On My Nightstand August 27, 2023

As of tomorrow I’ll have two kids back in school. Hooray! Love those kids, but teen and tween summers are a lot of work! There are so many cool camps for elementary school kids, but it seems like once they get to middle school the city just says raise yourself now.

I didn’t get much reading done last week, but I did spend some time pulling out books to read in October. I can’t wait for spooky reading season.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“If Lenore had been a country, I would have married North Korea...”

— My Losing Season by Pat Conroy

What I’m Reading This Week

A Day of Fire by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Vicky Alvear -- I’m reading this for a challenge, and I’m enjoying the different but related stories written by six authors set in the day or so before the Pompeii volcano explosion.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune -- This came in from the library this morning, and I thought it looked like the perfect last week of unofficial summer read.

A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain -- This is for a book club, and I must admit as a vegetarian I am a little worried about many descriptions of eating strange meat. I’ll give it a try though.

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On My Nightstand August 20, 2023

August 20th? How did that happen? As hot as it is, it’s starting to be noticeable that fall is coming. It’s not even light any more when I leave for work in the morning. I for one can’t wait!

Aside from reading this week I’ve been watching TV and listening to podcasts. I watched the entire season of Is It Cake Too, and loved it all. I also listened to the entire season of Serial: The Retrievals. If you’re interested in drug addiction rehabilitation or women’s health care issues I highly recommend it.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“Life teaches us beautiful lessons. Why not a haircut?”

— Managing Expectations by Minnie Driver

What I’m Reading This Week

The Nix by Nathan Hill -- I’ve had this on my shelf for a long time. I kept putting it off because it’s long, but I promised myself I would read it this summer. Summer’s almost over so the time is now!

The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros -- I’m giving into the hype! Just started this on audio.

Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant -- Another book I’ve been looking at for a while. I’m really looking forward to this memoir from a couple who moved to Mississippi.

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On My Nightstand August 13, 2023

I’ve been on summer vacation for two weeks, and I am ready to be back to normal! Love to travel; love to come home even more.

I can’t wait to share my reading with you all again, and to see what you’ve been up to. I hope everyone is having a decent summer, and is safe from all the storms, heat, and fires.

Have a great week everyone. Can’t wait to catch up!

Quote of the week

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

— To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

What I’m Reading This Week

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton -- I still love this book, and re-read it every few years.

Pompeii by Robert Harris -- I’m having a hard time getting into this one, but I love volcanoes so I’ll keep trying.

Mud Rocks Blazes by Heather Anderson -- I’m mentally gearing up for fall hiking!

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Show Us Your Books July 2023

I read 19 books in June. Four of them were re-reads, which is always fun. A lot of people don’t like to re-read, but to me it’s like visiting old friends. Besides that reading is just better when I’m sitting on the porch with a glass of wine and baseball on the radio.

Five Stars

Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu - In 1938 Meilin and Renshu had to flee their home in China. For years they searched for some place to grow roots and finally found it in Taiwan. Eventually they each found stability- Meilin in Taiwan and Renshu in the states. Neither really ever felt safe though until they learned to confront the past. This book was heartbreaking, but in the very best way. You all should read it.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - This audiobook was 31 hours long, and I wish it could have gone for another 31 hours. I loved it so much. It all came together beautifully and I loved the characters. Five stars.

Four Stars

Foster by Claire Keegan - This was a great short story, but I wish I knew more about the families (family?) involved.

The Not-Quite States of America - I read this for a book club, and I wasn’t sure what to expect due to mixed reviews. I ended up enjoying it though I thought some parts were needlessly padded with background information. It seems that this one is better to read than listen from the reviews.

Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid - Yet another book I would have never heard about if not for Litsy challenges! This short book has a lot to say about growing up, the expectations we put on kids, and mother/daughter relationships.

Untangled by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. - This book was excellent. Highly recommend for anyone with a daughter 12 or older.

Our Stories Carried Us Here (Anthology) - A powerful and moving graphic novel anthology about the refugee experience. I‘m going to pass this on to the library at our school’s international academy.

