Holy moley. Where do I start? This meaty tome walks us step by step prior to the earliest days of the fledgling U.S. to the midst of 45's presidency. According to the American Library Association (thanks, Wikipedia), in 2020, it was the #2 most banned or challenged book. Here's what I've read regarding the reason(s) that this book has been banned: "because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains 'selective storytelling incidents' and does not encompass racism against all people." Hmm . . . Seems like it's a book about Black people, so why would he talk about all the other people in this country who have been victimized by racism? There are lots of books out there about those folks, and it's pretty sad that there's enough fodder there to fill more than a few library shelves. Oh, I get it. I think they mean White people . . . yes, the White people have been so maligned. Waah. Oddly, perhaps, learning about the constant barrage of stealthily endorsed books, laws, policies and practices which formed the cultural mindset of the day made me rethink how I would have felt about Black people had I lived in the time of slavery (or Reconstruction, for that matter). Would I have been someone more enlightened than the masses? Or would I have been the norm--complacent, content in the fact that what was going on was somehow right? I know what I'd like to think I would have thought, but the messaging was so complete, and so pervasive, I'm embarrassed to say I'm not sure. So while this may heft some of the onus of responsibility from the hoi polloi, no one is exempt. Because as Kendi stresses, behaviors beget policy which in turn begets beliefs. And the circle keeps turning. Honestly, I found this book to be admirably diplomatic. There were some scathing narratives of course, not because the author sensationalized the stories, but because the circumstances were embarrassingly horrific on their own. I guess the issue is that he reported it at all, and therein lies the rub. Keep things under the rug where they belong and there won't be any trouble? We've done that long enough. People who read the entire book can attest to the fact that the author absolutely looks out for other victims of "isms", including White people, is very methodical in his reportage, and knows his topic. I would pay lots of $ to see a debate between Dr. Kendi and anyone on any panel who has banned this book. It's a keeper.

I didn't know anything about the topic of "blood libel" (the practice of ridiculously conjuring up hogwash stories about Jews kidnapping children in order to drain--and drink--their blood for supposed Jewish rituals) before reading this book. But boy, do I ever now. Seems too stupid to even be a "thing", but I guess it has stood the test of time, and Jewish folks have suffered greatly because of it. From this book I learned that people have been lying about news for literally thousands of years, and conspiracy theories are nothing new. I guess idiocy is a condition of the human experience and has always been. Although exhaustively researched, it was a little mired in minutiae for me, and dragged at times. Okay, actually mostly dragged. I found myself working on my speed-reading skills just to get through it. But it did inform me and for that I'm grateful. Just don't make me read it again.

Weird. I would definitely say the author can write. That aside, suffice it to say it's quite the slow burn, with definite emphasis on the "slow" and precious little "burn". I was imagining several other (more interesting?) possibilities along the slog, I mean way, but in the end it just kind of fizzled. There was a lot of meandering without reward. I could, for sure, imagine Elisabeth Moss playing this character. Take from that what you will.

This is a tragic message delivered in a sad story. It centers around Nisha, a domestic worker from Sri Lanka serving a widow and her daughter in Cyprus. A widow and mother herself, she took the position out of desperation in order to provide for her own mother and child back home. The story is about her disappearance and the efforts made to find her, during which more of Nisha's own story gradually is told. I found myself caring about her, her family, with whom she strove to stay connected, the little girl she took care of, and the other domestic workers, but the other characters were pretty deplorable. Although fiction, the author states that it's based on factual events, which is chilling. It's a dark topic and the writing is good, but a bit too bleak for me.

Wow. WWII--check. Family secrets, pacing, suspense--check, check and check. This spellbinding story consistently ricochets between the early life of the protagonist (Gretel) and her current life as a very elderly lady resolutely living out her days in Winterville Court, among her familiar neighbors. That is, until the apartment below hers opens up and new tenants move in. She hopes to remain a remote acquantance to these newcomers but circumstances dictate otherwise. Born in Nazi Germany, Gretel has lived a very guarded life, the details of which slowly unfold with each turned page. The layers of this tale are intricately woven, and you will find your point of view bouncing back and forth, unsure of where to land. Then you'll realize you can, in fact, feel two very different emotions at the same time.

