Hey everyone! Remember me?! I love to read, and I love to blog, but I haven’t been doing a lot of either one lately. I’m hoping that all changes starting now.

So, let’s get into it. I read four books in October (and early November). Three of them were nonfiction (did you know November is National Nonfiction Month?) and one novel that I sadly couldn’t finish.

A Very Punchable Face, by Colin Jost

Note to self: When a memoir I heard great things about has a chapter called “Okay, So Maybe I’ve Shit My Pants a Couple Times,” maybe I shouldn’t have downloaded it in the first place. Other chapters/clues that should have been red flags include: “The Chapter about Alcohol and Drugs,” “The Time I Fought In WrestleMania and Almost Won, and the nightmarish essay entitled “Eggs in My Legs.”

If it weren’t for the chapter about Colin Jost’s mother, her 9/11 story, and her job as chief medical officer for the New York City Fire Department, I’d call his memoir a complete waste of my time. (Although, the book’s title is spot-on because I was basically ready to punch him myself). After reading pages and pages about his white-privileged childhood in private school, his Harvard education, his golf buddies, and his seemingly quick ascension from stand-up comic, to comedy writer, to SNL Weekend Update anchor, I had about enough. But, I guess not because I kept hoping it would get better, and I begrudgingly finished it. Spoiler alert – it didn’t get any better. And I think there should be a law against writing a memoir before you turn 40.

If you are tempted to download this book, save yourself seven hours and a half of listening time on Audible, look for it in the bookstore, and read chapter 11, “Why I Love My Mom,” while enjoying a latte. His mom was a hero to many, and her story is worth telling, which is more than I can say for the rest of the book.

Trust me. Spend the money on Katie Couric’s new memoir instead. Speaking of which…

Going There, by Katie Couric

I devoured Katie Couric’s memoir. I’ve always respected her as a journalist. I enjoyed her wit and wisdom during her 15 years on the Today Show and cheered her professional choices as she moved on to what she thought were bigger and better things (CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, a syndicated daytime talk show). Behind the scenes, she became a widow at the age of 44 and raised two young children while trying to find success and happiness in her life.

Her memoir is easy to read, and yes, she definitely “goes there” about Matt Lauer and the gender politics she navigated in various newsrooms throughout her career. While there is a bit of name-dropping at times (which is a big pet peeve of mine), I forgive her because she is KATIE fucking COURIC. She has covered major news stories over the past three decades – so of course, the occasional celebrity appearances are to be expected.

I loved the book because it reminds us that what you see on TV is never the whole story. She writes:

“Television can put you in a box; the flat-screen can flatten. On TV, you are larger than life but smaller, too. It is not the whole story, and it is not the whole me. This book is.”

Yes, Katie Couric is still a human being with self-esteem issues, parenting triumphs and tribulations, career dreams, and romantic desires. While a lot of it came true – there was often a price to pay for always being in the spotlight. Her memoir has it all, and it doesn’t disappoint.

I Alone Can Fix It: Donald Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig

Disclaimer: If you enjoyed four years under the Trump administration, feel free to skip to the next book on my list. This book and review are not for you. For everyone else, who felt the pain, anxiety, and sheer disregard for what this country stands for – this is a book to add to your TBR list.

Written by two Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalists from the Washington Post, this book takes us into the 2020 shitshow – otherwise known as the last year of the Trump administration. It is clear that the investigative reporting included interviewers with many of the players and those closest to them. If you want to be in the room where it happened and see what was done to prevent even more dire results, this book tells it all.

Admittedly, this book was not an easy read for me, not because it wasn’t well-written. I already lived through 2020 once, and so this book can be triggering. I remember feeling despondent and anxious during that time and praying it would all come to an end. There were moments where I had to put the book down and do something else because those feelings started to come back again. However, I’m so glad I finished it because investigative journalism – when done right – takes a holistic view of the situation, breaks it down into facts, and confirms information from trusted sources. This book delivers the goods in unprecedented and stunning detail. I hope books like this become required reading for students of politics, history, and society for years to come.

The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron

I have read my fair share of books about the Holocaust. Being a professional Jew, my colleagues tend to read a lot of these stories regularly and recommend them to me. There are many good ones out there – including this book (a YA book pick from Reese Witherspoon’s book club) – but it wasn’t the right time for me to read it.

This is an incredible story about a young woman who hid 13 Jews in her home. She simultaneously housed two Nazi soldiers and cared for her little sister. Her street smarts and resilience are unbelievable. So much so that I was surprised to learn that this book is based on a true story. I dutifully read about 2/3rds of it, so I included it in my Goodreads 2021 Reading Challenge. But, I skimmed through the last 100 or so pages.

My Next Reads

My original Goodreads Challenge for 2021 was to read 21 books. Since I reached this point over the summer, I was hoping to hit 30 titles before the end of the year. With seven weeks left, I’m not confident I’m going to hit that number. But, we will see. In the meantime, the following three books on my TBR list are:

• Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian
• The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freita
• Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb

A Final Word

Now that the holiday season is upon us, I urge you to buy your books at an independent bookstore. Those big-box companies get enough of our money throughout the year. If you aren’t sure where to find a local bookstore, check out Bookshop.org and plug in your city/state or zip code. Your purchases will help keep these amazing places of business in business.

