Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


“I’m still going to move them out of my wanigan, but I’ll give you odds two-to-one that after they move out there’s going to be spontaneous combustion.”

Pilgrim's Wilderness: A True Story of Faith and Madness on the Alaska Frontier by Tom Kizzia

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The Pilgrim family seems to be a lovable, if eccentric addition to the town of McCarthy, Alaska, and soon win many supporters for their battle for landowner rights with the National Park Service. But the head of the clan is keeping some secrets, and the family’s lifestyle is not as idyllic as it seems. Having lived in bustling cities all my life, life in remote Alaska has always sounded surreal to me – and so I’ve often thought about how it would go if I […]

Loss, Mental Illness, and Betrayal

The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

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Best for: Fans of books about families with serious challenges to overcome and issues to resolve. In a nutshell: Lorelei loves Easter. Until her youngest son dies by suicide one Easter Sunday, pushing a family already on the brink over the edge. Worth quoting: N/A (Audio book) Why I chose it: I’ve enjoyed her mystery / thrillers and saw reviews that said this one was a little different. What it left me feeling: Hopeful. Review: CN: Suicide, ill mental health (specifically hoarding) Lorelei has four […]

“It’s all a decision. You just decide, and then you do something. You don’t have to know everything, but you do have to begin.”

Managing Expectations: a Memoir in Essays by Minnie Driver

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Unbeknownst to me, I’ve been following along with Minnie Driver’s acting career in real time since her debut in Circle of Friends. Several of her performances have stood out to me over the years and as I have a fondness for memoirs, picking hers up seemed inevitable and going the author read audio route all the better. For almost a week Driver’s voice accompanied me on my various drives (and notably in and out of Philly for work in a day) and it was truly […]

Holmes in 1942

A Study in Crimson by Robert J. Harris

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Robert J. Harris’ A Study in Crimson was inspired by the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies. It moves the famous detective from Victorian England to World War II-era England. The time shift of Holmes, Watson, et al. provides a nice shift in perspective and setting. Holmes and Watson were both involved in The Great War, and that experience shaped their youth and their lives. Watson is more or less the competent and curious doctor he always is, just older. He is more upbeat than a […]

Resilient A.F.

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox

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Best for: People interested in Michael J. Fox, or how anyone (with resources) handles chronic illness. In a nutshell: Michael J. Fox shares some of the challenges he has recently faced over the last decade or so. Worth quoting: N/A (Audio book) Why I chose it: My partner and I watched ‘Still,’ the documentary on AppleTV+ that just come out about Michael J. Fox. It was a well done, unique documentary, and it made me interested in learning more about the actor. What it left […]

How Do You Fight Evil?

The Minuteman by Greg Donahue

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This audiobook tells a timely story that happens to be a hundred years old. Greg Donahue published the Audible original audiobook The Minuteman in January of 2020. I don’t know whether or not it was published as a response to the rise of anti-Semitism in the U.S. during the Trump administration or what, but unfortunately it remains a relevant look about how to respond to hatred and fascism. Do you fight fire with fire? Do you fight fire with water? Maybe a little bit of […]



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