Book: The College Conversation

 Book: The College Conversation

Author: Eric Furda and Jacques Steinberg

Pages: 288

This is my 95th read for the year

This is a guide for parents from starting the college search with your kids through dropping them off for their first day of college.  It even goes through what happens when that decision doesn't work out and the kid wants to transfer.  It is a guide to help parents navigate when to step in and when to back off.  It lays out how to make the college list - what parents and kids should be looking for, as well as things to look for when you can take a college tour.  There is a section on financial aid and how to make smart choices before a kid gets excited about a college to make sure it is affordable for a family.

This was a great book.  It was recommended to me by a friend (her college classmate was one of the authors) and I am glad I read it.  I definitely see me going back and referring to some of their worksheets as we get deeper into the college process this year.

Stars: 4

Book: Country of the Blind

 Book: Country of the Blind

Author: Andrew Leland

Pages: 368

This is my 94th read for the year

This non-fiction book is based on the author's experience going blind from Retinitis Pigmentosa.  As he deals with his continuing deminishing vision, he talks about how it is for him, and his family.  As he weaves his personal story throughout the book he interviews others who are blind due to various reasons - some from birth, and some from childhood or adulthood.  Through these encounters he discovers different views of blindness and how blind people view their own worlds and how others view them.  

This was a pretty good book.  It gets into the weeds a bit and a bit more dry than I was hoping for, but overall a good read.  He does a good job seeking out different people who are vision impaired and recounting their stories and how they view their worlds and their blindness.  He meets many very successful blind people but also touches on how many blind people still struggle with support and employment.  

With my own daughter having basically a childhood version of Retinitis Pigmentosa (she has Lebers Congenital Amaurosis) and we watch her vision deminish, these books always hit home for me.  I was glad to see so many happy, successful, fullfilled people who are blind.

Stars: 4

Book: The Bookbinder

 Book: The Bookbinder

Author: Pip Williams

Pages: 448

This is my 93rd read for the year

This story is about Peggy and Maude - two twin sisters who work as bookbinders in 1914.  It is war time, and in between bookbinding, Peggy starts to volunteer at a local hospital for wounded soldiers.  Peggy aspires to be a student at Oxford and have access to all the books and use her intellect for more than just folding pgaes for other people.  With support from friends she met at the local hospital, she decides to apply to the college.  However - she has recently fallen in love with a wounded Belgium soldier and worried that their relationship will hold them back.

This was an okay book.  I liked the story of Peggy and her sister Maude (who is disabled).  I liked learning about the bookbinding that happened during the war, and the opportunities at Oxford for women at that time period.  However - the part where Peggy decides to study and apply for the college were way too drawn out.  And the ending was not at all satisfactory.

Stars: 3