Courtney Pyche
I started this book last year and had a bit of a hard time getting through. It’s got a great premise, but it is difficult to follow the organization and the same points are often repeated. However, I did learn a lot about Amazon’s practices and am more empowered to continue quitting Amazon this year, as much as we can. I recommend for anyone who wants to learn more about Amazon as it relates to the book industry.
It feels like cheating to mark this as a book I read this year - it is almost like an extended card, something to read over an hour with a cup of coffee and consider. The theme of this book of poems is “self-love is the key global peace”, essentially. Many of the poems are the sort that you would see on your instagram feed - but there was a bit where a group of young people were speaking to a wise woman on a mountain that reminded me very much of Khalil Gibran's work - I wish the author had spent more time there. Overall, it is an insightful book of poems, but not necessarily a book that I would come back to or recommend.
I mean this in the most sincere, serious way - every woman should read this book.
Alison Fragale uses the term “Likeable Badass” to describe a woman who has found the balance of assertiveness and warmth that works for them. This book is full of real, actionable tips for doing so and real stories and research that have exemplified these actions. It's written in a very accessible prose, it's only about ~200 pages. And I just cannot stop talking about it. I'm so excited to keep testing these strategies in my work.
This is the first Jasmine Guillory book that I've read and I'm definitely going back for more! As a former children's librarian, I have a soft heart for retelling as. By the Book did not disappoint. We follow Izzy as she bravely takes on a tough author at her publishing job. There are plenty of absolutely adorable references to the Beauty and the Beast, but, overall, it is a different story - not quite a full retelling, but enough to keep you remembering the original story. The conversations, the fights feel real. The love feels real. By the end of it, they find each other - and so so much more. Another bonus is that this is a quick read! I highly recommend to anyone who likes a sweet love story and doesn't want to have to spend hours and hours following their fights. So so so good.
Two O'Clock on a Tuesday at Trevi Fountain: A Search for an Unconventional Life Abroad is a travel memoir that follows Helene Sula as she discovers what she is meant to do. As a teen, she had parents who taught a course that brought her to London every summer for six weeks. It is in London that Helene begins to appreciate the value travel can add to life. However, it will be years before she identifies her goal - of living abroad - and accomplishes it. Helene's story is a funny, uplifting journey on living life to the fullest and being in touch with what will make your life worthwhile. I found her stories invigorating and accessible - I am so ready for my next trip after this book.
More technically, it is a very quick read. Perfect for a 3 hours plane ride or a rainy Sunday afternoon. It is a perfect for any of us who love travel + books + writing.
I read “Prep” as a teenager and hadn't thought about this author since. This book was suggested to me by Goodreads, and I was finally able to read it as a quick book for an airplane ride. I don't gravitate towards short story collections, but I found the wistful and inquisitive tone of the stories throughout very compelling. To me, many of the characters were meant to be portrayed as morally neutral - more of a observation on the eccentricities of being human than a judgment. At times, the complex and surprising relationships and revelations reminded me a lot of the Amazon Prime series “Modern Love” based on the NYTimes column. The stories are quick and always leave you wanting a bit more, while not leaving you feeling unsatisfied. A great for anyone who likes to people watch....or needs a quick book to get them through a plane ride.
These money books are all kind of the same - lots of exercises you're supposed to do throughout (I don't lol), stories from other finance experts or people who have followed their methods, and lots of you messages. What makes Tori's story a little different are 1) her thoughts on balancing debt repayments with saving for retirement and 2) her focus on intersectional feminism. Her methods are not going to going to fix poverty, but her advice is helpful for someone who doesn't want to be shamed for being in debt - who wants to use their money to promote social causes - who want to feel good about their spending. I give it four stars only because I found it a bit hard to read all the way through.
So I picked this up not realizing it was essentially a book on not just 1) high achieving teens and how detrimental the stressful culture of achievement is to their mental health and future success but also 2) about how to thoughtfully parent those high achieving teens. The premise is real food for thought +it was a little odd to be reading about a parenting style that would have personally really been relevant to my teenage years that I definitely wasn't familiar with. The book also has to walk a fine line along acknowledging that these students don't struggle in ways that kids in poverty and dangerous communities do and that this whole idea starts with privileged teens, but that these are still real issues for them that impact their mental and physical health. Overall, I think a lot of this book would resonate with my fellow former high achieving teens - even ones who don't have kids & it might help you in your own re-parenting journey.
