Fascism: A Warning by Madeleine K. Albright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Secretary Albright gives a fascinating lesson in the history and political science of the past century. This timely and extremely relevant book is eye opening. Albright discusses the peril we confront and it is clear that the election of Trump is a shadow that looms over this book. The book goes into detailed accounts of how famous historical and current fascists achieved power. Albright shares that Fascism poses a more serious threat now than at any time since the end of World War II. I listened to the audio book, which added to the message by hearing it in Secretary Albright’s own voice.
Relaying her own family’s escape from two different fascist regimes, she doesn’t resort to hyperbole or dramatics, but instead lets the facts speak for themselves. Her accounts of her time as Secretary of State are engaging and enlightening, from her visits with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to her interactions with Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin, her credibility on the subject is well established.
Albright refrains from lecturing the reader; instead she lays out a complex and detailed set of facts and challenges the reader to ask their own questions about the likelihood of fascism’s possible rise here in the United States. She asserts that we should all be awake to the assault on democratic values that has gathered strength abroad and has been diving America at home. According to Albright history tells us that for Freedom to survive it must be defended.
The parallels to historical events that Albright describes astounded me. I was completely engrossed in this book and felt as I was taking a graduate course on the subject as I read (listened).
Her closing words are chilling in their simplicity; she implores us that recent events are a warning we dare not ignore.
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Rejected Writers Take the Stage by Suzanne Kelman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A sweet fun story that continues the escapades of the Rejected Writers Book Club. These women are all charming, quirky and lovable. Although they get themselves in zany adventures, they somehow manage to make it through their chaos and leave us laughing. This is a perfect summer reading book.
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The Rejected Writers' Book Club by Suzanne Kelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This quirky story was absolutely fantastic. It started out a bit slowly, but as the strange cast of characters began to emerge the hilarity reigned. The Rejected Writers Book Club had me laughing out loud and desperately wishing I could go on a trip just like theirs. Suzanne Kelman is a genius at tickling our funny bone, and her characters are bold and audacious. I would highly recommend this book, its a perfect light hearted summer read.
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The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Hypnotist's Love story is a oddly charming story about a young woman named Ellen who works as a professional hypnotist. When Ellen meets a nice widower named Patrick through an online dating site, she is hopeful that this might bloom into something special, but his ex-girlfriend stalking them is not exactly what she had in mind. Liane Moriarity is a wonderful writer, her characters are quirky and fun and this book was no exception. Told from the alternating viewpoints of Ellen and Saskia, the stalking ex, this story moves along and is an easy read. The only reason I did not give 5 stars for the review was the ending. I tend to dislike stories that wrap up like a nice bow at the end, and this ending felt just a little too neat and convenient, but overall I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it for a fun summer read.
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The Nix by Nathan Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Despite its daunting length I really enjoyed this book. The Nix is the story of a video game playing professor who reunites with his Mother in an attempt to understand her past so he can write her story. Although I was not a fan of the detailed video game descriptions, the rest of the book was captivating with interesting characters and a story with many twists and turns along the way. From Samuel's childhood to his present day struggles, Samuel continues to pine for his childhood sweetheart. As Samuel explores his mother's past he finds out more about the connection between her time at college in Chicago during the turbulent 1968 riot and her current legal situation as a now infamous criminal for throwing rocks at a political candidate. Both Samuel and his mother are struggling with relationships and trying to come to terms with their past. This book was well written and I would recommend it to any one who enjoys fiction.
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