sophronisba's reviews
2493 reviews

The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III by Andrew Roberts

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

OK, wow, I had no idea there were hardcore George III stans out there. I'm not sure I'm buying everything Andrew Roberts is selling but his increasingly indignant defense of George III's honor makes for surprisingly engaging reading.

The Bluestockings: A History of the First Women's Movement by Susannah Gibson

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

This book was a delight to read. I'd heard of some (not all) of these women and every one of them had an interesting, provocative life. Were they all badass feminists in the twenty-first century sense of the word? No. Some of them were the seventeenth century's answer to Bari Weiss. But none of them were boring.

Pasta, Pane, Vino: Deep Travels Through Italy's Food Culture by Matt Goulding

informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

I read this in preparation for a trip to Italy, and learned a ton about the preparation of Italian food. Very engaging and inspiring, particularly if you're interested in cooking and baking.

Michelangelo: A Life in Six Masterpieces by Miles J. Unger

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

Maybe a hot take but I found this to be more readable and interesting than Irving Stone's _The Agony and The Ecstasy_. Learned a lot, really useful book to read if you're planning to visit Italy and take in a lot of art.

Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

 Should I still be reading Alice Munro, given recent revelations? I am torn. I tried not to be affected by the news but nevertheless my enjoyment of this collection was spoiled. It's not really one of her best, though, and I'm going to try another one in a few months. 

James by Percival Everett

adventurous dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

Percival Everett's novels usually don't work for me -- believe me, this frustrates me as much as it does you -- but this one really did. Darkly funny and challenging.

Innocence by Penelope Fitzgerald

funny reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

3.5

Never quite warmed up to this as I wanted to. I was going through a reading slump at the time, I might give it another go later.

George II: King and Elector by Andrew C. Thompson

informative slow-paced

3.5

What messed-up family lives these Hanovers had. Seriously giving Charles and Di a run for their money.

A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime by Casey Sherman

sad tense medium-paced

3.0

What a sad little mess this was. (Did Lana Turner kill her boyfriend? Probably. Did she ruin her daughter's life? DEFINITELY.)

Burn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher

informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

There are moments of genuine insight and moments where you really begin to weary of Swisher tell you how impressive she is. She does have her blind spots -- Elon Musk leaps to mind -- but still worth a read if you're interested in tech.