No.727: What I Read in January 2023

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#1. A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO by Richard Peck // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “You wouldn’t think we’d have to leave Chicago to see a dead body.”

This was the second time I’ve read this aloud for school and the littler kids loved it just as much!  The book is hilarious, but it also gave us many opportunities to discuss Grandma Dowdel’s more eye-raising behaviors, like cheating or telling a fib.

#2. OPERATION PAPERCLIP: THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT NAZI SCIENTISTS TO AMERICA by Annie Jacobsen // ★★★★★
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “It was November 26, 1944, and Strasbourg, France, was still under attack.”

THIS BOOK.  I’ll let the blurb explain the premise: “In the chaos following World War II, the U.S. government faced many difficult decisions, including what to do with the Third Reich’s scientific minds. These were the brains behind the Nazis’ once-indomitable war machine. So began Operation Paperclip, a decades-long, covert project to bring Hitler’s scientists and their families to the United States.  Many of these men were accused of war crimes, and others had stood trial at Nuremberg; one was convicted of mass murder and slavery. They were also directly responsible for major advances in rocketry, medical treatments, and the U.S. space program. Was Operation Paperclip a moral outrage, or did it help America win the Cold War?”

Annie Jacobsen’s work is thoroughly researched and sheds some light onto a very controversial program.  At the end, we’re left with questions: Does Operation Paperclip implicate Americans as dishonest and trying to capitalize on the backs of the people they fought to save?  Does scientific advancement trump ethical behavior?  I don’t know the answers, but this book definitely had me thinking.  A good reminder to have a healthy distrust for government; what you’re being told and what you see on the surface may not be the full story.  (This also counted toward my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#3. A THOUSAND NAKED STRANGERS: A PARAMEDIC’S WILD RIDE TO THE EDGE AND BACK by Kevin Hazzard // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “I did nothing to save the first person who died in front of me.”

This is a collection of stories from a paramedic’s ten years working on the streets of Atlanta.  Lots of craziness with a bit of self-reflection.

#4. WELCOME TO LAGOS by Chibundu Onuzo // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “Evening swept through the Delta: half an hour of mauve before the sky bruised to black.”

How to describe this book?  The story is about five strangers who leave their lives in Niger Delta and move to Lagos to start over.  They become a kind of ragtag family, sticking together as they struggle to survive.  The book also addresses Nigeria’s political corruption problem, which I found really interesting.  (This also counted toward my Reading the Alphabet Challenge.)

#5. A YEAR DOWN YONDER by Richard Peck // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “It was a September morning, hazy with late summer, and now with all the years between.”

This is the sequel to A Long Way from Chicago and we read this for school.  Almost as good as the first one – I definitely enjoyed seeing how much Grandma Dowdel loved her grandchildren, despite her crusty exterior.

#6. RED KNIFE by William Kent Krueger // ★★★☆☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “It was not yet dawn and already he could smell death.”

Book #8 in the Cork O’Connor series and probably my least favorite so far.  There were a lot of moving parts, a lot of characters, and one scene that was somewhat unbelievable.  Even so, the last few chapters of the book were INTENSE.  WKK sure knows how to write.

#7. XO by Jeffery Deaver // ★★★★☆
(amazon // bookshop // better world books)

First line: “The heart of a concert hall is people.”

I picked this one up solely because of the title: I needed an “X” book for my Reading the Alphabet Challenge!  I went in with no expectations, but was surprised to discover that I really enjoyed it.  This book is a police procedural/suspense novel about a country music singer who has a stalker.  Lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.  It’s technically the third in a series, but I didn’t feel like I missed out on much.  3.5 stars, rounded up.

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MY UNREAD SHELF PROJECT

Unread Books as of January 1, 2023: 207 (not counting the books already in progress)
Books Finished in January: 7
Finished Books Donated/Sold: 3
Books Added: 1 (for Epiphany!)
Unread Books Remaining: 204