4 Stars. This is one of the most realistic commencement addresses Iโve ever read or heard. These things are usually full of high flown language about changing the world and chasing your dreams. Thatโs all very inspirational. But how do you actually get to that point? You work and you work some more. Sometimes you get lucky […]
4 Stars. I really enjoyed this book, especially as a woman with a degree in biology and a background in clinical research. Ignotofsky obviously made an effort to include women from many countries and across many races, which is lovely. Considering that the entry for Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space […]
4.5 Stars. Oh my goodness. Why do we pay less attention to Anne Brontรซ than the other sisters? I liked this book infinitely more than Wuthering Heights! Iโll still give Jane Eyre the edge as my favorite book by a Brontรซ, but itโs a closer thing than I expected. Anne wrote both a captivating story and a searing indictment of โbad boysโ and [..
4 Stars. Iโve known this story for my entire life but this take felt fresh enough to keep my interest. I just re-read the King James version and I appreciate the way that Maine wove together the bare bones of an epic tale into something that feels more human somehow. Even with the visions and miracles, Noe and company felt like […]
5 Stars. I’m a geek about a lot of things but I had kind of forgotten that I can geek out over maps. Back in the days before I could endlessly scroll through social media as someone else drove on a road trip, I could entertain myself for hours with an atlas. (The concentration required for reading in the car started leaving me […]
3.5 Stars. I have to admit that Iโm one of those who have never heard of Humboldt; or, if he was ever mentioned in my classes, Iโve completely forgotten him. And thatโs a shame because the man was so right about so very many things. He was brilliant and brought together many scientific disciplines in his theories in a time when scientists […]
4 Stars. Kwameโs passion for cooking and feeding hungry people shines through these pages. When he decides to walk away from his life on the streets, he has to work impossibly hard to put himself through culinary school but he does it. His motto seems to be โGo big or go homeโ and that mostly works for him. If you donโt aim […]
5 Stars. What a lovely book! Itโs a realistic story but the illustrator captured the girlโs excitement in touches of whimsy throughout. The soft focus of the artwork gives the book the feel of a dream, even while the girl/woman is working hard to do real things. One spread near the end gives me goosebumps. I especially love […]
3.5 Stars. Iโve never read this before and found it pretty charming if a bit outdated. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it in elementary school. I remember bits and pieces of the Disney cartoon but Iโm honestly not sure if Iโve ever watched the whole thing. The illustrations by David Roberts in this edition […]
4 Stars. I found this absolutely fascinating. It’s written in a simple question and answer format with an index and extensive bibliography. It’s easy to dip in and out of but I mostly read it straight through. He begins with my first question after reading the title, “What general terms are most appropriate for talking about […]
4 Stars. I love retold fairy tales but don’t often go back to the original sources. This was a nice refresher and even an introduction to some classic European tales. Some annotations and introductions were more helpful than others, as is always the case with these kinds of books. I would have been perfectly happy if any contributions […]