We're reading this book for our book club sponsored by my health science library - 5/5, such a great story about how physicians can use their work and skills to enact changes that affect the long-term health of their patients. I was also very awed and astonished by the intimate details of the Flint Water Crisis - something that happened in my lifetime, but that, at that time, was not aware how significant of a crisis it was.
Early in my pregnancy, one of my mom friends advised that she wished she had read more books about babies as opposed to focusing so much on pregnancy/labor/delivery. I picked this one up with that in mind.
Overall, this book was a useful introduction into what I feel modern, intentional parenting looks like. I appreciated the emphasis on observation and adapting to your baby's needs - and to trust yourself in caring for your baby. I also liked seeing the layouts of the rooms and appreciated the recommendations for toys that are useful for skill developing. The parts where it specifically talks about development milestones were very helpful. This book would be a good reference to have in your home if you're really committing to the Montessori method. I won't be incorporating all of the ideas or tools mentioned, and I do think this book could have done a better job with inclusiveness, but, overall, I think the message is great and the principles are there. I would recommend this to a first time mom, like me, who is perhaps a little mystified by the idea of a baby in their house.
I cannot find the edition of this that I read on Goodreads - I just finished the 2021 edition that has updated foreword, preface, and chapters 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 14, and 17-23.
What I most appreciated about this book was the attitude behind it: pregnancy is not something that just happens to a woman, and you can be an active participant in the decisions. It's important that anyone reading this adopts the mental philosophy behind what she's saying - do not just read this book and take it as medical advice. Use it as a tool to learn more, ask questions, decide, and, in some instances, be prepared for that decision to change. This was one of the books more recommended to me when I got pregnant, and I'm glad I bought it so I can recommend to all my future pregnant pals.
Another WWII historical fiction - this one focuses on the American Library in Paris and the relationships that the employees, volunteers, and patrons develop throughout the war. It flips back and forth between war time and Odile is in Paris to the mid 1980s where Odile now lives in Montana and a friend of a teenage girl named Lily. Lily spends much of her time trying to figure out Odile's deal. She has also has many trials and tribulations of her own, some of which are cured by Odile's wisdom. As readers, we get to see where Odile learned all these lessons in great detail, often before Lily hears them.
Overall, this was a great story for book lovers and library lovers who enjoy WWII historical fiction. It is made especially good by the author's note that clues you in to how much of the story is true (definitely read the author's note!).
Such a fun read! A little bit Beauty and the Beast, a little historical, very British, and more than a little bit of smut. This kind of book is out of my comfort zone, but came highly recommended from a coworker who I trust and loves this genre. A quick two hour or so light read for an evening with a big glass of wine.
“When you see him in Ithaca, do not expect to find him perfect.”
R.J. Palacio has written a real masterpiece of children's literature in >em>Pony. This is a historical novel in that its written to take place in the 1860s, but it is more a story about a particular person (who is fictional) than a story about a particular event. Silas' story from beginning to end is well-crafted, well-written, and well-executed. It is very much the hero's quest - his adventure starts when his father is taken away by three horsemen in the middle of night. He chooses to go on the quest when one of the horses mysteriously comes back for him. His companions, the valiant stead, the ghost, and eventually a sort of mentor who guides him through the Wood.
It is the little strings that tie all these characters together that really makes the story - of course the trip is wonderful to follow and cheer on, but the bits of connection that you see give this story meaning. This is junior historical fiction novel worth reading.
As an introvert, this was the first pregnancy book that I found on my own - so I'm here to say, if you're an introvert and you're pregnant, I highly recommend this book. It's short, it's funny - I often found myself reading parts aloud to my husband (such as the part where she jokes about leaving the country so you don't have to tell anyone you're pregnant), and definitely made me feel a little more comfortable knowing that there are people with lots of the same thoughts and feeling as me. This is also the first pregnancy book that I finished while pregnant - a must read for stressed out introverts!
Caroline Herschel: A brief story that follows Caroline as she goes along with her brother to England, where she becomes much more than was ever expected of her at home. One of the many beautiful parts of this story is how she passes along her knowledge and encourages her nephew to a life studying the stars as well. She is certainly not known well enough.
