bookhound's Notes
2026
So Far Gone
By Jess Walter"Fun" read isn't quite right as it does have some violent and tense scenes. But the main character is funny, even when he doesn't mean to be, and there's always the sense that he's going to figure it out and get his life back in order. The events he goes through to get there, however, are sometimes like watching an action movie. Car chase, gun fights, a legion of religious goons in the mountains of Idaho...
At the core of it, the old man got fed up with the ugliness of the world and gave up on his family to become a recluse. He saw it as doing everyone else a favor, but ultimately realizes he was being a selfish coward. After nearly a decade goes by, he is dragged back into the messiness of the real world and discovered that what he sacrificed - time with his family and connection to community - is time that he can't get back but he can start now to make amends. And while it may have seemed worthwhile to retreat to the woods and to his books to opt out of the craziness of the world, all it really did was result in protecting himself. The ugliness and craziness of the world continued in his absence. The only difference is he wasn't there to help when his family needed him.
For all the drama, the story is fairly simple and the moral is clear: Connection with community and family is the most important thing.
Moderation
By Elaine CastilloGirlie is the oldest cousin in the family trying to keep everyone afloat and maintain the veneer of financial success after the economic crash. The social media moderation job she takes helps put her on a path to start paying the family's mortgage, getting exorbitant gifts for her mom, putting a deposit on a fancy event space for her cousin, etc. It's a pretty big burden she's put on herself. And for what? So her mom can show off her latest designer bag to her relatives and feel "good" about herself?
Girlie seems to be somewhat immune to the daily intake of horrors she needs to witness and examine as part of her job. She's sharp-witted, sarcastic, and a cynic through and through...so someone I liked immediately. But, after a while it becomes clear that she is indeed unhappy.
The quote that really encapsulates how incisive and dry the humor is:
"Okay, I'll take your carbon offsets for my brain."
This is in reference to "immersive" therapy sessions her employer is offering once she gets the promotion to become a content moderator in virtual reality settings -- a job that is extremely invasive of the employee's privacy and mostly involves stopping men from (virtually) attacking femme-presenting avatars/people. So yes, they offer therapy sessions to try to undo some of the harm they're causing. Hooray?
The book examines what her Big Tech employer creates-- a playground for people to act out their fantasies (all too often their darkest fantasies which causes real psychological harm). As compared to the good that they promise - cutting-edge therapeutic applications and escapism.
It begs the question of whether the well-meaning employees in the company will ever make it worthwhile. If the cost of all the harm will ever be outweighed by the good they hope to create.
As a society, why is it that we so blithely accept all the bad - the election interference, the mental illness, the harassment, privacy violations, etc. - for the sake of having a bit of convenience or a few moments of escapism? What we need to escape is the trap they've created for us.
Other Notes:
- At one point in the VR world, she noticed there was a mosaic that did not have a "double click" option to learn more (unlike most of the rest of the scene). And she wondered, is it really so bad to have some mystery? Maybe it's okay to just wonder, imagine, and contemplate instead of having every moment filled in by some explanation.
- The author narrates the audiobook. I usually think this is a bad sign (unless it's Barbara Kingsolver), but in this case, Castillo nails it. She provides so much texture to the voices and the way her characters speak sheds more light on who they are.
- As I'm beginning to peruse Castillo's other works, I'm pretty sure there are a couple Easter eggs in here.
The Marriage Portrait
Reese's Book Club
By Maggie O'FarrellThe story managed to maintain a sense of tension for a long time, despite the day to day life being somewhat dull for the duchess. (At least most days.) Beautifully written, very rich descriptions of the era and the symbolism were more than enough to carry my interest.
Young Lucrezia is married off for political reasons and sent far away from the only place she's ever known. She's essentially locked in a tower - isolated from family, no friends to speak of but a loyal servant and a happenstance visitor, no ability to do anything much other than dawdle - occasionally able to pursue her artwork. (The fact that she excels at painting baffles everyone).
The lack of agency and immense isolation facing Lurcrezia is conveyed really well. It's lonely, but also a bit bewildering and disorienting to have so little information about things that impact your own life. The whole time she's wondering just how displeased her husband is ...with her knowing too much, having opinions, and certainly it's unacceptable that she does not seem able to bear him a child.
Patricia Wants to Cuddle
By Samantha AllenThis book flips the script on who the villain actually is. I didn't love the writing all the time, but maybe that had more to do with the annoying characters than anything else. (They were mostly contestants for an online dating show who were hyper-focused on growing their influencer status, so not exactly very likable...)
I also appreciated the author's choice to make the POV from the people who just kept getting killed off. We really get inside the head of a particular character and then BAM, she's torn in two. Goodbye narrator.
Themes of finding community and "true" beauty over the superficial. Though I think both these could have been fleshed out more.
The Only Good Indians
By Stephen Graham JonesA horror book that is jam-packed with action but also quite tender. It's a reminder that violence and terror begets violence and terror, and mistakes or misdeeds can haunt you long after you thought the event was well into your past.
