September was a pretty good month, all things considered. I’m super-excited about the return of Reading Rainbow, with new host and librarian, Mychal Threets. I think he’ll be perfect! And if you haven’t seen the PBS documentary (Butterfly in the Sky) on Levar Burton and the original show, I highly recommend it.
Teaching is going well; I’m enjoying the high school environment, and I love the teachers I’m working with. Though I miss my former coworkers a lot, I’ve tried to make time to see them so we don’t lose touch.
The government is currently in a shutdown, and it’s the first time in about 20 years that I’m looking at it from the outside. In the past, shutdowns were always full of tension, sometimes panic, and sometimes anticipation (paid time off isn’t all bad). Now, I’m reading about it in the news and not affected by it directly. I’m worried about the layoffs Trump is threatening, but he’s already hurt government workers so much, I know they’re ready for whatever comes next.
I know that for those outside of government, it’s hard to see the impact, but I encourage those in the U.S. to take some time to understand what these agencies and federal workers do, and why it’s important.
In September I went on vacation, taking 10 days off to visit California with Mr. CG, where we visited family and did a lot of touristy things in LA. We also went wine tasting in Los Olivos, one of my favorite areas of California (the area in the movie Sideways).
Finally, a quick note to mourn the passing of the amazing Jane Goodall. I was really inspired by The Book of Hope.
Here’s what I read in September:
- The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (audio)
- By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle (ebook)
- Gabriela and His Grace by Liana de la Rosa (ebook/ARC)
- The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe (ebook/ARC)
- The Dog of the North by Elizabeth McKenzie (audio)
- As a Jew by Sarah Hurwitz (ebook/ARC)
- Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro (audio/print)
- Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley (ebook/ARC)
My favorite reads:
The Dictionary of Lost Words: Thanks to The Chocolate Lady for this recommendation! I loved this book about the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary and the history of women’s suffrage in the U.K. This is a slow-paced book for those who love words and how they mean different things to different people. While it occasionally got bogged down in OED details, the history was fantastic and I felt for the characters. A perfect book for me.
By the Fires We Carry: This was a fascinating look at U.S. history and law related to tribal land. It’s a close look at one Supreme Court case about reservation boundaries in Oklahoma, but then it explores U.S. history in great detail, looking at how a number of tribes ended up in Oklahoma, forced from their original lands. Perfect for those who liked Killers of the Flower Moon. Even better, this is written by an indigenous author with close family ties to the events she discusses.
Sisters in the Wind: another must-read by Angeline Boulley! This one takes a closer look at foster care and the importance of keeping children in their tribal communities.
As a Jew: This was exactly the book I needed to help me think through what’s happening in Israel today, and my own feelings about being Jewish.
Disappointing reads:
As with Ana Maria and the Fox, Gabriela and His Grace ultimately disappointed. Both of these stories started really well, with interesting characters and historical situations. I liked the way the relationship developed in this book, but the last part of the story fell apart for me because the conflict felt manufactured and unbelievable. Also, the writing and dialog felt lively and passionate at first but then wooden towards the end.
On the blog:
This month I reviewed As a Jew and Sisters in the Wind. I wrote about exploring Los Angeles, Reading by the Ratings, and favorite novels with occupations in the title.
Books for challenges:
- Nonfiction: As a Jew, By the Fire We Carry
- 52 Book Club: Sisters in the Wind (read in a -ber month)
- Backlist Reading: The Dictionary of Lost Words, The Dog of the North, Signal Fires
- Jewish Genre Reading Challenge: Signal Fires, As a Jew
What I’m reading now:
I’m reading The Librarians by Sherry Thomas and listening to Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven.
What’s coming up:
I have no ARCs in October but a few reviews from September to catch up on (The Librarians, Gilded Heiress, and Gabriela and His Grace). Upcoming in November is The Ivory City by Emily Bain Murphy.
That’s my September wrap-up. I hope you’re enjoying the fall (or spring if that’s where you are) and reading something good!
