Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Sorry, but I just don't understand the supposed hype over this book. Really had a hard time following it, getting interested in the characters, and the plot? What plot? What real development of the main characters? The most interesting thing about it was reading about the Algericas Port where the ferries from/to Tangier, Morocco come/go--since we went through this port in Jan 2020. But even that was a let-down, from pretty much every angle. Fun to read about the escalator that went up to the cafe--where we sat waiting for our much-delayed ferry to Tangier--but not much really happens there...just like while we were there (except for getting ripped off by some overpriced & underwhelming food). The story/chronology was hard to follow and didn't seem written in a way to draw the reader into either the characters or the story. Read on my Kindle; borrowed from the library (which I had to do 2x, due to travels & meetings--and then had to wait weeks to get the book off hold).


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The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So interesting to learn about the originally "secret" new little town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee--which was thrown up by scratch almost overnight during WWII, becoming a city of over 75,000 residents. All of whom were--in one way or another--working on a secret project to hopefully bring about the end of WWII more quickly. And most of the people working at Oak Ridge--at the Clinton Engineering Works (CEW)--many of whom were women, had very little idea of exactly what they were working on...until the day that "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima. Yes, the first nuclear weapon used by humans against humans. Fascinating history told through the eyes of several different women who worked at CEW, as well as some historical context given at the beginning of each chapter. I found it a bit hard to follow the various women whose stories were broken up and told over a number of different chapters--with lots of other characters and info in-between the individual stories. But, overall, it was a well-written and engaging look at a historical first of many sorts. Read on my Kindle; borrowed from the library.


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Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had previously read Frankl's Search for Ultimate Meaning and thought this book might give more insight into that one. Well, it really didn't do much. It was very interesting (& sickening) to read of the unbelievable treatment of so many in the WWII German concentration/extermination camps--and of how someone like Frankl coped with the darkness & despair of those days. But, I'm not sure that for most people just having a future in mind and keeping a "vision" of that hope is enough to truly get one through such ordeals. He does admit that religious notions can be helpful, but his focus is really on psychological ones--mental maps or ways of thinking beyond your circumstances (and not focusing on what is happening to you at the moment). Listened to the audiobook; borrowed from the library.


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The Misunderstanding of Glencoe by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ha, ha! I loved this short, pithy, hilarious audiobook/play that was originally broadcast on the BBC, as I understand. A seemingly harmless visit to the Scottish Highlands by a touring couple turns out to be a mostly tongue-in-cheek unraveling of the historic bitter feud among the Scottish clans of the McDonalds and the Campbells, which revolves around a massacre at Glencoe. I listened to this on my iPhone; borrowed from the library.


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Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an amazing book & story. It was so well-crafted and developed. It slowly & surely drew me in, engaging me right to the very end...and what an end it was. There is foreshadowing, but it's subtle and not easy to pick up on with regards to where the story is headed. So well developed. The character of Kya--the "Marsh Girl," was painted in exquisite detail. What a fascinating character who lived a very isolated & solitary life--but a very rich one in her knowledge of the marshlands she lived in. I listened to this audiobook on my iPhone; borrowed from the library (after waiting on hold forever!--it's very, very popular now).


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The Joy of Reading: A Passionate Guide to 189 of the World's Best Authors and Their Works by Charles Van Doren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lots of great info/background on some of the world's most classic reads. I gave this 3-1/2 stars in my Reading Log. It was good--but I found myself only being able to read so much at a time, and sometimes it was not as engaging as it could have been. I was thinking there would be more insights into reading well and how to get more out of classic works. There was some of that, but not much. There was good background on the authors, though, and some on other works of each author. I read this on my iPad; borrowed from the library (about 4x!).


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Dying: A Memoir by Cory Taylor
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm giving this a 2-1/2 stars in my Reading Log, as I deem it a little bit better than OK. I thought the writer was brave & courageous to take on the topic of her immanent death from cancer. She did a fair job of telling some of her family's history--of her parents' & their issues/struggles, and of the troubles between her & her siblings, all of whom survived their parent's & the author's deaths. It was sad to see another person so blinded by the prevailing western scientific-materialistic outlook on life--there's nothing after our short & fleeting life...even though the author illustrated the natural human longing for living forever--and for not having to leave life as it has been known, or family/friends. I listened to this audiobook on my iPhone; bought from chirp.com (at a great price).


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At the Reunion Buffet by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another McCall Smith short from the Isabel Dalhousie series. I really liked this one, set around a class reunion of Isabel's. Some intriguing characters & issues going on as her high school class of 2o years past has a weekend reunion. Some things are not always what they appear to be...and some good thoughts on forgiveness (& mercy). Read on the Kindle; borrowed from the library.


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The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My first full Craig Johnson novel--in the Longmire series. Recommended by a friend--thanks, Jason! I liked the fleshing out of the main characters, and the mystery involved in the crime that was highlighted. Liked the setting in Wyoming--rural, frontier, etc. Also liked having the context of The Rez and the Indian characters who regularly interact with Longmire. Think I'll have to watch the Netflix series at some point (actually watched a part of an episode in Season 4 on the plane just before finishing up the book). Read on my Kindle; borrowed from the library.


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Four Friends: Promising Lives Cut Short by William D. Cohan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Four short bios on four friends who all attended Andover Prep School in Massachusetts, the most well-known of them being JFK, Jr. All four died relatively early in life--their lives cut short in various ways.


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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this book a long time ago. I remember (slightly) having to study it & write a paper about it while in college...years ago. This time around I listened to it on my iPhone as an audiobook and enjoyed it. Loved the accents & different voices. Well done all-around, and so funny at times. Also tackles serious issues, like the position of the run-away slave, Jim, who accompanies Huck on most of his adventures. I gave this book a 3-1/2 stars in my Reading Log. Bought from chirp.com.


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Ghosted by Rosie Walsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this on the recommendation of a favorite author, Liane Moriarty. It did not disappoint. Loved how the story unfolded and the latter parts where it brought in the viewpoint of the "antagonist." Creatively done. Read this audiobook on my iPhone; borrowed from the library.


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God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wright is one of my favorite authors. Enjoyed this book with its history and insights into the Lone Star State--which is not a place I'm very familiar with, though I do have quite a few friends from Texas. It's a world unto itself. Some fascinating statistics and perspectives detailed in Wright's book, all in a very readable & interesting/engaging manner. Read on the Kindle; borrowed from the library.


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The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens by Michael  Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating analysis of the "hidden" themes that C. S. Lewis had in mind when he wrote the seven Chronicles of Narnia books. Ward came upon a "eureka" moment while reading one of Lewis' poems called "The Planets," which led him down a track of discovery with regards to how Lewis connected each book to one of the seven pre-Copernican planets. Lots of good archaic language with regards to these planets and their believed "influences" are discussed, as well as lots of examples from the characters, dialogs, and plots of each of the Narnian Chronicles. Makes me now want to read through the Chronicles for a 3rd time to better pick up on all these themes. I read this on my Kindle; borrowed from the library.


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