Author: Alfred Lansing
This book was INCREDIBLE. I’m talking ‘makes you proud to be a member of the human race’ incredible… ‘Put everything else in your life into perspective’ incredible… ‘It’s amazing what humans can accomplish’ incredible... Endurance is the story of Ernest Shackleton’s 1915 failed voyage to cross Antarctica, getting stuck with his crew of 28 men in the ice pack of the Weddell Sea, and their attempted survival through months in the polar ice. It’s beautiful, it’s heroic, it’s masterfully chronicled. It is a journey that is almost the dictionary definition of ‘unbelievable’. I shed a tear.
Author: David Grann
Woah, this one was very fascinating–finished it in one day. Killers of the Flower Moon dives into one of the least publicized, grizzly serial murders in US history. In a four-year span, known as the Reign of Terror, the Osage tribe in Oklahoma experience 24 documented, and countless more undocumented, murders. These crimes, thought to be for oil-rich land rights, were covered up in rampant corruption until what would later become the FBI was handed the case. The Osage murders were the first major homicide case for the new organization, and Killers of the Flower Moon is a great investigative retelling of the brutal murders that devastated a community, and the fight to uncover the plot behind them.
Author: Michelle Obama
The post title says it all. I love Michelle. World’s #1 stan. Although that might be a hotly contended title. Her second book, The Light We Carry, changes direction from Becoming. This is much less of a memoir and more candid advice from America’s favorite mom on how to get through life. Because it’s not all sunshine and roses, and sometimes we need some time-tested tactics to help get by. I really resonated with much of what Michelle talks about; being an only, having imposter syndrome, dealing with a fearful mind, and code-switching in different settings (this is not a comprehensive list). She’s relatable, down-to-earth, and grounded, and her tips and frameworks are practical and can be used by anyone. I’d highly recommend this book and actually liked it so much that I bought it in hardcopy after I finished on my Kindle so that I can refer to it later in life.
Author: Michelle McNamara
Completely unplanned, but this was the second book about a serial killer I've read this year, and it's ranking right behind the first. McNamara's title is so appropriate; her investigation into the East Area Rapist (EAR)/ Original Night Stalker (ONS) crimes that terrorized Sacramento and Orange County can only be described as obsessive. Her reporting is so vividly detailed that it frequently sent chills down my spine reading about these terrible crimes. In the end, McNamara passed away before the culprit was determined and caught, but her work undoubtedly contributed, if not directly. As an aside, while I may often consider some places I've lived in to be unsafe, I cannot fathom living in the 1970s/80s with spikes in violent crime and under the constant threat of strangers prowling and breaking into my home.
Author: Daniel Yergin
HOLY SHIT, this was a mf doozy. Almost 800 pages on the complete history of the oil industry from inception in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859 to the present day state where the OPEC nations, specifically in the Middle East, wield immense power and influence. Now, I know what you’re thinking, which is “that sounds drier than an Arabian desert” and you actually could not be more wrong. The history of oil is so intricately linked to the history of international politics; it has shaped wars, corporations, foreign policy, and nations. The Prize is LONG **but that’s because of the incredibly detailed reporting that Yergin provides. If you’ve got the time and are a world history person, this is a good one.
Author: Delia Owens
I’m not going to lie; I wanted to not like this book. Every basic white girl raved about how good it was and I just wanted to hate it. And through about 30-40% I was pretty successful. By the end though… it’s just really f****** good. Owens’ description of the marsh in which Kya, the main character, lives is BEAUTIFUL. She makes you feel like you’re boating the waterways with her, feeling the emotions she feels. She draws you in and you feel the betrayals and isolation that Kya feels. This is a masterfully written book, and even though it’s not my genre, Where the Crawdads Sing lives up to the hype.