I love listening to audiobooks, and audiobooks about the presidents are some of my favorites. Here are some that I find myself recommending over and over. (I’ve included one VP and one alternate history here just because.)
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My daughter thought she could fool me into thinking she was working on her math
I’m sure I’m not alone in noticing how this crisis has brought out the best in some leaders and the absolute worst in some others. I was talking about it with a friend who has the complete opposite political views as me, and other than agreeing that Woodrow Wilson was no good the conversation didn’t get very far. So as usual I turned to a book.
The first page of this book is a layout of FDR’s second floor family quarters in the White House during WWII. Every room on that floor was filled with staff and friends, and right next to his bedroom FDR had a study where he could work from home. Since I’ve been struggling with telecommuting with a full family in the house, I wondered if I could pick up a few tips from FDR.
Every morning at 8 am Roosevelt started his day with breakfast in bed- oj, eggs, coffee, and toast. While he ate he prepped for the day by reading the papers. He then reviewed his schedule with his advisors.
FDR had a method that drove some of his generals crazy. He liked to solve problems through conflict. He called everyone by their first names from his butler to Winston Churchill. There was often confusion around FDR, but he knew what worked for him and he went with it.
Have you heard the phrase “Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation.”? Roosevelt couldn’t travel as much as he would have liked due to his disabilities. Instead he relied upon his wife’s observations and regular communications with his contemporaries. He told Winston Churchill “I shall at times welcome it if you will keep me in touch personally with everything you want me to know about. You can always send me sealed letters through your pouch or my pouch.”
A big struggle for me is feeling like the work day never ends since my home office is also my dining room table. After about a week I realized working every minute I wasn’t helping the kids with school or cooking our meals wasn’t going to last. FDR kept a cocktail hour every day when talk of politics and war was banned. It was a time to rest and recharge. I don’t have the stamina to drink like FDR in the middle of the day, but a quiet hour with tea and a book helps me out a lot.
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2019 was a very prolific reading year. I listed to more than 70 audiobooks this year, loved biographies of people I don’t agree with politically, and learned I really love graphic novel adaptations of the classics. I read 20 five star books, and they were all really good, but when it was time to pick my favorite I had a hard time. Here’s my best effort, but be warned that it will take me a while to get there.
Here’s what I wrote when I first read these:
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline -- If you have ever felt like you're invisible, or taken for granted by the people around you, I think you'll really feel for the main character in this book. (Even as she makes bad choices.) I appreciated that this wasn't the usual artist has affair with muse story.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman -- I listened to this book about a grumpy old man for the Imaginary Book Club. It had been on my TBR forever, and I was so glad for the push to get to it. It's great on audio if for no other reason than to get the correct pronounciation of Ove.
The Martian by Andy Weir - I've been embracing the spirit of Mark Watney lately when faced with tasks that seem impossible. If he could get off Mars, I can get my work projects done.
My first impressions:
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.
Save Me A Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan - My son and I both wished it were longer.
Save me the Plums by Ruth Reichl - This book was a great peek into the workings of Gourmet Magazine, told by someone who clearly loved her job. I also loved the insights into how a working mom with a demanding job made it work.
My thoughts:
50 Great American Places by Brent Glass — Highly recommended for anyone who will take a detour when they see a brown sign on the highway.
Hoover by Kenneth Whyte — This book completely changed what I thought about Herbert Hoover. An amazing biography about an amazing life.
Betty Ford by Lisa McCubbin — An amazing book about an amazing woman.
My twenty second reviews:
The Boat People by Sharon Bala - This was a timely and relevant book. Highly recommend for anyone interested in issues facing refugees coming to the US and Canada. (One note: the lack of quotation marks was distracting, but I was able to get past it because the story was good.)
A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza — Beautiful and heartbreaking. This one will stay with me for a long time.
The Kite Runner Graphic Novel by Khaled Hosseini — 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.
This is the one I keep coming back to, and the one I think I’ll still remember in ten tears.
Thank you all for giving me a place to talk about books this year! Here’s to happy reading in 2020!
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My cat can be slightly distracting…
November was a good reading month. I took part in Non-fiction November on Litsy, and really enjoyed myself. I also started in on my project to re-read my favorite books of the last decade.
These are my notable books from November. Check back on December 27th for a round up of my favorite books of the year!
It’s All Relative by A.J. Jacobs - I grabbed this book on a whim from the Libby app, and ended up loving it. Author A.J. Jacobs falls down the rabbit hole of genealogy and ends up trying to plan a family reunion for everyone he’s related to which turns out to be pretty much everyone on earth. Funny, interesting, and touching- a great audiobook read by the author.
Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America by Jared Cohen - I started reading this book because of my current obsession with Andrew Johnson, and ended up really enjoying the whole thing. Presidential psychology is one of my favorite things to read about, and it turns out Vice Presidential psychology is just as interesting. There’s also a lot in here about how hard it is to go from a position that is essentially considered a show piece to running a whole country (and you thought you had a bad day at work.)
Me by Elton John - This had everything you’d want in a celebrity autobiography: gossip, name dropping, outlandish outfits, descriptions of how famous songs came to be, and a few touching moments. I love that Eton John doesn’t take himself too seriously.
The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel - Listening to this I kept thinking about how my college trip to the Louvre was wasted on my 21 year old self. I had no idea what those precious works of art had to go through to hang in that museum.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and Brooklyn by Colm Toibin are both still the punches in the gut I remember them to be. They’ll both stay on my favorites list.
I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones - Two girls from different backgrounds are forced together when a race riot breaks out at their high school football game. Similar to, but not as good as The Hate U Give; it’s still well worth the read.
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Homes - I loved Linda Holmes in her Television Without Pity days, and was really excited to read her debut novel. This was a solid story about Evvie and her journey after her husband who she didn’t like very much died. I listened to the audio which was well done.
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See - Lisa See is a go to author for me, and this was no exception. If you enjoy books about friendships between women read this book.
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I know I was just complaining about theme reading, and now here I’m talking about another monthly reading scheme I signed up for.
This month I’m taking part in Non-Fiction November (hashtag #NFNov on Litsy.)
I have so many non-fiction books I have started, but haven’t finished. My planned stack is in the picture above, audio on top and paper on bottom. Plus I might have one or two saved to the kindle app on my phone.
Anyone else taking part in Non-Fiction November?
You might also like:
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Certain events that you may have heard about in the news have had me wanting to read about Andrew Johnson lately. Turns out there haven’t been a whole lot of books written about him. You’d think he’s boring, but he’s not. He was kind of a disaster as a president- drunk at his vice presidential inauguration, very racist, didn’t play well with others, but he was anything but boring.
I’ve found interesting snippets about him in Accidental Presidents and Where They Stand. The Impeachers is coming up soon on my TBR. I also really enjoyed the Andrew Johnson episode of The Presidential Podcast.
What are you reading in response to current events?
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September is for new pencils, graph paper, and non-fiction reading.
There’s something about seeing kids go back to school that makes me want to learn everything all at once. I’m sure I can’t be the only book worm reading my kids’ texts after they go to bed at night. With that in mind, here are 16 non-fiction books that will get you in the September back-to-school reading spirit.
On Writing by Stephen King - Stephen King writes so much he makes it look easy. In this book though you get the background into the hours and hours he puts into his craft. Part how-to and part memoir of a great American writer, he reads the audiobook himself, and it it superb.
100 Recipes: The Absolute Best Ways To Make The True Essentials By America's Test Kitchen - This book is exactly as promised. The best way to cook almost everything you’d want to cook. I love it, and check it out of the library at least once a year.
The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful by Myquillyn Smith - This book is a good antidote to my personal decorating style which is “It doesn’t have to be beautiful to be good enough.” Give it a try if you need a change in your house, but don’t have tons of time or money.
A Clearing In The Distance by Witold Rybczynski - You may not think you care about the trials and tribulations of Frederick Law Olmsted, but this book is super fascinating. I read it when I was visiting the Biltmore Estate, but that’s not required to enjoy it.
The Residence by Kate Andersen - A look at the presidents that you won’t get anywhere else. You can have feelings about politics and campaign promises, but can you really trust a politician if they don’t teat their pastry chef well?
The Road Not Taken: Finding America in the Poem Everyone Loves and Almost Everyone Gets Wrong by David Orr - A deep dive into one of America’s most quoted poems. It’s a short book well worth the time.
Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens by Steve Olson - One of my earliest school memories was my teacher bringing in a glass jar of ashes from Mt. St. Helens. Then it seemed like I didn’t hear another thing about it until I read this really interesting book. Now I’m obsessed.
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery - This is a good one for East Coast hikers who are feeling their years. Anything you’re worried about doing, this lady in her 60’s did it in keds.
Walking With Plato by Gary Hayden - I liked the intermingling of philosophy and walking, and I really liked the relationship of the walkers. This is a nice, soothing book if that’s what you’re in the mood for.
