January Book Reviews
You don’t suddenly wake up a grumpy old man. It’s a progression of subtle changes— physical, mental, and emotional— that compound over time. One of the early indicators of my curmudgeon evolution is being horrified by reading statistics. 5 years ago, you could’ve told me that less than 50% of Americans read a book in the last year and I wouldn’t have blinked. I probably would’ve even argued there’s better, more efficient means of storytelling and transferring information. Not anymore.
I spend a lot of time rocking and cuddling my kids. It’s a luxury. I’ve consumed a lifetime’s worth of brain-rot social media while they sleep in my arms. In an effort to reclaim my what’s left of the microwaved jelly between my ears, I spent the latter half of 2024 learning how to read for pleasure. The task is simple, but clearly challenging considering how few college-graduates read a book after they get their degrees.
The process goes: Get book. Read book. Repeat.
There’s a few pointers that have been helpful on my journey. First, read for free. Your local library is an awesome resource. You can, of course, check out physical books, but since I’m typically in the dark with the kids, I read e-books through an app provided by my library. They don’t always have the book I’m looking for, but I console myself with the fact there’s got to be something I’ll enjoy out of the 100,000+ titles.
Second, move on quickly from books you don’t like. I used to treat books with a foolish reverence by thinking I had to finish one book before starting the next. This led me to stop reading altogether whenever I got stuck in a boring read. Ridiculous. Read books like you watch television: if you don’t like it, change the channel. Super easy to do when app-reading.
With all of that said, here are the books I read this month…
It’s What I Do by Lynsey Addario
After reading about Lynsey Addario’s career, it almost feels offensive to call what I do “photography.” Lynsey’s covered most of the major human crises over for over two decades and in the process been injured, kidnapped, and earned herself a MacArthur fellowship. This is a must read for photographers and should have wide-spread appeal for anyone interested in learning about how conflicts are covered by photojournalists. 9/10
Blood and Lighting by Dustin Kiskaddon
Dustin Kiskaddon, PhD, is a sociologist turned tattoo artist turned author provides an insightful read about the cultural significance of tattoo artists and their work. Dustin immerses himself in the world of tattooing while conducting field research on the industry by earning an apprenticeship and becoming an artist himself. His book reads like a graduate-level thesis dumbed down for mass appeal and targeted at armchair philosophers like myself. 7/10
Vintage Murakami by Haruki Murakami
This book took me by surprise. I had never heard of Murakami before downloading the sample of this book; I just like short stories and figured, “why not?” Suddenly, four hours had passed and I had finished the book. The translations of Murakami’s work capture a depth of feeling that moved me. From romance, to tragedy, to comedy, this sample of Murakami’s work had it all and left me wanting more. 10/10
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Didn’t read this one— instead I listened to the audiobook after waiting 8 weeks for my hold to come up. Audiobooks aren’t my usual cup-of-tea, but who could resist that sultry, southern drawl? Not me. I don’t know if I could’ve finished the book otherwise. It’s an interesting-enough memoir from one of the most influential Texans alive, but the format includes many asides (bumper stickers, prescriptions, poems, and prayers) which occasionally feel more like space fillers than anything else. But again, read in that iconic McConnaughey voice? More than passable. 7/10.
The Unsettlers by Mark Sundeen
Have you thought about homesteading? Living off grid? Breaking the chains of capitalism and consumerism by becoming totally and utterly self-sufficient? Turns out it’s a lot harder than you’re giving it credit for. Sundeen highlights these challenges through the stories of agrarian families in three different cities across the United States. It’s a thought-provoking work of nonfiction if lacking in key takeaways. If I had to boil it down, I’d say while the basic economics of running a small farm without supplemental income are nearly impossible, you should still strive to live consciously under the ethical constraints of our current economic systems. In other words, be a decent person. 8/10
