These are the books I read in September 2020 with a rating reflecting my opinion on them. I am leaving books not available in English out for your convenience. At the bottom, I will be sharing some recommendations that fall under the category fiction, non-fiction, or non-fiction political. These recommendations are books I have not read myself, so proceed with caution as I cannot speak to their actual quality.
Read
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Molly has had many crushes, but never pursued any of them. Her friends and her twin sister Cassie have had much more experience. When Cassie has her first serious girlfriend, all eyes are set on Molly to follow suit. This cute and thoughtful story filled with queer characters deals with many issues, from homophobia to anxiety to peer pressure and fat-phobia, chiefly among them change and how to deal with it. One of my favorite parts of the book was how diverse the hobbies and interests of the whole cast are as well as how vast and alive the world felt.
The Right Nation by John Micklethwait & Adrian Wooldridge
An extensive and well laid out look at why America is more conservative than other rich nations. I really appreciated the broad, accessible and sensitive look into the historic, societal and political depths of conservatism. A lot of events and figures are illuminated rather well and a lot of the assertions still hold up despite the book’s age (published 2004). I found a few of the author’s assertions either disagreeable, such as their statement claiming that gay marriage should be left up to the states and that is is emphatically different than the civil rights’ movement in the 60s, or their over generalizations about Europe. This book definitely encourages critical thinking and analysis and I really appreciated that about it.
Buffering by Hannah Hart
A very emotional autobiographical book about perseverance, mental health and how it affects people. This is by no means an easy read, but it is incredibly necessary. So many important topics are touched on and the photographs included add to the tenderheartedness of the book. A must read for all whose lives have been touched by mental illness, childhood trauma and neglect and the aftermath of it all.
Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram
A sweet love story based loosely on the Cinderella fairy tale. Cinder and Ella have been internet friends for years when Ella goes silent. After 8 months they reconnect, following a devastating car accident that left Ella disabled and without a mother. Moving across the country to live with her dad and his new family, his wife and her daughters, as well as still mentally and physically recovering from her accident, Ella’s life is rough. Bullying at school and at home as well as her ambiguous relationship with her father and her mental health don’t make it easy for her. Cinder on the other hand is a movie star, although Ella doesn’t know that. In this book the star-crossed lovers deal with the impact of fame, challenging relationships and how to trust each other.
Doctor Who: The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
An entertaining whovian adventure in ancient Rome, filled with history and a scientific wish-granting AI from the future. It’s a short story and a bit simplistic at times, but it has some good twists and elements.
The Inexplicable Logic of my Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This is an introspective story on the meaning of family, identity and death. So much love is packed into it, love for language, love for people, but also sorrow. Sorrow at loss, sorrow at terrible parents and terrible classmates. The pressure of growing up, of finding yourself, of how to deal with things out of your control. It’s beautiful and damn near made me cry. A tribute to life and love above all.
Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
A sweet children’s book classic with lovely narration and even lovelier illustrations.
The Bible: New Testimonials by Lauren Nickodemus et al.
A collection of essays centered around bi+ identities and experiences. Some essays really touched me (All the Things She Said and A Man, A Cane, An Awkward Title), most I found generally interesting, and a few bothered me, either more or less. As a bi+ person myself, I related to some essays more than others.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Tiffy is in desperate need of a cheap place to live, so the £350/month flat is just perfect. Sharing it with Leon, night-shift nurse, seems manageable, even if their arrangement is a bit unusual. Besides being an excellent rom-com with a great cast of characters, this book also deals with serious topics, from the justice system to stalking and most prominently emotional abuse. A quirky, engaging and emotional book!
Assholes: A Theory of Donald Trump by Aaron James
A philosophical look at the phenomenon Donald Trump. Despite some interesting thoughts, funny segments and thought examinations of philosophical texts, this little book doesn’t feel like it has much of a point. It seems like an extended newspaper article, a little too long at times but simultaneously a short, engaging read. Didn’t blow me away sadly.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Perculiar Children by Random Riggs
An odd yet engaging start to a series. The photographs included were wonderful and really added to the atmosphere of the book. Great characters and plot. The environment descriptions dragged on a bit and some of the characters were barely more than their ability, but overall a fun and exciting book!
The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
Still as good as it was in my childhood! The illustrations alone make this book into a wonderful piece, never mind the mysteries and characters. A lot of groundwork for the series is laid in this first installment and I can’t wait to dive into the following ones soon!
Marly’s Ghost by David Levithan
A decent and sweet remix of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, now in the guise of a story set on Valentine’s day, centered around love and loss. The elements from the original, including the illustrations, are well incorporated and I enjoyed reading this book, but the old-fashioned didn’t always mix well with the modern setting, many of the characters were very flat and overall the book didn’t really improve upon the story it is based on.
Dog by Andy Mulligan
A heartwarming and engaging story of a puppy named Spider who tries to find his place in the world. Spider struggles a lot throughout this book, from being overwhelmed by his instincts to his family life as well as all the challenges he encounters after getting lost. A lot of topics are touched upon, from bullying to animal abuse and murder. The animal characters, from dogs to cats to moths and lice are very vivid, definitely more than the human characters. While the animal focused issues are well executed, especially for a children’s book, the human storylines are super simplistic and far from anything resembling realism. Still, this is a lovely and thoughtful story for children and adults alike!