The characters are well rounded and realistic - the banter between old friends, the complicated relationships with imperfect parents, the husband trying to be dutiful to please his wife (by cleaning up the crumbs), the taciturn nature of the awkward, troubled teen. Thoughtful details like these really drew me into the story.
Another thing that stuck out for me was the description of the holes left in the community when someone dies. My impression is that in horror books, the focus is typically on the individual and their death scene and maybe the impact on their family or friends. But Jones also take a wider lens about how the loss of one person or two can leave a whole town reeling, especially a small town. No one is left now to deliver the mail. The school's basketball team can no longer compete. Everyone is impacted one way or another and it weakens the entire community's ability to function. The ripple effect is devastating.
Also, I usually just skip acknowledgements or do a brief skim. In the audio book, the author steps in to read the acknowledgements and that made it feel extra genuine and special. It's really quite moving, so don't gloss over this bit.
Reader beware. The action scenes are intense and the violence is pretty gruesome.
Olga Dies Dreaming
By Xochitl GonzalezPulled in from the get-go by...wait for it... a discussion about napkins. Yep. Turns out there's a lot you can say about napkins and also use that description to draw distinctions between the haves and the have-nots in a way that's pointed but also amusing.
The characters are all so rich, even with just a little bit of dialogue, you learn so much about them. Sometimes the dialogue feels a little forced to move the plot along or to provide more backstory/context efficiently, but it's usually forgivable. Especially when you get to the letters from Olga's mother, which are so biting. Even as an estranged parent, she sees everything and does not hesitate to call out her kids when they fail to meet her expectations. She's truly unforgiving.
Olga is a party planner for the uber wealthy in NYC, where she grew up with her brother and grandmother. Her mother left when she was young to become a revolutionary to fight for Puerto Rico. Let's just say that mom has a lot of concerns about the choices her daughter has made and who she is rubbing elbows with.
That relationship would probably be enough for a full book but there's so much more packed in. There's also a pretty compelling love story. The ending to that left me a little disappointed because I think it undercuts the other themes in the book, but I generally felt invested in the relationship.
It's a lot to chew on but I think the author manages to pull off all the complexity, critiques, and plot lines. In no particular order:
- Politicians getting blackmailed and bribed to sellout their constituents
- The driving forces of gentrification in NYC (though, this does leave out the trade off of building bigger to fulfill the growing housing needs)
- The total lack of federal support for Puerto Rico in the lead up to and aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Frankly, what's happening today with ICE raids should be no surprise. The US still has a colony that we exploit and treat American citizens like parasites simply because they are not white. Why would we ever expect a modicum of compassion for immigrants in this country? It's sickening. I knew an embarrassing little amount about our relationship with Puerto Rico and now I'm livid. Olga likened the poor emergency response to genocide - by just sitting back and watching the destruction take place, the federal government (and the private interests behind them) can just let nature do the job for them without getting their own hands dirty.
- Environmental justice is not just about where pollution takes place, but also who is impacted by environmental catastrophes. The climate crisis hurts the most disenfranchised the hardest. And they also get the least investment to be resilient to or to recover from disasters.
- Revolutionaries filling the gaps where federal and local government fails. When there's a need in the community and it's not being fulfilled, the community organizes -- sometimes creating powerful leaders to fill the void - for better or for worse.
Hunchback
By Saou IchikawaThe first chapter will have pearl-clutchers screaming bloody murder. It does give the impression that the book is not what you first expected...but stick with it.
After that, the narrator details her life as a wealthy, Japanese woman in her 40s with a congenital muscle and spine disorder which makes breathing and speaking extremely difficult and every day tasks a painstaking maneouver.
She pushes the boundaries of what's deemed "acceptable" by the mainstream -- thoughts most people would blush at, particularly coming from a disabled person.
The author challenges ableism and calls out examples of what's considered normal accomodations in the U.S. compared to Japan. As a fellow book lover, I was particularly struck by the critiques around physical books. For some, physical books are too heavy and burdensome to handle, so having some hierarchy of what's deemed "real" reading is a form of ableism. Digital books, of course, offer far more variations making them more accessible (large font, lighter, audio).
But the main focus is on her identity as a woman (one with her own sexual desires) and how she can assert that identity and live her life as she wishes given her disability and how people view her because of it.
- MINOR SPOILER AHEAD - At first she forays into her sexuality via her online alter ego and under a pen name. But then she's given the chance to play out her fantasy in real life... I doubt it goes in the direction you expect. It didn't for me.
The book tackled some pretty significant taboos, critical to challenging problematic norms that belittle and dismiss people with disabilities. And expect the language to match - there's no holding back. So if sexually explicit descriptions are not for you, be forewarned.
The Island of Last Things
By Emma SloleyCan you imagine a world where you look up to the sky and see the silhouette of a bird pass overhead and you're hit with such a sense of awe that you stop in your tracks, totally gobsmacked? That's this world. The climate catastrophe and levels of pollution have reached levels such that hardly any animals exist in the world anymore. Not even birds. Not even livestock. Any remaining "specimens" have been relegated to zoos, but now zoos are closing left and right too -- as the animals succumb to loneliness and disease from malnutrition and zoo officials succumb to cartels illicitly and violently stealing animals for their own entertainment. So when a nondescript, backlit bird catches your eye, you definitely take note.
