kat2's reviews
25 reviews

Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life by Abigail Thomas

emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

I just reread this and appreciated it all over again for its storytelling, and it’s building of story with brief, funny, thoughtful pieces. I mean, there’s some sadness, too, but Thomas has an unwavering spirit and pokes fun at herself, so a happy current runs through it all. As a writer, I love the creative freedom here: a story is only as long as it needs to be, may be written in first or third person, present or past tense, whatever it needs. 

Foster by Claire Keegan

emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The writing is so good. This is a book to live in, to read closely. Atmospheric, mysterious, and emotional, the novel delves into the power of love—and the power of love withheld.

Solo: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own by Peter McGraw

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Whether you’re single or in a relationship, this book is a roadmap to cultivating an interesting life of your own. The book elucidates the conventions and expectations around romantic relationships in the United States (marriage as prized goal) and invites readers to imagine what they truly desire in life. From taxes to gift-giving rituals, our patriarchal culture favors the hetero marrieds. It’s worth noting that women couldn’t  have credit cards or bank accounts in their own names until 1974. Even 50 years later, the assumptions that denied women financial independence are still embedded in our minds and lives. 

A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

This is a beach book, by my definition, and a good one! Set on the English coast in fall and winter, there’s plenty to love about the setting (pubs, bonfires, tea, cats, cold waves crashing on pebbles). The main character has decided to leave her disastrous husband and take a chance on a new life—the plot is satisfying, the character insight gratifying. I turned down a number of pages to revisit.

High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now or Never by Barbara Kingsolver

funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

I love this collection from 1995, with a governing metaphor of a hermit crab named Buster, who adapts to its new environment by running around according to the invisible tide schedule of Tucson. The moon rules us, whether we know it or not. Occasionally the pieces are a little snappy or preachy for my taste (some were originally in magazines), while at the same time I admire the upbeat energy, persuasive arguments, sense of fun, and insights about writing life.

Then She Found Me (Original) by Elinor Lipman

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

Inventing the Rest of Our Lives: Women in Second Adulthood by Suzanne Braun Levine

hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

Braun Levine identifies and discusses the transitional midlife passage for women, with smart insights on restlessness and change. She advises women not to be alarmed during a time of not-knowing, when, for most, “the plot line meanders and doubles back and even disappears for a time.” I especially liked the chapter on redefining intimacy, describing in romantic partnership, “a scaled-down devotion—an eagerness to share but not consume…a new kind of intimacy—tender and noninvasive—based on new priorities.” Some of the discussion feels dated, but there’s plenty of good stuff.

Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I read this in the 80s when it was first published, and reading it again decades later is stunning. Clearly I didn’t absorb its lessons then. Hope I can now!  “I believe taking care of ourselves is an art, and this art involves one fundamental idea that is foreign to many: giving ourselves what we need.” (127)

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

adventurous informative inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

A tremendously entertaining account of a musician at the close of the Civil War. Set in Texas, the novel follows Simon (the fiddler) as he seeks food, shelter, clothing, money, and love during a dangerous, lawless time.

It's Not You by Ramani Durvasula

emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

I appreciate especially the insight  that there is a narcissistic personality style, versus a disorder. And that, like introversion or agreeableness, that style is unlikely to change. The book focuses on how to navigate life with such a person, how to protect oneself and minimize the harm. It explained a lot to me in a way that made sense!