Booklist (i am trying)
Currently pretending-to-read
Normal People
Sally Rooney
Connell and Marianne, from a small town, have contrasting school lives. At Trinity College, their roles reverse as they navigate complex emotions and relationships, always drawn back to each other. 'Normal People' explores their enduring connection amidst self-destruction and the search for meaning.
Bibliophile? Oh, please-
Butts: A Backstory
Heather Radke
Whether we love them or hate them, think they’re sexy, think they’re strange, consider them too big, too small, or anywhere in between, humans have a complicated relationship with butts. It is a body part unique to humans, critical to our evolution and survival, and yet it has come to signify so much more: sex, desire, comedy, shame. A woman’s butt, in particular, is forever being assessed, criticized, and objectified, from anxious self-examinations trying on jeans in department store dressing rooms to enduring crass remarks while walking down a street or high school hallways. But why? In Butts: A Backstory, reporter, essayist, and RadioLab contributing editor Heather Radke is determined to find out.
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss
Amy Bloom
Amy Bloom began to notice changes in her husband, Brian: He retired early from a new job he loved; he withdrew from close friendships; he talked mostly about the past. Suddenly, it seemed there was a glass wall between them, and their long walks and talks stopped. Their world was altered forever when an MRI confirmed what they could no longer ignore: Brian had Alzheimer's disease. Forced to confront the truth of the diagnosis and its impact on the future he had envisioned, Brian was determined to die on his feet, not live on his knees. Supporting each other in their last journey together, Brian and Amy made the unimaginably difficult and painful decision to go to Dignitas, an organization based in Switzerland that empowers a person to end their own life with dignity and peace. In this heartbreaking and surprising memoir, Bloom sheds light on a part of life we so often shy away from discussing--its ending. Written in Bloom's captivating, insightful voice and with her trademark wit and candor, In Love is an unforgettable portrait of a beautiful marriage, and a boundary-defying love.
Only if I weren't so swamped-
All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr
In Nazi-occupied Paris, Marie-Laure and her father flee to Saint-Malo, carrying a valuable museum jewel. In Germany, orphan Werner becomes a radio expert, tasked with tracking the resistance. Their lives intertwine, showcasing the enduring goodness people find amid war.
The Covenant of Water
Abraham Verghese
Set in Kerala from 1900 to 1977, 'The Covenant of Water' follows three generations of a family with a tragic drowning affliction. A twelve-year-old girl, soon Big Ammachi, navigates profound changes, witnessing joy, hardship, and loss, with faith and love as her enduring anchors.
Educated
Tara Westover
Raised by survivalists in Idaho, Tara Westover first entered a classroom at 17. Without formal education, she taught herself enough to attend Brigham Young University, then Harvard and Cambridge. Her memoir, 'Educated,' chronicles her journey from isolated, self-sufficient beginnings to academic and personal transformation.
A Gentleman in Moscow
Amor Towles
In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in Moscow's Metropol hotel. Living in an attic room, he navigates tumultuous Russian history and discovers a richer emotional life. With humor and a vivid cast, the novel explores his journey to find purpose and meaning.
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
James McBride
In 1972 Pottstown, a human skeleton unearthed during construction reveals deep-seated secrets of Chicken Hill, a neighborhood of Jewish and African American residents. The story uncovers their struggles against bigotry and deceit, highlighting their courage, community, and love amidst systemic oppression.
How To Build A Car
Adrian Newey
'How to Build a Car' recounts Adrian Newey's 35-year Formula One career, detailing his journey from sketching car designs at 12 to designing for legendary drivers. The book delves into car mechanics and Newey's relentless pursuit of speed, marked by triumphs and tragedies, including Ayrton Senna's death.
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself
Marisa Crane
In a dystopian U.S., wrongdoers are marked with shadows instead of incarceration. Kris, a Shadester grieving her wife and struggling with alcohol, faces the harsh reality of raising her baby, who is also marked with a shadow. As the child grows, Kris finds renewed strength and hope.
I'm Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdy
Jennette McCurdy details her rise to fame on Nickelodeon's iCarly and the ensuing struggles with anxiety, eating disorders, and unhealthy relationships. Following her mother's death and quitting acting, Jennette finds therapy and begins her journey to recovery and self-discovery.
Lessons in Chemistry
Bonnie Garmus
In the 1960s, chemist Elizabeth Zott defies gender norms at the male-dominated Hastings Research Institute. After falling for Calvin Evans, she becomes a single mother and the star of a popular cooking show, 'Supper at Six.' Her scientific approach to cooking inspires women to challenge the status quo.
The Seven Year Slip
Ashley Poston
After a life-shattering event, Clementine follows a plan to protect her heart, focusing on work, finding love, and chasing a metaphorical moon. Her routine is disrupted when she meets a kind man from the past in her aunt’s apartment, complicating her cautious approach to love.
Solito
Javier Zamora
Nine-year-old Javier embarks on a perilous three-thousand-mile journey from El Salvador to the U.S. to reunite with his parents. Expected to take two weeks, the trip becomes a two-month ordeal filled with danger and uncertainty, during which Javier finds an unexpected family among fellow travelers.
Strange Sally Diamond
Liz Nugent
Sally Diamond, confused by her father’s death and her subsequent actions, becomes a media sensation. As she uncovers the dark truths of her childhood and ventures into the world, she learns about friendship, independence, and the complexity of human intentions.
When Breath Becomes Air
Paul Kalanithi
At thirty-six, neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi is diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, shifting from doctor to patient. 'When Breath Becomes Air' chronicles his journey, exploring life's meaning, mortality, and the poignant contrast of nurturing new life as his own fades.
The Wishing Game
Liz Nugent
Lucy Hart, a teacher’s aide who found solace in Jack Masterson’s Clock Island series, dreams of adopting orphaned student Christopher. When Masterson announces a contest to win a rare new book on Clock Island, Lucy seizes the chance, hoping it could help her make her adoption dream a reality.