52 Book Challenge

Can a city really be lost? In this book, Annalee Newitz writes about four ancient cities: "the doorway" Catalhouk, "the street" Pompeii, "the reservoir" Angkor and "the plaza" Cahokia. Newitz takes readers on what at times feels like an archeological dig through history. In the book, she argues that cities can't really be abandoned and takes a clearer look at the real story of these famous ancient places.  In this episode, Kara discusses Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age and why readers should pick up this book to use the past to learn more about ourselves today. 

Audiobooks have increased dramatically in popularity in the past few years. Can they count for my book challenge? In this episode, Kara discusses the dos and don'ts of audiobooks. 

The Wright brothers left an indelible mark on human history with their flying machine. In this podcast episode, Kara discusses The Wright Brothers  written by Pulitzer prize winning author, David McCullough. Perfect for aviation nerds and history nerds alike, this book will have your soaring through one of history's greatest moments, when humans conquered the sky. 

In the book, Daughters of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, Harrimans: A Story of Love and War by Catherine Grace Katz, the reader gets to experience the Yalta Conference through the three daughters of world leaders trying to come to agreements after World War II. This book is written by a woman who tells us about three women who influenced history, but whose story has remained largely untold.  In this episode, Kara shares how the three daughters: Anna Roosevelt, Sarah Churchill and Kathleen Harriman helped their fathers during the Yalta conference and explains why this book she be next on your reading list. 

At 768 pages, A Promised Land by Barack Obama will be a longer read for your 52 book challenge, but certainly a worthwhile one. In this episode, Kara talks about Obama's book and why readers are sure to enjoy it! 

Have you ever thought about starting or joining a book club? The book in this episode is a great option for starting a book club with your friends. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is a historical fiction novel that takes place in the hills of Kentucky during the Depression. As part of Roosevelt's government program, the "book woman," Cussy delivers books to clients in far-off hills and hollers.  Meanwhile, her father seeks to marry her off and keep her from doing the job she loves.  Later in the episode is a guide to starting your own book club.  Participating in a book club is a great way to reach your reading goal for the year along with being a fun way to socialize and discuss good books. This episode will give you a few tips on how to get started with a book club and set you up for reading success! 

With the chaos of 2020 did you get a chance to check out all the new books that came out? This podcast talks about three books published in 2020. The first book, Dear Edward is a coming-of-age novel sure to tug at your heart strings.  The second book is perfect for any Jeopardy! fan. The last book is for anyone who has ever considered showers to be overrated. Sound interesting? Check out this quick episode to see if these are your next favorite reads!  Book List  Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano  Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy! by Claire McNear  Clean: The New Science of Skin by James Hamblin 

Have you ever wanted to start a garden? Only have a little space? Small-plot, High-yield Gardening by Sal Gilbertie and Larry Sheehan is a great book to get you started! This book will teach you everything you need to know about 100% organic gardening, even with minimal space. Highlights of the books include information about companion planting, organic fertilizers and composting, garden plan drawings for a variety of available space and different needs and a year-long gardener's schedule. If you've been gardening for a while, this book offers new tips and tricks to get you out of a rut.  In the second half of the episode, Kara discusses her experience with gardening, proving even a beginner can have some success!  Small-Plot, High-Yield Gardening: Grow Like a Pro, Save Money, and Eat Well from your Front (or back or side) Yard 100% Organic Produce Garden  by Sal Gilbertie and Larry Sheehan  2010 Ten Speed Press 

Are you up to the challenge? Need a great New Year's resolution? Can you actually read 52 books in one year? This episode gives all the necessary hows and whys for starting your 52 book challenge.  In this episode, you'll learn why reading is so good for you and why a book challenge is the perfect way to motivate you to read more. You will also learn how to start, how to track your progress of the books you've read, and how to build your reading list for future reads.  If you've ever wanted to read more than you are right now, listen to this episode and get started!  Show Notes  Berns, G. S., Blaine, K., Prietula, M. J., & Pye, B. E. (2013). Short- and long-term effects of a novel on connectivity in the brain. Brain connectivity, 3(6), 590–600. https://doi.org/10.1089/brain.2013.016 https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books#strengthens-the-brain https://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/benefits-of-reading-real-books https://www.theguardian.com/world/deadlineusa/2008/dec/30/georgebush-usa https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/570929/how-many-books-to-read-year-test#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Pew%20Research,pace%20than%20the%20average%20American

After starting this podcast, lots of people have told me they WANT to read more, but just can't get into it. In this episode, I discuss four reasons why everyone should read. 

In this episode, I share three stories of courageous women who were forced to choose between embracing their past or  leaving it behind. If you are looking for your next book to be real, raw and powerful, this episode is for you.  Books:  Educated by Tara Westover  Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber Scorah  Netflix Mini-series:  Unorthodox 

Books are powerful at all ages! In this episode, I take a break from our regular book matchmaking to share a few tried and true books I have used in the past to teach kids about kindness. The earlier we can teach these lessons with constant reinforcement, the more kindness becomes a habit. If you have any children in your life: your own, cousins, nieces and nephews, students etc., take a listen to this episode and share these books with them. 

There is so much going wrong in the world. It's hard to feel good when everything is just so bad. But what if I told you it doesn't have to be like that? You can have hope and still not be ignoring the major problems we face. Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World-and Why Things Are Better Than We You Think by Hans Rosling tells us it's okay to believe in positive outcomes for the future. Using data, Rosling argues things are not as bad as they seem and we can use this knowledge to actually do better. After the break, I'll give you another book that'll leave you in awe of the technological possibilities for the future. 

You may remember Abigail Adams from your history class as the former first lady who wrote to her husband, "remember the ladies.." as he drafted the Declaration of Independence. But did you know she broke societal norms by drafting her own will? That she advised her husband on political matters? Abigail Adams by Woody Holton is a biography of our often misunderstood first second lady and second first lady. In this episode, I'll talk about this fascinating book and also give a recommendation of an award-winning TV series to watch while you read. 

The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson is a digestible read for anyone wanting to learn more about the human body who doesn't know much about the topic. Bryson excels at keeping the information engaging, concise, and even humorous. After talking about this book, I'll give another book with a crazy title written by an author whose last name is perfect for his job. By the time you finish both, you'll be in awe of the complex mechanics of the human body and alarmed by the many gaps in our healthcare system.

In this episode, I discuss a biography from 2007, Obama: From Progress to Power by David Mendell, a Chicago Tribune reporter. Mendell covered Obama early-on in his political career. This book helps us understand how Obama went from a brainy political neophyte to a world-wide influential leader.  After, I share a podcast series that pairs with the book. By the time you finish both, you'll know nearly everything to know about pre-presidential Obama. 

You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe is a book about our first president. Throughout American history we've typically heard Washington's story told from a man's perspective. Coe, a former research curator at the New York Public Library and yes, a woman, tells us the biography of Washington with a different view. After discussing the biography, I'll give a podcast recommendation to go along with it! 

Libraries play such a central, yet often unappreciated role in our lives. In this episode, I'll be talking about The Library Book by Susan Orlean and then giving an exceptional movie to watch after you read it. 

There are plenty of book reviews out there, but have you ever wanted more? In this book review, I'll talk about one of the best books of 2018, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker. But I won't stop there, if you're interested in The Art of Gathering, I'll give you another book that has one of my favorite titles of all time and that'll put your gathering skills to the test.