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2021: the best book about a eugenicist I've ever read.
This book is many elements weaved together expertly into a unique non-fiction narrative. Part Miller's own memoir, part scientific research paper, and part obsessive discussion about David Starr Jordan, the not-quite-stream-of-consciousness journey that we go on with Miller will stick with me for a while.
It's the only way a book should be written about eugenics - that the subject is unequivocally incorrect in all its assumptions about "back-sliding devolution" and that OBVIOUSLY sterilizing women without their consent is BONKERS WRONG AND EVIL AND would you believe that we actually still have a federal law on the books saying that it's technically legal? Of course you would.
One of the more fascinating elements of this book is the idea of "giving up the fish" and what you actually stand to gain by letting go when you learn new information. Essential for scientists, and a great lesson for the rest of us!
Bonus: the audiobook ends in the cutest little treat featuring Miller's son learning how to say the word "fish" 10/10 would highly recommend listening to the book, read by Miller herself!
This book is many elements weaved together expertly into a unique non-fiction narrative. Part Miller's own memoir, part scientific research paper, and part obsessive discussion about David Starr Jordan, the not-quite-stream-of-consciousness journey that we go on with Miller will stick with me for a while.
It's the only way a book should be written about eugenics - that the subject is unequivocally incorrect in all its assumptions about "back-sliding devolution" and that OBVIOUSLY sterilizing women without their consent is BONKERS WRONG AND EVIL AND would you believe that we actually still have a federal law on the books saying that it's technically legal? Of course you would.
One of the more fascinating elements of this book is the idea of "giving up the fish" and what you actually stand to gain by letting go when you learn new information. Essential for scientists, and a great lesson for the rest of us!
Bonus: the audiobook ends in the cutest little treat featuring Miller's son learning how to say the word "fish" 10/10 would highly recommend listening to the book, read by Miller herself!
2021: Once again, I blasted through this Casey McQuiston novel and really enjoyed it.
Now, don't get me wrong, it is nowhere near as good as [b:Red, White & Royal Blue|41150487|Red, White & Royal Blue|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566742512l/41150487._SY75_.jpg|61657690]. I think the magic realism elements just pushed this a little out of my five star zone. The time travel was just a little too convenient and had one too many plot holes for me to really get on board with. I have to say, the ending really let me down, and too many things just *worked out*.
THAT BEING SAID: I am done with the unfortunate trope that queer stories have to have sad endings, or that the characters need to suffer in some capacity. It's overdone and unnecessary. I am ready for some gay happy endings here! I guess what I'm saying is that I was frustrated that this happy ending only seemed to pan out because of *magic*, and that it wouldn't have happened in the *real world*. But three cheers for these lesbians getting to be happy in the end anyway!
The relationships were well fleshed out and the sex was really hot and I loved the representation included (and it never felt like token members thrown in just for effect). It was great reading about an entire group of queer friends (something that I know McQuiston was looking to provide in this novel). This was SUCH a New York City book, and actually made me miss taking the subway? Don't tell anyone I ever said that.
Lastly, the pop culture references were again ON POINT. I nearly cried when they talked about listening to Call Your Girlfriend together, and omg the music that these two listen to! I mean, yes, all of the 70's jams, but also I fully stopped reading so I could play "Candy" by Mandy Moore after this book reminded me that it existed. McQuiston has made their mark once again as an extremely well versed and exciting author who I think I would really enjoy being friends with.
If Reese Witherspoon doesn't turn this into a movie TOMORROW, I am going to cry. It would make for a FABULOUS film.
Now, don't get me wrong, it is nowhere near as good as [b:Red, White & Royal Blue|41150487|Red, White & Royal Blue|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566742512l/41150487._SY75_.jpg|61657690]. I think the magic realism elements just pushed this a little out of my five star zone. The time travel was just a little too convenient and had one too many plot holes for me to really get on board with. I have to say, the ending really let me down, and too many things just *worked out*.
THAT BEING SAID: I am done with the unfortunate trope that queer stories have to have sad endings, or that the characters need to suffer in some capacity. It's overdone and unnecessary. I am ready for some gay happy endings here! I guess what I'm saying is that I was frustrated that this happy ending only seemed to pan out because of *magic*, and that it wouldn't have happened in the *real world*. But three cheers for these lesbians getting to be happy in the end anyway!