Until next time, happy reading!

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My new favorite place to read these days is on our new patio. Over the summer, we took a boring concrete slab and created an outdoor oasis. I love sitting out there during the day to eat my lunch and read the New York Times. In the evenings, the awning provides the perfect lighting to read under the stars. And now that summer is turning to fall; the cooler temperature reminds me to grab a cozy blanket and a hot beverage on the way out the door.

The patio is one of the big reasons why I was able to read so much this month. It is a new space to enjoy, and I could sit out there for hours. Here is what I have been reading in my new favorite spot.

Eternal by Lisa Scottoline 

From her weekly Chick Lit columns in the Philadelphia Inquirer to her crime novels and hilarious and often poignant essay collections, I count Lisa Scottoline among some of my favorite authors. So, it didn’t surprise me when I gave her a 5-star rating on Goodreads for her first historical fiction book, Eternal. This incredible story has it all – a romantic triangle, family drama, loss and love, food and culture. It all takes place in Rome at the beginning of World War II when Italy sided with Nazi Germany and passed laws against the Jewish people. This turn of events tragically impacts one of the main characters and ultimately changes all of their lives forever. Honestly, I don’t want to tell you much more except that the entire book is a page-turner (all 480 pages!), and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

“Four siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of summer. But over the course of 24 hours, their lives will change forever,” reads a description of the book.

This was the IT book of the summer. It landed on every “must-read” summer reading list, and the hype was outrageous. I mean – it’s a book, not the second coming of Christ. Nevertheless, avid readers, casual readers, beach readers, and everyone in between looked forward to buying the latest book by this incredibly talented author – including me.

I enjoyed the first half very much. Each of the siblings had interesting backstories, and it was clear that they loved each other in good times and in bad. Much of their story was told in flashbacks to their difficult childhood (an absentee father and a mother who foolishly believed he would come back someday). Each flashback added elements of strength and vulnerability to the characters that made me root for them to all have a happy ending.

And then the party started, which was when about the time that I wanted to go home. So many minor characters are introduced in the second half of the novel. I had a hard time keeping them all straight. And honestly, I didn’t want to. They added absolutely nothing to the storyline except that they were all Hollywood celebrities who were there for sex, drugs, and rock and roll. To get back to the main plot, I had to trudge through the backstories of all these new people and endure their drunken antics in graphic detail. When we finally returned to the siblings, I felt the end of their stories was rushed in an attempt to wrap it up in a neat and tidy bow for the author to meet a looming publishing deadline.

I like this author, so I will continue to read her work. Malibu Rising was not my favorite read of the summer, but I did finish it…which is more than I can say for the next book.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

You guys… I wanted to love this book! I REALLY DID. In fact, I read over 200 pages of it before I DNF’d it for good. One thing I don’t care for in my reading life is a slow burn to arrive at the action in a story. I love how characters are introduced and meeting their family and friends. I enjoy witnessing the situations that unfold that lead me to the meat of the story. But in this book – after 200+ pages – nothing was happening to keep me engaged. Sure, there were office politics and microaggressions everywhere. And then, there were flashbacks to another pair of black women who, in my opinion, did not add much to the story. I have since learned that they play a more significant part at the end of the novel. But, at the time, I found them to be a nuisance. I think this story would have been much better if the author had a much better editor. There was so much that could have been cut out to move the story along.

From reading other reviews, I understand that the explosive twist and subsequent events made the book special. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get there. There wasn’t enough for me to stick around for the big finish.

What I’m reading now

I decided to change things up and pick up a political thriller complete with racial tension, a public health crisis, and an attempt to take over the government. Yep – I’m reading a book about the Trump administration.

I Alone Can Fix It is a behind-the-scenes look at the last year of his presidency, complete power grabs, personalities, and peril all taking place in the toxic work environment that was the White House in 2020. It could probably be turned into a blockbuster movie if it wasn’t so terribly real, and we all didn’t experience it unfolding before our eyes. The only thing missing that would come in handy is an organizational chart listing all the people and their positions so I can keep track of who is who. For that reason, I would recommend reading this in hard copy or Kindle format so that you can easily go back and refresh your memory. And if you still have some PTSD from the last 18 months, maybe you want to skip this book.

Top of My TBR Pile

Katie Couric’s memoir – Going There – is coming out on October 26th, and I am here for it. I preordered the hardcover from my local indie bookstore because I want it on my bookshelf. I’ve admired her reporting skills for years and appreciate all she has done to raise awareness for many causes. But, let’s be honest, I’m also here to read about her working relationship with her disgraced co-host Matt Lauer. What did she know? How did she find out? Do they still talk to each other? I can’t wait to find out.

So, that’s it for September. Don’t forget to support your local independent bookstores. By doing so, you help dollars, jobs and taxes remain in your community and meet book lovers like you who can introduce you to your next great read. If you are in the Philly area, check out some of my favorite indie bookstores in person or like them on Facebook. Here is a quick list:

• Reads & Company in Phoenixville
• The Doylestown Bookshop – Doylestown borough
• The Lahaska Bookshop – Peddlers Village
• Words Matter Bookstore in Pitman, NJ
• Open Book in Jenkintown

Happy reading!

Elisa

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