Non-Fiction

The Wordy Shipmates

1 Comment / 2009, Audiobooks, Books in Bed, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

Another book we saw at Women and Children First. The Wordy Shipmates, I reserved on audio not having the remotest clue as to what it was about. All I knew was that TW wanted to read it and we hadn’t had an audio book for awhile.

Hah. Best audio decision I’ve ever made. Better even than the Ladies #1 Detective Agency books on audio.

At first, we just looked at each other in disbelief. The voice, the writing – it was our friend from BlogHer, Suzanne Reisman. But of course it wasn’t, it was Sarah Vowell but still… so, very Suzanne Reisman-like.

The snark! The glorious snark! And all of it directed at our Puritan forefathers. This ought to be required LISTENING for high school students. It’s interesting. Funny. Smart. I was sorry to see it end.

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The Year We Disappeared

2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Don't Read This, Non-Fiction, Young Adult /

The very best thing I can say about The Year We Disappeared is that with this book I finished my Cybil Challenge. Yay me!

I really wish I hadn’t finished with such a dull book. Dull, dull, dull. Disappointing because it’s a true story and a great story.

I’ve always wondered about relocation programs. So this should have been interesting and compelling for me. Did I mention it was dull?

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Fight Like a Girl

2009, Books in Bed, Feminism, Non-Fiction /

I probably would never have made time to read Fight Like a Girl if it hadn’t been assigned for Michelle’s Intro to Women’s Studies class.

I’ve picked it up several times, in various women’s book stores, but always put it back down in favor of buying something else. Always thought “I should reserve this at the library.” and then never did it.

It’s that kind of book.

It’s also not the best book for someone who spends a lot of time knee deep in feminist issues (whether they are second wave, third wave or fourth wave issues) because it’s a little slow.

It is an excellent book if you’re looking for a what was feminism, what wasn’t it… what is it now, what can it be, what do you want it to be – or not be… type of book.

It’s also an excellent book if you’re looking for more resources and basic ideas for doing feminism or activism of any type. The “how tos” in the back were brilliant, not because they included anything new or unusual but because they were included at all.

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Woman at Point Zero

2009, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Women /

Michelle’s financial aid and scholarship money was slow to come through and she needed her text books (Michelle is obsessive in her need to pre-read her textbooks prior to the first day of class. It’s a little weird) so I ordered them for her.

When I saw the two non textbooky books required for her woman’s studies class, I thought I had read Woman at Point Zero. In fact I was sure I had read it. But after reading the synopsis, and the reviews. I decided I had only heard about it or read about it – so I reserved a copy for myself at the library.

Nope, I hadn’t read it. No, I don’t think it’s quite as compelling as some of the Amazon reviews indicate it is. Yes, it’s a terrific book for an woman’s studies intro class. (I think Michelle will like the other assigned book better than this one… but I could be wrong. We’ll find out…)

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Wicked Plants

2009, Books in Bed, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

I reserved Wicked Plants after seeing it in some bookstore or another. TW mentioned it because she saw it on some list or another. It was also on my Amazon wish list for awhile. And it’s terrific!

A great book to skim or pick up for a few minutes while you’re taking the dogs out to use the bathroom or waiting for the hold music to disappear prior to a conference call. It would also be a terrific book to just have on the shelf – particularly if you’re a gardener or an outdoorsy person or a trivia nut.

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King George: What was his problem?

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Favorites, Non-Fiction /

I stayed up til midnight last night to finish King George: What was his problem?. Please do not take this to mean it is the best book ever. It’s simply a piece of my childhood rearing its ugly head and I could not help it. Blame my father.

This is what the first history textbooks should look like. Too many kids hate history because it’s boring. History is not boring. Should not be boring. If you can’t make it un-boring with the textbooks you have, then ditch them and use a book like this instead. Or call my dad.

He’ll drive you around to every battleground in the United States and force you to listen to everything he knows about THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR (it’s bolded for a reason) and you will hate it and you will be bored but not nearly as bored as trying to read a stupid dry text book. And when you’re an adult who no longer has to think about Ft Ticonderoga or who was to blame for the whole Benedict Arnold fiasco (Gates, I’m looking at you) you will find yourself happily devouring a fun book about THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR and it will be your father’s fault.

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A Homemade Life

1 Comment / 2009, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Women /

Not all blogs should become books. Molly Wizenberg’s Orangette is not one of those blogs. Her blog, which then became the book A Homemade Life was fabulous. And remember, I’m no foodie.

That’s really why I think it was a great book, it can speak to everyone. There’s a little something for everyone. And the stories, often about food and cooking and recipes are not a turn off to those of us who don’t “get” the whole food thing. Because we do get the relationships thing.

Wizenberg does the relationship story just as well as she does the food story. And, because this is so, I would like to try a half dozen of those recipes. That’s saying something.

* I would like to note that I do not know Molly. I am not a long time Orangette fan. I’ve read it before, a few times, but it has never been in my feedreader. I have no personal connection to the woman or her blog that colors how I felt about the book. (Odd since most blog to books that I read, I read because I do have a connection to the author.)

* Also, if you live in Seattle or are visiting, I’d recommend you check out Delancey. I would, if I lived there (or was going for a visit.)

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Three Cybils that I didn’t love

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Children's Literature, Cybil Challenge, Non-Fiction, Young Adult /

The search is on for this year’s Cybils judges and this sent me into a bit of a panic. New judges and I haven’t finished last year’s winners yet? Ugh. So, I’m on a mission to get these finished asap. As sassymonkey smartly reminded me mid-freakout, I’m almost finished.

I finished 3 middle grade/YA non-fiction this weekend and I didn’t love any of them.

Swords was the most disappointing because I was really looking forward to it. It wasn’t horrible, I just wanted more than I got.

I was pretty bored by Lincoln Through the Lens but I expected to be bored so that’s ok.

I enjoyed We Are the Ship the most out of the three. I have a fondness for Negro League Baseball stories because the men behind the teams were brilliant and those stories aren’t told often enough. The athletes were fantastic but it’s the owners and managers who I’m more interested in. I got some of those stories in this book, and I appreciate that.

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5 Ways to {blank} your blog

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Favorites, Non-Fiction, Women /

Deb Rocks is funny. She’s more than funny. It doesn’t matter if she’s leaving comments on BlogHer, or on Twitter or blogging. The woman makes people laugh. In a smart way.

Her book, 5 Ways to {blank} your blog is funny – in a smart way. Totally what I expected to see.

It’s full of laughs. Full of great blogs that you should visit. Full of smart tips, sometimes masked as non-tips.

Buy the book and then go {blank} your blog. It will be funny. We’ll all laugh with you… and probably at you.

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Kabul Beauty School

2 Comments / 2009, Books in Bed, Non-Fiction, Women /

Yes I’m just now getting around to reading Kabul Beauty School. Thank goodness for the From the Stacks Challenge because I’m sure if I didn’t force myself to do this challenge every year, a whole slew of great books I’ve purchased would go unread. Like this one.

There are just too many books and not enough damn time.

I liked it. I’ve heard a lot about it and was a little worried that I wouldn’t like it. There are a lot of non-fiction books, written by westerners, about Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan that I’ve just plain hated. Thank goodness, this wasn’t one of them.

I loved the story. I loved the idea of the beauty school. I loved a look at the people and the culture – and the culture clashes.

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