Of all the non-stop, jaw-dropping things I read in this book, the most disquieting thing of all was this quote: "By the time you read this, an infant who was born on Trump's inauguration day will demonstrate more emotionally (sic) maturity than the President of the United States." Chew on that a little bit. Yes, the typo bothered me, and there were a few others. (Tsk, tsk, University of Chicago Press.) However, the black and white evidence of Trump's toddler nature was far more disturbing than obvious hasty editing to get a book to press. After all, even since this book was printed (published in 2020!), there is SO MUCH MORE HE HAS DONE to cement his toddler label. I can see how details would be missed. If you're not a Trump fan, this book will make you shake your head and wonder about the future of our country. If you are a Trump fan, you'll probably dismiss it as "fake news". Sort of like a toddler who sticks their fingers in their ears and yells gibberish when they don't like what the adult is saying. I'm sensing a theme here. Folks, pretending the emperor is wearing clothes doesn't make it so. This man is childish, churlish, unpredictable and dangerous. The more his base excuses his behavior, the more he believes he is beyond any rules of law. Like a bratty child. And just like a brat, the ultimate responsibility lies with the lackadaisical parents who don't want to put in the effort to control this wayward behavior. Senate, I'm talking to you. GOP Trump base, I'm talking to you, too. Take your fingers out of your ears and look, listen and learn.

Such a visionary! Daphne could write the gooiest love story but wasn't limited to that genre . . . had she been born 30 years later, she would have written for Twilight Zone. That woman had a unique brain. This short story selection represents her impressive range. Go for it--you never know what you're gonna get with her, but you can count on something good.

I think you'll get the gist of this book by the cover. Hilarious and disturbing. Real quotes, folks.

While I love historical fiction, I tend to dislike fictional stories overlaying non-fiction events. I shoulda known. There's nothing inherently wrong with this story, just muddies up the real happenings with a somewhat slow tale. The true parts are interesting, but I could have skipped the rest.

I'd always assumed that Chinese folks were obedient followers of the Party, denying the self for the benefit of all. (Maybe it's because they shine in everything they do--heck, just look at their Olympic opening ceremony for Pete's sake.) Anyway, I'd also heard that during the one child era, nothing was forced, exactly, but that people were strongly encouraged to keep things down to one kid, with some cash incentives thrown in to sweeten the deal. Not so bad, really, right? News flash, people, according to this book, those assumptions are way off the mark. Picture the same policy here in the land of We-Do-What-We-Want, except with the political muscle of Tiananmen Square, and you'd pretty much get it. This is fiction, but seems to be very much based in fact. The story explores all angles--families who are trying to sneak another baby out before getting caught, medical mishaps, and the unfortunate party patsies who have to enforce the rules. It's astounding that this was published, and that the author is still alive. The book moves along throughout, continually sneaking in an unexpected hook right when your guard is down. Spoiler: it really went off the rails during the "play" at the end. Was the editor on vacation? Maybe I'm wrong and you'll love that part. Overall, though, a thought-provoking eye-opener.

For Edward Curtis, it was preserving a multitude of vanishing cultures via any medium available. 100 years too early to be understood, he worked exhaustively to record the rites, cultures, images and languages of Native Americans before "civilization" wiped their ways from the planet. This book is a beautifully researched and written memoir of the lengths to which Curtis and his sidekicks went to this end, and the quickly eroding natural world which had supported these cultures for centuries. Ed was a brilliant, self-educated combination of technophile and mountain man, truly having one foot in each world. Ultimately a hero to the peoples he loved, and a villain to the woman who loved him, Curtis' story is well worth reading.

If you've ever wondered how it is, really, to live in Alaska, this is the book for you. Heather Lende allows us a peek over her shoulder at her paper, for which she pens the obituaries and social columns. Through these writings we become acquainted with the locals, both the deeply rooted and transplanted, and see how they have woven into a solid community of warm friends in a cold place. You'll wonder if you'd have the stuff it would take to live in such a place, realize probably not, then wish you did. Read on.

Layering the (true) story of a serial killer over the atrocities of WWII mass serial killing, this book was difficult for me to appreciate. Maybe there's only so much murder one can process without becoming numb in self defense. I don't know. It was kind of a C+ for me.

Gypsies always fascinated me--one hears the stories of thieves, artisans, prejudice and violence. What, exactly, is the truth? Based on this story, as with any family in any culture, it lies in the dynamic of the family unit itself. Some families are loving and motivating, and others are brutish and harsh. I didn't learn much I didn't already know about gypsies per se, but a lot about a boy who happened to be one. This tale is heartbreaking but inspiring.

This multi-layered book explores the WWII experience of an accomplished typist. Not one's typical war story. There are expected plot devices, i.e. a hasty wedding and second thoughts. Overall, there is a downcast tone to the whole thing, but my assumption is that this might be how things really went in many cases. As the saying goes, you can't go home again. Well-written and quite readable.

Another masterpiece by the master of all things warm and cozy. Dogs + James Herriot = p"arf"ection.

This tiny booklet, written by Philippe, the high-wire artist, was a quick read. Equal parts metaphor, diary and instruction manual, it would be possible to peruse this many times and get something different from it with each reading. Mostly I just got scared, thinking of the crazy things this guy has done. (His goal was to cross over Niagara Falls, because, you know, why not?) I can't even hold my balance on one foot for the two minutes it takes to brush my teeth. If you're intrigued by the high-wire set, or have ever been tickled with the notion of dabbling into such activities yourself, I'd consider this a must-read. And then maybe you'll change your mind.