The relationships were well fleshed out and the sex was really hot and I loved the representation included (and it never felt like token members thrown in just for effect). It was great reading about an entire group of queer friends (something that I know McQuiston was looking to provide in this novel). This was SUCH a New York City book, and actually made me miss taking the subway? Don't tell anyone I ever said that.
Lastly, the pop culture references were again ON POINT. I nearly cried when they talked about listening to Call Your Girlfriend together, and omg the music that these two listen to! I mean, yes, all of the 70's jams, but also I fully stopped reading so I could play "Candy" by Mandy Moore after this book reminded me that it existed. McQuiston has made their mark once again as an extremely well versed and exciting author who I think I would really enjoy being friends with.
If Reese Witherspoon doesn't turn this into a movie TOMORROW, I am going to cry. It would make for a FABULOUS film.
2021: THIS BOOK IS SOOOO GOOD.
I was immediately attracted to this book, not only because of its extremely topical themes, but also its instant praise and acclaim. It instantly became a selection of Reese's Book Club, in addition to being optioned as an original series on Netflix, produced by none other than THE OBAMA'S. And if Michelle says that something is good, I'm here to read it. The cherry on top was that Boulley is the same race as her main character. YES.
I went into it with high expectations, and it did not disappoint. The characters are all well flushed out and complex. I could immediately identify with her discussion of small town life, but it was Boulley's descriptions of Daunis not feeling white enough OR Native enough that really sold me on this book. There are some pretty adult themes going on here for this book to be considered YA! Daunis is 19 in the book, and I would keep this for high schoolers and up.
If you've heard about the Indigenous boarding schools that stole children away from their parents in order to "raise them white" in recent news stories and want to learn more about that, this is a good resource. However, it's a very small subplot in comparison to the shenanigans that are also going on, so maybe take a peek towards a nonfiction option there.
The pace of the book was awesome, considering it's pretty hefty overall. I thought Daunis's inner monologue and her external experiences were pretty well balanced. A lot of the police work and the kidnapping seemed a little farfetched, but the feelings were genuine. I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you're looking for more Native authors to read!
I was immediately attracted to this book, not only because of its extremely topical themes, but also its instant praise and acclaim. It instantly became a selection of Reese's Book Club, in addition to being optioned as an original series on Netflix, produced by none other than THE OBAMA'S. And if Michelle says that something is good, I'm here to read it. The cherry on top was that Boulley is the same race as her main character. YES.
I went into it with high expectations, and it did not disappoint. The characters are all well flushed out and complex. I could immediately identify with her discussion of small town life, but it was Boulley's descriptions of Daunis not feeling white enough OR Native enough that really sold me on this book. There are some pretty adult themes going on here for this book to be considered YA! Daunis is 19 in the book, and I would keep this for high schoolers and up.
If you've heard about the Indigenous boarding schools that stole children away from their parents in order to "raise them white" in recent news stories and want to learn more about that, this is a good resource. However, it's a very small subplot in comparison to the shenanigans that are also going on, so maybe take a peek towards a nonfiction option there.
The pace of the book was awesome, considering it's pretty hefty overall. I thought Daunis's inner monologue and her external experiences were pretty well balanced. A lot of the police work and the kidnapping seemed a little farfetched, but the feelings were genuine. I really enjoyed this read and would highly recommend it if you're looking for more Native authors to read!
2021: I know I just rated a bunch of 5 stars all in a row, but only 20 pages into this book, I quite simply COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.
This was another fascinating look at the intersection between science and faith, now from a fictional perspective. I loved the tension between what Gifty learned while growing up, and what she studied as an adult, her research and her upbringing, and the family's experiences in Ghana and in Alabama. I have to say, I enjoyed this more than [b:Homegoing|27071490|Homegoing|Yaa Gyasi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448108591l/27071490._SY75_.jpg|47113792], so I would recommend that you start here. The books are not related; in fact, they are quite distinct, which I think only goes to show Gyasi's growth as a writer.
I remember thinking when I was young that I was going to remember all this shit from the Bible forever and then poof, somewhere along the way, it's gone. At the same time, the references in this book all brought back immediate recognition from my childhood. I found myself pausing at multiple intervals to contemplate the dichotomies that Gyasi so eloquently outlines in this novel. The relationship between Gifty and her mother is quite exceptionally described.
I was kept engaged and enthralled until the end, and I can't wait to see what Gyasi produces next.
