Books like Sonny Boy — picked by fans

“They say that a person’s personality is the sum of their experiences. But that isn’t true, at least not entirely, because if our past was all that defined us, we’d never be able to put up with ourselves. We need to be allowed to convince ourselves that we’re more than the mistakes we made yesterday. That we are all of our next choices, too, all of our tomorrows.”
― Fredrik Backman, Anxious People

“We give those we love nicknames, because love requires a word that belongs to us alone.”
― Fredrik Backman, Anxious People

“This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots. So it needs saying from the outset that it’s always very easy to declare that other people are idiots, but only if you forget how idiotically difficult being human is.”
― Fredrik Backman, Anxious People

“Expensive restaurants have bigger gaps between… show more.

I can probably find a way to put this novel into every book category there is – I love it that much!

Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant chemist in the 1960s, a time when society accepted that only men could be brilliant or chemists. But through a series of opportunities and her defiance in the face of attempts to marginalize her, Elizabeth becomes a de facto leader of a small but mighty group of women who change their circumstances and thereby begin to change the world. 

Another Blue Moose books hit. Leonard and Hungry Paul is also one of theirs. I loved the premise, the story, and the writing, anything set by the sea with coastal brushstrokes and a hint of Gaelic. A great book.

This is the book people mean when they say, "why don't they teach practical stuff in schools?" The Wealthy Martian is written by journalist/teacher Karen Cumming who was one of the 100 people selected for a pilot project to travel to Mars. (SPOILER! It didn't happen.) She has done her homework and consulted experts about getting a solid start, financially. Mostly, I was happy to discover that I'm already doing most of the things she's written about. But for school-age kids or anyone who needs a financial tune-up, it's written in an engaging style and suitable for any age. It ought to be in the cirrriculum.

In this essay, Roy writes about her relationship with her mother, Mary, with a mix of sharp honesty and tenderness.

I love how she captures a daughter’s push-and-pull between rebellion and devotion, irritation and gratitude. It’s a reminder that our mothers can be both our fiercest critics and our fiercest protectors—and that understanding them often means revisiting the stories we’ve told ourselves for years.

The First Man, an autobiographical novel by Camus, remains unfinished. When Camus was killed in the car accident, the manuscript of this book was found in the car. This is a story of his childhood in the Algerian town by the sea.

It's written with great energy, love of life, and compassion. I read the novel in splendid English translation by David Hapgood.