Category: Politics/Current Affairs Page 2 of 4

The World Record Book of Racist Stories (Audiobook) by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar: Records No One Should Want to Hold (but too many vie for)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: November 22, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hrs., 54 min.
Read Date: November 28-29, 2022

An Issue with Sequels/Follow Ups

As I’m sitting here thinking about what to write, I keep comparing this to last year’s You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism. This is intentional because this is very much a Part II to that book. But it’s different, too. So it makes sense to contrast it so I can give an idea of how it’s different.

At the same time, I run the risk of sounding dull—”You’ll Never Believe did X, The World Record Book did Y,” “The World Record Book is more Z than…,” and so on.

I don’t know how to avoid that—so I guess this is an apology in advance? I’ll try to limit the comparisons and keep this interesting, if only because the book deserves to give a good impression, even if I’m not able to do that.

What’s The World Record Book of Racist Stories About?

Because they got to share a bunch of stories in the first book—primarily about Lacey—the sisters wanted to give the rest of their family, and some friends, the chance to get their stories told. Or, as they put it, “air out [their] dirty racist laundry.”

Ruffin warns:

FYI: You’ll be able to tell the difference between this book and the last book. This one’s gonna be a bit heavier. A touch more serious. The reason for that is with the first book, Lacey and | got to giggle through silly racism stories, and it felt great. So, if the family wants to share their stories too, however they want to share, we welcome that. We want them to feel great and heard and blah, blah, bloo. There’s plenty of silliness, it’s just that the rest of the family is less likely to remember the funnier racist stories. They have not been keeping journals. But those terrible, scary racist stories? Maaaan, they remember those like a mug. So, to emotionally prepare you, I’d call this book fifty-fifty silly-scary racist stories. Okay? So, don’t come to me talking about “It wasn’t like the first book” ‘cause you’ve been warned.

To balance out these stories, the interplay between the sisters seems a bit sillier than before (in the print version, each has their own typeface so you can see it)—up to, and including, them singing their own little ditties in the audio. The authors also include some pictures for illustration of the ridiculousness of the story or for a little burst of joy or cuteness to alleviate the heaviness of the stories they’re telling.

I should add there are a couple of anecdotes that really silly or scary, just heartbreaking.*

* Granted, there’s a sense in which all of these are heartbreaking, humanity’s inhumanity always is. So I guess those stories are extra-heartbreaking. Heartbreaking cubed.

The Organization of the Book

So, the theme of this book is there in the title—it’s a Guinness World Records collection, but no one wants to get their stories told here (names have been changed to protect those involved—according to the authors, at Lamar’s insistence over Ruffin’s intentions). The anecdotes are arranged under broad topics (or for the person they’re about), and they are each given a title like “Most Confusing Racist Phrase,” “Worst Car Service,” “Most Racist Pilot,” “Worst Celebrity Look-Alike,” “Worst Teacher,” and so on. Several of the category names are clearly exercises in creativity by the authors, like “Most Regular Degular, Day-to-Day Racism” or “Most Racist Comment I Was Not Part Of”

These Worsts and Bests, it must be remembered, apply to their family and circle of friends. Most minorities in this country can probably come up with their own “Worst Nursing Home Experience,” “Second Worst Bar Patron,” or “Worst Interview.”

A Variety of Storytellers

In the previous book, the stories were predominately told about things that happened to Ruffin or Lamar, as I’ve said. This time out, they bring in stories about their mother, father, all their siblings, a sibling-in-law, a former Nebraska state senator, and even a couple of white people (for contrast).

In fact, the book opens with an anecdote from a white, male friend about a traffic stop. It’s really atypical encounter, and one that this white, male would enjoy having. But, Ruffin says that it’s the story that shocked her the most. I don’t blame her if what follows is what she’s used to. Roughly midway through the book, we get another five quick anecdotes from a friend that Ruffin trades “opposite stories” with:

Stories where I’m suffering some racist nonsense and she’s getting away with everything but murder. It’s so shocking to me. I can’t believe this is happening to my little bud. Being white is hilarious. So, as you read these next five stories, try to think about how out of place they are in this book. Try to imagine a Black man getting away with any of this. It’s fun because you can’t!

With at least four of these, I agree—I can’t imagine that. Probably not the other, either.

They also include some anecdotes from state senator Tanya Cook, a nice (?) reminder that it’s common to find this kind of behavior anywhere.

So, what did I think about The World Record Book of Racist Stories?

Lamar writes in her closing remarks:

I’m glad our family and people from the community got the chance to share these stories with you. No matter how you feel about them, they have happened and are happening out there to not just a small group of people in Omaha, Nebraska, but to absolutely anyone at anytime, anywhere. I personally feel that by sharing these stories we are shining a light on racism, ignorance, and just some all-around hilarious shit.

That’s a pretty good way to summarize this book. And it’s a light that needs to be shone in a way that the masses will take it in. In our culture, for better or worse, the best way to do that is to make it funny and chopped up into digestible bits*. Which is what Ruffin and Lamar did here.

* See Planet Funny by Ken Jennings for more on that.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first—no offense to the authors and contributors, but it wasn’t as fun. If only the Introduction had warned me… But the authors worked hard to make it enjoyable—it’s just hard to do with the subject matter. As it grawlix-ing should be. The fact that they succeeded at all is remarkable.

Pretty much, you can read what I said about You’ll Never Believe and apply it here, just with a little less laughter. But I did laugh audibly at a few points, so there’s that. I also shook my head enough in unbelief/despair/denial that I’m surprised I didn’t pull something.

