Category: memoir
Review: Know My Name by Chanel Miller
This is a book I think most of us should read, though it’s definitely not an easy read. In 2015, Chanel Miller went to a party at Stanford. Two guys found her unconscious on the ground near a dumpster, with a guy on top…
Review: Popular by Maya Van Wagenen
I’ve been recommending this book a lot lately, especially to my friends with daughters. There aren’t that many books out there that feel fresh and original, and this one did. First, a major disclaimer: I am NOT the target audience for this book. It’s…
Review: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Regardless of whether you like Star Trek, whether you’re Japanese, or whether you read graphic novels, you should pick up this book. George Takei never fails to impress me with his humor, his knowledge, and his passion for telling a story. He brings all…
Review: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
It seems fitting to discuss a book about therapy the day after Thanksgiving, a holiday that raises so many complicated family issues — though hopefully yours was lovely! This book has plenty of buzz already without my review, but I loved it. It’s unlike…
Nonfiction November: My Year in Nonfiction
This month is Nonfiction November, a celebration of all things nonfiction. I’ve read some fantastic nonfiction this year and I’m proud of myself for reading more nonfiction than I used to. I enjoy this event because I get so many good nonfiction recommendations for next year. …
Memoir Review: Ruth Reichl’s Save Me the Plums
This is my first time reading Reichl, and I found this book fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable. Reichl describes her background and what led her into cooking and then restaurant critiquing, but most of the book is spent describing her years as the editor of…
Memoir Reviews: Pete Buttigieg’s The Shortest Way Home
A very timely read, Buttigieg has a really nice writing style and an interesting story to tell. He’s not the most qualified guy on the debate stage, but he’s thoughtful, articulate, and smart. And he’s kind of adorable. I can sum up his book…
Review: How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
For those interested in reading memoirs about events in other countries, I recommend this book by a young woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Sandra is from a Congolese tribe called the Banyamulenge that has been a frequent target of ethnic violence. In…
Review: All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung
I really appreciated this memoir by Nicole Chung about her adoption and the search for her birth family. It was particularly interesting to read about her personal struggles as a child being of Korean descent in a white family and a mostly white town….
Mini-Reviews: Lethal White, In the Distance, I Am I Am I am, We Were the Lucky Ones
I didn’t have a chance to review any of the books I read in December because I was traveling, so I’m posting some mini-reviews of the more interesting books I read during my trip: Lethal White by Robert Galbraith: I will only say here…
Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama
By now you’ve heard raves about Michelle Obama’s memoir, and I can echo those. Her book was exactly what I was hoping for: well-written and insightful, it’s not just her story but Barack Obama’s as well. And for those interested in recent history, it’s…
American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures, edited by America Ferrera
American Like Me is a compilation of essays about what it means to live in America, from actors, athletes, writers, and activists who are either immigrants or the children of immigrants. The general theme of the book is celebrating the multiculturalism of the United…