This was another fascinating look at the intersection between science and faith, now from a fictional perspective. I loved the tension between what Gifty learned while growing up, and what she studied as an adult, her research and her upbringing, and the family's experiences in Ghana and in Alabama. I have to say, I enjoyed this more than [b:Homegoing|27071490|Homegoing|Yaa Gyasi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448108591l/27071490._SY75_.jpg|47113792], so I would recommend that you start here. The books are not related; in fact, they are quite distinct, which I think only goes to show Gyasi's growth as a writer.
I remember thinking when I was young that I was going to remember all this shit from the Bible forever and then poof, somewhere along the way, it's gone. At the same time, the references in this book all brought back immediate recognition from my childhood. I found myself pausing at multiple intervals to contemplate the dichotomies that Gyasi so eloquently outlines in this novel. The relationship between Gifty and her mother is quite exceptionally described.
I was kept engaged and enthralled until the end, and I can't wait to see what Gyasi produces next.
2021: A very unique perspective that I feel needs to be shared, but ultimately felt was a little too singular in comparison to how it was presented.
Chung makes a lot of references to life experiences that "non-adopted people might not understand". However, a lot of these were not exclusive to non-adopted people; for example, she talks about discovering that her biological relatives had the history of their family going back nineteen generations. This was shocking to her, and she expresses how much her family took that for granted, as something that non-adopted people might not have ever considered missing from their lives.
Honestly, I can barely tell you anything that happened in my family before my grandparents' generation. At the same time, this is something that I know many Black Americans struggle with, the inability to trace their genealogical history back past more than a couple of generations, due to slavery erasing much of their families' histories.
I mean, I am thrilled that Chung was able to reconnect with her biological sister and that she found someone who finally looked like her. But as an only child, I found her sort of statements that "everyone who grew up in a biological family doesn't appreciate what it's like to not have family members that look like you" to be a little demeaning and narrow. I regularly feel like I am missing out on what it might be like to have sibling relationships, and I know a lot of friends who have unfulfilling relationships with their own family members.
I also really struggled with Chung's treatment of her adopted mother. Despite her assurances at the end of the memoir that she still loved her the most, Chung certainly doesn't treat her like that throughout the book. I am working through how much my white privilege is getting in the way here, in perhaps expecting her to be more grateful of her parents' efforts? However, I am also reminded that this was from the adoptee's perspective, and there are a million books written from the adoptive parents' points of view.
This memoir certainly reinforced for me that many adopted kids struggle in communities that are not like their own heritage, and that therapy is essential in this situation! We now know that ignoring racism and having a colorblind approach to differences is not a helpful way to combat prejudices in predominately white communities. That all being said, Chung mentioned several times that she never told her mother the true extent of what she was feeling and experiencing. How can someone help you if you never share what is causing you pain?
Ultimately, I appreciated hearing this rather singular perspective, weaved into the reminder that although all families are different, we all share the desire to be accepted and loved by our families.
Chung makes a lot of references to life experiences that "non-adopted people might not understand". However, a lot of these were not exclusive to non-adopted people; for example, she talks about discovering that her biological relatives had the history of their family going back nineteen generations. This was shocking to her, and she expresses how much her family took that for granted, as something that non-adopted people might not have ever considered missing from their lives.
Honestly, I can barely tell you anything that happened in my family before my grandparents' generation. At the same time, this is something that I know many Black Americans struggle with, the inability to trace their genealogical history back past more than a couple of generations, due to slavery erasing much of their families' histories.
I mean, I am thrilled that Chung was able to reconnect with her biological sister and that she found someone who finally looked like her. But as an only child, I found her sort of statements that "everyone who grew up in a biological family doesn't appreciate what it's like to not have family members that look like you" to be a little demeaning and narrow. I regularly feel like I am missing out on what it might be like to have sibling relationships, and I know a lot of friends who have unfulfilling relationships with their own family members.
I also really struggled with Chung's treatment of her adopted mother. Despite her assurances at the end of the memoir that she still loved her the most, Chung certainly doesn't treat her like that throughout the book. I am working through how much my white privilege is getting in the way here, in perhaps expecting her to be more grateful of her parents' efforts? However, I am also reminded that this was from the adoptee's perspective, and there are a million books written from the adoptive parents' points of view.
This memoir certainly reinforced for me that many adopted kids struggle in communities that are not like their own heritage, and that therapy is essential in this situation! We now know that ignoring racism and having a colorblind approach to differences is not a helpful way to combat prejudices in predominately white communities. That all being said, Chung mentioned several times that she never told her mother the true extent of what she was feeling and experiencing. How can someone help you if you never share what is causing you pain?