It may not be my favorite non-fiction read of the year (but it’s close), but it might be the most important one. Pick this (and the predecessor) up, folks.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Go Back to Where You Came From by Wajahat Ali: An All American Story

By HCNewton

On February 8, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

Go Back to Where You Came From:
And Other Helpful Recommendations
on How to Become American

by Wajahat Ali

DETAILS:
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Publication Date: January 25, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 231 pg.
Read Date: February 2-4, 2022

As the two towers fell, I was standing in my pajamas, staring at the TV, and I realized our lives had forever changed. There was a permanent fork in the road for my generation. A disruption in the timeline. A disturbance in the Force. For us, there would always be a pre—9/11 and a post—9/11 world. A few hours earlier, I had been a twenty-year-old senior still trying to figure out his major and serve as a board member of the Muslim Student Association of UC Berkeley. Instantly, I was transformed into an accidental activist, a global representative of 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and a walking Wikipedia of 1,400 years of all things Islam.

I have to be perfect, because any flaw, mistake, errant word, or quote can and will be used against me and all my people in the court of public opinion. On the drop of a dime, I have to be an expert on the following topics: Islam, Quran, the Prophet Muhammad, Sharia, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Hamas, Hummus, Hezbollah, Arabic, Agrabah, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Al Aqsa, Aladdin, Salman Khan the Bollywood Actor, Salman Khan of the Khan Academy, and everything in between. I have to be able to explain them to a skeptical national audience, being sure not to say anything too radical or extreme, because that one mistake will be emblazoned on me like a scarlet letter and be used to beat up this thing called the “Muslim world.”

What’s Go Back to Where You Came From About?

From the Publisher’s Website:

“Go back to where you came from, you terrorist!”

This is just one of the many warm, lovely, and helpful tips that Wajahat Ali and other children of immigrants receive on a daily basis. Go back where, exactly? Fremont, California, where he grew up, but is now an unaffordable place to live? Or Pakistan, the country his parents left behind a half-century ago?
Growing up living the suburban American dream, young Wajahat devoured comic books (devoid of brown superheroes) and fielded well-intentioned advice from uncles and aunties. (“Become a doctor!”) He had turmeric stains under his fingernails, was accident-prone, suffered from OCD, and wore Husky pants, but he was as American as his neighbors, with roots all over the world. Then, while Ali was studying at University of California, Berkeley, 9/11 happened. Muslims replaced communists as America’s enemy #1, and he became an accidental spokesman and ambassador of all ordinary, unthreatening things Muslim-y.

Now a middle-aged dad, Ali has become one of the foremost and funniest public intellectuals in America. In Go Back to Where You Came From, he tackles the dangers of Islamophobia, white supremacy, and chocolate hummus, peppering personal stories with astute insights into national security, immigration, and pop culture. In this refreshingly bold, hopeful, and uproarious memoir, Ali offers indispensable lessons for cultivating a more compassionate, inclusive, and delicious America.

The Universality of Humor

Like with Native Americans in Nesteroff’s We Had a Little Real Estate Problem and Soviet-era Russians in Grechishkin’s Everything is Normal, one thing that Ali talks about is how often people are surprised that Muslims have senses of humor, that they enjoy laughing. A lot of that comes down to media representation—in the news, in our TV and movies, the typical depiction of Muslims is of angry, violent men—or those suffering because of them—or those in the middle of a serious religious observance. We don’t get to see a lot of people relaxing at home, enjoying a meal, or just hanging out.

I’m not sure why this is so hard for people to wrap their heads around—people of all backgrounds laugh. People find things funny. People are funny. These three books (and others, sure, but these are those I’ve talked about here) help readers remember that there’s a shared humanity in laughter (remembering that what’s funny varies a little bit from culture to culture), and I have to think that we’d all be better off to remember that and look for it as a starting point.

Cross-Cultural Hardship

Before he began to get into the details of the hardships that his cultural, ethnic, and religious background would bring on him in our culture, he talks about a challenge that crosses ethnic, religious, geographic, and political lines—he’s a southpaw.

True, there’s a particular accentuation for Muslims, but at the root is the inconvenience that all left-handed people put up with every day. I thought it was a rhetorically nice touch because it makes him universally relatable—it was also pretty funny.

So, what did I think about Go Back to Where You Came From?

Let me start by saying, I had no idea who Wajahat Ali was before this book—I may have seen him on a news show or five as a talking head—but, like most of those, he didn’t make enough of an impression for me to remember his name*. So I didn’t come into this book with any preconceived notions of what to expect, I wasn’t a fan already (or a detractor). All I knew was that Paul from Paul’s Picks had very positive things to say about the book (as he should have).

* I will absolutely take notice next time I see him in that role, however.

This was a great mix of memoir, social commentary, and satire—with a little sprinkling of a more general humor thrown in. The way he shifted between the genres was fairly seamless and quite effective—his own story (and that of his parents) were good illustrations of the societal ills he wanted to point to, and also it worked well occasionally as argumentum a minore ad maius.

I found myself reading large sections of this to whatever family member happened to be around when I read it (or I’d bookmark a section I thought someone might find almost as interesting as I did to read at them later)—there’s just so much good to be found here. The material about 9/11 and its aftermath was the most poignant—which kind of feels like a gimme sometimes, and some authors shouldn’t milk it. Given Ali’s subject matter, however, it was something he had to discuss and it was the book’s most powerful material.

