Sanctuary by William Faulkner

Sanctuary by William Faulkner
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The writing is very good obviously, but it does that thing that literary writing sometimes does where it is very emotionally painful to read and yet at the same time fairly boring. Additionally, because this is Faulkner, it was also difficult to follow. I would definitely not recommend this. I only finished it because 1) it was one of my dad's books, and 2) it's a classic.

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The Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck

The Pastures of Heaven by John Steinbeck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Steinbeck is often such a bummer and this was no exception but something about these little sad vignettes was so enjoyable. This is my favorite Steinbeck novel so far. I’d love to reread it sometime and map out the townspeople as I go (especially Burt’s involvement in all the stories).

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Not That Bad edited by Roxane Gay

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This essay collection was interesting and I think it’s important for people to read it and discuss it. Probably especially with your children. That said, it left me feeling a little unmoored. The rules are changing quickly (and will probably change more going forward). We’re not all clear on the current rules, even those of us who care deeply about human autonomy. Some of these essays really needed more outside context for some of us to fully understand.

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So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is race and racism 101. The explanations were extremely cogent and even where you might not initially see the author's point she is also very persuasive. I especially loved when she explained some of the dynamics in her relationship with her white mother and how she had to explain some things even to her. This would be a fabulous gift for almost everyone in America.

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Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is more about how the older generation and the younger generation view each than specifically on the internal personal relationship between fathers and sons (though there is some of the latter). It's also about how romanticism and rationalism alternate in importance throughout generations, though the way Turgenev wrote he seems to have a distinct preference for romanticism and a bit of an unfair categorization of rationalism-- also, why do they need to be mutually exclusive. I really like the complete mess of a character of Bazarov and his growth in some things, and also his lack of growth in other things, throughout the novel.

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Russian Roulette by Michael Isikoff, David Corn

Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump by Michael Isikoff, David Corn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Why did this happen?: "... Putin’s larger strategic vision: [is to] 'to destroy NATO, destroy the European Union, and seriously harm the United States.'" Putin successfully harmed the US, not (just) because of who won the Presidential election, but because he successfully destabilized our democracy and the democratic process and sewed distrust and division throughout the US population.

How did this happen? Who is responsible? The Obama White House is to blame for not disclosing that our election system was under attack until too late. Who else? The news media sought profitable salacious Trump stories, and also reported on hacked Democratic emails, instead of focusing on the incredible Russian hacks. Also, there was FBI Director Comey- who I don't think made his bad decisions because of partisan reasons but still made phenomenally bad choices, at did so least two different times. There is plenty of blame left for Republican Congress members that didn't speak out against Russian election interference for purely partisan reasons, and basically handed our democracy to Russia in 2016, but also going forward.

President Trump himself has stated on numerous occasions that he believes the word of Putin, an enemy of democracy who frequently orders the murder of his opposition, over the US Intelligence Agencies' unanimous agreement of Russian interference in our elections. That makes him an accessory-after-the-fact whether or not he colluded with Russia before the election.

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Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper

Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is excellent. I try to read a lot of books about feminism and racism, and this book is so great because there is not one wasted paragraph- not once did I think oh, I've read all this before. Cooper has an excess of interesting and nuanced ideas. She is an excellent writer as well, so she is able to communicate her unique ideas in an especially clear and persuasive manner. This is clearly going to be one of those nonfiction books that I proselytize about by buying it for lots of unsuspecting friends and family.

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The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

5 stars for the stories that actually involve Mowgli and his friends and animal family, 4 stars for the story of the Jesus seal, 5 stars for Rikki Tiki Tavi, but 3 stars for the elephant story, and 3 stars for the mule, baggage camel, and troop horse story. I almost didn’t finish the book.

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Destroying Angel by Richard Paul Russo

Destroying Angel by Richard Paul Russo
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Perhaps I am the wrong audience for this book as I don’t particularly enjoy horror-thrillers, but even more than being the wrong audience I thought the almost-ending was bad. It’s a trilogy though so I am a bit tempted to continue since I’ve already invested this much.

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21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first quarter of the book is necessary and terrifying to contemplate. Much of the rest of the book turns into a discussion of world religions that I found less relevant to the beginning thrust of the book. I also don’t usually like religious discussions by people that are mostly dismissive of religion. Not because I’m especially religious myself but the dismissals are often less interesting than say the nuanced explorations of Karen Armstrong or other religious scholars. Not my favorite of Harari’s books.

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