Ultimately, I appreciated hearing this rather singular perspective, weaved into the reminder that although all families are different, we all share the desire to be accepted and loved by our families.
2021: Ooof the biggest trigger warning ever, there's very graphic descriptions of bulimia in this book. Also, how the hell is this a YA book?
Actually, there's a whole hell of a lot of trigger warnings that should (and do) accompany this novel. I have to say, I don't think I enjoyed it. Certainly not in a way that I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of [b:A Little Life|22822858|A Little Life|Hanya Yanagihara|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1446469353l/22822858._SY75_.jpg|42375710]. That being said, should I be so surprised that a YA book really dove into what the world of disordered eating really looks like?
-1 point for such unlikeable characters, but +1 for the incredible descriptions and the wonderful prose. This is such a New York City book, and after reading [b:One Last Stop|54860443|One Last Stop|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598019346l/54860443._SY75_.jpg|71323146], I'm really missing the warm and fuzzy city vibes. The fact that Jayne works at Fish's Eddy *swoon* but also even the discussion of how crazy Trader Joe's is in Manhattan made me miss the city (just a little). The references are top notch: I loved the inclusion of [b:When Breath Becomes Air|25899336|When Breath Becomes Air|Paul Kalanithi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492677644l/25899336._SX50_.jpg|45424659] as an integral symbol in the book, and the Gilmore Girls analysis really hit home too.
I understand that part of the whole novel was to discuss being sick in one's body, and how it affects your choices. But are you kidding me?! We are just going to forgive Patrick and everything's hunky dory? Absolutely not. Also, there's not a single man in the book who doesn't make a move on Jayne (besides her dad). That's....not how it works. Double also, there's absolutely no way that this insurance fraud works out or doesn't come to bite them in the ass in the future. NO WAY. Maybe I'm just sour after reading this and [b:All You Can Ever Know|30297153|All You Can Ever Know|Nicole Chung|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519748414l/30297153._SY75_.jpg|50777526], but this only child has got to take a break from these you-need-a-sister-to-be-a-functioning-human-books.
The last couple of chapters really took a 180º turn for me. I felt like I was reading a different book for the last couple of hours of the audiobook. But let me tell you, if you enjoy your books wrapping things up nicely at the end, this is NOT the book for you! I had a very intense eye roll at the end of this book - overall, this is not getting recommended to anyone.
Actually, there's a whole hell of a lot of trigger warnings that should (and do) accompany this novel. I have to say, I don't think I enjoyed it. Certainly not in a way that I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of [b:A Little Life|22822858|A Little Life|Hanya Yanagihara|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1446469353l/22822858._SY75_.jpg|42375710]. That being said, should I be so surprised that a YA book really dove into what the world of disordered eating really looks like?
-1 point for such unlikeable characters, but +1 for the incredible descriptions and the wonderful prose. This is such a New York City book, and after reading [b:One Last Stop|54860443|One Last Stop|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598019346l/54860443._SY75_.jpg|71323146], I'm really missing the warm and fuzzy city vibes. The fact that Jayne works at Fish's Eddy *swoon* but also even the discussion of how crazy Trader Joe's is in Manhattan made me miss the city (just a little). The references are top notch: I loved the inclusion of [b:When Breath Becomes Air|25899336|When Breath Becomes Air|Paul Kalanithi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492677644l/25899336._SX50_.jpg|45424659] as an integral symbol in the book, and the Gilmore Girls analysis really hit home too.
I understand that part of the whole novel was to discuss being sick in one's body, and how it affects your choices. But are you kidding me?! We are just going to forgive Patrick and everything's hunky dory? Absolutely not. Also, there's not a single man in the book who doesn't make a move on Jayne (besides her dad). That's....not how it works. Double also, there's absolutely no way that this insurance fraud works out or doesn't come to bite them in the ass in the future. NO WAY. Maybe I'm just sour after reading this and [b:All You Can Ever Know|30297153|All You Can Ever Know|Nicole Chung|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519748414l/30297153._SY75_.jpg|50777526], but this only child has got to take a break from these you-need-a-sister-to-be-a-functioning-human-books.