Ali’s story is the kind that Americans love to tell and hear about success—even if his telling points to many of the flaws in our society. Through grit, determination, perseverance, and endurance, Ali pushes through all sorts of cultural, societal, legal, medical, and circumstantial challenges to arrive where he is. Because he believes in what we can be as a people, based on our (incredibly inconsistently applied and demonstrated) ideals and aspirations. It’s the kind of story we need to see, hear, and read more of.

Go Back to Where You Came From is a challenging read, it will make you uncomfortable, but it should also give you a little glimmer of hope. I strongly encourage you to read this.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

My Favorite Non-Fiction Books of 2021

By HCNewton

On January 5, 2022

In (Auto)Biography, History, Humor, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

Favorite Non-Fiction 2021
My 2021 Wrap up continues and now we’re on to the Non-Fiction list. While I liked a number of works that didn’t make this list, I felt strange calling them a “favorite.” So, we have 6 instead of the nigh-obligatory 10 (Hartford had two books on the list, but I wouldn’t let someone else do that on another list, so I trimmed one from this). Like last year, I was surprised that I’d given so many of these 3 or 3 1/2 stars. But these are the ones that stuck with me through the year; the ones I cited in conversation; that I thought about when reading something else or watching something on TV. Really, that’s what’s important, right?

As always, I only put books that I’ve read for the first time on this list. I don’t return to NF books (outside of looking up things for one or three points), but occasionally I do—for example, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs would get a permanent spot on this list, were it not for this rule.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Blood and Treasure: Daniel Boone and the Fight for America’s First Frontier

by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

My original post
This book de-mythologized—and then re-mythologized (to a point) Daniel Boone, who ended up being more interesting (and more human) than I anticipated. Some of the writing was fantastic and you could forget you were reading history (there were other parts that were so dry it could be nothing else). The book looks at both Boone and the Fight for the Frontier—against Indians, French, and the English. It’s the kind of history book that convinces me that I should read more history—not to better myself, just because it’s worthwhile.

3.5 Stars

A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons

by Ben Folds

I haven’t written a post about this book yet, so it’s hard for me to try to give a thumbnail here. I enjoyed getting to know Folds a bit better—warts and all (and he’s not afraid to bring up some of the warts). Where this book really impressed me was when he talked about music—performing, creating, listening, what it means to a listener/performer. I’ve already returned to some of that material to reread—I’m not a musician, but I appreciate someone that thoughtful about it. It’s inspirational.

Also, his stuff about Shatner is just great.

3.5 Stars

The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics

by Tim Harford

My original post
This is one of those books I should go back and re-read, taking copious notes to help me internalize the points. We’re subject to people at work, on the news, online, and from the government throwing numbers, statistics, and “studies show” so often that it can be overwhelming. So much so that many people blindly accept everything they’re told from that formula, or doubt it all. Hartford’s point is that we should be skeptical, but to use that skepticism to dig out the real meaning behind the study/statistic and then use it for our advantage as a voter, citizen, employee, or person (or all of the above). Crystal clear writing, easily applicable, and more useful than most books on related subjects.

Actually, I think I just convinced myself to re-read it soon.

3 Stars

Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever

by John McWhorter

My original post
I’m a sucker for an entertaining look at language, and that’s what McWhorter delivered here. While I try to eschew the use of profanity, we’re surrounded by it so much more than we likely realize, so I might as well learn more about it, right? This was a solid look at the background and development of these “Big 9” words—in particular, I enjoyed McWhorter’s demonstration of how the words function as various parts of speech, as well as the varying nuances of meaning.

3 Stars

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism

by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar

My original post
I talked about this in my favorite audiobook post, too, never fear—this’ll be the last time I bring it up this week.

Early on, Ruffin writes:

Twice a week, I get a text from my sister that says, “Can you talk?” It’s my favorite because I know I’m about to be transported to a place that exists in real life and fantasy: the place where coworkers will put their whole hand in your hair, talking ’bout “It’s fluffy like a dog.” I realize this sounds terrible, but it’s like watching Dateline. You can’t believe it was the GIRLFRIEND who killed the HUSBAND! It’s the edge of reality. Technically, it happens, but it is barely plausible. Excited, I steal away to the elevator banks at work and listen to Lacey tell me a new horror story. It’s fantastic. As I stand there, mouth agape, listening to some new fresh hell, I am always struck by the fact that these stories will only exist in this phone call. Some will go on to become stories once the topic turns to “racist people at work” one night when Lacey is hanging out with her friends, but she’ll forget most of them because of the sheer volume. The. Sheer. Volume.

That’s what this book is, a distillation of that volume. A compilation of the best/worst of those stories. They are tragic. They are sobering. They are frequently pretty funny. But only in the way they’re told. Lamar and Ruffin share these stories with an air of “you have to laugh or you’ll cry.” The kind of resigned laughter when you realize that your situation isn’t going to get better any time soon, so you might as well find the pleasure in it. A lot of this is hard to listen to/read—but it’s usually worth it. There’s also a decent level of “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” running throughout this.

4 Stars

Moonlighting: An Oral History

by Scott Ryan

My original post
It’s probably the most fun I’ve had with a book this year. Somehow, Ryan’s able to capture a little bit of the flavor of the show while getting into the history. Moonlighting was a revolutionary show, and he is able to talk to just about every significant figure involved in the creation and production of it for this history. He chronicles the ups, downs, and all-around zaniness. There are deep-dives on important episodes and or tricky scenes, as well as broader looks at themes, storylines, characters, etc. It’s easy to forget just how magical this show was, but spending some time with Ryan will remind viewers of a certain age of just what a ground-breaking, oft-controversial, and entertaining series it was.