Exiles by Jane Harper - I thought I had figured out the mystery halfway through and I was annoyed that Falk was taking so long to catch up. Then it turned out it was someone I hadn’t suspected at all and I loved the ending.

Three Stars

The Last Word by Taylor Adams - I loved the premise of this book- deranged author goes after lone woman who gave him a one star review on Goodreads. However it seemed to take forever for anything to happen. It was entertaining enough to listen over a busy weekend full of chores though so I’m giving it 3 stars.

Feet in the Clouds by Richard Askwith - Part memoir part history of Fell-Running- aka running up and down mountains in Britain usually in terrible weather. I enjoyed the parts about the author’s pursuits, but wasn‘t as engaged in the historical parts.

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On My Nightstand July 9, 2023

I think this week might actually be a normal week- 5 days of work, no holidays, no appointments. I love holidays and travel but it will be nice to get back into a normal routine for a bit.

Weather here has been wild, and that has been cutting down on my walking and gardening time. Sometimes it has rained so hard I can’t even sit on my covered porch without my library book getting wet.

I can’t believe it’s almost mid-July. Summer is going too fast. I have a few weeks of reading other’s posts to catch up on, so I look forward to “seeing” you all this week.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“He has taught his daughter how to ride a bike, how to swim.
Isn’t each of these a victory in itself?”

— Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

What I’m Reading This Week

As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann - I bought this on kindle for a reading challenge, but I’ve heard it’s pretty intense. We’ll see how that goes. I feel no shame in not finishing books if I’m not enjoying them.

The Outsider by Stephen King - Classic Stephen King summer reading. I’m still re-reading for when Holly comes out in September.

Breathless by Amy McCulloch - I read a lot of books that take place in the Himalayas. Some are better done than others. So far so good with this one.

I Know Your Secret by Daphne Benedis-Grab - My daughter and I picked this as a book we could both read while she’s away at camp. She omes back on Saturday so I need to get a move on!

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On My Nightstand July 2, 2023

I wasn’t around last week because I was dropping my daughter off at summer camp four hours away. I miss her, but I know she is having the time of her life. I’ll pick her up in three weeks, and then it’s time for my family reunion in New Hampshire. I can’t wait for that!

Meanwhile I’ve been working a lot outside between thunder showers and unhealthy air indices. What a weird summer! The sharing garden I’ve been working on has been producing pretty well despite the number of weeds we’ve had to pull. We started harvesting carrots this week, and you wouldn’t expect a carrot to smell good, but they really did. Fresh food is the best.

Have a great week everyone.

Quote of the week

“We can forgive without understanding. Sometimes we must. Maybe that’s what forgiveness is - accepting someone’s actions, even if there are no good explanations.”

— Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

What I’m Reading This Week

An Embarrassment of Mangoes by Ann Vanderhoof - One of the best parts of the #ReadingTheAmericas2023 challenge is all of the great travelogues I’ve been reading. This one features a couple sailing through the Caribbean, and it’s making me hungry!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang - I’m reading this for a big buddy read on Litsy, and it’s really started off strong. It doesn’t hurt that it takes places near where I live so all of the places are familiar.

Hang The Moon by Jeanette Walls - I haven’t started this yet, but it’s next on my pile of books. I’ve seen it on a bunch of summer reading lists so I’m excited.

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On My Nightstand March 19, 2023

My reading slump continues. Hopefully this week will be slower and I’ll have better concentration.

This is supposed to be peak week for Cherry Blossoms here which meant a lot of traffic pre-covid. We’ll see what that means this year. My goal this week is to take a walk and see the blossoms every day. They truly are beautiful.

Have a good week friends!

Quote of the Week

“It is always fatal to have music or poetry interrupted.”

— George Eliot, Middlemarch

On My Nightstand This Week

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri -- We’re reading about Syria this month for #FoodAndLit. I’d heard a lot about this book, but not loving it. I’m willing to accept this is because of my book slump and not the book.

The Old Ways by Robert MacFarlane -- I signed up for a travel writing postal book club, and this is our first book. I’m looking forward to this group so much!

