Between The World And Me: I don't know what it's like to be a person of color in America, which is why I try to listen when people who do tell me what it's like. I don't agree with everything Ta-Nehisi Coates has said, but I do think he's a powerful voice on the black male experience and this book is supposed to be challenging but really good.
Vanished In Hiawatha: America is a great country in many respects, but the way it has treated the Native Americans is shameful in the extreme. Among the atrocities? A mental hospital in South Dakota which was used almost not-at-all for its original purpose of being an exclusively Native American mental hospital and almost entirely as a place to dump troublemakers. I'd never heard of this before and I'm fascinated and horrified and want to learn more.
The Water Knife: Ever since I moved West, water is a crucial issue. Nevada is the driest state in the nation in a good year and there haven't been many good years lately. The moves taken by the Southern Nevada Water Authority to secure water for the Las Vegas area have been sometimes controversial, and this fictional book about a future in which water is even rarer has a character based on the former head of the SNWA Pat Mulroy. Really interested to read this.
A Little Life: This book is supposed to be incredibly, heartbreakingly sad but is recommended wholeheartedly by everyone who has reviewed it. There's a certain length at which I prefer to read in hard copy rather than Kindle and this enormous book is definitely a get-in-paperback.
Wojtek The Bear: During World War 1, there was a brown bear who was adopted by Polish troops and trained to be their ammunition carrier. He drank beer and ate cigarettes, and was named Wojtek, which means "joyful warrior". This is his story and I want to read it.
Off Balance: Women's gymnastics is my favorite Summer Olympic sport (I don't pay attention to it in the non-Olympic years like I do with figure skating, but I love watching it every four years), and who could forget the Magnificent Seven of the 1996 Olympics? Dominique Moceanu was on that team and this is her memoir of her gymnastics years.
NFL Confidential: This book about what it's actually like to be a non-star NFL player today and I've heard rumors it's by a former Michigan player. I think the lives of professional athletes are interesting because they're so different than a "normal" one...especially for the unsung players, who aren't getting the kinds of cash and fame that the big stars do. Plus I think it's one my husband would enjoy too!
Neurotribes: The recent upward trend in autism diagnoses freaks a lot of people out and probably has a lot of different causes. But what if, outside of its most debilitating forms, it's more just a difference than a disability? Autism isn't going away and we might as well figure out how to make the most of different thinking patterns.
First Women: We talk a lot about presidents, but much less about First Ladies. Their roles are ill-defined and different women have handled it different ways, and this book takes the focus from the presidents to their wives.
But What If We're Wrong?: Chuck Klosterman always makes me think in new and different ways, and his latest book is specifically about thinking about the world differently...as if we're viewing it from the future. What parts of our world will seem the most unbelievable? What will be forgotten entirely and what will be the stuff they teach in history class? Definitely want to own this one in physical form.
You must get A Little Life - it's brutal but incredible! And I know it was recently a Kindle deal...not sure if it still is or not.
ReplyDeleteAlso - I should definitely read Off Balance! I love Olympic sports memoirs.
It's off the Kindle sale now...I almost bought it, but it just seems from what I've heard like a reading experience I'd rather have in print...something that's likely to make me have a big emotional reaction I like to have connected to a tangible source, if that makes any sense (which it only sort of does even to me haha)
DeleteSome good choices!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was hard to narrow down to ten...I want so many books!
DeleteI've heard of A Little Life. Seems to be on everyone's list!
ReplyDeleteEveryone I know who's read it has loved it, but it's supposed to be super sad, so I think lots of people want to read it but haven't picked it up yet!
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