REVIEW The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

 

Both of my children row crew and I started rowing after I got arthritis in my ankle (which caused me to retire from running).  It's such a beautiful sport to watch.

This work of narrative non-fiction is about an underdog crew - 8 rowers and their coxswain- from the University of Washington who go to the Olympics in 1936 to compete for the gold as underdogs of course.  We are treated to two narratives simultaneously - that of Joe Rantz and the simultaneous telling of the world in the 1930's. Joe was abandoned at a young age by his dad and his mother died when he was young.  He was poor even by Depression standards. 

This book was, in one word, amazing.  It was a page turner - and not just because I enjoy/have a personal connection to crew. The book was really well researched and I was impressed as to how Brown described the sport, as well as the rolls of each rower. Because of this, the reader easily becomes immersed in each race emotionally as well as an observer.  It's almost like I was a participant in the crew shell with the boys as they rowed together. This is a tremendous story and I'm so glad that I finally got to it. Highly recommend. 

Links I love

 

This week seemed to fly by.  Tuesday was election day, and my office was closed.  I went to the oncologist on Friday so I left work early.  It just seems that things have been moving quickly.  I'm generally feeling better from the surgery but am definitely still healing.

• How JRR Tolkien's faith influenced his writing.
• The holidays are quick approaching - here are some ideas for reader gifts that are not lame. ANd some recs for mom.
• Some healthy aging supplements for women. Please talk to your medical professionals before starting a new supplement to make sure that they are appropriate for your particular situation.
• Stressed out?? Listen to this type of music, which could help you.
• An early look at the Dolly Parton museum in Nashville.
• David Lunch's reliable routine.
• Do you agree about these books?
• What to read after Outlander.
• The best college towns in the US, ranked.
• Some new indigenous speculative fiction.
• Books like Project Hail Mary.
• Things that Millenials love that are outdated.
• Five books that make you slow down.
• Best books of the last 100 years (part one).
• 12 books that separate the well read from everyone else. 

I hope that everyone has a great week!

Nonfiction in November and Novellas in November

This week's post is about my week in non-fiction to date.  I've actually read a lot of non fiction this year-  sometimes I enjoy non fiction more than fiction.  These are the non fiction works that I have read this year so far:

• The Black Dahlia - William Mann
• Helltown- Casey Sherman
• American Reich - Eric Lichtblau
• Sisters of the Midnight Sun - Rebecca Wright Stevens
• A Hymn to Life by Gisele Pelicot
• The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright - Casey Sherman
• American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed by Isaac Fitzgerald
• Marilyn and Her Books by Gail Crowther
• Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick
• True Crime by Patricia Cornwell
• London Falling by Patrick Raddin Keefe
• Book of Lives - Margaret Atwood
• The Family Man: James Lasdun
• Stay Alive - Ian Buruma
• Nobody's Girl -Virginia Roberts Giuffre
• Good For a Girl - Lauren Fleshman
• Homeschooled - Stefan Merrill Block
• Motherland - Julia Ioffe

I wish that I could say that I read ANY novellas this year, but I haven't, sadly.  This challenge will, therefore, be a good one. 

Links that I love

On the cancer front, my recovery is moving forward. :)  I did have to have a seroma drained because there was a big buildup of fluid that was putting pressure on my shoulder and it wasn't really comfortable.  I am officially a Stage 1 and have been referred to both oncology and radiation oncology.  I'm excited to move forward in my treatment.

I have found a new game online that I really LOVE: Krill.io. SO FUN.  You are asked questions and have to provide the LEAST common answer in order to be successful.
 

• A bald eagle dies after eating a poisoned rodent.
• This is interesting news by far. 
• Things that millennials grew up with that are obsolete
• Sylvia Plath was apparently into the occult.
• Non fiction books that will make you more interesting at parties.
• Why you should read the classics even if you don't understand them.
• Gilmore Girls and books? Check.
• Can creative hobbies change the world?
• What makes a good spine tingler?
• The frozen cheese pizzas ranked.
• Fifties slang that we still use today.
• A booklist for those who like psychological thrills over cheap thrills.
• Some cool historical things that happened this week.
• On mall culture, stranger danger and the neon 90's.
• 12 of Theodore Roosevelt's favorite books.
• Some creepy Baba Yaga stories.
• Sylvia Plath's writing habits.
• The most popular horror books on Libby.
• Sophia Bush's favorite songs.
• The Ultimate fall reading guide for coziness.
• What Rebecca Perry is reading now and next.
• Books where women over 45 get a plot
• Breast cancer treatments should work for both the patient and the cancer.
• Books about women's suffrage.
• The Gifford Prize shortlist.

