Category: Read This Book

Read This Book: PUDD’NHEAD WILSON by Mark Twain

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 30, 2020

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Welcome to Read This Book, the newsletter where I recommend a book you should add to your TBR, STAT! I stan variety in all things, and my book recommendations will be no exception. These must-read books will span genres and age groups. There will be new releases, oldie but goldies from the backlist, and the classics you may have missed in high school. Oh my! If you’re ready to diversify your books, then LEGGO!!

Today is Mark Twain’s 185th birthday, but he doesn’t look a day over 150. The New York Times lauded him as the “greatest humorist the United States ever produced.” William Faulkner called him the “Father of American Literature.” His novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (that many of you read in high school) is often regarded as the “First Great American Novel.” Did you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high school? I did not. Instead we read stories like The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and Pudd’nhead Wilson.

Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain

Determined that her baby son Chambers will not share her fate of being enslaved for the rest of his life, Roxy secretly exchanges him with her master’s son, Tom. The two boys’ lives remain entwined even as they head in very different directions. “Tom” becomes the heir to a fortune and goes off to Yale where he develops a habit of drinking and gambling too much. “Chambers” is set for a lifetime of servitude. Then a strange sequence of events, where the much-derided town lawyer David “Pudd’nhead” Wilson plays a key role, changes everything.

It’s been decades since I’ve read Pudd’nhead Wilson, and all I remembered about the story was how the word “Pudd’nhead” always made me chuckle. Before I told y’all to read this book, I had to revisit the story and see if the pudd’n had any substance. I am happy to report Pudd’nhead Wilson was still enjoyable, despite the story feeling slightly disjointed. That’s not surprising since apparently Twain quickly wrote the book as an attempt to stave off bankruptcy.

Although the story sometimes felt like it was all over the place, I actually found that to be the best part of Pudd’nhead Wilson because it was like experiencing two stories in one. There was the mystery involving Roxy, “Tom,” and Wilson. Of course, there was the main switched at birth narrative between Chambers and Tom. I was anticipating the big reveal and was nervous about the consequences for the involved parties, especially Roxy.

Overall, Pudd’nhead Wilson provides insightful society commentary about small town life and Antebellum America. If you’re excited about the story, but worried that it means you’re in for a long read, then fret not! Pudd’nhead Wilson is a short read for any avid reader even if you continue on to read about Those Extraordinary Twins.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book

Read This Book: The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date November 27, 2020

The Rules Do Not Apply: A Memoi r by Ariel Levy

Back in 2013, Ariel Levy wrote an essay for The New Yorker called “Thanksgiving in Mongolia,” a devastating piece of writing that described how she went to Mongolia on assignment over Thanksgiving, while pregnant, and while she was there went into premature labor and lost her baby. It’s an essay I highly recommend, and it captivated me when it first published. This memoir is an extension of that essay, giving you more details about her life and context to her trip.

The Rules Do Not Apply is a relatively short memoir, but it starts with Ariel’s childhood and describes in beautiful detail her upbringing, the unconventional relationships her parents held, and how she first got her start in journalism. She covers how she learned to love travel and relished in being the type of woman who would go off on a moment’s notice to a new country and dive into exciting new opportunities. This mindset informs her decisions later on in life, as she met her wife and they were married before marriage equality passed, so they made up a lot of the rules as they went.

Levy is also painfully honest about the troubles in her marriage, how she and wife fell apart after their son’s death, and her infidelity. The honesty isn’t always pretty or easy to read, but it’s painfully raw and real, and that’s what makes this book so memorable to me. Levy writes about exhilarating happiness and success, but also about the miserable lows and grief she experienced, and how she had to rebuild her life after loss. This memoir may not be for the faint of heart, but it’ll certainly stick with you!

Bonus: I listened to the audiobook, which Levy narrates herself! It’s a great way to experience this memoir.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

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Read This Book

Read This Book: WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA by Traci Sorell and Franâe Lessac

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 24, 2020

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell and Franâe Lessac

We Are Grateful is a look at modern Native American life from the perspective of a Cherokee National citizen. The word “otsaliheliga” is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Follow a full year of Cherokee celebrations and experiences from the beginning of fall to the end of summer and learn what makes the Cherokee people feel grateful.

One of the immediate standouts for me about We Are Grateful was the focus on present day life of the Cherokee people. They live similarly to their fellow Americans by playing in the leaves during Fall, building a snowman in Winter, or gathering around the table with family to enjoy a good meal. They also observe their own traditions like enjoying the first harvest at the Green Corn Ceremony or commemorating the Cherokee National Holiday.

I also appreciated the continued education of the Cherokee way of life at the end of the book. In addition to the author’s note, there are definitions and further explanations for some of the Cherokee culture and heritage highlighted throughout the story. Along with that, there is the Cherokee Syllabary to help readers better understand the language.

The absolute best thing about We Are Grateful was the immersive experience of reading the ebook with narration. While the narrator read the story, the reader hears sounds associated with the book’s activities like ceremonial dancing and children playing stickball.

Tomorrow, many Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving, but for many Native peoples it is the National Day of Mourning because Thanksgiving is just a reminder of the genocide of their ancestors. We must leave behind the lie of “Pilgrims and Indians coming together for the First Thanksgiving” by learning the actual history of our indigenous population. Reading We Are Grateful can be a small first step.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book

Read This Book: THE KISS QUOTIENT by Helen Hoang

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 23, 2020

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Stella Lane loves her job developing algorithms to predict customer purchases. However, the job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with has left her little time for dating. Having Asperger’s doesn’t help either. To get more practice in the dating department, Stella hires escort Michael Phan. Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate Michael’s kisses, she craves everything else he’s making her feel.

Reading The Kiss Quotient helped me discover I can experience the joy of romantic comedies in book form. This novel gave me Pretty Woman and The Wedding Date vibes with a side of “career woman with no time for dating” from almost every rom-com ever. I don’t often read romance novels, but when I do, I absolutely love when they include all of my favorite rom-com tropes.

However, one of the tropes I’m glad wasn’t in the story was our protagonist being involved in the magazine industry. That’s right! Our girl Stella is a full-blown math genius who’s killing it in her job! By the way, why does almost every woman in a rom-com work at a fashion magazine? I also appreciated Hoang making Stella the person with autism because the media usually present men as the people with autism. However, autism is not a boys’ club. We need to see more representation of women with autism.

I loved The Kiss Quotient so much that it is often difficult for me to coherently express those feelings. It’s sexy. It’s adorkable. It’s the perfect beach read. It’s so engaging that you could easily finish the book in one sitting because you won’t be able to put it down either!

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book

Read This Book: Becoming Madeleine

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date November 19, 2020

Sponsored by HarperCollins Children's Books/Quill Tree Books.

Exclusive Crowdcast Event! On Tuesday, December 1 at 6 p.m. ET, join New York Times-bestselling and award-winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Chris Riddell as they celebrate the release of their new book Pirate Stew! Purchase your copy of Pirate Stew from one of our five partnering bookstores, and on 12/1 you’ll receive an exclusive link to join the event. The first 100 people to purchase a copy from each store will receive signed bookplates from Neil and Chris with their copy! You don’t want to miss this swashbuckling, riotous event!

Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that I think you absolutely must read. The books will vary across genre and age category to include new releases, backlist titles, and classics. If you’re ready to explode your TBR, buckle up!

Today’s pick is a children’s nonfiction title that I think has a wide appeal for adults as well because it’s about a much beloved author!

Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters by Charlotte Voilklis and Léna Roy

Madeleine L’Engle is best known for her groundbreaking children’s novel, A Wrinkle in Time, which was the Newbery Medal winner in 1963. Unlike other biographies and accounts of the famous writer, this biography is lovingly told by her granddaughters, the keepers of her literary estate.

They begin the story before Madeleine is born, setting the scene of her birth by revealing interesting details about her family life. They have the advantage of access to family history, photographs, and never-before-seen letters and documents that add wonderful depth and dimension to their book. The authors don’t shy away from aspects about their grandmother’s life that might reflect poorly on her, telling how Madeleine was a part of a group that bullied another girl in school, and the regret she felt following the event. They also tell of her loneliness, her friendships that came and went, and of her early romance with her husband. They follow Madeleine’s life up until the publication and success of her most famous novel, which was hardly her last, but saw Madeleine’s vision come to fruition after a very tough period in her life, and succeed beyond her wildest dreams.

The best thing about this biography, in my opinion, is that the authors are able to show their grandmother’s emotional journey alongside her growth as a person and an artist. They draw clear connections between her work in theater and experiences as a young woman, wife, and mother with her later works, making this a great read for fans of L’Engle’s books and for writers looking for inspiration. The intended audience is L’Engle’s young readers, but any adult will enjoy this too.

Bonus: This book is great on audio, which both authors narrate!

Happy reading,

Tirzah

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Read This Book

Read This Book: THE PRINCESS DIARIES by Meg Cabot

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 17, 2020

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

For Mia Thermopolis, there is nothing worse than being a freshman with a flat chest who is flunking Algebra, but she is in for some surprises that will make life more complicated. First, Mia just found out her mother is dating her Algebra teacher. When her father comes for a visit, he drops the bomb that he is the crown prince of Genovia, which makes Mia a princess! On top of all that, Mia doesn’t have a date for the Cultural Diversity Dance. Can life get any worse?

