2021/12/20
BOOK REVIEW:
CHASE DARKNESS WITH ME BY BILLY JENSEN
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: Chase Darkness With MeAuthor: Billy Jensen
Published: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 368
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
Billy Jensen, an investigative journalist, recounts his 15 plus year career and his drive to look into and solve unsolved cases, and how he went about trying to find endings to all of these stories he kept encountering.
Review:
I've known about Billy Jensen ever since I read I'll Be Gone In The Dark, and have since encountered him on several podcasts. I really enjoy listening to his stories and his insights, and so of course, I quite enjoyed this book.
My favorite thing about this book was reading about Jensen and his father, and I wish we had gotten to read even more about it. It's clear how important his father was to him, and still is, and it really shines through. I also enjoyed reading about his friendship with Michelle McNamara (the author of I'll Be Gone in the Dark), and how important this community of non-police people who investigate crimes is for him.
Another thing that makes this book stand out is the exploration of social media and how the author used it in his investigations, and what an amazing tool it can be (although not always). It's a very interesting part of our current world that I think is often overlooked, and is very interesting to read about.
It was very interesting to read about the different cases Jensen tells us about in this book, although some of them feel a bit scattered about, and I felt like I never quite got into a good rhythm with this. I also felt it got quite repetitive after a while, and the whole thing felt a bit all over the place.
I'm glad I read this though, and for fans of true crime, I think this is a very interesting read.
You can get this book at The Book Depository (affiliate link)
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2021/12/16
2021/12/14
2021/12/13
BOOK REVIEW:
A LIFE ON OUR PLANET BY DAVID ATTENBOROUGH
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: A Life On Our Planet: My Witness Statement and Vision for the FutureAuthor: David Attenborough
Published: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 266
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
In this book, Attenborough, world famous broadcaster and natural historian, recounts his extraordinary experiences with nature throughout his life and explores how much has changed in his 94 years on Earth.
Review:
This was a fantastic read, which doesn't surprise me at all.
Like a lot of other people, I'm a big fan of this authors nature documentaries and I thought reading a book detailing his view on the natural world and our current climate crisis would be very interesting; and it was. Just like in his documentaries, you can truly tell how much he loves and cares about the natural world, and I really liked how he explained exactly why it's so important to preserve it.
There's a lot of information in this book, including a lot of statistics, and it's a lot to take in. I always feel a bit depressed reading books about the climate, because there's a sense of hopelessness to me about it, but I really like that Attenborough deftly takes us through how we may be able to reverse it and how not all hope is lost.
I actually think this is a great book to start with if you haven't read any nonfiction books on this subject; Attenborough's voice is strong and steady, the book is not too long, and the whole thing is a bit depressing but not overwhelmingly so.
I also want to add that I listened to the audiobook of this, but found it quite helpful to have the book in hand while I was listening. Attenborough has a great storytelling voice, so I really enjoyed it, but it's also the first audiobook I've ever got through, so I don't have anything to compare it to.
You can get this book at The Book Depository (affiliate link)
You can read more about it on Goodreads
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2021/12/09
2021/12/07
BOOK REVIEW:
A LONG WAY GONE BY ISHMAEL BEAH
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: A Long Way GoneAuthor: Ishmael Beah
Published: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 230
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
This is the devastating story of a child soldier, who at the age of twelve saw his home country descend into chaos and war, and by the time he was thirteen, he had been recruited by the government army.
Review:
I've had this book for such a long time, and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.
This is a courageous and horrific book all at once. The authors story is heartbreaking, and it takes a lot of bravery to share it with the world. It's a story of pain and war, and trying to grow up and make sense of the world in the middle of it all.
The strongest part of this book, for me, was the telling of what happened after, so the last third of the book; trying to come to terms with what has happened, trying to grapple with grief and trying to return to the rest of the world from such a nightmare existence.
I will say, I did find the ending a bit abrupt though, and I would have liked to get a little bit more out of it. I think the book tells an important story, one that everyone should know of, but it was less of an emotional read than I had anticipated, as parts of it, understandably, felt a bit detached.
It's definitely worth the read though, especially if you know little about this conflict and want a human and personal view of it (which everyone should have).
You can get this book at The Book Depository (affiliate link)
You can read more about it on Goodreads
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2021/12/04
BOOK REVIEW:
SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES BY CAITLIN DOUGHTY
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes & Other Lessons from the CrematoryAuthor: Caitlin Doughty
Published: 2014
Language: English
Pages: 254
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
After finishing a degree in medieval history in her twenties, Caitlin Doughty took a job at a crematory, taking a journey into and learning to navigate the secret world of the dead and the death industry.
Review:
This is my third book by this author, and it's no surprise that I really enjoyed this.
It always feels a bit weird to say one has enjoyed a book about death, but I always enjoy Doughty's books and they all deal with it, so there's obviously something about the way she writes that really demystifies the whole thing. This is an honest book, both personally and professionally, and it's both respectful and funny all at once.
It was really interesting to get to read about the authors beginning; I've followed her on social media for years and already read her other books, so it was fascinating to see how she came into this industry and this fascination, as well as where she came from.
Reading Doughty's books and seeing her work online has actually really helped me; things are always more terrifying when you know so little about it, and learning more about death and the process that comes after has opened my eyes and my mind. The facts about death and dying, and coming to terms with your own mortality, coupled with a morbid and dry sense of humor make for both an interesting and educational memoir, and I very much enjoyed this.
You can get this book at The Book Depository (affiliate link)
You can read more about it on Goodreads
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2021/12/03
2021/12/02
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