Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Details the lives of the March sisters as they navigate the passage from adolescence to womanhood.

Parts 1 and 2. 777 pages.

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The perspective about war, life, and death is very different coming from someone who lived within that world on a daily basis. To me, that was fascinating, even if there were a few things that made me uncomfortable along the way.

This was a compelling read, because this life was so different than any life I will ever lead. It's also interesting to hear about the war from someone who was on the ground. I appreciated the honesty, even when it didn't shed Chris in the best light.

Book 279 read in 2018

Pages: 538

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this years ago, but when I saw it on Audible, I knew I wanted to buy it and listen. It's a great story for listening, because it's so honest in the kind of way that can be both charming and completely uncomfortable. Bryan Cranston is an excellent narrator.

I highly recommend this in any version, but be aware that this story does not in any way romanticize war or the life of a soldier. It's not a feel good story, more like a feel everything story.

Pages: 259

Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls is an excellent storyteller.  I loved her memoir, The Glass Castle, but I enjoyed reading Half Broke Horses even more.   In Half Broke Horses, Walls shares to remarkable adventures of her maternal grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, to whom Walls feels a kindred spirit.  Like many heroines of the American Frontier, Lily Casey Smith is brave, resourceful, and no-nonsense.

272 pages.