Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

subtitled: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen.

Not what I expected. Didn’t realize the Joy of Sex would play so heavily into what I thought was a cooking memoir. Also, I wanted to know more about Julia Child and wasn’t satisfied with the letters interspersed. However, there were more than enough funny anecdotes to keep me entertained.

I wanted to read this because I want to see the movie, and I’m interested in how the book will be translated to the big screen.

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir by Elizabeth McCracken

I am on an Elizabeth McCracken kick. I love her writing style, and even though I was hesitant to read this novel as the subject matter is not sunshine and roses, it was so excellently done that I couldn’t put it down. Granted it’s not many pages, but her reflections on the loss of her son are so moving and well-done.

Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I read this based on a recommendation from a blog I read. The cover reads: “I have not survived against all odds. I have not lived to tell. I have not witnessed the extraordinary. This is my story.” This book is supposed to be a peek into life at the beginning of the 21st century and I believe the author achieves that. Various anecdotes and thoughts about life are filed alphabetically and they all make for an entertaining glimpse into her life.

It was a quick read and I enjoyed it. That’s really all I have to say. Well maybe not, I thought about AJ Jacob’s book The Know It All while reading this. Refer to my entry about his book for more. I was trying to do a comparison but it wasn’t really possible as both books have different goals. But the theme of encyclopedias resonated with me. I wonder what an encyclopedia of my life would look like.

Death of Innocence by Mamie Till-Mobley

Subtitled: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America.

This memoir tells about the life of Emmett Till, who at 14 was murdered during a vacation to Mississippi. His crime: allegedly whistling at a white woman. The time: August 1955. His case became a cause celebre for the early Civil Rights Movement-especially when the white killers were acquitted.

The most gripping part of this book was the description leading up to Emmett’s attack and the aftermath from trying to get the body back to Chicago from Mississippi and the trial.

I skimmed the first and last thirds of the book but found the part related to the crime and trail to be a fascinating and horrifying glimpse at the beginning of the Civil Rights movement.

I am not myself these days by Josh Kilmer-Purcell

This was a read for book group. I can’t decide what this was supposed to be about; it’s either a memoir of a drag queen or a love story gone wrong. Not sure. It was a quick read. I didn’t dislike it, but I wasn’t sure what the point was, and (unlike the other memoirs we’ve read this year) I felt the author didn’t share enough emotionally.

Plus the book I had included some “extras” in the back, one of which was an interview with the author. In the interview when the author mentioned knowing James Frey and his wife, I immediately began doubting everything I’d just read. Especially because the author candidly shares his battle with alcohol and how he frequently blacked out.

Marley and Me by John Grogan

Again, I feel I’m coming a little late to the party on this book, finally reading something that’s been suggested to me be several others. But it’s the April pick for an online discussion I’m part of so the timing was right to read it.

As many others have said, I laughed and cried while reading Marley’s adventures. I am a cat owner, but have relatives with dogs and I think the feelings pet owners have for their charges are universal.

I was surprised (and impressed) by how much of his personal life the author shared (although it is subtitled life and love with the world’s worst dog) and think it’s also the story of a marriage. And that’s probably what has made it so widely read. Because it’s not just about the dog.

I’ll be interested to see how the movie version of this story turns out.

Heart in the Right Place by Carolyn Jourdan

This weekend was all about hearts. First Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult, then this pick for book club, Heart in the Right Place (which has several patients with heart problems).

This memoir tells how Carolyn Jourdan, US State Senate Counsel, and former Tennessee redneck, returns home following her mother’s heart attack to help her physician father with his rural family practice clinic.

It’s a sweet tale, with vivid descriptions of the odd cast of characters who come to be treated by Doc Jourdan. It’s also the tale of Carolyn’s struggle to decide if she should remain in east Tennessee as her father’s receptionist or go back to her high-powered Washington life.

This was a fun, quick read, with lots of pithy observations on the human condition. It’ll be fun to talk about at Book Group.

Truck: a Love Story by Michael Perry

This was our first book for book group this year. It kicked off our theme of Nonfiction titles.

I really enjoyed it. It reads like a novel and has great descriptions.

It tells the story of the year Michael Perry spent restoring an old truck and also how he fell in love.