The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum for book club. The book description says, "First published in 1901, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” follows the magical adventure of Dorothy, a young girl who lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a farm in Kansas. One day when Dorothy is caught up in tornado with her little dog, Toto, she finds her farmhouse has been magically transplanted to Munchkin Country in the mystical Land of Oz. Her house lands on the evil Wicked Witch of the East, killing her, and freeing the Munchkins from her rule. As a reward the Good Witch of the North gives Dorothy the magical Silver Shoes that belonged to the Witch and sets her on her way down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard for help in returning to Kansas. Along the way she meets several interesting characters including the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion who join her on her travels to ask the Wizard for help of their own. The journey is not without peril though, as the Wicked Witch of the West, who wants revenge for the killing of her sister and to regain the magical Silver Shoes, unleashes numerous dangers against Dorothy and her companions. 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' is a classic story of fantasy which is considered to be the first American fairy tale."

This was a fun read. I honestly don't know if I've ever read this book before. I maybe have, but it felt like the first time. I was constantly comparing it to the movie and to Wicked. There were parts of the book that aren't in either, and it was fun to read things like that. I thought it was an enjoyable read and think it'd be fun for Ollie to read. The characters were really distinct and just fun. I also loved some of the lines, like what Oz said to the lion about courage: "You have plenty of courage, I am sure. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty."

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Everything is Tuberculosis

I've had Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection on my to-read list for awhile and finally had the time to get to it on audiobook. The book description says, "Tuberculosis has been entwined with hu­manity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John be­came fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequi­ties that allow this curable, preventable infec­tious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year. In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis."

This was a really interesting read. I knew very little about TB beside the fact that sometimes you have to get a TB test to get a job or something, but I had no idea how widespread it still is in poor countries. I thought John Green made many powerful points about how the cure is where the disease is not and the disease is where the cure is not. He also observes how we in rich countries don't care enough about TB since it doesn't affect us, so there aren't enough resources poured into it. It was an eye-opening book, and I think it's really meaningful that John Green has found a way to use his platform to speak up for people who are suffering from and dying from TB. One of his lines said, "How can I accept a world where over a million people will die this year for want of a cure that has existed for nearly a century?" I'd definitely recommend this book. 

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Correspondent

I read The Correspondent by Virginia Evans for book club. The book description says, "Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter. Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness."

This was a great read, which didn't surprise me since it had a crazy long wait list at the library. I listened to the book on audiobook and was very engaged in the story. Sybil was just such a unique character that the reader can get to know so well through her many different letters. I loved all the side characters--the employee she meets through the ancestry company, the kid who lives with her for a time, the old man next door, etc.--and the side stories, like her trying to audit a class at the local college. The overarching storyline about her son who she lost was a powerful story, and I loved seeing how Sybil grew and changed even in her old age. I thought the book came together beautifully as well. I feel like this book is in between liked and loved, and I wish I had written this right after I finished so I could give a more accurate rating.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Will's Race for Home

I've had Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes on my to-read list for forever, ever since it was on lists of possible Newbery winners and then won the Coretta Scott King Book Award. The book description says, "It’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don’t get to own. So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free—if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn’t easy—the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger. And then there’s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention—and more trouble—than any of them need. All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home—but is a strong will enough to get them there?"

This was a great read. I liked that it was a solid middle grade historical fiction read but fairly short (208 pages). I feel like that short length makes it more accessible to young kids. The book also captured a time period/historical events that I didn't know much about, so I enjoyed following the story and learning more about what it would have been like for these characters. I liked Will's independence, bravery, and resilience, and I found the story engaging and exciting. I think kids would enjoy the action. It'd be a fun classroom read aloud!

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

My Brother Oliver

I got My Brother Oliver by R.L. Toalson after seeing it on a new books list at the library. The book description says, "Brooks loves and adores his older brother, Oliver. That’s why it was so hard—practically impossible, really—for him to have done what he did and told his parents about what Oliver wanted to do. Now Oliver has been sent away. He’s miserable, and Brooks’s family is falling apart. His mom and dad are sad and scared, and it seems like nothing will ever be okay again. Maybe things would be better if Brooks had just kept his mouth shut. Can he and his family find the hope they need to keep going?"

This was a great read. I was completely engaged in the story, and the author did a great job portraying the two brothers. It was an interesting format where it jumped back and forth in time, but I think that helped the story build in a really important way. I found the book relatable and meaningful, and I think it'd be a great read to help people better understand mental illness. I really liked that the author was writing from her family's personal experience. This book was in between loved it and liked it--just know I really liked it!

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Demon Copperhead

I read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver for book club. The book description says, "Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses."

This was a bit of a hard read for me because there was a lot of heavy language and content in there that I didn't really want to read. It was better when I switched to reading the hard copy of the book rather than audiobook because then I could skim over things a little easier. But if you are careful about what you read, I would not recommend this book. Besides that, I thought it was a super engaging story with a character (Demon) that I was rooting for the whole time. I was so grateful for how the book ended and that there was a positive ending to a life full of hard things. I thought the book gave me a great introduction to what life is like for the Appalachian people, especially related to things like addiction and stereotypes.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Theo of Golden

I read Theo of Golden by Allen Levi for book club. The book description says, "One spring morning, a stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern city of Golden. He doesn’t explain much about where he came from or why he’s there—but when he visits the local coffeehouse, where pencil portraits of the people of Golden hang on the walls, he begins purchasing them, one at a time, and giving each portrait to the person depicted. In exchange, he asks only for the person’s story. And so portrait by portrait, person by person, secrets are revealed, regrets are shared, and ordinary lives are profoundly altered. A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is an unforgettable novel about the power of generosity, the importance of connection, and the quiet miracles that happen when we choose kindness and wonder."

I LOVED this book! I didn't know anything about it when I started, but it was just such a pleasant read. I feel like it's so rare to read an adult book that is just happy and inspiring and not full of inappropriate content. This book was just a lovely read, though as it went on, I knew something bad was going to happen, which made me nervous to carry on. But in the end, I came away from the book really touched, and I loved how things came together. Theo was just a great character and someone we all should emulate. I loved lots of the side characters as well and how Theo just influenced everyone he came in contact with. It was also funny because I read this book on vacation, and I had at least two people walk by and comment on the book and how good it was. It does have a CRAZY long wait list at the library -- I made my book club wait a few months before picking it so we could all get further along on the hold list.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)