Month: October 2020

Books read in October 2020

Picture Books

Hike
Pete Oswald
Read for Librarian Book Group

I’m so-so on hiking, but Pete Oswald’s drawings of a parent and child hiking compel me to find some landscapes for a day in the woods.

Middle Grade

When Stars are Scattered
Omar Mohamed & Victoria Jamieson
Read for Librarian Book Group

Spend years in a refugee camp with Omar and his brother.

This story completely drives home life as a refugee and includes a wonderful author’s note at the end.

A Gathering of Days
Joan W. Bos

As a Newbery and National Book Award winner in 1980, I was surprised to find I hadn’t read this as a child as I enjoyed diary formats and “olden days” material.

I loved the detail in this book and that the old-timey people were full of humor.

Trowbridge Road
Marcella Pixley
Read for Librarian Book Group

On the one hand, the writing in this is gorgeous. On the other hand, the drama is turned up so high I found myself sighing when it was time to read. There’s a lot of crying in this book. Like crying done by the characters. They cry all the time. It makes sense for what’s going on, but after a point it felt like a crutch. Plus there’s child abuse, plus mental illness, plus ramifications of a fatal illness.

Young Adult

Smash It
Francina Simone

Liv is not the outgoing one in her trio of friends. When she decides to change things up she makes a list. That list leads to many new experiences for Liv.

I loved how this book explored fluctuations in friendship and navigating crushes and milestone experiences. Liv was a great character and she for sure goes on a journey.

Stay Gold
Tobley McSmith
Read for Librarian Book Group

Ninety percent of this book was a solid story of Pony’s life at a new high school and Georgia’s questioning her cheerleader lifestyle/image.

The last 10% is a poorly written conclusion to the story. It begins at an After-School-Special level and goes downhill from there. Hopefully, future novels from McSmith will be stellar throughout.

King and the Dragonflies
Kacen Callender
Read for Librarian Book Group

Set in swampy, steamy, Louisiana, King and the Dragonflies is King’s story of a time of mourning and transition. He’s coming to terms with his older brother’s sudden death while also negotiating friendships and parent expectations.

Another Brooklyn
Jacqueline Woodson

The dedication: “For Bushwick (1970–1990) In memory.” And this is a great example of Woodson’s economy with language. We know that the place that was during that time is gone, but that we are going to get to experience it.

Woodson’s novel about four friends in Brooklyn is a picture of a neighborhood and a time. As usual with Woodson, the language is beautiful.

Dragon Hoops
Gene Luen Yang
Read for Librarian Book Group

Like Gene Luen Yang at the start of this book, I don’t care about basketball. Unlike Gene Luen Yang, by the time the book ended I still didn’t care about basketball. I really enjoyed the bits of basketball history (Invented by a Canadian! First woman to dunk!) but I found the notes more interesting than the story itself.

Young Nonfiction

Lifting as We Climb
Evette Dionne
Read for Librarian Book Group

An easy-to-digest history of the work Black women did to get the vote. There are many examples of how they kept working even as they were being thwarted by white women. (And all men.)

This is Your Brain on Stereotypes
Tanay Lloyd Kyi & Drew Shannon
Read for Librarian Book Group

An excellent intro into science and unconscious bias with illustrations that strike the right balance of serious and fun. The use of the phrase “write a test” rather than “take a test” on page 42 had me checking the author bios to discover that this is a Canadian book. I think that phrasing will confuse children from the USA, but other than that potential wrinkle, this was a great book.

Grownup Nonfiction

Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected Solutions
Johann Hari

Thanks to Goodreads, I get to keep an eye on my friend Jan’s reading habits, even though she moved away years ago. This was a recent read by her that caught my eye and I’m glad I found my way to it.

Johann Hari experienced depression throughout his life and treated it for years with antidepressants. After 13 years, he started looking into the conventional wisdom that brain chemistry is the cause of depression. Turns out, not so much.

Hari outlines nine lost connections and seven ways to reconnect that might help people grappling with depression or the blues.

