, and 1 wholesale extermination. Subtract a reliable source of food, life savings, and family members, until all are gone. Shave down childhood dreams for approximately two decades, until only subsistence remains.

In Slow Noodles, Chantha Nguon recounts her life as a Cambodian refugee who loses everything and everyone—her home, her family, her country—all but the remembered tastes and aromas of her mother’s kitchen. She summons the quiet rhythms of 1960s Battambang, her provincial hometown, before the dictator Pol Pot tore her country apart and killed more than a million Cambodians, many of them ethnic Vietnamese like Nguon and her family. Then, as an immigrant in Saigon, Nguon loses her mother, brothers, and sister and eventually flees to a refugee camp in Thailand. For two decades in exile, she survives by cooking in a brothel, serving drinks in a nightclub, making and selling street food, becoming a suture nurse, and weaving silk. 

Nguon’s irrepressible spirit and determination come through in this lyrical memoir that includes more than twenty family recipes such as sour chicken-lime soup, green papaya pickles, and pâté de foie, as well as Khmer curries, stir-fries, and handmade bánh canh noodles. Through it all, re-creating the dishes from her childhood becomes an act of resistance, of reclaiming her place in the world, of upholding the values the Khmer Rouge sought to destroy, and of honoring the memory of her beloved mother, whose “slow noodles” approach to healing and cooking prioritized time and care over expediency.

Slow Noodles is an inspiring testament to the power of food to keep alive a refugee’s connection to her past and spark hope for a beautiful life.

How fascinating does that sound?  You get politics, history, food, and all the feels rolled into one awesome book. Getting to know Chantha through her life story, you find yourself in awe of this resilient, remarkable woman. She has experienced way too much for anyone to ever have to experience in a lifetime, and yet she persevered and kept on going when so many others would have just given up. Her strength is inspiring. And the way she includes food with her memories of the family she loves and lost is so special. Food helped her to heal and to connect with her country. Slow Noodles is truly a gem of a book. The writing is just so powerful and thoughtful. I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy ASAP!

Thank you to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult: A Memoir by Michelle Dowd

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

A moving, heartbreaking, and inspiring true story of the author’s escape from an apocalyptic cult—and the deep understanding of the natural world that helped her find freedom. 
 
My family prepared me for the end of the world, but I know how to survive on what the earth yields. 
 
Michelle Dowd grew up on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest, born into an ultra-religious cult—the Field, as members called it—run by her grandfather, who believed that his chosen followers must prepare themselves to survive doomsday. Bound by the group’s patriarchal rules and literal interpretation of the Bible, Michelle and her siblings lived a life of deprivation, isolated from Outsiders and starved for both love and food. She was forced to learn the skills necessary to battle hunger, thirst, and cold; she learned to trust animals more than humans; and most important, she learned how to survive by foraging for what she needed. And as Michelle got older, she realized she had the strength to break free. Focus on what will sustain, not satiate you, she would tell herself. Use everything. Waste nothing. Get to know the intricacies of the land like the intricacies of your body. And so she did.

With haunting and stark language, and illustrations of edible plants and their uses opening each chapter, Forager is a fierce and empowering coming-of-age story and a timely meditation on the ways in which harnessing nature’s gifts can lead to our freedom.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a fascinating read. Michelle Dowd's memoir about growing up in The Field doomsday cult is personal, eye-opening, and thoughtful. She starts each chapter with an edible plant and how to use it, which related to the education she received from The Field. Nature was integral to her survival within the cult and as a means for her to find the courage to leave it. Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult is a slow-burn chock full of memories about Michelle's relationship with her mother, the lack of love she was shown, the lessons she received on how to be a survivalist, and the various abuses she endured. It is an emotional and introspective book. 

I found myself caught up in Michelle's recollections and thinking about her life and how young she was at the time.  Her life was so cut off from the rest of the world and the loneliness she must have felt, especially when she began questioning it all. And, the way nature impacted her life - learning to live off the land, the dangers and beauties of nature, and the vastness of it all. She's a strong woman who experienced so much so young and was able to find a way out of a living nightmare. Talk about the epitome of brave. 

