The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (2020) – Nonfiction 5/5 There have been hundreds of books and movies about Winston Churchill. The bulldog, the leader, the boss, the fighter. He was everything a leader needed to be and was a leader when the world needed him to be one. The Splendid and the…
Bad Kansas by Becky Mandelbaum (2017) – Fiction – Short Stories 4/5 This book was recommended by the Raven Book Store in Lawrence, Kansas. If I can have a moment to plug local bookstores, please patronize these wonderful establishments. I know it is hard to escape the ease of Amazon and I utilize a Kindle,…
Afterlife by Julia Alvarez (2020) – Fiction 4/5 Grief is a weird thing. Afterlife by Julia Alvarez captures this elusive but universal feeling. This book touched me in spots that are still sore. I’ve lost two close family members in the past year which is more than I have really experienced in a long time.…
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2019) – Nonfiction 4/5 I judged a book by it’s cover. I saw the ominous picture, the phrase “a true story of murder ”, and high reviews and I hit buy. In my mind, for whatever reason, I assumed this was a book about a serial killer in Ireland.…
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (2019) – Fiction 4.5/5 While labeled fiction, this story is only about fictionalized character. It is not about a fictionalized place. The Nickel School, where main characters Elwood and Turner have been sent to be “reformed” is based on an actual school that existed and operated in Marianna, Florida…
Marisa's Book Nook 