Bookends: September 2020
As I see posts about pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters, the highs for the next few days are at or near 100. Autumn is my favorite season everywhere but San … Continue reading Bookends: September 2020
Tag: book review
Bookends: August 2020
As September begins, our county has just been downgraded from the “widespread” to the “substantial” tier of COVID-19 presence, which means some indoor things are opening back up again, some … Continue reading Bookends: August 2020
Bookends: July 2020
Although July wasn’t really any better than June, and in some ways it was even worse, I find myself in a better frame of mind at the end of July … Continue reading Bookends: July 2020
Bookends: June 2020
With rising rates of COVID-19 combined with the annual question mark of the flu season (and did you know you can get both at the same time? Fun!), the second … Continue reading Bookends: June 2020
Bookends: May 2020
Late May involved a convergence of paradigm-challenging elements. There’s COVID-19 and the ongoing stay-at-home order coupled with the gradual easing of restrictions, which brings both a sense of hope that … Continue reading Bookends: May 2020
Bookends: April 2020
Over the course of this first full month of California’s stay-at-home order, I’ve grown accustomed to rolling with whatever emotions come up for me each day. Not that I’m adept … Continue reading Bookends: April 2020
Bookends: March 2020
My spouse likes to tell the story of the day he, our toddler, and I were driving home from an errand and we saw a van hit a pedestrian. My … Continue reading Bookends: March 2020
Bookends: December 2019 – February 2020
These past few months saw a lot of books, both fiction and nonfiction, about violence (war, murder, sexual assault), suicide, mental illness, and adoption. I tend to gravitate towards darker … Continue reading Bookends: December 2019 – February 2020
Sorry to Disrupt the Peace by Patty Yumi Cottrell
Helen Moran is in her shared studio apartment in Manhattan accepting delivery of her roommate’s new IKEA sofa when she gets the call telling her that her brother is dead. … Continue reading Sorry to Disrupt the Peace by Patty Yumi Cottrell
The Art of War by Sun-Tzu
The Art of War is the first of the titles on my Cavalcade of Classics, Round 2 list that I’ve finished this year. Making progress! Filled with guidance about war … Continue reading The Art of War by Sun-Tzu
Playtime is Over: The Odyssey, Emily Wilson translation
My children are studying ancient history this year, and as part of that—and as part of my Cavalcade of Classics—we read The Odyssey aloud together. Emily Wilson’s translation of Homer’s … Continue reading Playtime is Over: The Odyssey, Emily Wilson translation
Bookends: November 2019
Our November was filled with mad science, unexpected reunions with family, and more rain than we usually see around these parts. With all of that going on, December snuck up … Continue reading Bookends: November 2019
Imperfect Happiness 