Books for Adults – Page 4

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler is such a nice person! Funny, down-to-earth, and very likeable, she does a terrific job as the narrator. Her description of her faults is endearing and easy to relate to. Aren’t we all our own worst critic?

From her childhood to her work on Saturday Night Live, Baby Mama, Blades of Glory and Parks and Recreation, she shares well-told, amusing anecdotes. Many of the stars she has worked with appear in the audiobook. Also included is a special one-night only live performance from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

Strange, her need to know more about the day she was born. This part made me go home and ask my mother about the day I was born. The answer was very unsatisfactory. Still, you should listen to Yes Please or read the book if you prefer. I do recommend it!

Give Us the Ballot by Ari Berman

In 1965, Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, a moment many Americans believed would bring suffrage to all. But, as this book depicts, the Act signaled both heroic accomplishments and heartbreaking setbacks in the efforts to allow all the right to vote. Berman approaches his topic as if it were a crime novel. While working in legal terms and court decisions, his focus on the individuals—both those who thwarted and those who fostered the law—is what holds the reader’s attention. Moreover, political figures who tried to achieve one result often, ironically, achieved the opposite.

Swerve by Vicki Pettersson

Swerve Swerve is a dark and twisty novel. We follow the story of Kristine, who is traveling across the desert with her fiance, Daniel, to a family gathering. While stopped at an abandoned rest stop, Daniel is abducted. Kristine must do whatever she can to get Daniel back, following the deranged kidnapper across the desert.

Swerve was definitely a page turner, and I finished it quickly. It’s hard to say too much without giving away key plot points, but I found this to be well-written, engrossing, and hard to put down. The characters were well written, and I look forward to reading more by Ms. Pettersson.

When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning

Think there is nothing much left to know about World War II? Think again. This book tells of enlisted men whose one and only form of entertainment became reading, and of the enormous home-front effort to supply them with the books they desperately wanted. Ms. Manning’s book not only depicts the need of soldiers for books to alleviate the horrors of war, but also reminds us all never to take them for granted. Librarians, (let’s hear it for them), were the first to realize the lack of books and take steps to organize. Along the way, we get clear glimpses of the hardships of the soldiers and the deep and varied joy the books brought. While one might assume that a drive for books for soldiers would only meet with support, one would be wrong. Along the way, there were problems of supply, cost and, of course, censors. But the achievements were outstanding. Indeed, the reader begins to realize that the solace and inspiration that the books brought were as powerful a weapon as any the military could provide.

The Murderer’s Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

This was my first time reading this author, and enjoyed him. The book was advertised as a thriller, but basically it’s a psychological thriller. The story follows the life of Dr. Grace Blades, a psychologist, who has a special gift for treating troubled souls, people who have experienced certain traumatic events. Her own past is very dark, which makes her a fascinating character. The novel switches from the past to present day, explaining Grace’s troubled past, which ends up coming back to haunt her grownup life. Her upbringing was very twisted, which was disturbing. However, I enjoyed it seeing how she overcame it to become the successful woman she was.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

I’ve always believed that giving flowers meant something. However, until I read this book, which explains the meaning of flowers that originated in the Victorian era, I had no idea how they could be used to communicate feelings. Do flowers speak to us in this way ? I really don’t know, but it’s nice to think so, and the author has wrapped this language into a wonderful story.

The Language of Flowers tells the story of Victoria, a girl who has never known the security of a real family or home, having been tossed around between foster homes as a child. Switching between Victoria as a child and then as a young adult, the novel tells the story of her haunted past and how she came to love and understand this language of flowers, which eventually finds her love and happiness. An easy read that was touching.

The Light of the World, A Memoir by Elizabeth Alexander

The book jacket states that Alexander writes “a lyrical celebration of a life well-lived.” This is so true. She beautifully illustrates the love she and her husband shared and the life they made together. She also tells stories about her husband Ficre’s life (he was from Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa) as a chef and a painter. Sadly, her husband died unexpectedly. The story continues as she and her two sons slowly but surely make their way from grief to light. The book is beautifully written and a fitting tribute to a wonderful and talented man.

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

This is a new author to me, and I really enjoyed her writing. This book is a great psychological thriller. You don’t have a clue what is going to happen or what happened until the author reveals more details as the story unfolds until the bitter end. The story is told from the three point of views of the main characters. Willow, Heidi, and Chris all tell their parts of the story, how they are feeling, what’s happening with them . I enjoy books written in this manner.

