Sydney Reads and Reads: February

February was an odd reading month for me.  I spent far too much time wrapping up Severance from January which put me in a bit of a reading slump.  Then I ended up consuming SO many audio titles. What's your opinion on audio vs. hard copy book? I feel like if I've given it my attention and consumed the content I've "read" the book. Something to think about, perhaps, while we dig into February's titles!

Tell me, who's lived in New York for any period of time and doesn't want to learn more about The Dakota Apartments? I've been fascinated for years so when The Dakota Winters, by Tom Barbash, became available at the library just after my most recent trip to NYC I was very excited.  I spend most of my time in the historical fiction genre reading about pre and just-post a WW2, so it was refreshing to dive into the New York City of 1979. I related closely to Tom Winter's longing to shake off the shadow of his father's largesse and legacy as they both embark on new creative chapters, and yet, feeling the pull to contribute to that familiar world.  Though the accounts of John Lennon in the book are entirely fictional it was awesome to get a peek a what his life and interactions with fellow Dakota-ins may have been like.  And the sailing trip he and Tom take is something out of Hemingway. Epic and amazing. This would be a great read for a long weekend trip to the city, especially as we're easing into Spring and Summer.  Just imagine the sound of a passing subway car as you turn each page.

After being on the waitlist for what feels like forever, February marked my turn to read Tara Westover's Educated. I went with the audiobook for this title which brought Tara's remarkable story vividly to life.  Almost too vividly. I'd listened to many reviews of this book, none of which prepared me for how graphic and horrible her childhood was. Though, only through hearing every gruesome detail could you fully appreciate her rise to academia and what we consider the "normal" world.  Educated is not for sensitive readers or the faint of heart (I mean that in the most loving way), but is definitely a worthwhile read. Even now, I find myself in conversation about it almost once a week.  

This giant tomb took me over a year to read. My attention span wavered and I allowed life to get in the way, but I can't say enough good things about it.  Chernow's works read like fiction and I always leave feeling like the subjects are my real life friends. Knowing very little of Grant going into this biography I enjoyed learning how much time he spent in Missouri and reading the account of his time in Jefferson City during the early days of the war.  I live just a block from the site of the Capitol building which Chernow describes in several scenes, so that was particularly thrilling. Also remarkable to me, was gaining an understanding of Grant's self-worth, how his struggles in his early Army days and his time at Hardscrabble would continue to haunt him and drive him forward even once he'd reached the Presidency.

The most eye-opening take away for me from Grant was the care Charnow took in depicting his struggle with alcohol.  History paints a picture of Grant as a blundering, raging alcoholic who won the Civil War despite his addiction. But in fact, much like the conflict between the North and the South, Grant's relationship with alcohol was something he fought and struggled to overcome for his entire life. In reading Grant, you gain a visceral sense of his inner turmoil, which goes on to color both his victories and his defeats in a new light.  

What if you were a black woman living in modern-day Germany and found out that your grandfather was the leader of one of the Holocaust's most brutal concentration camps? Well, that's what happens in the startling memoir, My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me, by Jennifer Teege. This title follows Jennifer as she unpacks this horrifying revelation, reflects back on her childhood, and works toward finding peace with the actions of her ancestors. Some of what Jennifer writes is hard to hear though, for reference, in no way compares to the graphic detail of Educated.  If you have an interest in world history, and in learning about lived experiences outside of your own, run to get this book. 

My final title in February was a delightful one, Call the Midwife, by Jennifer Worth. I've been a fan of the BBC show based on this title for years and am so happy I was finally able to get my hands on the audiobook.  A memoir, Call the Midwife follows Jennifer Worth and several other young nurse/midwives in the time after WW2 on London's Eastside as they bring babies into the world and care for the families there. Oh, by the way, they also live with nuns. The narration was beautifully done and took me right back to sitting on my couch watching the BBC re-runs! 

I'll have my March reads out to you soon! I started with The Godfather, and I still can't stop talking about it! - xo Sydney