Lark Ascending by Silas House -- I saw this on some list somewhere of best books of 2022, and my library hold came in Friday. I’ve only just started, and I’m looking forward to some dystopia.

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On My Nightstand January 29 2023

I’ve been reading a chapter a day of Middlemarch with a group on Litsy, and this chapter title last Monday cracked me up. Yup, a cold rainy pre-dawn Monday in January can feel that way!

Oh well, bad weather makes for good reading!

What I’m Reading This Week:

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - I’m still listening to this. 10 hours left. I can do it.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallard - This is a fun YA that I’ve been reading on the train. I’m enjoying it.

Braver Than You Think by Maggie Downs - It’s been a while since I read a good travel memoir. I’m hoping to sink into this one over the weekend.

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This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Best Reading Experiences of 2022

Edisto Beach, South Carolina

Normally at this time of the year I would be talking about the best book I read in 2022. I had a really hard time picking one though. I read over 200 books this year, but none of them gave me that swept away feeling you get when you’re reading a really good book. I blame the circumstances more than the books. For one reason or another I was really distracted most of the year, and I’m really only getting over it now.

Despite all of that I did have some really good reading experiences, and that’s what I want to talk about today.

My Top 2022 Reading Experiences

Reading Africa (Litsy Challenge)

I eagerly dove into the #ReadingAfrica2022 challenge on Litsy this year. I learned so much, and really enjoyed the challenge of hunting down books that featured some of our most unread about countries. I got about halfway through this challenge, and plan on continuing next year.

My Favorites from Reading Africa

The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya -- When she was six Clemantine fled her parent‘s house with her sister and just a few belongings. Until she was twelve they lived as refugees. Then they were awarded a visa to live in the US. This book shows that what looks like the happily ever after ending that you might see on the outside isn‘t always reality.

A Fish Caught In Time by Samantha Weinberg -- What a cool book that I would have never run across if it weren‘t for #ReadingAfrica I thoroughly enjoyed this short non-fiction account of the study of the coelacanth.

Matching My Reading To My Travel

Twice this year I accidentally ended up reading a book that took place in the location where I was traveling. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to make this happen, but I will in the future!

The Burning Blue by Kevin Cook -- Before she was America’s teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe was a teacher in Concord, New Hampshire. Listening to those scenes on audiobook really gave a sense of what a change that must have been for McAuliffe.

The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy -- I love coastal South Carolina, and now when I can’t get there I have a new author to read that can take me there. I read this book by the pool of our hotel that was just about a block away from Pat Conroy’s house in Beaufort, SC. I recommend both the town and the book.

Well Timed Graphic Novels

On both the Summer Solstice and Fall Equinox I made a date with myself to read graphic novels that featured those days.

Still looking for books that would fit winter and spring!

Chapter A Day Reads
Last but not least, I must mention all of the chapter a day reads that I took part in on Litsy. Having buddies to read with in manageable chunks makes reading the classics so much more doable for me. I would have never gotten through Villette otherwise!

Looking forward to hearing about everyone else’s favorite reads!

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Show Us Your Books February 2022

This year I finally gave in to reading glasses.

Given that I had two week reading slump in January it is amazing to me that I read so many great books. Like really good, cry all night, book of the year type books.

I started logging my books in Storygraph this year. I don’t log everything it wants me to- that would become a job. I’m enjoying it even though I still prefer my good old fashioned handwritten book journal and spreadsheet for logging, and Litsy for sharing reviews. My favorite thing about Storygraph so far is how it assigns moods to each book and I am clearly a emotional and reflective reader.

Five Stars

The Storyteller by Dave Grohl -- I would have never listened to this if so many people on Litsy hadn‘t said how excellent it is. And I agree! This has got to be one of the best audiobooks I‘ve ever listened to. You can really hear the emotions in Grohl‘s voice as he talks. I loved too that he grew up not too far from where I live.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles -- I bailed on this one years ago because it doesn‘t have quotation marks, but a book club brought it to me again. I‘m so glad because it was a beautiful book. This is just a pleasant story, and I’ve heard the movie does it justice. A hug of a book. It made me feel good.