Heidi is a kind-hearted woman who is always taking in strays, so when she spots Willow (a homeless teenager with a baby), she takes her into home and offers her aid and kindness. Heidi’s husband, Chris, and daughter, Zoe, are not too impressed. Who is Willow? Has Heidi done the right thing? You wonder as you learn about the past history of Willow and the baby. There are many underlying themes to the story as we learn the past of all the main characters. I didn’t anticipate some of the twists. If you enjoy thrillers, this is definitely a good choice.

We Never Asked for Wings by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

I’m always into trying new authors, and I did enjoy this novel. The story dealt with problems immigrants in America face daily — their struggles to become a part of the American Dream and their hopes and fears. The book had very realistic, multi-faceted characters. The story centered on a woman named Letty who became a mother in her teenage years, but was never really involved in the upbringing of her children because her mother stepped in and took on the responsibility. When Letty’s parents moved back to Mexico, she was forced to take over her children’s care and try to give them a better life so they wouldn’t make her mistakes. An enjoyable and educational read.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

What a powerful book on such a tough subject. You hear about Alzheimer’s Disease and you think older people. This book, which has also been made into a movie, tells the story of a woman who is at the height of her career as a college professor when she is struck with this disease at the age of 50. The author provides a really insightful and intuitive account of the world of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease, and how it takes your whole identity away. It was really sad to read, but I finished it in three short days. Definitely worth it.

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

Every summer I try to pick a classic that I’ve never read before. This year I chose this little gem of a book. It’s an extremely quick read and a truly beautiful book. It follows Siddhartha as he tries to find spiritual fulfillment and wisdom after he says goodbye to his life of privilege and comfort. Timely messages of how to achieve harmony and see the goodness in whoever you encounter in life. So glad I finally read this and I would recommend it to anyone.

Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of the New Yorker by Thomas Kunkel

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This is a biography of one of the most famous staff writers for the New Yorker Magazine. Mitchell, from small-town North Carolina, was drawn to a writing career and landed in New York as a journalist. He quickly became noticed by the New Yorker, and joined the staff in the heyday of the magazine. The New Yorker featured the most notable writers of the day — James Thurber, E. B. White, A. J. Liebling, Dorothy Parker, John Hersey…the list goes on and on.

Mitchell was interested in the characters in New York who made the City tick — bartenders, fishermen, eccentric characters, tug boat captains. He is credited with raising journalism into the realm of literary art. There were controversies along the way, and toward the end of his life, a stunning mystery.

The Hand That Feeds You by A. J. Rich

I read a lot of different genres and do like thrillers. This definitely falls into that category. The book wasted no time getting right into the suspenseful feel of a psychological thriller.

The story starts right away with Morgan walking into her home to discover her dead fiancee, Bennett, and her three dogs covered in blood. Her dogs catch the blame and she scrambles to reconcile the dogs she knew while trying to find her fiancé’s parents to tell them the bad news and learns that he wasn’t who he said he was.

As Morgan sets out to discover who Bennett really was, she uncovers a man with several fiancees, an ex-wife, and a trail of theft and deception. Then she discovers that the ex-wife and fiancees have all recently died violently. Morgan realizes that she might also be the target for murder.

I finished this book over a weekend to see how it would all play out, even though I had the bad guy figured out a little before the final action took place. Still a good quick read.

If I Could Turn Back Time by Beth Harbison

The night before her birthday, 38 year old Ramie hits her head and wakes up in her bedroom two days before the last day of her senior year of high school. She navigates through life as an 18 year old, exploring an old relationship with her high school boyfriend and also interacting with her father, who passed away a few years later.

I’m a sucker for books like this and I enjoyed all the passages on time and fate and who we are and how we are affected by events in our lives. I liked this more than I thought I would. I love time travel stories, and I was excited when I heard about this one. Enjoyable read.

Love May Fail by Matthew Quick

So if you like quirky, messed up and lost characters that are in search for something better in their lives, then you will enjoy this book, Love May Fail. I enjoyed how this book was told through the perspectives of four wildly diverse characters: Portia Kane, a woman in search of goodness in men, after she leaves her pornographic husband who is having an affair; Mr. Vernon, a former high school English teacher contemplating suicide after being attacked by a student; Chuck Bass, an ex-heroin addict turned elementary teacher, and the crazy nun who reaches out to her son on her deathbed. These four characters’ lives all intertwine as the story unfolds: they search for love and a purpose in life to rekindle that spark. If you liked the author’s Silver Linings Playbook, then you will enjoy this.