Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder

ROUGH SLEEPERS by Tracy Kidder (Mountains Beyond Mountains) is subtitled “Dr. Jim O'Connell's urgent mission to bring healing to homeless people,” described as “a glimpse of a world hidden in plain sight.” Kidder once again provides superb narration about a selfless individual; in this case, he is telling the amazing story of a doctor who has dedicated nearly 40 years to befriending and caring for the homeless in Boston. Kidder himself spent roughly five years researching the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, at times riding along with volunteers and paid staff as they brought medical care to the streets. Writing that “a country-doctor approach for an urban population — this was the kind of doctoring that could bring in suspicious patients,” Kidder emphasizes the importance of listening to the homeless patients (for more, see his piece for the New York Times). Filled with many anecdotes, ROUGH SLEEPERS is both troubling and extremely inspiring; it received a starred review from Kirkus and was selected as an Amazon Best Book of January 2023. 

Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks

MOONRISE OVER NEW JESSUP by Jamila Minnicks is a debut novel and Winner of the 2021 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction which is exciting, but I felt that the preview I saw needed further edits. Minnicks sets the story in the late 1950s in a small Alabama town whose residents are all Black. That means they have more flexibility, independence and freedom (e. g., no “Colored” back entrances) than Black citizens who live elsewhere, particularly in the rural South. That absence of fear is initially a shock to Alice Young who ends up in New Jessup after having to flee an abusive landlord in another small Alabama town. Over time and through the kindness of New Jessup residents like the Pastor and local dressmaker, Alice comes to value the quiet certitude which of her new life, even falling in love and getting engaged. There is tension, though, when her boyfriend, Raymond, and his friends impatiently embrace National Negro Advancement Society (NNAS) principles and advocate for municipality rights for New Jessup. Agitators want to push for full integration and town elders prefer to preserve the status quo. The text felt repetitive and slow in places, but Minnicks ably illustrates the courage which was needed to face opposition from multiple sides and to risk the loss of current rights while fighting for equal privilege. Readers may appreciate a warning due to use some offensive racial epithets.

Study like a Champ (or not!)

STUDY LIKE A CHAMP by Regan A. R. Gurung and John Dunlosky is subtitled “The Psychology-Based Guide to ‘Grade A’ Study Habits.” And while the information might be helpful (more on that in a moment), the text fails to offer an attractive cover or a truly compelling message. The New York Times recently published a guest opinion piece by Jonathan Malesic which commented on how important the desire to learn truly is. Honestly, it seems rarer and rarer as students (and their parents) chase grades instead of learning for its own sake. Gurung and Dunlosky, psychology professors at Oregon State and Kent State, respectively, had an opportunity to address this trend and failed. 

They do cite work by John Hattie which reinforces the importance of self-motivation and the way in which a student approaches studying. However, STUDY LIKE A CHAMP itself is written as though the intended audience is other psychologists (maybe some teachers or education administrators would be curious, but even they would likely tire of slogging through this text). Even though Gurung and Dunlosky say “you” (seemingly addressing student readers) frequently, this manuscript is not geared to a middle or high school student. Explicitly modeling a poor writing style and dryly explaining metacognition or the cycle of self-regulation (in a figure without a memorable diagram) are not going to attract converts amongst the many students struggling with building better study skills. The authors need crisper language and at least some images to attract attention – the preview text references Table 1.1 (a summary of key skills?), but it is not provided. There is a Figure 1.1 and an Exhibit 1.1 which again gives a subtle clue as to how research oriented and unengaging this supposed study guide is. There are attempts to be helpful such as ending each chapter with a summary, plus flowery "key training tips" and "go for the gold with advanced reading." However, consider Chapter 2's suggestion: a thirty-four page scholarly article in the Journal of Educational Psychology. Really?!

We know (especially given disruptions driven by COVID) that students need help/guides/tools now more than ever. Other publishers (e.g., Adams Media, Crown, and DK) produce books on study skills (we also reviewed these), many of which have real-world contributions from educators. STUDY LIKE A CHAMP is a disappointment; even this short 2020 article, also published by the American Psychological Association, is a more accessible overview. Turn instead to Outsmart your Brain by Daniel Willingham (review forthcoming). 

