Welcome to Litsy!

God how I love a memoir told through individual vignettes illustrative of large parts of the writer‘s life! When it‘s done well, as Dave has, it has more emotional impact for me. And Dave is quite the storyteller!! I love how he is a nerd and the ultimate fan of other musicians. I adore his fierce love of his daughters. And I respect how kindly he treated his band mates and friends in this memoir.

@Cinfhen you were right: this was special.

JVN is back with an essay collection that expands on his memoir, Over the Top. My favorite essay was his take on healthcare from the perspective of a queer, HIV-positive person. He had some fun talking about his hairdressing days and what NOT to do to your stylist, but then spoke more seriously about TERFs and race. He also opened up about his cannabis use and microdosing as a person with substance use issues.

I will admit to being an Ilhan fangirl. This book covers her escape from #Somalia as a refugee and coming to the US to her college degree and work as a community organizer to her historic run for Congress and winning her seat. She talks about coming up against the Somali elders, who didn‘t believe a woman belonged in politics, and how that spurred her to build a diverse coalition of supporters. She talks briefly about her family life, too.

When I‘ve read her advice column, I‘ve thought she was kind of smug, especially when she talked about her marriage. So I thought this was a novel when I placed a hold at the library, instead it‘s a very real memoir about the ups and downs of marriage and raising kids. It was refreshing for her to share the imperfections of life with a mostly great husband and usually fantastic kids. Good if you‘re looking for a funny memoir or #audiobook!

This interesting pop sci book is just what I needed this weekend. #NerdVibes 🤓

Greg is a meteorite scientist, and he takes the reader through the history and current study of meteorites. From the early huge impact that formed the moon to modern hunters and prospectors, they have played a large role in the formation of Earth and how we may be able to find rare elements in the future. The #audiobook narration is great!

I‘ve read some amazing nonfiction this year, and Klosterman‘s cultural critique of the 90s is 💯 up there near the top.

He draws seemingly disparate parts together into 12 thoughtful essays. From the politics and news to sports, TV, music, and films, he completely captures the flavor of the 90s. As a young Gen Xer, I remember the 90s, but his old Gen X perspective brought out a lot I didn‘t quite capture/understand. Highly recommend!

This was a disappointment. I‘m a fan of Jami, but this was so disorganized that I only gleaned a piecemeal sense of her life. Lots of travel, lots of book panels, and occasional explanations of her family and writing process. Yeah, just didn‘t do it for me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Xe Sands does a mediocre narration job. 👎🏻 (I usually like her, but this was a poor author/narrator match for me. I wonder why they decided against Jami narrating.)

Do you know the story of your favorite bookstore? Nadia tells the story of starting the independent Cairo bookstore, Diwan. They elevated books from being state-run to symbols of independent thought. Using the theme of several sections, from Egyptian history to cooking, she shares the joys and trials of running the store. We learn about her life, but the memoir stays focused more on the store and its books, employees and customers. Enjoyable! 👍🏻

You‘ve probably read the story of OxyContin, but have you heard of Subsys? This is the shocking story of the rise of John Kapoor and Insys, a small pharmaceutical company that rocked the world of chronic pain and fentanyl in the early 2010s. They took Perdue‘s playbook into hyperdrive and payed doctors to prescribe and had an in-house department that committed insurance fraud. A must-read if you enjoyed Empire of Pain or Bad Blood! 5⭐️

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Kingsolver set out to be a farmer and locavore for a year in 2006, and she & her family learned many important lessons. She narrates the majority herself, going through the seasonal foods, chores, and joys each month brought. Her husband narrates his essays that provide a national perspective on their choices. Her older daughter gives meal planning tips and tips for college student locavores. My favorite was her 8-year-old daughter‘s egg business!