5 Stars

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2021

By HCNewton

On January 4, 2022

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Humor, Kevin Hearne, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs, Rick Riordan, Science Fiction, Seanan McGuire, Toby Daye, Tufa, Urban Fantasy

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2021
Last year I kicked off my Year-End Retrospective with a look at my favorite audiobooks, I might as well repeat that this year. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.

(in alphabetical order by author)

The Hum and the Shiver

by Alex Bledsoe, Emily Janice Card(Narrator), Stefan Rudnicki (Narrator)

This was my third or fourth trip through this book (maybe, fifth, but I don’t think so). I’m not sure if that means it was easy for me to be impressed—or maybe it was really hard because I had high expectations. Regardless, Rudnicki and Card took me to Cloud County and the land of the Tufa. I could believe that these people lived, breathed, and walked around in this world—and yet were otherworldly, as they ought to be. I knew Rudnicki could make me believe in a Fantasy world—it turns out that he can make me believe in this one, too. Card was right there with him.

4 Stars

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

by Elle Cosimano, Angela Dawe (Narration)

My original post
This is on the list because of Dawe’s narration. The text was entertaining enough, sure, but her narration is what made sure I remembered the book during the list-making time. The novel was a tricky balancing act between the various tones and characters, and Dawe makes you believe it. She captured the comedic sense of the novel along with the tension and emotional moments. There were a few accents involved and she did a believable job with them, too.

3.5 Stars

A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry

by Charles Dickens, Tim Curry (Narrator)

My original post
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: all you need to know about this is: Tim Curry. This wasn’t the performance I expected—I figured I was in for something near to over-the-top, with Curry going to town with the text. Instead, we’re treated to a respectful, restrained performance giving Dickens’ classic just the right emotional weight, sentimentality, personality, and life.

5 Stars

In This Bright Future

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

My original post
Grainger and Jackson together have made this one of my Top 3 audiobook series, period. So my only question was how many of the books would end up on this list. I ended up limiting myself to one, and therefore it had to be this one—we get so little of our typical characters and settings, but Jackson is able to make Belfast as warm and homey as King’s Lake. There are elevated dangers and emotions in this book that we don’t typically get with D.C. Smith, but Jackson doesn’t miss a beat. Grainger puts D.C. through his paces, too. Both are at the top of their game—making D.C. at the top of his, too.

4 Stars

Ink & Sigil

by Kevin Hearne, Luke Daniels (Narrator)

Even though a pro like Luke Daniels is constantly doing voices/accents for his characters and the narration is almost never his “natural” voice (assuming he even has one anymore), I have to think that maintaining a Glaswegian accent for as long as he did for this book (ten hours and change, I think) has to be an added level of difficulty. Not that you can tell from listening to this. I thought the novel was a rollicking good time and just the way you should introduce a new series. The audiobook version just cemented that.

4 1/2 Stars

The Unkindest Tide

by Seanan McGuire, Mary Robinette Kowal (Narrator)

This novel was the payoff (as far as we know so far, I wouldn’t put it past McGuire to turn it upside down later) to a storyline that had been lingering and building for years, I remember being stunned when reading it—just that aspect of The Unkindest Tide brought a great combination of anticipation, grief, suspense, and surprise. The story of the novel—the trip to the Duchy of Ships, the intrigue around Dianda, etc. was as solid as it gets, too. I remembered all this going in, so it was all teed up for Kowal—and she nailed it, it almost felt like I hadn’t read the book before and was discovering it fresh. A narrator who can do that is tops in my book.

4 1/2 Stars

We Had a Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans and Comedy

by Kliph Nesteroff

My original post
As I was trimming down the list of audiobooks I listened to last year for this list, I didn’t expect that this would stay on the list. A history of Native Americans in Comedy, really? But I kept not deleting it…so I started thinking of it—there’s a social history, an entertainment history, with individual profiles mixed it—it has it all. What’s more, despite a pretty dry (but never boring) narration, and not using clips of original performances, the comedy of these individuals comes through. In the midst of hardship, suffering, prejudice, and hard breaks, there are some solid laughs. It’s hard not to keep thinking about that.

4 Stars

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods

by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator)

I started working on a post last year about contemporary myth retellings (and I intend on finishing it before my unconceived grandkids are ready to read it), and listened to this as part of that. In many ways, the book and the information didn’t fare well compared to things like Gaiman and Fry have recently produced. But this is here and they’re not—because as an audiobook this is a great experience. Bernstein is Percy Jackson here, and it felt like something ol’ Percy was sitting down and relating to future Camp Halfblood residents. It inspired me to listen to the original Percy Jackson series again just so I can listen to Bernstein perform this character.

3 Stars

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism

by Amber Ruffin, Lacey Lamar

My original post
I’m still telling people about this audiobook/book nine months later. I can’t think of a book that made me angrier, sadder, or made me laugh as much in 2021 (or a few years before it, either). This did all three. Ruffin’s narration, Lamar’s stories, their hurt, and their optimism make this a must-listen.

4 1/2 Stars

The Salvage Crew

by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, Nathan Fillion (Narrator)

My original post
This is a very strange SF story about a sentient AI (based on the memories and personality of an engineer). I think I’d have enjoyed the story had I read the novel, but it’s Nathan Fillion that brought it to life. That same charm that makes you like Caleb, Mal, Castle, and Nolan shines forth and makes you believe in this malfunctioning (at least eccentrically-functioning) AI and get invested in the AI’s survival and that of his ragtag crew.

