Courage

There’s a pretty good chance that you're riding a rollercoaster of emotions this week. When people around you feel fearful or unsafe, when the environment you live in does not seem like it will be protected, and when divisiveness seems to permeate into our bones, life might feel kind of hopeless. And maybe “kind of” is an understatement.

So. Sometimes the world might seem like it sucks. And that’s a perfectly valid feeling to feel right now. But consider these six books, that let us know that every human is important and that even when the world is scary there are actions we can take if only we have the courage to do so.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” -Atticus Finch

Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio

People in the world may look different from you, but we are all humans.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Even in the face of oppression and hopelessness, a little subversiveness can go a long way.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

We only have one world, and it’s our responsibility to care for it.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Women get stuff done. Also, the world needs laughter.

Harry Potters and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

“We’re all human aren’t we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving” -Kingsley Shacklebolt

Marley and Me by John Grogran

Dogs have a lot to teach humans about friendship, love, and empathy.

Don’t ever lose hope, friends. And let’s all keep fighting for a world we know can and does exist.

Book Review: Folks, This Ain't Normal

Over the past few years, some of my favorite and most inspiring non-fiction books have been focused on farming and sustainability: The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, Gaining Ground by Forrest Pritchard, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. So it’s no surprise that Joel Salatin’s Folks This Ain’t Normal was on my To-Read List.

If you’ve read The Omnivore’s Dilemma, you may recognize Joel Salatin’s name from Pollan’s visit to Salatin’s farm Polyface in Virginia. Salatin’s family has been farming in the Shenandoah Valley since 1961, and raise beef cattle, chickens, pigs, rabbits, and more. Salatin is quite honestly the face of local food in the United States, and his farm is world-renowned for its model of natural, sustainable practices.

That being said, Salatin is kind of a curmudgeon. He has a very strong opinion about things like big business, the USDA, and the role of government, and he isn’t afraid to tell you all about it in this book. While I found myself agreeing with a lot of his basic premises, some of it was a little bit too radical for me (no, I don’t want to live in the side of a hill with a hoop house as a roof and air dry all of my clothes). However, I really liked that he addressed some of the “haters” who think that eating local and organic is too expensive and that because they live in a city they aren’t able to have a garden or eat locally.

My favorite part of each chapter was when Salatin offered practical tips that anyone can apply. Of course, I found myself thinking that I could apply them a bit more easily than some of my counterparts given that I’m lucky enough to live on a farm and related to someone who farms animals for a living. Either way, here are my biggest takeaways from those chapters.

Some things you can do to support local agriculture are…

1. Go to the Farmer’s Market. Obviously the Market on the Square on Saturday mornings in Madison is of course amazing, but don’t forget about smaller markets like the Monona Market on Sunday mornings and the Fitchburg Market on Thursday afternoons.
2. Eat local, grass-fed animals. Of course I’m going to recommend to you the delicious Highland beef and pork at Highland Spring Farm! If you're out of state, choose a farmer that practices sustainable grazing and feeds their animals what they should be eating!
3. Support restaurants that use local foods. So many Madison restaurants are awesome at this, including: The Old-Fashioned, Charlie’s on Main, Lilliana’s, Graze, Graft, and Harvest.
4. Start a garden. Lots of vegetables, including tomatoes, are super easy to grow in a pot on your porch or in an actual garden if you have room. We personally grow tomatoes, peppers, celery, and carrots in our garden.
5. Join a CSA. CSAs, or Community Supported Agriculture, are a great way to support local farmers and get some seriously delicious food. Matt and I tried a CSA for the first time last year, and although sometimes it was a challenge to eat all the vegetables before they spoiled, it was also a really fun experiment to get new foods we had never cooked- bok choy, kohlrabi, acorn squash- and try to do something with it.

