Sarah, I am so grateful for your book recommendations! I read What is Real and Fully Alive because of you! And....I just finished Giant, and I agree that I can't imagine how the other America250 books will possibly measure up, but I already ordered Ragtime to find out. My other favorite read recently was Belle Burden's Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage. It was outstanding and stayed with me long after I finished reading it.
I was thinking about what book I might have added to the America250 list, and the one I came up with was Katharine Graham's Personal History. It covers the Watergate era but mostly I recommend it because it is a tour de force about a woman finding her confidence and letting us in along the way as she does it. If you have not read it yet, you must do so as fast as you are able!
One of my mother's favorite books was The Chosen. She read it many times, and we had a copy in our house. I can't believe it took me decades to read it. It made me better understand why Hasidim are generally not Zionists, but what I really enjoyed was a story about the ups and downs of a deep friendship.
Still slow reading The Stand! But also read The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller - interesting book that think could have been an article. Still worth the read!
Can you believe that I looked up the word ‘daguerreotype’ earlier today when reading Giant, then later on, reading a Ch Insp Ganache book, I came across the same word. Bizarre!
I loved Strangers by Belle Burden and Where We Keep the Light. Some political memoirs are not great reads because it feels like the politician can't ever get "off message" and simply communicate honestly. I was delighted to discover that Shapiro's book felt open and warm-hearted and vulnerable from start to finish. I liked him even more after reading it.
Oh, this might convince me to read it! Being a politician is so difficult, and Iike to learn what got people there, but I often end up disappointed in the memoirs for the reason you state.
This one went more in depth into his home life with four kids which I loved! I could listen to him talk for hours about the logistics of being governor but keeping your kids in their childhood home and commuting.
I feel the same way! I loved learning more about his life without it feeling overly scripted. There’s only a handful of candidate memoirs that have worked for me though!
Giant was excellent. I listened to it on audio. I loved the characters and could’ve read 500 more pages just to have more time with them. I love an epic and I love a family novel so this was exactly my sweet spot. I’ll need to look at her other books bc I haven’t previously heard of her.
Sarah, I am so grateful for your book recommendations! I read What is Real and Fully Alive because of you! And....I just finished Giant, and I agree that I can't imagine how the other America250 books will possibly measure up, but I already ordered Ragtime to find out. My other favorite read recently was Belle Burden's Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage. It was outstanding and stayed with me long after I finished reading it.
I was thinking about what book I might have added to the America250 list, and the one I came up with was Katharine Graham's Personal History. It covers the Watergate era but mostly I recommend it because it is a tour de force about a woman finding her confidence and letting us in along the way as she does it. If you have not read it yet, you must do so as fast as you are able!
THAT IS ONE OF MY MOST FAVORITE MEMOIRS OF ALL TIME!
Of course it is! :-)
I read three books I wanted to like better than I actually did:
The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell
So I know your February Texas month is over, but I have to share this incredible book from several years ago: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52377380-valentine?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZDjxdEze8S&rank=3. Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore is so so good! It's hard to believe she hasn't published a book since.
There was an adaptation of The Chosen that I watched years ago. I believe it's still available. The book was better - they usually are.
Adding John and Paul to my list now. I lobe a nonfiction that reads like fiction!!
Giant really is going to be hard to top.
One of my mother's favorite books was The Chosen. She read it many times, and we had a copy in our house. I can't believe it took me decades to read it. It made me better understand why Hasidim are generally not Zionists, but what I really enjoyed was a story about the ups and downs of a deep friendship.
I did NOT expect that and knew nothing about it!
Still slow reading The Stand! But also read The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller - interesting book that think could have been an article. Still worth the read!
Can you believe that I looked up the word ‘daguerreotype’ earlier today when reading Giant, then later on, reading a Ch Insp Ganache book, I came across the same word. Bizarre!
I had a great reading month! I loved:
Half His Age by Jeannette McCurdy
Where we keep the light by Josh Shapiro
The Fourth Turning by William Strauss (I want everyone to read this!)
Strangers by Belle Burden
I loved Strangers by Belle Burden and Where We Keep the Light. Some political memoirs are not great reads because it feels like the politician can't ever get "off message" and simply communicate honestly. I was delighted to discover that Shapiro's book felt open and warm-hearted and vulnerable from start to finish. I liked him even more after reading it.
Oh, this might convince me to read it! Being a politician is so difficult, and Iike to learn what got people there, but I often end up disappointed in the memoirs for the reason you state.
This one went more in depth into his home life with four kids which I loved! I could listen to him talk for hours about the logistics of being governor but keeping your kids in their childhood home and commuting.
I feel the same way! I loved learning more about his life without it feeling overly scripted. There’s only a handful of candidate memoirs that have worked for me though!
Agreed!
All of these are on my TBR list!
Giant was excellent. I listened to it on audio. I loved the characters and could’ve read 500 more pages just to have more time with them. I love an epic and I love a family novel so this was exactly my sweet spot. I’ll need to look at her other books bc I haven’t previously heard of her.
Off now to read more about The Chosen.
Thank you for the shout out, friend!! 💙