This book starts out with the accidental death of Tam's husband and his cousin. The tragedy unravels a spool of thread which presumably connects them all, and has deep meaning, understandably. Tam and her husband had been in the midst of finalizing their adoption of a Chinese boy at the time of the accident. Many decisions need to be made during the course of Tam's grieving, and international adoption is just the start. Of course there are family secrets, and of course there are family spats. What I found jarring about this story is that the tone is set for this somewhat melancholy backdrop--everyone grieving for someone, and then the book (to me) turned decidedly Hallmarkian in its simplistic, almost rom-com subplot. Furthermore, there was a weird intro to a character that was kind of dwelled on, that just fizzled--so why bother in the first place? I think the writer is good, but maybe better editing would have polished it up a bit more for me.

Sheriff Dorman Crowe, running for re-election in the thick of the bubbling cauldron of early 1960s civil rights turmoil, realized that the times were definitely changing in his rural Louisiana town. Facing serious opposition from a Klan candidate, Crowe vowed to hire Black deputies if he were to be elected again. The Black community came through for him, and he won that contest. True to his word, he hired Oneal Moore and Creed Rogers as his two Black deputies, subsequently standing behind them and the work they did. As it turns out, bullies are often sore losers with long memories, and the two deputies were the victims of the Klan's rage. This book takes you to that place, helps you understand the socio-political climate of the time, and the extraordinary bravery of Deputies Moore, Rogers and Sheriff Crowe amid an investigation into cowardly cruelty.

You gotta hand it to Lilia's parents for seemingly having the foresight or wisdom, or whatever it was, to allow this girl to be a free thinker, which she always was. Growing up in a religious cult created by her grandfather, she was a VIP of sorts but not exempt from the punative reactions of her elders when her behavior didn't meet their expectations. This book follows her path from being faithful and community minded to an unthinkable decision for someone raised in such tight constraints.

In the early 1900s in New Jersey, a little girl was found murdered. This is the story of the search for her killer, interwoven with the beginning of the detective era and the birth of the NAACP. The three topics to me didn't sound like this would be a real page-turner, but I was wrong. On the day of her disappearance, there happened to be an itinerant Black man about and he ends up arrested for her murder. Some are happy to say the Black guy did it and wipe their hands of the whole situation, but others are not, and seek justice for everyone. Ray Schindler dazzles with his criminal investigative techniques, and the inch by inch progress toward the sting the police hope to pull off keeps you on the edge of your seat. You'll learn about Ida B. Wells, the bad-assiest of civil rights bad-asses; seriously, there was nothing that woman couldn't do. But at the heart of the story is a little girl who didn't get to have a life, and a grieving family. In his hands, the author deftly keeps you riveted and yet pulls back when there's a potential for a little too much heat. From now on, I'll read Alex Tresniowski's grocery list if I can get my hands on it.

No stranger to troubles herself, Lissa Yellow Bird had served time in prison, wrestled with drug addiction, and spent enforced time away from her children. Yet this woman, back on track and perhaps ages wiser for her experiences, seemed to be the only person concerned about a white young man who disappeared from a reservation oil worksite. Was it apathy on the part of the owners, law enforcement, tribal chairman? Or something more? Lissa dived into the case, revealing shell companies, and corruption at all levels. Creative and smart beyond imagination, she was able (or willing?) to do what the law had not. While the story was interesting, and the research impressive and perhaps necessary, it was a bit plodding at times with all the detail. Kudos to the author and Lissa, but I was a bit mired down more than once. Still, an interesting and impressive tale of redemtion and personal atonement. Plus, mine is an autographed copy, so that's pretty cool.

At the onset of England's involvement in WWII, an orphan (Virginia) is adopted by a couple searching for happiness. As the story unfolds, we learn more and more about these two, their history, neighbors, and what demons haunt them. Lurking just on the other side of the garden wall is a marsh which Virginia has been warned away from strictly, as supposedly, it'll pull you right on down--the stuff of nightmares for a child. As this orphan tries to secure her place in this less-than-idyllic household, a plane crashes in the marsh. This sets into play a series of events which changes their lives forever. The story caroms from the perspective of an elderly Virginia, plotting her own demise, and her memories of those early days in a lush and tragic time. Moody and atmospheric, with relatable characters, both sympathetic and very much otherwise.

Dive in and take off--this book will whisk you to the tony neighborhood where houses are grand, schools are exclusive and friendships are shallow. Maybe a perfect place for secrets . . . There were some little questions along the way, but nothing big enough to slow the momentum of this fast-paced read. Although the cover teaser is confusing (you'll see when you read it), the book is great. If you need a great plane or beach book, look no further.