I would definitely recommend, Forager, to anyone and everyone - you are going to fall in deep with this book. Make sure to get your hands on a copy ASAP!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family by Erika Hayasaki

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

Identical twins Isabella and Hà were born in Vietnam and raised on opposite sides of the world, each knowing little about the other’s existence, until they were reunited as teenagers, against all odds.
 
The twins were born in Nha Trang, Vietnam, in 1998, where their mother struggled to care for them. Hà was taken in by their biological aunt, and grew up in a rural village, going to school, and playing outside with the neighbors. They had sporadic electricity and frequent monsoons. Hà’s twin sister, Loan, spent time in an orphanage before a wealthy, white American family adopted her and renamed her Isabella. Isabella grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, with a nonbiological sister, Olivia, also adopted from Vietnam. Isabella and Olivia attended a predominantly white Catholic school, played soccer, and prepared for college.

But when Isabella’s adoptive mother learned of Isabella’s biological twin back in Vietnam, all of their lives changed forever. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years and hundreds of hours interviewing each of the birth and adoptive family members and tells the girls’ incredible story from their perspectives, challenging conceptions about adoption and what it means to give a child a good life. Hayasaki contextualizes the sisters’ experiences with the fascinating and often sinister history of twin studies, the nature versus nurture debate, and intercountry and transracial adoption, as well as the latest scholarship and conversation surrounding adoption today, especially among adoptees.

For readers of All You Can Ever Know and American Baby, Somewhere Sisters is a richly textured, moving story of sisterhood and coming-of-age, told through the remarkable lives of young women who have redefined the meaning of family for themselves.

my thoughts:

What a meaningful and powerful read. Somewhere Sisters is about Vietnamese twin sisters, Hà and Loan, who were separated. Hà was raised by an aunt in a rural village; while Loan went to an orphanage where she was eventually adopted by a wealthy, white American family. Loan grew up in Chicago and was renamed Isabella. Her new family had also adopted another girl from Vietnam, Olivia.  However, when they eventually find out about Isabella's twin sister, they set out to find her. Eventually, they reunite the two sisters and bring Hà to America for her education. 

Erika Hayasaki, an award-winning journalist, researched this story. She interviewed the families, she explored scientific studies regarding twin studies, and she also looked at the current dialogues surrounding adoption. She wanted to provide a thorough look into this specific case and allow for the families to share their thoughts and feelings about their experiences with it. And, she wanted to utilize her research as a way of looking deeper into the complexities of the situation and how it had affected/impacted the sisters. It all made for an engaging and compelling read. I found myself reading through the book slowly, as I couldn't help but stop every now and then, and just think about what these sisters had gone through and about their families. Such a great book.

I would definitely recommend Somewhere Sisters to anyone and everyone looking for their next nonfiction read - you are going to fall in deep with this one. Make sure to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

A Man Of The World: My Life At National Geographic by Gilbert M. Grosvenor

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a  copy of this book!)

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

The captivating inside story of the man who helmed National Geographic for six decades is a front-row seat to audacious feats of exploration, from the successful hunt for the Titanic to Jane Goodall's field studies. Offering a rare portrait of one of the world's most iconic media empires, this revealing autobiography makes an impassioned argument to know—and care for—our planet.

Though his career path had been paved by four generations of his family before him, Gilbert M. Grosvenor left his own mark on the National Geographic Society, founded in 1888 and recognized the world over by its ubiquitous yellow border. In an unflinchingly honest memoir as big as the world and all that is in it, Grosvenor shows us what it was like to "grow up Geographic" in a family home where explorers like Robert Peary, Louis Leakey, and Jane Goodall regularly crossed the threshold. As staff photographer, editor in chief and then president of the organization, Grosvenor oversaw the diversification into television, film, books, as well as its flagship magazine, which under his tenure reached a peak circulation of nearly 11 million. He also narrates the shift from a nonprofit, family-focused enterprise to the more corporate, bottom-line focused world of publishing today. 