Grownup Fiction

The Lager Queen of Minnesota
J. Ryan Stradal

Not the LARGER Queen of Minnesota, as I kept reading the title, but LAGER. As in beer. Edith is an amazing character and I loved this series of interlocking stories about Edith, her sister, and her granddaughter.

If we were a country of Ediths, we’d all be better for it.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
V.E. Schwab

Yeesh. This book went on for much too long. I mean sure, Addie has been alive for 300+ years, but the pacing is such that we seem to be experiencing each year. When I finally sloshed to the end, I found an unsatisfying conclusion. And thanks to the e-reader, I know that’s eight hours of my life I won’t get back.

Ghost Wall
Sarah Moss

I found this novel to be unpleasant because of the subject matter, but do appreciate the author’s use of words in an economical way. Abusive fathers can be a third rail for me, but the language in this book managed to overcome.

The Life and Death of Sophie Stark
Anna North

This manages to be a book I liked quite a bit while also intensely disliking the title character. Possibly it was the interview format that hooked me. At any rate, I loved how real these characters felt and it was great to get a glimpse of a memorable time in their lives.

Oregon City Ghost Tour

Matt bought a ghost tour of Oregon City at a charity auction and our friends Burt and Laurie met us for the tour.

Oregon City was dressed up for Halloween. Even the municipal elevator got into the action.

We skipped the elevator and walked up the stairs. I enjoy stairs, as I rarely encounter them. North Portland is very flat.

Aside from taking us by some houses that were haunted, our tour guide took us off the beaten path of the tour to see a very festive house. I could not capture the scale due to lack of light, but it was quite impressive as the next three pictures attempt to get at.

The moon was also stunning and eluded capture by my camera.

It was a fun outing in a year with few fun outings.

Top Movies October 2020

(11 total films watched) (2 re-watched)

As you can see, October was a great movie-watching month!

Re-watched:

Saving Face

When your mom comes to live with you.

Lynn Chenn looking at Michelle Krusiec in the film Saving Face. A star with text: Good. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com: Saving Face

The Birds

When the birds come to town.

Still from Alfred Hitchcock's film the Birds: Tippi Hedren fleeing from some awesome crows along with two children. A star with text: Good. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com: The Birds

Northern Soul

When you find your thing.

A picture of Elliot James Langridge in the film Northern Soul. A star with text: Good. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com: Northern Soul

How to Talk to Girls at Parties

When movies are bizarre.

Alex Sharp and Elle Fanning in the film How to Talk to Girls at Parties. A star with text: Good. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com: How to Talk to Girls at Parties

The Trial of the Chicago 7

When justice isn’t being served.

Alex Sharp, Jeremy Strong, John Carroll Lynch and Sacha Baron Cohen backed by a wall of protesters in the Trial of the Chicago 7. A star with text: Recommended. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com The Trial of the Chicago 7

Rebecca (1940)

When you marry that guy you met in Monte.

Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine in Rebecca. A star with text: Recommended. An arch with text: 3SMReviews Rebecca (1940)

Rebecca (2020)

When you try your hand at a classic.

Armie Hammer and Lily James in Rebecca (2020). Star with text: Good. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com: Rebecca (2020)

Adrift

When the trip doesn’t go as planned.

Shailene Woodley in the film Adrift. A star with text Good. An arch with text: 3SMReviews.com: Adrift

Songs My Brothers Taught Me

When your family is fractured.

Picture of Taysha Fuller, Irene Bedard and John Reddy in the motion picture Songs My Brothers Taught Me. A star with text: Good. An arch with the text: 3SMReviews.com: Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Great Packaging from Little Dear

My first orders from Little Dear came in what we all probably think is standard packaging. A clear plastic bag with some paper stapled to the top. But Aimee Ray has been thinking about packaging and has upgraded to this situation.

Plain brown bag with stamp. Hole cut through the bag with a punch to let people see what’s inside.

Closed with a sticker.

Inside, all was neatly folded.

