• I’m Glad My Mom Died
• Caste: The Origins of our Discontents
• The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*CK
• Find more Books and Chocolate reviews here
• How about free books?

Did you notice the new dragon and chocolate banner? It felt like it was time for a bit of a face lift and this guy with his huge chocolate truffle was jus impossible to resist. Tell me what you think of him.

Ths month was a bit of a divergence for me in terms of reading. Not sure exactly why, but I hit the non-fiction pretty hard. While I usually like my reading to be a light escape, this month I hit some harder topics ripe with food for thought.

Ready to dive in with me?

Just so you know, links below are Amazon associate links, so if you buy anything through them, I will get a couple of pennies from that.

I’m Glad My Mom Died

Some of you are aware, I lost my mother last June, so it’s probably not surprising that this memoir caught my eye. Jennette McCurdy is a child star who chronicles her dysfunctional mother and her influence on Jenette’s career. Poingant and frank, it was an honest look at a painful, dysfuncitonal relationship and what recovery looked like.

I appreciate that the book did not get maudlin, which this sort of memoir would be apt to do. It was interesting and kept me reading to the end. My one issue was that I was still hoping for some catharsis at the end of the book, which just wasn’t there for me.

I’m not sure this is the sort of book for everyone, but I’d recommend it for those who are grabbed by the premise.

Caste: The Origins of our Discontents

This one is heavy guys. Really heavy. But the sociology student in me couldn’t put it down. Well researched and well presented, this one exposes aspects of American history that sure weren’t taught in my day. By bringing in the concept of caste in American society, she presents a fascinating, and I think accurate, way of conceptualizing difficult issues.

I definitely recommend this one, just be prepared to spend some time and thought with it.

The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*CK

And finally this little gem. Ok, what to say about it?

I checked it out for the library because I was just in that sort of mood at the time. And I’ll say right out, if language and irreverence offends you, pass this one up, full stop. It won’t be for you. If you’ve raised teenaged sons and are comfortable with the language and irreverence that comes with that, then proceed. 😉

I was surprised how much I liked this book. The premise boils down to the issue of care: what to care about, what to not care about, and how to care in a healthy and constructive way. It is outspoken, practical, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, all of which are points in its favor. I also found the author making some really good points.

I definitely recommend it, if of course the author’s frank and authentic voice isn’t going to give you heart palpitations along the way. 🙂

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How about free books?

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What are you reading now? Tell me in the comments