Historical knowledge helps us avoid the mistakes of the past, and this book provides important history about the lengths to which powerful figures will go to hide their misdeeds. The author‘s diligent research and courage to expose these secrets are inspirational in the fight against police/prosecutorial misconduct today and the disregard for the rule of law and basic morality currently permeating the federal government.

“From the day a girl is born, she is told she needs a love story to survive. It‘s everywhere. In poetry and music and films and books. She‘s told life is worthless without love. She is told SHE is worthless without love... But what no one tells her, what no one talks about, is that it can kill her. That the very thing they say can save her can destroy her. Love is a trap, darling.“ (Chapter 3)

I was in serious need of some lighthearted reading, so picked this up again. I‘d read this one years ago, and I still found it amusing. I love the narrator‘s use of footnotes because it‘s sort of the way I speak… and it shows just how ridiculous that can sound. Good for a lighthearted and amusing read.

This one was delightful. The writing was smart and funny, and it‘s definitely a unique book. I read it in three days because I couldn‘t put it down. Highly recommended!

I read this one for my book club, but admittedly I bailed after reading about half of it. I think it‘s a good book, and touches on a lot of different experiences many women have in common but don‘t talk about, mostly related to men, how we‘re supposed to feel about them, and then the reality of how we feel, how they make us feel, or how others view our relationships with them. It was just a little too depressing for me in the current moment.

This was a needed break from more serious topics. Funny story, a little predictable, but an overall enjoyable read.

This book was great. The premise of Huckleberry Finn told from the perspective of Jim was awesome, and I particularly loved his love of literature. I‘ve only read an excerpt from the original story (high school required reading of “classics” written by white men a long time ago), and I liked this version so much better that I didn‘t even feel the urge to go back and compare the two. I highly recommend this one.

I thought the book was about badass women labeled “difficult.” After reading the 1st story I hesitated to continue. The author chose to start with a story about child sexual abuse, seeming to say, “If you can‘t stomach this story then just give up now.” Some trigger warnings would‘ve helped. After 4 stories I bailed for my own mental health. What made these women difficult? The common thread seemed to be “women who were screwed over by men.”

Escuché a alguien en NPR recomendar este libro y me sonó chistoso el título en inglés, y decidí leerlo. La verdad no sabía de qué se trataba ni sabía que era una colección de cuentos cortos de horror. Pero de todas maneras me gustaron los cuentos y me gustó que se habló un poco de la historia complicada de Argentina en el siglo XX. Recomiendo solo leer un cuento por día si eres una persona fácilmente afectada por la melancolía.

“Of course, that‘s what happens. When we ignore ourselves for long enough, our bodies find a way to make us listen.”

“FUCK.”

“Release the shame you feel when resting. It does not belong to you.”

“Apple put this new screen time feature on the iPhone that‘s supposed to, I don‘t know, shame me into putting down the drug they won‘t stop peddling to me??”

A great book for those who want to understand how the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII affected families in the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Oregon, but of course never learned in school about the racist policies my state considered and/or implemented against Japanese Americans. Admittedly a little dry in parts, this meticulous family history is an important record of the harm caused by state sponsored racism. Please read!