Books I read in 2025 (with ratings)

I mostly keep this record for myself or I'll forget that I've read these books. Ha! Here is my ranking system, determined all the way back in 2011.

1 = poor

2 = okay

3 = I liked it

4 = I'd buy it for my library

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides = 3 (A quick read and suspenseful mystery. I guessed the outcome early on in the reading, but cleverly done. Now a movie.) 

The Magnificent Lives of Marjory Post by Alison Pataki = 3 (A fictional story of love and life based on the real Marjory Post, a smart and clever woman with a whole lot of money. It made me want to read her biography.)

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston = 3 (A fun romantic novel dealing with time travel, but only for one person in the relationship. Cleverly put together. Quick read.)

Where the Wind Leads by Vine Chung = 4 (True story of Vietnamese refugees, how they escaped their country and how they made their life in a new one. Unbelievable story. Unbelievably honest. This books is listed in the Christian genre which surprised me. True, the family felt like they came to know God through their experiences, but I would say this is a great read regardless of faith. A historic account of a very intense part of history for the Vietnamese.) 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty = 3 (A bit of a thriller that begins with a psychic declaration to passengers of a plane about when and why they will die. The book asks a philosophical question: how would your actions change if you knew that information? I had to finish this book quickly because I couldn't take the tension!)

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow = stay tuned, I'm actually reading this book now, so I'll come back and give it a rating later.

So I read five books this year from cover to cover. There's room for improvement there.

A Place for Us and some other comments

This isn't necessarily a book review, but I do want to say that this book is an excellent read. It speaks of family ties, loss of culture, and most importantly, mercy. I recommend it.

Also, a while ago I read The Art of Racing in the Rain and posted about it. In that post, I mentioned that the book was sure to become a movie. And indeed it has.

Jess came home with the DVD last weekend (we're old school like that sometimes, thanks Redbox!), and I told him it was a sad story. We both cried! And we both want a golden retriever now, no joke. Maybe in a few years. Who knows?

And then, this movie, Ford v Ferrari.

Have you heard of it? My brother sent me the early trailer many months ago and it's finally in theaters. Apparently, it's a story about friendship with car racing included. What's rare is that's its a true car story with real driving craziness instead of a made up one with crazy car antics (I'm looking at you Fast & Furious). Maybe after I see this one, I'll want a Ford GT40.

Book Review: Steve Young - Life Behind the Spiral

Okay, guys, I've read a book this year!  Actually, I think it might be my second or third book of the year, but the fact that I can't really remember, might mean that it is really my first.  No wait, I know I've read one other, so I think it is my second.  Yep, I think that's right.

Jess brought this book home the other week because a colleague got an extra signed copy and gave it to him.  Ever since I met Steve Young while volunteering at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, I've been a fan, so why not read his life story.  I dig a good autobiography.

It was a great read.  I like football and his story is good. I enjoyed the book.  Sometimes I'd skim over stats, but that's about all I'd skim over. The guy was a hard worker.  He had perseverance.  He always tried to do what was right.  He was great under pressure.  My favorite part however, came in the epilogue when Steve Young went on to explain his life after football.  He mentions all of his kids and their interests. He mentions his first son was into singing, the arts, computers and comedy.  His second son who loves sports.  His two daughters, one who likes gymnastics and the other dance.  I think the reason I enjoyed this part was because it seemed to me that Steve was celebrating his children for who they were and wanted to help them excel in what they liked even if it wasn't football.  I have three sons.  I am sure they will each be into different things.  I hope to help them  succeed in whatever skill or hobby or interest they may have, with the determination and focus like that of Steve Young.

bp's science: reading fiction makes you more empathetic

I recently read an interesting short article about why fiction readers tend to me more empathetic.  Makes me want to read more fiction.  Or read more, period.

And while we're on the subject of reading, I recently finished 12 Years a Slave.  The book is surreal; the intensity and horribleness of it, shocking.  The author, Solomon Northrup, was a strong man who faced brutal adversity with great character, perseverance, patience, and kindness  He was also a superb writer who created a narrative with explanations that helped me more clearly understand things from history that I hadn't previously.  I would recommend this read in a heartbeat.  This part of history is very saddening and sickening, but the resilience of the people and the strength they gave one another is truly something else.