I hope that everyone had a great Halloween!

Upcoming reading challeges

 There are two upcoming reading challenges in November that I'm delighted and excited to participate in, mostly because I think that it will get me out of my comfort zone.

The first is Novellas in November which is hosted annually by Bookish Beck  and 746 Books. This is my first time attempting this challenge. The below is my proposed list - of course it could change.

The second challenge I'm doing is Nonfiction November. 

It's hosted by Book'd out here. While I generally do read a fair amount of non fiction I think that this is just another way to get more in.  Here's what I'm hoping to read.

Happy reading!

REVIEW Peck and Peck by Bonnie Garmus

 

I was so excited when I heard that Bonnie Garmus had a new book coming out. I adored Lessons in Chemistry largely because of the main character (although the story itself is fire too) and I was never more excited than when I learned that my hold was ready.  

In this novel, we meet Batter in 1982 NYC. Batter was named after the family dog, who assumes a heroic status in the family's home (kind of like Superman honestly) and Batter LOVES poetry. Batter, therefore, has a lot to live up to. One other thing about Batter: he is a twin, however his twin is no longer alive. That loss is something that Batter also carries around with him and poetry provides a refuge for him. His parents don't seem to understand that and hope that he'll go to college, where he'll major in something practical so that he can get a job and support himself. His best friend, Paul (who is Batter's college roommate) seemingly waits for years for Batter to snap out of the poetry funk that he's in. Batter, however, has dreams of working at the poetry periodical that is the namesake of this novel. He moves to NYC and gets a job there, making copies in "The Bunker," a room in the basement that is windowless and has mail chutes (like at the bank) from which he pulls his jobs as they come in. The rest of the novel details his bizarre experiences while working at the publishing house.

I thoroughly enjoyed how Garmus poked fun at poetry publishing while also acknowledging that poetry is beautiful if done right. I've never been a tremendous fan of poetry and I don't read it at all.  It's the one area of my reading life that is not developed at all so I'll have to take her word for it. Garmus also does a masterful job in developing Batter's character arc, going from a confused and not very confident person, to someone who is secure in who they are (AKA has less then zero f**** to give) and it's amazing to watch. Of course, Garmus does all of this with her sarcasm and wit (which is yet another reason that I love her as an author) and I found myself chuckling or snorting at various different parts. 

This one is definitely worth the read. 

REVIEW: Helltown by Casey Shermany to

 

This book is in the same vein as Truman Capote's In Cold Blood - it is a true crime/partially fictionalized book about serial killer Tony Costa, a serial killer in Cape Cod that was active in the late 1960's.  Tony Costa was an interesting dude - he was seemingly a godlike and charismatic person for many of the young hippies living in P-Town at that time.  In fact, they called him "sire," which I found odd. He was intelligent, well spoken and had an ability to draw people together Charlie Manson style.  But he was also VERY, very dark and messed up. He fancied himself as the wolf of the steppes and his favorite book was Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse. He was also a drug addict, using everything from pot to LSD, pills and heroin. He gave drugs out to the people in his "family" like candy, presumably to keep them bound to him physically as well as psychically. Costa grew his own pot in the woods in Truro (which is literally the next town up the Cape from Provincetown) and this became his kill site/dumping ground for his victims. He was also an amateur taxidermist who wanted to go to medical school (yikes).

This book takes us through Costa's early life, to his killing spree, his eventual capture and the kangaroo trial that he participated in as well as its aftermath. Interestingly, both Norman Mailer and Kurt Vonnegut were living on the Cape during this time period, with Vonnegut acting as almost a reporter (while working on Slaughterhouse-5) and Norman Mailer both writing about this scary debacle. We learn about their lives as they intersect with Costa's case.  We also learn about the historical events that may be connected to Costa's case (including the Manson family, Ted Kennedy and the Lady of the Dunes).

I was mesmerized (and disgusted) by this book. The murders were absolutely brutal and Sherman does a really good job describing them, but not salaciously ("just the facts, ma'am").  He also did extensive research, utilizing trial transcripts, police reports and other primary sources in writing this book.  The fictionalized portions were limited, seemingly, to Costa's self speak, and it didn't take away from the true crime portion of the book.  Definitely worth the read- I had no idea that this had occurred (and I'm a serial killer/true crime aficionado).