The last couple of chapters really took a 180º turn for me. I felt like I was reading a different book for the last couple of hours of the audiobook. But let me tell you, if you enjoy your books wrapping things up nicely at the end, this is NOT the book for you! I had a very intense eye roll at the end of this book - overall, this is not getting recommended to anyone.
2021: Here's the deal – this was a good book, but it could have been a paragraph, and I would be walking away with the same feeling.
I like Klinenberg a lot; I really enjoyed his book [b:Modern Romance|23453112|Modern Romance|Aziz Ansari|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432335014l/23453112._SY75_.jpg|43014915] with Aziz Ansari, but I felt the same way reading this book as I did when I finished [b:Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone|11797459|Going Solo The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone|Eric Klinenberg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347918144l/11797459._SY75_.jpg|16750253]. Both had super great premises, and wonderful thesis statements....and very boring chapters to slog through.
The discussion about the library being at the center of social life really won me over (as we knew it would) and bringing it back at the end of the book was a nice full circle moment. However, the rest of the middle of the book was unnecessary and beating me over the head with the same conclusions. This was a very similar vibe to how I felt while reading [b:Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams|34466963|Why We Sleep Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams|Matthew Walker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556604137l/34466963._SY75_.jpg|55587034]–like, I get it. Basically, the subtitle of Palaces for the People tells you everything you need to know about this book - you don't need to spend your time reading it.
It was fun to be reading this at the same time as I was reading [b:A Promised Land|55361205|A Promised Land|Barack Obama|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600357110l/55361205._SY75_.jpg|86336100], as Klinenberg makes several references to events that happened during Obama's presidency and follow along a very similar timeline to the president's most recent book. However, I felt like Klinenberg was over-explaining a lot of these events - maybe because I lived through all of them, I didn't need such detail going into the triple whammy that was Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, & Irma in 2017?
I like Klinenberg a lot; I really enjoyed his book [b:Modern Romance|23453112|Modern Romance|Aziz Ansari|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432335014l/23453112._SY75_.jpg|43014915] with Aziz Ansari, but I felt the same way reading this book as I did when I finished [b:Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone|11797459|Going Solo The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone|Eric Klinenberg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347918144l/11797459._SY75_.jpg|16750253]. Both had super great premises, and wonderful thesis statements....and very boring chapters to slog through.
The discussion about the library being at the center of social life really won me over (as we knew it would) and bringing it back at the end of the book was a nice full circle moment. However, the rest of the middle of the book was unnecessary and beating me over the head with the same conclusions. This was a very similar vibe to how I felt while reading [b:Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams|34466963|Why We Sleep Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams|Matthew Walker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556604137l/34466963._SY75_.jpg|55587034]–like, I get it. Basically, the subtitle of Palaces for the People tells you everything you need to know about this book - you don't need to spend your time reading it.
It was fun to be reading this at the same time as I was reading [b:A Promised Land|55361205|A Promised Land|Barack Obama|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600357110l/55361205._SY75_.jpg|86336100], as Klinenberg makes several references to events that happened during Obama's presidency and follow along a very similar timeline to the president's most recent book. However, I felt like Klinenberg was over-explaining a lot of these events - maybe because I lived through all of them, I didn't need such detail going into the triple whammy that was Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, & Irma in 2017?
2021: 10/10 would recommend the audiobook for this read
Look, I love Obama, so listening to 29 hours of his dulcet tones was really not a hard sell for me. But the entire premise of this book was Obama saying, "now let me walk you through every decision I made between 2000 and 2011, and tell you *my* side of the story". Not a bad premise, but a weary one over time. He spends a good chunk of time talking about how Jon Favreau kept telling him his speeches were too long, and then Obama goes and writes a book that is too long.
I really enjoyed reading this additional perspective of a time period that a) I lived through and b) I have read extensively about. Obviously, [b:Becoming|38746485|Becoming|Michelle Obama|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528206996l/38746485._SY75_.jpg|60334006] is an ideal partner for this book, but also [b:Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House|31176294|Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House|Alyssa Mastromonaco|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1480286429l/31176294._SX50_.jpg|51813578] (which I read a couple of years ago and LOVED), and [b:The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir|42872088|The Education of an Idealist A Memoir|Samantha Power|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565398168l/42872088._SY75_.jpg|66662066] (which I read last year - definitely check all of these books out!) Next up on the TBR is going to have to be [b:What Happened|34114362|What Happened|Hillary Rodham Clinton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501171573l/34114362._SY75_.jpg|55143253] by Hillary Clinton.