Book Review: I Feel Bad About My Neck

I recently picked up Nora Ephron's humorous book, I Feel Bad About My Neck.  It seems that Nora didn't take herself too seriously and her style was easy going.  I like a good laugh and this book did the trick.  While I believe her intended audience was older women, it still was quite entertaining.  And I felt young, which is never a bad thing.  The chapters I liked the most discussed parenthood verses parenting, New York real estate, and missing favorite foods that have been lost to a closed bakery/cafe/restaurant.  This brought me to think of some of the foods I yearn for every now and again but are gone.

When Macaroni Grill was new to the scene, my family went every now and again.  We liked the place, a lot.  And since my mom had pretty much given the kibosh to Olive Garden (during one visit, it took twenty minutes to seat us when there were more than ten tables available - which I have since learned was no fault of the restaurant itself but the time of day and number of staff on the premises - but I digress), Macaroni Grill was our new spot.  Plus, that focaccia bread was way better than any bread stick.  I always ordered a dish that I loved there, the chicken calzone.  The dipping sauces made the dish: one was a balsamic vinegar reduction and the other, a caesar dressing-like aioli.  I lived for the dipping sauces, savored each bite, used up every bit of both.  And then one day, I got my plate and the balsamic reduction sauce was missing.  I kindly informed the waiter of the mistake when he informed me that they no longer served the calzone, or any dish for that matter, with that specific sauce.  Later came the blow that the calzone was no longer on the menu.  But, as luck would have it, I could still special order my favorite dish even if it did only come with the caesar sauce.  And then finally, the restaurant decided to no longer serve it.  And then I put the kibosh on Macaroni Grill.

Still, the most memorable food I miss on a regular basis is the ZCMI chocolate chocolate doughnut.  This delicious dessert was the pinnacle of the cake doughnut world for me.  I savored every bite and was known to spend my own 54 cents + tax on one, which was pretty much a miracle seeing as I held tight to my money and hardly spent a dime.  This doughnut was large and plump, with hardly a hole in the middle, topped with light brown, made-with-butter frosting that wasn't too chocolatey and thus allowed for the flavor of the cake doughnut to meld well with, instead of be taken over by, the frosting.  It was kept refrigerated inside a glass case at the little side bakery attached to the department store, and served a bit cold then slowly warmed as you enjoyed it bite by bite.  We'd make special trips to get one.  Then one day we went to get a doughnut and the bakery had been turned into a knick-knack shop.  We had hardly a warning!  The sweet bakery lady was gone.  Loaves of sourdough and cracked wheat were replaced with games you'd never heard of and super-soaker water guns.  The pastry glass case had stopped refrigeration and now held magnetic curiosities and swinging pendulums.  Our doughnuts ceased to exist.  Then ZCMI got bought out and part of my childhood was whisked away with it.  I tried to find the doughnut downtown at a bakery possibly owned by the same people who did the original doughnut, but I was never successful.  Since then, I've had several chocolate chocolate doughnuts, wishing, hoping that another bakery could get close to what I've enjoyed before.  But no luck.  And so I stick with the yeast-risen doughnuts and enjoy them a lot.  But the cake doughnut is up against all odds, a grand contender, a doughnut I miss and pine for especially on overcast, fall days.

Do you have a special food you miss?  Nora Ephron's was cabbage strudel and she ended up, after years of searching, finding the very food she had gone without all that time.

Heaven is for Real: A Review

While I have heard this boy's story several times and I know there is a movie coming out, I'd never thought of reading the book until a sibling suggested it.  This is a quick read.  Two days tops.  The book is interesting and enjoyable.  It describes the series of events in the life of the parents and a four year-old before and after he tells them he's been to heaven.  I am a fan of non-fiction and this was a good read.  Plus, it's a great discussion book.  Ahhh, if only I had a book club.

bp's science: mirror neurons

I'm reading the Tale Tell Brain by V.S. Ramachandran and it is fascinating.  The brain is a miraculous and mysterious thing and this book does an excellent job at explaining some of those miraculous and mysterious things.  One of them is mirror neurons (brain nerve cells). Scientists have found that when a person watches another person say, for example, write in the sand the same neurons are activated in the person watching as if she is writing in the sand herself.  Another example, when Bob watches Sandy cry about losing a game of chess, Bob has activity in the same mirror neurons he would use if he were the one sad about losing a game of chess.  These mirror neurons help us empathize with others, learn to speak, and foresee (or guess) what people are going to do in response to an action - among other things.  Wow!  These mirror neurons have other implications which is what makes the book such a great read (that, and the writing is pretty good for a scientific book).

