April: What I Read

April 2017 Reads | https://www.roseclearfield.com

I had so much fun writing a separate what I read post last month that I decided to write another what I read post this month. I’m excited to share my April reads with you.

In April, I listened to:

  • Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. Seabiscuit could also be called everything you ever wanted to know about the history of horse racing. I mentioned in my last reading post that it was a fitting read with the Kentucky Derby less than a month away. Now that the Kentucky Derby is less than a week away, it’s even more fitting.

 

  • Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis. Reading Moneyball right after Seabiscuit wasn’t a great idea, as they’re both jargon-heavy sports books. I actually got into the narrative of Seabiscuit a lot more than the narrative of Moneyball. There were too much focus on statistics and not enough focus on the story. Maybe I would enjoy the movie more? I actually haven’t seen the movie versions of Seabiscuit or Moneyball.

 

 

  • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Somehow, I hadn’t read Fahrenheit 451 until now. I actually got inspired to read it after a friend reviewed it on Goodreads after reading it for the first time recently. Fahrenheit 451 is one of those classic books like The Great Gatsby that will always seem timeless, even though some of the story is dated now. The writing is simple and clean yet very powerful.

 

  • My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business: A Memoir by Dick Van Dyke. I’ve read both of Dick Van Dyke’s books now and really enjoyed both of them. He knows how to tell a great story. Dick Van Dyke talks in some depth about his most famous projects (i.e. Mary Poppins, The Dick Van Dyke Show), which is neat. It’s mind blowing to think that he worked alongside Disney himself in Mary Poppins. Disney has become such an icon in this country that it’s easy to forget that he lived not that long ago.

Currently, I’m listening to Blood, Bones, & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton, after I watched her stint on season 4 of The Mind of a Chef. It isn’t worth reading. You’ll get a lot more out of The Mind of a Chef than you will out of her book.

I read:

  • Waking the Spirit: A Musician’s Journey Healing Body, Mind, and Soul by Andrew Schulman. Waking the Spirit is such an interesting read. I won a free copy of it via a Goodreads giveaway, so I wanted to write a review of it, which is as follows: “Andrew Schulman weaves his personal experiences as both patient and healer seamlessly, taking the reader through an in-depth analysis of the powerful, ancient connection between music and medicine. He offers personal anecdotes alongside medical knowledge and psychology research without coming off as preachy, biased, or new age. The insight is specific without too much technical jargon. As someone passionate about music and with a close connection to medicine, I am biased in loving this book. But I would highly recommend it to anyone, regardless of their background and experience with either aspect of the book.” (Posted on both Amazon and Goodreads.)
  • Matched by Ally Condie. Matched is fantastic, really a solid read. I know everyone compares this trilogy to The Hunger Games, but the writing and overall nature of the society remind me more of The Giver. I will definitely be reading the other two books in the series. A couple other comments: 1) To those who were disappointed by the lack of resolution at the end of Matched…yeah, not sure what you expected from the first book in a planned trilogy. 2) To the person who decided “a love triangle” needed to be included in the review quotes on the cover…it is as much as The Hunger Games is a love triangle, I suppose. Either way, a love triangle is a terrible description for both series. Don’t let it deter you from reading this book.

Currently, I’m reading As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes. I just started it and can’t really comment on it yet, so watch for the review in my next reading post.

My running total for 2017: 30 books. You can read more about my 2017 goals and most recent progress with said goals right here.

Check out even more of my favorite reads on my Favorite Reads Pinterest board!

[Disclaimer: All of the book links in this post are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!]

What have you been reading lately?

I’m always looking for new recommendations!

Additional reading posts:

My 2016 Reading List + Tips for Reading More Books | https://www.roseclearfield.com

My 2016 Reading List + Tips for Reading More Books

March 2017 Reads | https://www.roseclearfield.com

March: What I Read

 

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4 thoughts on “April: What I Read”

  1. I think I saw Seabiscuit when it came out. I remember liking it, but I’ve never read the book. Yesterday I started reading Lightening Thief (young adult book with a movie I haven’t seen) because it was free on Amazon Prime. We’ll probably be heading to the library this weekend so hopefully I can find a few things I haven’t read and am interested it! Our local selection isn’t all that large.

  2. I read Matched! I really enjoyed it as well. I haven’t found time to read the other two, but I’d like to.
    I tried to read Seabiscuit, but it was really hard; I assume because of all the jargon. Listening to it sounds like a much better idea!

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