Recent Reads

63. Still Alice
Read this for my book club this month. Alice is successful, in the best shape of her life, and is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease. The power of this story is that it is told from her point of view, and as the reader, the tension and uncertainty this creates is palpable. I cried. I saw things from a perspective I had never considered. Much of what I know about this disease is from the medical or caregiver perspective. Following along with Alice as she looses herself has already led to fascinating discussions in our house. Who are we without our memories? How much can we lose and still be ourselves? What would I do in a similar situation? Changed my mental models. I initially rated it 4 stars, but have since changed my mind, and am going with 5 stars.

64. Ready Player One
I listened to the audio, and holy moly what an incredible ride it has been. And I say this as someone who has never played video games, so I probably missed about 40% of the references in the book! A dystopian world, where online lives are more interesting than reality. A quest. A David and Goliath story. Oh, and boy meets girl. So much fun. I loved both the story, and Wil Wheaton, the narrator. 5 stars.

65. Creative Pilgrimage
This book has lovely photos, but seems more like a piece of sales material. There are some interviews with mixed media artists, and some projects, but as a whole, it was like I was reading a sales pitch. 2 stars.

66. Altered Surfaces
This little book is chock full of information about how to use acrylics and mediums to create a variety of effects. Interesting and got some good ideas. 3 stars.