Biography, Autobiography, Memoir discussion

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell

It's a bit old now (published 2010) but still an interesting read nonetheless. I learned a bit more about Sesame Street, the Broken Window effect and how...social epidemics come about.
Why is it everything I'm reading relates to viruses I don't know...but I was a bit disappointed that the book ended up just being a thinly veiled exercise in marketing.

Selina, I enjoyed that read. I am currently reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and am enjoying this read even more than the book you mentioned. Talking to Strangers was also better.

I love Malcolm Gladwell and will read anything by him. Same goes for Erik Larsen.

I also like Malcolm Gladwell. I read Devil in the White City. Do you have other Erik Larson books you would recommend?

Donna wrote: "I also like Malcolm Gladwell. I read Devil in the White City. Do you have other Erik Larson books you would recommend?"
Dead Wake, In The Garden of the Beasts,Isaac's Storm and Thunderstruck were all very good!

Selina wrote: "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell

It's a bit old now (published 2010) but still an interesting read nonetheless. I learned a bit more ab..."

I liked this book quite a bit, but have forgotten much of it, such as the Sesame Street section.

Julie wrote: "Donna wrote: "I also like Malcolm Gladwell. I read Devil in the White City. Do you have other Erik Larson books you would recommend?"
Dead Wake, In The Garden of the Beasts,Isaac's Storm and Thunde..."

I second Dead Wake, the only one of his books I've read so far. It was great on audio.

According to Yes by Dawn French

This one made me wonder if Dawn French has any children? Or did she write herself into this book so she could have them.
I dont want to give the plot away but its kind of like The Nanny crossed with Mary Poppins with some salty language.

Julie wrote: "I love Malcolm Gladwell and will read anything by him. Same goes for Erik Larsen."

Ditto!

Where the Wild Things Bite
Molly Harper
3.5/5 stars
Due to the library being closed, my choices of books are limited. I had picked this book up off the free shelf at the library before it closed and it did meet the criteria of my book challenge. While this book will never will win a Pulitzer, I was thoroughly entertained about this story of a rare book expert, Anna who was to deliver a book to her client knowing that this book on the undead was highly prized by many people. While she took precautions on her plane trip she did not realize that a vampire, Finn Palmeroy was following her to try and steal the book. She also did not realize the pilot was also was trying to steal it until he crashed the plane. Finn and Anna survive the plane crash, only to be stuck in the middle of nowhere and they have to rely on each other when they soon realize others are after them.

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner & Casino by Nicholas Pileggi

Their Eyes Were Watching God
Zora Neale Hurston
5/5 stars
Janie Crawford is a mixed race daughter whose mother ran off and who was eventually raised by her grandmother. Life is not easy for Janie. She is forced to marry one man, and then eventually runs off with another man. Neither of them had treated her with respect. It was not until she meets the love of her life, Tea Cake that she feels loved. They eventually take off to Florida to make a life for themselves but fate has other plans for Janie. I have never read the Hurston before but I did enjoy this story and would read more of her books. It never won any prizes and did not do well until later in the 1970’s when there was a call for more African American books and literature.

Cowboys Are My Weakness: Stories by Pam Houston
3 stars


After reading the author's memoir Deep Creek I was excited to read more by this author but her fiction fell flat for me. Maybe it's just me. I much prefer nonfiction over fiction. This book is a short story collection of women who love cowboys. The stories are much too short to get into and not very much exciting happens (except for the woman who meets up with a bear). It's a short book, easily read in a day or two, so I kept with it but I think I will skip her fiction. Hopefully, she will come out with another nonfiction book.

The Library of Lost and Found
Phaedra Patrick
4/5 stars
Martha Stewart has had a terrible life. She can't get the job she wants at the library. Her friends all use her as a doormat and she has a terrible relationship with her sister. One day she finds a book that has a very familiar story when she realizes it was a story that she once told. She tracks down the book and gets involved with the bookstore owner who found the book for her. Little by little Martha tracks down the mystery of her published story and in doing so she stands up for herself and meets the mystery author of her published book! I thought this was thoroughly enjoyable.

Julie wrote: "
The Library of Lost and Found
Phaedra Patrick
4/5 stars
Martha Stewart has had a terrible life. She can't get th..."

I liked this as well, although it was only 3 stars---I liked the other two books that I read by her better.

I just finished Christopher Wylie's Mindf*ck: Cambridge Analytica and the Plot to Break America. I don't normally read books on politics but I chose this because it also covered the intersection of social media, big data, and cultural events. This is the whistleblower Wylie's account of how Cambridge Analytica was a tool of psychological warfare waged against Americans in the 2016 presidential election and against the British during its 2016 Brexit referendum. Although I don't agree with everything Wylie wrote in the last chapter or so, his overall message is one that needs to be disseminated widely. My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3115626558

Karin wrote: "Julie wrote: "
The Library of Lost and Found
Phaedra Patrick
4/5 stars
Martha Stewart has had a terrible life. Sh..."
I have not read her newest book but I would like to.

Loved reading The Library Book By Susan Orlean.
Does anyone here live in LA and used the Central Library?

Just started The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick.

