Rene Denfeld, a #30Authors contributor whose novel The Enchanted, was an award-winning lyrical masterpiece, is back. This time, she explores what it means for a child to go missing, the stories they tell themselves to survive, and how the threads of despair can weave their way into everything we do in The Child Finder.At the age of 5, Madison Culver went missing. Three … [Read more...]
Feminism, Privilege, and Power Meet Head-On In ‘The Female Persuasion’
I've read two books by Meg Wolitzer - The Wife and The Interestings. One I loved, the other I was underwhelmed by. Her latest, The Female Persuasion, was the book that would tip the scales on how I feel about her books and wow, did she convert me into a fan.In addition to being a great story, The Female Persuasion had my mind doing mental flip flops on what it means to … [Read more...]
‘Black Earth’, The Holocaust, and Why We Need to Heed the Warning Signs
It's taken me a long time to finally review this book. Partly, this is because it's a dense read and is chock full of history and military theory, but mostly because it took an emotional toll on me. Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder is about why we need to look at the Holocaust as warning, not history, because the conditions that led … [Read more...]
Kendrick’s ‘Scrappy Little Nobody’ Not Your Typical Celebrity Memoir
A few years ago, I watched a movie titled Pitch Perfect and was utterly charmed by the protagonist, Beca, played by Anna Kendrick. I didn't know anything about her - not her past acting jobs nor her personal story, but she was hilariously endearing in an awkward way that we can all relate to. In the years since, she has made a name for herself both professionally and … [Read more...]
Kirsten Gillibrand Wants You to Run for Office in Off the Sidelines
Have you ever considered running for office but didn't think you had what it takes? So did Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, or at least she did before she actually did it. Off the Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World is her way of sharing with you why she ran and, more importantly, why you should, too. As the synopsis says, "Fourteen years before Kirsten Gillibrand … [Read more...]