Recently Read: November

Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy to share some books I've been loving 

I love looking back over the books I've read recently- there have been some things this month that I have been SO excited about. However, the list doesn't show that I've stopped reading about twice as many books. Oh well. With all that being said, here are some that I have finished and loved (or at least liked).

1. Rewrites by Neil Simon
This memoir was recommended to me by a friend (the same friend who recommended Our Souls at Night, which I also loved) and it was so good. I had never heard of Neil Simon before this, but he is a famous award-winning playwright who wrote his first play at the age of 30. I personally love stories like this and his description of the plays and his family life were so memorable. It is definitely one of my new favorite memoirs.

2. Appointment in Samarra by John O'Hara
I have conflicted feelings about this book- I didn't actually like it that much but it was a really compelling read, which is why I'm including it on this list. It was written in the 1930s and set during Prohibition. It is short and easy to read and highlights the self-destruction and horrible choices of the main character, Julian. Overall, depressing but really interesting.

3. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
Z  is about Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald. I really enjoyed the novelization of her life- the book was based around the true events from their life but really made Zelda and Scott, the people, feel real and human. It was so interesting and sad to see their potential and greatness slowly become ruined through jealousy and alcohol (among other things).

4. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
This book was wonderful and fresh in a way that I hadn't expected. Sandberg talks frankly about women, work and family life. It was inspiring and the anecdotes she shared have really stuck with me. I highly recommend it and really enjoyed reading it.

5. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
I have read a lot of Judy Blume and so I thought I knew what to expect with this new novel. But it completely surprised me. It was definitely Judy Blume, yet it was more polished and thoughtful and just more captivating than I had seen before. I liked the characters (although I did not love all their choices) and the story really drew me in. I had trouble putting it down and just wanted to be reading it constantly.