February Reading List

It was a pretty low-key month of reading this February. But reading fewer books than usual allowed me to dive into some really interesting topics. Thank you Random House for gifting me these books, noted with a star!

Cinderella, Liberator
Rebecca Solnit 

This was a really fun take on the classic fairytale. Solnit (author of “Men Explain Things to Me”) wrote it for her daughter so she could have a fairytale that was both magical and empowering. In this version Cinderella and the prince stay friends, she opens a business, and she and the step sisters end up working things out. I highly recommend for both kids and adults, very heartwarming.

Boston’s Apollo
Various Writers

This was the catalogue for a new exhibit at the Gardner Museum. For those of you that don’t know, catalogues for big art exhibitions are books of essays and commentary but the curators of the show and intellectuals in the same field. I loved this show and reading the catalogue let me dive even deeper into the material. For those of you that don’t want to buy the catalogue, the Boston Public Library usually keeps a copy on hand for in-library use. 

The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire*
Francesca Cartier Brickell

I loved this book! It’s a long but fascinating and quick-moving biography of the Cartier empire. At first I was unsure how I’d relate to luxury goods tycoons but the family started at the bottom of the jewelry business sweeping floors and worked their way up as a unit. It’s a really interesting history of their family but also of the jewelry industry, its trends, and the artistry involved. 

The Dutch House
Ann Patchett

This has been a very popular book in Boston this winter. I’ve been on the wait list for a number of months and it was worth the wait. This is a super engrossing novel about a family whose life, for generations, is tied to a Dutch style mansion in Pennsylvania. The story centers on three generations of this family trying to find their way, and each other, in the world, but the house is a constant, intriguing character. I loved it. 

The Holdout*
Graham Moore

This novel keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time! It follows a jury trying the case of a black man accused of murdering a wealthy white woman. One juror, Maya, believes he’s innocent and convinces the other jurors to side with her. Years later the trial and its participants come back to haunt Maya and she has to defend herself in court. Very fun, fast, thrilling novel, definitely recommend.