Four Stars

Transcendent Kingdon by Yaa Gyasi -- A lot has been said about this book so I won‘t add my clumsy synopsis, but I will say that I really loved it. I put off reading it for so long because I didn‘t think it would hold up to Homegoing. It was different but still just as heart wrenching in all the best ways.

The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook -- This was another one from the bottom of my TBR list, and it was a good read. It takes place in Germany just after WWII, and is understandably grim. It was very interesting though to examine each person‘s reactions to the terrible conditions and to imagine how I would have fared. A good book to read on a cold, dark January day.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte -- What a wild ride! Not a boring classic!

Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman -- Great poetry collection. This almost read like a time capsule from the last two years.

Three Stars

The Quiet Zone by Stephen Kurczy -- I have traveled through this area several times, and was interested in learning about it. This book wasn‘t what I thought, but it was interesting enough to listen to on a long drive.

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly -- I picked this book based on the cover alone, and I‘m happy to say it worked out! It was told in three timelines but all centered around one English garden. It‘s so super cold here lately. I enjoyed reading about a garden in bloom.

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty -- This one was a bit slow in the middle but wow, what an ending.

This post is linked to Show Us Your Books and Quick Lit.

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Food And Lit June: Russia

June was a really busy month for me with school ending, and all of my kids’ activities suddenly wanting to have an end of year party JUST BECAUSE WE SUDDENLY COULD. So I did a lot of cupcake baking instead of experimenting with Russian food.

Russian food sounded surprisingly excellent judging from the cookbook Please to the Table by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman. I was able to try two recipes- mushroom caviar and the herb omelette. Both were good although there were grumbles at the table about green eggs for dinner. Something along the lines of I am glad I’m a kid in America not Russia.

This cookbook also had some fabulous sounding sweets and bread that I’m dying to try. Just because things are opening up again does not mean we should abandon the restaurant appropriate quantities of yeast we purchased last year, my friends! Just as soon as the heat index goes back below 90 degrees that is.

Russian Reading

I did slightly better on the lit part of Russian Food and Lit. I read three books and liked them all.

Mud and Stars by Sara Wheeler - This was part travelogue, part Russian literature review, and part food diary. I wasn‘t sure if I would follow it because I‘m not a Russian literature expert, but I enjoyed it quite a bit despite my reservations. Sara Wheeler has a dry sense of humor, and a spirit of adventure that I like.

Stalin's Daughter by Rosemary Sullivan - This chunkster was a fascinating look at the life of Svetlana Alliluyeva, a.k.a. Stalin‘s daughter. It took me all month to read, but it was worth the time.

A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles - This is my 4th time trying to read this, and I even thought about bailing again. Then I got to the end and wow, I want to read it again.

In July we’re on to Morocco. I’m super excited to be back in Northern Africa.

Past months of Food And Lit:

Israel

Ethiopia

Vietnam

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REVIEW: The Earth Knows My Name: Food, Culture, and Sustainability in the Gardens of Ethnic Americans by Patricia Klindienst

The Earth Knows My Name: Food, Culture, and Sustainability in the Gardens of Ethnic Americans by Patricia Klindienst

I loved this book.

Inspired by an old photograph of her family Patricia Klindienst traveled the United States to explore how people use gardens to connect to their heritage. She visited gardens tended by Native Americans, refugees from Asia, Hispanics who followed Conquistadors to the Southwest, and descendants of African slaves on coastal islands. At each new garden Klindienst explores how people literally put down roots in their new homes by the gardens they grew.

I highly recommend this book for fans of Angelo Pellegrini and Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

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June Show Us Your Books

25 year old beach chairs in heavy rotation here now that it’s summer.

In May I finally got my reading mojo back. I’ve been reading a lot this year, but because I felt like I should, not because I was particularly interested in anything. In May I got interested again.

I’ve been watching a lot more TV than usual as well, trying to make sense of what’s going on in the world. Local (Washington, DC) news had become something of a joke, but now seeing the reporters filming scenes live and broadcasting them has totally changed my opinion on them. There are so many awful and sad images coming out, but also images of hope and change. It’s been leading me to read a lot of books from and about the 1960’s.

