Saturday, August 21, 2021

Week in Review - Books Reviews - Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training; Adam Stern - The People We Keep; Allison Larkin and Morningside Heights ; Joshua Henkin


Thank You Deb@ Reader Buzz


How was your week everyone?  Last weekend was enjoyable and we were able to change our walks up a bit and get in some nice views along the way.




The rest of the week was rather humid with some thunderstorms. I didn't even go to yoga this week but, I won't bore you with my swollen knee and icing saga.  Today our devices are powered up as Hurricane Henri is set to wreck havoc with the New England coast. Our last significant here was Hurricane Bob in 1991 (30 years ago.) This one is supposed to be slower moving but longer lasting winds and rain beginning Sunday. i'm hoping no trees come down and if power is lost it will be brief.

READING

This was a good reading week with lots of variety: I reviewed some children's books on Monday, finished a non fiction, and listened to some good fiction on audio (well except for the Harold Robbins one).

Here's what I finished this week:
  1. North and South: The Tale of Two Hemispheres;  Sandra Morris - 5/5 
  2. Picturing a Nation: The Great Depression's Finest Photographers Introduce America to Itself; Martin Sandler - 5/5
  3. Dreams Die First; Harold Robbins - 1.5/5 - Setting: CA and LasVegas, NV
  4. Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training; Adam Stern - NF -  4/5
  5. The People We Keep; Allison Larkin - 3.5/5 Setting: Upstate New York
  6. Morningside Heights ; Joshua Henkin - 4.5/5 Setting: New York City


Mariner Books - 2021
eGalley provided at no cost by Marriner Books and Edelweiss
Rating - 4/5 stars

My Thoughts - Adam Stern's memoir gives reader insight into his four years as a psychiatry resident at Harvard in 2010. He was one of fifteen residents in the program which was referred to by the faculty as "The Golden Class. "  

I thought it was interesting how a young man who had achieved so much, at times he felt like he never measured up. The memoir also provided a look at the challenges he and other residents faced and the unique issues that were not something one would learn from a medical text book.  My favorite part about the memoir were the aspects in which he shared some stories about troubled individuals who were hoping someone could relieve their mental anguish and make their life more bearable. 

I thought the memoir was very well-written and a worthwhile read.even though It wasn't exactly what I was expecting as I thought it would feature more in-depth case studies similar to those found in books like Maybe You Should Talk to Someone; Gottlieb and Good Morning, Monster; Gildiner and Burgess. 


The People We Keep; Allison Larkin
Simon & Schuster Audio - 2021
Narrator: Julia Whelan (very good)
audio download provided at no cost by Simon & Schuster Audio
Rating - 3.5/5 stars

My Thoughts: Sixteen year old April Sawicki hasn't had a happy childhood but music has always been important to her. Her mother took off leaving her with her uncaring and sometimes abusive father. They lived in a motor-less motor home he won in a poker game. April has been pretty much raised by her father's girlfriend.  One day after a fight with her father she decides she's had enough of Little River and heads for Ithaca where she hopes to find work and somehow survive and start a new life. It's at a local coffee shop that she meets some people who are kind to her and make her feel that she fits in. However, when people have disappointed you all of your life, it's difficult to learn to trust when fleeing seems what sometimes feel best. Will April ever find what she longs for?

This is a story that got off to a very slow start for me. It took me a while to connect with April who was so used to keeping people at a distance because of what she had endured. She makes some bad choices along the way but once she begins to see that there are people who really do care about her, perhaps she will get a chance for a happy life. 


Morningside Heights; Joshua Henkin
Random House Audio - 2021
Narrator: Kathe Mazur and Shane Baker (very good)
audio download from my public library
Rating - 4.5/5 stars

My Thoughts: Spence Robbins was a well-respected English professor at Columbia University. It's where he met wife Pru Steiner when she was one of his students, Pru and Spence have a daughter together who is a med student in California. Spence also has an adult son named Arlo with Linda one of his former students. Linda was about of a free spirit moving from place to place so except for two years that Arlo lived with Spence when he was a teen, the two never had much of a father-son relationship.

When Pru is 51 and Spence is 57 he is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers.  This is a story of how life can change, sometimes in the blink of an eye and how loved ones act, react and move forward. I loved this story and all of the characters from Pru and Spence to Arlo and Sarah and even the the wonderful caregiver who eventually was hired to help care for Spence. This is a story that makes readers realize that rich or poor, intelligent or average, everyone at some point has the struggles and disappointments.  The tender storyline was so well crafted. I was quite moved by both the story and the wonderful audio narration as well.  Don't miss it!


Current Reads

( good info & well organized)
                                                                                                                                            (just okay so far)
  Review coming on Monday
(this one is well-written but sad)

42 comments:

  1. I hope that the hurricane loses strength and you just wind up with a lot of rain. Fingers crossed!

    We wrapped up our recent road trip on Wednesday. I'm getting back in my groove and even jumped on the Peloton this morning. :)

    I'm eager to get a copy of Morningside Heights. It sounds like a winner!

    Stay safe, Diane!

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    1. Its 5-ish EST and so far we've had lots of rain (starts and slows) and lots of wind (and then it dies down) so I'm hoping that the power stays on.

      I hope you love the audio of Morningside Heights - it's so well done.

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  2. Your book selection is wonderfully varied -- I'm intrigued by several of your reviews. I think there are too many books about people suffering from forms of dementia and losing their self- awareness. Yes, it's hard on their families, but... but... but...

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. Our family, thus far has been lucky with "no dementia," even my aunts that lived into their 90's were totally with it. Of course, on the cancer front, I can't say the same.

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  3. Hope the hurricane doesn't get you there! Button down the hatches. I'm looking forward to Morningside Heights. Alzheimer's is a tough topic!

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    1. So far so good Susan and yes, Morningside Heights was very good - especially on audio. Have a good week.

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  4. That's a nice bunch of reading. I hope Herni is kind and not so destructive. Keep safe!

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  5. Stay safe! Even if the winds die down, the problems of a slow moving storm can still be awful.

    I've seen good reviews of Morningside Heights a couple of times now, and I'm still on the edge of deciding. Having gone through this with my father makes it harder to read books like this, but it is still there waiting for my decision.

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    1. So true Jen, they say tomorrow can be bad but so far so good. Sorry you had to deal with a loved one with Alzheimers.

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  6. Sending prayers and good thoughts to you, Diane, that the hurricane passes by quickly and with little damage. I've been through so many awful hurricanes. I'm always contemplating moving from the Gulf Coast.

    Your walks have been lovely. We've been trying to walk more.

    Thank you for your reviews of Committed and Morningside Heights. Both of these sound great. I already had Committed on my radar, and I'm a little disappointed to hear that the book is mostly memoir and less case studies, but I think I will see try to read it.

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    1. So far we've had lots of rain and lots of wind but, breaks in between so I'm hoping that the power stays on.

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  7. What an interesting and diverse reading week you had. Henri looks scary. Stay safe. We'll be looking for your post reporting all is well.

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    1. At 5:15 pm est we are doing very well - wind and rain sometimes heavy other times not bad.

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  8. Lovely walks, lovely views, lovely photos! And such a diverse selection of books you have this week. Love your review on The People we keep. But don't think it will be quite my cup of tea.

    Have a good week and take care!

    Elza Reads

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  9. Hoping the hurricane calms down and you don't get any damage from the hurricane. Thankfully it missed us.

    Very beautiful flowers. Sorry your knee is giving you problems again!

    All your books sound good, especially Morningside Heights. I think I'll look for the audio.

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    1. Thanks Vicki, so far not too bad. I hope your try Morningside Heights it's so good.

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  10. I hope Henri doesn't bring much damage your way. Your walks have been beautiful.

    I like the sound of North and South, I've always loved Candlewick Press books. Committed sounds fascinating. I like reading medical memoirs.

    Have a good and safe week!

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    1. Gretchen, so far the hurricane isn't bad here - lots of wind and rain but no power loss yet so that's good. I love Candlewick books as well.

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  11. I hope the hurricane passed you by. I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

    You had a great reading week and your walk looks lovely.

    Hope this is a great week for you. Stay safe.

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    1. Thanks Yvonne. So far we are doing well and no loss of power.

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  12. Morningside Heights and Committed both sound like books I would like. :)

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    1. Loved Morningside Heights and highly recommend it. Committed is good but I was expecting more specific case studies.

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  13. Hope you still have power, Diane. We left Old Saybrook to visit my parents in central NY. We'll go back when power is restored... if it goes out.

    I really liked Morningside Heights, too. Glad the audio production was a winner. I really liked both Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and Good Morning, Monster on audio... may need more of a break before I try Committed, too. Take care!

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    1. So far so good JoAnn, hopefully the power stays on and underground wiring helps a bit? So glad you blogged about Morningside Heights as I really loved it despite the tough diagnosis.

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    2. The power lines are above ground in our area of Old Saybrook, but we just heard from the neighbors tonight and it didn't go out - a miracle!

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  14. Your reading is going so well! I am sorry to hear that your knee is bothering you so much that you can't do yoga as I know how much you were looking forward to going to class again in person. I hope the icing helps and that it feels better soon.

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    1. I was disappointed missing yoga. I figured I'd rest the knees a week and try some strengthening exercises and avoid knee poses when I go back.

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  15. Gorgeous photos! I hope Henri isn't too bad! Sending my thoughts your way.

    All those books look really interesting. I'll have to check out that memoir. That one definitely looks up my alley. Stay safe!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and wishing us well. I think for the most part we've been spared but we still have a bit to go.

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  16. I have a bum knee too, very annoying. Your walking views are fabulous! Happy reading week.

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    1. Harvee, it seems knees and for some hips are the first to go as we age or if we have not been gentle to our knees over the years.

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  17. Beautiful pics! I hope Henri isn't too bad for you guys! Stay safe! And have a good week...

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    1. Greg, sorry I'm late in responding but, Henri was rather peaceful here - no power loss of starts and stops of heavy rain and wind.

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  18. What stunning pictures. Here in Alabama everything is starting to look baked from the heat and a lot of the flowers end up getting really leggy and wild looking. Luckily we've had enough rain to keep the hydrangeas happy so that's a bit of color. I'm sorry to hear about your knee. Never fun. I hope Henri missed you and that you have a wonderful week.

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    1. We have a few burnt spots in our yard where the sprinkler heads missed and my hanging baskets have had it as well. Henri was rather gentle to us.

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  19. Morningside Heights going on my list!

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  20. I was hoping to hear that The People We Keep was going to be better but it still sounds like a good read. And, the memoir sounds fascinating. More reads for my list!

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