Sunday Brunch #TBR Roundup

Happy Spring! And welcome to the Sunday Brunch #TBR Roundup. While you sip your Sunday morning coffee, you can see what we’ve added to our “To Be Read” lists this past week (Sun 20 Mar – Sat 26 Mar). Discover all of the various places we get our reading recommendations. Have you read any of these? What did you think of them?

Bekky

Why the Right Went Wrong: Conservatism – from Goldwater to the Tea Party and Beyond by E. J. Dionne
I read about this book in a NY Times review and thought I’d give it a go. I’m fascinated by the differences between the far right and left and all that in between and how we’ve become so divisive politically and socially. This book might lend some insight.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
My boyfriend recommended this book as just the sort of thing I’d be interested in: English Regency era fantasy fiction with magician noblemen and fairy servants (Austen or Downton Abbey goes fantasy?). I usually tend to stick to creative non-fiction and realist fiction, so I’m trying to broaden my horizons.

Joli

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
This is actually my current read! I’ve seen good reviews posted on Goodreads and the synopsis jumped out at me, so I decided to give it a go. The synopsis: “Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this powerful debut novel reveals an incredible story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades.”

If At Birth You Don’t Succeed: My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny by Zach Anner
I found this one on Twitter. It’s a memoir by comedian Zach Anner, who was born with cerebral palsy. Having been recently diagnosed with something I’ll have to be strong to overcome (treatable but not very fun), this really resonated with me. I like being strong, funny, and overcoming my hardships. Therefore, this just has to be the book for me!

Mel

Deep Water Passage by Ann Linnea
I am going to be helping teach and lead kayak trips this summer, and the woman who I’m assisting was inspired by her friend Ann Linnea to start teaching kayaking to women. Ann was the first woman to circumnavigate Lake Superior by kayak, and this book is her tale of that adventure.

The Journals of Lewis and Clark by Meriweather Lewis
I’ve become a bit one-sighted. In my current read, “Portage,” the author talks a lot about Lewis and Clark’s exploration of the midwest and western United States, and quotes Lewis’s journals. All of the real encounters and hardships exploring rivers by canoes and seeing moose and elk and natural wonders made me want to read the journals myself.

Whit

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
I don’t read a lot of nonfiction, but I was craving a bit of real-life adventure. I’m as high maintenace as they come, so I won’t be undertaking any hardcore hikes like the author of this book, but I can certainly live vicariously.

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Again, had a craving for nonfiction and added this to my to-read list. I creeped on LQ Mel’s Goodreads page, and she rated this five stars, so it’s gotta be pretty good.