4 Stars

Catch-Up Quick Takes: The Case of the Missing Marquess; Dark Arts and a Daiquiri; Breaking Silence; Everything Happens; Based on a True Story: A Memoir; How to Resist Amazon and Why; Nothing Like I Imagined

By HCNewton

On November 24, 2021

In (Auto)Biography, Audiobook, Fiction, Humor, Jo Perry, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs, Urban Fantasy

The point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness. This time, I’ve got a handful of 3 Star reads/listens (I don’t think I planned it that way, it just worked out).

The Case of the Missing Marquess

by Nancy Springer, Katherine Kellgren (Narrator)
Series: Enola Holmes, #1
Unabridged Audiobook, 4 hrs., 31 min.
Recorded Books, 2008
Read: November 1, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
This is a cute read for people who like the idea of Sherlock Holmes, but aren’t that interested (or ready) in the real thing. Which may sound dismissive, but it’s not supposed to be. I can easily see why the people behind the movie(s) latched onto this character. I can also easily see why they tweaked the content of this book and expanded it for the first movie (does the second book some/all of what they used to expand?).

I don’t know that I’m going to go the distance with this series, but I can easily see going for one more dip in the pool.

Fast, amusing and pretty clever. This look at Sherlock and Mycroft’s little sister is a pleasant little book.

3 Stars

Dark Arts and a Daiquiri

by Annette Marie, Cris Dukehart (Narrator)
Series: The Guild Codex: Spellbound, #2
Unabridged Audiobook, 7 hrs., 39 min.
Tantor Audio, 2018
Read: October 22-25, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
For book 2 to remove our non-magical bartender to a guild of Magic Users from the Guild Members for the majority of the book is a pretty gutsy move. I’m not sure it was the right way to go, and I’m not sure it was successful. But it was gutsy.

The story was…okay, I guess. It really didn’t do a lot for me, but the last few chapters—pretty much when Tori reunites with her friends made the whole thing worth it. And the Dresden File hat-tip was fantastic.

I’m still in on this series/group of series, but I bet when all is said and done, this’ll be the one to forget.

3 Stars

Breaking Silence

by Linda Castillo, Kathleen McInerney (Narrator)
Series: Kate Burkholder, #3
Unabridged Audiobook, 9 hrs., 21 min.
Macmillan Audio, 2011
Read: October 20-21, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
Another horrific murder in Amish country. I’d love for a few books to involve other crimes in this community. I realize it’s her shtick, but a little variety could help things.

That aside—the villain of this piece is horrible and creepy, and you can feel the evil. Watching Kate and Agent Tomasetti try to figure out the motive behind the killing and the identity of the killer was a fun ride. I really do like these individually—even if I wonder about the series as a whole.

3 Stars

Everything Happens

by Jo Perry
Kindle Edition, 119 pg.
Fahrenheit Press, 2019
Read: October 18-19, 2021

(the official blurb)
This starts as the story of a nurse trying to get a quickie divorce from a loser and then turns into a story of carjacking, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, robbery, vengence, betrayal, and car chases.

Basically: just another weekend in Vegas.

I was riveted throughout, but…I couldn’t stop asking, “Why?” I’m not sure I saw the point of the whole thing—but you know what? I didn’t care, I enjoyed it too much to bother with things like that.

3 Stars

Based on a True Story: A Memoir

by Norm Macdonald, Tim O’Halloran (Narrators)
Unabridged Audiobook, 7 hrs., 18 min.
Random House Audio, 2016
Read: October 12-14, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
A fictionalized version of MacDonald’s memoir, it’s hard to tell what’s memoir, what’s a joke, what’s a mixture. The more obviously genuine moments are marred by their vicinity to the clearly fictional. As a book? This is a mess—a self-indulgent, erratic, mess.

But wow. This was funny—even most of what I didn’t like was funny.

Don’t go into this thinking you’ll understand MacDonald’s life, career, or humor better. Go into it expecting a strange performance art-like experience with some giant laughs and you’ll be set.

3 Stars

How to Resist Amazon and Why:
The Fight for Local Economics,
Data Privacy, Fair Labor,
Independent Bookstores,
and a People-Powered Future!

by Danny Caine
Paperback, 113 pg.
Microcosm Publishing, 2021
Read: October 6, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
This is a no-holds barred critique (screed?) against Amazon—their business practices, the way they treat employees, the way they deal with governments, their security products…and just about everything else. It’s also a call to arms against the giant.

I have a lot of sympathies for Caine’s positions and desires—and agree with most of them. I also follow some of the practices he espouses (not as many as I want, but hey…I’m on a budget).

Still, I’m not sure the megastore is a super-villain—it may resemble one, very closely. As much as we might want it to be.

Read this—blanch at some of it—but take it with a grain of salt.

3 Stars

Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes)

by Mindy Kaling
Unabridged Audiobook., 2 hrs., 19 min.
Brilliance Publishing, 2020
Read: October 1, 2021

(the official blurb)
I really enjoyed Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) and Why Not Me?—this has the same kind of humor—and the audio versions of all three are equally charming.

But I don’t know, this seemed lifeless? Sweet and genuinely funny, but it left me wanting a bit more. I don’t think it was just the length, either.

3 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

My Favorite Non-Fiction Books of 2020

By HCNewton

On January 4, 2021

In (Auto)Biography, Humor, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

My 2020 Wrap up continues and now we’re on to the Non-Fiction list. I had little trouble getting this down to 9 books (couldn’t be satisfied with any of the candidates for 10, although Duhigg almost scored it with the other book by him I listened to this year). But when started filling in the details, I was surprised that I’d given so many of these 3 or 3 1/2 stars. But these are the ones that stuck with me through the year; the ones I cited in conversation; that I thought about when reading something else or watching something on TV. Really, that’s what’s important, right?

