Jenny loves to share what she’s reading! Below, find reviews of her favorite reads.
Treating People Well
When George Washington was a lad of sixteen, he copied down all 110 rules from "The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation." He knew he had a fiery temper, a trait he worked hard to control all his life. Many of the rules he copied were about restraint, patience, and dignity, and according to the authors of Treating People Well: The Extraordinary Power of Civility at Work and In Life, these lessons of Washington’s youth were invaluable during the Revolutionary War and … [Read more...] about Treating People Well
Potlikker Papers
When Lyndon Johnson was trying to pass the Civil Rights Act, he often tried to coerce opponents with stories of his beloved family cook, Zephyr Wright (a woman who had served as cook to Johnson’s family for more than three decades) but that did not protect her from suffering Jim Crow indignities. Lyndon, Lady Bird and Zephyr drove from Texas to Washington and as they passed through a small town, Lady Bird said, “Lyndon, would you mind stopping at the next gas station?” They stopped, used the … [Read more...] about Potlikker Papers
Forged In Crisis
This is an enthralling narrative that profiles five historical figures: polar explorer Ernest Shackleton, President Abraham Lincoln, legendary abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Nazi-resisting clergyman Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and environmental crusader Rachel Carson. Each faced a significant, at times, life-threatening crisis. Koehn shares their compelling/inspiring stories and the powerful lessons to be gleaned from their examples of leadership, courage, and perseverance. Most interestingly, … [Read more...] about Forged In Crisis
The Power
Naomi Alderman, author of The Power, is Margaret Atwood's protege. Alderman's new book
is the winner of the 2017 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. The television rights to the book have already been snapped up. In talking about the relevancy of sci-fi/dystopian books, especially ones that deal with the roles of women, I like what Margaret Atwood (author of The Handmaid's Tale) says about this genre: "I'm not a prophet. Let's get rid of that idea right now. Prophecies are really about now. … [Read more...] about The Power