Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


More than a story about chimps

The Chimpanzee Whisperer by Stany Nyandwi with David Blissett

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I found The Chimpanzee Whisperer: A Life of Love and Loss, Compassion and Conservation (2022) by Stany Nyandwi with David Blissett when I was browsing available audiobooks at my library to listen to on my commute. I was very lucky to stumble on a book that was perfect for me. I’m a huge admirer of Jane Goodall, and I’ve read at least one long biography of her life. I’m very familiar with her early research on chimpanzees in Tanzania, her efforts to improve the lives of chimps […]

Another Chronicle About Our Terrible Past

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

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I came away from this one seeing the forest more than the trees. The overall story is interesting, but I wasn’t really interested in the details along the way. At the end of the day, I’m glad I read the book, because this seems like an important story in terms of American history. But I often found my mind wandering while going through it. Did you know that the Osage Native Americans in Oklahoma were among the (if not THE) richest people in the world […]

Don’t Assume

The Maid: A Novel by Nita Prose

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Best for: Those who enjoyed ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ In a nutshell: Molly is a maid at a fancy hotel, who discovers the dead body of a prominent hotel guest. Worth quoting: “Everything will be okay in the end. And if it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” Why I chose it: I think it had a lot of buzz around it last year so wanted to check it out. What it left me feeling: Maternal (for the main character); frustrated. Review: It’s been […]

Another Twisty Ride

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

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Best for: People who enjoy thrillers. Not for people who are triggered by discussions of abusive partners. In a nutshell: Tallulah is 19 and lives with her mother, 1 year-old-son, and her boyfriend Zach. One night, Tallulah and Zach go missing, and the people they were with ostensibly didn’t know them very well. Tallulah’s mother Kim tries to figure what has happened, and is helped when new clues appear a year later. Worth quoting: N/A – Audio book Why I chose it: I enjoyed her […]

Delightful Memoir

Dying of Politeness by Geena Davis

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Best for: Those who enjoy a fairly light Hollywood memoir that primarily focuses on the industry while also providing some glimpses into one’s personal life. In a nutshell: Actor Geena Davis shares stories from her life. Worth quoting: “If a human can do it, I can do it.” Why I chose it: Looking for a fun listen while starting up running again. What it left me feeling: Impressed. Review: I didn’t know much about Davis’s life before reading this. I was familiar with her work […]

Golden Shower

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

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**Trigger and Spoiler Warning** Do you like to read about dysfunctional mother/daughter relationships? How about childhood sexual abuse and rape? Parental neglect? Uncomfortable visits to the gynocologist? Spousal cheating and lying by the bucketload? Death by cancer? Ruthlessly rude and disrespectful teenagers? Marriage breakdowns? Drowning? Not just once, but twice? Lazy unresolved endings? How about 500 unnecessary references to urination – both public and private? Then BOY do I have the book for you! The Paper Palace tells the story of Elle and opens with […]



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