Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was fascinating and gave me a lot to think about. Do I agree with all the conclusions about Sapiens and humanity? I don't know yet. But did I enjoy considering all of them and reconsidering who I am and why I am who I am? Absolutely.

I originally rated this as 4 stars, because sometimes this is overwhelming. Upon looking back, it's probably my fault that I was overwhelmed, not the book's fault, so I've upped my score to 5 stars.

Also, I think it deserves the 5th star, because it's kind of amazing how it really does deliver on the title, in a way that is pretty cohesive. I definitely learned a lot, most of which I will probably forget again, but it was worth it to understand the journey of how we got from there to here.

It was also worth it to have some of my ideas about humanity be challenged, and to take a hard look at what the truth is behind human behaviors and actions. I've reached a point where it's rare for me to hear so many new or unexpected things in one book, and it reminds me that there is so much I just assume rather than actually know. I liked having to stop and questioning things that I've never questioned before. 5 stars for stretching (or attempting to stretch) my brain.

Book 14 read in 2019

Pages: 443

Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim

This is a haunting story of love and friendship set in antebellum Virginia and Ohio.  The baby Lisbeth is handed over to Mattie, her black, enslaved wet nurse, moments after birth, which begins the bond that is carried through both women's lives. Elizabeth is the privileged daughter of southern plantation owners, and Mattie is, of course, enslaved. Mattie cares for and loves the child just as she loves her own, and Lisbeth spends more time with Mattie than her own distracted mother. As Lisbeth grows into womanhood, Mattie finds that she must seek freedom for her own family and she escapes, which produces some of the most harrowing scenes in the text. Lisbeth later, upon the realization of just how horrifying slavery really is, escapes herself with an abolitionist minded husband. Both women find themselves in Ohio, where the story takes on a melancholy tone, as race and class still impact their existence.

252 pages

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

When the Igbo people of eastern Nigeria seceded in 1967 to form the independent nation of Biafra, a bloody, crippling three-year civil war followed. That period in African history is captured with haunting intimacy in this artful page-turner from Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She tells this heart-breaking, gripping story primarily through the eyes and lives of Ugwu, a 13-year-old peasant houseboy who survives conscription into the doomed, unprepared Biafran army, and twin sisters Olanna and Kainene, who are from a wealthy and well-connected family. Tumultuous politics power the plot, and several sections are harrowing, particularly passages depicting the savage butchering of Olanna and Kainene's relatives. But this dramatic, intelligent epic has a beautiful and personal side as well:  rebellious Olanna is the mistress of Odenigbo, a university professor brimming with anticolonial zeal; while business-minded Kainene takes as her lover fair-haired, blue-eyed Richard, a British expatriate come to Nigeria to write a book about Igbo-Ukwu art.  How this group is impacted by the brutality of war will stay with the reader for a very long time.  It is a searing history lesson in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing. 

543 pages -- 18 hours, 56 minutes

"Beyond Shame" by Kit Rocha

This dystopian novel is set on Earth after solar storms destroy society.  Noelle Cunningham has been exiled from Eden, the only city where "good" and "righteous" people live.  As a woman, her life there was severely restricted with very little free will.  After being caught with a young man, she is kicked out of Eden with nothing but what she's wearing and ends up in the Sectors, where the "outlaws" live.  Jasper McCray, a cage fighter and bootlegger, takes her to Sector Four where Dallas O'Kane rules.  Tattoos, sex, violence, and alcohol are part of life and, as it turns out, love.  Noelle and Jasper are drawn to each other, but both know little about making relationships work.  Plus, she's the daughter of a councilman, who may want her back or want her dead for selfish and political reasons.

I went out of my comfort zone to read this on the recommendation of a book blogger whose reviews I generally like.  (It's not someone from our blog.)  The author built an interesting world that wasn't overly detailed with minutiae, which is what usually keeps me from reading more dystopian and science fiction stories.  However, I did not like the relationships between the men and women.  Although the women in Sector Four have free will, and the author created a very dominant and assertive female character in Lex, the men still called the shots and dominated the women in certain scenes.  That's just not my cup of tea.  354 pages (Kindle edition).

