The Negro's Civil War

 

Title: The Negro's Civil War: How American Blacks Felt and Acted During the War for the Union

Author: James M. McPherson

Publisher: Vintage Books

 
ISBN:  9781400033904

 

Thoughts: I learned a lot about the Civil War from this book, but felt it had too many passages from primary sources and not enough synthesis of the works quoted.

 

Rating: 3/5

Still Life at Eighty

 

Title: Still Life at Eight: The Next Interesting Thing

Author: Abigail Thomas

Publisher: Golden Notebook Press

 
ISBN:  9780967554129

 

Thoughts: Memoir told in short vignettes that was very comforting, though I cannot pinpoint why.

 

Rating: 5/5

Again and Again

Title: Again and Again

Author: Jonathan Evison

Publisher: Penguin Audio

 
ISBN:  n/a

 

Thoughts: This novel was basically three stories in one, but only the modern day one kept my interest.

 

Rating: 2/5

Listening for America

 

Title: Listening for America: Inside the Great American Songbook from Gershwin to Sondheim

Author: Rob Kapilow

Publisher: Liveright

 
ISBN:  9781631490293

 

Thoughts: Interesting look at 16 iconic American Musical songs and the reason they "work".

 

Rating: 4/5

Family Family

 

Title: Family Family

Author: Laurie Frankel

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

 
ISBN:  n/a

 

Thoughts: Fun story about what it means to be family and the choices made along the way.

 

Rating: 4/5

Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

 

Title: Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

Author: Laura Warrell

Publisher: Pantheon

 
ISBN:  9780593316443

 

Thoughts: Melancholy character-driven novel about a man looking for love and the daughter who loves him.

 

Rating: 3/5

Flores and Miss Paula

 

Title: Flores and Miss Paula

Author: Melissa Rivero

Publisher: HarperCollins

 
ISBN:  9798212702713

 

Thoughts: Enjoyable novel about mothers/daughters, work, and grief.

 

Rating: 3/5

Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent

 

Title: Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent: How Daring Slaves and Free Blacks Spied for the Union During the Civil War

Author: Thomas B. Allen

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

 
ISBN:  9780792278894

 

Thoughts: Very informative book, but while it does talk a good bit about Harriet Tubman, it's focus is broader than just her.

Rating: 4/5

The Disordered Cosmos

 

Title: The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, & Dreams Deferred

Author: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Publisher: Bold Type Books

 
ISBN:  9781541724709

 

Thoughts: Fascinating look at the racism that exists in physics on a myriad of levels, but not always the easiest read for non science-lovers.

Rating: 3/5

Welcome Home, Stranger

 

Title: Welcome Home, Stranger

Author: Kate Christensen

Publisher: HarperAudio

 
ISBN:  n/a

 

Thoughts: I found it difficult to connect with Rachel, especially at the beginning, so it made it hard to get into this character-driven novel.

Rating: 2/5