For Grosvenor, running National Geographic wasn’t just a job. It was a legacy, motivated by a passion not just to leave the world a better place, but to motivate others to do so, too. Filled with world travel, charismatic explorers, and the complexities of running a publishing empire, A MAN OF THE WORLD is the story of one man, a singular family business, and the changing face of American media.

my thoughts:

Wow! Love, love, love! I really enjoyed reading all about Gilbert M. Grosvenor and his legacy...National Geographic. What a cool, adventurous environmentalist to read about! Talk about world traveler!

Growing up within the National Geographic family formed Grosvenor's destiny of traveling the world and running National Geographic - which he did! And, so well, too. Yep, Grosvenor met iconic explorers at his family's home and soon found himself diving in Antarctica. Exploring the world was in his bones and he most definitely threw himself into that role, along with growing his family's business. He shares about it all and along the way also discusses the importance of conserving culture and the environment. It's thought-provoking, eye-opening, and fascinating to read about this popular organization that showcases our world and the man behind the scenes of it all. What a fantastic memoir! What a life!

I would happily recommend A Man Of The World to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you are going to enjoy this one so much! Make sure to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Blumkin Project: A Biographical Novel by Christian Salmon, translated by William Rodarmor

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

This page-turning biographical novel follows the footsteps of a forgotten legend of the Russian Revolution, from Odessa to Moscow, Istanbul, and beyond.

Yakov Blumkin claimed to have had nine lives. Born to a poor Jewish family and orphaned as a child, he was a Socialist Revolutionary, a terrorist, the assassin of the German ambassador Wilhelm von Mirbach, a poet close to the avant-garde, a member of Cheka, a military strategist, a secret agent, and Leon Trotsky’s secretary. Executed in 1929 on Stalin’s orders at the age of only twenty-nine, he has continued to inspire a powerful curiosity, and wild rumors and falsehoods about his extraordinary life abound today.

As a young man in 1980s Paris, Christian Salmon identified strongly as a Bolshevik, drawn to the glorious October Revolution immortalized in literature and films such as Warren Beatty’s Redsand Sergei Eisenstein’s trilogy. Picking up the thread of his dream thirty years later, he sets out to reconstruct Blumkin’s shadowy past and ever-shifting identity with a trove of manuscripts, documents, rare photographs, and personal souvenirs.

my thoughts:

What a thrilling and intriguing story! The Blumkin Project by Christian Salmon reads like a historical spy novel and it is chock full of adventure, history, and politics. I found myself captivated right from the start. How could I not? Salmon has created a biographical novel about a curious figure named Yakov Blumkin. And I say curious, because the man had so many identities and lives - it's hard not to wonder about him and who he really was. He was a terrorist, an assassin, a poet, and a secret agent. Oh, and he was also Leon Trotsky's secretary. Say what? Yep, and I'm sure that isn't even every role he had during his short life. He was only twenty-nine when Stalin had him executed. Long after his death, rumors continued to swirl around his identity and his life - talk about a true man of mystery. 

Enter Salmon, a writer and researcher, fascinated by Blumkin and determined to reconstruct his sketchy  past by using documents, photographs, etc. to piece his story together. And, what a story it is! Richly layered and beautifully written, this book will captivate you right from the start. I know that I enjoyed learning about Blumkin and wondering what was really true about him - he was such an enigmatic character. Wow! What a great read!

I would happily recommend The Blumkin Project to anyone and everyone looking for their next read - you are going to really enjoy this book! Check it out!

Thank you to the Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Book Of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

The New York Times bestselling book of essays celebrating ordinary delights in the world around us by one America's most original and observant writers, award-winning poet Ross Gay.

As Heard on NPR's This American Life

“Ross Gay’s eye lands upon wonder at every turn, bolstering my belief in the countless small miracles that surround us.” —Tracy K. Smith, Pulitzer Prize winner and U.S. Poet Laureate

The winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyrical essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders.

In The Book of Delights, one of today’s most original literary voices offers up a genre-defying volume of lyric essays written over one tumultuous year. The first nonfiction book from award-winning poet Ross Gay is a record of the small joys we often overlook in our busy lives. Among Gay’s funny, poetic, philosophical delights: a friend’s unabashed use of air quotes, cradling a tomato seedling aboard an airplane, the silent nod of acknowledgment between the only two black people in a room. But Gay never dismisses the complexities, even the terrors, of living in America as a black man or the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture or the loss of those he loves. More than anything else, though, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world–his garden, the flowers peeking out of the sidewalk, the hypnotic movements of a praying mantis.

The Book of Delights is about our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. These remarkable pieces serve as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.

my thoughts:

Wow. What a beautiful book. I LOVED The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. This book of essays is written by an accomplished poet who has a penchant for finding joy in a year that was anything but joyful. His essays are short and delightful, sobering and thoughtful, and a great reminder to pay attention to the small details in life. Yep, it really is the little things that can jolt you out of your doldrums.

Gay has written a terrific book that you will love dipping in and out of. I know I did. I really enjoyed getting to know Gay through these essays and his writing, which I found to be top notch. I loved the variety, not just in topics, but in the writing styles. His love of words is evident and it makes each essay a treat to read. The Books of Delights is truly a delightful and thoughtful book. 

I would happily recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

In this inspiring travelogue, celebrated traveler and photographer Jessica Nabongo—the first Black woman on record to visit all 195 countries in the world—shares her journey around the globe with fascinating stories of adventure, culture, travel musts, and human connections. 

It was a daunting task, but Jessica Nabongo, the beloved voice behind the popular website The Catch Me if You Can, made it happen, completing her journey to all 195 UN-recognized countries in the world in October 2019. Now, in this one-of-a-kind memoir, she reveals her top 100 destinations from her global adventure. 

Beautifully illustrated with many of Nabongo's own photographs, the book documents her remarkable experiences in each country, including: 

A harrowing scooter accident in Nauru, the world’s least visited country,
Seeing the life and community swarming around the Hazrat Ali Mazar mosque in Afghanistan,
Horseback riding and learning to lasso with Black cowboys in Oklahoma,
Playing dominoes with men on the streets of Havana,
Learning to make traditional takoyaki (octopus balls) from locals in Japan,
Dog sledding in Norway and swimming with humpback whales in Tonga,
A late night adventure with strangers to cross a border in Guinea Bissau,
And sunbathing on the sandy shores of Los Roques in Venezuela.

Along with beloved destinations like Peru and South Africa, you'll also find tales from far-flung corners and seldom visited destinations, including Tuvalu, North Korea, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Nabongo's stories are love letters to diversity, beauty, and culture—and most of all, to the people she meets along the way. Throughout, she offers bucket-list experiences for other travel-lovers looking to follow in her footsteps. 

For armchair travelers or readers planning a trip around the globe, this arresting collection will awe and inspire!

my thoughts:

Wow! What an awesome book! The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to  Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo is absolutely a MUST-READ!! Chock full of personal photographs, travel experiences, a bucket list, and so much more - this book is the PERFECT way to see the world from the comfort from your own home. It is an AMAZING read that you won't be able to stop reading. I LOVED it to bits!!

Jessica is the first Black woman to travel the world and visit all 195 UN-recognized countries in the world. Her journey ended in 2019. This book documents 100 countries that she visited and it is fantastic. You get to know Jessica and her penchant for traveling and how she made this dream to see the world come true. And then, you get to go along with her as she visits all the places you've heard about or dreamt about seeing. It is such a delight to read and peruse her photographs. This book is just such a feast for travelers - not only will you be inspired to add more cities to your own private bucket list, but you won't be able to help smile at the excitement and experiences that Jessica shares about. Such a wonderful read!

I would happily recommend The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World to anyone and everyone looking for their next great summer read - you will fall in deep with this one. Check it out!!

