Sunday, March 4, 2018

February Book List

Fiction ruled the 28 days of February, with two non fiction books thrown in for good measure.

Non fiction

Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living by Linnea Dunne

Yes, another book about the concept of lagom. This was one of my favorites, with practical tips for living a lagom life broken into sections that cover work, home, style, and more. Add in beautiful pictures and design and I loved the whole experience of reading this book.

My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life by Ruth Reichl

This cookbook/journey book was not on my radar until a fellow freelancer, trying to help those of us who were reeling from the closing of Parent Co., recommended it. Reichl was editor-in-chief when Gourmet magazine went under after 70 years, and she was understandably also reeling. During her journey through grief, she kept a journal, made Twitter friends, and cooked her way back to life and her next big project.

Reichl's book is a great reminder of what happens when you grab beautiful ingredients, slow down, and absorb the entire experience of making a meal. Reichl splits her book into seasons, and as winter melts into spring and the process of time carries on, she shares the pain and the triumph of starting over, as well as 136 recipes that will bring even the most desperate mourner back to life.

Besides being a great read, it's a phenomenal cookbook. I now make the meanest gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches on the block, so look out.

Fiction

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

This book is as amazing and shattering as everyone says. I felt like the first few pages were slow, but when I got hooked, I couldn't put it down.

Told from different points of view, Ward has a gift when it comes to giving each character a unique voice. Spanning generations and taking an honest look at the results of racism, "Sing, Unburied, Sing" should leave every reader unsettled. There were times I was holding my breath as I followed 13 year-old Jojo on his journey as he tried to come to terms with a father in prison, a mother with issues, and grandparents who wouldn't be around forever to protect him. Then there's the fact that he can communicate and hear things other people can't.

I'm not much of a ghosts-just-show-up-in-books person, but it happens here and it is done exceptionally well. That should say tons about Ward's writing and storytelling skills.

Brass by Xhenet Aliu

Told from the perspective of a mother and daughter at two different points in life, this is so much more than just a mother/daughter tale, though it does shed beautiful light on the complications of those relationships. It looks at the immigrant experience in the states and explores the stories we don't know about others, even those we're closest to.

When Luljeta rebels for the first time in her life, she goes all in. After being rejected from her first college choice, she sets out to find her father, who walked out of her life before he was born. Her journey leads her away from her mother, Elsie, while also revealing her mom's story and the conditions that left her stuck in the situation Luljeta desperately wants to leave.

This book kept me interested until the end. It was a human story with heartbreaking moments, and I recommend it.

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

I was worried going into this one because I saw the book everywhere, reviewed and marketed endlessly. That's either the sign of an amazing book or a set-up for disappointment because the book can't live up to the hype. I am happy to report that, for me, this book lived up to at least some of the hype. It's not the best I've read this year, but it's very good.

We meet the four Gold siblings in 1969 when they visit a fortune teller to find out the date each of them will die. From there, the stories are told by each sibling in different chapters. Will they each die when they were told? Are there benefits to supposedly knowing the expiration date on your life? These are the questions Benjamin seeks to answer, as well as if our decisions make a difference in the ultimate outcomes of our lives.

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

In the post WWII world, when men of color fought in the war but came home to a country that still viewed them as second class citizens, we meet a cast of characters whose fates will intertwine to create a shattering story.

Ronsel comes back from Europe to the Mississippi Delta and helps his dad work the land he still doesn't own for the McAllan family.Jamie McAllan comes back to help his brother Henry and to try to get a grip on his life. Told from rotating points of view, we meet many characters and get to peer into their minds, giving us a glimpse into the racism, sexism, and horror of the not-so-recent past (and unfortunately, this kind of racism and sexism is still not rare.)

Jordan is an expert at creating full, rich, characters and putting them into a story that speeds to a horrifying conclusion.

One Station Away by Olaf Olafsson

I don't know why the word meandering comes to mind when I think of this novel, though it might very well fit. Olafssen tells the story of Magnus, a man mourning a loss while trying to deal with strained parental relations and work as a neurologist. Three women in his life connect the story, and the book is told partially through flashbacks that allow us to view Magnus' childhood and relationship with his fiancée.

I enjoyed this book.  It wasn't extraordinary, but it was thoughtful and well written.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Hamid's book couldn't have existed at a better time than the present. Nadia and Saeed meet in the war-ravished country they live in and decide to escape through the magic doors that are popping up all over the place. These doors carry people to other locations, and though Nadia and Saeed leave the threats of their home country, they are forced to deal with the hostile attitude towards foreigners when they arrive in other lands.

This story explores major world issues while still remaining a personal story about two young people in a relationship. That may be its magic. This is my favorite book by Hamid.