Cheaper by the Dozen: A Review

This book is a great read, and I must say, better than any movie I've seen that's based on it.  Frank and Lillian Gilbert had a dozen children and when you have twelve children, there's bound to be a lot of adventure.  I believe parents with lots of kids have to be great people, and these parents were.  This family goes through everything from learning different languages by listening to records every morning to enjoying summers in a beach cottage with Morse code painted on the walls.  I laughed out loud at times and shared good tidbits from the book with Jess every so often.  Growing up in a large family myself, I was truly able to relate to the Gilbreth family.  When I read about them counting off to make sure everyone was present, I thought of my own family. Wonderful!  You will get a kick out of it regardless of your family size.  It is a classic.

A photo of the Gilbreth family, circa 1922-3, what fun

Book Review: The Great Divorce

Gee, it's been a while since I've posted a book review.  Reading has not received priority around here, even when I had a great book like C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce.  This book is a study on the differences between Heaven and Hell when measured within the characteristics of a person.  It doesn't go into too much detail about the physical surroundings of each place, but really focuses on what keeps a person from accepting Heaven when they have every chance to.  This book will make you think.  And like all C.S. Lewis works, the words open up a pathway to delve deeper into the thoughts and ideas he presents.  Good stuff.  My sister mentioned that this book would probably be better well-known if the title was different, and I tend to agree.  I had no idea what it would be about but picked it up because I like C.S. Lewis.  What could be a better title?  Get Off the Bus?  No.  You Just Need to Give Up Your Selfish Ways?  No.  Choose Heaven or Hell?  Would those make you want to read it?  The original title is sounding better and better now.

Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

This book was highly recommended to me and was a Readers Choice book, so many people have really liked it.  For me, it was probably a 2 out of 4.  The story is told from the point of view of an old dog, which was pretty clever.  Plus, the author intertwined the skills of Formula One racing into the story and used it's tenets as a backdrop for dealing with life's twists and turns.  But, the story is sad.  I wanted to finish it just to get it over with, and luckily it was a very quick read.  I am in no mood for sad stories, maybe that is why I gave it a 2.  True, there is redemption at the end, and that was good.  And, just as a let's-see-if-my-prediction-is-correct comment, I could see this book being made into a movie someday.

Book Review: Open by Andre Agassi

After reading the Sampras book, this one was pretty crazy.  The differences between Sampras' life and attitude are a complete one-eighty of Agassi's.  It was neat to read about both of their careers back to back, and more fully realize how successful tennis players don't all train the same, think the same, eat the same.  I mean, they don't play the same, so why should they do all of that the same?  I guess I kind of thought, same game, same spiel.  Not so.

Agassi has some wild stories about how his Pops was a tyrant, his teen years were wickedly rebellious, and his adult years were up and down with disappointment and triumph.  One of my favorite quotes from the book was:  "[S]everal sportswriters muse about my transformation, and that word rankles.  I think it misses the mark.  Transformation is change from one thing to another, but I started as nothing.  I didn't transform, I formed.  When I broke into tennis, I was like most kids: I didn't know who I was, and I rebelled at being told by older people.  I think older people make this mistake all the time with younger people, treating them as finished products when in fact they're in the process.  It's like judging a match before it's over, and I've come from behind too often, and had too many opponents come roaring back against me, to think that's a good idea."  He had some great insights, and his since of humor was pretty good, especially his comments on thinning hair.  Classic.

Agassi's life could be made into a movie.  I am not kidding.  There is so much material to work with, you'd be glued to the screen.  I was glued to the book (and I caught Jess reading it in the morning before work, pretty much glued) up until the very end.  There is language, so just know that.  But this is one of the most well-written autobiographies I have ever read.

Book Review: A Champion's Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis, by Pete Sampras

First let me tell you, I don't really play tennis.  I've tried a couple of times and had a lot of fun, but I don't really know what I am doing.  Still, I really like watching tennis.  I'd probably say it is my favorite game to watch.  I picked up this book after Wimbleton because I was caught up in all of the hype. 

Sampras explains why he succeeded in tennis.  He certainly had the tennis gift, he was disciplined, and he worked hard.  It was fun to read about what motivated him and how he perceived what was happening to him as a tennis player.  For example, during his first grand slam win he was kind of like, "What? I actually am here and I am winning this?"

It is always interesting to see what makes a successful person tick.  And that's why I enjoy reading biographies.  This one was good.

Book Review: Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife, by Eben Alexander M.D.