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Last Nomad: Coming Of Age In The Somali Desert by Shugri Said Salh

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

“I am the last nomad. My ancestors traveled the East African desert in search of grazing land for their livestock, and the most precious resource of all—water. When they exhausted the land and the clouds disappeared from the horizon, their accumulated ancestral knowledge told them where to move next to find greener pastures. I am the last person in my direct line to have once lived like that.” These lines open Shugri Said Salh’s captivating and utterly original debut memoir, THE LAST NOMAD: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert (Publication Date: August 3rd, 2021; $26.95.) Chronicling Salh’s remarkable journey from her idyllic childhood with a nomadic grandmother in Somalia to her escape from her country’s brutal civil war to her unfamiliar new homes in Canada and then California, THE LAST NOMAD is an unforgettable story of hope, survival, and the shifting definitions of home.

Born in Somalia in 1974 as the fourth daughter in a society that saw daughters as a burden, Salh was sent to live with her beloved ayeeyo (grandmother) at the age of six to learn a once-common way of life. She left behind her parents, her father’s multiple wives, her many siblings, and her home in the city of Galkayo. Though the desert was a dangerous place threatened by drought and hunger and plagued by predators, she grew up courageous and free, learning how to herd camels, raise her own goats, and become a part of the community found through the courtship rituals, nightly stories, and cooking songs of her ancestors. She was even proud to face the rite of passage - a brutal female circumcision - that all “respectable” girls undergo in Somalia. 

After the death of her mother and the violent political turmoil that took over the country, Salh was wrenched from the nomadic life she loved. Living first in a refugee camp on the Kenyan border, and ultimately moving to North America, she became a different kind of nomad who was thrust into a new way of life – a life that required navigating everything from escalators to cold weather to marriage and parenthood. With engaging wit, a fierce feminism, and vivid writing that transports readers instantly, THE LAST NOMAD portrays a rich portrait of one woman’s indomitable spirit, and the many vastly different worlds she has encountered in one lifetime.

“There is a saying in my culture that loosely translates: death is inevitable, so make sure your words prevail,” Salh explains. “I realized that if I didn't write this story of mine, it would die with me. It is not only my story, but the story of my family, nomadic culture, my country, and what it is like to be a Somali woman. It is important for me to record my unique upbringing, so my children and their descendants know the strong women they come from. I hope my story ultimately inspires those who have faced adversity in their lives, and brings us all together as humans, regardless of our backgrounds, religion, nationality and gender.” Salh now lives in Sonoma County, California with her husband and three children, and works as an infusion nurse. 

my thoughts:

Wow.  What a book. The Last Nomad: Coming Of Age In The Somali Desert by Shugri Said Salh is AMAZING!! It is a superb piece of nonfiction that you will swallow up in one sitting. You won't be able to help yourself - you just won't be able to stop reading. This book is so damn good. I loved it. 

Salh writes about her ancestors, her childhood - growing up with her grandmother - learning the ways of the desert land and her people. She was fearless and embraced her culture. And then, politics intervened and she found herself at a refugee camp and eventually living in Canada.  Now, she found herself facing a new territory to embrace. A country that she needed to figure out how to live in - from the freezing weather to escalators to finding a partner. Salh shares it all - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  She writes with such abandon - you can't help but fall in deep with her words and her wit. This is one book you need to read. A definite must-read!

I would happily recommend The Last Nomad to fans of nonfiction and to anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book to bits!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono by David Sheff

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

The last major interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, conducted by New York Times bestselling author David Sheff, featuring a new introduction that reflects on the fortieth anniversary of Lennon's death

Originally published by Playboy Press in 1981 just after John Lennon's assassination, All We Are Saying is a rich and vivid interview with Lennon and Yoko Ono, wide-ranging in its coverage of art, creativity, the music business, their extraordinary childhoods, privacy, the true story of how the Beatles broke up, how Lennon and Paul McCartney collaborated on the greatest Beatles songs, parenthood, money, feminism, religion, and insecurity. Of course, at the heart of the conversation is the deep, rare romantic and spiritual bond between Lennon and Ono. 

