2021 Recap

Wow.  2021’s book total may be the lowest number of books I've read in a long time.  From anecdotes I've seen and articles I've read, I don't seem to be the only one reading less.  Besides the mental overload I've felt, leading me to spend more time zoning out on short videos and mindless phone games, I also think the constant uncertainty of what was happening around me made me less likely to enjoy the feeling of reading and watching plots unfold without knowing what was going to happen.

I'm going to be gentler with myself in 2022.  Even though I generally read at random, I'm going to seek out more books that fit in my current wheelhouse (which currently appears to be short stories, poetry, and biographies).  Even though I always finish the books I start, I may set ones aside to revisit at a later point.  

One thing I can't change is my reading goal...it always has been and always will be 100 books (and I don't stress if I don't meet it).

Basically, I've missed the joy of getting lost in a book and I always feel more centered when I take the time to read so getting back to feeling like my best self is a goal this year.  Happy Reading! 

Five Days in November

 Book 55 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Five Days in November

by Clint Hill

Summary (via Goodreads)

published 2013

On November 22, 1963, three shots were fired in Dallas, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and the world stopped for four days. For an entire generation, it was the end of an age of innocence.
That evening, a photo ran on the front pages of newspapers across the world, showing a Secret Service agent jumping on the back of the presidential limousine in a desperate attempt to protect the President and Mrs. Kennedy. That agent was Clint Hill.
Now Secret Service Agent Clint Hill commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the tragedy with this stunning book containing more than 150 photos, each accompanied by Hill’s incomparable insider account of those terrible days. With poignant narration accompanying rarely seen images, we witness three-year-old John Kennedy Jr.’s pleas to come to Texas with his parents and the rapturous crowds of mixed ages and races that greeted the Kennedys at every stop in Texas. We stand beside a shaken Lyndon Johnson as he is hurriedly sworn in as the new president. We experience the first lady’s steely courage when she insists on walking through the streets of Washington, D.C., in her husband’s funeral procession.
A story that has taken Clint Hill fifty years to tell, this is a work of personal and historical scope. Besides the unbearable grief of a nation and the monumental consequences of the event, the death of JFK was a personal blow to a man sworn to protect the first family, and who knew, from the moment the shots rang out in Dallas, that nothing would ever be the same. 

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

I've had this book on my 'to-read' list since 2014 and I'm reading it now because my library had a copy and my mental bandwidth seems only up to shorter stories at the moment.  This book being photo-heavy on a topic I know will hold my interest made it a pretty quick grab for me.

The book is oversized horizontally but not vertically which make the pictures large and clear but the book itself not overly cumbersome to hold and read.  Having the book written 50 years later by someone incredibly involved in the moments means I'll probably learn something too.

My Opinion

5 stars

This was an excellent book.  Clint Hill shared his personal knowledge and details without exploiting the situation or making himself the main character.  He humanized the people involved in a way many others that have talked about it haven't.  The respect he felt for the job and the family came through even when writing about it fifty years later.

The photos were excellent too.

A Few Quotes from the Book

"As [Lyndon B. Johnson] takes the oath of office, the reality of what has happened begins to sink in. Three hours earlier, we arrived in Dallas on Air Force One with a vibrant, charismatic president, whom I greatly admired and respected, and now we are returning to Washington with his body in a casket, his widow, and a new president.

 It is a historic moment, but crushingly sad for all of us who witness it."

"At midnight, I realize November 22, 1963, has finally ended. It is a day that is seared into my mind and soul, a day I will relive a million times over.

 What could I have done differently?

 Could I have reacted faster?

 Run faster?

 For the rest of my life I will live with the overwhelming guilt that I was unable to get there in time."

Life is Not a Stage

 Book 54 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Life Is Not a Stage: From Broadway Baby to a Lovely Lady and Beyond

by Florence Henderson

Summary (via the book jacket)

published 2011

For millions of people around the world, Carol Brady is synonymous with motherhood, but growing up as the youngest of ten children in rural Indiana in the aftermath of the Great Depression, Florence Henderson lived a life quite different from that of the quintessential TV mom she later played on television.

Florence's father was a dirt-poor tobacco tenant farmer who was nearly fifty years old when he married Florence's twenty-five-year-old mother, and was nearly seventy when Florence was born. Florence's childhood was full of depravation and abandonment. Her father was an alcoholic at a time when there was no rehab or help for the disease. Their home rarely had electricity or running water. When she was twelve, Florence's mother left the family to work in Cleveland and never returned.