"Hollywood & Mine" by K.C. Ford

Jack Hoffman is a reality TV host on a renovation show.  A contractor by trade, he and his brother (who works behind the scenes on the show) are living pretty good lives in L.A., even if Jack does have to hide in the closet to appease the network.  But that may change when he meets the brother of the show's latest featured homeowner.  Cassius has just arrived from Oklahoma after being kicked out of the family by his father.  He's quiet and seems fragile and "princely" to Jack.  He's also a former champion pairs figure skater who was forced to quit at the top of his game.

The author's phrases and descriptions are quite unusual, but I liked the story for the most part.  Cas is a very unique character, and Jack doesn't quite know what to make of him.  The book could have used closer editing, but I enjoyed the main characters and their interactions.  203 pages (Kindle edition).

"Paris A to Z" by Marie Sexton

Not so much a sequel as a continuation of the Coda series, this book finds Zach, Angelo, Matt, and Jared flying to Paris for the wedding of Jon and Cole.  Zach still harbors grief and guilt over hurting Jon over a decade ago, and Matt is trying to deal with his irrational jealousy over Cole being in Jared's life long before he was.  The story is alternately told in Zach's and Matt's voices, which I liked.  It was also a bit soapy, but I liked that, too.  It was good to revisit the couples again and see where they are in their relationships.  The previous books must be read first.  105 pages (Kindle edition).

The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

(Posted for Ann Roberts)

This is undoubtedly among the worst books I have ever read; the plot mundane, the characters insipid and unappealing. The story is about Jo Marie Rose, a widow, who has just arrived in Cedar Cove to run a bed and breakfast. Her first guests are Joshua Weaver and Abby Kincaid. Joshua has come to collect a few family mementos from his dying stepfather, a cruel man him who drove Josh out of his home in high school. Joshua is angry and bitter and wants nothing more than get his stuff and run.

Abby, who has not been home for 20 years, has returned for her brother's wedding. She is dealing with painful memories of a friend who was killed in an automobile accident, which happened while Abby was driving. She, too, only wants to do what she has to do and then get out of town. However, they both meet the loves of their life and live happily ever after.  My reading this book is further testimony to my reading compulsion. What’s worse is this author has millions of books in print. Which made me think, if I were to pen some similar drivel, could I get her publisher to publish me? I’m thinking there’s a retirement plan there!

 Paperback, 330 pages

"The Inn at Rose Harbor" by Debbie Macomber

Jo Marie Rose has lost her husband of three months and decides to leave Seattle to open a bed and breakfast in the coastal town of Cedar Cove, WA.  This book is told in first person from her viewpoint and in third person about her first two guests, Abby and Josh.  All three of them are dealing with past disappointments and heartbreak.  Abby and Josh both grew up in Cedar Cove but have purposely stayed away for many years.  She has returned for her brother's wedding, and he has returned to check on his dying stepfather.  One thing I found curious was that although they are about the same age and are Cedar Cove natives, they do not know each other.

This was an easy read but not very deep.  Conflicts seemed to resolve themselves too easily, unlike in real life.  There were enough loose ends to tie over to the next book as this is the first in a new series.  (This was an advance reader's edition that I picked up at MLA.)  330 pages.

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

I had had this book on reserve for quite a while - in fact I had almost forgotten about it - so it was a pleasant surprise when it showed up as available on Christmas Eve day. This book introduces us to a cast of characters living at 44 Scotland Street in Edinburgh and the people they interact with on a daily basis. All of the characters have their own foibles, some intriguing, some charming and some obnoxious. I found myself quickly drawn into the various relationships and can't help but wonder what the sequels will bring. Originally published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper, the chapters are short, humorous, full of insight and frequently leave you wanting more. 352 pages.