Recently Read: June 2018

It has been so long since I've done a recently read post, which is too bad because I have read so many good things. Audiobooks have become even more prominent on my list since getting Stella. I'll listen on all our walks, which is a great way to get more reading in and it really helps me unwind. As I'm looking at this list, the only one I read in paper form was the one by Amy Silverstein. All the rest were on audio, and they were all great in that format.

Here are some of the best I've read:

1. I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell
In this memoir, O'Farrell takes us through near-death experiences in her life. They are all thought-provoking and compelling. The format was such an interesting take on a memoir, and it is one of my favorites to date.

2. Castle of Water by Dane Huckelbridge
I saw this one on a blogger's list for books she enjoyed but didn't seem to be well-known. After reading it, that is exactly the category I would put it in. It was such a fun, interesting read about two people stuck on a desert island. While some aspects seemed implausible, it didn't take away from how much I enjoyed it.

3. Evicted by Matthew Desmond
In my mind, this book fits in with others like Just Mercy and The New Jim Crow, where it exposes aspects of American life that many people don't know about. Here, Desmond takes on housing in Milwaukee, where he spent time with people, both white and black, who consistently struggled with finding adequate housing.

4. My Glory Was I Had Such Friends by Amy Silverstein
Another fascinating memoir, this one delves into Silverstein's friendships and the way her friends pulled through for her while she was waiting to have her second heart transplant. I came away in awe of her relationships as well as shocked by her experience of knowing her heart is failing.

5. An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison
Manic depressive disorder is not something I know much about, so this memoir about Jamison's struggle with the disorder was eye-opening. I especially appreciated her experiences together with research (she is a clincial psychologist).

6. To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey
I loved this novel by the same author as The Snow Child. This one features a nineteenth-century husband and wife who are apart while the husband is traveling through Alaska. The story is told through their diaries, as well as some contemporary letters from descendants. Both sides of their experiences were interesting and well-written.