30 book reviews this time around, over five days of posts. as always, i allow myself two sentences (unless otherwise noted):
– the first sentence is a summary of the book.
– the second sentence is my opinion of the book (complimented by the star rating).
my opinion:
– just because “Leaders are Readers” is a cliche doesn’t make it untrue.
– and, people who want to grow choose to read widely.
in this current series:
YA Fiction and Fiction (6 books, monday)
Illustrated Books and Graphic Novels (7 books, tuesday)
General Nonfiction (6 books, today)
Ministry and Theology (7 books, thursday)
Christian Nonfiction and Parenting (4 books, friday)
General Nonfiction
Yes Please, by Amy Poehler
3 stars
mostly autobiography, with some rabbit trails into commentary. i wanted this book to be better than it was, and found the laughs–which are certainly in there–not nearly as frequent as other books in this genre.
[additional note: the choice to print this on dense, glossy paper made the book uncomfortable to hold while reading, and occasionally requiring awkward angles to decrease glare!]
Modern Romance, by Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg
5 stars
hilariously written, research-driven exploration of shifts in dating and marriage. this book surpassed my expectations on every possible front.
JV Superstar: A Christian College Odyssey, by Matthew Pierce
3.5 stars
a collection of autobiographical stories from the naive and quirky experiences of a conservative christian college kid. too short to be satisfying (and not as funny as the author’s first ebook, Homeschool Sex Machine), but still fun and worth the hour it takes to read, particularly if you can connect with the weirdness of a christian college experience.
Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue, by Nicholas M Teich
4 stars
a non-emotive, non-story-based overview of the increasingly complex subject of transgender people. while not intended to shape your theology (it’s not a christian book), i found this quick and easy read very helpful in understanding both terminology and how trans* people want to be understood.
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed: Revised Edition, by Jared Diamond
4 stars
a deep dive into dozens of societies that no longer exist and the reasons for their collapse. i deeply enjoyed gaining the insight in this book, but just… wanted… it… to… end (apparently, i simply do not have the attention span for a 600-page work of non-fiction).
Mo’ Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove, by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Ben Greenman
5 stars
autobiography from The Roots’ drummer, with a history of hip-hop on the side. even though i’m not a big fan of hip-hop, i found this interesting and fun, both as an insight into the shaping of a genius, and the history of a movement/musical genre.