This was a fascinating non-fiction book.  I had heard about it several times and I understand why.  The premise is this: neurologist is well educated and thinks of the world in scientific terms, he gets very sick and goes into a coma, during the coma he has a near death experience and is engulfed in a spiritual reality, he miraculously recovers and now has an understanding that there is more to life than what he originally thought.  This book is the result of his efforts to explain what happened and what he gained from the experience.  

Some of my favorite passages include an explanation of the higher worlds as he describes it, “The very fabric of the alternate dimension is love and acceptance, and anything that does not have these qualities appears immediately and obviously out of place there.”

And another, “Free will is of central importance for our function in the earthly realm: a function that, we will all one day discover, serves the much higher role of allowing our ascendance in the timeless alternate dimension.  Our life down here may seem insignificant, for it is a minute in relation to the other lives and other worlds that also crowd the invisible and visible universes.  But it is also hugely important, for our role here is to grow toward the Divine, and that growth is closely watched by the beings in the worlds above.”

And one more, “For all of the successes of the Western civilization, the world has paid a dear price in terms of the most crucial component of existence – our human spirit. . . our focus on exponential progress in science and technology has left many of us relatively bereft in the realm of meaning and joy, and of knowing how our lives fit into the grand scheme of existence for all eternity.”

The author describes that some may have difficulty believing his story, but he insists that science and belief in the eternal can co-exist.  His insights are, like I said before, fascinating, especially for an individual who only went to church every now and again and didn’t really have any basis for belief.

A Review: Free Range Kids, by Lenore Skenazy

While reading this book I’ve had a great many conversations, all of which have been with superb parents who are doing things right.  Still, each parent had a different take on the book.  While some lean more toward a free range lifestyle for their kids, others are a bit less inclined to agree.

Lenore Skenazy preaches giving kids more of an opportunity to live like kids of the past, with more freedom to do things on their own while gaining the responsibility and independence kids seems to yearn for.  She also emphasizes the importance of teaching your kid what to be aware of while not being over the top.  For example (one of my favorite take-aways), don’t teach your children NOT TO TALK to strangers, instead, teach your children NOT TO GO OFF with strangers.  I found myself loving some chapters and wanting more thorough research in others (i.e., why has the crime rate been going down since the 90s? She mentions more law enforcement, better prosecution of criminals, cell phones, and medical and social work system.  But what about parents being more watchful of their kids?  Shouldn’t that hold some water in this argument?) 

If you read this book, you will be laughing.  I did, especially during Chapter 4: Boycott Baby Knee Pads.  I read about kid gadgets that couldn’t get more ridiculous.  And then there was Chapter 2: Turn Off the News.  This I have actually done.  My psyche can’t take all of it.  I dwell on the bad long after I’ve viewed it.  And that is why I have stopped watching the nightly news (am I bit disconnected? Yes), all iterations of Law & Order, all iterations of CSI, 48 Hours, Dateline, Criminal Minds, Body of Proof, and well, you get the gist.  Skenazy says the news and these shows feed off fear and I don’t need help nourishing my tendency to worry.  The book also goes on about how experts can tell us one thing and then another thing later (e.g., don’t put sunscreen on your kids.  And then later, turns out kids aren’t getting enough vitamin D [which we get from sun], let them play outside…but only for 15 minutes without sunscreen.)  This gets exhausting.

As you can tell, I liked the book.  I agreed with several of the points.  And while I may not let my kid ride on the subway at age 9 (maybe age 12, 13.  I’ll have to see what I think when my kids get there), I am all for letting your kid fall at the park and not help them up (I’ve actually done this a lot and have received a few stare-downs from other parents because of it).  I am also fine with letting my kid sit in a grocery cart without the protection of a seat cover.  Still, I am protective too.  I like my kidlet to play in the backyard and not the front yard without my supervision.  I don't want to be a neglectful parent.  I don't want anything AT ALL to ever happen to my kid, of course!  I guess the point is, you’ve got to find a balance between fear, freedom, and fun.  And that’s what the book is about.  The author also wants you to empower your kids so they can fend for themselves when it comes time, preferably before the age of 21, or even 18.

This topic requires a lot more discussion, as it is complex, and there is more to it than just relaxing as a parent.  But this is a blog post, and as such, I will conclude.  What do you guys think?  I'd recommend the book.  It makes you think, even if you don't agree with the premise.

A month without posts...

...makes me want to take on the challenge of a month full of posts, that is, one post a day (excluding weekends).  Can it be done?  Will it be interesting?  Who will care?  Well, let's face it, just me.  But I am up for a challenge.  And so, here we go.

