#55 Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand C
This was Scott's audiobook and I listened to (most of) it over the period of a few weeks. I wasn't crazy about it. There's a lot of value in listening to this kind of history, but the way the story was told kind of annoyed me. This women was essentially writing a series of memories, not a researched biography and some of it just seemed off to me. It jumped from event to event very quickly and I often wondered what the significance of certain things were as they were mentioned in passing. I felt like the narration was a little unreliable and it maybe needed to be told from an "I" perspective? I don't know. It was just kind of okay.
#56 Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe A-
I liked this. Rob Lowe has led a fascinating life. I never even really watched any of his movies (I saw St. Elmo's Fire once by accident...I hate Demi Moore). I loved him on Parks and Rec, but I think that anyone could get enjoyment out of this book. Listening to him read it was probably part of what made it great, so I'd go the audio route if I were you. It was particularly interesting to see how the famous people in Hollywood came together in the 80s.
It was incredibly well-written and it made go straight to Netflix to start watching The West Wing. I can see the similarities between it and The Newsroom because it's the same creator/writer.
#57 10% Happier....by Dan Harris C
I don't think I finished this book. I can't remember. Is that bad? It was half biography/half self-help. I heard about it on Gretchen Rubin's Happier podcast and thought it'd be good to try. Its focus was the idea of meditation and I keep meaning to try it and haven't gotten around to it...which I suppose is the point of what Dan Harris was saying on the podcast, so maybe I should just suck it up and try already.
#58 At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen A
I did not like Water for Elephants. In fact, I hated the movie so much that I never felt the need to pick up the book. I don't like anything having to do with the circus really. And elephants aren't my thing. Robert Pattinson is also not my thing so I just couldn't read it after glimpsing the movie.
I picked up At the Water's Edge on audiobook at the library, set it back on the shelf, walked around, thought "Why not?", picked it up again and checked out.
I really liked it. I don't actually have a complaint about this book. It was different than a traditional WWII story and I just enjoyed it. Predictable ending, yes, but a good story nonetheless.
I had to bring the discs into the house to finish it because I didn't want to wait until I drove somewhere the next day. That's my rule: if I can't stop listening, I have to give it an A.
I told you August would be a slow month...
Linking up with Jana and Steph!
