April was our first full month in COVID-19 lockdown. Reading and running became my preferred activities for an escape from home. Portland, with its alternating April downpours and beautiful summer-like weather, had me rotating my reading spots between the patio lounger and a cushioned oversized reading chair under my grandmother’s quilt. Heading into April, with the knowledge that a full 30 days would be spent at home, I created new routines in my work from home reality, I carved out time for reading. My 7th grade self would be proud.
Mornings consisted of a 6am wake-up and feeding with our five month old black lab, Moxie. With the rest of the household and neighborhood still sound asleep, Moxie and I would take off for the vacant park to practice fetch. It was her time to collect and categorize all the smells of the neighborhood. It was my time to catch up on my latest audiobook. Our strolls last 45 minutes to an hour, which helps me work through those audiobooks a couple of times a day. I enjoy reading all genres, and try to keep the topics diverse each month. I also enjoy and have the ability to read multiple books at a time. I am able to do this by reading fiction in physical book form while I listen to a non-fiction or autobiography on audio.
FICTION
In Five Years: A Novel by Rebecca Serle : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By far, the best book I read all month! Recommended to me by a friend, I enjoyed escaping to New York City during more normal times. It was a light and fun, girly novel. Best friends Dannie and Bella could not be more different. Bella is wild and whimsical. Dannie has her whole life planned out. She knows what she wants, the job, boyfriend turned fiancé, and eventual perfect apartment. Dannie, in a dream or dream-like state, experiences a moment of her life 5 years in the future with a ring on her finger, but with a very different guy in a different apartment. She wakes up to find her back in her own reality, but the dream felt real and she can’t shake it. I loved this book. It was a beautiful story of love and friendship.
There There: A Novel by Tommy Orange : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This novel was amazing and beautifully written. Tommy Orange’s debut novel was chosen as the Multnomah County ‘Everybody Reads’ book for 2020. The story follows 12 members from Native communities as they are headed to the Big Oakland Powwow. Each with their own reason for attending, some joyful and celebratory, others fearful and violent. As each character’s story unfolds they all become woven together. Orange brings to light many struggles of the urban Native American. Central to the story are the importance of Native history, identity, family, spirituality, and community. I enjoyed the rich storytelling. This is a novel that I listened to on audio. The voices were performed by different people, which made the story more enjoyable. There There was nominated for a 2019 Pulitzer Prize.
Watching You: A Novel by Lisa Jewell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I stumbled across this one at the Library before COVID. I love a good murder mystery. Set in Bristol, England (who doesn’t love a novel set in England?) Melville Heights is a posh neighborhood of wealthy professionals. In a community where little goes unnoticed, everyone seems to be hiding something. Joey Mullen and her husband move into the upstairs of her brother’s house. A new headmaster, Tom Fitzwilliam, moves in next door and catches Joey’s eye. This book was creepy and thrilling. It got a little slow in the middle, but I had to find out what happened! It kept its mystery and gave nothing away until the very end.
The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ani FaNelli seemed to have the perfect life. The prestigious job, killer wardrobe, handsome well-to-do husband; yet a traumatic experience from her childhood still haunts her, and if brought to light, could destroy everything she has worked so hard to perfect. I wanted to read this book for years. It was written in 2015, endorsed by Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, and was an instant bestseller. Many publications compared it to Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, which I loved. I love a good deep, dark mystery with interesting characters, but I could not get into this one. I found it hard to like Ani, the main character, and some of the experiences of her past were hard to read. Not my cup of tea.
Non-Fiction
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Networking in not everyone’s idea of a good time, and I’m willing to bet that most everyone can recall an experience networking that was unenjoyable, annoying, or possibly painful. Regardless of how you feel about networking, relationships are the key to accomplish anything. I put this book on hold at the library months ago, and it became available after we had been in COVID-lockdown for a couple of weeks. I checked it out but wasn’t sure that I was going to listen to it. I wasn’t sure if I was in the right mindset to listen to some guy talk about the importance of relationships. Didn’t I have enough to worry about? I didn’t need to be reminded of how important the people in my life were in a time when I couldn’t go out and hug, be with, or eat lunch out with any of them! I gave it a try anyway.
I found that the topics in this books are even MORE relevant at a time when connecting with one another is most challenging. I have also listened to some of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Ferrazzi references many of the sage lessons from Carnegie in 1936, which get at the fundamental ways to connect with one another. Ferrazzi writes, “It’s better to give before you receive. And never keep score. If your interactions are ruled by generosity, your rewards will follow suit.” So many of his lessons were reminders that in business and in life, we are all human. I couldn’t be reading this book at a more perfect time. It inspired me to reach out and connect with friends, peers, and co-workers that I wasn’t seeing due to our “stay at home” situation. “Success in any field, but especially in business is about working with people, not against them,” Ferrazzi reminds us. This book has been recommended to me by many people, and I am glad I finally gave it a chance. I don’t usually re-read books, but this is one worth picking up again and again.
Things My Son Needs to Know About the World by Fredrik Backman : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fredrik Backman is the author of many works of fiction including my favorites A Man Called Ove and My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You She’s Sorry. Backman is a Swedish author and columnist. His books are funny and heartwarming. I love the characters he creates, so when I saw this book about parenting advice based on his own experience, I knew I had to read it. I do not have a child of my own, nor do I have one on the way, yet I found the story moving. I love kids and have worked with them most of my life through coaching. This book is short and sweet, filled with trial by fire lessons every parent should read and laugh out loud about. This book would also make a good gift for any expecting parents out there. Highly recommend.
Walking With Ramona: Exploring Beverly Cleary’s Portland : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 was a favorite character of mine growing up. I read plenty of Beverly Cleary books as a child. I moved to Portland for college and have lived here almost 15 years, without a clue it was the home of Beverly Cleary. I was given this book as a gift. COVID-lockdown felt like the right time to become reacquainted with my rainy, quirky city. The book is meant to be read while on a walking tour of NE Portland, through some of Cleary’s old stomping grounds. I did not attempt the tour but was familiar with many of the landmarks (having lived near the Hollywood neighborhood). The tour takes you by one of Beverly’s childhood homes. The walk takes you through Grant Park Statue Garden and the statues of Ramona, Henry, and their pup Rigsby. Beverly Cleary School, called Glenwood in the books, was where Cleary attended school and where her character Henry Huggins dug for nightcrawlers. The book shares more about the Cleary family history and the evolution of different areas of Portland over time. Cleary began writing children’s books in the 1950’s and has received numerous awards for her work and is considered an Oregon literary icon. A must read for any Portlander!
The Truth About Aaron by Jonathan Hernandez : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is about the tragic and fascinating story of Aaron Hernandez written by his brother Jonathan. When the story of NFL star Aaron Hernandez broke in the news, I was busy working and going to school part-time. I was tired of hearing about NFL players’ crimes, suspensions, and wife-beatings. I could care less. Earlier this year I watched the Netflix docuseries “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez” and I was blown away by the story. How had I not paid any attention to this wild drama unfolding in the world of sports? The Netflix show posed many questions about Aaron’s motives for his crimes. If you watched the documentary, you will be familiar with the events that unfolded. This book shares some behind the scenes details about Aaron’s upbringing. Jonathan Hernandez dives into his brother’s history, and discusses his own experience with Aaron’s irrational behavior, hidden sexuality, and impact of CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy).
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told: An Oral History by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nick Offerman, best known for playing the lovable Ron Swanson in Parks & Rec., is married in real life to Megan Mullally, famously known for her role as Karen in Will & Grace. They met while doing a play in Los Angeles called The Berlin Circle. I listened to this on audiobook. It was read by and the authors. The couple has been married for 17 years and is clearly still smitten with one another. They share a love of theater. They enjoy listening to audiobooks while completing jjigsaw puzzles at home. The only downside of listening to their audiobook is not being able to see the accompanying photos, (although, the images are available online). The book was not entirely what I expected. The authors share how they got into showbiz, fun stories of their wedding and award shows, and finally what makes their relationship work (spoiler: it’s not taking a job that would keep them apart for more than two weeks). A unique and beautiful love story indeed.
