I‘m so excited to participate in this year‘s #JolabokaflodSwap! Thanks for organizing it, @MaleficentBookDragon 🥰 Heading to the post office shortly!

Today The Kid had the opportunity to see #JeffKinney do a live show about his new book, was able to chat with him (briefly), take a pic, and have his copy of Wrecking Ball personalized. Jeff Kinney is an absolute sweetheart who deserves all of the good things that have come to him. It was wonderful to see so many kids in one place, celebrating their love of reading. I do hope Kinney knows the part he plays in that magic. Well done, sir. #WimpyKid

“Andy Card: one of the president‘s first thoughts, from Sarasota to Barksdale...was Vladimir Putin.

Air Fleischer: Putin was fantastic that day. He was a different Vladimir Putin in 2001. America would have no better ally on September 11th than Russia and Putin.” 👀

Well, color me shocked! I honestly had no idea Putin had it in him to be truly helpful to the US (then or now).

This book explains so much. The deck was stacked. I don‘t say this to imply that the deck wasn‘t stacked against others—this is America, after all. I say it to say: if you look at our history as a nation—REALLY look at it—you will better understand how we got to where we are today. It‘s all cyclical and, if we don‘t really take good look and learn from what we see, we will continue to make the same mistakes (if we even survive this cycle).

“Lisa Jefferson: Todd turned to someone else and he said, “Are you ready?” I could hear them; they responded. He said, “Okay. Let‘s roll.” That was the last thing I heard.” Just in case you couldn‘t tell: I‘m taking this one slowly. It‘s a tough read.

“I said, “Mr. Atta, if you don‘t go now, you will miss your plane.””

“Every orbit, we kept trying to see more of what was happening. One of the most startling effects was that within about two orbits, all of the contrails normally crisscrossing the [US] had disappeared because they had grounded all the airplanes and there was nobody else flying in US airspace except for one airplane that was leaving a contrail from central US toward Washington. That was Air Force One heading back to DC with President Bush.

I heard the author on a podcast over a month ago and have been chomping at the bit to read this book! The first section is told from the perspective of Commander Frank Culbertson, who was on the Int‘l Space Station, and was “the only American off the planet” on 9/11. It‘s the little details like that that—I believe—will make this book one of the most impactful I‘ll read this year. Imagine being in space as the world as you know it falls apart.

“The principle of justice is fundamental and must be exercised if the peoples of this country are to rise to the highest and best...for there can be neither freedom, peace, true democracy or real development without justice.” You guys, I am in for one hell of a history lesson. I‘ve highlighted SO MANY passages so far. I don‘t know how I am going to be able to review this book properly. I wonder if “wow” would suffice... #ARC #NetGalley #History

I just received an #ARC for this and I am SO EXCITED to get started!

I started this book on my flight to Scotland and, in the midst of making friends with my seat mates, catching up on my New Yorker mags and my podcasts, and falling in love with Glasgow, I have managed to get about 75% of the way through. This is SO GOOD! It would make a fabulous movie! In honor of the book‘s title, I present a selfie of my sister and me in one of her favorite Glasgow wine shops! 💜🍷

A friend of mine surprised me with this book so that I‘d have something Scotland-related to read during my journey across the pond to Glasgow. I can‘t wait to dive into this book! (I‘m also in love with the fact that it matches my office supplies 🤓)

“He stood in the doorway while she folded his sweaters across her chest, her arms holding his arms and crossing them into her heart.”

“ ...at lunch, she ate alone on the playground while the other girls Double-Dutched to a rhyme they‘d made up about her: 🎶Latrice, the beast. She‘ll make you her feast. Got two odd eyes and two big feet🎶”
Kids can be such a**holes, can‘t they?! Jeeze!

“This is, make no mistake, a harrowing read. We are being shown the wound.” I‘ve procrastinated long enough. I know this will be a painful read. But it is also a necessary read. Tonight is the night I woman up, and dive into this book.

”Everyone always wants to know how you can tell when it's true love, and the answer is this: when the pain doesn't fade and the scars don't heal, and it's too damned late.”

This has been on my list for months! My husband‘s aunt‘s (by marriage) dad sent this to me in the mail as a surprise! It just goes to show: family is family—regardless of how the ties are tied—and bibliophiles will ALWAYS find a way to connect! Now...what to send him as a thank you...🤓❤️

My siblings and I are VERY close. Though separated by many miles (and, in one case, an ocean), we have an unshakeable bond. My brother David and I are two peas in a pod. A few years ago, I introduced him to Tropper via This is Where I Leave you. He‘s been OBSESSED with Tropper‘s work ever since—he‘s read every one of his books. I‘m finally catching up, and it has been heaven chatting about every single thing that happens to these characters.

Just a little reading while I wait for the USATF Regional Championships to start. The Kid does long jump in about 30 minutes!!! I am, of course, on tenterhooks. Tropper‘s humor should calm me down...I hope. #FingersCrossed #TrackMommy #KeepABookHandy

FFS! 🙄 Finally...a moment to SIT DOWN, relax, and read more than just a couple of pages at a time! #AdultingIsHard #BibliophilesAlwaysFindAWay

Currently listening to Jim DeRogatis on Fresh Air. As someone who was approached by Kelly and members of his “crew” on more than one occasion while growing up in Chicago, I am incredibly interested in this case. It‘s such a sad story. One that could have had fewer chapters if people weren‘t so intoxicated by Celebrity and a good beat.

