Connie Benz

A love letter to libraries and why we need to protect them!

I have never read a graphic novel before and read this book for my BIPOC bookclub. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 2025 for biography/memoir. It is an amazing story and I think that just reading the words would not have been as powerful as this graphic novel... The author is amazing and has led and leads an inspiring life. You can watch an interview with her here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPiwpDRKZUs

Thought provoking

Finally a Trojan War story told by the women. Long suffering Penelope was my favorite...

I read this book for one of my book clubs. It is not one that I would have chosen, but I definitely enjoyed parts of the book. I listened to the Audible version and had to speed up the time as the narrator read too slowly for me. The book recounts the stories of the many sailors (including the author). who have crossed oceans entirely alone, discussing their challenges and their enjoyments. I really enjoyed the sections that focused on their encounters with marine life. The author is zooming for our book club the end of September 2025 and he lives nearby so I may update my review after the discussion.

It was an emotionally difficult read...the cruelty that slaves suffered is horrific. But, the love story was beautiful and shows how human connection can help us through unbearable times.

The first 10 minutes of this YouTube video in an interview with the author. Definitely worth watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqL-3tnuFVY&t=660s

I loved this book! And I recommend the audio version as it is read by the author and his great sense of humor comes through in his voice. He tackles many moral and ethical questions which I think can better inform us in how to live in this very challenging world.

A story about loss, finding your inner self and more importantly about books and how they add value to our lives.

A very entertaining read...which is why I finished it so quickly.

Great for a semi-simplified overview.

One of the most moving and beautiful books I have read in a long time. I listened to the audio version and the book was read by the author. I think her voice brought her words to life. Her life was often a struggle, but the resilience she showed was awe-inspiring.

The characters are very entertaining and always good for escape from real life!

A fun, heartwarming story.

Everyone who cares about the future of the human race needs to read this book. The first part was a lot of history and it was a bit slow going for my husband, but I found the background it provided to be interesting and helpful for my overall understanding. We both found the information on AI and its future thought provoking.

I read this book for my BIPOC book club. I like reading a variety of literature and a chance to read diverse authors. This book is a collection of short stories and some I really enjoyed and some not so much. The books uses some Native words sometimes which without a translation probably lose some of their impact. I found the scifi and post apocalyptic very imaginative. With any books about Native Americans, their treatment by whites is always an issue and in this book, the 2spirit people were also mistreated by many in their tribes.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I finished reading it and it makes you want to change many of your sleep habits, but at the same time I felt he may have overemphasized certain "facts." If you believe everything word for word it is scary...thus my mixed feelings. But incorporating many of his ideas are without a doubt a good thing.

For another point of view see: https://guzey.com/books/why-we-sleep/

This is a book everyone should read. It looks at life on earth from a cosmic perspective and emphasizes our commonality rather than our differences. With an emphasis on scientific thinking, it makes a case for evidence vs. opinion and the importance of facts.

Excellent book if you are interested in volcanoes embedded in a woman's struggles in her life's choices

This was one of the best books I have read in awhile. Not only was it an engaging story, but I learned a lot. I can't say about what without spoiling part of the story but it is definitely a book that parents and teachers should read.

Interesting (troubling) information. I listened to the audio version but it is very detailed and it might have been better to read it.

If it is all true, it is very scary.

Fun read!

Author is senior editor for Breitbart News so I take what he says with a grain of salt, however if even half of what he claims is true, it is very scary.

We read this book for our non-fiction bookclub. We started before the Ukraine invasion. This book is eye-opening and well researched.

Great ideas but a book to be read rather than listened to.