Sam by Allegra Goodman

SAM by Allegra Goodman is a coming of age story about a young girl who loves competitive climbing and this title should have wide appeal, evidenced in part by its selection as a Read with Jenna book (see more on Jenna Bush Hager’s influence). The story share events in Sam’s life for over a dozen years from the age of seven when she innocently adored her father, an unreliable parent who is in and out of Sam’s life. Her mother, Courtney, is forever preaching about hard work and importance of security. Goodman builds on these relationships (plus with Sam’s classmates and her brother, Noah) to introduce ideas about parenting, social class, addiction, and self-worth, all told in Sam’s gradually maturing voice. Goodman excels at evoking emotions as the story arcs from innocence to a rather bleak reflection of a sexually predatory relationship to an ultimately hopeful resolution fueled by Sam’s determination and perseverance. High school students and adults will relate to this character and those who care about her as Goodman quietly shares wisdom like “choose joy” or this interaction when Sam questions her Mom: “’How do you know what to do?’ ‘I don’t always know.’ ‘Yes, you do.’ ‘Yeah, that’s how you can tell you’re an adult,’ her mom says. ‘People start thinking you know what you are doing.’” 

Added this review in the Wall Street Journal by Meghan Cox Gurdon where she says, “Ms. Goodman has turned simplicity itself into a powerful tool for evoking how it feels to be young.”

New Cookbooks

THE EVERYTHING DASH DIET MEAL PREP COOKBOOK by Karman Meyer, “200 Easy, Make-Ahead Recipes to Help You Lose Weight and Improve Your Health.” The publishers of this soon to be released cookbook note that “Studies show that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can help lower blood pressure in just two weeks.” That, of course, is exciting and as a result there are numerous cookbooks offering DASH Diet recipes, some of which we have reviewed like DASH for Weight Loss and The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution. Meyer, a registered dietitian nutritionist with fifteen years of experience in the nutrition and food industry, offers recipes across a variety of categories and includes a two-week meal plan. I am looking forward to trying some like Sweet Potato Breakfast Pie, Beef Tenderloin and Roasted Vegetables, or Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Shallots. The cookbook itself would benefit from more color photos, although nutritional information is happily provided.  

THE DON'T PANIC PANTRY COOKBOOK by Noah Galuten, “Mostly Vegetarian Comfort Food That Happens to Be Pretty Good for You.” Galuten and his wife are developing an interesting brand based on their pandemic experience; he is a chef, James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author, and host of the YouTube cooking show Don’t Panic Pantry. Their attitude towards cooking is refreshing, saying that all of us “are negotiating constantly with two different versions of ourselves: the one who wants to be healthier and the one who wants to be excited, or comforted, by the food we eat.” As a result, Galuten’s recipes involve quote a bit of noodles, pasta and beans, but they are easy to make and generally good for you. He provides plenty of “basics” like soup stocks, smoothies, and salad dressings from which to choose. I might try suggestions like Turkey Meatballs or Turmeric Tomato Salad with Fried Herbs. More pictures and adding nutrition information would be helpful.

A couple of other cookbooks that I will be investigating in the new year include Jamie Oliver’s One: Simple One Pan Wonders (to be released soon) and The Well Plated Cookbook by Erin Clarke.

The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera

THE HUNTER by Jennifer Herrera is a complex blend of police procedural, psychological study, and murder mystery – pretty impressive for a debut novel. The main character is Leigh O’Donnell, an impulsive former NYPD detective. She’s relocating, at least temporarily, to Copper Falls, Ohio where her brother is on the police force and has wrangled a job for her. Corruption abounds in the small town, but Leigh is more interested in solving the multiple homicides: three men died recently in a pattern similar to that of several years ago when three high school students were also found dead near the falls. Questions about drug use, a history of illegal activities, and thwarted family relationships add to the tension and the elaborate plot. Herrera is not afraid of raising questions about discrimination, abuse of power, and the lies we tell ourselves. For me, that connected to some real world reflection in the New York Times piece “What These 11 Cops Think People Don’t Understand About Crime.” I am curious to see how Herrera further develops some of these themes in future adventures for Leigh O’Donnell, a brash risk-taker with extraordinary insight. THE HUNTER by Jennifer Herrera received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. 

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES by Heather Fawcett is an absolutely charming tale selected for the January LibraryReads list. The start of a new series, this novel features a young, ambitious researcher named Emily Wilde who heads to Hrafnsvik, Ljosland, a place of snow and winter, in her quest to learn more about fairies and both common and courtly fae. Wilde believes “one doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories” and she is hard at work (very singularly focused) on completing her encyclopedia. The villagers have a mixed reaction to Emily until she is joined by a colleague named Wendell Bambleby. They make a formidable team although, much like the duo of Miss Scarlet and the Duke on PBS, the two often exasperate each other in an amusing fashion. Emily’s vast knowledge and Wendell’s unique skills combine to rescue some local people who have been captured by the fairies and that leads to even more adventures with the villagers. Events and observations are recorded in Emily’s research journal and Fawcett does an excellent job of world-building and sharing various myths and legends. The best part, however, is observing Emily’s fits and starts at “fitting in” and caring about those in the real world. Her future escapades promise to be very entertaining. EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES received a starred review for Library Journal and is recommended for “readers of cozy fantasies” by Kirkus.