Happy Friday, friends! We’ve made it through another week. Why is that such a big deal? Well, at our house, we’ve had “germs” with head colds, sore throats, runny noses, and an overall “blah” feeling. The weekend is nearly here, and for that we are thankful.
In the down time I’ve had, or made for myself, I have found myself turning to books. I’m currently on a self-imposed book ban due to the fact I visited Powell’s Bookstore in Portland. I also picked up some free books from the conference which lead me to ship a total of ten books via UPS…
But…that doesn’t mean I can’t share some books with you all!
So, in no particular order, here is a shortened list of books that you should totally check out.
- I’m Still Standing by Shoshana Johnson, the first African-American woman held as prisoner of war. This is a courageous story of her captivity, serving in combat, and being wounded in addition to her rescue and homecoming.
- Hesitation Kills by Jane Blair details Blair’s experience as a Marine officer in Iraq. Women Marine officers are rare, and this understanding of the Middle East enriches Blair’s story of the Iraq invasion.
- Shade It Black by Jess Goodell is the story of Marine Mortuary Affairs in Iraq, which Goodell was tasked with recovering and processing the remains of fallen troops. There is also information on the difficulties of transition (something that some civilians have trouble understanding) and PTSD.
- The Immortal Irishman: The Revolutionary Who Became An American Hero by Timothy Egan is a story of one of the most famous Irish Americans of all time. Egan is a National Book Award winner, and this was a “must read,” so I picked it up at the airport before traveling to Denver.
- City of Weird: 30 Otherworldly Portland Tales edited by Gigi Little is a collection of stories from various folks like Rene Denfeld, Mark Russell, Leni Zumas, Justin Hocking, Leslie What and more that explain the weirdness that surrounds Portland. There are stories of death, darkness, ghosts, monsters, and some of them even make you laugh out loud.
- It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario…I have to say this was one of those books I bought based on the cover and title (I try not to do that often). Addario is sent to Afghanistan after 9/11 as a photojournalist. She found her calling as a war photographer while photographing civilian casualties, misunderstood insurgents, and countless burned villages and dead. I have to say that I am intrigued by this one since it is in the memoir/photography genre.
There you have it…another book list. I haven’t made it through all of these books, but I am eager to read them and hopefully share my thoughts on them with you. Maybe by the next book post I will have lifted by personal book ban and share more, too.
