What are you reading?: August 17, 2024.

Currently working on How the War was Won.

Moving on to The Road to Roswell and William Wells and the Struggle for the Old Northwest.

I finished Balls by Graig Nettles and Peter Golenbock. Baseball fans will know that 1) Graig Nettles was a star third baseman for the New York Yankees from 1973 through 1983, and 2) these years coincide with the period that George Steinbrenner owned the team. Steinbrenner was an egotistical blowhard who made his fortune via his shipbuilding company and knew a lot less about building and running a baseball team than he thought he did. Balls is Nettles’ memoir of the 1983 season, which turned out to be his final year as a Yankee. Nettles and co-writer Peter Golenbock intersperse chapters which follow the ’83 season chronologically with chapters that provide an overview of Nettles’ career up to that point.

I've now started (or, more accurately, restarted) Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica, Zora Neale Hurston's memoir of her travels in the two countries of the title in 1938.

I'm closer to the end than the beginning, but I'm starting to feel like I'll never finish Fairy Tale by Stephen King, and since I'm enjoying it that's not necessarily a bad thing.

This week I read Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and absolutely loved its gentle humour and its strong characterization.

I'm now reading The Memory Police, which I had trouble getting into. It is well worth the push through the first chapter. I'm listening to Unhinged by Thomas Enger and Jorn Lier Horst. It's lovely to be back in the lovely land of Scandinavian noir. The touchstone for this book is in Norwegian, apologies!

I'm reading through The Mirror Crack'd with strains of Loreena McKinnett's song going through my head. And also The White Ship based on several recommendations from LT friends.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir. A book I own.

Started this audio via Libby ~

One Wrong Word: A Novel
by Hank Phillippi Ryan

The Jasmine Project – Meredith Ireland
3***

Jasmine Yap is getting ready for graduation and planning a move to a new apartment with her boyfriend, Paul. But her friends and family dislike Paul and feel Jasmine can do better. So, when Paul suggests they take some time apart over the summer the family hatches a plan to introduce Jasmine to boys who are more worthy of her and to help her find a sense of self-worth.

This was a cute rom-com with the family engineering a sort of Bachelorette competition for Jasmine’s affections. They identify three likely candidates and watch carefully to see which one she will pick. But …

Of course, the road to HEA is never without obstacles. But Ireland gives us reasonable (and interesting) responses from Jasmine, the “bachelors” and her family.

I really did like the dates Jasmine went on with these young men - beach picnics, batting practice, go-kart racing, movies, hanging out with friends, etc. And I also liked that Ireland gave several characters the moral fortitude to say, “Wait a minute … this isn’t right.” Finally, I liked that Ireland showed real growth in Jasmine’s character.

Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women's History of the World
Rosalind Miles
4/5 stars
Fascinating true stories of women's history! A great read!
Non-Fiction

The new thread is up over here.