Cheers to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. With Thanksgiving, shopping and holiday to-dos, I am not the only one who did not make enough time for reading this month. When you have limited time, it is important to grab a book that really counts.
Below is my roundup of the November books I made time to read. If you choose to read one of the ones below, I encourage you to purchase the book from your local bookstore or browse online at www.bookshop.org. www.indiebound.org and www.bookweb.org can also help you find a local bookstore to support.
The books I have reviewed below are listed in the order I read them not in preference order. So here are my book reviews for November 2021.
Tunnel 29: The True Story of an Extraordinary Escape Beneath the Berlin Wall by Helena Merriman
What’s it about?
In the summer of 1961, Joachim Rudolph notices small changes in his hometown of Berlin. He sees troops roll in and put up barriers in the street. But, Rudolph shrugs it off and heads to the beach with his friend. After a few days, it’s clear that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev commenced building a wall cutting the city in two. The idea behind the wall was to stop the massive number of defectors from East Germany to West Germany and to protect the fascist state and ideals.
But even after the wall was built and armed, people still tried in many ways to escape. This book tells one of those stories. Rudolph, an engineering student at the time, joined forces with another student and began to construct a tunnel under the wall to escape. I will let the rest of the story unfold for future readers.
What did I think?
I thought this book was thrilling, and for a non-fiction book, this is a sign of an effective author. Helena Merriman does a fantastic job of not bogging down the story with too many facts or diversions. For the most part, she sticks to the book’s main idea, which in itself is an exciting story and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Merriman benefited from the detailed and lengthy interviews she had with the main character, Joachim Rudolph. The book’s introduction will give you a solid set-up on how unusual it is to find the book’s main character’s testimony so detailed after so many years have passed.
Despite the excitement of the story and escape attempts, I learned a lot about life in Germany at this time. I felt like I was in the story and forgot I was learning about history.
Merriman does a fantastic job of making this less about a teaching moment and more about a thrilling story. For example, the book includes a nail-biting tale of an older woman and her cat jumping out of a top-floor apartment into people’s arms in West Germany. I had no idea the border was separating the city in half. There was room to jump across if you were creative and desperate.
I would recommend the book to readers who may not always enjoy non-fiction. This story is gripping and intriguing.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
I can’t believe I finally read this book. It was great, even though it isn’t anything I would usually read. I can’t add anything clever or meaningful to the millions of reviews this book already has, but I’ll join the Harry Potter fan club. I may not wear any Harry Potter costumes or pick out a wand, but I will say I liked the book, and I am glad I read it.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
What’s it about?
Warning: Don’t be hungry or moody when you read this book. There is juicy talk about food, where to get food, how to prepare and cook food, and who and where to enjoy the food with. However, besides excellent food talk, there is a solid backbone to this story, and if you are sullen or moody, prepare your Kleenex box because you will shed some tears.
Crying in H Mart is Michelle Zauner’s memoir of the time surrounding her mother’s death from cancer. In her strong-bonded Korean family, Zauner struggles to find an independent American life yet still wants to meet her mother’s high expectations and those of her Korean family. But even though Zauner wants to break the mold and create her own life and career, she draws back into her mother, absorbs herself in caring for her, and sincerely wants to learn her mother’s cooking skills, habits and personality that makes her special.
What did I think?
I liked this book because it is like reading Zuaner’s journal. It is very intimate and personal, and I don’t think she wrote it with the intent of selling millions of copies. Instead, I believe Zuaner is an artistic soul and happens to use her gifted creative writing skills to make a good living at it.
Zuaner is one author you will want to troll on the internet. I wanted to know what Zauner looked like and listen to her band “Japanese Breakfast” Was she really that young to write a New York Times Best Seller and sing in an amazing band? Did she really sing a collaboration with someone that shared the same name with a guy my two friends fought over in high school? Was that the same guy?
Needless to say, it was fun falling down this rabbit hole. I know you will enjoy this book but be prepared for some heartache and tears.
The Last Flight by Julie Clark
What’s it about?
I enjoyed the ride this thriller took me on and was totally immersed. However, when my husband asked me what the book was about, and I started explaining it to him; he thought it was ridiculous. Yes, it is a fiction book, but the more I revealed, the sillier the story seemed to get. Still, if you enjoy mysteries, the many plot twists will keep you guessing.
In The Last Flight, two women desperately try to disappear and start new, anonymous lives. But, when they happen to run into each other in the airport, the wishful escape becomes a reality. However, one unlucky character plummets into the ocean as her plane crashes. But was she really on the plane? Have people begun to figure out that the women are not dead but hiding in new cities with new identities?
What did I think?
The book is thrilling, and with two plot lines running simultaneously, it is still very easy to follow along. The two main characters’ backstories and personalities are realistic, but the story’s premise may not be. However, it will be a fast, thrilling read if you get beyond that.
I wouldn’t say this was my favorite book, but the dialogue, characters and short chapters kept me interested and you won’t be disappointed if you need a fun and thrilling read.
End of the Rope: Mountains, Marriage, and Motherhood by Jan Redford
What’s it about?
The write-up for this book starts with, “In the tradition of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild comes this funny and gritty debut memoir in which Jan Redford grows from a nomadic rock climber to a mother who fights to win back her future.” This book is NOTHING like Strayed’s Wild, so if you are not a fan of that book like me, you are in luck.
Redford is a talented and experienced outdoor climber, where Strayed knew nothing about the outdoors before heading out on the Pacific Crest Trail to find herself. Redford and Strayed have completely separate upbringings, education, career and personal goals. I could go on and on. Treat this book as a different memoir altogether.
What did I think?
I enjoyed this book, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are a rock climber, alpinist or have lived a dirt-bag life. If you are not interested in these sports, I highly recommend passing on this book.
The book heavily covers climbing-culture references and Canadian logging towns, where the book is set. However, this myopic viewpoint felt dull since I couldn’t relate to life in these places.
Outdoor adventure and a solid personal side fills this book. Redford tells her remarkable and heartbreaking story, and she sets up the most exciting climactic moments well. However, I believe the book dragged on a bit and fast-forwarded way too quickly towards the end. I don’t regret reading this book, but I believe it only appeals to a limited audience.
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