Books I read in July 2019

The Life of Oscar Wilde by Hesketh Pearson (audiobook) I enjoyed it, listening on my commutes to and from the airport all month.
The Zookeepers Wife by Diane Ackerman thanks to my sister for giving me this book, it was very good and I learned a lot about Warsaw during WWII--has been made into a movie too, but I liked the book better.
Missing Microbes by Marin J. Blaser very interesting non fiction about how the overuse of antibiotics is bad for us.
Neon Prey by John Sandford (library) I really enjoy these thrillers, this one takes Lucas Davenport to Las Vegas.
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (library) basically this is about how to be happy. The book can be a bit dry, like a text book, but I thought it was extremely interesting. Recently, there have been some folks close to me who attempted suicide or have had other problems of depression etc and I was interested in why....Why are they so unhappy?
Best State Ever by Dave Barry (audiobook) (library)I got these audiobooks to listen to while bringing Ryan to the trail in Glacier National Park (it is an 11 hour drive one-way) --this book is about Florida, which is a place that I lived in for 3 years and it is a place that I do not enjoy. I am not a person who should live in Florida. So it was comical to me to hear the reasons that Dave Barry thinks that Florida is the "best state ever"
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings (audiobook) UGH, I thought, it has to be better than the movie (which I thought was only okay)---it drags on and on, Ugh, do not bother.
Look Alive Out There by Sloane Crosley (audiobook) (library) essays by Ms. Crosley, and I quite enjoyed them.
I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron (audiobook) (library) Very good memoir about aging, especially if you are a fan of Nora Ephron
Tahoe Beneath The Surface by Scott Lankford Very good History and examination of Lake Tahoe. I highly recommend.
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (library) another from the Shetland series. I am figuring out that I am reading these out of order and don't know how I screwed that up! Probably with how I got them from being on hold at the library.
Talking to Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield (library) I loved this book, but then I am an 80's child....I grew up with new wave and MTV. I read this while laying out on my deck in the sun listening to all the music (from my Ipod) that he talks about in the book. Roxy Music, the Go-Go's, Madonna, and Boy George and The Police and Prince and Duran Duran. I was transported to my high school years in the 80's.
Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham  basically just little short stories of the tales from this "rogue lawyer"   It was okay
The Great Pretenders by Laura Kalpakian (library) fun read, fictional about Hollywood and a woman agent who is descended from Hollywood "royalty"
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling (audiobook) (library) I liked it okay, might be better as a regular book because Mindy has a very high pitched (annoying) voice (in my opinion)
Idaho by Emily Ruskovich (library) disturbing, ghost story-ish book







I will be participating in the Washington Trails Association Hike-a-thon during the entire month of August. Ryan will be hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail from Montana (Glacier National Park) all the way to the Pacific Ocean on the Olympic Peninsula and I will be joining him for a few days and also doing day hikes around Seattle on layovers.

I hope I can count on all of you this year for support. Any amount from $1 to $100 is welcome.
You can click on this link to go to my WTA fundraiser page

https://give.wta.org/fundraiser/2179299

or you can send me a check (made out to WTA (Washington Trails Association) or just a dollar in the mail would be very welcome. Thanks so much to everyone who has supported this cause in the past and hopefully again this year!

to: Amanda Arkebauer PO Box 16131 Seattle, WA  98116