What I Read in March
I kicked off March with a lot of traveling, which usually means less reading time than in my everyday routine. Other than on long flights or waiting at the airport, I really don’t have the desire to read on vacation because I’m usually so on-the-go. So March was a little light on the reading front, and surprisingly I chose a lot of nonfiction titles; I generally stick to fiction, but I’m glad I’m branching out!
Educated by Tara Westover
3.5/5 STARS
Without a doubt, this story stuck with me well after I finished that last page. The huge hurdles that Westover overcame, and the many more ahead of her, are a remarkable insight into the human condition. But while this is a sensational story, I found two faults in my opinion. The first was that it is extremely repetitive with the physical injuries and abuse. I understand the author had a harrowing upbringing, but the events just kept coming to the point that I thought to myself "wait, didn't I already read this?"the second fault was that when the author gets to college, there isn't much description or explanation of how she unexpectedly does so well. There were points where she says something like "I thought I did horribly on that essay" and then the advisor says "this is the best essay I've ever read" and the reader just has to accept that. The hook of this memoir is that Westover somehow overcame her horrifying upbringing and went to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. The question of how exactly she did that doesn’t feel adequately answered. But overall, the heart of this book is the heartbreaking attempt to confront her family about all this, and that comes through very strongly and expertly.
Two Steps Forward by Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist
3/5 STARS
I'm an avid backpacker so I enjoyed this detailed account of one of the great walks of the world, but I can see how others may find it a little slow. Not much actually happens, and the kind of character development this book shows kind of all comes through the characters reflecting on their actions, not really in any action itself. I also found the plot a tad cyclical. The two main characters grow closer, something happens, then they are separated. Then by chance they're reunited! After about the third cycle of this, it got old.
The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber
3/5 STARS
As true crime stories go, this one was not the most gripping. I did not find the character of Charlie Cullen that fascinating. He is unusual but in a very closed-off way, and the book does not do much toward unraveling the question of why he did what he did. As for the events of the story, I found them repetitive (but this may be due to the sheer magnitude of his victims). Lastly, the final important conversation was very drawn out and almost unreadable. So many false starts, interruptions, and repeated questions/points... I'm guessing that's how the actual conversation was recorded, but I thought the author could have severely edited it down to make it more digestible.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
4/5 STARS
A thrilling account of one of the most harrowing journeys in American history. It was hard to feel sympathy for the characters after the graphic, detailed descriptions of whaling. Well-rounded and meticulously researched, sometimes to a fault; There was so much detail in the beginning that I did not feel wholly necessary to the story, and the plot took a while to pick out from that density. But once it got going, it was an intense ride. Definitely my favorite read this month!
