A brief summary of what I’m currently reading or have recently finished, why I read it, and whether I’d recommend it. Although really, it’d have to be truly terrible for me to bother writing about a book I wouldn’t recommend……
Untangling Emotions (J. Alasdair Groves & Winston T. Smith) – I’ve been trying to finish this one since February. Believe me, the delay in completion does not mean this is low quality or poorly written. It might mean the opposite, actually. One of the reasons it took me so long to finish is there was so. much. good content on every page that I couldn’t absorb much and still read at my normal pace. Groves and Smith really do an excellent job breaking down how to understand emotions and engage with them, even the hard ones, in a healthy manner. This is one area I know I could model better for my kids, and now’s the time to start the process of change.
We Are Not Yet Equal (Carol Anderson) – A 30,000-foot flyover of the United States’ history of legislation affecting (usually exacerbating) racial inequity. This was not the most difficult book I’ve ever read on this topic, but it might be the most discouraging due to the literal centuries of time covered. It’s worth the effort for educational value alone; obviously, I wasn’t alive when the majority of this legislation was enacted and really had barely a passing knowledge of many of the laws.
The Dinosaur Artist (Paige Williams) – Who knew there was a black market trade for fossils originating in Mongolia? I did not; after reading this book, I do; and now you do too. It really follows the story of one particular fossil finder and how he unintentionally ran afoul of unclear international law. Key takeaway: due diligence is vital, and ignorance is rarely accepted as an excuse.
Between Shades of Grey (Ruta Sepetys) – Historical fiction for the win again. This one covers the Soviet deportation of Lithuanians during World War II. We hear a lot (and rightly so) about the atrocities that were committed by the Nazis during that war. Perhaps because it was mostly our ally during WWII, or maybe because of the widespread suppression in the decades that followed, not as much as has been written about what was done by the Soviets. This comes with the added bonus of more books by the author to add to my to-be-read list.
So there you have it: 4 books I’m reading right now or have recently finished. If you’ve read any of these (or decide to after reading this post), drop me a note and let me know what you thought of them! And let me know what you’re reading right now too.
I read a book called Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton that was maybe semi similar to The Dinosaur Artist in that it was about dinosaur bones.. 2 rival paleontologists trying to outdo each other in the collection of dinosaur bones in Wyoming in 1876. It was a little piece of American history I wasn’t familiar with. There is just something fascinating about dinosaurs!
I am currently reading Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen Ambrose. I enjoy it because it gives more of the background character of both of the antagonists, not just Custer. Both men are being drawn to confrontation due to the polices of the US government.
The book Between the Shades of Grey looks good. Most people don’t remember that Russia invaded Poland too.