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.

Okay, maybe not quite. But it definitely didn't draw me in. Although the author is a skilled writer, it seemed like there was a lot of filler in this 215 page book . . . would have been a great article, or maybe a short documentary series with the more punchy highlights. But learning all about the financial side of things, for example, while important to the running of the facility, was a tad ho-hum for this reader.

Expecting to find that there were some nuggets of folkoric myth which have been debunked (or, perhaps, that social pressure has squashed since the dark ages of my schooling), I was eager to read this book. I love discovering "fun facts" and righting my knowledge base, shaky as it is. But once I dove (dived?--perhaps another book I need to read) in, I was jarred by the absolute and unapologetic fictional account of our "history" that we've all been spoon-fed. Okay, not all of us. There are some people arguably who have a private or home-school curriculum that gets things right, but the textbooks used by public schools just don't, and there is seemingly no effort to do so, because that might tick some people off. So basically, history is being taught the way a large portion of our (conservative) citizens wish it actually were, and so there you go. Doesn't matter if it happened that way, as long as it sounds good. Gosh, all my life I'd heard about the educational brainwashing that went on in communist countries . . . um, not so different here, folks. "Heroification" is the word author James Loewen uses, and it's an appropriate one. I actually found this book very difficult to read, and had to do so in small chunks because it was too disheartening. Nevertheless, I do think it's a very important read for any teacher, parent, or politically savvy member of society who doesn't want to continue with the fable that has been passed as our official story. I get it--no one likes to admit they were wrong and that they need to change. But the bottom line is that if we don't do just that--face up to our wrongdoings and do better next time, or at least try--we will lose that job, that marriage, that relationship with our kids, or maybe even our democracy.

After a trip to Abilene, my kids found this book and chuckled when they gave it to me, wondering if it would stand up to the rigors of my post-reading critique. My copy is an ARC, with cover art that looked very amateurish to me. Let's just say that faced with this, my expectations were quite low. Nevertheless, this author can write! I was drawn in to the three intertwining stories of the female protagonists, two women and an adolescent girl. The stories held up, the plot moved along, and I would most definitely read another book by author Dare DeLano. I would, however, recommend a new cover design.