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February 2017 Book List

Short month, but plenty of reading was done.  This month I have three non-fictions to review.  Two of them I really enjoyed.  One was just okay to me, but I net it would really appeal to a different audience.  Let’s dive in!

Spit that Out by Paige Wolf

The title of this one caught my attention more than anything.  I love reading about kids and raising kids, plus the title made me hope it would be funny.  It turns out it is about raising kids in an environmentally aware manner.  I am all for saving the planet, but sometimes this sort of thing is too much for me.  I feel like it creates guilt if you don’t ascribe to every crunchy method out there.  I’m sorry, cloth diapering isn’t for us.  I really don’t need to feel bad about that.  I try to be green and be aware of the health and environmental impact of the cleansers and toys I use in my house.  But I’m don’t go overboard with it.  I don’t see the fear from some of it.  I think  as a former chemist I just don’t have that fear of chemicals.  Perhaps I should, since I actually know what dangerous ones can do.  But I don’t.  I don’t like the push for all organic food.  That can be very cost prohibitive for some families.  I did get a couple of good suggestions out of the book.  And I am happy I read it as a reminder to be looking for ways to help the planet and keep my family healthy.  It is a fast read, so I would recommend it for someone looking for ways to be greener in their daily life.

Hungry Heart by Jennifer Weiner

I grabbed this one because I love this author!  Her book takes us back to her childhood, the good and bad, and takes up through her writing today.  I like her honest style.  I also really like how she stays true to herself in terms of her writing.  Chick lit can get a bad rep as not being as important, or as valid a genre to read or write.  I don’t like that.  I think there are books for all sorts of reasons.  Some are meant to really challenge you to think or feel something deep.  Some remind of us of times gone by, human history we all need to remember.  Some are just there to make us feel like we are not alone in what we go through in daily life.  And yes, some are there just to be fun.  There is nothing wrong with that!  She also doesn’t shy away from the hard work that goes into becoming a writer.  Her family comes alive in this book, and I laughed out loud at some of her stories.  This book isn’t a life changer, but it was an enjoyable read.  If you like chick lit I say go for it.  (Trigger warning, there is a chapter about miscarriage.)
The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

This book is about a period of time in the life of David Lebovitz.  Apparently he is a famous chef, but I honestly had never heard about him.  Even not knowing who he was I loved this book.  It is all about his time living in Paris.  He is American, so he points out all sorts of cultural differences.  To be perfectly honest he made me never want to live in Paris.  But really I never wanted to spend much time there anyway.  (I know, I don’t think you are supposed to admit that!)  I couldn’t put the book down though!  It was like you were right there walking the streets with him.  It helps that I adore reading about food and cooking.  He made the tastes come alive.  Each chapter comes with recipes to try.  Now, he claims these are easy to do for any home cook.  I didn’t see one I thought I would actually attempt.  Maybe some day, when I’m not prepping food for three little ones on a budget and with time constraints.  But it was enough to just read them all.  He does give resources for where to find the less common ingredients and tools if you want to give them a go.  I felt like I learned a lot about the Parisian culture that real people live in, not a romanticized version.  A great read to feel like you took a trip without actually going anywhere.

I love getting to learn new things and gain new perspectives on the world.  Any suggestions for next month?  Happy reading!

Kim

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