June Reads
A sentences or two (or five) for each
I read seven books last month, which also marked my first month of summer break. Three were novels and four were nonfiction; frankly, it was a mixed bag. At the start of the year I decided to start my own scoring system, finding the standard star-based ones a bit too simplistic and not allowing me to reflect in the ways I found necessary to actually fully assess my thoughts. I also needed a system to better decide my top ten books of the year (can you tell I’m an English teacher?). I’ll share more soon and also give a mid-year update on the books I’ve loved the most so far!
Novels (the good, the bad, and the ugly)
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton- I loved this book on environmentalism, friendship, and capitalism. I found the ending to be a bit much, but it is somewhat reminiscent of the fast-paced ending of Macbeth, which also possesses its own Birnam Wood.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy- I shouldn’t say this book was bad, but I didn’t enjoy it at all, which actually really surprised me (many argue it’s his best). I’ve read and enjoyed the other McCarthy books I’ve read (All the Pretty Horses, The Road, and No Country for Old Men) and typically like episodic narratives, but this one just didn’t do it for me. Maybe it was the topic (lots of scalping), the lack of connections established to the characters, or just the wrong time/wrong place sort of reading situation.
The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley- Oh boy. I had a feeling ahead of time that this was going to fall flat, but I had no idea the extent. I’ve read all his other books, I think, and they’re all fun, distracting summer reads that still feel a little literary. Rowley has a wit that sets him apart from other beach-reads, but here it just felt recycled and predictable.
Nonfiction
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann- I think everyone has read this or seen the movie at this point, but I went into it pretty clueless and left feeling more educated about a portion of Native culture that I wasn’t before.
On Writing by Stephen King- Read how one of the most prolific writers of our time has become… one of the most prolific writers of our time. I have read a few of his books before and while his typical genre isn’t generally my thing, I do admire his talent. I could do without some of the more technical sections on grammar and whatnot, but I find his life and process fascinating.
Riverman by Ben McGrath- McGrath, a journalist, meets a man traveling up and down the rivers of the country and then later learns he has disappeared. He follows every possible connection and lead to better know this vagabond and his possible fate, weaving together a truly fascinating story. I think it became a little tangential at times, but as a whole the ebbs and flows mimic the source material.
Take the Lead by Sasha Diguilian- I love reading adventure memoirs and watching documentaries on the same topic, so after I saw hers on Max I ordered the book the same day. Diguilian is an epic rock climber who has become controversial in her sport for capitalizing on not only her skills, but her beauty as well. She discusses what it means to be a woman in the community and also the impact it has had on her physically and emotionally.