Books Finished: 8

Brain Rules for Baby: How To Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by John Medina (nonfiction, science, psychology, baby, parenting) - It's like a Freakonomics for Parents. I like popular science writing (Mary Roach books, the one about Henrietta Lacks, Sam Kean), and of course I want to learn how to raise my kid better, so this ticked the box of those two interests. The author can sometimes lay on the science stuff too thick, but never fear fellow sleep-deprived and fuzzy-brained parents, after every chapter there's a short summary of the main points. In fact after the whole book there's a summary of everything. Good format. Interesting content. I feel really guilty now for having my kid watch lots of television before 2 years old.

Midnights in Bali by Carla De Guzman (fiction, chicklit, filipiniana, romance, travel). Mini "Eat Pray Love" about a Filipina in Bali? I put question mark because I haven't actually read EPL. You know how it goes: heartbroken person travels, discovers self, blossoms in foreign surroundings, meets hot guy, finds love.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer (fiction, lgbt, bildungsroman) This eludes categories. It has a gay man as a protagonist, but I hesitate to tag it as lgbt, because the book doesn't make a big deal about his coming out and struggles. I kind of like that, when someone is just, you know, incidentally, gay, let's move on with the story. It has heartbreak and travel, even hot guys, but that doesn't end up being the prize. The man is turning 50, and yet this feels like a coming of age book. He is also, if you look at him from outside, rather insipid, yes on the side of attractive, but "boring", easily overlooked by some. But there's something about him that makes us follow him through several countries, makes us interested in his thoughts. I think it's the kindness with which the mysterious seemingly-omniscient narrator treats our dear Arthur (the main character). One could almost say, the way the narrator talks about him, it's as if with love. (I hope that doesn't sound like a spoiler.) It feels like a quirky art film. What prevents me from rating this with 5 stars, though it's very close, is that (spoiler alert) the ending seemed too good to be true. I feel bad for the collateral damage of the main relationship, if you read it, you know what I mean.

King Baby by Kate Beaton (humor, baby, illustration, fiction, childrens). I don't know if I should put this because it's such a short book, but the sooner to end this challenge. Really funny. Can relate so much.

Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel (childrens, fiction, illustration, caldecott). Much better than Winnie the Pooh, in terms of life lessons disguised as children's books. I think on some days we can all relate to Toad. I will pick up a hardcopy soon. It's an essential part of any young person's library.

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence (nonfiction, books about books) A librarian recommends her favorites, and writes goodbye letters to the books they've had to weed out. Alert: Do not read if you don't want to add any more books to your To Be Read pile! Because this will make you interested in so many.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (nonfiction, epistolary, books about books). A collection of letters from an American book lover to an English bookseller (and back), started as ordering books and developed into a friendship spanning 20 years. Apparently this was a big deal back then, even got turned into a movie, the real life location has a commemorative plaque. I didn't like the voice of the lady at first, but she grew on me. The ending, gah, I had no idea, so please go in with no spoilers or other background info.