I liked this more than that review title implies, but I was frustrated by the inconsistent tone and structure of this book. I like a good “random facts barely strung together” or “fake q&a” style book a la the imponderables series, the bathroom readers, or “what Einstein told his chef.” I also enjoy a good medical narrative. I like case histories, especially in service of a greater overarching theme. This book was all of those and none of them by not picking a strategy, and […]
You Can Tell It Was Written By A Dude
Best for: Women interested in strength training who aren’t overwhelmed with a million (733, to be specific) options. In a nutshell: Author Campbell provides an overview of lifting, a diet plan (boo), and chapters with body-part-specific target exercises. Line that sticks with me: “So whether you’re toting groceries or holding a baby, you’ll notice the difference.” Really, dude? Women use their arms for two things: shopping or children? Awesome. Why I chose it: I’ve been consistent with my non-strength exercise for many years (running, elliptical, […]
Maybe Your Lovely Wife Should Have Written This Book Instead?
First review ever. Please be kind. Mark Lukach and his wife Giulia meet at college and immediately fall deeply in love. Giulia is an ambitious woman whose life goals are to have a great career and three kids by the time she’s 35. Mark wants to be a teacher. After college, Giulia works in New York, while Mark takes frequent trips to visit her. After they move to San Francisco and Giulia starts a new job, she begins experiencing intense anxiety about her job performance. […]
“These are the frail, imperfect ways of ordinary human beings in the teeth of a great epidemic”
I finished reading this book a week ago today, and I’m still not sure how to write about it. I found it deeply moving, but it may still be too soon to put my thoughts and feelings into words, and anything I write here can only scratch the surface. Jonny Steinberg has packed so much into the 326 pages of Three-Letter Plague (published in the U.S. under the title Sizwe’s Test). He writes about his own literal and figurative journey to try to learn how […]
I just need to focus on me right now
Over the last three months, I’ve been trying to get my life in order, throwing out the things I don’t want/like/need, part middle-aged decluttering and part long-term strategy to go on offense against depression. I’ve already given up alcohol, caffeine, and sweets. My next target: mindless phone use. So when Lollygagger mentioned How to Break Up with Your Phone in a Pajiba comment, I knew it was going to the top of my BUY IT NOW list. She reviewed it here on CBR the day […]
They glowed, but they also died
I loved the way this book was written. Sometimes I have a hard time with non-fiction books, because they’re not very exciting. Don’t get me wrong – I love facts, and I understand that certain things need to be built up to and earned before they make sense. I just find some non-fiction dry. This was not dry. It probably helped that it was told through the eyes of the actual “Radium Girls”. I just read the author’s final words, and she was actually struck […]
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