The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett Graff was, of course, very difficult to read. At the same time, it was hard to put down. While we all know the overarching story of what happened on 9/11, this compilation draws “on never-before-published transcripts, recently declassified documents, original interviews, and oral histories from nearly five hundred government officials, first responders, witnesses, survivors, friends, and family members.” The perspectives and moving through the day in read time were fascinating. And, overall, it was really engrossing . I am so glad to have picked it up, even though it was emotionally taxing to read.

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger felt like Huck Finn, Nickel Boys, and old-fashioned adventure stories all rolled into one. It had moments of excitement and interest for me, but overall, I didn’t love it. It was too long, too quiet, and too reminiscent of other books I have read. In a nutshell, it’s the story of boys who are at Lincoln School, a school where Native American children are sent to be educated after they have been separated from their parents. Two white orphaned brothers are also sent there and the younger of the brothers can’t stay out of trouble. The two siblings and two other friends finally run away. The book is the story of their friendship and journey. Amazon reports that if you liked “Where the Crawdads Sing” you will like this one. I beg to differ.

I’m not sure how Gold by Chris Cleve (of Little Bee fame) ended up on my list, but I enjoyed it. It’s the story of three Olympic-level track cyclists, two of whom are best friends and two of whom are married. The relationships are complicated and made even more so by the couple’s baby’s leukemia diagnosis and treatment. It certainly sucks you in and was about a topic I know nothing about, but it was a good choice. I’d recommend it.

I really enjoyed Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner. It was chick lit for sure, but easier reading than some of the heavier material I have chosen of late. In addition, I love a family saga that takes place over time. At the heart of this one are two sisters, Jo and Bethie who struggle in different ways over the course of their lives with the death of their father. It is told from each sister’s point of view in alternating chapters. I found it hard to put down and overall, (even while chick lit) deeper than I expected and moving.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the much-talked-about memoir, The Yellow House, for Christmas (thanks, Pat). I so rarely own a hardback that it was nice to not have to worry about speedily reading it to return it. I feel like everytime I turned around in 2019, this book was written up or talked about and I was glad to have it on my nightstand. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I would based on the hype. The story really is about the house and the family therein, but it left me with so many questions. I wanted to dive deeper into the family members and into what happened post Katrina. I suppose other authors have gotten deep about the devastation, but I expected this one to more than it did. Overall, it was good, but not great for me.

Five Days Gone: The Mystery of My Mother’s Disappearance as a Child by Laura Cumming was a memoir with a fascinating premise – when she was three, Laura’s mother was kidnapped and then returned to her family. Her mother doesn’t remember this kidnapping, but discovers that she was adopted and that her name was changed from Grace to Betty at the same time. The book walks you through the mystery that was Betty’s life. While the book was certainly interesting and what a terrible thing to do to a child, ultimately, there was something cold and missing from the story. I wish I had noticed before I read it that it only had 3.5 stars on Amazon. It continues to bear true that whenever a book has less than 4 stars, I don’t like it either. Ah well. At least it was short.

Outlaw Ocean was written by a friend of mine, Ian Urbina. I have had the book in my possession (a signed copy, no less), but I will admit that I stalled a bit in picking it up. While it is a #1 best seller in “Fisheries and Aquaculture” (?), it’s not my usual cup of tea. Amazon describes: “There are few remaining frontiers on our planet. But perhaps the wildest, and least understood, are the world’s oceans: too big to police, and under no clear international authority, these immense regions of treacherous water play host to rampant criminality and exploitation.” I had been to Ian’s debut book talk at P&P in August and was lined up to see him again at the end of the month, so I figured I had better give it a go. And, I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN! This was a really gripping read, mostly because, Ian is a talented storyteller (just read some of his NYT work to see) and also because he is clearly CRAZY. The risks that he takes and the things he did to get this book written were amazing, awe-inspiring, and just plain insane. However, it certainly made for great reading. While you might, like me, not think this is the kind of piece for you, I assure you that’s it’s worth delving into. It’s terrific!!

I’m not sure where I learned about Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur, but any good memoir is usually right up my alley. This one dropped you right into the action and we learn about Brodeaur’s mother’s affair in the first chapter. Brodeur’s mother makes her, as a fourteen-year-old, complicit and even a confidant in this affair. It’s hard to look away and not want to know how this affects her life. It was an enjoyable read and I devoured it in one night, but there was something flat and distant about the narration, which left me a little cold. Nevertheless, the story was intriguing and devastating at the same time. It’s well worth a read.

I’ve enjoyed the other Rosie books by Graeme Simsion and I grabbed the Rosie Result off the shelf at the library even though I didn’t have it teed up as one I was going to read. I thought the story was well-told in the other two books and wasn’t gunning to read another. But, it’s been a while, and I really do enjoy the way Graeme Simsion writes the main character. It makes him seem so likable and real, that this one was enjoyable as well. If you, like me, are a fan of this family, I’d grab this one. It’s better to have read the other two, I think, but this one could stand alone.

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson was a sardonic quick read that didn’t really do it for me. While the story was amusing – a woman whose high school friend (whose family betrayed her completely) hires her to take care of her new husband’s twins who spontaneously catch fire – I can’t say that I really enjoyed it overall. It was just flat. And the people would never have acted like they did in the book, even in this crazy scenario. While the story was well-told and I could see the appeal of the book, it wasn’t for me. Some might suggest that I should give it one or two stars, but I did read the whole thing and I didn’t hate it, so I stick with three as a more neutral approach.