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kwalksta_1390's reviews
91 reviews
Stalin's Meteorologist: One Man's Untold Story of Love, Life and Death by Olivier Rolin
4.0
A powerful story of one of the many (practically unknown) millions caught up in such a bloody era in history.
No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need to Hear) by Kate Bowler
5.0
Kate Bowler is wonderful. That’s the review.
Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close
3.0
The premise and characters (and family drama!) are interesting, but for as long as the book is, I was expecting the author to go more in-depth with their storylines. The ending was rushed.
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
4.0
Stradal is a great author, and who doesn’t love a book about food? Each chapter was basically a short story — a piece in the life of the main character and not only from her perspective, but how she fit into & impacted the lives of those around her.
Triumph of Hope: From Theresienstadt and Auschwitz to Israel by Ruth Elias
5.0
Holocaust survivors’ memoirs are gifts. Absolutely invaluable.
Ruth’s is so aptly named. I especially like how much detail she shares in the first chapter about her pre-war life and family. She faced horrific experiences during her imprisonments that linger with you long after you read her story. But between the painful moments, she also recounts glimpses of light where she and her fellow prisoners were reminded of their dignity and humanity. She was resolved to live, to see a new world after the war and the Holocaust. Writing and sharing her story was a huge part of that future; now our present, and beyond.
I sought out Ruth’s memoir after seeing a clip from her oral history interview conducted by Claude Lanzmann for his film, “Shoah.” I recommend watching that full testimony as well.
Ruth’s is so aptly named. I especially like how much detail she shares in the first chapter about her pre-war life and family. She faced horrific experiences during her imprisonments that linger with you long after you read her story. But between the painful moments, she also recounts glimpses of light where she and her fellow prisoners were reminded of their dignity and humanity. She was resolved to live, to see a new world after the war and the Holocaust. Writing and sharing her story was a huge part of that future; now our present, and beyond.
I sought out Ruth’s memoir after seeing a clip from her oral history interview conducted by Claude Lanzmann for his film, “Shoah.” I recommend watching that full testimony as well.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
5.0
Once I got started, I couldn’t put this book down. Ann Patchett is a gifted storyteller. This one of hers read like a fairy tale (as the summary on here said too), though the characters’ endings aren’t totally happy. Absolutely loved that the heart of the story took place near my hometown in Pennsylvania.
Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal
4.0
With this title, I have read all of Stradal’s novels! I really enjoyed the premise and characters of this one. I never heard of a “supper club” and I kinda felt nostalgic for a time I never knew. He did the research to bring it to life. For the majority of the book, the story is told from 3 points of view with a 4th coming in at the last quarter. It could be too much for some, but he has multiple narrators in his other works too.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
5.0
I enjoyed this very much! Took it with me on vacation as a plane read, and I couldn’t put it down. Big fan of the protagonist/heroine’s storyline and how genuine the romance plot was. Also very touched by the parallel storyline about the heroine and her sister.
Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll by Priscilla Presley
3.0
I recently saw the film “Priscilla” and wanted to see what might not have made the film. I’m sure this book could have easily been 100+ pages longer. She’s not exceptionally reflective, but there was a pattern to the Elvis she knew, so you quickly get the gist of what she dealt with. Fascinating but tragic. It also couldn’t have been easy for her to go through with publishing this.