Florence opens up about her childhood, as well as the challenges she's faced as an adult, including stage fright, postpartum depression, her extramarital affairs, divorce, her hearing loss, and heart problems. She writes with honesty and wisdom of how her faith and ability to survive has brought her through rough times to a life of profound joy and purpose.

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

This book is the 32nd book on my 'to-read' list on Goodreads so it was one of the first books I added when I joined back in 2012.  I'm reading it now for a few reasons.  I'm still using curbside pickup for the library so it's a good opportunity to actually take some things off of my 'to-read' list since I'm not browsing for unexpected items.  I've been in a reading slump so a biography, especially one I expect to be lighthearted and fun, is an easy choice.  

As for the book itself, I have a passing familiarity with Florence Henderson, mainly through "The Brady Bunch" and "Dancing with the Stars".  I know there is more to her than those roles so I'm sure I'll learn but I'm expecting a base awareness of most of the people she would talk about.

I always mention if a biography/memoir includes photos and I'm happy to say there are multiple color photos included in this book.

My Opinion

3 stars

She began by saying she avoided writing a biography prior to this because her life was difficult and she didn't want to revisit it.  After reading this book she definitely opened some wounds but I think waiting helped because hindsight helps shape things when writing a biography/memoir.  If you're taking the time to write a memoir you do want to include as much as you're comfortable with and by waiting, she was able to provide more depth and honesty.  

The downside of reading this 10 years after it came out is reading the optimism at the end of how she hopes to still be working when she's 90; to quote her, "maybe the sequel to this book will tell you how and if I make it."  Although she didn't make it to 90 (passing away in 2016 at the age of 82), hopefully she was still satisfied with the full life she lived. 

Choose Me

 Book 53 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Choose Me by Tess Gerritsen

Summary (via Goodreads)

published 2021

Taryn Moore is young, beautiful and brilliant...so why would she kill herself? When Detective Frankie Loomis arrives on the scene to investigate the girl's fatal plunge from her apartment balcony, she knows in her gut there's more to the story, especially after the autopsy reveals that the college senior was pregnant. It could be reason enough for suicide-or a motive for murder.

To English professor Jack Dorian, Taryn was the ultimate fantasy: intelligent, adoring, and completely off limits. But there was also a dark side to Taryn, a dangerous streak that threatened those she turned her affections to--including Jack. And now that she's dead, his problems are just beginning.

After Frankie uncovers a trove of sordid secrets, it becomes clear that Jack may know the truth. He is guilty of deception, but is he capable of cold-blooded murder?

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

I chose this book from the "Amazon First Reads" free monthly options.  The cover caught my eye and I have a little author recognition as a solid suspense writer.

I'm reading this electronically and I've discovered I really liking reading mysteries that way.  It helps me fight my temptation to skip to the end, and I turn off the "percentage" so I don't know how much is left of the story as I read.

My Opinion

4 stars

I picked a good time to start this book because I had time to read it quickly.  It started off with a clear introduction of characters but I probably would've been confused if I'd taken a long time to read it.

I like reading mysteries electronically because not knowing how much more of the book there is adds to the suspense.  This one was paced really well and wrapped after at a good length.  

I immediately recommended it to my daughter.

West with Giraffes

 Book 52 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

West with Giraffes

by Lynda Rutledge

Summary (via Goodreads)

published 2021

An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.
“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…”

Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.

It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

I picked this book from the selection on Amazon First Reads because historical fiction is my favorite genre and the subject is such an unusual premise I can guarantee I haven't read anything like this before.  Also, giraffes are my mom's favorite animal so it will be a bonus if this book has tidbits I can pass along to her.

Since it's an electronic copy I don't have much to say about the look of the book itself.  The color and sparseness of the cover fits has a sepia, dust-covered feel which fits the Depression-era time period.

My Opinion

4 stars

This is the kind of book to get lost in.  I know it was marked as "currently reading" for awhile but the time spent actually reading it went by very quickly.  I would definitely read this author again.

This would make a good family movie.

I liked the historical notes at the end that gave a little more explanation on some of the references and inspirations for the story.

American Shoes

 Book 51 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

American Shoes by Rosemarie Lengsfeld Turke

Summary (via Goodreads)

expected publication date: February 2022

Set against a backdrop of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, the reign of Nazi Germany, and the entire course of World War II in Europe, American Shoes recounts the tumultuous childhood of a young American girl and her family trapped within a country that turned against itself, where human decency eroded and then vaporized. Forced to grow up in the midst of endemic fear stoked by a ravenous madman, American Shoes portrays the breakdown of a society from a child’s point of view, deep inside a land where millions of law-abiding citizens were targeted as threats, and then removed for extermination.

