Biography/Memoir

Thomas Sowell, one of the most prominent American economists, opens readers to a whole new side of his life through the letters he wrote to people throughout the 1960-2000s.
The book is comprised of letters which were written by him through the rise of the civil rights movement, to the debate on the effects of minimum wage.
The candid notes in this book reveal the thoughts and beliefs of a controversial but compelling figure in American economics and politics. It was inspiring to watch American history unfold through the eyes of a distinguished American leader. A Man of Letters inspires readers to spark change and never forget America's founding principles.

If you love books about the true American spirit, you must read Daniel James Brown's narrative-nonfiction book The Boys in the Boat. The book follows the life of Joe Rantz who was abandoned by his family during The Great Depression. It follows his journey as a teen going to the University of Washington and becoming a member of the 1936 Olympic rowing crew that won the gold medal for America. They were boys from working-class backgrounds who beat the odds and beat the very elite team of Adolf Hitler. The book is immersed in intriguing details of Joe’s life. This can be attributed to the fact that Brown was able to interview Joe in his frail, elderly years. He spent many hours listening to Joe’s daughter tell stories of her father’s experiences. Brown was also able to acquire diaries and photos from the boys on the rowing crew. Joe Rantz was very hard-working and optimistic. My favorite quote showing his optimism was: “The only time you don't find a four-leaf clover is when you stop looking for one.” The book is an irresistible account of teamwork, overcoming pain, trusting in others, endurance, and driving spirit. I chose this book because I like other books that this Author made. What I enjoyed about this book the most is how inspirational it is to the readers. It shows you can accomplish what you set out to do if you work hard at it. There isn’t a part of the book I enjoyed the least. I can relate to Joe Rantz because I work hard to achieve my goals just like he did. This is a good book and I recommend a readthrough.

“The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon” is one of the most interesting books ever written! Bea Uusma Schyffert’s unique scrapbook style presents the story of Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 astronaut who faithfully piloted the spacecraft as his two teammates became the first men on the moon. Perfectly capturing every thought and detail through pictures, infographics, and prose, “The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon” pulls the reader into the story and lets them see it through Collins’ eyes. It even includes notes written by Collins himself. This is by far the best account of the forgotten hero in the history of astronomy.

keep forgetting that Bill Bryson’s books are hit-or-miss for me. I’ll read one and think it’s great, then proceed to another and find myself disappointed. Perhaps I’ve already read the good books from his bibliography and now all I’m left with are the ones that aren’t. I’ll usually forget that I’ve been disappointed after a few months or years of not reading Bryson, which inevitably leads me to remembering his good books and giving it another shot. The Road to Little Dribbling is another book I’d put on the “bad” pile.

While I never read the book that preceded this one, I didn’t need any context to determine The Road to Little Dribbling’s major flaw. As a Millennial, I am often annoyed by Boomer-age people who bemoan that things “used to be better.” They’ll moan about prices being lower, quality being better, and everyone living happily together in blissful togetherness. Those sentiments are the entire basis of this book. Maybe it’s supposed to be read as humor, but most of this book felt like the spiteful mutterings of a grumpy old man.

The issue with memoirs is that the main character is usually the author. In this book, the main character is not likable by any means. He talks down to everyone and paints them as idiots. The few slightly amusing bits were only when he proved to be the fool in a scenario that had gotten him hot and bothered. Listening to this audiobook in the car, it felt like I was driving around with someone who I would not have given a ride to in the first place. None of the positives of his journey stuck out to me because every other commentary provided was full of sour gripes.

A memoir full of whiny complaints about how the past was better, I give The Road to Little Dribbling 2.0 stars out of 5.

This book follows Issa Rae, a half-Senegalese actress and producer (she was the president in Barbie and also stars in Insecure!). The book follows Issa as she tries to find herself throughout her life because she has always felt awkward and how she has come to terms with herself. This book is extremely funny. While most of the book has humorous undertones, there are sections that are quite serious. Issa Rae writes about her life in an upwardly mobile immigrant family & her painful attempts to be cool. You don't have to be awkward or black to enjoy this book.