And finished The Elementals by Michael McDowell
5 stars!!!

I was a little devastated to see this story end. It was described to me as a prequel to Blackwater: The Complete Caskey Family Saga, and it is nothing of the sort, but it's wonderfully disturbing in its own right. Vintage Michael McDowell, full of dysfunctional family dynamics and paranormal events. Half the time I didn't know whether to laugh or shudder and ended up doing both. I will re-read this with pleasure. If the author had written fifty more of these I would treasure them all.

Selina wrote: "Loved reading The Library Book By Susan Orlean.
Does anyone here live in LA and used the Central Library?"

Not me!

Selina wrote: "Loved reading The Library Book By Susan Orlean.
Does anyone here live in LA and used the Central Library?"

No. I live in Minnesota.

Revolutionary Road
Richard Yates
4/5 stars
Set in the 1950’s Frank and April, a young couple with two children, live a dull life. When April discovers a new job opportunity in France for her that enables her to make a great deal of money, she convinces Frank that they should move there and he could watch the kids and look for a career he could enjoy. Unfortunately, April becomes pregnant and her dreams are shattered. Life returns to its normal stagnancy until April makes a shocking decision, changing all of their lives forever. For a book written in 1962, I thought this quite a shocking topic for the author to undertake but I had a hard time putting this down.

Julie wrote: "
Revolutionary Road
Richard Yates
4/5 stars
Set in the 1950’s Frank and April, a young couple with two children, live a dull life...."

Wasnt this made into a movie? With Kate winslet? I cant remember what shocking decision she made though.

Julie wrote: "
Revolutionary Road
Richard Yates
4/5 stars
Set in the 1950’s Frank and April, a young couple with two children, live a dull life...."

All of the versions I checked here say the oldest version was published in 2000. Did he write it in 1962 and not publish it until 2000?

Selina wrote: "Julie wrote: "
Revolutionary Road
Richard Yates
4/5 stars
Set in the 1950’s Frank and April, a young couple with two children, liv..."

If you look closely at one of the versions of the cover it says 'now a major motion picture starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet'.

just finished Anne Lamott Bird by Bird which is her account of how she goes about her writing work and how she teaches her students too. Lots of interesting insights into the life of a writer so much part memoir and part advice - interesting even if you do not write yourself, which i do of course

Selina wrote: "Julie wrote: "
Revolutionary Road
Richard Yates
4/5 stars
Set in the 1950’s Frank and April, a young couple with two children, liv..."
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolut...
It was published in 1961 or 1962. It was not made into a film till 2008 probably because of the content. I haven't seen the movie since it came out so I am not sure if the ending was the same as the movie. Wiki tells you the ending so I don't want to spoil the ending for others.

ok the book sounds thoroughly depressing....and Kate and Leo starred in this movie together after Titanic???

Selina wrote: "ok the book sounds thoroughly depressing....and Kate and Leo starred in this movie together after Titanic???"

Titanic was in 1997 and Revolutionary Road was in 2008.

The Widow
Fiona Barton
4/5 stars
Glen and Jean are a childless couple living a solitary life but Glen has a terrible secret and Jean knows about it but stays silent. However, when a child goes missing, everything in their lives blows up. This is an interesting tale of secrets and the consequences it has on this couple. This has gotten mixed reviews but I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this tale.

Just finished Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrion

A potted history of bookshops around the world. This is a translation from Spanish so there's a lot of mention of Latin American and European literature that I am not too familiar with. The author did travel to many bookshops all over but he didn't get as far as New Zealand so I was a bit disappointed lol.

He did get to Australia. Some landmark American bookshops mentioned include The Strand, City Lights and Powells. As well as mentions of Amazon, the Waterstone's chain, Hachette, and Wheelers (where I purchase many of my library books from..I didn't know it originally started out in India around the train stations!)

Once More to the Rodeo by Calvin Hennick

I just finished Susannah Cahalan's nonfiction The Great Pretender. She also wrote Brain on Fire - memoir about her brush with insanity because of autoimmune encephalitis. She mentions that experience in her new book. She investigated the seminal study in which 8 healthy people faked symptoms in order to infiltrate psychiatric hospitals.

My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3115629932

We Are Still Married: Stories & Letters by Garrison Keillor
3 stars


I'm a Keillor fan but I would not say this is his best work. I had to go back a re-read a lot because I couldnt figure out what he was talking about. I wouldnt say that I laughed very much. Part of it may have been that the book was written in the late 1980's. I had started this at one time and decided to put it aside for a while. This time I powered through and finished.

Weeping Waters by Anna Maria Nicholson
Vulcanologists researches Tangiwai disaster where 151 train passengers died after a lahar from mt Ruapehu caused a huge flood which smashed the railway bridge on Christmas Eve, 1953.

I liked reading about the historical aspects and some of the conflicts between present day maori ppl vs government safety concerns. The seismolgost try to install an early warning system but the volcano doesnt stop being a volcano. Cue dramatic lifetime events. But then it has a totally unbelievable romance stuck in the story. Why do writers have to spoil historical fiction this way with hollywood endings I do not know.

