Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Seven: Symphony for the City of the Dead

I'd been meaning to listen to M.T. Anderson's non-fiction book Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dimitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad for a while now, and I'm so glad I finally did, and that I listened specifically, since the audiobook includes snippets of the Shostakovich's seventh symphony, written in Russia during the Second World War.  I was even inspired to borrow a recording of the symphony and listen to it (which I'd also recommend doing).  I had vague, high school history notions of Soviet Russia during WWII, so I really appreciated an opportunity to learn more about this dark corner of history--fair warning: if you want an upbeat story, this book is not for you.  But if you want a fascinating and well-researched glimpse into both one man's life and its broader historical, political, and social contexts, then this book is definitely for you.  I particularly appreciate how Anderson explicitly evaluates the many sources he presents, explaining the potential merits and deficits of each, and then leaving it to listeners (or readers) to draw their own conclusions, or to concede that there are some things that must remain unknown.  Even so, this is not a dry compilation and presentation of the evidence: Anderson masterfully creates a narrative of the whole that kept me rapt.  I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty Six: Warcross

Like Bellweather Rhapsody from two posts ago, I read Warcross by Marie Lu for a book club (I love book clubs).  I didn't love Warcross, but it was enjoyable enough, if somewhat predictable.  (Also, the mechanics and social elements of the eponymous game at its heart don't actually make much sense when you stop to think about them.)  Still, I was interested enough in how the events would unfold to want to read this story all the way through and skim over some of the shakier sections.  Plus, I mostly liked the protagonist, Emika, and her multi-colored hair and her (sometimes misguided) spunk.  To me, Warcross feels very much in the vein of Ready Player One, so if you enjoyed that novel, you might try this one.  I'd also suggest Warcross if you're looking for a fun YA adventure novel with a depressing undercurrent of "this could really happen or maybe is already starting."

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Five: Can't Help Myself

I listened to Boston Globe "Love Letters" columnist Meredith Goldstein's memoir Can't Help Myself (wonderfully read by the author) and enjoyed every moment of it.  It doesn't hurt, I suppose, that, although about ten years my senior, I resonated with much of what Goldstein described about her own life, but I think this work would appeal to a wider audience, too.  Goldstein weaves together snippets from her "Love Letters" columns and her own experiences as a girlfriend, as a single woman, as a sister, and as the daughter of a mother ill with cancer.  This juxtaposition of other people's letters to her column and her own life offers some perspective on both the column and especially her own life.  Even as Goldstein covers many weightier topics, her writing offers up moments of levity in counterbalance, making this memoir eminently listenable (or readable).  I only wished it lasted longer!

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Four: Bellweather Rhapsody

I read Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia for a book club, which hasn't met yet, but I'm excited to talk it over with people, because this book really surprised me!  It started a little slowly and blandly, feeling like your typical snide and semi-detached coming-of-age story, but as I got further into the narrative and got to know the main characters and their past better, I really started caring about them.  Even though there is a small cast of complex characters, Bellweather Rhapsody is also driven by its bizarre plot involving several murders, a high school music festival, and a snowstorm.  This is a book about which I can honestly say that I couldn't predict at all how it was going to end, which is pretty unusual for me, and made me appreciate this strange and wonderful novel all the more.  If you're looking for something good to read, something that will surprise you, I heartily and wholly suggest Bellweather Rhapsody.

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Three: Scythe

Neal Shusterman's Scythe is a book that I've heard a lot about, and yet it took me over a year to actually pick up a copy and read it, but once I started, I could not put it down.  I was worried it would be another Hunger Games derivative, and while there are some obvious and shallow similarities (lots of killing, a proposed battle to the death of two teenagers who have to kill people and may be romantically involved), I think Scythe offers more food for thought than The Hunger Games by offering us a vision of a future in which humans have become immortal and work has essentially been rendered useless (somewhat similarly to The Giver).  Even so, Scythe could have gone a lot farther in envisioning a future human society, but nonetheless, I found it thought-provoking and totally engrossing.  So far there's one sequel published (Thunderhead), and a third (and final?) planned, and I'll definitely be reading both at some point.  If you liked The Hunger Games or are in the mood for a dystopian YA bloodbath with subtle tastes of a political thriller, definitely give Scythe a try. 

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Two: Way off the Road

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook of Way off the Road, read by the author, Bill Geist, who is (or was?) apparently a big name at CBS.  Way off the Road offers a collection of vignettes about some of the most unusual places Geist has visited in America, which include a town with only one resident, a town where the parade stands still and the spectators walk around it, and various towns with unusual festivals.  There are also a few little pieces about the joys (travails) of traveling, which are close enough to the mark to be quite funny.  This is just the sort of entertaining and lighthearted nonfiction that I particularly enjoy, and I certainly recommend it as an interesting diversion!

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-One: Jane on the Brain

As a non-fiction companion to my reading of Jane Austen's novels, I listened to a new non-fiction audiobook called Jane on the Brain: Exploring the Science of Social  Intelligence with Jane Austen by Wendy Jones.  I hadn't read all of the novels by the time I listened to this book, so I can safely say that you don't have to have read Austen to enjoy and learn something from this book, which is as much psychology as literary analysis, although you'll probably get more out of it if you have read at least some of Austen's novels.  Jones uses Austen's characters to provide examples of various psychological concepts, simultaneously shedding light on the books and on psychology on an accessible, introductory level.  I really enjoyed this listen, so if you're interested in either Austen or psychology, I'd definitely suggest checking out Jane on the Brain.