November Releases

Wild Life: Dispatches From A Childhood of Baboons and Button-Downs by Keena Roberts
Publication Date - November 12, 2019
5 stars

This memoir follows the author's dual lives as she follow her parents to their work in Africa with monkeys to Pennsylvania where she attends a normal school.  The adjustment is not an easy one for her and the resulting coming of age tale is filled with honesty, growth and humor.  Her descriptions of Botswana are breathtaking and the stories she tells of the animals she come into daily contact with are amazing.  This is definitely my favorite memoir of the year.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 



Beyond the Known:  How Exploration Created the Modern World and Will Take Us to the Stars
by Andrew Rader
Publication Date - November 12, 2019
4.5 stars

Starting with the earliest humans and ending with the future of space travel, this book celebrates exploration among all cultures and the advances that inevitably follow.  This is one of those reads that are filled with new information and google rabbit holes.  I quite honestly learned so much more than I thought I would and it lead to a new stack of books on my TBR as follow-up.  Very entertaining and educational and one that I highly recommend.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 



Ship of Dreams: The Sinking of the Titanic and the End of the Edwardian Era
by Gareth Russell
Publication Date - November 19, 2019
3.5 stars

So many years later, the sinking of the Titanic still holds the imagination and inspires new works of literature.  Russell takes a bit of different tact and explores Britain and America around this time and how the Titanic sank at a time right before the onset of one World War after another, when society began to change.  I thought this fascinating, and I think his research into the first person accounts of the sinking had incredible depth.  The tangents, especially in the first part of the book were somewhat overwhelming and there was just too much information introduced, but overall a thoroughly enjoyable read.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



Jay-Z: Made in America by Michael Eric Dyson
Publication Date - November 26, 2019
3.5 stars

I was extremely interested to pick this up because I am not as familiar with Jay-Z's work as I am with his talented wife's songs.   It is interesting to see his lyrics listed in print because they do read like poetry and it exemplifies the way he uses language to address social issues in a way palatable to those who just want to enjoy the music as well as the message.  I did at time feel as though the author was a bit fawning and while he acknowledged some of the issues with some of Jay-Z's songs (such as the misogynistic language), I do think he let him off the hook more than I would have liked.  I did find this really interesting and understand the cultural and societal importance of the art that Jay-Z is producing.  I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.