The book explores whether it's better to keep animals caged and protected with the hopes that reproduction is possible, or better to let them live out their remaining short lives in the wild with almost guaranteed extinction ahead of them. There's a big twist at the end that may offer a partial solution. (I won't spoil it for you.)
The book also offers the very smallest teeniest tiniest bit of hope, but it's more of an inkling or a wish that there is another option. It's never confirmed. Frankly, I think it's just to reassure readers, but we shouldn't be reassured. We should be taking action every day to prevent this dystopian future.
The Mighty Red
By Louise ErdrichHonestly, I didn't really get into the book for a while, but then I found it impossible to put down. There were two mysteries - one in the recent past that was haunting a kid and his broader community prompting whispers and concern. And one in the present that led to a community seeking to ostracize a member of its own before truly knowing what happened. (The fact that one was a promising white football star and the other was a Native American woman may be part of the reason for the differing treatment...)
But more compelling than the mysteries were the characters. I only cared about the plot because I cared about them. Would Kizmet and Crystal be able to escape their fate or continue to be the people who can never catch a break? I was rooting for them so hard!
Beyond the main characters it was also interesting to learn about the boy who lied about his age to earn money working in the oil fields. It's a really big payout, but the housing options are terrible. I then looked up the housing shortages and it's real - people earning big bucks are nonetheless sleeping on the street. Not only is Hugo sleeping in a box, but he's also taking on really dangerous work. I was reading this book while also reading The Great Divide, and the similarities of people traveling to Panama to take on dangerous work to build the canal and Hugo taking his big trek to work far away from home in the oil fields definitely had similarities even though the events are 100 years apart. Crystal was hauling beets (for sugar) - another back-breaking job. But not just physically demanding on muscle and bone, but also breathing air inundated with chemicals sprayed on the fields. Anything to eke out a living.
There's a sad recognition that they are complicit in participating in industries that they know are harming themselves and their communities and the land. But do they really have a choice? How do we create a sustainable world that brings the birds back to the fields and also provides a living wage? The book answers those questions, too.
Everything Is Tuberculosis
The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
By John GreenRight out of the gate, it's a very compelling thesis about how the persistence of TB is not about techology or medicine but about injustice. Green quotes his friend:
Nothing is as priveleged as thinking that history is in the past.
This is true on so many levels. History repeats and it rhymes and for some, progress only comes at a glacial pace.
TB has killed far more people than the World Wars combined, and even the Black Plague. But it's profound impact on the globe is usually not even a footnote in most history classes. Nevermind that it's still very much a big problem even today, yet is seldom mentioned in the American news. (We have a 24-hour news cycle but somehow can't manage to find the time to mention the deadliest infectious disease in the world?)
Why is it ignored? It relates to who these days is most impacted. Colonisation/slavery and the persistent consequences -including those not immediately apparent (like train routes in Sierra Leone build for resource extraction, not for its communities)- mean less access and poor quality healthcare, so TB has a chance to flourish. Not to mention lack of food and how hunger makes TB treatment that much more difficult.
Historically -- though I'd argue it persists in some forms today -- the illness was praised for how it made its victims "more beautiful. " People actually desired to contract TB to achieve the standard of "Consumption chic". Romanticising the disease by praising how good it makes women look - thin and rosy cheeked. (There are parallels even today with receiving weight loss compliments in the wake of an illness...)
There was also romanticizing the illness when it's contracted by artists or writers as if their artistic tendencies made them more susceptible to the disease and made their work more beautiful because of it (and equating their shortened lives with their genius).
Of course, this only happens when the illness befalls white people. Other populations are ostracized when they contract TB as if it's their shortcomings that caused it to happen to them. Racializing the disease or dismissing it as only happening to the wicked happened when TB moved into newly urban industrialized zones and began impacting poor people due to dense housing.
After Henry's story started to circulate, there was an outpouring of support allowing his family to get back on their feet. Green reflects:
When we know about suffering, when we are proximal to it, we are capable of extraordinary generosity. We can do and be so much for each other. But only when we see one another in our full humanity - not as statistics or problems - but as people who deserve to be alive in the world.
The conclusion? That TB and other diseases and hardships do not fall on poor countries because they have some deficiency, or have corruption, or have geographic disadvantages, etc. Or that science or medicine simply haven't advanced enough. It's because deficiencies are caused by racism and colonialization and a capitalist system that doesn't value human life over dollars and cents. When we have the vaccines and the treatments and screening capabilities, they don't make it to the hands of those who need it most -- whether that's Freetown, Sierra Leone or rural Alaska -- because it's simply not profitable to do so. TB can be a thing of the past for the rich, the white, and the well-connected, but continues to plague those who have darker skin and emptier pockets.
2025
The Library Book
By Susan OrleanA dive into library history -- way more exciting than it sounds, I promise. This book provides a portrait of LA culture as well as the story behind the prime suspect for the largest library fire in US history. Part history, part mystery, part love letter to libraries.