The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor
A chilling narrative set in two times, 1986 and 2016. The 1986 storyline is focused on a series of horrifying events, from a brutal accident at a fair to sexual assault to murder and suicide, all set in an otherwise unassuming small town. 2016 focuses on the direct and indirect aftermath of the past as well as the main character slowly uncovering the hidden causes behind the traumatic experiences from his childhood. The twists were pretty compelling and the mystery satisfying enough. My biggest issue with the book were that the characters, especially the main character, were a little flat at times and some of their actions weren’t explained enough, as well as the density of the language. Still, this is a chilling book focused on how actions can have horrific unintended consequences.
America (The Book) by Jon Stewart et al.
A funny look at American politics filled with brilliant graphics and a lot of hijinks. Great for fans of the Daily Show, naturally. Some of the material was a bit outdated and a few jokes felt very off color even for 2004. Still, a hilarious book sure to entertain!
Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (And Other Lies) by Scarlett Curtis et al.
A wonderful, multifaceted collection of essays, poems and other texts centered around feminism. The structure and layout of this book is very accessible and inviting, the content is thoughtful, powerful, and empowering. I highly enjoyed the more personal essays as well as the academic ones. Really recommend this book! My only issue was that certain texts either assumed the reader was a woman or that feminist issues only concern women.
I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb
A funny and slightly ridiculous story of a 12-year-old evil genius who is trying to win a middle school election. While some elements were a little underdeveloped or too outlandish, the book overall was extremely entertaining. Reading about a character who is so powerful and powerless at the same time is very engaging and interesting. I have certainly never read a book like this one!
Recommendations
Fiction
Boomsday by Christopher Buckley
“Outraged over the mounting Social Security debt, Cassandra Devine, a charismatic 29-year-old blogger and member of Generation Whatever, incites massive cultural warfare when she politely suggests that Baby Boomers be given government incentives to kill themselves by age 75. Her modest proposal catches fire with millions of citizens, chief among them “an ambitious senator seeking the presidency.” With the help of Washington’s greatest spin doctor, the blogger and the politician try to ride the issue of euthanasia for Boomers (called “transitioning”) all the way to the White House,over the objections of the Religious Right, and of course, the Baby Boomers, who are deeply offended by demonstrations on the golf courses of their retirement resorts.”
The People’s Choice by Jeff Greenfield
“What happens if the President-elect of the United States dies before the Electoral College has a chance to officially vote him in? What happens if the Vice President-elect is a man who nobody dreams could be President? What happens if the highest office in the land is suddenly up for grabs – and the most ruthless pols, the smoothest power brokers, the minions of the media, and just plain ordinary citizens get into the wildest act in the three-ring circus of American politics?”
Political
The Most Dangerous Branch: Inside the Supreme Court’s Assault on the Constitution by David A. Kaplan
“The Most Dangerous Branch takes us inside the secret world of the Supreme Court. David A. Kaplan, the former legal affairs editor of Newsweek, shows how the justices subvert the role of the other branches of government–and how we’ve come to accept it at our peril.”
The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power by Gene Healy
“The Bush years have justifiably given rise to fears of a new Imperial Presidency. Yet despite the controversy surrounding the administration’s expansive claims of executive power, both Left and Right agree on the boundless nature of presidential responsibility. The Imperial Presidency is the price we seem to be willingly and dangerously agreeable to pay the office the focus of our national hopes and dreams. Interweaving historical scholarship, legal analysis, and cultural commentary, The Cult of the Presidency argues that the Presidency needs to be reined in, its powers checked and supervised, and its wartime authority put back under the oversight of the Congress and the courts. Only then will we begin to return the Presidency to its proper constitutionally limited role.”
Nonfiction
The Council of Dads: My Daughters, My Illness, and the Men Who Could Be Me by Bruce Feiler
“Bestselling author Bruce Feiler was a young father when he was diagnosed with cancer. He instantly worried what his daughters’ lives would be like without him. “Would they wonder who I was? Would they wonder what I thought? Would they yearn for my approval, my love, my voice?” Three days later he came up with a stirring idea of how he might give them that voice. He would reach out to six men from all the passages in his life, and ask them to be present in the passages in his daughters’ lives. And he would call this group “The Council of Dads.” “I believe my daughters will have plenty of opportunities in their lives,” he wrote to these men. “They’ll have loving families. They’ll have each other. But they may not have me. They may not have their dad. Will you help be their dad?” The Council of Dads is the inspiring story of what happened next.”
Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease by Sharon Moalem
“Was diabetes evolution’s response to the last Ice Age? Did a deadly genetic disease help our ancestors survive the bubonic plagues of Europe? Will a visit to the tanning salon help lower your cholesterol? Why do we age? Why are some people immune to HIV? Can your genes be turned on — or off?
Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on its head and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and our relationship to just about every other living thing on earth, from plants and animals to insects and bacteria.”
The Congressional Report 