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Book Report
Jun. 19th, 2016 05:21 amI’m going to try a new grading system for books, a scale of 1 – 10.
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible, why did I finish it?
The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan – I can’t fully explain why I finished reading this book. The author is self-obsessed. She name-drops constantly, she uses about 15 parenthesis per page thus rendering her book more like an LJ post, and I can’t take any more mentions of her great husband and kids. Then she talked about using gratitude as a way to lose weight and I really wanted to throw something. But I finished reading the book because I love the topic of gratitude and I believe that doing a daily gratitude reflection has really helped me. But, in case I’m not being clear enough, the author annoyed the shit out of me. Grade: 3
The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman – Just an excellent novel of historical fiction in late 18th century England. There is a web of interrelated characters, each one well-defined and compelling. The most central focus of the novel are two women: one a high-born lady in a loveless marriage and the second born to a prostitute and working as boxer (or a “lady pugilist”). The two women improbably meet, and it changes their lives and the lives of people around them. Grade: 8
It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario - I was completely glued to the pages. Lynsey Addario has worked as a photographer in the thick of the worst war zones on the planet. She’s been kidnapped twice. Her book was thrilling, and it is replete with her amazing photography. Grade: 8
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein – A memoir by one of the members of the band Sleater-Kinney. The prose in the memoir is excellent – it’s both very readable and almost poetic. (Brownstein had considered getting a Masters of Fine Arts degree). It covers life on the road, various illnesses, tragedy involving beloved pets, dealing with the group dynamics of a band, romantic relationships gone awry, parents either struggling with anorexia or coming out, loads of sexism which Brownstein highlights in illuminating ways (a male band gets on all wearing T-shirts. Imagine the reaction if an all-female band had done the same), and more. There were some good sections on how frustrating it was to be labeled as a "girl band," and on how often reporters would ask about it. Browstein seems to face a constant struggle to find a place and meaning in her life. Despite the impression you might get from the above, the memoir isn’t choppy at all and flows well. FYI, I was never a fan of the band. Years ago I’d bought 1 or 2 of their CDs and thought their music was good but nothing grabbed me. Grade: 7
One Teacher in Ten edited by Kevin Jennings - This is the third such book that Jennings has edited: a collection of essays from LGBT teachers. I don't think I read the others, but the collection was good. I liked reading the snippets of people's lives as LGBT teachers, what they struggle with, what they have seen improve. Grade: 5
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible, why did I finish it?
The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan – I can’t fully explain why I finished reading this book. The author is self-obsessed. She name-drops constantly, she uses about 15 parenthesis per page thus rendering her book more like an LJ post, and I can’t take any more mentions of her great husband and kids. Then she talked about using gratitude as a way to lose weight and I really wanted to throw something. But I finished reading the book because I love the topic of gratitude and I believe that doing a daily gratitude reflection has really helped me. But, in case I’m not being clear enough
The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman – Just an excellent novel of historical fiction in late 18th century England. There is a web of interrelated characters, each one well-defined and compelling. The most central focus of the novel are two women: one a high-born lady in a loveless marriage and the second born to a prostitute and working as boxer (or a “lady pugilist”). The two women improbably meet, and it changes their lives and the lives of people around them. Grade: 8
It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario - I was completely glued to the pages. Lynsey Addario has worked as a photographer in the thick of the worst war zones on the planet. She’s been kidnapped twice. Her book was thrilling, and it is replete with her amazing photography. Grade: 8
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein – A memoir by one of the members of the band Sleater-Kinney. The prose in the memoir is excellent – it’s both very readable and almost poetic. (Brownstein had considered getting a Masters of Fine Arts degree). It covers life on the road, various illnesses, tragedy involving beloved pets, dealing with the group dynamics of a band, romantic relationships gone awry, parents either struggling with anorexia or coming out, loads of sexism which Brownstein highlights in illuminating ways (a male band gets on all wearing T-shirts. Imagine the reaction if an all-female band had done the same), and more. There were some good sections on how frustrating it was to be labeled as a "girl band," and on how often reporters would ask about it. Browstein seems to face a constant struggle to find a place and meaning in her life. Despite the impression you might get from the above, the memoir isn’t choppy at all and flows well. FYI, I was never a fan of the band. Years ago I’d bought 1 or 2 of their CDs and thought their music was good but nothing grabbed me. Grade: 7
One Teacher in Ten edited by Kevin Jennings - This is the third such book that Jennings has edited: a collection of essays from LGBT teachers. I don't think I read the others, but the collection was good. I liked reading the snippets of people's lives as LGBT teachers, what they struggle with, what they have seen improve. Grade: 5
