Feel a little curious about CRT and what that's all about? Wanna get an overview of what's front and center in the news but don't feel like reading a history book? This is the one for you. Ijeoma Oluo will take your hand and walk you through it, kindly. But just like when your mom discretely told you that picking your nose in public wasn't acceptable, sometimes those words sting a little when you realize that yes, you've done that very thing. It's not a long book, but I recommend reading it in short chunks to really digest what the author is telling you in that section. Is it painful? Yep. Embarassing? Uh huh. Do your memories make you cringe a little--or a lot? Absolutely. But had our moms not had those humiliating talks with us, we'd be living in a brashly nose-picking society, and how horrible would that be? This is even more important to get right. Validating for some, and educational for many, this book is masterfully written and should be on all bookshelves. Excuse me while I go put it on mine.

WWII comes to life in every way in this book by Kate Atkinson. Volleying from 1981, to wartime, to ten years afterward, and back again, we read the tale of young Juliet Armstrong, plucked from a horde of job applicants for a transcription job. The days drag but there are blips of terror, hilarity, and drama. Her tasks expand into other realms, until you find your own self checking your memory to keep everything straight. A decade later and some demons still haunt, and memories of unfortunate consequences of the necessities of national security and self-preservation. Twisty and guess-inducing.

Kudos to Edward Ball for having the, well, his surname is appropriate, let's say, to pursue this topic. Along the way, he mentions some grumbling and snippish comments, but I'm sure there was more than that. As hellish as the whole theme is, he seems to have done his best to rout out the minutiae of his family's legacy. There was slave-ownership. Slave dealing. Slave selling. Beating, maiming, "relationships", murder. And finally, an attempt and uncovering it all and one man's quest for some restitution. I thought the author showed amazing awareness, especially since the book was published in 1998. There were some well-meaning, but possibly trite statements made (by Ball), but he's transparent in his chronicling of being taken down a peg when he made them. His astoundingly detailed family tree somehow stays clear in one's mind due to his careful and uncluttered writing. Fascinating and sad, but how admirable that he took on this task.

Living with a genital anomaly would be difficult now, but imagine that scenario 100 years ago. This story, based on the life of the author's great aunt (but technically fiction) paints a vivid picture of just how that life would be. What you'd miss. What you'd long for. What others would be subjected to, should you choose to let them into your life. The author does a good job of bringing all of these elements into the light so you can ponder them a bit. "Miss Jane" is part of a very imperfect family, who nevertheless, finds a way to teach Jane that she is capable and worthy. She is further mentored by the family doctor who initially found her an interesting subject of study, but as the years passed, respected her strength and wisdom, rightfully. Interesting, if a little melancholy, but how would it not be? Great writing.

For anyone who has every been stressed in the weeks, days or hours leading up to jingle bell festivities, this is therapy in book form. You'll cringe and laugh, but what you won't be doing is obsessing about your own upcoming parties. Everything is relative, as they say. In An Almost Perfect Christmas, Nina Stibbe serves up a perfect pre-holiday read that you'll swear must be somewhat drawn from her own (or anyone else's) Christmas catastrophes.

This little gem is a darling, informative read about the flora and fauna which surrounds, well, mainly those of us in Northern California. I was enchanted by Marni's explanations of things I didn't know and elaborations on that which I though I knew. Her delighted observations took me right back to childhood, when we had the time to deconstruct a seed pod or really inspect a bug. Really quick, enjoyable and packed with material you'll use, or not, but you'll be the richer for having read it.

The Space Race, rocketry, Jetsonmania etc. is chronicled from the other side—from the wives’ point of view. You’ll see camaraderie, competition, tragedy, love, adventure, and the good ole boys’ club all rolled into one book. Interesting and insightful. 3 book hos.

After reading Augusten Burroughs' frightening account of his "childhood", it's no wonder that he ended up self-medicating. And boy, did he. In Dry., he manages to relate his journey of successful but sotted advertising career along with the death grip alcohol had on his life. Written with his signature humor and wit, this book nevertheless delivers the message of just how strong that urge is when it has been one's coping mechanism for so long. We probably all know someone (or several someones) who will come to mind, and in one's sympathy for Augusten, we can find a new understanding of others. His outline of the alcoholic mind is frightening, mystifying, and in the end, enlightening.

Spanning generations and cultures, this tale of unrequited love seems, on the surface, to be a tsk-tsking of what was, but in fact, seems to still be. From the story of the young bride, peering at the world from under a veil in 1929, to her addiction- recovering descendant 70 years later, each of us has the potential to make inaccurate assumptions based on our own desires. Based on family saga, Sahota weaves the two narratives together to create a book that is lyrical and desolate, but ultimately victorious.

My sis (who is an elementary school librarian) gave me this book when it first came out around five years ago. Since that time it's blown up with awards, recognition, a movie, etc., and rightfully so. Suffice it to say that for those who think they have it all figured out, this will promptly set you back on your heels. Important and valid for young and old alike, this is a story that can help open eyes, minds, and possibly, hopefully, hearts.

Set in South Africa/Mozambique in 1952, this book revisits the apartheid era in all its glory. Yikes. What a brutal world. This book is a combo gritty detective novel, social commentary, political treatise and love story. While there were some cringeworthy references, particularly to women, one has to remember the time and the tone of the 1950s in general, and South Africa in particular. When you release your 2021 expectations you realize this is how it was. Nunn did a great job putting her own gender and race aside and writing as if she were there, and a man. And a white man, at that. I was captivated all the way to the masterful twist at the end.

Ever wonder what's under London's streets? No? Even if you haven't, this book will make you wish you were an urban archeologist. Going back to Roman times, you'll see layers of history, some civilized, some not so much. Really fun.