There's immense deference to librarians and libraries and books and all the roles they play in our society (not just book depository but also a place to seek refuge, get help with taxes or immigration paperwork, human-Google, check out music scores or a laptop, research geneology, exchange war bonds, the list goes on). Really interesting to see how the role of the library has changed over the decades too, but always remains a critical third place in any community. We must continually invest in these institutions - these houses of information, and they must continually evolve to meet the needs of society.
Deciding to See
The View from Nathan's Bus
By Nathan VassA compilation of many short stories about the author's interactions with or observations of passengers on his bus. There is sorrow and grief but also heart-warming, hopeful moments. Nearly all stories have some sort of philosophical musing, mostly a reminder that to simply be kind to everyone is a good starting place. And sometimes it means the world to the recipient.
The author's (almost) relentless positive attitude has allowed him to bring some sunshine into this rainy city and foster community and connection in parts of the city most people don't want to even venture through. His lack of judgment of why people are who they are or how they've ended up in particular circumstances is crucial to maintaining this attitude. But it isn't naivity. It's humility and understanding that you can't make assumptions as well as a recognition that it doesn't take much for someone to end up on the streets. And sometimes, all it takes is some patience and some kindness to help people out of their dire situation. If not permanently, then at least in those moments you get to interact with them.
Cutting for Stone
By Abraham Verghese
Katabasis (Deluxe Limited Edition)
By R F KuangTLDR: It ran on for a bit too long but some of the world building was interesting. The character dynamic wasn't always believable but compelling enough. I mainly liked the philosophical/linguistic aspects to the book. It seemed really well researched.
I would NOT recommend listening to the audiobook version.
Random thoughts (and spoilers ahead...)
- Meaning behind main character named Alice - going down the rabbit hole to... hell
- Love hearing about the research the scholars have done about hell and all the different interpretations (at least for those who have come back -- as it was noted some don't make it back so the accounts they have are subject to survivorship bias)
- I do wonder why Alice is trying to leave hell. She said what she loves more than anything is the opportunity to think, to push her craft, and where better to do that than hell? As she points out herself, the Kripkes have immortality to perfect their magic, though they don't have access to the works of others which does hinder them. (Towards the end of the book, Grimes actually calls her out on this and says she's actually always been more interested in the achievement more than the learning. Is he right?)
- Towards the end of the book, she seems once again transfixed by Grimes and ready to follow him instead of acting on the rage that fueled her journey. Why does she fall so easily back in his trap? Is that an indication of how much he had groomed her?
- I still have a chapter or two to go, and I'm sensing there's going to be a grand romantic gesture... (Finished the book, and yes, confirmed.)
- In the end, the moral of the story was a little too overt, but the epiphany that Alice had was a good reminder for us all: don't fall for the charms of a man who berates and controls in order to seem big and important because he's actually not that hard-working, talented, or intelligent.
Stuck
How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity
By Yoni AppelbaumI'd recommend this as a primer for someone who wants to better understand the history and impacts of land use zoning. However, it's a bit dense at times, perhaps a tad repetitive, and sometimes the message gets lost. He often times used anecdotes of people throughout history to illustrate his point, but I kind of got lost in all the names/places. (He also oddly seemed fixated on height as some sort of character flaw or strength.)
Going back, America was the "land of opportunity". People immigrated here to live more freely, to pursue economic opportunities, or just to flee terrible conditions. The author posits that as freedom of movement became more restrictive (or, not necessarily the freedom of movement -- though there was that, too -- so much as the freedom/ability to live/settle anywhere). Early settlers found that they could increase their property size by moving to different commonwealths. And then continued to find more opportunity as they moved west, though the author does acknowledge that this was largely from taking land from Native peoples. And there was no zoning, just do what you want on your own property as long as it doesn't actively harm others. The latter was then broadly interpreted and weaponized.
In California, where many went to pursue mining (or support the miners' needs with other goods/services), there was the first zoning law (around 1890s, around 40 years after gold rush). It was a pretty blatant attempt at excluding Chinese immigrants and Chinese-Americans from living and operating in parts of the city. The book goes on to detail many other similar attempts across the country and how they evolved over time with slightly different rationales -- safety, preserving the character, protecting property values, securing the right to choose who's in your community.
The book also looks at the FHA and its hand in exacerbating exclusionary zoning through lending practices. The other thing it did was really spur building wealth through property investment. So then restricting building is a way for current homeowners to protect that investment. (And Black people were not able to participate in this program, leading to increased generational wealth gap.) "These federal programs established a new logic of housing. White middle class families could use FHA lonas to buy single family homes in new suburban subdivisions, if they exceeeded the minimum income. Working class families could apply to rent apartments in public housing developments, as long as they didn't exceeed the max income. Low density sprawl and class based segregation became a mattter of federal policy.
Natural cycle of building used to be able to expand to accomodate growing populations, but with restrictions, population growth is stymid by regulations/codes. Becomes too expensive to build or outright disallowed.