Sympathetic and insightful questions from New York Times bestselling author David Sheff set the tone for Lennon's responses, and Sheff’s presence sets the scene, as he walks through the kitchen door of the musicians’ Dakota apartment and accompanies the famous couple to the studio, where they were recording what would turn out to be Lennon’s final albums. Sheff's new introduction looks at his forty-year-old interview afresh, and examines how what he learned from Lennon has resonated with him as a man and a parent. This is a knockout interview and a crucial piece of Beatles history: playful, intense, and inspiring.

my thoughts:

As a Beatles fan, I was thrilled to read All We Were Saying by David Sheff. It contains the last major interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Talk about exciting and thrilling! Lennon has always been my favorite Beatle, so I was very interested in reading this piece to learn more about this creative, smart  musical icon.  

Playboy published this interview in 1981, following Lennon's death outside his home at The Dakota.  The interviewer, David Sheff, was twenty-four years old at the time. His questions were savvy, engaging, and thoughtful.  They provided the perfect way for Lennon and Ono to open up about their life and covered a range of topics, such as the Beatles, parenthood, religion, and money.  From the start, you can see the deep connection between Lennon and his wife, which I feel provides a good background for the interview. You get a sense of love, family, and authenticity from their words, actions, and interests.  It's fascinating and revealing all at once. I have to admit my favorite part is when Lennon gives his thoughts on Beatles' songs. All in all, a great interview to read.  And, I enjoyed Sheff's new introduction to the interview. It's forty years later and suffice it to say, time and life experiences have definitely changed Sheff's perspective on this interview.  

All We Were Saying is a terrific book for any Beatles fan - they will LOVE this interview! And, if they've already read it, then they will enjoy re-reading it. Or, like me, they will love discovering it for the first time and getting to know this fascinating couple even better.  Such a great book! I absolutely LOVED it!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen: The True Story Behind Degas's Masterpiece by Camille Laurens

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book:

This absorbing, heartfelt work uncovers the story of the real dancer behind Degas’s now-iconic sculpture, and the struggles of late nineteenth-century Parisian life. 

She is famous throughout the world, but how many know her name? You can admire her figure in Washington, Paris, London, New York, Dresden, or Copenhagen, but where is her grave? We know only her age, fourteen, and the work that she did—because it was already grueling work, at an age when children today are sent to school. In the 1880s, she danced as a “little rat” at the Paris Opera, and what is often a dream for young girls now wasn’t a dream for her. She was fired after several years of intense labor; the director had had enough of her repeated absences. She had been working another job, even two, because the few pennies the Opera paid weren’t enough to keep her and her family fed. She was a model, posing for painters or sculptors—among them Edgar Degas.

Drawing on a wealth of historical material as well as her own love of ballet and personal experiences of loss, Camille Laurens presents a compelling, compassionate portrait of Marie van Goethem and the world she inhabited that shows the importance of those who have traditionally been overlooked in the study of art.

my thoughts:

What an amazing book! I absolutely LOVED Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Camille Laurens. It was such a fascinating read - part art history, socio-economics lesson, and a personal narrative all rolled into one. I truly enjoyed settling down with this short book and taking my time with it. I found myself captivated from the start and jotting down notes about Degas, the "little rats", and Paris in the late nineteenth  century. 

So, what's the book about? Marie van Goethem.  She's the inspiration/muse behind Degas's sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.  This book is about her, and the other "little rats" in Degas's artwork.  Yep, Degas referred to his art subjects as "little rats".  These poor girls who worked hard and lived hard trying to make ends meet.  They were sexualized, ignored, and forgotten about when they were off stage, but when they were dancing, these "little rats" were revered and idolized for their skill and talent.  Laurens shines light on Degas's "little rats", Degas, and Paris.  And, it all makes for quite an unforgettable read. 

