Published in January of 2011, My Father at 100 is a biography of President Ronald Reagan from the perspective of his youngest child.
My Father at 100
My Thoughts
A very interesting read. I have to admit, I didn’t know who the original “Gipper” was or that everyone called President Reagan “Dutch”. Ronald Reagan was the President I remember most from my childhood but there was a lot I missed. In some ways, this book was perfect for me as it gave me a picture of the man from the point of view I had at the time. That of a child…
First published in 2009, Letter to my Daughter is a book written by Maya Angelou about lessons learned in her life. It is written in the format of several essays with the tone of a grandmother speaking to a younger person.
Letter to My Daughter
My Thoughts
I can’t say I liked it. There were some good lessons there but I wouldn’t agree with all of them. I wanted to like it but I was surprised by the amount of bitterness in the book. She was raised in a terrible placed and had experiences I have trouble relating to. With all she had accomplished and the years and years she spent with the respect of so many, it saddened me that the bitterness is still there. It took some of my hope away that we may one day get past the pettiness of skin color.
Originally published in 1994, Why Marriages Succeed or Fail is a book from Dr. John Gottman about warning signs and what to do if your marriage is in trouble. The book has tests and guides for the individual to help tailor their treatment to their needs.
Why Marriages Succeed of Fail
My Thoughts
A great book full of useful information. You can’t help but be nicer to your spouse while reading the book.
It is from the 90’s though so it was interesting to read through some the statements that likely wouldn’t play well today. (E.g. Gender norms and so on.) I believe we have swung pretty far out there and I believe Dr. Gottman’s book to be closer to my belief system.
Published in May of 2017, Dad is Fat is the autobiographical musings of Jim Gaffigan. The book is interspersed with jokes from several of his specials.
Dad is Fat
My Thoughts
After reading that terrible book by Hunter Biden, I wanted something a little lighter and definitely more fun. Jim Gaffigan didn’t disappoint! The book is hilarious and speaks to me directly as a father of 4. (I’m so glad I don’t live in New York!)
Recommendation
Great book that despite its 288 pages was still over too fast…
Published in April of 2021, Beautiful Things is the autobiographical account of Hunter Biden, son of our 46th President. This is an apologetically unvarnished look at the life of an addict in the spotlight of politics.
Beautiful Things
My Thoughts
The only reason I read this was because I’m always interested in the other side of the story. I was interested to hear from Hunter Biden himself and see what he had to say about his life. There wasn’t much redemption there…
This book was painful to read through. I suspect it was painful for him to write as well. The really sad thing is the only reason anyone is interested in his life at all is that his dad became President of the United States.
Recommendation
The book is full of bitterness and failure. I’d skip this one.
Published in Oct of 2020, Dune, The Duke of Caladan is the story of Leto Atreides. Who was this man and how did he get the privilege to oversee the spice mines on Arrakis. This novel is the first of 3 prequels to the saga of Dune.
Dune the Duke of Caladan
My Thoughts
Another great book which felt very close to the writing of the original Dune series. Leto Atreides is set up to be the paragon of honor and responsibility. I’d compare him to Abraham Lincoln without the sense of humor. His people love him and his enemies hate him. Even the corrupt Emperor respects him…
Published in June of 2021, The Man I Knew is the biography of George Herbert Walker Bush, our 41st President of the United States. This comes from the perspective of his Chief of Staff (Jean Becker) throughout the years as President and up to his death.
The Man I Knew
My Thoughts
I didn’t really think a lot of President HW Bush or Bush 41. As I was less interested in Politics at the time and more in SNL, most of my knowledge of the man was through Dana Carvey.
Still, I really enjoyed the book and am impressed with what he was able to accomplish. This book didn’t have much before his presidency, which makes sense given the author, but I was completely blind to the great things he did after his term in office. This book highlighted several things I didn’t know or just wasn’t paying any attention to. (E.g. His friendship with Bill Clinton, his service to China, his humanitarian projects.)
Published September of 2021, Dune The Lady of Caladan is the second book in the new prequels to Dune. This book focus is on the Lady Jessica who was brought back to the Bene Gesserit and forced away from her family.
Dune The Lady of Caladan
My Thoughts
A great book that felt very true to the writing of Dune. I actually thought I was rereading one of the old fan fictions and was surprised to find out this was a new book. Of course, as this was book 2, I had to find and read book 1.
Published in April of 2021, Madam Speaker is the biography of the first female Speaker of the House in America, Nancy Pelosi. The story begins with her grandparents, parents, and finally through the events of her life.
Madam Speaker
My Thoughts
I am not a Nancy Pelosi fan. I find her politics to be far too partisan and left leaning for my tastes. However, I was surprised to hear a number of facts about her. For example, I didn’t know she grew up on the East Coast and that her father was the mayor of Annapolis Maryland. The book made a point that most folks believe she was a product of her district (San Francisco) and I have to admit I was one of them.
I can respect she is the first female speaker of the house and that she is a hard worker. However, not much else was endearing to me. (I did enjoy reading through the section when “the Squad” showed up and caused all kinds of issues.) She strikes me as a busybody social elite who thinks she knows how the rest of us are supposed to live. Unfortunately, she has the power to make that happen.
Recommendation
It wasn’t a bad read and had some surprises. However, I suspect it won’t change anyone’s mind about who she is. Read if you are interested.
Published in 2006, The Audacity of Hope was then Senator Obama’s start for his bid to the Presidency. The book lays out his political opinions and reads somewhat like a speech. To say it was popular would be an understatement. It was a best seller for 30 weeks, endorsed by Opra, and even won a Grammy for the best spoken word book.
The Audacity of Hope
My Thoughts
Remembering the groundswell at the time, I recall thinking, “who is this guy?” He pretty much came from nowhere and people loved him. It turned out that wasn’t a flash in the pan response.
I was struck by how similar some of his statements were to President Trump and how others would be deeply unpopular today. (Emphasis on families, and so on.) He seemed forthright and honest in his communication. However, it was very interesting to compare what he wanted to do in this book and with what actually happened in his presidency.