He argues that mobility is an "American trait" as we all (save Native peoples) came from somewhere else. Mobility >> greater land acquisition for farming, then Mobility >> job opportunities (e.g Great Migration to north for industry jobs). But also, he argues (pgge 60) that moving allows you to leave something behind when it doesn't work out (the flip side of moving for opportunity) and the ability to start new and even re-invent yourself.
Some quick notes I took down while reading:
- We have "mobility crisis" not affordability crisis because some parts of country still cheap to live. It's about the inability to move to whatever city we want to pursue opportunity -- primarily economic but also to choose which communities we want to be part of. (Early on in the book, I felt like this connection was rather weakly stated but became more clear later on. He kept saying that moving improves economic outcomes but didn't always explain how. And he ignored the costs of moving for quite some time - the cost of moving your stuff, the time it takes to move, the cost of the connections you leave behind, etc.) He claims that the ability to move is American "engine of prosperity" and for a while seemed to just argue that if move, you succeed, without providing other context.
- Isolation: We're apparently moving less frequently than before but our social ties (as measured by club/religious institutions membership) is down. I feel like this could be misinterpreted by the author. Maybe we don't need to be part of the clubs because we know our community because we've been established for a while. He does note later that many people join groups when they move -- yea because they need to meet new people. But knowing your neighbors because you've been in the same place for 15 years could maybe be an ok substitute to organized groups and not mean that civic society is falling apart. (Not discussed in book, but that seems way more likely an impact of social media than not moving residences every 5 years.) He did say that Trump voters were more likely not to be part of club, therefore more isolated and susceptible to his messaging. Later on says that federated orgs (like the Orange County Church of whatever or local Lions Club) made it easier for people to move and then fall into a group in their new hometown because they could find an equivalent in all corners of the country and their original club would vouch for them.
- Critique on Jacobs: Her fight against displacement led to "frozen in time" policy that prevented development of future development/taller buildings becauses at the time she wanted to prevent the gentrification in her neighborhood. Well-intentioned but maybe unintended consequences. However, she argued for more flexible policies that allowed cities to be more adaptable/compatible with growth. Though he also argued that perhaps she wasn't so well-intentioned and that if she really thought the govt was flawed, she should hav worked to vote them out of office instead of weilding her organizing power and loud neighborhood group.
- Maybe my biggest critique: Felt like he was glossing over gentification a bit and also the importance of keeping social relationships by staying in place. This came up in What if We Get it Right: asking people to move because climate catastrophe is on their shores (Louisiana) isn't quite that easy, even if you do find an affordable place to live. Because you're also leaving behind the friends and family and other connections you've built your entire life. This is obviously incredibly valuable too. Would it be so necessary to always move towards opportunity if we were able to create opportunity and livable places where people already were? I understsand there may be some cyclical nature to that and adaptability is still important, but this wasn't addressed at all in the book.
- In NYC, low wage workers, mostly immigrants, were in the city working in garment factories, which often sold the goods out of the same location. They then had the audacity to use public space - like sidewalks - to enjoy their lunches, which freaked out the wealthy who didn't want to be reminded that poor people exist - even if those poor people were making their clothes. So they were swept by the city. That didn't work so the city imposed height restrictions to discourage the kind of industry where these people may work. Sounds familiar!
- Fire safety was used as an excuse, including for dense housing types. Apartments were generally popular so politicians shrouded the rationale as public safety so as to reduce blowback.
- Pricing people out of some neighborhoods just created squalor on the outskirts. We definitely see that today.
- Sierra Club and Nader used zoning to "protect environment" in 1950s-60s. Not just to preserve pristine land but to also dicsourage increasing population (population control - yikes). CEQA in CA was weaponized not to defend "unspoiled places" or stop "destructive plans for freeways" but to "protect their own neighborhoods from new construction"
- Extreme example of using historic preservation and environmental review of a Spaghetti Factory to prevent it from being built into apartment buildings. (p. 218). Similar situation for a ripoff White Castle fast food place in Cambridge.
- Cause for hope? Acknowledgment from the top that this has been disastrous approach: "For decades exclusionalry zoning laws, like min lot sizes, mandatory parking, prohibitions on multifamily housing, have inflated housing and construction costs and locked families out of areas with more opportunities" - Biden White House.
Some takeaways that could possibly inform advocacy:
- Moving Day: Tenants coordinated the day they moved apartments, which meant that if landlords didn't secure a renter on that day, they would have an extended vacancy. This gave tenants a bit more leverage as landlords needed to provide competitive pricing/appealing places.
- There was a Supreme Court case that considered that rezoning impacts property values which violates teh 5th and 14th amendemnts and therefore subject to due process/compensation from the govt. It was not explained if this was still used as an argument today. (Case was Euclid - when they tried to rezone industrial as residential.)
- Would some of vehemence of "got to protect what we've got" be mitigated if home value was not most people's retirement plan? If we had strong social safety net, would housing value as investment matter less?
- NAACP brought a case to push on exclusionary race rules in communities. A white ally sold property to a Black man who wasn't allowed in that community. But then the property owner sued to make the Black man follow through on the contract saying the white man had a "right to dispose of his property as he saw fit" including selling it to a Black family. Buchanan v Warley found that racial zoning "deprived whites of their property without due process".
