Book Blog: November 2022
Well November was a mish-mash of a bunch of experiences, from an anniversary trip to Hawai’i to meeting some of my teammates in real-life for the first time… and getting COVID (finally?) and recovering. So I had hoped to finish a few more fun and interesting books, but there were some fantastic books in the 10 books that I read!
Fiction
The Secret Adversary (Agatha Christie): The first in the Tommy and Tuppence series, the book opens with a mysterious episode on the Lusitania as it sinks, and a man thrusts a packet into a young woman’s hands (as she is more likely to secure a place in a lifeboat). Almost four years on, the war is over, and unemployed Tommy and Tuppence decide to take on a “case” to find the missing woman. The dynamic of two detectives with different strengths and perspectives is what really makes this book (and I hope, the series!) shine.
Meant to Be (Emily Giffin): This book was just lovely and I couldn’t put it down. Loosely based on the story arc of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bassette-Kennedy, lawyer Joe and supermodel Cate meet one day at her photoshoot on the beach, and though they come from very different backgrounds, there is an instant spark. Cate is interested and intrigued, but she’s also private and protective for reasons that become clear as the story progresses. This was such a great read and I couldn’t put it down. After reading a lot of heavier books it seemed I needed something a bit lighter!
The Man in the Brown Suit (Agatha Christie): This is certainly a top-5 Christie mystery for me, and it was because I really enjoyed the pluck and humor of Anne Beddingfeld, the main narrator and detective in this case. She witnesses a death of a man in the Tube (murder? accident? hard to say!) and as she has no present plans for her life after the death of her father, she decides to join a party of folks headed for South Africa to try and solve the case. For some reason, the setting and just enough twists and turns made it really a good read for me!
Non-Fiction
Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy (Alastair Gee and Dani Anguino): This was a compact, well-written book about the 2018 Camp Fire — how it started, the horror of an entire town escaping at the same time, and the lasting impact — and brings individual voices and stories of climate change forward. It was heartbreaking to read and made me feel physically ill to see of the mismanagement by PG&E. Certainly not an uplifting read, by and large, but a good reminder of the tremendous human toll of climate change
Lana’i: Images of America (Alberta de Jetley): We had the pleasure of meeting the author on Lana’i and benefitted from her knowledge and wisdom in our tour of the island. The book is the same — detailing important phases of history along with original photos that bring the story to light. If you can’t make it to Lana’i, I highly recommend this book. And if you can, hire Alberta for the day for additional stories and history!
The Answer Is… Reflections on My Life (Alex Trebek): I have so many fond memories of watching Jeopardy across the years (not to mention the SNL parodies) so I was excited to read his memoir, especially after his recent passing. Trebek is so incredibly funny, caring towards others, and super-curious. At first I thought it would be silly to read a book of vignettes from a game-show host, but, when it comes down to it, he seemed to be a normal, loving family guy who just happened to host one of the world’s most popular show for thirty-odd years.
Lots of love to y’all as we finish out 2022! I’ll be back with my 2022 favorites very soon!
Cheers, S
