![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Book Report
Aug. 27th, 2016 08:12 pmA new book report.
My rating system:
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible, why did I finish it?
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – A work of historical fiction taking place in Nazi-occupied France during WWII. The story centers around two non-Jewish sisters: Vianne who is the elder, married, with a child; and Isabelle who is brash, brave, and principled. It spans several years, alternating with brief sections taking place in modern times staring one of the sisters (we don’t learn who until the end). I’ve read a lot of books taking place during WWII and might not have picked up this one, but it was recommended by a friend. I kinda have “WWII burn-out”. But this book definitely held my interest. Grade: 7
Black Man in a White Coat by Damon Tweedy – This book was excellent. Damon Tweedy is an African American doctor, earning his MD from Duke University in North Carolina. He shares his wisdom and experience in a few ways. He talks about his experiences with racism both during medical school and afterwards, shares his thoughts on affirmative action. He shares some of his patients’ stories especially to shine light on health conditions that are more prevalent among blacks than whites. He even shares his experience dealing with his own homophobia. It was really, really interesting and never dull. Grade: 8
Under New Management by David Burkus – In this book, the author proposes that businesses go against the usual practices and try innovative approaches that have worked well for some companies. Each chapter highlights one of the proposals. A few examples: ban email, fire managers and have individuals structure their own work, have a vacation policy like Netflix’s (you determine how much vacation you take, with your manager’s approval), institute a sabbatical policy, and more. Some of the ideas I liked, others I can’t see working in most places. The book was pretty good; mostly I read books like this so I can help stay current in the business world when I talk to colleagues. Grade: 5
Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole – I listened to this epistolary novel on audio. It’s a love story across a few decades, starting when a poet who lives on a remote Scottish island receives a fan letter from a young American. Like any love story, it has plenty of flaws including a few really cloying letters from our male hero, a few cases of bad acting (most of the voice actors were good but a few Scotts sounded almost Russian at times), and – well – it is pretty much a trussed up romance novel. But it was good enough. A few plot points which I thought would be predictable didn’t turn out exactly as I thought they would, and at times the prose actually does flow. Grade: 4
Pregnant Butch by AK Summers - A fun graphic memoir describing exactly what the title says. Our narrator is a butch and she’s pregnant. It’s really good. It brings to mind some of Alison Bechdel’s work; there are a few trenchant comments about society and the expectations of women and the author’s sense that butches are disappearing in favor of transmen. I love the way Summers bares everything, especially her insecurities about being pregnant and butch. Grade: 8
My rating system:
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible, why did I finish it?
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – A work of historical fiction taking place in Nazi-occupied France during WWII. The story centers around two non-Jewish sisters: Vianne who is the elder, married, with a child; and Isabelle who is brash, brave, and principled. It spans several years, alternating with brief sections taking place in modern times staring one of the sisters (we don’t learn who until the end). I’ve read a lot of books taking place during WWII and might not have picked up this one, but it was recommended by a friend. I kinda have “WWII burn-out”. But this book definitely held my interest. Grade: 7
Black Man in a White Coat by Damon Tweedy – This book was excellent. Damon Tweedy is an African American doctor, earning his MD from Duke University in North Carolina. He shares his wisdom and experience in a few ways. He talks about his experiences with racism both during medical school and afterwards, shares his thoughts on affirmative action. He shares some of his patients’ stories especially to shine light on health conditions that are more prevalent among blacks than whites. He even shares his experience dealing with his own homophobia. It was really, really interesting and never dull. Grade: 8
Under New Management by David Burkus – In this book, the author proposes that businesses go against the usual practices and try innovative approaches that have worked well for some companies. Each chapter highlights one of the proposals. A few examples: ban email, fire managers and have individuals structure their own work, have a vacation policy like Netflix’s (you determine how much vacation you take, with your manager’s approval), institute a sabbatical policy, and more. Some of the ideas I liked, others I can’t see working in most places. The book was pretty good; mostly I read books like this so I can help stay current in the business world when I talk to colleagues. Grade: 5
Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole – I listened to this epistolary novel on audio. It’s a love story across a few decades, starting when a poet who lives on a remote Scottish island receives a fan letter from a young American. Like any love story, it has plenty of flaws including a few really cloying letters from our male hero, a few cases of bad acting (most of the voice actors were good but a few Scotts sounded almost Russian at times), and – well – it is pretty much a trussed up romance novel. But it was good enough. A few plot points which I thought would be predictable didn’t turn out exactly as I thought they would, and at times the prose actually does flow. Grade: 4
Pregnant Butch by AK Summers - A fun graphic memoir describing exactly what the title says. Our narrator is a butch and she’s pregnant. It’s really good. It brings to mind some of Alison Bechdel’s work; there are a few trenchant comments about society and the expectations of women and the author’s sense that butches are disappearing in favor of transmen. I love the way Summers bares everything, especially her insecurities about being pregnant and butch. Grade: 8
