This is my favorite Bill Bryson book. It's a great mix of quirky characterization, self-reflection, and poignant environmental history, all written with a great sense of humor. And bears.

Maybe a perfect book. I can't even write anything about it.

This book fucking kills me every time.

Goddamn, Mark Twain is a genius.

OK, to start: for me, as a lady who's not really interested in having kids, a LOT of this book prompted vigorous head-nodding from me. If you want kids or already have them, you probably don't want this book? Or maybe you do so you'll stop saying things like "Oh, but if you don't have kids you'll never feel REAL LOVE?" to ladies. Whatevs.

Anyway for me, this book was very relatable and hilarious. There were a few slightly problematic parts--like Kirkman seems kinda smug about how not having kids means she won't get fat, which isn't that really the kind of thing ladies should avoid judging other ladies about?--but ehhh personally I forgive it based on how much I enjoyed the book overall, and also based on how equally fucked up the kinds many moms say to non-mom-ladies are.

The audiobook is read by the author and that added an extra level of hilarity to it, especially whenever she imitates her mom.

I liked this! It wasn't what I was expecting--I wasn't sure exactly what I was expecting--but I liked it. I enjoyed the mystery and got really wrapped up in it, and I think it did a reasonably good job describing the aftermath of civil rights clusterfuck that was Japanese internment. The sex scenes were all kind of weird and awkward, but maybe that was intentional?

OK, first of all, the last three consecutive books I've read have ended with me crying. Today I went to the library & checked out the first Gossip Girl book. If that makes me cry too, I will be pretty sure the problem is with me, not with books. But whatever. This book was so good, you guys. I was afraid it wouldn't live up to all the hype. And I was afraid because I saw half the movie with Kristen Stewart as Melinda. But Kristen Stewart is terrible. Don't even think about her with this book. Don't do it. I loved Melinda's narrative voice. I loved the depiction of high school--not hyperbolically cruel like in some YA books, but definitely no picnic.

A re-read, but it had been awhile. Not my favorite Vonnegut, but still delightfully absurd and wise.

Amazingggg. Essays are my favorite thing to read, and Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors, and this was as good as I thought it would be. Sweet, sad, thought-provoking, and she even writes about local food and organic gardening without being annoying. WHICH IS KIND OF HARD. Hooray!