I can't stop thinking about Careless People in the context of the Ratliffs on White Lotus. It is clear that extreme wealth is fundamentally bad for the human soul - the richer the FB execs got, the less they care about principles or doing anything to address the harms their product causes. You can see Piper wrestling with the immense privilege she experiences (but her idea of wrestling with that includes a stay at a 5 star resort), but Saxon and Victoria are fully self-aware that all that matters to them is wealth/success. FB (and Victoria) claim to have values, but it is all a lie. Their wealth has curdled them beyond caring.
The best book I read in March was The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck. One of my biggest types of bookish catnip is a collection of interconnected short stories. Not only are these stories connected, they are structured in couplets like an old folk song, with the first and last stories echoing each other. Exquisitely written, all the stories take place in New England and span centuries. I highly recommend this collection for anyone who loves OLIVE KITTERIDGE or Daniel Mason’s NORTH WOODS. This will be in my top five of the year.
I read “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women” and “Light Pirate”. Both are 5 ⭐️. Also read “The Best Time We Ever Had” and would give it 4.5 ⭐️. All had brilliant writing and fantastic character development. I love novels that travel over a long time and all 3 checked that box for me. ❤️
Oh my goodness, I have almost the same review and picked out the same exact quote from Cry, the Beloved Country.
I also read this book in high school, and I wonder where it would be taught today since it addresses structural racism, reparations, and climate degradation. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
"So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson - I would be fascinated to read more about the psychology of public shaming. Brene Brown has lots of writing on the personal/individual effects of shame, but Ronson asked some incredibly relevant questions about mass shame and social shame that shifted my perspective quite dramatically.
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt - I can see why a 30 year old true crime book has such incredible staying power, not the least of which is Berendt's surprisingly modern attitude towards trans people.
"North is the Night" by Emily Rath - A young woman travels to hell and back (literally) to rescue her friend in pre-Christian Finland. I love collecting folk stories from around the world, and it was so fun to learn more about Finnish folklore. However, I am furious I have to wait at least a year for the sequel.
"Black Pill: How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society, and Capture American Politics" by Elle Reeve - As a traveler to the black pill/men's rights/incel community online, Reeve's account is characterized by its lack of leering. She shows deep compassion for her subjects without losing the plot.
I read 6 books in March. Two of them were 5 star books and both were non fiction. The first was The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen. I listened in Audio and was surprised on how much I enjoyed it and also learned a lot about history that was fascinating. The second 5 star book was The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It is a small book with beautiful illustrations. It had me thinking about capitalism and the scarcity mindset that comes from that and what small changes I can make to hold an abundance mindset. I also enjoyed some novels and mysteries as well.
I read 11 books in March. My favourites were part of a series by Abir Mukherjee, the Wyndham and Banerjee set. Police procedural set in post WW1 Calcutta. Very much recommend, I love them.
I just finished The Silent Patient and wow! I see why it was a bestseller for so long. It’s still swirling around in my head and how I didn’t see the twist coming. If you haven’t read this psychological thriller, pick it up. It’s so good.
I can't stop thinking about Careless People in the context of the Ratliffs on White Lotus. It is clear that extreme wealth is fundamentally bad for the human soul - the richer the FB execs got, the less they care about principles or doing anything to address the harms their product causes. You can see Piper wrestling with the immense privilege she experiences (but her idea of wrestling with that includes a stay at a 5 star resort), but Saxon and Victoria are fully self-aware that all that matters to them is wealth/success. FB (and Victoria) claim to have values, but it is all a lie. Their wealth has curdled them beyond caring.
CURDLED! That is the verb!
The best book I read in March was The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck. One of my biggest types of bookish catnip is a collection of interconnected short stories. Not only are these stories connected, they are structured in couplets like an old folk song, with the first and last stories echoing each other. Exquisitely written, all the stories take place in New England and span centuries. I highly recommend this collection for anyone who loves OLIVE KITTERIDGE or Daniel Mason’s NORTH WOODS. This will be in my top five of the year.
I read “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women” and “Light Pirate”. Both are 5 ⭐️. Also read “The Best Time We Ever Had” and would give it 4.5 ⭐️. All had brilliant writing and fantastic character development. I love novels that travel over a long time and all 3 checked that box for me. ❤️
Oh my goodness, I have almost the same review and picked out the same exact quote from Cry, the Beloved Country.
I also read this book in high school, and I wonder where it would be taught today since it addresses structural racism, reparations, and climate degradation. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
I read:
"So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson - I would be fascinated to read more about the psychology of public shaming. Brene Brown has lots of writing on the personal/individual effects of shame, but Ronson asked some incredibly relevant questions about mass shame and social shame that shifted my perspective quite dramatically.
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt - I can see why a 30 year old true crime book has such incredible staying power, not the least of which is Berendt's surprisingly modern attitude towards trans people.
"North is the Night" by Emily Rath - A young woman travels to hell and back (literally) to rescue her friend in pre-Christian Finland. I love collecting folk stories from around the world, and it was so fun to learn more about Finnish folklore. However, I am furious I have to wait at least a year for the sequel.
"Black Pill: How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society, and Capture American Politics" by Elle Reeve - As a traveler to the black pill/men's rights/incel community online, Reeve's account is characterized by its lack of leering. She shows deep compassion for her subjects without losing the plot.
Good to hear about a short novel that does the ‘stuff’!
I read 6 books in March. Two of them were 5 star books and both were non fiction. The first was The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen. I listened in Audio and was surprised on how much I enjoyed it and also learned a lot about history that was fascinating. The second 5 star book was The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It is a small book with beautiful illustrations. It had me thinking about capitalism and the scarcity mindset that comes from that and what small changes I can make to hold an abundance mindset. I also enjoyed some novels and mysteries as well.
I read 11 books in March. My favourites were part of a series by Abir Mukherjee, the Wyndham and Banerjee set. Police procedural set in post WW1 Calcutta. Very much recommend, I love them.
I just finished The Silent Patient and wow! I see why it was a bestseller for so long. It’s still swirling around in my head and how I didn’t see the twist coming. If you haven’t read this psychological thriller, pick it up. It’s so good.