Media Matters

 Book by Wendy Watson. I really appreciated the author’s approach outlined in the introduction:  “Rock-solid relationships are built upon the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ. His Power, Light, Love, Truth, and Spirit are their foundation. Relationships built on these “cannot fall.” “ “The scriptures are the very best “how to” books on relationships. The scriptures are the first and last word on how to be a better husband, father, wife, mother, parent, son, daughter, sibling, in-law, friend, neighbor, boss, employee, or any other relationship you can name.“ Each chapter was based on a scripture and a true principle taught by that scripture, which were then applied to examples of how that principle could strengthen a real-life relationship.  Although not every piece of advice may apply to every situation, I feel confident in recommending this book that every reader will find something that will prove helpful in improving one of their relationships. A few quotes: “We hav...

 Book by Sheri Dew. These biographical snippets paint a picture of a man who was truly remarkable in countless ways. His optimism, intelligence, kindness, curiosity, discipline, sincerity, faith, leadership, and so on are unmatched.

 Book by Pam Muñoz Ryan. This was an excellent historical biographical fiction story about the life of Charlotte “Charlie” Parkhurst, famed stagecoach driver who masqueraded as a man for much of her life, and also became the first woman to vote (years before it became legal to do so). The novel is short and geared toward younger audiences, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of it at all.

 Book by Daniel James Brown. This was a fabulous book, chronicling the stories of Japanese Americans during WW2: some in internment camps, some as soldiers, some as political protesters, and one living in Japan at the start of the war. Both heartbreaking and inspiring, their stories will stay with me. My only complaint was that for me personally, the war chapters dragged a bit, going into more details about strategy, maneuvering, weaponry, etc than I cared about. Note: definitely depicts the horrors of war, but not gratuitously. Highly recommended for high schoolers and adults.

Nonfiction narrative by Candice Millard. This book is proof that reality is stranger than fiction! What a fascinating account of a president I knew nothing about prior to reading this!  I was so impressed by James Garfield’s humility, integrity, and servant leadership. I was so angry at the pride of the doctor whose incompetence ended up killing him. I was astounded at how the assassin lived with such deep psychosis and extensive lawbreaking for so many years, yet was never caught or locked up. And I absolutely loved the vice president’s change of heart and the stranger who inspired him to be better! Note: there is brief mention of a free love commune where people have multiple sexual partners, but beyond that I can’t think of any adult content at all! Highly recommended for teens and adults.

 Memoir by Lara Love Hardin. This was a very compelling memoir! The first 3/4 of the book were 5 stars for me. I liked the author’s writing style, and the glimpse into the realities of drug addiction were eye opening. The last quarter of the book felt a bit self-aggrandizing (ie. Oprah book club) and overtly lobbying for criminal justice reforms as opposed to just telling us her experiences and allowing us to come to our own conclusions. Also, I was devastated to hear that marriage #3 didn’t stick. Note: there is some profanity and a few brief mentions of gay sex happening elsewhere in the prison. I felt it was worthwhile both as a cautionary tale and a reminder that people can change.

 Memoir by Lawrence Anthony. A fascinating look into African preserves in general, as well as the specific relationship of Lawrence with a herd of wild elephants. No objectionable material.

 Nonfiction book by Greg McKeown. Good nonfiction giving advice about simplifying, getting things done, streamlining processes, etc. Much of it is geared toward the business world, but the author does try to tie each principle to its relevance in personal life. I enjoyed many of the stories and examples he shared. The audiobook was good.

 Nonfiction book by Jonathan Haidt. This is a book I recommend to EVERYONE! The author’s thesis is straightforward: we are overprotecting kids in the real world while simultaneously underprotecting them in the virtual world; this combination is causing the current mental health crisis among youth. The author gives an abundance of scientific research, statistics, and anecdotal evidence to support his claims. (The last third of the book is all footnotes!) I do not recommend this as an audiobook because there are so many charts and graphs referred to that you will want to see.