Many of those items Matt and I already do, but my wheels are still spinning with the knowledge that I can do more. More changes we plan to make are:

1. Buy chickens! We just ordered 5 chickens from mypetchicken.com (yes, that’s a real website!) which will be arriving next week!!! Chickens are great for eating extra kitchen scraps and we are obviously looking forward to some delicious eggs from our own backyard.
2. Find new ways to eat local. We just found a local mill in Lone Oak, WI that uses local Wisconsin wheat farmers to ground their flour. Another item to add to our local pantry! Thinking ahead, we could also find bread and butter that are more local than we already buy. We have found that while the Willy Street Co-Op is one of the best places to buy local, the Hy-Vee also flags local foods and Wisconsin producers, so we usually look for those.
3. Plan new ways to can and preserve food. We did a pretty good job last winter of freezing our garden peppers and sweet corn, making strawberry jam and canning some delicious pasta sauce and salsa. This summer we have plans to try to freeze rhubarb, and can other fruits like apples or applesauce. We could also get better at storing root vegetables like carrots, onions, and potatoes.

Joel Salatin’s voice may not be your style, and I might recommend reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle before this book. However, it was still a great reminder for me to continue to eat local, support small business, and do what’s best not only for my health but for the animals, soil, air, and earth.

2015 Review

Thought I forgot about this blog, did ya? Hasn’t been my best year of blogging, but better late than never, right? I know 2015 was, like, soooo last year, but here’s the year of books in review!

In 2015, I read exactly 50 books. Didn’t quite beat last year (57), but still quite the accomplishment of booking it!

Non-Fiction: 20

Fiction: 30

Audio: 7

I LOVED so many of the books I read this year, and it’s hard to narrow down my favorites, but here are my top 10 in no particular order:

1. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer
2. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
3. The Girl on the Train by Paula Harkins
4. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
5. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
6. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
7. Columbine by Dave Cullen
8. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
9. Ghettoside by Jill Leovy
10. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Definitely read a lot more fiction than I have in the past- it was fun this year to rediscover compelling, well-written fiction not targeted specifically for the young adult crowd.

And just for the heck of it, let’s all admit that we’ve read books we really didn’t enjoy so much. Here are five books I read that I wasn’t too fond of:

1. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
2. The List by Siobhan Vivian
3. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
4. Reality Boy by A.S. King
5. 10% Happier by Dan Harris

If you have read any of these and liked them, let me know- I’d love to chat with you about why you have terrible taste in books (har har har).

What’s up for 2016? I have already started a list on my Goodreads account of books I’ve been meaning to read for ages and ages, but have never gotten to. Most of these are a) bestsellers from years past that I’d like to read before I'm the last person on the planet who hasn't (And the Mountains Echoed, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) or b) classics that I embarrassingly have never read (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Joy Luck Club).

Here’s to a new year of reading and loving life! Happy 2016!

Book Review: Go Set a Watchman

Well, I’ve succumbed and finally read Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. I’m not sure if I have anything to add to the multitudes of publicity and conversation around the “sequel” except that It. Was. Terrible.

Two prerequisites here: 1) I really like To Kill a Mockingbird and I teach it every year in 10th grade English and 2) Reading Go Set a Watchman does not change my perception of TKAM much except to confirm that the "only the white man can save the black man" narrative is one that we perhaps should not continue to perpetuate in school.

The only reason I gave this book two stars out of five on Goodreads is because I think it’s a fascinating as a historical document. No other published book has given us as readers the chance to look into the past and see what terrible writing editors are first given and then turn into masterpieces.

Because let’s be honest: this is not a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird and although I’m sure Harper Lee wrote it, it was never supposed to be published. Don't really care what Harper Collins claims about "discovering the manuscript"- it was not a ready-for-print draft.

What publisher in their right minds (besides knowing this would make a bajillion dollars) would advertise a sequel so blatantly inconsistent with the original piece and ignore the stylistic inconsistencies of writing in present and past tense and needlessly switching between first and third person?!

Gah.

The biggest disagreement I had with fellow reviewers is about Jean Louise (aka our beloved Scout). While many saw her as a selfish, narcissistic twenty-something, I guess the selfish, narcissistic twenty-something in me related to her a bit more than the average New York Times reviewer. She seemed to me to be the most consistent character from To Kill a Mockingbird and I loved that her feisty and at times bratty personality was still full-fledged as an adult. You go Scout (even if you sound just a little racist while trying to tell your dad that he’s racist)!