I would happily recommend Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Camille Laurens to fans of art, nonfiction, and history - you will fall in deep with this book. The writing is top notch, smart, and engaging. And the subject matter will keep you turning pages and thinking about the art world, Degas, Marie van Goethem, and Paris. You won't be able to put this book down for anything. I know that I didn't. And, I loved every minute I spent with this book. Definitely check it out or gift it to someone you know who loves art and nonfiction - makes for a great stocking stuffer!  

Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

The Cost of Courage by Charles Kaiser

Out today in paperback:

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

The Cost of Courage by Charles Kaiser is nonfiction at its best!  A mix of history and biography with a suspense novel feel, this book is truly a must-read.  Its gripping storytelling, vivid details, rich history, and realistic portrayal of heroes is simply unputdownable.  I found myself settling down with this book for the night and turning the last page late into the early morning. I was completely hooked and felt my heart breaking and bursting for this family's experience and their story. 

So, what's the book about?  Here's a quick summary:

"This heroic true story of the three youngest children of a bourgeois Catholic family who worked together in the French Resistance is told by an American writer who has known and admired the family for five decades

In the autumn of 1943, André Boulloche became de Gaulle’s military delegate in Paris, coordinating all the Resistance movements in the nine northern regions of France only to be betrayed by one of his associates, arrested, wounded by the Gestapo, and taken prisoner. His sisters carried on the fight without him until the end of the war. André survived three concentration camps and later became a prominent French politician who devoted the rest of his life to reconciliation of France and Germany. His parents and oldest brother were arrested and shipped off on the last train from Paris to Germany before the liberation, and died in the camps. Since then, silence has been the Boulloches’s answer to dealing with the unbearable. This is the first time the family has cooperated with an author to recount their extraordinary ordeal."

How amazing does that sound?  I think that anyone interested in history, specifically the French Resistance in Nazi-occupied Paris will be fascinated by The Cost of Courage.  It is no doubt a must-read for history buffs.  I absolutely enjoyed every minute I spent with this powerful story - it was unforgettable reading experience.

I would happily recommend The Cost of Courage to fans of Charles Kaiser's writing and fans of history books - you will LOVE this book!!





Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

Travels With My Father: An Autobiographical Novel by Karen Jennings

(Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (from Goodreads)

Travels with My Father is a beautifully written autobiographical novel. Written from the point of view of a young woman, daughter and writer, it is a frank, yet delicate and moving, account of her relationship with her father and his influence on her own life.

In the footsteps of her father, the author travels the world. Yet, key scenes are set in Plumstead, a suburb of Cape Town, where her father lived most of his life.

The relationships and divisions between members of a family that does not wear its heart on its sleeve, and some of whom are real eccentrics, are sensitively recorded. It all adds to an intricate picture of a changing South African society.

my thoughts:

I'm really digging memoirs lately.  They are just so addictive and informative.  I'm starting to think they are the bee's knees.  So, when I was offered the chance to read Karen Jenning's autobiographical novel, Travels With My Father, how could I resist?

This is the story of how Jennings coped with her father's death.  Except, its much more than that.  Its about her relationship with him. Its about her travels. Its about her life and the ways in which he influenced it.  Its about dealing with death.  And its about living life. 

Travels With My Father is about so many things that we can relate to - family, love, loss.  Its chock full of vivid and heartbreaking details that will give you all the feels.  Its honest and raw with memories and realizations.  The writing is similar to stream of consciousness, with its barrage of memories that come one after the other in no particular order.  I think that this nonlinear manner provides an authenticity, because thinking in tangents is definitely something we do when trying to remember everything from our past (and even present).  Or at least I do.  Suffice it to say, I truly enjoyed getting lost in Jennings' personal stories about her life.  They were interesting, sad, relatable, and entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of memoirs, autobiographies - you will definitely ENJOY this book.