This is the story of a brave girl who, despite not being Jewish, was perceived to be one of those threats and was compelled to keep her American identity secret for fear of her family’s arrest, concentration camp placement, or worse. Fighting to see through a relentless barrage of Nazi lies and propaganda, caught within a nation where resistance or opposition meant incarceration if not certain death, American Shoes illuminates one family’s struggle to survive against impossible odds as a cataclysmic world war marched closer and closer until it was upon them.

Vividly told for the first time after seven decades of a family’s collective silence, American Shoes reveals the story of a brave and spirited young girl named Rosel who refused to accept the new order of a world gone mad, inside a society that became more sinister and macabre than any childhood nightmare could ever be. Driven by the faint memories of the land where she was born—a hazy beacon that guided her toward freedom and a new life—this is the story of Rosemarie Lengsfeld Turke.

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

I chose this book while browsing on NetGalley (full disclaimer below).  The cover and title intrigued me enough to look at the description.  Based on the description, it appears to be a perspective I haven't heard much about - an American family living in Germany at the time of WWII and how they had to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

It's listed as a biography geared to middle grades so I'm not sure how detailed it will be.  I'm anticipating this would be one my daughter would be interested in reading as well.

My Opinion

4 stars

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review it**

Since this book is marketed to younger readers it starts with "precautions for parents and teachers" about the contents of the book.  In my opinion, this book is an accurate representation of her memories.  She didn't sugarcoat the tough stuff but also didn't use graphic descriptions in an exploitative way.  While each child's sensitivities are different, if a child is interested in reading about the Holocaust and the adult feels they can handle the information, this book would generate interesting discussions.

The book is digestible for a young reader but reading between the lines as an adult and especially a parent, my heart was in my throat the whole time.  The text was simple and emotional.  It made my heart hurt that she was so stoic since it was probably a form of protection.  She made a good point about the difficulties for children to find any sort of consistency to rely on; their development would be stunted if they survived because of all the unpredictable changes and breakdown of society.

It was a viewpoint I hadn't read before.  As a young child, she was an American citizen who ended up stuck in Germany for years with her parents (who had immigrated to America but were still German citizens) when the borders closed while they were visiting family.  Her father ended up getting drafted and another child was born in Germany so when the war ended, she had to travel home to the US by herself as a teenager; as the only American citizen in her family, she was the only one who qualified for the evacuations.  

I'm not clear if these are her sketches or not but I assume they are and they add a nice touch.

Killing Patton

Book 50 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly

Summary (via Goodreads)

published 2014

General George S. Patton, Jr. died under mysterious circumstances in the months following the end of World War II. For almost seventy years, there has been suspicion that his death was not an accident—and may very well have been an act of assassination.

Killing Patton takes readers inside the final year of the war and recounts the events surrounding Patton’s tragic demise, naming names of the many powerful individuals who wanted him silenced.

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

I found the other "Killing..." books interesting so it was an easy choice to read this one too.  Although they've all seemed well-researched, my interest varied depending on the subject and Patton is probably the one I know the least about.  I'm going into this pretty blind - I didn't even know there was anything unusual about the way he died to generate this book.

The cover is stark and has that black/white, WWII feel.  Of the 5 people on the cover, I recognize 3 of them (and Patton is not one I would've recognized without the context clues of him being larger and in the center).

Part of the reason I continued reading the "Killing..." books even though I don't want to listen to Bill O'Reilly is because there isn't a lot of opinion in the books; I wouldn't know he was the author if I read it without looking at the cover first.  I hope that trend continues with this book as well.

My Opinion

2 stars

Side note: I bought this book used and the receipt of the original purchase was still inside.  It was purchased at a Menard's in 2014 along with laundry detergent and sports drinks.

When this book first came out and I told my dad there was a new addition to the 'Killing...' books, he said, "There were many interesting things about Patton.  How he died wasn't one of them."  Unfortunately, that quote held up as I read this book.

The book wasn't even about his death at all, really, because the official word is he died in a car accident and even though they mentioned a conspiracy theory, they (rightfully) didn't want to speculate or go too far down the rabbit hole.  But putting his death aside, Patton himself didn't even seem like the main character as they followed tangents of other WWII figures.  

I can't overstate how the book didn't match the title, description, or style of the other 'Killing' books at all.  If I ignored that and looked at the book as a WWII history/strategy book, I would say it was a little dry but could interest those who want to read about the tactics and maneuvers of war.

I'm giving it 2 stars since it wasn't a book I enjoyed but I can see how someone else would like it.