- Rent control led to landlords just selling property. Need to be careful about this (p 208)
- His advice: be tolerant, make abundant housing, make rules clear and consistent/predictable; welcome new neighbors; increase supply to lower prices
- Framing: let's change the trajectory of the lives of people who will get to live in these apartment buildings. We can give them opportunity.
- Just because someone already lives in a particular place, does that give them the right to choose who else moves into the community? Does that trump another person's ability to live where they want to live/can afford to live?
East of Eden
(Penguin Orange Collection)
By John SteinbeckThere's a lot I could say here, but I just have time to jot down some key themes:
- Goodness and evilness are not predetermined. We can always make the choice (thou mayest/timshel)
- Money and expensive gifts are often spurned or at least not prized by most of Steinbeck's "good" characters, and when money does come about it's usually from questionable sources (with the exception of Will Hamilton, perhaps); this is consistent with his other writing
- Cathy/Kate is pure evil - perhaps the serpent in this biblically-inspired book. (This bothered me at first because she's the only character that doesn't seem to have any nuance until he began describing her more and more as some sort of supernatural creature -- which in itself seems like such a departure from Steinbeck's works. Once I believed that she was not human, it was an easier pill to swallow that she was so one dimensional. Even as a one dimensional character, she was clever and wicked in relatively novel ways.)
- Steinbeck weaved his own family's story into this one. I'm not entirely sure why unless it was to provide a counter-example to the Trasks. Not sure that was entirely necessary though and why not just dedicate an entire book to his own family? There's plenty to work with! (His side stories about Dessie and Olive and Tom were very rich.)
- Sam and Lee are the wise, reflective, and charasmatic characters. I would also love to read entire books dedicated to their own stories. (We got a lot about Sam's already but I feel like there's more to tell with Lee. His birth story is one of the most horrifying and heartbreaking scenes I've read.)
TLDR: Worth reading for the character Lee alone, but otherwise not my favorite Steinbeck work. (To be fair, though, that's a high bar.)
Such a Fun Age
By Kiley ReidOoof! Finished this one in two days. I knew the other shoe was going to drop, but didn't know how or when, and I couldn't stop reading until I found out.
The book alternates points of view, which is particularly compelling when talking about race (wealthy white woman striving to not be basic, but finds herself to be rather basic; and 25 year old Black woman still trying to figure out her life plan being pursued by a boyfriend who may have questionable motivations).
It also shows how much narrative people can fully imagine in their heads: What is this person thinking of me? Does she like me? Are people judging me by how much sparkly decor I have? Oh, no, is she mad? Did she misconstrue that thing I said?" (not direct quotes) When really that person is hardly giving you a second thought and she's just trying to live her life. The obsession and narcissim really shines through in those inner thoughts.
It's unclear if Alix/Alex has a profound realization about herself at the end about how she treats her relationships with Black people. Hard to tell if this was more descriptive/explantory for the reader or self-reflective. Either way, it's not exactly the conclusion you were hoping for, though it may be the more honest one.
*Note to self - contributing to the Little Free Library down the road.
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
By Gabrielle ZevinFinished it in one setting. Very easy to cruise through this sweet tale about a crumudgeonly bookstore owner whose crusty shell (and heart) is eventually cracked open after a strange turn of events.
Having read Zevin's Tomorrow and Tomorrow... I was frankly a little disappointed in the lack of character development in this one. That said, this book is also quite a bit shorter. And while there are some dark events, the book manages to retain its light-hearted nature. I may have actually preferred dwelling in the darker parts a bit more, but I recognize that's not for everyone and sometimes an easy read is a nice escape.
For book lovers, there are a lot of references and insights that make it extra endearing. (Zevin compiles them here, but there are spoilers so be careful.) And having the bookstore be the linchpin in the community -- who doesn't love that?
Here are some quotes that stood out to me:
- "Literary should be literary and genre should be genre." - Do I agree with this? As a literary fan myself, I think I would be open to trying more literary novels that have a genre bent to them. The author may also be winking at this novel, which I would say is blurring the lines a bit between romance novel and literary fiction.
- "What, in this life, is more personal than books?"
- "Lovely twist, more like a turn, at the end. You’re a good reader, and you’ll probably see it coming. (Is a twist less satisfying if you know it’s coming? Is a twist that you can’t predict symptomatic of bad construction?"
- "You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, 'What is your favorite book?'" If I were on a dating app, this would be the first question. If not to completely judge a person based on their particular book selection, then at least to see how much they got out of what they read. (One of the characters was judged for liking the Principles of Accounting, but I'd ask some follow-ups before completely dismissing him. Another character wasn't much of a reader, but really developed a love for it after some nudging. So it's not fair to have this question act as a litmus test on a person's character, but at the very least it could open up some deeper conversations.)