(in alphabetical order by author)

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

by Angela Duckworth

My original post
A fascinating mix of psychological research, case studies, and personal anecdotes. Duckworth structured this in such a way that not only it was informative and educational, it was enjoyable and motivational. The subject was interesting, the approach challenging, and didn’t always give the answers you expected. Duckworth made it clear that with the right mindset and time, it was possible to increase your own grit and find a measure of success. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, nor is it a promise of instant success. Just a reassurance that smart work can pay off.

4 1/2 Stars

Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business

by Charles Duhigg, Mike Chamberlain (Narrator)
My original post
It’s not a how-to book, it’s not self-improvement, it’s largely about the science/study/understanding of productivity. I found it just as fascinating as previous book and can see where it’d be a useful guidebook for people in some sort of position of authority in an organization. Yet, it’s an improvement over Duhigg’s previous book because there are indications of how one could apply this to themselves/their organizations.

Also, Duhigg shows us his process while illustrating his own application of the book’s lessons—which I really enjoyed. I find his approach to putting together a book very interesting, what and how he includes something is almost as interesting as what he does with it.

3.5 Stars

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality

by Michael J. Fox

My original post
I’ve been a fan of Fox’s for as long as I can remember, and have watched most of the projects he discussed here (and many others). Like many, I’ve been impressed with the way he and his family have dealt with his Parkinson’s Disease and how they’ve worked to help everyone with it.

So this book, where he’s frank about the troubles he’s had recently and the way they’ve challenged his natural optimism really struck a chord with me. The book is a balance of struggle and victory, setback and progress—all told with a sharp wit that’s sure to charm.

4 Stars

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

by Atul Gawande, John Bedford Lloyd (Narrator)

My original post
It’s a simple premise—a well-developed checklist can make even the most complex task doable and save even experts from horrible oversights/mistakes when implemented correctly (although there are things that just can’t be made into a checklist). As hard as it might be to fathom, seeing how checklists have been used by pilots, surgeons, investment bankers and the like is utterly fascinating. There’s just no way that I can make it sound like it.

3.5 Stars

Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a More Tranquil Mind

by Alan Jacobs

My original post
Jacobs hits another one out of the park. He asks how can we read and appreciate books from the past plagued by things that would not be tolerated today? Racism; slavery; different expectations for family, male and female roles; and so on. (many of these can apply to books and people who aren’t from previous centuries, but are in the cubicle next to us or around the Thanksgiving table—but Jacobs doesn’t spend time on that, but if you can’t make the application, I don’t think you’re paying attention).

Thoughtful, thought-provoking, erudite, with quiet humor, Jacobs will make you think, aspire to be a better reader, and more widely-read, too. I’m going to have to read this one a couple of more times to mine it for detail, and I’m looking forward to it.

4 1/2 Stars

Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic

by Michael McCreary

My original post
McCreary shows a side of ASD that many people probably don’t realize exists. And even if they do, hearing about it from someone with it, helps you understand it better. McCreary gives us his perspective on things in a way that’s easy to digest. His humor (mostly pointed at himself and autism) provides some lightness to something that’s usually not treated that way.

3.5 Stars

Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner

by Judy Melinek, MD, & TJ Mitchell, Tanya Eby (Narrator)

My original post
This is Melinek’s account of her training to be a forensic pathologist in NYC—a great place to train, because what won’t you see there? She talks about the deaths that are the result of crimes, the kind of thing we see on every crime show in the world. But that’s not primarily the job and that’s not the focus of the book—mostly it’s the result of an accident, long-term disease, and so on. Which is actually frequently more interesting than the criminal stuff.

What makes this already compelling book all the better (as a book, not as an actual life) is that September 11, 2001, was a few weeks after her residency began. Her description of dealing with the aftermath (both in terms of the dead and the events that followed) is just sobering, and a reminder of the unspeakable reality of that day.

3.5 Stars

Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why

by Alexandra Petri

My original post
If this was a straight-forward collection of essays about politics and cultural issues, I’d probably not recommend it. I don’t know if I’d have finished it (although, with Jacob’s help (see above), maybe I could’ve). But the fact that it’s a collection of humorous essays/columns? Oh yeah, sign me up.

Even when I think she’s wrong about a topic, she made me grin and/or laugh. Usually made me think. I was always impressed with her creativity.

3 Stars

The Answer Is . . .: Reflections on My Life

by Alex Trebek, Narrated by: Ken Jennings, Alex Trebek

My original post
Even if we hadn’t lost Trebek this year, this would’ve landed on this list. But given how much we’ve all been talking about him lately, it has to show up.

He tells his story in short chapters, full of self-depreciation and more swearing than you’d expect (he explains why). If you can hear/read him talk about his wife, his children, his cancer—and the effect that the cancer’s having on his wife and children as he prepares for death without being moved? There’s something wrong with ya. At that point, any thought I had about pretending to be objective and analytical went out the window.

My sole complaint is that the audiobook is only four-and-a-half hours long. It’s just not long enough. I get that he wasn’t trying to be exhaustive—and I don’t necessarily want that—but when you start to hear these quick stories about his growing up, his getting established in the business (either in Canada or the States), his friendships…and of course, Jeopardy!—you just want it to keep going for hours and hours.

