Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


A Straightforward But Fascinating Autobiography

This Much is True by Mariam Margolyes

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Best for: People interested in a very comprehensive life history of a well-known character actress. In a nutshell: Author Margolyes shares stories of her 80 years, starting before the beginning up through the pandemic to today. Worth quoting: While this was an audio book, this one caught me so I had to write it down: “When people say to me ‘oh I never talk about money, religion or politics’ I say ‘what the fuck do you talk about then? Those are the things that matte!” […]

“Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.”

The Terminal List by Jack Carr

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I mentioned to a friend that I was entering the Dad Books/Daddington Island* phase of my reading life (thrillers, history, etc.). A few days later, that friend handed me a stack of Jack Carr books. You may be remember the Amazon Prime series based on the book – a Navy SEAL named Jack Reece comes comes home from a bad mission, bad stuff happens, and he has some vengeance to attend to. That’s the gist of the plot. No surprise – the book is better […]

The Kopp Sisters

Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions by Amy Stewart

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It’s been so long since I listened to the first two books in this series, I was worried that coming back would be confusing or disappointing. Luckily, Amy Stewart has built such strong characters that it only took a few minutes to get reoriented to the world of the Kopp sisters. And while I’d definitely recommend reading the series from the beginning, this could be read on its own. The Kopp sisters were actual people. Constance is the first lady sheriff’s deputy of Bergen County, […]

I’ve got a few reviews I need to write, but Jon Ronson ruined my plans

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson

The Debutante: From High Society to White Supremacy by Jon Ronson

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I’m sitting on….three other reviews at the moment. But over the course of three or four days, I listened to these audio books, and everything else has been put on hold. I came to these books through a bit of a circuitous route. Jon Ronson was interviewed on the podcast Knowledge Fight, a podcast that critically explores the world of Alex Jones. Ronson has long written about both white supremacy and conspiracy theories, and Alex Jones is firmly planted at the nexus of those two […]

A run of the mill mystery

Or Else by Joe Hart

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I’ve read a few of Hart’s books and enjoyed them enough to see what else was at my library. Or Else came up, so I gave it a go. This mystery/thriller is about Andy, who is having an affair with his neighbor and childhood friend, Rachel. But then Andy receives a threatening note to stop the affair…Or Else. See how that works? Then Rachel’s husband is murdered and she and her kids disappear. Because there wouldn’t be much of a book otherwise, Andy decides he […]

How Grief Takes Over

The Truth About Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell

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Best for: People who like their mysteries best when they don’t start with a murder. In a nutshell: After going on a first date to a hypnotism show, Melody starts to remember things from her childhood. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I’ve enjoyed her books this year, and I find the audio versions are great for longer runs. What it left me feeling: Not much Review: This book is not bad. It feels different that Jewell’s other work, but it still has that […]



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