An Open Book: November 2024 Reads

I hope you all are having a peaceful Advent so far! With another month here, it's time to link up with An Open Book to share about my reading stack in November. It was a fun mix of comforting fiction and some fascinating nonfiction. Let's dive in! 

The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog, by Elizabeth Peters

In this installment of the Amelia Peabody series, Amelia is excited to travel with her husband to Egypt--without their son. She's been feeling some stagnation in their relationship, and she hopes that this trip will be a good way to rekindle their romance. Yet, when Emerson is rescued from someone who abducts him, he has amnesia--and although he remembers some of his employees, he has no recollection of his beloved wife. Not only does Amelia face villains and misadventures, but she has the added challenge of helping her husband fall in love with her all over again. This book was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed seeing how Amelia and Emerson's relationship continued to develop! 

The Hippopotamus Pool, by Elizabeth Peters

Amelia, Emerson, Ramses, and Nefret head to Egypt together in hopes of investigating a previously unexplored Royal Tomb. Naturally, several other people want to get in the tomb as well and mysteries and villains abound. This story also includes a subplot about infant loss, and it was beautiful to see that topic and its accompanying grief addressed in some way. Otherwise, there was nothing too different about this book, and it was exactly what it needed to be: a fun, comforting, rollicking Egyptian adventure with Amelia and Emerson. 

The Conscious Closet, by Elizabeth L. Cline

In this approachable book, Cline dives into the world of fashion and clothes to encourage all of us to be intentional about our closets. More than simply saying "build a capsule wardrobe and get rid of everything else," she explores the different perspectives that influence our clothing choices and how we can embrace our personal style and truly love working with our wardrobe. She also talks about small ways we can embrace a more sustainable approach as our budgets allow. She talks about the grim reality behind a lot of thrift stores, and she also discusses how different fabrics are made. In probably my favorite section, she explores ways that we can help our clothes last longer through mending and utilizing better laundry routines. This book gave me a lot to think about, and I thought it was a really good read! 

The Summa Domestica Volume 1, by Leila Lawler

This book has been on my radar for a while, and I'm glad that I finally picked it up! It consists of essays about a variety of subjects related to homemaking and parenting, drawn from Lawler's wisdom and experience as well as what she's gleaned from conversations with others in her many years of writing about these topics. It's a very conversational book, written as if you were sitting at the kitchen table chatting with her, and it had a delightfully homey feel to it. Some of the chapters resonated with me more than others, some of her advice didn't really jive with me at all, and some of the ideas in here were absolutely splendid. I don't know how much I'd reread it (it's a large book) but going through it (especially with a new baby in my arms) was very comforting and hope-filled. 

The Bourbon King, by Bob Batchelor

This fascinating nonfiction book explored the life of George Remus, a mastermind who--during the Prohibition era--tried to create a monopoly on the bootleg bourbon industry in America. It was a wild story, and I really enjoyed reading this book. At the conclusion of the book, the author included short paragraphs that gave updates on various people mentioned throughout the story, and what happened to them as the years went by; I thought this was a neat touch. I honestly don't often think about the dark realities of the Prohibition era, so it was interesting to experience a vivid picture of the violence, intrigue, darkness, and crime that happened alongside all of the lavish parties we often think of. 

How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told, by Harrison Scott Key

After reading about this book in someone's newsletter, I promptly got it from the library and read it. This is the memoir that discusses the time that the author found out that his wife was having an affair. It's also the funniest book about infidelity that you will probably ever read; Harrison Scott Key is a humor writer and brings a hilarious tone into a very dark story. He explores the aftermath of his discovery and the different ways that he tried to find healing when his marriage was, in many ways, dead. The writing and pacing are excellent in this book, and I had to keep reading to see what happened-because even towards the end of the book, things were so bad, but I knew that the author and his wife are still together, so I had to see how all that happened. This was a great read. My main caveat is that the author is a Christian, but his tone came across to me as a bit irreverent at times (though according to some reviews I read, he was "too Christian" for a lot of readers). I'm grateful that the author and his wife (she wrote a chapter of the book) are sharing their story, and I think it could bring hope to a lot of people! 

Thanks so much for joining me this month! If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments!