Why so many book reviews?

Even casual readers of my blog will have noticed that I am posting tons of book reviews, and not much else these days.

The first big reason is that I have been listening to audiobooks, and Audible asks me to review each book when I finish it. This serves to remind me.

I'm also satisfying my curiosity, to see how many books I end up "reading" since I began listening, versus physical books. Not sure proportionately, but it is a LOT more.

I've also started commuting by bus, so I'm getting extra audiobook time. I enjoy the interlude and the bus ride passes quickly.

I'm aware I post the reviews in clusters... essentially I catch up when I can, so its a bit of a storm as these get posted. Then a lull again.

Its not easy to say why I'm not blogging about much else... just busy with life, that's all.

Review: The Au Pair

The Au Pair by Emma Rous
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great distraction
The Au Pair proved to be great distraction. Told from two perspectives: a family's au pair at the time twins were born, and the quest one of those twins to untangle the truth as an adult. What were the family secrets behind this twin's story? Her father had a recent fatal accident... or was it? Her mother committed suicide on the day she was born... why? The only photo of her parents on the day she was born showed only one baby... where was the other twin? There are more twists and possibilities than one can imagine, so this novel kept my attention through to the end.

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Review: Tokyo Rose (the Iva Toguri story)

Tokyo Rose: The History and Legacy of Iva Toguri and Japan’s Most Famous Propaganda Campaign during World War II by Charles River Editors
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A hero and a scapegoat
Iva Toguri was an innocent Japanese-American who got stuck in Japan in World War II. Having arrived for vacation on the last ship to sail, when she was unable to return home, she had to fend for herself for the duration of the war. Unwelcome as an American, she did her best to stay of the radar and blend in. She eventually fell into broadcasting, one of several women broadcasting in English, and all loosely referred to as "Tokyo Rose". But Toguri's broadcasts were unique: American soldiers listening to her broadcasts would hear news of attacks and anti-propaganda slipped in between the music she played and the official propaganda. Anything she could do to support the Allies and undermine the Japanese, she did. Despite these courageous acts, she was dismissed as a disloyal Japanese-American, sadly not surprising given the roundup and detention of Japanese in the USA during the war. She was furthermore treated as a scapegoat and prosecuted. Her brave efforts to support her country were lost in the process. In the end, it's a pretty sad story, and it is too bad she wasn't celebrated as a hero. I'm glad this book was written so that her story is not swept under the rug and forgotten.

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Review: Lost in My Mind

Lost in My Mind: Recovering From Traumatic Brain Injury by Kelly Bouldin Darmofal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Courageous insights into living with a brain injury
I admire Kelly's courage and openness in telling her story. Her thoughtful and articulate account of the accident that resulted in her brain injury, her long road to recovery, and the lasting impacts on her life is told with both brutal honesty and humour. I learned so much about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI); it was a real eye opener. What stayed with me most is how tenacious Kelly was in reaching her academic goals; she had to work SO hard! Today Kelly is a speaker and advocate for TBI, and is already making a difference in this world. Listen and be inspired.

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Review: The Threat (the McCabe book)

The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump by Andrew G. McCabe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

More FBI insights in the age of Trump
A worthwhile listen, although I confess to tiring of reading more on Trump's antics. I chose this book, as it essentially picks up where James Comey's account left off. With Comey fired, McCabe began the acting director of the FBI, but not for long. Cruelly and vindictively fired just hours before he would have received his pension, Americans have McCabe to thank for getting Robert Meuller installed as special investigator - and ensuring he couldn't be axed. Bit of a nail biter on that front. Lots of FBI and White House insights.

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