Tag Archives: nonfiction

The Raven’s Prophecy Tarot, by Maggie Stiefvater

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: Illuminating the Prophecy [Before starting this review, let me clear up a few misconceptions about tarot. Tarot is not magic. It does not tell the future. It is not anti-Christian or some form of devilry. It is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Sunday Coffee – On Nonfiction

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Thistle

This year is peculiar for me in terms of reading habits. Since I began to track my books in 2008, my nonfiction reading rate has averaged 10% per year. This year, I’m steady at almost 30%. That is a huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Talk | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Come As You Are, by Emily Nagoski (audio)

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life In Come As You Are, Nagoski discusses what women’s sexuality is and isn’t, and talks about the many ways that culture and history has interfered with and influenced the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Readathon: Elena Vanishing, by Elena and Clare Dunkle

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Thistle

Elena Dunkle developed anorexia as a teenager. This memoir, written with the help of her mother, Clare Dunkle, discusses her struggles with the disorder and her attempts to recover from it. Recovery is a path, not a destination. I haven’t … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

It Was Me All Along, by Andie Mitchell (audio)

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Thistle

Growing up, food was Mitchell’s best friend and most consistent source of comfort. By twenty years old, she was up to 268 lbs, and went on a weight loss journey to lose 135 lbs. She was thin and physically healthy, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Honor Girl, by Maggie Thrash

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Thistle

This is a graphic memoir recounting Maggie Thrash’s time at a Christian girls’ summer camp in Kentucky. She was fifteen and had never suspected she might be a lesbian. Then an encounter with a camp counselor that summer causes infatuation … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Visual, Young Adult | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Underground Girls of Kabul, by Jenny Nordberg (audio)

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: In Search of Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan [some versions are subtitled: The Hidden Lives of Afghan Girls Disguised as Boys] When Jenny Nordberg was reporting in Afghanistan, she came across a phenomenon she hadn’t heard of before: bacha posh, … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fat Girl Walking, by Brittany Gibbons (audio) + getting personal

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: Sex, Food, Love, and Being Comfortable in Your Skin…Every Inch of It One woman’s journey into body-positivity. Exploring her life through stories, Gibbons discusses the ins and outs of being a larger woman in our society, and how she … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose, Wellness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing So…basically this is a kind of self-help course in decluttering and organizing, as the subtitle suggests. It’s been traveling around the blogosphere for a time now, and I first heard about it … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose, Wellness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Orange is the New Black, by Piper Kerman (audio)

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Thistle

Subtitled: My Year in a Women’s Prison I’m sure most people have heard of the TV show version of this, at least, so I won’t spend a lot of time recapping. Piper Kerman spent roughly a year in a federal … Continue reading →

Posted in 2015, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments