Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

She didn’t end the book talking about butt stuff, and that’s important.

You Can't Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson

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I decided randomly a couple of months ago that I was only going to read books by or about badass ladies in January 2020 (the only time I could possibly hold to a theme month is the beginning of the year; it gets too messy later on). It feels auspicious to start out the year this way, and this book was a great start to that. Comedian and podcaster Phoebe Robinson is smart and funny and she has great things to say. This book is […]

Please Mary, may I have some more?

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach

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Gulp is my second Mary Roach book (I’d previously read and loved Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers) and is a thoroughly entertaining trip through our digestive systems. I do have digestive issues of my own, which no doubt heightened the appeal of this book to me, but as it’s so interesting and entertainingly written, I expect those whose stomachs don’t kick off regularly will also find something to enjoy. Gulp takes you through the whole process – from smell (which actually provides us […]

Little pep talks that made me feel better

Gmorning, Gnight!: Little pep talks for me & you by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun

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4.5 stars Official book description: “Good morning. Do NOT get stuck in the comments section of life today. Make, do, create the things. Let others tussle it out. Vamos!” Before he inspired the world with Hamilton and was catapulted to international fame, Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspiring his Twitter followers with words of encouragement at the beginning and end of each day. He wrote these original sayings, aphorisms, and poetry for himself as much as for others. But as Miranda’s audience grew, these messages took on a life […]

A hopeful book about a school shooting.

Parkland: Birth of a Movement by Dave Cullen

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I would have probably gotten around to this eventually, but it was this month’s pick for my IRL book club, and I ended up liking it quite a bit, more for its tone than for the actual book itself. It’s very hopeful. But Columbine was the better book, in my opinion. Not that we have to compare the two, but even just for the amount of time and effort put into that book, the output was that much more impactful, and well put together after […]

Thanks to all the Cannonballers who reviewed this. I picked it up way sooner because of that than I would have otherwise.

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

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You guys gotta read this shit. I listened to the audiobook version, and I kept looking for reasons to listen, it was so compelling. Just really solid investigative journalism into a story that seems unbelievable when you string it all together. By now, not many people haven’t heard of Elizabeth Holmes and her sham Silicon Valley start-up company, Theranos, but just in case you haven’t, Holmes started Theranos in 2003 just after dropping out of Stanford. Her dream was to produce a medical device that […]

The feather underground is real.

The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson

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I picked this book up for a couple of reading challenges, but I ended up really enjoying it (it’s surprisingly difficult to find a non-violent true crime book! Or, actually is it surprising? Maybe it’s totally expected). I basically read this in two sittings, one yesterday morning, and one after dinner. It’s only 254 pages long, and it’s a fast read (the rest of the page count is extensive notes, sources and an index). Johnson became personally obsessed with the story of a twenty year […]



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