Mislaid by Nell Zink

Mislaid by Nell Zink
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, that was different. Well-written with too cutesy a plot which was then countermanded by all the ew moments. I think I liked it? I'm going to need to sit with it.

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Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell

Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction that focuses on actual historical people- such as the Lovings were, because I get frustrated trying to figure out which parts are based in fact and which are pure invention. This was short and fairly well done though, and worth it for me.

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A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this! I've always thought I'd love to hike the Appalachian Trail (#bucketlist) but now I've been dissuaded. I actually appreciated that Bryson cheated quite a bit because I think that's what I'd prefer to do one day.

He went from Georgia to West Virginia, discussed Pennsylvania a bit, and then returned to the Northern part of the trail later. In general, I enjoyed the discussion of the Southern locations more, either because I am somewhat familiar with those locations, or because having actually hiked that part of the trail all at once, he gave it more color.

The book was very funny, especially some of his friend's jokes, but sometimes it was a little unnecessarily mean.

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Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is excellent. It's not just another eat-real-food book to make us feel bad about the horror of the food industry in our country. This book is inspirational, scientifically accurate, apolitical, and beautifully written. She practices what she preaches too (though she's not very preachy), so the book is full of her own challenges and reflections on eating locally. Her daughters have clearly gained a lot from this way of life as well. This is a new nonfiction favorite for me.

It remains to be seen if I can implement some of the changes she's inspired, but I'm very optimistic I'll at least make some small but meaningful changes thanks to the book.

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100 Things Virginia Fans Should Know by Brian J. Leung

100 Things Virginia Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die by Brian J. Leung
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am not always the biggest sports fan but I did enjoy going to football and basketball games at UVA. I didn't know most of the information in the book. I especially enjoyed the chapters on players and coaches. Now I'm craving a Whitespot burger though.

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The Return of George Washington by Edward J. Larson

The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789 by Edward J. Larson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was supposed to cover George Washington's life in the period between the Revolutionary War and when he became President. However, the bulk of the book covers the Constitutional Convention with mentions of George Washington or quotes from his diary entries. There are no entries for the period of secrecy during the convention so even this is sparse.

The book mentions numerous times that Washington was able to accomplish a lot politically because he was widely very well-liked, though since his respect was born of his service during the Revolutionary War, I didn't have a great picture of why.

I wouldn't recommend this book if you're looking to learn more about George Washington, the man, general, or President. This book can be summed up as: "George Washington was a popular but unwilling politician-farmer at the Constitutional Convention."

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A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this! I've always thought I'd love to hike the Appalachian Trail (#bucketlist) but now I've been dissuaded. I actually appreciated that Bryson cheated quite a bit because I think that's what I'd prefer to do one day.

He went from Georgia to West Virginia, discussed Pennsylvania a bit, and then returned to the Northern part of the trail later. In general, I enjoyed the discussion of the Southern locations more, either because I am somewhat familiar with those locations, or because having actually hiked that part of the trail all at once, he gave it more color.

The book was very funny, especially some of his friend's jokes, but sometimes it was a little unnecessarily mean.

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's a beautiful book but I read it in maybe 4th grade and that was too early for me. I've always been vaguely hostile about how upsetting it was at that age. Never mind that I dealt with the real death of my great grandmother around that age, I just wasn't old enough to either use art to help me process the real death or understand the art because of the real death. I wish I'd read it in 8th or 9th grade.

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