I am so happy to finally be able to catch up on my mags and tuck into this lovely little book. This short vacation is shaping up to be exactly what my little family needed! #Phoenix #Warmth #Relaxation #Family 🙌🏾📚🍸❤️

I devoured all three volumes a few years ago. Foote has his faults, but this collection is a must for any person interested in the Civil War. The time put into this collection—the research...it‘s such a great resource.

Now, this is sexy: good books and fabulous totes. When literature meets fashion, my spirit sings!

I‘m reading the report on the DOJ website. The subtitle should be “Harm to Ongoing Matter”. 🙄

This is what I call a rocking Friday night: The Kid and me*, getting our read on! (I‘ve finally found a moment in the madness to just stop, breathe, snuggle and read.) *not pictured: The Husband and his newspaper, and my yummy local IPA

Waiting for the school board meeting to start, wishing I‘d brought my book along...😫 #BookLoverFail

“She‘d made her beans on toast, sat and watched her eat it. Hanna. Her middle child. The difficult one. The tiring one. The one she wouldn‘t want to be stranded on a desert island with. And a terrible thought shot through her, so fast she barely registered it. *It should be you missing and Ellie eating beans on toast.* She touched Hanna‘s cheek, gently, with the palm of her hand and then left the room.”
Well, damn, Laurel. Yikes!

This book was my first Sanderson. His father gave me a signed copy when it first came out and, at first, I was skeptical. I admit that I started reading it just to be polite (this isn‘t really my genre normally). I was instantly pulled in. I have read it twice since then—most recently earlier this week. Brandon is a master of his craft. Loved this book!

My sister is starring in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland‘s production of this play next month. I figured I should brush up on it before curtain! 🎭

Do I seriously have to wait a year to read this?! 😫

Every year at this time, I make it a point to read Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris, and one fun love story. This year‘s love story is One Day in December and I have a feeling I‘m going to devour it! I‘m absolutely SWAMPED at work but, after reading a sample, I‘m going to make time for this!

You guys...HOLY CRAP! “In the anarchy and disorder of the White House, and Trump‘s mind, the President never noticed the missing letter” 👀 Also, apparently the letter landed on his desk “through an unknown channel”. HOW DOES SOMETHING END UP ON THE RESOLUTE DESK VIA UNKNOWN CHANNELS?!!

Oh boy...here we go. The ladies of the Boozy Bookclub and I are going to have a field day with this one. (By “field day” I clearly mean that by the end we will likely be cowering in a corner, wishing we‘d built a fallout shelter) 🤷🏾‍♀️

I‘m so excited to dive into this book! I‘m also looking forward to getting together with my girlfriends to discuss it at our next Boozy Bookclub meeting! 🤓📚🍸

The boys are gone for the weekend. I‘ve got some catching up to do!

Is it bad that, at this point, I REALLY want to either punch Hannah in the throat or run away screaming?! How does a little kid know how to gaslight someone so effectively?!! Also, Alex is kind of useless. And by “kind of” I mean “completely”.

Oh my...I‘m going to need a beverage to accompany this book tonight.

My copy of #BabyTeeth is finally here! I am so ready to dive into this nightmare! I can‘t wait to meet up and discuss it with my books-and-booze club! 🤓🍸🍻

There was something novel and wonderful about being in a crowd and not feeling alone.

The past several days have been so busy that I haven‘t had time to *really* read. I‘m looking forward to tucking into this book and a cocktail this evening! 🍸📚

Oh boy, David. What delights does this section hold...? 👀🤣

A lot of our outlawed terms were invented by black people and then picked up by whites, who held on to them way past their expiration date. “My bad,” for example, and “I‘ve got your back,” and “You go, girlfriend.” They‘re the verbal equivalents of sitcom grandmothers high-fiving one another, and on hearing them, I wince and feel ashamed of my entire race. 🤣 (Bookmark courtesy of @BarbaraTheBibliophage )

I have had Calypso since the day it was released, and had to use major willpower not to crack it open before my mini-vaycay. It was well worth the wait. My love affair with David Sedaris continues.

It‘s strange: I actually savored this book. I fell in love with Garfield and didn‘t want his final moment to come. When it did, I was utterly devastated. I sat at my dining room table and cried. He would have been an amazing president. After the death of Lincoln, Garfield was truly our second chance to get things right. What could he have accomplished? What would America be right now, had Guiteau failed or had Bliss, et.al WASHED THEIR HANDS?!

Today is Beverly Cleary‘s birthday and every year, for the past 20 years or so, I read this book on her birthday to celebrate her and the amazing gifts she has given all of us. This is one of my childhood faves (and I still have my copy from 2nd grade!) #RamonaForever #BeverlyCleary 🤓📚

I read this years ago in one of my African American lit courses and remember struggling with the subject matter. Colorism is alive and well and, as a brown-skinned, African American girl who used to struggle a bit with her skin tone, it was just too close for comfort. I‘m an adult now and am loving the skin I‘m in, but revisiting this book is uncomfortable. I may have to bail...

“It was almost as though, early in life, she had contracted a peculiarly royal form of Tourette‘s Syndrome, causing the sufferer to be seized by the unstoppable urge to say the wrong thing.” 🤣Oh, Meg!🤣🤦🏾‍♀️

“She does not want to hire a North African to look after the children...She has always been wary of what she calls immigrant solidarity.” 👀 Come on, Myriam. I want to like you, but thoughts like this are making it so hard! 🙄

This book is exquisite; it took my breath away. I finished a few minutes ago and I still have tears in my eyes. This is one of those novels that pulls you in and refuses to let you go. When you finish it and close the book, you realize that you‘d completely shut out the world around you while you were reading it. It‘s like emerging from under water...I can‘t explain it. Just read this. You won‘t regret it. #StillCrying