Recent Reads
In 2016 I read 44 books, which was a lot for me, but one of my goals for 2017 is to read even more. Even though the city just brought wi-fi to all of the subway stations, I try to exclusively read on my commute instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media (like I do basically the entire rest of the day). Goodreads has a "book challenge" feature, and I set mine at 52 books in 2017, and with six already completed the little widget tells me I'm already three books ahead of schedule. I'm heavily motivated by deadlines and gratuitous praise, so I'm feeling good about this goal (and hope to exceed it).
I've also been trying to read books that I actually own instead of filling up my library queue—I'm nothing if not a book hoarder and impulsive book-buyer, and my shelves are filled mostly with books I've never read. Reading a library book is good for that deadline-oriented part of me, but I own so many good ones that deserve a chance, and the more I read and sell back to the Strand the more books I can continue to buy (totally rational). So, not only have I read six books already in 2017, but they were (almost) all great—here's a bit more about what I've been reading lately:
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital
This book was referenced in the excellent history of Bellevue I sped through at the end of 2016, and I picked it up immediately. It was long but with a book this good that hardly mattered (apart from me giving up on the huge library copy and purchasing the paperback version).
Five Days is about the harrowing time leading up to, and directly after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Memorial hospital lost power and was ravaged by floods and misinformation. Half of the book describes what it was like inside the hospital, and half of the book is devoted to the legal battle that followed after claims that patients were intentionally euthanized rather than evacuated—both are equally fascinating.
Dead Distillers: A History of the Upstarts and Outlaws Who Made American Spirits
This was the least memorable of the group, but it was a quick, easy read. The book comprises short stories of various people—names you've heard of, like Jim Beam, and names history forgot—vital to the history of distilling spirits in America. Some of the stories were great, some were a little meh but I did learn that distilling is a tricky business and I continue to marvel at the fact that Prohibition actually happened in our not-so-distant past.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
I put this book on my library list because it was so highly rated on Amazon, and now I understand why. This is an essential book—I thought multiple times while reading it that I should buy this book for everyone I know. Everyone will die, and most of us will grow old, and every one that plans to do so (or help someone else do so) so go out and buy (or rent) this book immediately. Gawande's writing is infinitely readable and empathetic, and I cried several times while reading his thoughtful stories. This book wasn't enjoyable, but it was thought-provoking and no doubt life-changing.
This was a Christmas gift from a friend who knows me very well, so I knew I would love it. The novel begins in New York in the late 1930s, and follows Katey Kontent, whose life is shaped by a series of choices and unavoidable events. I've been trying to read more fiction (or ideally, alternate it with non-fiction) but it's always easier for me to pick non-fiction. Luckily, this one was chosen for me and it matched up with my interests perfectly, mainly in its vivid descriptions of old New York. While the high society scenes are fun to imagine, I found myself wanting nothing more than to go back in time and eat at the Wall Street diner she frequents.
I was skeptical going into this book (lent to me by a dear friend who actually met with the Voyeur recently and snapped his portrait). I'd followed the backlash after the New Yorker article came out and was wary of the validity of the story, but was too curious to skip the book. It was a quick read—mostly journal entries from Gerald Foos, who owned motels in Colorado from the 60s through the 80s and spied on his guests via specially-crafted ceiling vents. Foos claims he was watching guests have sex "for the sake of science," but he mostly comes across as a fractured creep with delusions of grandeur. This is also my first introduction to the writing of Gay Talese and I came away from this book feeling almost as turned off by Talese's narcissism as I was by Foos's.
This book was first recommended by Kaylah (whose book recommendations I almost always find to be spot-on) and it had been sitting on my shelf for a while before I finally plucked it off recently. It wasn't at all what I expected (the title and cover photograph had me expecting more of a carnival-vibe) but it was a fascinating story. Told mostly in flashbacks and scattered fragments, the writing style felt really unique. The book is relatively short, but the insights into Daniel Fletcher's (and Johnny Vincent's, and Steven Edward's, etc.) mind and crazy life are fascinating.
Let's become friends on Goodreads and let me know what you're reading—book recommendations are always welcome!