Even with the glimmer of tomboy Scout in its pages, Go Set a Watchman has little plot and long rambling flashbacks with zero connection to the main conflict and I would not recommend it to anyone anytime soon.

End rant.

Book Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

A quaint seaside town in Australia. Three kindergarten mothers. One death at Pirriwee Public’s Trivia Night.

Since Big Little Lies was published in the summer of 2014, I have seen it over and over again on Goodreads and Pinterest lists. While many may write this off as a “beach read” (as if that’s a bad thing), I highly recommend that you pick up Big Little Lies for not only its ability to touch on tough subjects with a bit of humor, but its clever plot structure and suspense.

The novel revolves around three kindergarten moms: Jane, a new single mom with a tough past, Madeline, the nosy and boisterous mom of the bunch, and Celeste, a beautiful and rich mom  that no one would envy if they knew her secret. Moriarty delves into each of these three women’s stories as it leads up to Trivia Night, a fundraiser at the school. From the beginning of the story, we know that someone dies, but we don’t know who it is until the very end. Each chapter ends with a testimony from various other minor characters in the book: Madeline’s ex-husband’s new wife, John the handsome stay-at-home dad, and other members of the Parent Organization (AKA: the “Blonde Bobs”). These testimonies are usually hilarious, but also make you eager to find out whodunit (and to whom!).

This book is sure to hook you from the first chapter and lead you through the sometimes tough, sometimes cute, and sometimes funny lives of Madeline, Jane, and Celeste. I loved the mystery aspect and thought the set up was very clever. I'd love to know what you think!

Finding Time to Read

On the side whiteboard in my classroom, I keep a running tally of how many books I have completed this calendar year, along with the title and author of the book I am currently reading. So far this year, I have read (or listened to) 24 books (and, in case you were wondering, I am currently reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty- a bit of chick lit with a dark twist, it’s consistently been on book lists this whole year). Inevitably, at least once a week, a student comments on my count in exasperation and disbelief that I have completed so many books (so far, about six per month).

Like many other teachers and for that matter, human beings, I am a pretty busy person. My husband will tell you that I’m the busiest person on the planet. If you’re like me (and you probably are), here are a few suggestions I have for you if you are trying to squeeze a little bit more time to read into your hectic lives. I should probably take a few of these into consideration myself, considering I’m halfway through about four books right now and can’t seem to finish any of them.

1. Find an excellent book.

If you like reading and you are not a member of the site Goodreads, you should probably join now. Goodreads is the social media site of book lovers. You can find books, read reviews, see what your friends are reading or want to read, and set goals for yourself. I love checking in to see what books are trending each week and I always read a few Goodreads reviews before starting a book; it either a) makes me super excited to read it or b) helps me to not waste my time on books that might not be great. I also love looking at what my friends are reading- I have found so many books to read by looking at others' recommendations and ratings!

2. Don’t be afraid to abandon a book.

The fact is, some books aren’t as good as others. My aunt will tell you to employ the fifty page rule, which works if you don’t want to waste any time before abandoning a book: read fifty pages, and if you’re not hooked, move on. Although I’m more reluctant to abandon a book, if it’s been awhile since I’ve thought to pick it up, or if it takes me more than two weeks to read, that’s a sign to me that it’s time to move on. On my Goodreads page, I have a list of books I’ve abandoned, and perhaps some day I will come back to them; then again, perhaps not. As the quote on the right says, with over 129 million books in the world, don’t waste any more time on a book that doesn’t interest you.

3. Read more than one book at a time.

For whatever reason, most people groan at the idea of reading more than one book at once. I prefer to read more than one book just because what I like to read so often depends on what mood I’m in. Another reason I read so many books is my use of Overdrive (see point 4); whenever a book comes in on my iPad, I have fourteen days to finish it, so I usually dive in regardless of whether or not I’m already reading a book. I usually read one book that my students are reading, one fiction book, and one nonfiction book at once. While some people may find this confusing, I find that I am in the mood for reading more just because I have more variety to choose from. When you’re watching House of Cards on Netflix, don’t you sometimes want to mix it up with an episode of The Office or Friends just to lighten it up? Same with books.