Florence Nightingale: Florence is probably the one that I knew of the most before this story. This may be why hers was one of the shortest. Her profound impact on the future of nursing - who could imagine it not being a female dominated field before now? Her observations have saved hundreds of thousands of lives by now. I do wish this story had been a little longer.
Hertha Marks Ayrton: “Girls need better education than boys.” I thought it was really neat how she picked her name - what a power move. The story feels a little long, but I'm glad that once again it ended with the hope of a new generation of women leading the way for change.
Marie Tharp: I had not thought about the mapping of the bottom of the ocean or the discovery of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge before. This was a truly amazing story about a scientist who even her colleagues didn't want to believe.
Katherine Johnson: I loved how this story really emphasizes Katherine Johnson's genius from the time that she was very young. It also details how many people helped get Katherine along.
Edna Lee Paisano: This one is short, and sweet. It illustrates how something as “simple” as counting can lead to steep changes for your community. I hope the US Census Bureau reads this one!
Vera Rubin: One of the longer stories - it took a long time to get to the meat of her discovery, but, as with many of these, the point is in the journey. Vera faced many setbacks and obstacles in the teachers who didn't believe in her. She pressed on anyways.
Overall, this is a great narrative non-fiction book. It isn't very exciting, but is very inspirational. When I think of an ideal reader for this, I think of Girl Scout Troops, Girls Who Code organizations, and any girl who loves math and science.
So I've actually had this one on my to read list for at least a year now and was really excited to get the opportunity to read it for this talk.
Zoe Washington receives a letter from her father, who she hasn't heard from ever before. But she doesn't know how to respond: What does a girl say to the father she's never met, hadn't heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who's been in prison for a terrible crime?
The thing is, he says he didn't commit this crime. Zoe isn't sure what to believe, but she stops prepping for entry to the Food Network's Kid Bake Challenge to figure it out. This middle grade novel handles the complex topic of mass incarceration and wrongful convictions with a deftness that will have readers absolutely endeared to Zoe. Marks even gets to bring up the Innocence Project. It's really an amazing story; it reminded me of a similar young adult novel called “This is My America” by Kim Johnson. This is definitely more appropriate for middle grade readers. I highly recommend it. It's realistic fiction, but it also has adventure, serious moral issues, family and friend drama - and, I don't want to spoil it for you, but I think the ending is very classic, heart warming middle grade - y. Definitely read this one.
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” - Buddha
Who knew a book about the need for toilets could be so beautiful? Seriously, these pictures are gorgeous. The verses are art.
Latika is a smart, willful person who is determined to help her community. She understands that the Shame has greater hurt than the feeling of Shame. “Burying the Moon” is really more about how Latika finds a way to blow kisses at the moon.
This is a short read, but it's a great, simply told story that advocates for communities that need toilets. It also clearly establishes the relationship between the need for toilets and various negative consequences the lack of has on communities. I especially recommend this book for elementary - aged classroom reads. It could be good for older kids as well when coupled with video or non fiction books about sanitation.
I appreciate that this book is dedicated to the people of Flint, Michigan - who now technically has clean water, but the trust in their water has yet to be rebuilt.
The rules of journalism: OATH. Objectivity, Accuracy, Transparency, and Honesty. Ruth is a young journalist who publishes her own newsletter that circulates by email. On an afternoon fishing with her crush, she discovers a black substance at the lake. Her journalistic instinct thinks it could be something, but her friend thinks probably not.
What follows is Ruth's investigation as she seeks to find facts and triangulate them to the truth, despite the many obstacles that come before her. Although the story follows a crisis investigation, the objective in this book is the journey that Ruth goes on as she becomes a better journalist. The author's note at the end provides particular insight into the plot points designed to make readers think critically about information and where it comes from. Parts of the story really exemplify how special interest groups and politicians work together to twist the truth - even by getting media on their side. This is a great book to encourage your late elementary age or tween to become active in their community, ask questions, and find their passions.
At first, I was put off by the second person narration. However, as the story goes on and it swaps every now and then, it begins to make sense why the author chose this tense. It draws the reader in to the woman's feelings - it's especially compelling to note that we spend most of this book never knowing her name: she's just a girl who becomes a woman who becomes a wife who becomes a mother.
I'm not one for thrillers, so I actually spoiled the ending for myself before I read the book. I can honestly say it didn't lessen the emotional rollercoaster that this whole story takes you on. I found it nearly impossible to put down, even knowing how it ended. This is a great one.
