Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About ASKReviews

CBR 5
CBR 6
CBR 7
CBR 8
CBR 9
CBR10 participant
CBR11 participant
CBR12 participant
CBR13 participant
CBR14 Participant
CBR15 Participant
CBR16 Participant
CBR17 Participant
CBR17 Levels

From the US. Living in the UK. Used to review under the name Lollygagger. (Learn more about this Cannonballer: ASKReviews' Quick Questions interview - as Lollygagger.)

ASKReviews's Reviews:

Simple Yet Helpful Introduction

Tell Me Something About Buddhism by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

by Leave a Comment

Best for: Anyone curious about Buddhism and looking for some thoughts from someone who came to the practice a bit later in life. In a nutshell: Manuel, a priest in the Zen tradition and a Black woman from the US raised in the Christian church, shares short but thoughtful responses to common questions about Buddhism. Worth quoting: Shared a quote from Eihei Dogen: “If you see death as something over there, then you are viewing your life from outside of it.” Why I chose it: […]

Heartfelt and Humorous Exploration of Gender and Sexuality

Will I Ever Have Sex Again? by Sofie Hagen

by Leave a Comment

Best for: Anyone who is familiar with Hagen’s work; anyone who is themselves pondering the quality of their sex life. In a nutshell: Author Hagen explores their history of gender identity and sexuality against the backdrop of not having had sex in many years. Worth quoting: I listened to Hagen read the book and know that I found a few lines noteworthy but didn’t end up writing any down. Why I chose it: I enjoyed Hagen’s first book Happy Fat and wanted to support their […]

Decent Sequel

The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson

by 1 Comment

Best for: Those who enjoyed the first book in the series, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven. In a nutshell: Taking place immediately after the end of the first book, we find a witch who has taken over her sister’s body and a lot of men who want to cause a lot of harm to women. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I enjoyed the first in the series. Review: Without spoiling the book, I appreciate that the first one had a theme that was related […]

What If Anything Could Just Disappear?

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

by Leave a Comment

Best for: Those who enjoy contemplative stories. In a nutshell: The main character of this book is a novelist whose name we never learn. She lives alone in a world where anything can disappear. But not for everyone. Worth quoting: The writing is the book is lovely, but I didn’t find myself underlining anything specific. Why I chose it: This was a birthday gift from friends. Review: I’m feeling a bit melancholy after reading this book, but I’m not sad, and I’m not disappointed that […]

Not Quite What I Wanted But Still Fine

High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley

by Leave a Comment

Best for: Anyone interested in narratives around people making connections across seemingly large divides. In a nutshell: Journalist Ripley explores the concept of ‘high conflict’ through the stories of a few different individuals and groups. Worth quoting: “The challenge of our time is to mobilize great masses of people to make change without dehumanizing one another.” “Hatred assumes the enemy is immutable. If the enemy will always be evil, there is no reason to ever consider any creative solutions to the conflict.” Why I chose […]

The Book that Helped Influence a Movement

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

by Leave a Comment

Best for: Anyone interested in a straightforward exploration of a woman’s life under patriarchy. In this case, the patriarchy women experience in Korea. In a nutshell: Kim Jiyoung’s story, from birth through motherhood, and all the times her being a girl / woman has been held against her. Worth quoting: “It felt more like harassment or violence than pranks, and there was nothing she could do about it.” “It wasn’t that she didn’t have time – she didn’t have room in her head for other […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo