I heard about Already Toast: Caregiving and Burnout in America by Kate Washington because she is a (former?) food writer and recipe developer and we must at least share some twitter friends. I was also interested because I ended up being the person in charge of my mother’s health care and then quickly, end of … Continue reading
With the push towards memoir, biographies almost seem quaint in 2021. I feel like I used to read lot more them years ago. As biographies go, this one had an impressive amount of citation and the level of work that went into must be staggering. That said, I felt like it was a little flat. … Continue reading
I was excited about The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer because what a fascinating story! The line where her mom brushed off the author’s surprise and concern over being babysat by a serial killer by saying that she wasn’t killed so it was no big deal was great and really set up the … Continue reading
As you may have noticed over on Instagram, I’ve taught myself how to weave by using Lindsey Campbell’s book, Welcome to Weaving: The Modern Guide and her online classes. It’s really kept me too busy to be updating here and other places! You can’t be blogging and tweeting when both hands are full. I first … Continue reading
I loved the idea of We Came, We Saw, We Left: A Family Gap Year by Charles Wheelan but I came out of it thinking this man must be incredibly exhausting and dare I say boring to be around. I’ve read a lot of travel and family memoirs and this was an odd one. There … Continue reading
I came across this one in a NYT column and put it right on my holds list. It sounded intriguing–a man with three wives found dead near his rural compound. What a disappointment! I’m not entirely sure if Marilyn Stasio actually read the book. I didn’t get the impression from Black Widows or interviews with … Continue reading
I found A Spy in the Struggle a little puzzling. The concept was unique and I like how it touched on real issues and was topical (there is even a Covid-19 reference) but the main character was so flat. Her thinking was very black and white and childlike. It was very difficult to believe she … Continue reading
I started The Man Who Ate Too Much: The Life of James Beard by John Birdsall as an ARC and couldn’t get through it then tried again when it was published. This time I was able to put my finger on what bothered me. I understand the impulse to make the subject of a biography … Continue reading
I always like Heiny’s books because they are filled with people I feel like I’d actually know in my own life, teachers, woodworkers, mandolin players, and not the soccer moms and endless lawyers that populate so many other books. Early Morning Riser did not disappoint! I really felt like I lived in this town and … Continue reading
What a mess All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft turned out to be. I was ready to be dazzled but I was mostly left thrilled that I don’t know this woman. I think she thinks she is being charming and self-deprecating but she really comes across as smug and … Continue reading
Rachel Reads Books 