Thank you to Holland Park Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

A Brief Stop On The Road From Auschwitz by Göran Rosenberg

Look what's new in paperback today:

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

"On the 2nd of August 1947, a young man gets off a train in a small Swedish town to begin his life anew. Having survived the ghetto of Lodz, the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the transports during the final months of Nazi Germany, his final challenge is to survive the survival. In A BRIEF STOP ON THE ROAD FROM AUSCHWITZ (Other Press Paperback Reprint * 2/28/17), Göran Rosenberg returns to his own childhood in order to tell the story of this young man, his father; walking at his side, holding his hand, following him along the road from Auschwitz, trying to foster a lost intimacy. It is also the story of the chasm that soon opens between the world of the child, permeated by the optimism, progress and collective oblivion of post-war Sweden, and the world of the father, darkened by the long shadows of the past. Beautiful, powerful, and deeply moving, this is the story of what came after Auschwitz; a world of silence, suppression, oblivion, guilt and shame. Melancholy, wise and beautiful, A BRIEF STOP ON THE ROAD FROM AUSCHWITZ is a measured examination of the past and a loving portrait of a father.

This compulsive read is a remarkable story with enormous ramifications for events playing out on the global stage today.  The insights gleaned from Göran’s experiences offer a unique perspective on the legacy that will be inherited by millions of refugees in crisis today, as well as the continual abuse inflicted on minority communities around the world.  Göran is primed to discuss an original perspective on the core lessons to be drawn from the horrors of the Holocaust, lessons that cut across religious, geographic, and ethnic lines. This is very simply a new classic of the memoir genre."

Wow! Talk about a powerful and unforgettable story.  A son's retelling of his father's life after Auschwitz - beyond brilliant! This book has garnered tons of acclaim for its truth, its history, and its message on survival.  It is a sobering piece of work that conjures up the past with such clarity and preciseness.  The writing is superb - it explores humanity, pain, memory, and hope with such openness and realism.  I just LOVED this book.  Its been days since I read it and I can't seem to stop thinking about it.  I would definitely recommend it to fans of nonfiction, especially those interested in history.   This is one book you won't want to miss.


Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

Rad Women Worldwide by Kate Schatz

(Thank you to Blogging For Books for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

From the authors of the New York Times bestselling book Rad American Women A-Z, comes a bold new collection of 40 biographical profiles, each accompanied by a striking illustrated portrait, showcasing extraordinary women from around the world.

Rad Women Worldwide tells fresh, engaging, and inspiring tales of perseverance and radical success by pairing well researched and riveting biographies with powerful and expressive cut-paper portraits. From 430 BCE to 2016, spanning 31 countries around the world, the book features an array of diverse figures, including Hatshepsut (the great female king who ruled Egypt peacefully for two decades) and Malala Yousafzi (the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize) to Poly Styrene (legendary teenage punk and lead singer of X-Ray Spex) and Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft (polar explorers and the first women to cross Antarctica). This progressive and visually arresting book is a compelling addition to women’s history and belongs on the shelf of every school, library, and home.

Together, these stories show the immense range of what women have done and can do. May we all have the courage to be rad!

my thoughts:

Wow! Talk about an awesome, informative, and inspiring book! I just loved Rad Women Worldwide. As a feminist, I'm all for promoting and supporting the women who help make this wonderful world go round.  I'm talking about strong, smart, courageous and determined women who are set on making changes in sports, history, politics, and the world.  Schatz has written about women from all walks of life and shares their stories with us on who they are, what they've done, and how far they've gone.  It makes for quite an eye-opening and thought-provoking read.  I loved getting to know all of these amazing and brilliant women through this book - it was so much fun.  Plus, the paper cut illustrations that accompany each essay are just fantastic!  They are bold, creative and provide a clear image of these woman and what they do.  And, I loved the quotes that are highlighted at the top of each essay - just perfect!  Such a great book!

Rad Women Worldwide is a must-read!! Its an empowering book that will engage and teach its readers so much about some of the "rad" women in this world.  I can't wait to share this book with friends and family - they are going to LOVE it!!  And, I would happily recommend this book to fans of women's history, fan's of feminist nonfiction, and anyone looking for their next great read. 



I received this book from Blogging For Books for this review.