I highly admire Mary McLeod Bethune for her badassery, full stop. Now, then, whatever--the lady was a force. But still this book left me flat. I found the interruptions in her story for the author's musings disruptive and a little too free-form for my taste. I got through it, but that's about it.

Elizabeth Keckley was born a slave, freed after she purchased her own manumission, then became personal seamstress and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln. This remarkable book tells the story of her indominatable spirit and grit, never accepting what the world would tell her she deserved. Despite her successes, she endured plenty of hardships, and somehow kept her head up and feet moving. This book was, of course, written over a century ago, yet the writing style was engaging and was able to overcome my short (device age) attention span. Could I have done what Elizabeth Keckley did, then, with her disadvantages? Nope, not even now, with my advantages. She was remarkable.

This book is kind of a cross between the movie "The Town", and The Omega Man. Except not nearly as engaging as either. Two elderly sisters live out their solitary lives with a vague memory of a maternal warning against outsiders--scared of peering beyond their garden walls. Why, you wonder? Well, you'll have to plod through the book to (kind of ) find out. One very cranky sister seems to be the workhorse, and the other the cook and . . . artist? seems to be the workhorse, and one the cook and . . . artist? As the second secretly works on her dance routine, the story is told from the perspective of the long-suffering gardener. Dinner appears on the table, while she resents all the work she had to do to provide the basis for the meals. Interesting, since from what the book tells us, the effort put into the actual gardening doesn't account for the yield. Of course this weird existence has to be upset by an unexpected interloper, and then things really start to unravel. The sisters' relationship, their memories of their parents, all kinds of things. Honestly, I didn't care about the main characters at all, and just wanted it to end. Nothing about this garden was remotely edible.

Wow--this guy isn't "just" a trauma surgeon, he's a bona fide writer, too (and lots of others stuff, as you'll learn). The pages practically turned themselves as I devoured this collection of memories, adventures and medical nuggets as fast as my eyes would let me. 100% recommend, and although I don't read books twice, I'd reconsider my stance for this gem.

Patti Davis gained notoriety for her lifestyle which distinctly clashed with her famous parents' public portrayal of family values and decorum. As actors, then at the pinnacle of politics, the Reagans exemplified everything the Republican party stood for. Then Patti wrote her memoir (tell-all?) which contradicted much of the patina presented to the world. It seems that with time has come some release, or forgiveness, or at least a broader perspective. This little book still says a lot, but in a measured and careful way, taking into consideration that we all have a history with which we're dealing, which shades our behavior for better or worse.

All my life I've heard about the Boswells, the mega-ranchers who own and farm the "West Side" of the San Joaquin Valley. Well, this is their story. From the obliteration of Tulare Lake, massaging public policy to enable excessive land acquisition, to modifying the lifeblood of the state, water, for maximum personal use, it's apparent that with enough cash, the law and those who make the it, are up for grabs. There was some interesting farming wizardry, but by and large, it's a tale of power, greed, and ruthlessness. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything else.

I loved this book. It moved along nicely, kept my interest, and didn't make me roll my eyes or have nightmares. The super-loyal and innocent protagonist, Molly ("the Maid") lives her routine of cleaning at the hotel, coming home, and keeping to a ritual of housekeeping tasks that give her comfort and a fond memory of her departed grandmother, who raised her. When a guest is found murdered, Molly is the prime suspect, and as a neurodivergent person, is not always aware of the way her responses to questions steer the investigation. Enter some key personnel from the hotel, one a long-time friend of Grandma, who also worked as a maid there. Molly learns a lot about herself along the way, as well as finding out who she can trust, and who she can't. This is not a book that will stretch your brain, but I enjoyed every page.

As the world gets "smaller" and the global population gets larger, we are faced with the opportunity (or burden, depending on one's point of view) to get to know people of other cultures, demographics, and faiths. Many people purport to be Christian, "walking the walk", as the saying goes, but actively disdain people of other religions. The "why" of that problem is a topic unto itself, and one for another book. But for now, Brian McLaren continues with his tradition of controversy and puts his heart into how to bridge the gulf between faiths of different stripes. Living in the SF Bay area, I've made friends from all over the planet, and have evolved a lot from my days of narrowmindedness to an entirely different viewpoint. Well written and thoughtful, with rationale behind his reasoning.

I'd heard about this book over the years, but didn't really know what it was about, other than race. Boy, was I in for a surprise. As it turns out, audacious (white) journalist John Howard Griffin decided, in 1959, to "become" Black, and see how things were in that skin. From Texas, he was used to the southern way of life and had lived in various places, of course, as a white man. After taking larger-than-recommended doses of medication to treat vitiligo in an alarmingly short time, his skin began to take on more pigment. He augmented this with makeup, shaved his unsuitable hair, and off he went, for his six week sojourn as a new person. His experience was eye-opening and heart-wrenching. Has a lot changed since then? Perhaps in some ways, but not enough.

Author Sy Montgomery takes on the topic of the humble chicken and she's not afraid of ruffling a few feathers (ha!) in her defense of the familiar barnyard bird. Chickens, it seems, have a whole lot more going on than the average person was ever led to believe. A tiny book, you'll whiz right through this little gem, crowing at your new knowledge. Her writing style is cozy and warm, and makes you want to have a hot beverage with her while you talk turkey. Okay, that one didn't really work, but I couldn't help it. Highly recommended--don't chicken out. Okay, I need to stop now.

This would be a great waiting room book in any office--the stories are sweet, short and uplifting. Some of the friendships were long, and some were fleeting, but most quite unexpected. A great reminder to us all that love can transcent differences.

The premise of this book is compelling; I couldn't wait to start it. Initially, things started off well, but quickly got mired down to the point where I just wanted it to be over. I didn't form a bond with any of the characters. When I finally got to the end and the big reveal, I was pretty much speed-reading in a race to the finish.