Note: I’m trying to move away from using amazon.com affiliate links, and using bookshop.org instead. This is my first experiment. I miss the little pictures amazon gives you, but am having fun taking my own. Here’s my shop if anyone is interested. Definitely a work in progress.

The Best of May (And Maybe The Year)

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes - This novel about the Bravo Company, a unit of young Marines during the Vietnam War, is unforgettable. Karl Marlantes is a veteran himself, and the details he incorporated into this book were visceral and captivating.

Books About Travel and Other Means of Escape

All the Beautiful Girls by Elizabeth Church

The Good House by Ann Leary - Someone described this to me as unreliable narrator without all the murder which is a good and accurate description. I listened to this on audio and loved the pitch perfect Massachusetts accent.

All The Beautiful Girls by Elizabeth Church - Vegas show girls in the late 1960’s- loved it. Loved the descriptions of the costumes and the behind the scenes drama. (Trigger warning sexual and physical abuse)

Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck - In 1960 John Steinbeck took his dog Charley around the country in a motor home to reconnect with the American people. This book was surprisingly relevant: living life as the only Democrat in a family of Republicans, racial tensions, and good found in surprising places. A short book that was worth reading.

Mosquitoland by David Arnold - Mim Malone runs away from home in order to save her mother in Cleveland. I hated the father in this book, but loved the main character Mim and her little band of helpers she meets along the way.

Kids Books I Read To Keep My Mind Calm

My Daily Routine According To My Daughter

Anne of the Island by LM Mongomery - I’m reading one of these a month for a book club I’m in. This one I thought started out slow, but I loved the ending.

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - I started listening to this with my kids, and when they bailed I kept going. I quite enjoyed Morrigan and her adventures. Typical of books like this none of the grown ups ever tell the kids anything so they have to figure it out on their own.

The Moffats by Eleanor Estes - A sweet old-fashioned book reminiscent of The Five Little Peppers or The Railway Children.

Books To Read In March

March to me means gardening, new beginnings, travel, and a little bit of romance. If you’re also thinking along those lines here are some books I can recommend for March.

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Books To Read When You're Having A Bad Day At Work

A rainbow out my office window last week.

A popular New Year’s Resolution is to get a new job. Sometimes though you don’t need a new job. You just need to get some perspective on why your current job isn’t so bad. Here are four books to read when you feel like you just can’t take it another day.

The Martian by Andy Weir - Coworkers a pain, and your to-do list got you down? At least your co-workers didn’t leave you on Mars trying to figure out how to survive.

The Travelers by Chris Pavone - Sometimes your boss will ask you to do things that don’t seem to fall within your job description. In The Travelers Will is just trying to write an article about Argentina when he gets recruited to be a spy.

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou - This book is completely bananas. Most people are used to signing non-disclosure agreements, but what about non-disclosure agreements that cover previous non-disclosure agreements, threats against your family, and being followed by private investigators?

Breaking and Entering by Jeremy N. Smith - It’s scary to think about being hacked, and in this book you can see how someone could charm you right into it.

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Show Us Your Books October

Free image from Unsplash. The water damage to the book upsets me, but the apple and book image suits my mood, so I’m trying to let it go.

So, internet gremlins ate my first attempt at putting up a Show Us Your Books post, and I was ready to just skip this month because those types of things always happen when I have huge projects at work requiring all my brain cells. But September was such an amazing reading month I couldn’t not talk about it.

The best of the bunch

City of Thieves by David Benioff - This is one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to. Two men in Leningrad during WWII set off to find some eggs. It’s horrifying and sad, but also oh so funny. Highly, highly, highly recommend.

A Good Punch In the Guts

The Return by Hisham Matar - A nonfiction book about a man who returns to Libya to find his father who was imprisoned twenty-one years before. Very moving and educational.

American Fire by Monica Hesse - This book was fascinating. A deep dive into a series of arsons that occurred on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I’ve been recommending this to all my book friends this week.

