History repeats itself; whether or not you study it, chances are your recently elected political leaders haven’t. But I found unlikely optimism in this niche book of history.
Tag Archives: Food for thought
‘Woods’ More Human Nature than Thriller
In The God of the Woods, Moore isn’t concerned with crafting a whodunnit so much as a careful sketch of a far more human story.
‘Nest’ a Cozy Exploration of Monstrosity
It’s hard to pick a favorite element in this “cozy horror.” Is it the blood and gore? The love story? The neurodivergent or asexual rep? The family trauma? Somehow, it manages to be all of the above.
‘Chronicles’ An Intimate Look at One ‘Backyard’
It’s lovely and intimate to read such inner thoughts of another person. It’s intimate, too, to see Tan’s drawings improve over the years and the birds within them grow increasingly lifelike.
‘Bigfoot’ an Earnest Dive into Cryptid Lore
Even if I haven’t come away from this book believing in Sasquatch any more than I did going in, I have a far greater belief in the very real place, and effect, these stories have in our world.
‘West’ Ponders History Through Poem and Essay
West isn’t, and cannot be, an all-encompassing history of a time and place, but it is a fascinating and weighty addition to a more comprehensive view of the region that millions of us call home.
‘Night Guest’ Preys on Fears of Self
The Night Guest is an unsettling story about who we are when our own backs are turned. In an era of butt-dialing, sleep-texting, Ambien Tweets, and the unofficial but far-reaching Mysterious Leg-Bruise Club, it’s a relatable fear.
‘Heat’ Brings Only a Little Hope to Climate Crisis
Heat is certainly not a roadmap, but neither is it an indictment (at least, not for the average reader). Rather, it’s food for thought about changes that will not only affect all of us in some way.
‘Believers’ a Timely Take on Tragedy
As The Great Believers shows, the familiar nature of tragedy doesn’t make it any less painful to experience. But as it also shows, the struggle to find joy and move forward even within such tragedy is a thing of beauty, too.
‘Unraveling’ a Multi-Step Pandemic Project
Orenstein faces her project with a little good-natured self-deprecation. That attitude helps make each step, and misstep, feel more like a fascinating conversation than a staid travelogue or sermon.
Ring Reads 