Phinney Books, 7:30pm – Each person can talk about a book they have read during the past month and rate it from 0 to 5. Zero – “I really disliked it.” Five – “Best book I have recently read!”
Sonya, The Way of All Fish by Martha Grimes, 4.0: I totally enjoyed this book – laughed out loud. I will always remember the opening scene of some hit men in a restaurant opening fire on a fish tank full of clown fish. No worries, the fish were all saved by diners filling their wine glasses with water and a clown fish. The book is a mystery/drama about book publishers and writers. If you like Carl Hiaasen and/or Elmore Leonard, you will like this one.
Marla, Nutshell by Ian McEwan, 5.0: Some contemporary writers took on the project of doing rewrites on Shakespeare. This one is Hamlet written from the viewpoint of a fetus in the womb. Hamlet is the fetus tracking the conspiracy to murder his father. Love Ian and he never disappoints.
Casey, The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth Mckenzie, 4.5: Just loved it! Also really liked Nutshell.
Kjerste, Sold by Patricia McCormick, 3.5: About a Nepalese girl in a small mountain village who is sold into sex trafficking.
Mimi, Swing Time by Zadie Smith, 5.0: A romp, so good, riveted, tore though it. Main character is a bi-racial british/African woman with a friend who is also biracial, works for a white American popstar, brilliantly done.
Montgomery, The Soul of an Octopus (NF) – fascinating. 4
Vowell, The Wordy Shipmates (NF/Humor) – funny, but sometimes a little wearing. 3.75
Whitehead, The Underground Railroad (FIC) – fantastic, made my TOP 10. 5
Patchett, Commonwealth (FIC) – ripped right through it. 4.8
Ruth, Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time by Karen Armstrong, 4.5: She wanted to learn about Islam and it is very instructive. The writing style is great – a very good history of Muhammad. Likes it a lot.
Dave, The Seattle Daily and Sunday Times Edition of The World’s Work – War Manual of the Great 1914 European Conflict: A book from 1914 with articles from the Seattle newspaper. Discussions of tactics, weapons, world activity – prelude to WWI. The advertisements in the back are fascinating – for example, “J-M Asbestos Roofing”
John, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande, 4.5: Excellent book. He is a surgeon who writes about aging and death, how bad we are at it, and how the medical profession is not geared up for it. Interesting, thought provoking, also kind of depressing, would recommend to everyone!
Tom, Flight of Passage: A Memoir by Rinker Buck, 5.0: Doesn’t often give such a high rating, but he is on this one. Read his review in his Phinney Ridge Newsletter.
Rebecca, Expanse Sci-Fi Series by James S. A. Corey, 4.5: Books are fabulous – super long, but so good and edited well – somewhat realistic, but also feel-good.
Leah, The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick, 3.5: The Germans and Japanese won WWII. Set in the 1960s with Japan and Germany controlling the U.S. There is a sub-plot about a novel which has been banned – a novel of what would have happened if the allies had won.
Kathleen, Hamilton: The Revolution by Miranda and McCarter, 5.0: A big picture book which tells the story of the new play, interviews, the work and creativity to put the play together over 6 years, lyrics to the songs, music and soundtracks.
Kitty, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, 5.0: It was just fantastic! She is a scientist/botanist – talks about plants in parallel with her memoir – alternating chapters, learned amazing things about plants, challenges about being a woman in science – couldn’t put it down!
Shelagh, Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, also a 5.0: Memoirs can be a hit or miss for her, but this one is great. She is in love with what she does – scientist, researching, teacher, botanist, trying to get money for research, lovely nod towards her development as a person, her blog (https://hopejahrensurecanwrite.com/) is really really great!
Ridge Readers 