The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau - Everyone needs a quest, and this book will help you realize that. Plus it’s fun to read about what other people are doing in the name of pursuit.
Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger - This is a great book about man’s first Moon orbit, and if you get the audiobook the recordings of the chatter between Houston and Apollo 8 will take your breath away. This was one of my favorite listening experiences ever.
Braving It by James Campbell - This father and daughter adventure story was sweet, and made me realize my kids are capable of more than I give them credit for.
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Our chief homework supervisor
We’re back to school now, and I can already feel my reading life shifting. Luckily I had a great reading month in August to sustain me through all of the notices to be read and forms to be filled out ahead.
Here are my top nine from last month:
A Better Man by Louise Penny - I love this series so much that I left my house after my bed time to be around other people. If you know me, you know this is a huge deal. See my book launch report here.
After the Flood by Kassandra Montag - This reminded me of a more feminine version of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. (I mean that in a good way; I didn’t really like The Road.) It starts slow, but then sucks you in. Not everyone liked the ending, but I did, a lot. I got an ARC from William Morrow, and my full review is here.
The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali - This is the story of two Iranian kids who fall in love, but it’s also more than that. It’s about the revolution, living with mental illness, and what it’s like to move to a new country. It’s great as an audiobook.
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer - I’m a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, and this was no exception. I just didn’t know it was part of a series, and was frustrated when a whole new set of problems started right at the end.
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys - A story about the daughter of a prostitute in 1950’s New Orleans. Hi-jinks ensue. An entertaining and easy read.
Furious Hours by Casey Cep - This was about a series of suspicious deaths in Alabama told from the points of view of the suspect, a lawyer, and Harper Lee. I found it fascinating, and wanted to know more about each part, but could see why the author couldn’t give it to me. In a weird way the inability to tell the full story made me appreciate the Harper Lee section more. You’d have to read it to understand, and I suggest you do.
Dead Presidents by Brady Carlson - I visit a lot of presidential historic sites, so this book about traveling to presidential graves was right up my alley.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson - I almost never recommend the abridged version of anything, but for this and A Walk In the Woods those are the only versions the author reads himself, and it adds so much.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck - This is a good book, a classic. It’s themes are still relevant today, and I’m glad I took time for a post high school re-read. But man, is it slow in parts.
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In the 1950’s and 1960’s Herbert Hoover and The Duke of Windsor both lived in the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, and from what I read they were good pals. I would love to be a fly on the wall as the two disgraced leaders talked about their lives.
This is the historical fiction book I would love to read, but no one has written yet. If you write it please send me an ARC!
Background Reading:
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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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I used to love going back to school as a kid. Even now when I only get to put my own kids on the bus I get a big sense of anticipation. I just feel like conquering the world, you know? Even my reading changes. No more breezy summer reads - I'm ready for something deeper. Hence my back to school reading list.
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
Richard Nixon: The Life by John A. Farrell
So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
Since I joined Litsy I've been reading about all sorts of intriguing book clubs and read-a-thons. I decided it might be fun to try the 24 in 48 read-a-thon, and since I live near DC I had a 3 day weekend for the Inauguration. The essence of the thing is you should spend 24 out of 48 hours reading. I figured since I had an extra day that weekend I could spend it reading.
Here's what happened:
Saturday:
4 am - My plans were dashed almost right away when I found out I would have to work on my 3 day weekend. Still I gave it a go with 103 minutes of audiobooks and programming before the kids got up.
7:30 am - After the kids were fed and the husband left for the day I spent 90 minutes reading on the couch
9 am - We had a ton of errands to run, so I spent 40 minutes in the car in between listening to audiobooks with the kids
1:30 pm - Husband is back home, we eat lunch, and putter around. I listen to more audiobooks while I clean, and spend some time on the couch reading a guide book. This amounts to 127 minutes.
5 pm - I cuddle in the bed downstairs and read out loud to the kids for 50 minutes.
6 pm - Our day is over, no one is hungry for dinner, and the kids are settled in with Minecraft. Now is when the real reading starts. I read for an estimated 300 minutes before I fall into a deep sleep and don't wake up again until the next morning.
I ended my read-a-thon though I realized that I probably needed sleep more than reading, and gave up tracking my reading time on Sunday. Still I enjoyed what reading I did do. By forcing myself to sit and read, I had a renewed energy the next day. Sleeping 13 hours might have helped too...
Books I read at least part of:
There's another read-a-thon in July. I think I'll do it again.
Have you ever done a read-a-thon?
Note: my computer keeps changing read-a-thon to read-a-thin. I wish!
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