Jenny loves to share what she’s reading! Below, find reviews of her favorite reads.
You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
Coe offers such a fresh, and, at times, cheeky perspective on our beloved George Washington. She’s clever, witty, and smart and the first female biographer to add her take on the man, and what a welcome addition she is.
Coe paints a more realistic portrayal of Washington, the icon, while still paying homage to his accomplishments and legacy. And in a much shorter version! What I loved most is how she brings to light a much more realistic depiction of the women in his life, starting with his … [Read more...] about You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
Upstream
Dan Heath didn’t know he was literally writing a book for our time. Here’s the first sentence I highlighted in the book: “Downstream actions react to problems once they’ve occurred. Upstream efforts aim to prevent those problems from happening.”
How many ways can we apply that prescient piece of advice during the Covid-19 pandemic?
In his informative and captivating book, Dan Heath explores the tendency people have in life and in business to get stuck in a cycle of response. We put out … [Read more...] about Upstream
American Dirt
Lydia Perez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. Lydia unknowingly befriends the jefe of the newest drug cartel when he begins to frequent her bookstore. They discover that they share a love of many of the same books and develop an intense friendship. But after her husband publishes an article about this man’s drug cartel, catastrophe and horror strike, forcing Lydia and her … [Read more...] about American Dirt
The Fiddler in the Subway
Weingarten is a long-form story writer for the Washington Post. I fell in love with his writing in this collection of his best work. I was enthralled by the final chapter where Weingarten enlists the help of Joshua Bell, one of the finest violinists in the world, to pose as a street musician in a busy subway station in D.C.
Weingarten wonders if people can recognize genius out of context and if people will make time for beauty.
Loved this book! … [Read more...] about The Fiddler in the Subway