casieb's reviews
157 reviews

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Great book. Incredibly informative for white people. 

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This might be the best book I've ever read. It was phenomenal. I couldn't put it down. This is narrative nonfiction about the history of the IRA in the late 60's through The Troubles and beyond. As we go through the conflict through the actions of many key figures in the IRA the mystery of what exactly happened to Jean McConville plays out. She was a widowed mother of 10 who was disappeared by the IRA. This is such an incredible action packed book that is so thought provoking and perspective challenging. Everybody seems to be both Good and Bad (besides the British, like America, they are just pure evil). Fighting Imperialism will always be a righteous cause but this in depth look into the front lines of what that looked like is so tragic and incredible. Imperialism, Colonialism, Capitalism is pure evil and the perpetrators will always be the true evil. The ripple effect of its evil covers everyone. Highly, highly recommend. so many opportunities for deeper conversations. 

Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World by Jason Hickel

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

Great informative read. highly recommend. The more we know the more we can do to help save our planet. 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really enjoyed this book. The story is told through multiple perspectives and bounces between past and present to figure out 2 mysterious disappearances. I read this in a day because I didn't want to put it down.

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.0

This narrative nonfiction pulls you in to what it would have been like to live through the Great Dust Bowl. Through personal stories this book reads like fiction and makes you think constantly "I can't believe people lived through that." Entertaining and informative. definitely recommend. 

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

This was entertaining. I would say if you go in just to be entertained and not look for plot holes it's a fun mystery. There are lots of charters it bounces between which can be a little hard to follow. 

James by Percival Everett

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

How to Resist Amazon and Why: The Fight for Local Economics, Data Privacy, Fair Labor, Independent Bookstores, and a People-Powered Future! by Danny Caine

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

This is a must read for anyone who isn't in the 1%. I believe the most important power we have to make change is where we spend our money. This is an inspiring short read with lots of actionable steps. Even if you are someone who never plans or cares to break the chains from Amazon this is a great read. Information is power, and I highly recommend!! It also provides lots of book recommendations to keep the conversation going.

The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century by Joel F. Harrington

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

This book was so incredibly fascinating!! It was such a surprise. I really enjoy books in the morbid non-fiction genre but wasn't sure about this one. It wnded up being so good! The author pulls from personal journals of father and son executioners in 15th and 16th century Nuremberg. It tells the life story of the son. He fills in holes from local court documents, newspapers and then offers speculation based on the culture and how people lived in this time frame. He indicates when he is speculating and the why behind it. You become completely immersed in what it would be like to live in Nuremberg during this time and it is so fascinating and truly wild to imagine. To me this reads like fiction. It reminded me of the book The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown about the Donner Party. Brown also used speculation based on research about what it was like to live at that time. As you read it takes you back in time as part of a story rather than a purely academic study. But then he writes about the executions and interrogations in an academic way(I promise although I say academic I dont mean boring). The result being that this isn't an emotionally hard or grotesque read even though with the subject matter you would think it would be. It is so interesting! Highly, highly recommend to anyone! Give it a try even if isn't something you would normally go for. I think you will be surprised. I read this through double immersion (I read the  physical book as I listened to the audio). If you can I also highly recommend this. The book has illustrations pulled from court documents and local newspapers that add so much to the story and the narrator does a wonderful job telling the story. 

The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution by C.L.R. James

adventurous emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

This book read like fiction. I couldn't put it down. I had never heard anything about Toussaint L'ouverture. He was a fascinating human and this book was really is powerful. Highly recommend.