- Book blurbs are the "blood diamonds of publishing." Ha! I'm sure there's definitely some quid-pro-quo happening in this space, but I still find that if an author I love writes an exuberant endorsement for another book, I'm going to read that book. More generic reviews don't hook me. And I must say that the blurbs for this book are not particularly compelling. I wouldn't have read it if I had not loved Zevin's other book. "This novel has humor, romance a touch of suspense but most of all love;" "A natural for book groups;" "funny, tender and moving" are really unconvincing, if you ask me.
- "We have to be disappointed sometimes so that we can be exhilerated every now and again."
- From "The Late Bloomer" (a "memoir" in the book): "It is the secret fear that we are unlovable that isolates us...but it is only because we are isolated that we think we are unlovable. Someday, you do not know when, he or indeed she, will be there. You will be loved because for the first time in your life, you will truly not be alone. You will have chosen not to be alone." (emphasis mine)
- "We read to know we're not alone. We read because we are alone. We read and we are not alone. We are not alone."
- "...he feels a vaguely familiar, slight intolerable bubbling inside of him. He wants to laugh out loud or punch a wall. He feels drunk or at least carbonated. Insane. At first he thinks this is happiness, but then he determines it's love. Fucking love, he thinks. What a bother....The most annoying thing about it is that once a person gives a shit about one thing, he finds he has to start giving a shit about everything."
Mezzanine
By Nicholson BakerReminds me of this talk about a McDonald's mural and I still highly recommend it. Actually I recommend both. Really.
Essentially letting curiosity lead to the longest of rabbit holes spurred by truly mundane conversation or objects. But the more you dig and analyze, the more it actually is interesting or even profound or at the very least amusing. It exemplifies the importance of pausing to think, to reflect, to dig a little deeper and how that illuminates an entire new world and deeper appreciation for ... well, everything.
The protoganist seems to be espousing the 5 Why's but for every aspect of common occurences or items, always digging to squeeze out factoids or analyzing and breaking down the niceties of social convention to look at them for what they are in an objective yet still appreciative way. (I think it was during one of these passages that I began to wonder if the narrator had autism. Being able to assess social interactions like this -- as well as going on deep dives into how things work -- strike me as something an autistic person would be able to better analyze and explain. The narrator also wore earplugs all the time, so I wonder if that was related to a sensory issue.)
The curiosity and inquisitiveness of the narrator is simply infectious. He wonders about a mundane thing and I half laugh and roll my eyes at the absurdidy. But then it's not long before I also wanted -- needed -- to know the answers, too. (In a way, maybe it's related to why I love the podcast Ologies, too. The more passionate the guest is, the more I'm tuned in and totally absorbed in learning everything I can about rats or sports psychology or the lives of microscopic animals. Topics I would probably not normally turn to. And the little asides that Alie Ward does remind me of his copious and sometimes quite lengthy footnotes.)
About 30% of the entire book is footnotes. I read it as an ebook because A already had it (he doesn't remember where he'd originally heard of the book), but this would be a far better experience in a physical book as the sentences are pretty rambly and the flipping back/forth of the footnotes is particularly annoying on an e-reader.
The Stand
By Stephen KingReally tried, but couldn't stick with it. The stories were somewhat compelling, but there was just too much exposition that didn't seem relevant to the story overrall. I don't always consider that a bad thing, but didn't find that it was worth the cost in the end.
Also, it seemed so odd to me that even as people were clearly dying from a plague that was highly contagious, characters still consistently seemed to seek out other people while taking no precautions like masks or distancing. I guess that's the hindsight that Covid provides us now, but it made the book less believable.
And on that note, I found the supernatural elements to be unnecessary. There was so much to draw from already - lab leak, government cover-up and misinformation, apocolypse, dissolution of society, etc. that the fantastical elements were a bit overkill. But I'm willing to concede that perhaps it would have all made sense in the end if I could have stuck to it.
Radical Friendship
Seven Ways to Love Yourself and Find Your People in an Unjust World
By Kate JohnsonA little repetitive, but very important read.
Playground
By Richard PowersI want everyone I know to read this book so I can talk about it. Because I can't believe the ending and because it made me re-think my own understanding about something. No spoilers -- you gotta read it. Then let's talk.
Annie Bot
By Sierra GreerI probably should have just stopped reading it, but I was hopeful that the ending would pay off. It was just okay and definitely didn't save the book in its entirety which was just kind of flat. (Or was that just the characters? Or the dialogue?)
I wish there was so much more exploration into what makes someone/something "conscious" or have personal identity. This was more like an intro course into those ideas.
Tell Me Everything
Oprah's Book Club
By Elizabeth StroutThis book was a delight to read. Part murder mystery but mostly about how important relationships are, even if they're primarily based on town gossip and personal accounts. It was a bit heavy handed at times and got a little sappy at times. Didn't matter. Still made me well up.
Small Great Things
By Jodi PicoultSuspenseful courtroom drama with race at the forefront. The first-person narrative story-telling was excellent. Their voices were distinct (though admittedly, some of that may have just been the narration) and their stories were enthralling. It was disturbing to hear the inner-thoughts of a neo-Nazi -- let his alone the horrific, violent actions. But I don't think I've ever really "heard" that perspective before. This character is appalling but he is a complete person, pitiable even. I commend the author for taking that leap. It gives readers a glimpse into how one might come to hold these beliefs about race, including how white supremacy groups go about recruiting those who are in need of belonging and stability.