I mean, again, I agree with the vast majority of Obama's policy decisions, so I was already inclined to really like this book. I thought his description of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspective of someone in power, someone who could actually affect change in the region, and still felt powerless to help was particularly compelling. It was also pretty trippy to be listening to the final chapter of this book on my run today - it ends with the killing of Bin Laden, and today happens to have been the final day that Biden had American troops in Afghanistan.
tl;dr - go read [b:Becoming|38746485|Becoming|Michelle Obama|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528206996l/38746485._SY75_.jpg|60334006] if you haven't already, this one (and its upcoming brothers) will be waiting for you when you're done.
Look, I love Obama, so listening to 29 hours of his dulcet tones was really not a hard sell for me. But the entire premise of this book was Obama saying, "now let me walk you through every decision I made between 2000 and 2011, and tell you *my* side of the story". Not a bad premise, but a weary one over time. He spends a good chunk of time talking about how Jon Favreau kept telling him his speeches were too long, and then Obama goes and writes a book that is too long.
I really enjoyed reading this additional perspective of a time period that a) I lived through and b) I have read extensively about. Obviously, [b:Becoming|38746485|Becoming|Michelle Obama|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528206996l/38746485._SY75_.jpg|60334006] is an ideal partner for this book, but also [b:Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House|31176294|Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House|Alyssa Mastromonaco|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1480286429l/31176294._SX50_.jpg|51813578] (which I read a couple of years ago and LOVED), and [b:The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir|42872088|The Education of an Idealist A Memoir|Samantha Power|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565398168l/42872088._SY75_.jpg|66662066] (which I read last year - definitely check all of these books out!) Next up on the TBR is going to have to be [b:What Happened|34114362|What Happened|Hillary Rodham Clinton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501171573l/34114362._SY75_.jpg|55143253] by Hillary Clinton.
I mean, again, I agree with the vast majority of Obama's policy decisions, so I was already inclined to really like this book. I thought his description of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspective of someone in power, someone who could actually affect change in the region, and still felt powerless to help was particularly compelling. It was also pretty trippy to be listening to the final chapter of this book on my run today - it ends with the killing of Bin Laden, and today happens to have been the final day that Biden had American troops in Afghanistan.
tl;dr - go read [b:Becoming|38746485|Becoming|Michelle Obama|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1528206996l/38746485._SY75_.jpg|60334006] if you haven't already, this one (and its upcoming brothers) will be waiting for you when you're done.
2021: Oooh I really enjoyed this one!
This was the first book in a minute that has kept me up at night, wanting to read more and more. Peters does a phenomenal job of navigating this twisted story of some very complex characters. It's definitely complicated, and there are so many blurred lines. Even Ames' pronouns fluidly switch between when she was Amy and when he is Ames, but it was easy enough to follow due to Peters' deft hand.
Peters gave a great interview on NPR in which she discusses writing for trans women, and the rest of the readers can just catch up. She compares it to Toni Morrison writing for Black women, and not "slowing down" for the other readers who might not be as familiar with her culture. I loved this element of the novel - there were definitely a couple of things that I needed to look up, which I super appreciate the education that will make my experiences with the trans folx in my life go all the better in the future.
The highlight of this book, for me though, was that a bunch of the characters live IN GREENPOINT, Brooklyn, which is right where I used to live. Specifically, they live in the NW quadrant of Greenpoint, which everyone knows is the best (especially one of my old roommates). I loved the references, this was such a Brooklyn book, and yet completely separate from both [b:One Last Stop|54860443|One Last Stop|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598019346l/54860443._SY75_.jpg|71323146] and [b:Yolk|43562313|Yolk|Mary H.K. Choi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1595533768l/43562313._SX50_.jpg|67774557], both of which I've read very recently. But they are such Manhattan books - give me Greenpoint any day.
This was the first book in a minute that has kept me up at night, wanting to read more and more. Peters does a phenomenal job of navigating this twisted story of some very complex characters. It's definitely complicated, and there are so many blurred lines. Even Ames' pronouns fluidly switch between when she was Amy and when he is Ames, but it was easy enough to follow due to Peters' deft hand.
Peters gave a great interview on NPR in which she discusses writing for trans women, and the rest of the readers can just catch up. She compares it to Toni Morrison writing for Black women, and not "slowing down" for the other readers who might not be as familiar with her culture. I loved this element of the novel - there were definitely a couple of things that I needed to look up, which I super appreciate the education that will make my experiences with the trans folx in my life go all the better in the future.
