Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About KimMiE"

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I love reading nonfiction books, especially ones about nature, zoology, brain chemistry, and psychology. I also love the classics, especially Victorian lit. Mysteries are my go-to relaxing reads, and I read fantasy and sci fi when they come recommended. I'm definitely open to new genres! (Learn more about this Cannonballer: KimMiE”'s Quick Questions interview.)

KimMiE"'s Reviews:

If our mother cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can’t afford to see no doctors?

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

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I’ll start with the bottom line: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is one of the best non-fiction books I’ve read in years. Author Rebecca Skloot not only explains the science in a compelling, accessible manner, she also explores the ethics of the medical research and devotes at least half the book to the people that were touched by Henrietta Lacks and her legacy. Five enthusiastic stars! It’s hard to say where this story “begins,” because it really depends on whether you are talking about […]

It’s hard to resist a book with a cat on the cover

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

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I’m probably late to the trend (I usually am), but I hadn’t noticed until fairly recently how many books written in Japan center around cats. Last year, I read the touching If Cats Disappeared from the World, and the surprisingly comforting Blanket Cats. The disappointing Before the Coffee Gets Cold did not include a cat, but it should have, and I think the publishers knew it needed one because they put a cat on the cover. Anyway, I’m continuing the trend in 2026 with a […]

Creating a language is no joke. Or, maybe it is, because I laughed a lot reading this book.

In the Land of Invented Languages by Arika Okrent

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CBR 17 BINGO: Diaspora. The author uses the Jewish diaspora to illustrate the remarkable resurgence of Hebrew as a spoken language. You could also argue that Esperanto speakers form a diaspora. When you think of “invented” languages, you might immediately think of Esperanto, the late-19th century experiment in creating a universal language to bring people closer together. Or you might think about Star Trek geeks going all-in on their hobby by learning Klingon. Or you might ponder J.R.R. Tolkien’s elvish languages, created decades before he […]

Birds for a BINGO Board Blackout

The Wisdom of Birds, An Illustrated History of Ornithology by Tim Birkhead

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CBR 17 BINGO: Migrant, because many bird species migrate. Quadruple Bingo and Board Blackout! Across: Migrant, Review, Black, School, Rec’d Down: Migrant, Play, “B“, Favorite, Arts Diagonal: Migrant, Purple, “N“, Border, White Four corners and the center: Migrant, Rec’d, White, Arts, “N” The title of Tim Birkhead’s The Wisdom of Birds is misleading if you fail to read the subtitle, An Illustrated History of Ornithology, which sums up the book nicely. One might wonder why the author didn’t just go with a more precise title, […]

Am I losing my sense of humor, or is Christopher Moore losing his?

Anima Rising by Christopher Moore

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CBR 17 BINGO: Arts, because Gustav Klimt and his contemporaries figure into the plot Double BINGO! Across: Arts, Borrow, Citizen, Work, White Diagonal: Arts, Red, N, Diaspora, Rec’d I’ve been a Christopher Moore fan for a long time. (Who doesn’t love Lamb and The Stupidest Angel?) Not all his novels are brilliant, and even in my own household we don’t always agree on what works and what doesn’t (I love Fool and its sequels, while my husband doesn’t care for them at all; he loves […]

The novel doesn’t quite live up to the magic of the setting

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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CBR 17 BINGO: “N” (for Night) Double BINGO! Across: B, I, N, G, O, Down: Black, TBR, N, Family, Citizen The Night Circus is a much beloved novel that, on paper, seems like it has everything that should appeal to me: a Victorian timeframe, a magical setting, an air of mystery, an understated romance. I admired the author’s creativity, particularly in the way she weaves fantastical elements into the circus; yet, I felt a bit let down by the fact that I wasn’t eager to […]



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