 Book by Jim DeFede I was somewhat familiar with this story due to the musical “Come From Away” (highly recommended), but the book goes into details the theater production couldn’t. It is an absolutely heartwarming true story of the good people of Newfoundland embracing the hordes of airline passengers stranded there on 9/11 and the days that followed. My only complaint was that the narrative jumped back and forth between so many different characters, it was difficult for me as an audiobook listener to keep track of who was who. Recommended age 13+

 Memoir by Anthony Ray Hinton. This is a phenomenal book! I was appalled by the intentional miscarriage of justice perpetrated by the state of Alabama. And I was astounded that it took 30 years and an order from the Supreme Court to finally right this wrong. But I was also utterly impressed by Mr. Hinton’s realization that although his choices were far more limited than they would be if he was not incarcerated, he still had the power to choose how he would live the life he was handed. He chose to read and improve his mind. He chose to uplift and strengthen his fellow inmates. He chose to see the humanity in each person, including his jailers and a KKK murderer. He chose to have faith. He chose to forgive. The story is also a powerful example of friendship, with his best friend Lester visiting him and strengthening him every week, unfailingly, year after year. It is also an indictment of capital punishment, not because justice is a bad thing, but because we as humans so often get ju...

 Memoir by Ruth Reichl. I actually really enjoyed listening to this memoir! I found it fascinating how influenced she was by how she was dressed and how much it affected her actions. I loved that her son always immediately recognized her when no one else did. I loved that she was on the side of regular people rather than the restaurants or the snooty elitists. I thought it was fascinating that her alter egos seemed to come in contrasting pairs: the woman who gets walked all over by people (Molly) and the over assertive woman (Miriam, her mom); the attention grabbing blonde (Chloe) and the practically invisible older woman (Betty); the warm, generous redhead (Brenda) and the cold, judgmental woman (Emily). I loved her introspection about the kind of person she wanted to be and her recognition that what her son wanted most was family dinners together at home. The audiobook narration was excellent and was followed by an interesting interview with the author. My only complaint about th...

 This movie depicts the true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel and beat the men’s record in the process. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and marvelled at Trudy’s dedication despite those men who were determined to stop her. The movie is funny and heartwarming, but also eye-opening in terms of the way women and sports were viewed in the early 1900’s. Note: it briefly shows the bare buttocks of a man who swims nude or in a thong.

 Nonfiction book by Nicholas Day. This was an interesting nonfiction audiobook all about the Mona Lisa. It would be a perfect read before a trip to the Louvre!

 Nonfiction religious book by Lili DeHoyos Anderson. This was a fascinating book, laying out a definition of telestial, terrestrial, and celestial behaviors and attitudes and how those attitudes and behaviors affect personal development and family dynamics. The author is a marriage and family therapist, and she gave eye-opening real life examples to illustrate her doctrinal points. A lot of food for thought and potential for discussion in this book! Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was good.

 Book by Hadley Vlahos. This was a fascinating, heartbreaking, inspiring book. I loved the way the author interspersed what she learned from her patient interactions with the way those things affected her personal life and growth. It was an eye-opening peek into the realities of end of life care. And it was fascinating how universal the experience of seeing deceased loved ones is right before a person passes into the next life. Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was ok but not great. The author reads it herself and is clearly not a trained voice actress.

 Picture book by Carol McCloud. This book is surprisingly well done and a great way to introduce kids to the idea of filling someone’s bucket through kind words and actions.

 Picture book by Todd Sturgell. I could see kids giggling over the premise of this book that is both a fictional story and contains nonfiction information about animals. You could also start a conversation about when it makes sense to say “Oh yeah?” and defy expectations, and when it makes sense to listen to the advice of someone with more knowledge than you.

 Nonfiction book by James Clear. This was a great book that changed the way I think about goal setting. It’s not about what you want to accomplish, but about what you want to become, and changing your processes and environment in ways that will make small but powerful changes. I loved the practicality and actionable information.

 Book by Atul Gawande. This is a fascinating nonfiction informational book about end-of-life care (assisted living, not euthanasia).