Overall, The Princess Diaries was an enjoyable read for me, but I believe this book is best for a younger audience. Obviously, both senior and junior readers can enjoy this unique story of an unpopular teenager becoming royalty literally overnight. Since the story is basically Mia sharing her life and thoughts in her diary, the book reads like being inside the mind of a teenage girl.

As someone who hasn’t been a teenager in decades, I often became annoyed with Mia and her behavior. However, I had to remember Mia is still a kid whose brain hasn’t fully formed, so she’s bound to make mistakes. Although I was often frustrated with our main princess, Mia dropped a few gems here and there. In the end, I enjoyed this lighthearted read following Mia during the early stages of her princess journey, and I think you’ll enjoy it, too.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: BECOMING by Michelle Obama

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 16, 2020

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most compelling women of our era. As the first Black woman to serve as First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, established herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls around the world, encouraged her fellow Americans to embrace healthier and more active lifestyles, and raised two daughters under the unforgiving glare of the media.

In her first memoir, Michelle Obama invites readers into the world that shaped her. Becoming chronicles Mrs. Obama’s life from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago to the years she balanced motherhood and a demanding executive job to her time residing at the world’s most famous address with everything in between.

I am not one for reading memoirs and biographies, but I couldn’t wait to read the words of America’s first Black First Lady. Yes, after all of these years, it is mind-blowing we are still celebrating firsts. I’m happy to say Becoming was engaging from beginning to end. For me, Michelle Obama was the best First Lady and Becoming helped solidify that opinion. Reading Becoming inspired me to cultivate my strengths and strive to reach my fullest potential. Anyone who reads her memoir will certainly feel the same.

Becoming made me laugh out loud and even shed a few tears. Whether you’re a Michelle Obama Stan or a hater, there is something in this memoir for you. It will either make you appreciate Mrs. Obama’s grace and optimism, or it will entice you to devour every piece of content she creates. Either way, you’re welcome.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date November 12, 2020

Sponsored by Algonquin Books, publisher of Paper Bullets by Jeffrey H. Jackson.

“A Nazi resistance story like none you’ve ever heard.” —Hampton Sides, author of In the Kingdom of Ice. In 1940, on the German-occupied island of Jersey, two women waged a daring anti-Nazi campaign. Lucy Schwob and Suzanne Malherbe (better remembered today by their noms de plume, Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore) drew on their skills as Parisian avant-garde artists to write and distribute “paper bullets”—wicked insults against Hitler, calls to rebel, and subversive fictional dialogues that demoralized the Nazi troops. The untold true story of this courageous couple is an inspiring lesson about love and resistance.

This week’s recommendation is a backlist historical fiction by someone who has quickly become a favorite author!

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Content warning: Natural disaster, death, racism

Mercy Wong is a Chinese-American girl living in Chinatown, San Francisco in 1906. She’s got big ambitions, which isn’t always easy for a girl whose sex and race bar her from opportunities. But she wants to be a successful businesswoman and take care of her family, and she isn’t about to let anyone stand in her way. To that end, Mercy knows she needs a good education and connections, which is how she ends up bargaining her way into St. Clare’s School for Girls, a prestigious finishing school for wealthy young society ladies. Although attending means leaving her family behind to live across town and enduring racism from the other girls, Mercy is optimistic that attending the school will change her life—and it does, but not in the way she expects.

I first picked this book up because I was looking for a title that would satisfy the 2020 Read Harder challenge of reading a book about a natural disaster, and I found myself falling head over heels for Mercy and Stacey Lee’s expressive, vibrant writing. Lee makes history come alive, including so many tantalizing details about her time and place that I know she must have done a load of research, but that research never feels packed into the narrative. In my opinion, the best historical fiction uses historical details to help build place and character, and Lee does this brilliantly.

Like many readers, I went into this novel knowing that it would be about the 1906 earthquake, but Lee takes a good amount of time setting up the story, so the earthquake doesn’t occur until nearly halfway through. Reading about the destruction, fear, and ingenuity that followed was utterly fascinating, especially considering that the world is going through its own (albeit very different) catastrophe. Lee writes about not only what the survivors endured in the immediate aftermath, but about how disaster can bring out the best and worst in people. Sometimes people lash out due to fear, but sometimes shared hardship allows people to reach across social, racial, and economical barriers. Lee has a talent for writing about the stark realities of historical discrimination and injustice with hope, reality, and a bit of optimism, and if you like this book I highly recommend that you reach for The Downstairs Girl next! I’m also excited for her new 2021 release, Luck of the Titanic!

Bonus: I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the talented Emily Woo Zeller, and I highly recommend that listening experience!

Happy reading!
Tirzah

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Read This Book

Read This Book: SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE by Kurt Vonnegut

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 10, 2020

Sponsored by White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad

Called “powerful and provocative” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, author of the New York Times bestseller How to be an Antiracist, this explosive book of history and cultural criticism reveals how white feminism has been used as a weapon of white supremacy and patriarchy deployed against Black and Indigenous women, and women of color, often offering a soft face for brutal tactics. Taking us from the slave era through the centuries of colonialism to the modern workplace, White Tears/Brown Scars is “exactly the kind of book that every ally needs to read right now” (Cosmopolitan, A Best Nonfiction Book of the Year)

Happy Veterans Day to all of the people who have served in the military! Veterans Day always holds a special place in my heart as a former military brat. For 20 years, my dad served in the United States Marine Corps. Although Veterans Day is a celebratory holiday where we thank and honor those who have served, today’s book recommendation is a classic that reflects upon the darker side of military life.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Centering around the infamous firebombing of Dresden during the Second World War, Billy Pilgrim travels through time from prisoner of war to family man on a journey that reflects our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we are afraid to know.

Slaughterhouse-Five is considered both an American classic selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time and one of the greatest anti-war books.

Have you ever read a book where you know it is trying to tell you something insightful and profound, but you’re just too dense or uninformed on the topic to pick up what that book is putting down? Well, that was me while reading Slaughterhouse-Five. Although I was often not fully understanding the story as a whole, I did enjoy the book. However, I would have benefited from reading this in school or with a book club. Discussing the story among other readers sounds like a better (and more enlightening) way of dissecting Slaughterhouse-Five then trying to find answers on my own with the help of Google.

Slaughterhouse-Five is one of those books that is hard to talk about because there are so many elements that come together within the story. There’s the science / speculative fiction element thanks to Billy traveling to different times in his life. There is the obvious war element since a major portion of the book takes place during the infamous bombing at Dresden of World War II. Of course, there is the satirical humor that really makes this book standout from other anti-war novels. Only Vonnegut, someone who has experienced war, can eloquently walk that fine line of highlighting the absurdity of war without dismissing its gravity.

When you’re ready to pick up Slaughterhouse-Five, prepare yourself for an interesting read. But, don’t go at it alone. Find a reading buddy. Next time I decide to take Slaughterhouse-Five for a spin, I will do the same.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Read This Book: SAFE HOUSES by Dan Fesperman

Post author By Katisha Smith
Post date November 9, 2020

Sponsored by A Drop of Midnight by Jason Diakité

He traced his Black ancestry through time and across continents. What he found is a story only he can tell. From hip-hop artist Jason Diakité comes a stunning account of growing up between worlds. A Drop of Midnight is Jason’s remarkable memoir and an unflinching look at not only his own history, but also that of generations affected by the trauma of the African diaspora, then and now. Jason draws on conversations with his parents, research, and personal experiences to paint a vivid picture of race, discrimination, family, and ambition. Prime members read or listen for free.

Today is World Freedom Day! This day is a United States federal observance declared by President George W. Bush in 2001 to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe. In honor of this day, I am recommending an excellent spy thriller that takes place both in the present and during the late 1970s when Berlin was in the grips of the Cold War.

Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman

In 1979 West Berlin, Helen Abell oversaw the CIA’s network of safe houses that act as safe havens for field agents and case officers. Helen’s world is upended when she overhears a meeting between two unfamiliar people speaking a coded language during a routine inspection of an agency property. Before the day ends, she witnesses another unauthorized encounter that will place her in the crosshairs of one of the CIA’s most ruthless and powerful men. Her attempts to expose what she witnessed will lead to repercussions expanding continents and decades when a young man is arrested in a farm town in Maryland for murdering his parents.

What I enjoyed most about Safe Houses was the main protagonist was a female spy, but she wasn’t Jane Bond. Of course, there is nothing wrong with the femme fatale in the espionage game, but I appreciated reading about a “regular gal” like Helen Abell working as a CIA agent. She is smart, almost always has her wits about her, and always trusts her instincts. Safe Houses being based on historical events likely helped the story feel more grounded and Helen Abell feel more related.

I also really enjoyed Safe Houses being a two-for-one mystery. While Helen attempts to find solid evidence to prove a history of wrongdoing by a powerful CIA handler, Anna tries to figure out why her brother shot their parents while they were sleeping. In the end, both stories merge for a very satisfying ending.

If you need something to keep you away from doom scrolling online, then Safe Houses is an excellent choice.

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha

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Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain

The Rules Do Not Apply: A Memoir by Ariel Levy

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell and Franâe Lessac

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters by Charlotte Voilklis and Léna Roy

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman

The Rules Do Not Apply: A Memoi r by Ariel Levy