Where it falls short is the story-book ending. The last big twist was a bit contrived in order to develop a tidy, feel-good conclusion. Ending on an optimistic note does have its appeal, but it may also give false hope to readers that everything will always work out in the end and progress and growth are inevitable. They aren't.
Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, Volume One
At the Edge of Empire (Reprint)
By Daniel KrausNot a genre I normally read. Just picked it up on a whim.*
I think this is tailor made for a movie. (As a book, it dragged on for a while.) However, the narrator's voice was unique and engaging, even if the details were quite gory and grotesque.
The intended takeaway seems to be that you can't overcome your nature, no matter how many shots you get. The anti-hero of the story just consistently let down or abandoned people who helped him and tended to cater to those who were toxic. I guess bad habits die hard (or never die at all...).
There is a Book 2, but I don't know if I have the stamina to take it on.
*Discovered this in a Little Free Library in my neighborhood. :)
Yellowface
By R F Kuang2024
Lincoln in the Bardo
By George Saunders
Bright Young Women
By Jessica KnollGruesome and chilling at times, particularly given that it's largely based on real crimes. The insightful part is the way author incorporates evidence of how misogyny/patriarchy in the rest of society almost lionizes the criminal while the victims' stories languish.
After all, Bundy was just a "bright young man"... shame it has come to this...
"Take care of yourself, young man. I say that to you sincerely; take care of yourself. It is an utter tragedy for this court to see such a total waste of humanity, I think, as I've experienced in this courtroom.
You're a bright young man. You'd have made a good lawyer and I would have loved to have you practice in front of me, but you went another way, partner. I don't feel any animosity toward you. I want you to know that. Once again, take care of yourself. "
THIS CAME FROM THE ACTUAL JUDGE IN THE REAL TRIAL OF A RUTHLESS SERIAL KILLER. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
The author also pushes back on the mythos that the victims were just sooo charmed by this handsome fellow that they essentially just walked with him to their deaths. She gives voices to those victims in this re-telling to correct the record. They didn't fall for his good looks. They felt sorry for him.
For me, it was a good reminder in pushing back on the responsibility that women often carry to be caretakers and soothers and polite. We actually don't owe men a damn thing.
Dog Songs
By Mary OliverEvery single dog lover should read this collection of poems. They are heart-warmers and tear-jerkers. As I read through them, I was thinking "This one's my favorite." Next page. "No, it's this one." Then "Oh my god she captured this so beautifully and perfectly, this one must be the best in the book..." They're all little masterpieces.
The Year of Magical Thinking
National Book Award Winner
By Joan Didion
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
By Gabrielle ZevinUnexpected and very moving.
2023
Mapping the Interior
By Stephen Graham Jones
Demon Copperhead
By Barbara KingsolverThis may be my favorite Kingsolver book and that's saying something because I've been a huge fan for (20?!) years. The main character of this book is one of her most memorable. The story is heartbreaking in so many ways, and reveals the harrowing struggles of being in poverty and the foster care. It is also a story of hope, but not in the fairy tale way.
I listened to the audiobook version of this and the narrator was phenomenal.
2022
A Mind Spread Out on the Ground
By Alicia Elliott
True Biz
By Sara NovicAfter reading Girl At War, I was so excited to read Novic's next novel. It took years and the wait was agonizing! But worth it. True Biz is a total gem and did such a good job at conveying deaf culture and the challenges that deaf people face in a hearing world that refuses to listen. (I'll admit, I was very ignorant before. I didn't even think that there was a "deaf culture"). I learned a lot. And I appreciated the level of outrage.
I instantly bought a couple copies to give to friends.
2021
My Absolute Darling
By Gabriel TallentLOVE LOVE LOVE
I've re-read it twice and it still had me gripping the edge of my seat.
Tallent FINALLY has a new book out and I've already pre-ordered.
NOTE: This book does contain a fair amount of disturbing content.
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
By Elisabeth Tova BaileyPerfect reading during the lockdown or if you're otherwise stuck at home. It's been years since I read it during the pandemic, but this is what I remember:
It's hopeful and endearing, but also sort of somber at times. Ostensibly, it's about snails and finding the joy and wonder and comfort in learning about these critters that are barely tolerated - if not reviled - by most. But it's also about sadness and loneliness, and how the cure for those may be in unexpected places. It's the kind of book that you can start and finish on a dreary, drizzly day with a cup of tea and a blanket.
2020
Genius of Birds
By Jennifer AckermanI read this years ago and I'm still spouting out fascinating bird facts from this book (even to those who didn't ask for them).
2019
2017
Naked
By David SedarisAlways good for a laugh. Oh, and getting to see Sedaris recite his work in person is 100% worth it.
2009
Green to Gold
How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage (REV & Updated)
By Daniel C Esty and Andrew WinstonCertainly not groundbreaking now but maybe it was at the time. Regardless, it's a decent intro for those who aren't familiar with the basics of the sustainability business case.