4 1/2 Stars

The Friday 56 for 6/26/20

By HCNewton

On June 26, 2020

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Politics/Current Affairs, Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it

from Page 56% of:
Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why

Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why by Alexandra Petri

N.B. I hesitated to use this book, since I posted about it earlier, but I used my current read last week, and I didn’t want to double-dip. And then my next read is an ARC that, and I try not to quote from them since I don’t know if it’ll make the final cut. So…

His head ached all the time. Once he used his excess mental energy to tip over a glass with his mind, but nobody gave him any credit for it. Just for kicks, he raised and lowered the flag on the Interior Department so that it appeared Ryan Zinke was there when in fact he was NOT, but that was not as much fun as anticipated. Everything began to wear on him. He could not sit through international summits. Everyone spoke too slowly.

Gradually he tried to move things that were bigger and bigger. By the end of the first week he was able to knock rockets out of the sky. He sent a tweet about it, but nobody understood that this was what he was trying to say. All the TV ever seemed to show was people closely misreading his tweets. It was miserable. It was a nightmare.

Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why by Alexandra Petri: Laughing So You Don’t Cry at the State of Our Country

By HCNewton

On June 26, 2020

In Politics/Current Affairs

Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why

by Alexandra Petri

Hardcover, 214 pg.
W. W. Norton & Company, 2020

Read: June 15-22, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

Like I do so often, when it comes to non-fiction, I’m going to cheat on the summar part and quote from the official blurb:

These impossibly cheerful essays on the routine horrors of the present era explain everything from the resurgence of measles to the fiasco of the presidency.

In Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why, acclaimed Washington Post satirist Alexandra Petri offers perfectly logical, reassuring reasons for everything that has happened in recent American politics that will in no way unsettle your worldview.

In essays both new and adapted from her viral Washington Post columns, Petri reports that the Trump administration is as competent as it is uncorrupted, white supremacy has never been less rampant, and men have been silenced for too long. The “woman card” is a powerful card to play! Q-Anon makes perfect sense! This Panglossian venture into our swampy present offers a virtuosic first draft of history—a parody as surreal and deranged as the Trump administration itself.

I’d say that this is some of the most vicious political satire I’ve read, but then I remember all the P. J. O’Rourke that I’ve read. Not to mention Christopher Buckley. Or Jonathan Swift. Or William Langland…. Okay, so maybe I should abandon that idea… I am safe in saying that it’s satire from America’s political Left that could give ORourke a run for his money (although her pieces are shorter than I remember him able to do, therefore punchier).

I am not a Liberal*, and have problems with a lot of the politics underlying these essays. However, most of these essays don’t have particular positions or policy’s in their sights. They’re primarily focused on personality, corruption, competency and the culture the current administration fosters. So while I’d differ from her on vital points, I was able to find more to agree with in these pages than not.

* Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

There were a couple of pieces I was personally offended by, but largely I could write up differences in belief, conviction or understanding to a difference of opinion that are worth discussing—and even when I couldn’t I can admit that most of her points would be largely valid from Petri’s worldview. But none of that rendered any of these essays unreadable (there were two that came close for me, probably not for many others). In fact, I think there was only one of the 50+ essays that I didn’t find a point or two that made me smile or chuckle.

Some pieces work wherever you end up on the political spectrum—like, “You May Already Be Running” (how an elected official finds themselves running for President without deciding to), “Raising Baby Hitler” (rather than using a Time Machine to kill baby Hitler, going back in time to raise him differently). The piece about what she’d call a moderate Republican (I’d consider an actual conservative, not a Trump Republican) looking for someone else to stand up to the President was wonderful and haunting.

I don’t recommend reading more than 3-4 a day, I think they’d lose their impact if you went much further (I knocked off six on one day without meaning to, and I regretted it).

This is a refreshing read, it makes you think as well as grin. If you happen to agree with Petri on most of the issues, you’ll enjoy it more than others will. But frankly, a funny piece is a funny piece, even if I disagree with some/all of it. And that kept me turning pages. I enjoyed this, I recommend it, it’ll unsettle you, it’ll make you think, and it might provide a little relief just seeing someone eruditely make the same points you wish you could.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

GUEST POST: GenTech in the Workplace: A Fresh Perspective Employing Generations

By HCNewton

On March 25, 2020

In Book Tour, Politics/Current Affairs

GenTech in the Workplace: A Fresh Perspective Employing Generations

by Guest Blogger Dr. Rick Chromey

The Millennial is creative but lazy and entitled. The Gen Xer is hardworking but rude and disloyal. The Boomer is reliable but old and out of touch. It’s a generational cocktail that produces derision and indecision, doubt and depression.

So, let’s say you’re a 35-year old and you lead a diverse team of three different ages. You have a worker who’s 18, another is 56 and yet one more aged 65. Traditionally, you view them as Gen Z, Gen X, and Boomer, but you could also see them from a different perspective.

Recast them through their generational technologies, to bring out the best performance.

Let me show you how.

The 18-year old

The 18-year old was born in 2001. She’s part of the Net (1990-2010) and iTech (2000-2020) generations. She’s been coming of age since 2011 and will reach full adult maturity in 2026. She’s known only a digital, cyberculture. The internet is like electricity. Her first technology was the smartphone and the iPad. She’s been baptized in social media. As a young employee, she is fluid in digital media, embraces diversity and is constantly connected. She doesn’t do email nor Facebook but enjoys Snapchat and Instagram. She wants to be a YouTube entrepreneur. The Gen Zer likes long breaks and often calls in sick.

