Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

(World War Z style narrative x .9 plot speed)

- Zombies

+ Alien technology

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Pretty awesome read

Black Earth by Timothy Snyder

• Detailed, but readable.  
• A significant portion of the work focuses on Poland's role in the Holocaust.  
• Snyder thoroughly explains Hitler's view of the world through the lens of race and inevitable racial conflict.
• This books demonstrates what it means for a group of people to be without citizenship or a state. Using examples, Snyder demonstrates how Jewish populations without the protections of a government were substantially more vulnerable to the Nazi Final Solution.

The One Minute Manager by Blanchard and Johnson

• The audiobook reads like a telling of a story with an all-knowing narrator.
• The reader listens as the main character bumbles around learning of the magical powers of the one-minute manager.
• This title feels like it was set in the 1950s.  Evidence of this includes the role of women in the book, language used, and the author's conception of human motivations.
• Oddly, all the characters in or seeking management roles are men.

Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin

• This was an enthralling read given the intriguing subject matter.
• Having listened to the audiobook read by Meryl Streep it is hard to imagine what the experience of reading the print book would be like. 
• The novel incorporates events from the bible and retells them through Mary's eyes.
• Overall, the great text and outstanding narrator makes this a fantastic read.

Grit to Great by Kaplan Thaler and Koval

• The authors identify guts, resilience, initiative, and tenacity as the keys to grit.
• The short guide details how success requires more than talent alone.
• Suggestions from the authors include: become an over-preparer, go the extra 30 minutes, make yourself uncomfortable, and embrace plan b.
• One of the topics that caught my eye was the discussion of rejection.  The authors advocate that if you are not rejected you are not asking for enough.  At first sight, this does make sense.  However, the text ignores the social implications of making huge requests, which are especially problematic for women.
• Overall, this is an enjoyable and brief read that encourages readers to strengthen themselves.

Summer Secrets by Jane Green

• This novel occupies the space where Nicholas Sparks and Nora Roberts intersect.
• The characters are flawed, but still *good* people.
• Love is immediate and absolute.

A Load of Hooey by Bob Odenkirk

• It wasn't until a few months ago when I was totally sucked into Better Call Saul that I learned about Bob Odenkirk.  In this research I disocvered he was the comic mastermind behind my favorite SNL skit, Down By the River featuring Chris Farley.  
• The collection of essays and short stories explores the underbelly of society.  It isn't dark, but it brings to light popular assumptions.
• I enjoyed Odenkirk's narration of the audiobook.
• The essay that is most memorable to me is the imaged obituary for the creator of Mad Libs.

Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford

• This novel is a modern novel about social class and aspirations.
• The likable main character is deeply flawed.  The reader is at first empathetic toward her, but slowly begins to doubt the character's intentions.
• The trajectory of the character is predictable, yet enjoyable to read.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

• The nerdy and inflexible main character Don is seeking a life partner.  To efficiently do this and minimize awkward social interactions he creates a survey.
• Rosie fails this survey, but Don embarks on a mission to help her find her biological father.
• The novel opens with a hilarious scene where Don interacts awkwardly and inappropriately with a group of kids.  Overall, the novel crafts humorous scenes from Don's lovable, but awkward personality.

The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

• This novels feels like something of an epic saga as it follows a woman's life from childhood to old age.
• The novel highlights changing values and social constructs that shift overtime.
• The main character surprisingly evolves into mother, and early antagonist in the novel.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

• Septeys relays this novel through several narrators.
• Each chapter is fairly short making this a quick read.
• In Salt to the Sea the characters are fleeing invading Russian army's and trying to escape notice by Nazi forces.
• Surprisingly it ends up becoming a love story.

A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

• This novel picks up on the broad chic lit trend.  However, it addresses mid-life issues as opposed to those faced by those in their 20s and early 30s.
• The main character is positioned between choosing her family or her work.  The character views the choices as mutually exclusive.
• Supporting characters are fairly flat, lacking depth and complexity.
• The novel questions the value of disruptive business models.

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

• I should have read the cover more closely.  As I started reading this I quickly put together it was a sequel.  Even with this knowledge I was drawn in and couldn't put it down.
• The novel follows a well-intentioned and socially awkward man as he prepared for fatherhood.
• Simsion's strength is his situational humor.  There are not explicit jokes, but the book is humorous.