Julie wrote: "Donna wrote: "I also like Malcolm Gladwell. I read Devil in the White City. Do you have other Erik Larson books you would recommend?"
Dead Wake, In The Garden of the Beasts,Isaac's Storm and Thunde..."

Just finished Dead Wake. Thank you for that recommendation! I enjoyed it

Donna wrote: "Julie wrote: "Donna wrote: "I also like Malcolm Gladwell. I read Devil in the White City. Do you have other Erik Larson books you would recommend?"
Dead Wake, In The Garden of the Beasts,Isaac's St..."

I really like Larson.

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz
2 stars


Currently I do not have a dog but I love dogs so I thought this would be an interesting read but it was very 'textbook-ish' for me. I thought there would be some hints on what to do with your dog when it barks or doesn't behave. When I go for walks I see pet owners disciplining their dogs for behaviors that I see as normal behavior, such as barking at strangers. Several times I have seen people hitting or kicking their dog just because they bark at a stranger walking by. But this is not the type of book it is and the writing style just wasn't interesting. If for some reason you need a textbook on dog behavior I would say this would be a good one, but for just the average reader hoping to learn more about why their dog misbehaves, this is not the one to read.

The Third Man
Graham Greene
3.5/5 stars
Rollo Martin (aka Buck Dexter) writes Westerns. Post WWII, his friend Harry Lime invites him to Vienna where he gets swept up in a murder mystery when he finds out his friend Harry is dead. Martin seeks to find out what happened to his friend and gets swept up in the criminal investigation. This was originally first written as film treatment and the book was written afterwards. The movie became a classic starring Orson Welles. I enjoyed it.

Memento Mori
Muriel Spark
3.5/5 stars
“Memento Mori” is a term for an artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death which follows the characters in this dark humoristic story. Set in the 1950’s England, a well-known author has been getting telephone messages that she is going to die. This upsets her circle of friends but she is calm about the matter though secrets about her and family are soon exposed as each of them faces their mortality when they get the same call.

Slow Motion by Dani Shapiro

Here in the Real World By Sara Pennypacker

A children's fiction about a boy who meets a girl gardening an abandoned church and tries to save the garden from developers. It's a bit slow going but touching. Kind of similar to Tom's Midnight Garden in a way as both are dreamers, but this is American and contemporary.

I haven't read by the same author which is meant to be excellent with rave reviews, although the storyline reminds me of this classic The Yearling

Blade Runner
Philip K. Dick
3/5 stars
In the future (which is 1992 in the book), Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tracks down human replicants who are no longer allowed on Earth. However, life on Earth is no bed of roses. People are obsessed with owning real animals because there are so few left. Deckard’s new assignment is to track down 6 androids that have returned to Earth from Mars and kill them. It has been awhile since I have seen the film but the film really strays from the book IMO. However, I thought this was an interesting look at a possible dark future for Earth. Original title was Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance
The message is 4.5 stars while the reading experience ranged from 3 to 3.5 stars - so I rated it 4 stars overall. Science advances quickly but so do disease causing microbes. Humankind is hastening pathogenic development and we need to prepare better (better than certainly 2020 has demonstrated). I describe more of the book in my review:
Www.goodreads.com/review/show/3347686475

The First Phone Call from Heaven
Mitch Albom
3.5/5 stars
Coldwater, Michigan is the site of a very small town but unbeknownst to its citizens, it will soon be the gathering place of thousands of people when word gets out that citizens are receiving phone calls from relatives who have died. Is this a hoax? Sully Harding believes so and sets out to prove that the town’s people are getting the wool pulled over their eyes. I thought was a sweet novel about faith and really enjoyed it.

A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle
4/5 stars
This is the first book in L’Engle’s series about the Murry family whose husband and father goes missing on a space mission. Meg Murry, her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin O’Keefe go looking for him with the help of Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit. I had read this book decades ago but never read the entire series. So I thought it was about time that I did and I thoroughly enjoyed this first book and look forward to the rest of the series.

A Good Provider Is One Who Leaves: One Family and Migration in the 21st Century by Jason DeParle was an engrossing and nuanced examination of a hot button issue. He interweaved macro trends with one Filipina woman's extended family's migration experiences. In particular, the author focused on Rosalie from her childhood in Manila's shanties to immigrating to the US in her 40s.
Highly recommended.
My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3363673602

A Wind in the Door
Madeleine L'Engle
4/5 stars
This is the second book in the series about the Murry family. Charles Wallace Murray, who for the young age of 6 is already a genius, but he is now very sick. His mother fears it has something to do with his mitochondria. Meg, his sister, is determined to do something about it and with the help of her friend, Calvin O’Keefe she travels inside Charles’ body to fight an evil force that may kill him. L’Engle weaves such a tale of imagination that it is hard to put down.

And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer
Fredrik Backman
5/5 stars
This story revolves around the time shared between a grandfather and his grandson as they discuss their wife/grandmother and evolves as they both age and take each other’s role in their lives. Backman’s doesn’t disappoint in this wonderful tale. Keep some tissues handy!

Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen
Written for those who a little bit intimidated by science, this is part travelogue, part disease detective work in remote pockets of the world, and mostly an exploration of the Next Big One.

I described more in my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3365331829