The 56-year old

The 56-year old was born in 1963. He’s part of the Space (1950-1970) and Gamer (1960-1980) generations. He came of age between 1973 and 1988. His whole life has been like a video game and a rocket ride. He’s seen revolutions and recessions, a man landing on the moon and a teacher dying at takeoff. He remembers Nixon’s resignation, Reagan’s near assassination and Clinton’s impeachment. He grew up on rabbit ears, snowy channels, and black and white television. Consequently, he’s a bit jaded. He’s a realist. He struggles with newer tech. He still prefers old-school letters but has fully embraced email. He got hit hard by the Big Recession and has little saved for retirement. He’s working for every last penny. The Gen Xer has had five jobs in twenty years.

The 65-year old

The 65-year old was born in 1954. She’s part of the Television (1940-1960) and Space (1950-1960) generations. She came of age between 1964 and 1979. She watched JFK’s assassination, the Beatles and Walter Cronkite on television. She had an 8-Track in her car and a stack of records on her bedroom floor. She’s an idealist with a bit of hippie in her. She doesn’t mind the tech but thinks it’s over-rated. She prefers to talk face-to-face. She’s worked for the company for thirty years. She’s Ms. Reliable and she struggles with the team at times.

You – the 35-year old

And then there’s you. You were born in 1984. You’re part of the Cable Television (1970-1990) and Personal Computer-Cell Phone (1980-2000) generations. You came of age between 1994 and 2009. You grew up in a modem, flip phone, desktop culture. You watched the 9-11 terrorist attacks on CNN and suckled on an MTV cribs reality culture. You are computer literate and tech-savvy. You’re confident, verbal and view the world differently than older workers. You don’t mind email but prefer texts.

Your team is a reflection of their “coming of age” technology. One travels life (and work) like a video game while another freely swims in social media. One prefers texts and another wants face-to-face. One is company-loyal and another works to play.

Now you have a good picture of who’s on your team. How will you now delegate workflow? What will change?

The people working for you are the products of their generation’s technology.

We are giving away GenTech for free for one hour on AMAZON

GenTech is having a best-seller party, Thursday, March 26, 2020, 7-8pm EST and the book will be free for 1-hour on Amazon. Join us, and please share!

Want to learn more about GenTech? Go to www.mygentech.us, and we are on Facebook: @authorrichchromey, Twitter: @MyGenTech2020, and Instagram @MyGenTech. You can reach Dr. Rick Chromey at rick@rickchromey.com.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: GenTech: An American Story of Technology, Change and Who We Really Are by Dr. Rick Chromey

By HCNewton

On March 25, 2020

In Book Tour, Politics/Current Affairs

Welcome to the Irresponsible Reader’s tour stop for Dr. Rick Chromey’s GenTech: An American Story of Technology, Change and Who We Really Are! In addition to this Book Spotlight, I’ve got a Guest Post from the author coming up in a bit, too. Give this book a second-look folks, maybe more. There’s a giveaway at the end of this post (and information on how to get a free copy in the Guest Post, too!)—be sure you check them out!

We are uniquely shaped by innovations that influenced us during our “coming of age” years between 10 and 25.

It is the technological interactions in our adolescence and college
years that guide our generational frames more than anything else, not the day we were born.We are generations of technology. We are GenTech.

– Dr. Rick Chromey

Join us for this tour from Mar 23 to Apr 3, 2020!

Book Details:

Book Title: GenTech: An American Story of Technology, Change and Who We Really Are by Dr. Rick Chromey
Category: Adult Non-fiction 18 yrs +, 328 pages
Genre: History / Cultural & Technical History
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Release date: May 26, 2020
Tour dates: Mar 23 to Apr 3, 2020
Content Rating: G : This is a non-fiction book about our technical history and how it has shaped our culture.

Book Description:

Every twenty years a new generation rises, but who and what defines
these generations? And could current generational tags mislead and miss
the point? In this insightful analysis of technology history since 1900,
Dr. Rick Chromey offers a fresh perspective for understanding what
makes a generation tick and differ from others. Within GenTech,
readers learn how every generation uniquely interacts with particular
technologies that define historical temperament and personality and why
current generational labels are more fluid than fixed, and more loopy
than linear. Consequently, three major generational constellations
emerge, each containing four, twenty-year generations that overlap,
merge, and blend:

The Audio Generations (1900-1950):
Transportation-Telephone Generation (1900-1920), Motion Picture
Generation (1910-1930), Radio Generation (1920-1940), Vinyl Record
Generation (1930-1950)

The Visual Generations (1940-1990): Television
Generation (1940-1960), Space Generation (1950-1970), Gamer Generation
(1960-1980) and Cable Television Generation (1970-1990)

The Digital Generations (1980-2000): Personal
Computer-Cell Phone Generation (1980-2000), Net Generation (1990-2010),
iTech Generation (2000-2020), and Robotics Generation (2010-2030). Dive
in and revel in this exciting, compelling, and novel perspective to
understanding recent American generations with GenTech.

Official Scheduled Release Date is May 26, 2020.
Pre-Order Now:
Amazon.com ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound
BAM ~ Powell‘s ~ Indigo ~ Rediscovered Books

Meet the Author:

Rick Chromey is a cultural explorer, social historian and generational
futurist. He’s also served as a pastor, professor, speaker/trainer, and
consultant. In 2017, he founded MANNA! Educational Services
International to inspire and equip leaders, teachers, pastors, and
parents. Rick has a doctorate in leadership and the emerging culture;
and travels the U.S. and world to speak on culture, faith, history,
education, and leadership topics. He has authored over a dozen books on
leadership, natural motivation, creative communication, and classroom
management. He lives with his wife, Linda, in Meridian, Idaho.

Connect with the Author: website ~ youtube ~ facebook ~ twitter ~ instagram

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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