Category Archives: Book Reviews

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Sarah Willis

This is the book that began my fascination with epic disasters in cold, icy places. I guess I wanted to understand why people risk their lives for adventure or exploration, which I admit I still don’t understand after reading dozens … Continue reading →

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The River of Doubt : Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey, by Candice Millard

Posted on April 13, 2020 by Sarah Willis

Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt ran for a third term, this time with the Progressive Party, a new, independent third party? That when he lost, he decided to join an expedition of The River of Doubt, a tributary of … Continue reading →

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Franci’s War: A Woman’s Story of Survival, by Franci Rabinek Epstein

Posted on April 11, 2020 by Sarah Willis

              I love non-fiction about strong people who struggle through frightening events to somehow survive all the odds. These stories grab me because I want to believe we can persevere through the worst, but knowing that survival will take determination … Continue reading →

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The Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Posted on April 9, 2020 by Sarah Willis

The Endurance : Shackelton’s Incredible Voyage  by Alfred Lansing This is one of my favorite Non-Fiction books of all time.  In August 1914 The Endurance, lead by Ernest Shackelton and his twenty-eight crew members set out to be the first … Continue reading →

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Labyrinth of Ice : The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition by Buddy Levy

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Sarah Willis

This story about the 1881 Arctic exploration to find “Farthest North” takes place some thirty-seven years prior to Shackelton’s exploration in the Antarctica.  But many of the sheer difficulties—an ice bound ship that has to be abandoned, a crew of … Continue reading →

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Taking Care of the Body and the Environment

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Julie

I have read three books recently that have helped me really think about what I put into my body, and how best to nourish myself while being a good steward of the rest of life on this planet. The first … Continue reading →

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Desert Island Books: Pandemic Edition

Posted on March 17, 2020 by Wendy Wasman

We all know that reading a good book or two (or three or more) is one of the best ways to pass the time, and it is especially helpful when you are asked to stay home and practice social distancing. … Continue reading →

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Book Reviews: Optimizing the Brain and Mind

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Julie

I have read a slew of new and upcoming books recently dealing with psychology and addiction.  Here are my favorites: 1) Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker.  This book is good for anybody who questions either their relationship with … Continue reading →

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When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Sarah

Zelda, an orphan with high-functioning  fetal alcohol syndrome, has a list of rules she lives by to keep herself safe.  She lives with her brother, Gert, who has just recently broken up with his girlfriend, Annie (who’s called AK47 by … Continue reading →

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American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Sarah

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is an amazing read.  I will think about the characters in this book every time I watch the news and see immigrants trying to get into the USA.  I will think about the characters in … Continue reading →

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