Who knew history could be so ironic? It’s 1978, and the Ku Klux Klan is on the rise in the community of Colorado Springs. Ron Stallsworth, the first African-American detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department, launches an undercover investigation with the mission to thwart the Ku Klux Klan’s infiltration into Colorado Springs. Ron Stallsworth can only communicate via the telephone, so he recruits the “white” Ron Stallsworth, Chuck, to conduct all face-to-face meetings. This creates the perfect breeding ground for irony, insanity, and idiocy.

Out of the pure insanity of the circumstances and the idiocy of the Colorado Ku Klux Klan, this book had me uncontrollably laughing. While the writing style leaves much to be desired, the narrative more than bridges the gap. The BlackKlansmen is a wonderful memoir about standing up to terrorism and hate.

'Geek Girl Rising: Inside the Sisterhood Shaking Up Tech' is a nonfiction book focusing on the women who have taken their place in the tech industry, placing special focus on the women who help empower other women. Each woman is given a snapshot of her successes and story.

The highlight of this books is learning about these impressive women. I can imagine this would be especially empowering for girls who are looking to get into this industry. Over one hundred women are mentioned, and a list of them are included at the end of the book for reference. Furthermore, with this book at the ready, it would be impossible to claim that there aren't sucessful women in tech.

The writing style is quick and snappy, not lingering on any point for too long. It focuses on telling as many stories as possible. However, none of the stories feel empty. Lots of information is fit into small spaces.

My only complaint is that I wished the book had gone more into detail about the challenges women in the industry face. There were brief mentions of sexism in the workplace, but it wasn't discussed much. Though I understand that the point of the book is to inspire, I would have liked a better understanding of why empowerment is so needed in the tech world.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the tech industry or feminism. I would especially recommend it to anyone looking for female role models.

Ever read a book that made you physically hungry? For me, that book is Crying in H Mart, a beautifully written memoir of loss and cultural identity mended together with the power of food and memory: the author, Michelle Zauner, a half-American half-Korean, struggles to navigate her cultural identity. Throughout the memoir, Zauner delves into her childhood memories, the times spent in Korea with her family, and the lasting influence of her mother's teachings. Her descriptions of traditional Korean dishes, their preparation, and the emotions tied to them are not only mouthwatering but also serve as a metaphor for the soul-stirring nostalgia she seeks to preserve. It is a book that stays with you long after the last page, reminding us of the preciousness of family, culture, and love.

"The Wild Truth" is Carine McCandless' follow-up to Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild". Carine McCandless wrote this novel after being pained by the reactions to "Into the Wild", especially the general opinion on Chris McCandless' self-inflicted exile from common society. This book succeeds in explaining more of Chris' life before his hitchhiking escapade. These sections were my favorite part of the book: unfortunately, they were mostly only present in the beginning. I struggled to pull through the longer sections where Carine explained her own life. Parts felt unnecessary, other section dragged on too long, and even more just felt completely unrelated to Chris or "Into the Wild". I wanted to read this book to understand Chris. I enjoyed learning about Carine, but I was reading for Chris. I'm quite lucky that I can't relate to large parts of this book. "The Wild Truth" really drags the reader along to help them understand the terrible abuse in the McCandless family. I can understand the difficult parents; I can relate to the family drama, constant switching between divorce and being back together, etc. that Carine had to live through. Regardless, this book stepped too far away from "Into the Wild" in a way that I did not enjoy. However, this book was still informative about the general McCandless family. There are absolutey readers in the world who can take more from this book than I could, but I will never consider this one of my favorite books.

Reviewer Grade: 11

Into Africa, written by Martin Dugard, details the epic adventures of Stanley Livingstone and his trek across Africa to find the source of the Nile River. Livingstone battles disease, unfriendly tribes, and stubborn porters (the people who help carry supplies) in his journey. The brutal, but beautiful march encompasses Africa from it sweltering hot savannahs to it thick rainforests. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure because this book is about the exploration of Africa. I enjoyed this book because it taught me a lot more about Africa and it's people.