The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

 Book 28 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

The Great Love Story Ever Told

by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

5 stars

Published in 2018, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told is a conversational book by spouses and actors Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman covering many topics about their lives and relationship.  I think a basic knowledge of them would be necessary to enjoy the book because they have a very dry humor.  I bet this would be a really good audiobook, both because of their personalities and also because the book itself is written in a back-and-forth style.  It really feels like they just hit "record" on their phones and then transcribed the conversations.

This was a really enjoyable way to pass the time and it was refreshing to hear people really love and appreciate their partner while also not taking themselves too seriously.  The photos were fun too.

How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety

 Book 27 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety

by Zachary Auburn

3 stars

This would've been an enjoyable satirical read when it was written in 2016 (before the election).  Unfortunately, as I read this in 2022 it's too close to the style of conspiracy theories that inexplicably gain way too much traction and circulation for me to relax into the humor and ridiculousness.

I'm rating it neutrally because it's not the author's fault everything has changed.

I'll Show Myself Out

 Book 26 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood

by Jessi Klein

4 stars

Published in 2022, I'll Show Myself Out is a collection of essays about motherhood, aging, and identity by Jessi Klein.

This book isn't for everyone but if you're the audience for this book you will feel seen.  The first essay was a doozy and it just continued from there.  If this wasn't a library book and if I was the kind of person that felt comfortable writing in margins, this book would be highlighted and emphasized in multiple places.

Quote from the Book

"A mother's heroic journey is not about how she leaves, but about how she stays."

Virgins and Other Endangered Species

 Book 25 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Virgins and Other Endangered Species: A Memoir

by Dorothea Straus

2 stars

I picked this book up at a sale solely based on the title.  Published in 1993, Virgins and Other Endangered Species is a memoir by Dorothea Straus.  I don't know if she is well-known but I have no familiarity with her.  I also can't pinpoint exactly how old she is (or was, as I'm assuming she has since deceased) but these recollections had a "bygone era" feeling.  There was no rhyme or reason to the stories.  It felt like the slow musings of an elderly relative where you're not sure if everything is true or if their memories have fused things together.

There was a note that the photograph on the cover is the author's mother so that was a cool touch.

Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault

 Book 24 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault: Essays from the Grown-Up Years

by Cathy Guisewite

3 stars

Published in 2019, Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault is a collection of personal essays by Cathy Guisewite, the creator of the long-running comic strip "Cathy".  I'm familiar with the comic ("Ack!!!") and the journey that led her to creating it was random and interesting.

She was open and honest in her essays.  There was a lot of focus on food and shame which is something that would still resonate with people but hopefully is improving overall as a society.

She shared a really interesting perspective on downsizing, both from the perspective as an empty nester going through her daughter's room and as a daughter going through her parents' home.  She thinks it's difficult because packing away their things feels like it's "helping them disappear" so finding a way to keep their memories alive while recognizing the need to keep spaces functional is an emotional battle.

Rhett & Link's Book of Mythicality

 Book 23 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Rhett & Link's Book of Mythicality: A Field Guide to Curiosity, Creativity, and Tomfoolery

by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal

4 stars

Published in 2017, Rhett & Link's Book of Mythicality is a hodgepodge of stories and advice from Rhett and Link, the creators of "Good Mythical Morning".

If you like GMM you will like this book.  I'm not an avid fan but whenever I see them I enjoy the camaraderie and pure joy in being themselves.  This book kept me occupied in the car on vacation and I will pass it on to my son because he will enjoy it too.

This Time For Me

Book 22 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

This Time for Me

by Alexandra Billings

4 stars

Published in 2022, This Time for Me is a memoir by "trailblazing and award-winning Trans actor and activist Alexandra Billings".  I picked it as an Amazon First Reads without any familiarity with her so this was all new to me.

I kept wanting to get back to the book whenever I had to put it down.  She was raw and open about her life and experiences.  There were also pictures which is something I note as an added bonus when reviewing a memoir.

Kid Presidents

 Book 21 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents

by David Stabler

4 stars

Published in 2014, Kid Presidents is a juvenile non-fiction book with anecdotes and fun facts about the presidents when they were children.  The book really stresses normalcy - they were just regular kids doing regular things who grew up to have an important job.  It subtly conveyed the message that everyone starts somewhere and anyone can 'theoretically' (because I'm an adult and this isn't Utopia) become the president.

I liked that the book grouped presidents by subject, not chronologically.  It kept things moving along.  It was made for kids but adults would find it interesting too; since it's an unusual focus there are new things for everyone to learn.

It included extra books at the end for continued reading which is especially great for a juvenile book to do for continued interest.

Quote from the Book

"This is Kid Presidents, the book that proves any kid can grow up to be president. Because every U.S. president started out as a regular kid. Just like you."

Letter to a Stranger

 Book 20 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Letter to a Stranger: Essays to the Ones Who Haunt Us

by Colleen Kinder

5 stars

Published in 2022, Letter to a Stranger is a collection of essays.  Authors were invited to contribute personal stories about an encounter they had with a stranger.  I absolutely love this concept because these were just little snippets of chance encounters with no expectation of longevity.  Plus personal essays by varied contributors is pretty much guaranteed to be a win for me.

Of course I thought of who my letter would be written to.  Mine would be Harold, an older gentleman my husband and I met in London in 2019.  Harold was an older gentleman from New Zealand traveling all around by himself and he was very outgoing.  When we were on a tour together at St. Paul's Cathedral, Kevin offered to take a picture of Harold but instead, Harold handed Kevin his camera and the two of them walked around the cathedral with Harold pointing out things he wanted Kevin to take pictures of.  At the end of the tour, Harold took a pin off his hat and gave it to Kevin to thank him.  We've thought of Harold many times since, especially when the pandemic shut down travel.  I hope he made it through okay and is traveling the world again.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

 Book 19 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

by Rachel Joyce

5 stars

Published in 2012, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the story of a man who leaves the house one morning to mail a letter and ends up continuing to walk on a quest to see an old friend.

I fell into the book right away.  The pages flew by and it's been awhile since a book hooked me like that.  Towards the end when the walk became more of a spectacle it lost some of the folksiness that I enjoyed so much but I'm still giving it 5 stars for the way it kept my interest from start to finish.