Still Reviewing.....

Moving along with my summer reading, I have finished more than I expected in this short time...I may even be able to finish my list AND read more! I have not been able to post as regularly as I had hoped due to connectivity issues, but that just means you get more reviews with each post!

Carrying on:

 

 

 

 Eloquent, descriptive, Autumn is an excellent collection of essays, a few not necessarily to my liking, but the overall value of Knausgard's writing is undeniable as he presents readers with small pieces of an everyday life.

 

Too much of American history omits the lives of women involved in the making of this country. Lucy Flucker Knox did not play an active part in the Revolution, but her devotion to and support of her husband, the celebrated General Henry Knox resulted in one of the most successful Revolutionary-era marriages. Peggy Shippen Arnold may be more known as the wife that aided her traitor husband Benedict Arnold (I had once read somewhere that she actually instigated his betrayal of the Colonial forces, but this book refutes that information); however, this book gives both women's histories, their family background, and the dynamics that shaped their marriages. Reviewers on Goodreads gave this book poor reviews for some editorial mistakes, but if you look past that, you will find a history that is both a romance and an adventure story.

This was a very difficult book to read. Lacy Johnson met a monster one day, though she didn't know it right away, and by the time she realized it, it was nearly too late to escape. Escape she did, only to be caught once again. Lacy Johnson experienced a real-life waking nightmare and emerged triumphant, determined to tackle life with every ounce of strength she has. Amazing fortitude.

What do you do when your own body decides to kill you? How do you fight back? How do you cope? Especially when your doctors aren't even really sure why your body is trying to kill you or how to stop it? Sarah Manguso details her journey of decay and reemergence, and teaches readers a valuable lesson about life.
            

And finally, I am currently working on "Nature's Perfect Food," an ironic subject considering that not only am I lactose intolerant but I have hated milk for as long as I can remember. A small splash of Lactaid milk in my morning tea is all I can tolerate. I have managed to pass this intolerance gene onto two of my three children, and all of us were adults when our issues started. My youngest child is currently 8...time will show us which of his parents he takes after. (And he doesn't like to drink milk either, just dunk his Oreos in it!)