All in Non-fiction
I saw Andrew Forsthoefel speak at Wellesley College last year at one of their semi-annual Authors on Stage presentations – where three authors talk about their latest books – always a treat! He held me captivated as he explained the genesis of the idea of walking across the US (and then writing his book): a combination of graduating from college without being sure what direction he wanted to take in life and looking for more meaning in the life he led.
David Litt’s Thanks, Obama will charm and entertain you from start to finish. With his self-deprecating humor, Litt relates his amazing story of becoming one of the youngest White House speechwriters in history.
I don’t read a lot of memoirs, and although we have about a million cookbooks on our shelves, I don’t spend a lot of time reading them either. But Stir manages to combine the two genres effectively and engagingly to create this quick-read book about healing, home and how our food defines us.
As the subtitle suggests, this book is a bit of a paradox, but I can honestly say, I have NEVER laughed out loud as much as I did reading Furiously Happy. I can perhaps blame the intensity of my reaction on pregnancy hormones, but my husband Dan came in to the room several times to check if I was alright to find me crying I was laughing so hard.
I read this book for two reasons: it had been recommended to me by a friend and I loved The House of Sand and Fog, Dubus’ breakout novel. To say I enjoyed this memoir would be an exaggeration. But it has stayed with me far longer than most books. I have thought about it and talked to other people about it many times since I finished reading it. For me, that’s proof of its power and perhaps even its value.
My mom and I both read this book, and were both hesitant to review it. In the end I agreed to do it because this is an important book. That is my opinion, but obviously, also the opinion of the literary establishment.
Jaques springboards off her Guardian blog, ‘A Transgender Journey,’ and brings to life her journey from a shy, unhappy boy in rural England, to a successfully transitioned woman, writer and transgender advocate (all labels she has issues using herself).
