All Over But the Shoutin'

I read All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg for my book club with friends. The book description says, "This haunting, harrowing, gloriously moving recollection of a life on the American margin is the story of Rick Bragg, who grew up dirt-poor in northeastern Alabama, seemingly destined for either the cotton mills or the penitentiary, and instead became a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter for The New York Times. It is also the story of Bragg's father, a hard-drinking man with a murderous temper and the habit of running out on the people who needed him most. But at the center of this soaring memoir is Bragg's mother, who went eighteen years without a new dress so that her sons could have school clothes and picked other people's cotton so that her children wouldn't have to live on welfare alone. Evoking these lives—and the country that shaped and nourished them—with artistry, honesty, and compassion, Rick Bragg brings home the love and suffering that lie at the heart of every family. The result is unforgettable."

I loved this book! I alternated between audiobook and just reading, depending on what I had time for at a given moment, and I loved it both ways. The narrator of the audiobook had a southern drawl that just really captured the story. I loved hearing Rick's story of where he started and his path to becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. I loved getting to know some of the amazing members of his family (his mom and his brother Sam). Rick just has a way with writing and describing things that just made everything so vivid. I found myself often wanting to look up people he described or articles he wrote because I was just so interested in seeing/reading more. One of my favorite chapters was chapter 39, "1.3 Acres." And also the part where his mom went with him to receive his Pulitzer Prize. I really enjoy memoirs of people with interesting lives, so this was a great read, and I liked that it gave me a glimpse into the lives of those who live in poverty.

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

Pavi Sharma's Guide to Going Home

Emmeline randomly found Pavi Sharma's Guide to Going Home by Bridget Farr on the shelf at the library, and when I read the inside of the book jacket, I knew it was my kind of book. The description says, "Twelve-year-old Pavi Sharma is an expert at the Front Door Face: the perfect mix of puppy dog eyes and a lemonade smile, the exact combination to put foster parents at ease as they open their front door to welcome you in. After being bounced around between foster families and shelter stays, Pavi is a foster care expert, and she runs a 'business' teaching other foster kids all she has learned. With a wonderful foster family in mom Marjorie and brother Hamilton, things are looking up for Pavi. Then Pavi meets Meridee: a new five-year-old foster kid, who is getting placed at Pavi's first horrendous foster home. Pavi knows no one will trust a kid about what happened on Lovely Lane, even one as mature as she is, so it's up to her to save Meridee."

This was such a good read! I think I finished it in like a day because I was just super interested in the story and loved the characters. I also have been so busy reading books for various book clubs lately that it was refreshing to just read a book for me. This was one of those books where the kids don't tell adults things that they really should, which kind of drives me crazy, but that's kind of what makes all these middle grade stories work. :) I thought Pavi was such a cool person, and I loved her relationship with both Hamilton and Santos. Definitely recommend this book. I only wish that the author was either Indian-American or a foster child herself, but it sounds like the based the story on her husband, who is ethnically Indian and grew up in the Canadian foster care system. So definitely still some authenticity there.

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

The Twits

Ollie and I are continuing reading Roald Dahl books and just finished The Twits. The book description says, "Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the smelliest, nastiest, ugliest people in the world. They hate everything—except playing mean jokes on each other, catching unsuspecting birds to put in their bird pies, and making their caged monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps, stand on their heads all day. But the Muggle-Wumps have had enough. With the help of Roly-Poly Bird, they set out to get some well-deserved revenge."

This was one of the Roald Dahl books I enjoyed slightly less. It was just weird with Mr. and Mrs. Twit repeatedly doing mean things to each other, so there wasn't much to enjoy in that. Ollie did enjoy the story and often wanted to read more, and he correctly predicted how the animals got revenge on the Twits, which was fun. Quentin Blake's illustrations are always super well done and add a lot to the story.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

Manhunt

I read Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson for my newest book club. (I'm in too many book clubs). This book description says, "The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history--the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin led Union cavalry troops on a wild, 12-day chase from the streets of Washington, D.C., across the swamps of Maryland, and into the forests of Virginia, while the nation, still reeling from the just-ended Civil War, watched in horror and sadness. Based on rare archival materials, obscure trial transcripts, and Lincoln’s own blood relics Manhunt is a fully documented, fascinating tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal. A gripping hour-by-hour account told through the eyes of the hunted and the hunters, it is history as it’s never been read before."

This was a good read. I started it on audio and couldn't quite follow it well enough, so I switched over to the paper book, which was better for me because I ended up needing to finish it kind of quickly over a week, and reading is faster than listening. I found the story engaging and never was bored with it. The author did a great job describing details and helping us get to know all the players in the story and keeping the action moving forward. It really is pretty fascinating to learn the details behind Lincoln's assassination and the manhunt for Booth and the people who helped Booth along the way. If you enjoy historical nonfiction, I recommend this one.

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

George's Marvelous Medicine

I read George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl to my 7-year-old as he continues his interest in all things Roald Dahl. This book description says, "George is alone in the house with Grandma. The most horrid, grizzly old grunion of a grandma ever. She needs something stronger than her usual medicine to cure her grouchiness. A special grandma medicine, a remedy for everything. And George knows just what to put into it. Grandma's in for the surprise of her life—and so is George, when he sees the results of his mixture!"

This was a super goofy book. My son was SUPER engaged and always wanted me to keep reading more chapters. I thought the book was pretty weird and felt like I had to give my son a disclaimer to make sure he knew never to do what George did (putting a bunch of random cleaners/chemicals and things all together in a pot--and then feeding it to someone). But of course in classic Roald Dahl style, the book was funny and well written and an interesting story.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)