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:

Why I Run

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

by Leave a Comment

Best for: Runners looking for a meditation on running. In a nutshell: Author Murakami, better known by most for his novels, shares how running impacts his life. Worth quoting: “People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they’ll go to any length to live longer. But I don’t think that’s the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest.” “I’m often asked what I think about as […]

Can You Detect a Lie?

Tremors in the Blood by Amit Katwala

by Leave a Comment

Best for: People who enjoy a mixture of history, true crime, and ethical discussions. In a nutshell: Author Katwala explores the creation and first two decades of the ‘lie detector’ (polygraph). Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I like books like this usually – it feels like a subject Patrick Radden Keefe might have taken on. What it left me feeling: Educated. Review: In this book, author Katwala looks at the creator of the Polygraph, John Larson, who was a medical student interested in […]

Shifting My Perspective

Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh

by 3 Comments

Best for: Those looking for ways to process and manage fear. In a nutshell: Zen master Nhat Hanh shares thoughts related to processing, confronting and addressing fear. Worth quoting: I took so much away from this book, but some highlights: “When we climb the hill together, we don’t need to make an effort; we enjoy every step.” “Each of us is life without limit.” “We cannot remove violence with hatred and anger. We can only remove violence and fear with compassion and love. Why I […]

It Was Fine

Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

by 1 Comment

Best for: Maybe people who liked the DaVinci Code? In a nutshell: Clay gets a job in a bookshop in San Francisco, which turns out to be the front for something else entirely. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I love a bookstore, and I love a good mystery. What it left me feeling: Ambivalent. Review: This book was absolutely fine. I think it might be one that was better suited for the page than audio book, so if this is on your list […]

Clever and Funny

How to be Champion by Sarah Millican

by 1 Comment

Best for: Fans of the comedian; those who enjoy witty but not overly snarky humour. In a nutshell: Comedian Millican shares her life experiences and what she’s learned from them in a fairly light-hearted but sincere and funny book. Worth quoting: I listened to this while running so while there were definitely times when I laughed out loud, I didn’t stop to write them down. Why I chose it: I’ve now lived in the UK for over five years, and am exposed to many more […]

A Straightforward But Fascinating Autobiography

This Much is True by Mariam Margolyes

by Leave a Comment

Best for: People interested in a very comprehensive life history of a well-known character actress. In a nutshell: Author Margolyes shares stories of her 80 years, starting before the beginning up through the pandemic to today. Worth quoting: While this was an audio book, this one caught me so I had to write it down: “When people say to me ‘oh I never talk about money, religion or politics’ I say ‘what the fuck do you talk about then? Those are the things that matte!” […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo