Last week I finished:
Biographies are very hit or miss with me. I either end up loving it or hating it, with very little gray area. But I trust Lisa McCubbin from her wonderful collaborations with Clint Hill in books like Mrs. Kennedy and Me and Five Presidents, which are two of my absolute favorite books. And my trust was not misplaced. I loved every word of her latest book, Betty Ford. Biographies can so easily be stale and boring, or almost worse, impartial, but this book was so fresh and lively and balanced. I frankly wasn't terribly interested in Betty Ford before this book, other than my baseline curiosity for learning more about any first lady. And this read reinforced the importance of trying things, because you can never be wonderfully delighted by a book if you never pick it up. Here, McCubbin tells the story of Betty Ford's life, including her dancing career, her marriage to Gerald Ford, raising four kids while her politician husband was seldom present, becoming Second Lady and then First Lady after the disgrace of Nixon's last years in office, campaigning for her husband, her support of the ERA, her battle with breast cancer, her addiction and recovery from prescription drugs and alcohol, the establishment of the Betty Ford Center, and the death of her beloved Jerry. It was quite a journey, and she was quite a remarkable woman. What struck me most about Betty Ford was her strength, her good humor, her ability to change, her willingness to attempt hard things, and how healthy the Ford marriage was. This felt like a whole picture of Betty Ford, with nothing suppressed or downplayed, and likewise, nothing touted too highly or blown out of proportion. It was honest and respectful without being a fawning love letter. McCubbin had the support of the Ford children when writing the book, and was not asked to remove anything before publication. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in American history, first ladies, or just strong women with flaws and tremendous grace. I loved this one, and I cried when it was over. My rating: 5 stars.
James Herriot, English country veterinarian in the 1930s (and beyond), captured his tales of animals and the humans who love them in a series of books published in the 1970s. All Things Bright and Beautiful is the second in the All Creatures Great and Small series. I liked this installment just as much as the first. I listened this this on audio, and it really is a performance that way. The country accents are fun, and you really get a sense for the place where Herriot and his characters hail. The stories are a mix of humor and poignancy that is just irresistible. They're well-told and likely a bit embellished (no one knows that many odd folks or has that many remarkable interactions). If you enjoy stories about animals or stories about people, and especially if you need fresh breath of a read, pick up one of Herriot's books. I don't think you can go wrong. If you're sensitive to scenes of live animal births, be forewarned that there are some. He's frank, but never gruesome. My rating: 4 stars.
This week I'll finish:
I'm so glad I bought a copy of this book. I was wonderfully surprised.
My Kindle read:
Another good surprise. I'll finish this one this week and put up a review next week.
Last week I began:
This is a re-read for me. It's very good.
My nightly reads:
I'm enjoying all of these, but I currently have seven books going, and that may be one too many ways to be splitting my attention.
My current audiobook:
I just started this, and it's a good, relatively light story. More on this one next week.
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