The Kite Runner (Graphic Novel) by Khaled Hosseini - This leaves a few big chunks of the novel out, but still packs an emotional punch. I liked it a lot.

After the End by Clare Mackintosh - What happens when two parents don’t agree on the care of their terminally ill child? So many questions, so few answers. Once I started this book I couldn’t stop.

And A Little Adventure To Keep Things Fun

Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis - Jennifer Pharr Davis set the speed record for hiking the Appalachian Trail a few years ago, but this is the hike before that one. Very interesting to see what she went through alone on the trail.

Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson - In this one Bill Bryson attempts to go all around England using public transportation. It’s not as bombastic as some of his later books, and I appreciated that. He reads the audiobook himself, which I also appreciated.

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A Bookish Vacation

An amazing sunset in Rocky Mountain National Park

Last week we went on another adventure, and of course half the things I saw reminded me of books.

Kit Carson’s House in Taos, New Mexico

Taos reminded me of Willa Cather and her dreamy novel Death Comes for the Archbishop. Taos isn’t as in your face as Santa Fe; you have to work to find the heart of it. It’s worth the effort though, and nearby hikes in Cimarron Canyon State Park and the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument only sweeten the deal.

View from Black Mesa, the highest point in Oklahoma

Part of the reason I pushed myself to finish The Grapes of Wrath last month is because I knew this trip would bring me to Oklahoma, and through the Comanche National Grasslands. The government created the grasslands in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma in order to stop a dust bowl from happening there again. Oklahoma has a bad rep as a road trip destination, but the sights in the panhandle were stunning. Just get gas and pack snacks before you go. There’s not much out there!

The lights of Estes Park

Our last stop was Estes Park, Colorado which is the home of the Stanley Hotel, and inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. I looked into having dinner at the hotel, but my daughter had a stomach bug on this leg of the trip, so a fancy meal wasn’t in the cards. That’s okay, I’m afraid of ghosts anyway.

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My Top 5 Reads of 2019 (So Far...)

In 2018 I suffered a major reading slump that I didn’t come out of until somewhere around September. In 2019 I started reading again in earnest, and have read some really great ones this year. Of the 91 books I’ve read so far this year, these are the top five. I’m interested to see what will still be on my list at the end of 2019.

In no particular order…

50 Great American Places by Brent D.Glass — This book is solely responsible for bringing back my wanderlust and the many miles I’m planning on putting on my car this summer.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Graphic Novel) — I love that so many classics are being turned into graphic novels. I finished this and immediately handed it to my 11 year old history lover.

Betty Ford by Lisa McCubbin - You know when an intro makes you cry you’re in for a good book. I picked this up because Betty Ford and I have a neighborhood in common, but ended up being so impressed by Ford and what she accomplished in life. Highly recommend.

Praise Song for the Butterflies by Bernice McFadden - The most hopeful book about child slavery you will ever read.

the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur - Once I started reading this I couldn’t stop. I never thought of myself as a poetry person, but this book proved me wrong.

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September 2017 Audio Books

Fall flowers

Summer is officially over, and after running here, there, and everywhere for weeks I'm looking forward to some weekends at home puttering and listening to audiobooks! I haven't listened to much lately, but here's a few I did manage (mostly in the car.)

In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson -- I read this book a long time ago, and decided to give the audio a try this summer. I like this one - it's more like A Walk in the Woods than some of his others that I find to be too judgey.

Al Franken, Giant of the Senate by Al Franken -- Interesting to see how the sausage gets made. He wants to run for president right? That's why he wrote this book?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald -- Still one of my favorites, and I love it on audio. For such a short book, there's so much there. Beware of careless people.

That's all for this month! Hopefully next month I'll be back in the swing of things.

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Books About Travel Gone Wrong

After finishing The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware last week I remembered how much I enjoy reading about travel gone wrong. After going through my librarything.com account I saw that I had read quite a few books on that topic. Here are some of my favorites (both fiction and non.)

Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

The Travelers by Chris Pavone

The River of Doubt by Candice Millard

Around the World in 50 Years by Albert Podell

Do you have any favorites about travel gone wrong?