The highlight of this book, for me though, was that a bunch of the characters live IN GREENPOINT, Brooklyn, which is right where I used to live. Specifically, they live in the NW quadrant of Greenpoint, which everyone knows is the best (especially one of my old roommates). I loved the references, this was such a Brooklyn book, and yet completely separate from both [b:One Last Stop|54860443|One Last Stop|Casey McQuiston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598019346l/54860443._SY75_.jpg|71323146] and [b:Yolk|43562313|Yolk|Mary H.K. Choi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1595533768l/43562313._SX50_.jpg|67774557], both of which I've read very recently. But they are such Manhattan books - give me Greenpoint any day.
2021: Mehhhh I did not think I would go so against the current on this one, but that was my experience with it!
First off, I had a really hard time getting behind Linus as a narrator. So the premise is that he cares sooooo much about these kids that he must protect them, but also he works for the governmental department that is in charge of shutting down the schools that house and teach them? And if the schools are not up to par, he never once thinks about what happens to those children that he just displaced? He cares deeply about *every single child*, yet just punches in and out and never follows up and knows zero adult magical creatures?
The world building was very subpar in my opinion. If this is a world in which both Emma Lazarus and Buddy Holly exist (so, presumably the one we are currently living in, because he quotes the poem from the Statue of Liberty, which means that France and America and NEW YORK must exist!), why on earth was the country and year of the story not better established? On top of that, it was mind boggling to think that there was magic that existed in this world, and that they weren't using it! It made no sense that the boat captain would complain about new-fangled computers, but Linus had to use the post office to mail all of his letters back to the Department. Also, why are you still using a post office IF MAGIC EXISTS?! Don't even get me started on the record players....
The Harry Potter excuse (that the magicians hide themselves from the rest of the Muggles using magic) doesn't work because there's literally a governmental agency for magical children who sends a Muggle to investigate the magical island. Also, what happens to all of these children once they grow into magical adults? Furthermore, what happened to all of their parents to cause only magical children to become orphans?!
This is all in addition to the controversy surrounding this book, criticizing Klune for using the horrors of the Sixties Scoop (where the Canadian government removed Indigenous children from their homes and placed them with unrelated white families) as inspiration for this book. Klune skates right over any of the trauma / discussion of what happened to have all of these orphaned magical children in the first place, and turned it into one of the most predictable books I've read in a while. And this wasn't a YA novel, so why gloss over it all?
+1 for a happy gay romance, -3 for there not being a fucking therapist anywhere on Marsyas Island.
First off, I had a really hard time getting behind Linus as a narrator. So the premise is that he cares sooooo much about these kids that he must protect them, but also he works for the governmental department that is in charge of shutting down the schools that house and teach them? And if the schools are not up to par, he never once thinks about what happens to those children that he just displaced? He cares deeply about *every single child*, yet just punches in and out and never follows up and knows zero adult magical creatures?
The world building was very subpar in my opinion. If this is a world in which both Emma Lazarus and Buddy Holly exist (so, presumably the one we are currently living in, because he quotes the poem from the Statue of Liberty, which means that France and America and NEW YORK must exist!), why on earth was the country and year of the story not better established? On top of that, it was mind boggling to think that there was magic that existed in this world, and that they weren't using it! It made no sense that the boat captain would complain about new-fangled computers, but Linus had to use the post office to mail all of his letters back to the Department. Also, why are you still using a post office IF MAGIC EXISTS?! Don't even get me started on the record players....
The Harry Potter excuse (that the magicians hide themselves from the rest of the Muggles using magic) doesn't work because there's literally a governmental agency for magical children who sends a Muggle to investigate the magical island. Also, what happens to all of these children once they grow into magical adults? Furthermore, what happened to all of their parents to cause only magical children to become orphans?!
This is all in addition to the controversy surrounding this book, criticizing Klune for using the horrors of the Sixties Scoop (where the Canadian government removed Indigenous children from their homes and placed them with unrelated white families) as inspiration for this book. Klune skates right over any of the trauma / discussion of what happened to have all of these orphaned magical children in the first place, and turned it into one of the most predictable books I've read in a while. And this wasn't a YA novel, so why gloss over it all?
+1 for a happy gay romance, -3 for there not being a fucking therapist anywhere on Marsyas Island.