Fear

Fear:Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward, investigative reporter from the Washington Post who uncovered the Watergate scandal, is an in depth look at the first two years of the Trump presidency. If you weren't afraid enough of our current administration, this book will surely strike fear into your heart. It tells in detail how decisions are made on a day to day basis, addressing everything from North Korea, to Afghanistan, NAFTA, WTO, and much more, as well as how the staff try to handle Trump.

If this wasn't written by Woodward, perhaps one would question the truth of this administration being in such total chaos, but this is so extensively researched and documented, it's hard to deny. Most of the staff written about in the book have already left the White House or been fired. All I could think the entire time I was reading this book was 'How did we get here?!' Not for the feint of heart.

The Girls in the Picture

The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin is about the early days of Hollywood, especially one of the first movie stars, Mary Pickford and her friend, screenwriter Francis Marion. They forged a strong friendship during the days of silent films, but their relationship suffered in later years, especially as Mary went off on tour with husband Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin.

Not my favorite of Benjamin's books, but great historical fiction about the early days of movies, a time when women had much more power in Hollywood than they do today.

When the English Fall

When the English Fall by David Williams, an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, is a novel about the Amish way of life. Told in simple, sparse journal entries, Jacob, an Amish farmer tells what happens when a solar storm disrupts all technology and life outside their community is thrown into chaos.

A beautifully written little book about what will happen if all our devices suddenly fail and we are left with no skills to survive. A meditative and timely read.

A Distant Heart

A Distant Heart by Sonali Dev reads like a Bollywood movie without the dancing, which is of course much less fun. A story of two young lovers who met in their early teens.Kimaya had a rare condition and was locked in her sterile germ-free room, Rahul cleaned her windows and got to know her from the other side of the glass.. Their relationship survived all odds, but this is not just a love story, its a crime thriller as well. Rahul, now a cop, is trying to track down the leader of a black market organ ring and Kimaya is being targeted.

A mildly entertaining picture of life in modern day India, but not as good without the pulsing soundtrack.

Man

Man, which means perfect fulfillment in Vietnamese, by Kim Thuy is a beautifully written little novel about a Vietnamese chef who is married with kids and living in Montreal with her family, then meets a French chef who turns her world upside down.

With such sparse, well chosen words, Thuy transports the reader to another world filled with beauty, love, food, and passion. Poetic, lyrical, totally original, a beautiful book to read slowly and savor.