Watching History
Also keeping and letting go of books, some bookish inspiration, and recent reads.
Has your mind been overwhelmed with the horrific events taking place in Ukraine the past few weeks? It is hard not to feel sadness and despair when I look at the headlines, and as a result, I come away feeling powerless and not necessarily better informed. If you want to understand more what has led to the events taking place in Ukraine right now, I have combed a few book lists and have seen these titles recommended repeatedly:
The Gates of Europe is considered a definitive history of the country and is written by a Harvard History Professor and Director of the Ukrainian Institute.
The Ukrainians: Unexpected Nation provides a comprehensive look at the country and people up to 2015.
Between Two Fires is a prize winning book that examines everyday life for the ordinary citizens of Russia under Putin’s regime. Author Joshua Yaffa is currently reporting about the war from Ukraine. Here is his most recent article for The New Yorker. (Content Warning on cover picture of article - war is violent, unsettling, and horrible.)
A Short History of Russia covers early history, through the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, the cold war, Chernolybl, the end of the USSA, and the rise of Vladamir Putin. (Note: if you read Kindle books - this book is currently FREE for Prime Members.)
PANGO
I am currently experimenting with a book selling app called Pango. It showed up on my instagram feed and I became curious. I seem to be accumulating more and more books and thought this may be a way to get rid of some titles and feel less guilty about the books I am buying. I downloaded the app, took pictures of some books, entered a few details, and listed them for sale. So far, it has worked ok. I have sold three books over the past month. Not really a side-hack, though my efforts are minimal. I was attracted to Pango because it is easy to use and it creates the shipping label for me. I can print out and attach to a padded envelope and off it goes. For this convenience it takes a cut of the money. I am not sure how long I am going to continue this experiment, but it isn’t costing me anything. If you want to see what I have listed here is a link: My Pango Books for Sale
To Keep or Not to Keep, That is the Question
Speaking of accumulating books, below are some of the questions I ask myself when I am deciding to keep a book or get rid of (i.e., put in my Little Free Library, give to a friend, sell on Pango, etc.)
If unread, do I still want to read it? I try to keep my unread books on a specific shelf to keep from owning too many unread titles. Though I am not sure what “too many” is
Am I finished with this book? Not just did I read it, but will I re-read it or keep it for referencing in the future?
Do I want/love this book? Was it a gift from someone I love or a book that found me at a particular point in life. Does it bring good memories? Sometimes I can look at the spine of a book and smile just thinking about the story. That alone is reason enough for me to keep a title.
Can I easily get another copy? I often give away some of my favorite reads. I love sharing books and know it is easy to find more popular titles at the library, bookstores, or garage sales.
Does this book represent an important shift in my thinking? If a book was instrumental at a fundamental level, I’m more inclined to keep it even if I never go back to it. These books can remind me of what I’ve learned or how I’ve grown.
Do I enjoy dipping back into it? If a book brings me joy when I read just bits of it, I will keep it. This is especially true of poetry, devotionals, essays, cookbooks, home decorating, and other non-fiction titles. They are not necessarily designed to be read from start to finish so I keep many more of those around to dip into.
If a book is not for you, rather than waste its life on a shelf being ignored, unread and unloved, send it into the world to find its person!
This warmed my heart
The Free Book Bus (you know I am obsessed with book buses) gives out free books to kids in the Charlottesville, VA area. It is even stocking books in Farsi for newly arrived refugees. I love this so much! Check out the web site if you want to learn more or perhaps donate towards providing a book. The founder is passionate about the need for kids and teens to have their own books. She points out that not all kids can get to their public library. Having books at home allows kids to reread and share their books with family members.
Recent Reads
Saffron and Love: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love is probably my favorite book of the year so far. This epistolary novel (written in letters) is set in California and Washington State in the 1960s. A friendship is struck by a young food writer who sends a fan letter and some saffron to a woman who writes a food column in the Pacific Northwest. From there, a close friendship develops that impacts many parts of their lives. Kim Fay gets the setting just right and I love how nostalgic the author writes about food and cooking in this period. It is so fun to hear the two main characters write back and forth as they explore new foods, deepen their friendship, and tackle obstacles and hardships in life. This is not a long book but it left me with big feelings afterwards - all of them good! Also - here is an interview with the author where she discusses how food writers changed how she felt about food and life.
Set in the northern Appalachian Mountains, Cooper has been able to hide, with his daughter Finch, for the past 8 years. They live in a remote bare-bones cabin off the grid. He is running from his past and trying to keep his daughter safe and protected. But suddenly things are changing. Finch is asking questions, his annual supplies have not arrived, and a stranger has been seen in their part of woods. These events along with a winter storm are bearing down on him and his perfect world. This beautifully atmospheric story explores themes of trauma and guilt. Sometimes what looks like a solution, ends up creating its own set of problems. How long can you hide from the past? What are other people’s obligations to keep you from your own responsibilities? This is a beautiful tale of family, friendship, grief, and loss. I am not sure if I would categorize this as suspense, family drama, or a story of survival. Perhaps it is a bit of all three.
Peter Heller is one of my favorite authors. This 2021 release, The Guide, picks up with Jack, a character from his bestseller The River. Set along a gorgeous private river in Colorado is a very high end, exclusive fishing resort and Jack has been hired as a river/fishing guide. It does not take Jack long to figure out things are not as they seem. Jack and a guest he is partnered with work together to uncover what exactly is going on while trying to stay alive. I am not providing many details on purpose as I don’t want to give anything away. This literary thriller is both beautifully written and hard to put down.
The Monk of Mokah is a true story that reads like fiction. Mokhtar Alkhanshali is a Yemani immigrant trying to get his life together and make his family proud but he is off to a number of bad starts. When he discovers that the coffee originated in Yemen, he decides he wants to bring Yemeni coffee to the world. This begins his education in how coffee is grown and roasted. We follow him through the beginnings of an idea to his precarious and truly life-threatening adventures in Yemen. He really does make his dream come true. I came away with a better appreciation for what it is like for people living in countries torn apart by civil war to make a living and a life. This story is fun, exciting, uplifting, and I learned so much about coffee and Yemen. Here is a short video about Mokhtar and his coffee company.
Thanks so much for reading, please forward to anyone you know who loves books!