Today I'm linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy's Quick Lit to bring you some short and sweet reviews of what I've read in the past month. For longer reviews, you can always find me on Goodreads.
Good-Bye to All That by Robert Graves: I picked up this book primarily because I've been trying to get my great-grandfather's WWI memoir published, and I thought I should read *the* WWI memoir that seems to have set the standard. Overall, the book was interesting and entertaining, and it kept my attention enough to keep reading but not enough to make me eager to pick it up again each time I put it down.
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine: I reread this in print and it was definitely easier to follow than in audio. I think it provides an excellent overview not only of the ubiquity of racial microaggressions but also of the toll they take on the person experiencing them. The poetic, abstract stuff was still over my head.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: This was a timely read about two sisters living in occupied France during World War I. One wants to fight back and the other wants to keep her head down, but there are consequences for both choices. I didn't LOVE this the way the rest of Goodreads appears to have loved it, but it was still a great read.
The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie: This provided a bit of a change from the typical Poirot novel, as it flips back and forth from Hastings' narrative to a third-person one, and it's dealing with an apparent serial killer rather than the usual closed cast of characters. It was clever in the way of most of Christie's books, but not one of my favorites.
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie: Although I've figured out Christie's pattern for who the killer is, it doesn't make it any easier to figure out the how and why, and this was no exception. It's told from a new perspective (the first-person narration of a nurse), which is always a nice change. Good luck piecing the clues together better than I did.
Fences by August Wilson: In Troy Maxson, Wilson has managed to create a character who is both sympathetic and despicable. The story is rooted in the specific setting of a black family in 1950s Pittsburgh, but the themes about parenting and fate are universal.
The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to Helping Your Baby Get a Good Night's Sleep-Newborn to School Age by Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright: Our toddler went from being a great sleeper to fighting weekend naps, needing us to lay with him until he falls asleep, and asking us in the middle of the night to come lie down in his bed. This book gave me what I was looking for, which was a collection of strategies and suggestions that we can try to help him feel more comfortable falling asleep on his own. We haven't tested them out yet, but the reviews are promising, and the book itself was easy to read, comprehensive, and reassuring, so I definitely recommend giving it a shot.
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: This isn't a foolproof guide to influence and communication, but it provided numerous memorable stories and helped get my wheels turning about ways to apply their principles in my work. Teachers, marketers, and company execs will likely find the information readily applicable.
What have you been reading this month? Share over at Modern Mrs. Darcy!
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