It was great to not have to throw out any plastic. I would like the retailers of the US (and those around the world) to follow her lead.

Neighborhood 5K: October 2021

I’ve been training for a 5K with Nerdfitness. My problem with 5k training programs is that none exist (or, if they exist, I have not found them) that stretch the 5k training over three or more months. So I did what I could. But the six weeks was not enough training time for me to run the entire way, so we did a run walk.

I plotted out the route and was just the tiniest bit short. (A 5K is 3.1 miles.)

It was good to start my day with this neighborhood 5K!

Songs My Brothers Taught Me Shows Lives on the Rez

Picture of Taysha Fuller, Irene Bedard and John Reddy in the motion picture Songs My Brothers Taught Me.

Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Directed by Chloé Zhao
Written by Chloé Zhao

The review:

Depictions of Rez Life are rare in film, and it’s saying something that a Chinese director, not an American, was the person who made this film about Johnny and Jashaun Winter and their life on the Pine Ridge Reservation.* This is a Wandering Through sort of film and there’s much to observe, though there is a bit of plot holding everything together.** This film showed depressing and hopeful aspects of a community that seems to exist in America without much notice by the general public.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free via Kanopy, the library’s free streaming service.
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

  • The Rider
  • Smoke Signals
  • I don’t have much knowledge in this area.
  • Here is a list from Indian Country Today

Further sentences:

*I was first introduced to Zhao with the 2018’s excellent The Rider, which also takes place on Pine Ridge.
**As with The Rider, the plot is not super important. Zhao is great at holding your attention.

Questions:

  • What would life on the Rez look like if a billion promises hadn’t been broken?
  • What do you think it would take to have a regular pipeline of Indian-produced films?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

On a DVD extra, director Chloé Zhao said of the tight budget, light plotting, and neo-realist style casting, “We’re capturing truth—because truth is the only thing we can afford.” The production used mostly local residents as actors, and, according to Zhao, 80% of the story depicted is true to the actual life of the young man playing Johnny Winters (John Reddy). The house that Winters lives in is the house that Reddy lived in, and Reddy, also one of twenty-five children to one father, has many of his real family members playing members of his family. In fact, the man shown delivering the eulogy for Winters’ father is Reddy’s actual father.

Other reviews of Songs My Brothers Taught Me:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Thing about breaking a horse is, don't run 'em all the time. 'Cause if you're gonna just keep running a horse, you're gonna break its spirit. Anything that runs wild got something bad in 'em. You want to leave some of that in there. 'Cause they need it to survive out here. —Songs My Brothers Taught Me. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Voting. Plus a Creative Mailer

Look at all the paper things I shuffled through before I voted. This doesn’t include the online resources I used as I was doing my research. This is why voting by mail is a-mazing. When I used to have to go to a polling place, I scribbled notes on a piece of paper and hoped I covered all the right things.

This was a creative mailer. You’ll never guess what conclusion was.

My favorite question was “Who killed Packy?” Because while I think Packy died from old age and standard substandard zoo conditions for elephants, I know that point was brought up because Metro once promoted a bond measure that would build an off-site home for the elephants at the zoo. And then when it passed they never did! I’m still salty about that.

From the future, I can tell you that though I did vote for Metro’s Transportation Wage Tax (even despite being salty about the elephants) many people agreed with the sentiments of this flow chart and the measure didn’t pass.

Prescriptions. Shop Around

The pills on the right are the exact same pills as the ones on the left. But the pills on the right cost me more than $300, while the pills on the left cost me $60.

The pharmaceutical industry is causing real harm to the hard working people living in the United States. Healthcare (even for cats) is not affordable. And it could be. It very easily could be.

Salads in a Jar are Very Aesthetically Pleasing

I bought a salad-in-a-jar book. It was not much money, because that trend was a few years ago. I’ve been having fun making extra meals for Matt and me.

My salads are on the right. You can tell, because they have cherry tomatoes in them. Matt, not a fan of raw tomatoes, got beets instead.