The Good Girls Revolt: How the Women of Newsweek Sued Their Bosses and Changed the Workplace
I am still angry that Amazon cancelled the screen adaptation The Good Girls Revolt by Lynn Povich. Yes, they gave us The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but the fact that we only got to see up to the day the ladies sued their employer is something I have a hard time forgiving. So, of course I knew I was going to eventually pick up Lynn Polovich's book to fill the empty space Amazon left me with. The book was... okay. The story is a fascinating one. The women of Newsweek had a kind of
The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith
I think the best YA is simply lovely, while grappling with some of the heavier topics in today's world. And The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith is masterful in accomplishing both of these objectives. From the start, the reader is invested in Leila and her struggle to allow herself to belong somewhere. As she begins to discover just how connected she is to the rest of the world, we also see just how nuanced her character is. Racism, non-traditional families, adoption, depress
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
This is, thus far, my favorite book of 2018. I read this in a single sitting, which I have been unable to do since I lost my mind and hand a child. So that should tell you something about how masterful this novel is. A heartbreaking look at how racism and the prison industrial complex ruins lives, Jones gives voice to the innocent and his family during his unfair incarceration. A brand new marriage destroyed, two lives upended forever, An American Marriage is a commentary on
Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital by David M.
I loved loved loved this book. Like most people, my knowledge of Bellevue was really derived from jokes made by Ralph Kramden et al on black & white episodes of The Honeymooners... the inference being that Bellevue was a mental institution. So learning about Bellevue's historical contribution to the entirety of US healthcare and the ways in which they've been a major innovator in medicine was an eye-opener. Not only was this beleaguered public hospital in the forefront of the
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
I read this book for my book group and was hesitant solely because of the cover art. I am sooooo over books about women (especially kick ass, brilliant women) being all watercolors and pastels, with a generic, faceless woman staring wistfully into the distance. Over it.
But my feelings on trends in cover art aside, this book was a good read. In it, we get to learn about the famous Albert Eintein's decidedly less famous (because... vagina) first wife who was a genius in her
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of WWII by Liza Mundy
After the year we've had, I've found myself called to true stories of bad ass women being bad ass women and getting zero credit for it. So the instant Code Girls came out, I knew I'd be reading it. These women were geniuses, largely responsible for our wins in WWII, yet so many of them hold their secrets to this day... while their male counterparts write books about their bravery and derring do. Liza Mundy has an amazing capacity to cram a lot of information into her stories,
All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis
Given our current political climate and the rage coma I've been in since last November, I've been actively avoiding dystopian fiction. Which is saying something because usually it's my main jam. But I just couldn't bring myself to read horror stories that were just WAY too close for comfort. However, a friend recently read All Rights Reserved by Gregory Scott Katsoulis and the moment she told me of the concept, I knew I needed to read it immediately. And if you know me, you k
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
Disclaimer: I know the author of this book. However, the NYT Notable Children's Books of 2017 List can't be wrong! I know I haven't done one of these in awhile, but I figured now is a perfect time to get back into the habit. Congrats, Karina! If you're anything like me, our current political climate makes it difficult to read things you previously loved. Dystopian fiction used to be one of my favorite genres. And now it just feels too close to home. It's the exact same reaso
Vanessa and Her Sister by Priya Parmar
Another instance where the cover art initially completely turned me off. I've found that I'm just not a fan of the trendy hazy, pastel-colored images of random ass women. This kind of art is rarely indicative of the type of story that lies beneath it, but still... publishers insist on it. I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND! ::hops off soapbox:: Anyway, I was surprised to find that I was completely engrossed in this story about Virginia Woolf's family as told by her older sister, who wa
Edgar & Lucy by Victor Lodato
The gorgeous cover originally called me to this advanced reading copy. White-on-white embossed flora, striking black and red font. Beautiful!
But I was not at all prepared for a how the pages inside would worm their way into very soul. It has been some time since I've been utterly startled by a story. I had a bit of a reading rut after November's election. I would pick up a book but nothing felt... right. My usual standby, dystopian fiction, now hit too close to home and m