I finished reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.  It is (sadly) the first book I've read completely through this year.  Let's just say I need a very good book to keep the interest, especially when I have to stop and start often, and I like to nap.  With that said, here is my review:

Excellent non-fiction book about the life of a woman and the science behind her cells that never die*.   Part science, part history and present day, this book reveals the remarkable path of HeLa cells and how they’ve helped science.  But what’s more, the author explores how these cells have affected Henrietta’s family.  It also examines the ethics behind using patient tissues for research and how the laws have changed over time.  This book is a good read for anyone interested in science or not (I promise!), a page turner indeed. 

*And for anyone wondering how the cell never dies, well, it turns out the enzyme telomerase is missing in these special HeLa cells, so chromosome telomeres never break down, thus, never signaling the cell to die.

Book Review: The Brenner Assignment: the Untold Story of the Most daring Spy Mission of World War II

The more I read WWII books, the more I realize how crazy, miserable, astonishing, and awful war is. Horrendous is a good word, although I know one word cannot sum war up properly.

Members of the OSS (the precursor to today's CIA), spies, did some wild things, to say the least. This book describes the mission of the brave lot who worked in the Italian mountains to blow bridges and tunnels that were essential to the German's supply route. Surviving day after day behind enemy lines, in the cold and constantly on the run from the enemy, these men suffered but outlasted the enemy and did the impossible.

While this tale is incredibly amazing, the book lacked the speed I thought it was going to offer. Slow at times, but very well researched, this book would be one I suggest for someone who has read a lot of WWII books and would like some more. Still, I always enjoy these books because they remind me how strong the human spirit is and how amazing people can do very big things.

For now, I am taking a break from the war stories. I need some more light-hearted stuff.

Happy 2013 + Book Review for last year

Whew! Our holidays went by so fast and we've really had a great time. Photos and a report to come. Happy 2013 to all!

But for now, I do my book summary for 2012. Now, I've read only a few books, not all of which I can remember, and I did some cook book and magazine reading this year. So, without any further excuses or ado, my ratings of the seven books (yep, that's 7 books) I recall reading in 2012, with my ranking from 1 -4.
1 = poor,
2 = okay,
3 = I liked it,
4 = I'd buy it for my library

Heaven is Here = 3
Devil at My Heels = 3
Steve Jobs = 3
Endurance: Shakleton's Incredible Voyage = 4
The Secret Life of Bees = 3
Crossing to Safety = 3
Uncle Tungsten = 2

I would recommend reading any of the 3s or 4 up there.

And now for 2013. I am currently reading a WWII spy book called The Brenner Assignment and the cookbook, Jacques Pepin's New Complete Techniques.

Book Review: Devil at My Heels

This is the autobiography of the man who is the focus of the popular book, Unbroken. Excellent read, amazing story, impressive man.

The story of a young Olympian who served in the military during WWII and survived a plane crash, days and days in a life boat at sea, and POW camp. Not to mention the PTSD and trying to get his life back afterward.

His message: it's all about attitude.  This is the kind of book I really enjoy and just can't get enough of.  I would highly recommend it.

Book review: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

In Steve Jobs' biography, the reader learns how Apple came about and why it is so successful.  Much of its success is due to being lead by a guy who didn't take any nonsense, was brutally honest, and was extremely eccentric...to a fault but also to the result of some of the technological world's greatest successes.  I read most of Walt Disney's biography last year and I found many similarities between these two, shall we say, geniuses.  They both had a feel for what the public wanted before the public knew they wanted it.  They truly believed in their product with undying determination and they usually could talk anyone into doing something for their (or their company's) sake.  True, these individuals could be hard to work with and you had to figure out how to be on their good side, but once you were, it was an adventure to be on board.  I am amazed at people like this, with such determination that they can go about business with such confidence.  Jobs was truly driven by his work and he did it because he loved it, not because he wanted the lifestyle (although, he did have a private jet and was designing his own yacht).  This is a fantastic read and a great look into a man who, like my brother recently mentioned and I agree, will be remembered with the greats like Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, for changing the world with invention.

Book Review - Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

An amazing book of perseverance beyond imagination.  The men on this voyage/wreckage kept their cool and worked together to get back to solid ground...that is, ground that did not consist of ice.  The book describes men who endured freezing cold, lack of sleep, a seal attack, a scant diet, and episodes that surely tried their patience.  This was another book that showed me the strength of the human spirit, the power of brotherhood (friendship), and the skill of a superior leader.