This post may contain affiliated links, which means if you purchase an item I will earn commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
With all the socializing I did this past month, I really didn’t have time to read. Also, The Calamity Club is a very long book, so it took me a while to get through out. However, I enjoyed each book I read; found meaning and relevancy. Every book I read in August was about women being liberated from the constraints of social pressure and propriety.
It’s the 1930s in Mississippi during the Great Depression. Birdie, a young unmarried 23 year old, is still living with her mama and meemaw. Just like the rest of the country, they are struggling to survive. Birdie is sent to Oxford to ask her socialite sister, and her rich husband, for money. Upon arriving Birdie finds much more than she ever expected, as she learns her sister’s charmed life isn’t what it seems to be. When she helps out at the orphanage her sister volunteers at, Birdie meets 11 year old Meg. A “big girl” abounded by her mother. Birdie and Meg form a special bond, as they understand one and another. Meanwhile Birdie also meets a woman, Charlie, who is down on her luck. When Charlie comes up with an idea to get them all out of financial ruin, it is much more audacious than what Birdie is custom to. Especially during a time when women do not have much freedom, and social hypocrisy is at its high. Will these women survive.
5 stars
Review
This is a long read but so, so good! From start to finish I loved it. It has so many twist and turns that I wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed the interchanging narratives of both Birdie and Meg. It kept the story refreshing and revitalizing. Both stories I enjoyed following along. Each story kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what happens next. As someone who loves historical fiction, especially around women, this book was right up my alley. Showcasing what women had to go through during not only the Great Depression, but also in society during that tine period. The hypocrisy of laws and unwritten pious and moral values. The lack of freedom women had, especially down south. To watch two women and a little girl do what they have to do to survive was truly captivating.
From her impoverish childhood to the musical and charitable icon we know today, Ain’t Nobody’s Fool gives us insights into life of the legendary Dolly Parton. We get tales of her upbringing in the Smoky Mountains, her family life, learning music, and being bullied by other kids. Her start with Porter Wagoner, their falling out, and mush, much more her life as a musical superstar. We also get a glimpse of the struggles Dolly went through; her depression, her heartbreaks, and more. If you ever wanted to know the real Dolly Parton, this book is for you!
5 stars
Review
I have been reading this off and on for the past few months, and with the passing of Dolly it felt appropriate to finally finish the book. As someone who has read, watched, and listened to Dolly talk about her life, this book told stories I have never heard before. I really enjoyed a more in-depth look into her life growing up, the beginnings of her career, her struggles in her career, and her mental health. Dolly was truly one of a kind, an angel, not only with her music and her philanthropy, but who she was as a person. She is my role model, someone who I strive to be like in kindness and acceptance. This was a wonderful book to read while honoring the greatest person who ever lived.
Turning 40 can be a confusing part of any woman’s life. Our bodies and hormones are changing. We start to feel either left behind or have lost one’s true self in motherhood or in our careers or both. Stacey Lindsay talks about the things that are unspoken. The taboo, the insecurities, the embarrassing questions we have about ourselves, our bodies, when we are in our 40s. Through expert advice, candid interviews, and personal stories, the book explores a modern take on motherhood, relationships, career, health, and more.
4 stars
Review
I am no stranger to self-help books, so some of this felt a little redundant; empowering yourself, being whoever you want to be, etc, However, it was a nice reminder that turning 40 isn’t the end, it can also be the beginning. Some of what was talked about, as someone who feels behind, it did give me anxiety. A reminder of my ticking clock in terms of motherhood. Other parts, however, made me realize that I can always change course. It’s ok to start over in your career and in life. That turning 40 you feel even more empowered and secure in who you are and what you want. You figure things out. That gave me hope and promise that so many wonderful moments, opportunities, and experiences are still ahead of me. I do recommend this book for those who just turned 40, about to turn 40, or feeling lost in their 40s. It’s a nice reminder that you are not alone in your struggles, confusion, and insecurities- especially around perimenopause and resetting your life.