February 2018

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House

By Michael Wolff

Narrated by Michael Wolff

I enjoyed listening to Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, written and narrated by Michael Wolff.  It’s hard to be living in 2018 and not be aware of the political situation in the White House.  I have enough background knowledge to know that the spirit of Wolff’s book is believable and true.  He built a good case for his vision of the White House chaos.  Wolff did a great job of narrating and I think it added a lot to the audio experience.  Fire and Fury is definitely a good listen/read! 

Run

By Ann Patchett

I am an Ann Patchett fan.  Although Runwas not my favorite book by Patchett, it did have her unique style and signature twists.  The story is woven around a 24-hour period during a snowstorm in Boston, Massachusetts.  The plot was somewhat predictable, involving mother issues, family relationships, racial and class divisions. There also was a slight allusion to the Chappaquiddick incident.  Despite the predictability, I enjoyed Runand felt it was definitely an engaging and enjoyable read.  

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From a Lifetime of Clutter

By Margareta Magnusson

Narrated by Juliet Stevenson

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family From a Lifetime of Clutteris very much in alignment with Marie Kondo’s idea’s about decluttering.  However, she approaches it from a different angle.  I was a bit put off by the title, but I’m glad I decided to give the book a try. There are some practical hints about how to clean, but much more is devoted to why it’s important to keep one’s house in order.  A big emphasis is put on how clutter affects families during a lifetime and after a person passes away.  Magnusson makes the point that it’s not easy to think about or discuss, but she stresses the importance of taking responsibility for the organization and disposal of our possessions.  I listened to the Audible version and felt the narration by Juliet Stevenson was appropriate and believable.  The book is a short, but significant listen and/or read.

Blessings

By Anna Quindlen

Blessingsis one of my favorite books by Anna Quindlen.  I picked it up at a local library book sale recently.  I knew the author, but didn’t recognize the book until I started reading.  The story involves an abandoned infant and the lives of the people who found her. It was interesting rereading the book as an older woman.  The first time I read it, I related more to the younger characters in the book.  This time, I felt more empathy toward Lydia Blessing, an old woman, and to her daughter, Meredith, who is probably about my age.  Quindlen wove the story with insight and sensitivity.  The reread was just as good as, if not better than, the original.  Blessingsis a good read!

A Wrinkle in Time

By Madeleine L’Engle

Knowing that A Wrinkle in Timeby Madeleine L’Engle is considered a classic, I decided to listen to the audio book before the movie is released in a few weeks. I have to admit that I thought it was awful, possibly one of the worst books I’ve ever listened to and/or read. It was definitely too overtly religious for me.  The writing was terrible.  There was a lot of “telling”, rather than “showing” of action.  It was slow and boring. It’s not a book that I’d recommend or share with either children or adults. Maybe this will be a case of the movie being better than the book.  I certainly hope so.