4. Make reading convenient.

While I feel like I own a ton of books, only a small percentage of books I read each month are ones I own myself. I read books from school, borrowed from friends, or checked out at the public library. My biggest recommendation is to get Overdrive. Anyone with a public library card can download Overdrive on their phone for free and check out audiobooks to listen to on your phone or ebooks to read in your browser through your library. This helps me because it’s convenient, and I can read anywhere- in the car, while in line, waiting for someone, and so forth, all without carrying around a hulky book. The most convenient (but also most stressful?) part of Overdrive is putting items on hold- every month or so I request to put the top books on my “to read” list on hold. When they come in, I get an email and I can then upload the book for a two week check out time. The two week deadline in some ways motivates me to read it faster, but I mostly like the convenience of having books on any device without having to go anywhere to check it out or pay for it. Don’t get me wrong, I love physical books, but Overdrive has changed my reading life for good. I would seriously seriously recommend Overdrive to anyone and everyone- audiobooks are great too since you don’t have to deal with CDs and you can listen to it in the car, while making dinner, or while working out. Have I convinced you to get Overdrive yet?

Reading should not a be a chore. It shouldn’t be something you feel you should “do more” of. Everyone has the same amount of time in their week, and how you chose to use your 168 hours is your choice! Reading should be fun, and I hope these tips inspire you find time to book it. Do you have any other tips? If so, put them in the comments below. Good luck!

5 Psychological Thrillers

Psychological thrillers are all the rage. These are the books that will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you throw your book across the room, and mess with your mind until the very last page. If you enjoyed Gone Girl and similar titles, here are five great thrillers to pick up- and soon! My suggestion? Don’t read them right before you go to bed: you won’t be able to put these books down and if you do, your dreams might get a bit wacky.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

When a homicide rocks his hometown, District Attorney Andy Barber is on the case. The fact that the murder is of one of his son Jacob’s classmates further complicates the issue, but when fingers start pointing to Jacob, specifically the discover of a fingerprint on the body, Andy Barber becomes more determined than ever to crack the case and ultimately clear his son’s name. While this book has its repetitive moments, don’t jump to conclusions until the very last page.

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

Working single-mom Kate receives a phone call from her daughter Amelia’s school informing her that Amelia has been suspended for cheating. However, when she shows up at the elite Brooklyn private school, she discovers something far far worse: Amelia has committed suicide. In the months following Amelia’s death, Kate tries to grapple with her new reality until one day, she receives a mysterious text: Amelia didn’t jump. What really happened to Amelia? Kate is about to find out.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Harkins

Wowza- where do I even start with this one? This book was one of my Spring Break Picks, and I gasped and yelped and huffed my way through this book more than any other book this year (which happened a lot considering I read this in just one day). This book, like a few on this list, is told from alternating perspectives between women in London, most notably Rachel, an alcoholic who cherishes her daily train commute. One morning, while staring out the window of her morning train, she is shocked to witness a sliver into someone else’s life that will change both of their futures forever. Be prepared to hate every single character in this book and not trust any of them until the very last page. I’ve also heard the audiobook is excellent!

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Libby Day is the sole survivor of a mass murder, in which nearly all members of her family were brutally killed. The only family member remaining is her brother Ben, whom she helped put behind bars as her family’s killer when she was just seven years old. Over twenty years later, Libby revisits the facts of the murder and comes face to face with the grisly reality of her family’s past. Told from varying perspectives in the past and present, this book is much more dark and grisly than Gone Girl (and written by the same author!), but just as tantalizing.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This book is targeted more toward teens, as our main character Cadence is a 16-year-old from an exceptionally wealthy East Coast family. Every summer, she vacations with her extended family at her grandparents’ private island of the coast. After Cadence gets into a serious accident, the sudden silence of her family regarding the incident alarms Cadence, so she seeks to discover the secrets her family and herself hold. While the story itself is haunting, gripping, and emotional, the craft of Lockhart’s writing just blew me away. Using fairy tales and references to King Lear, this book’s beautiful storytelling makes it one of the best written books I’ve read this year.