Nonfiction | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

THE JOY OF COSTO by David & Susan Schwartz

January 17, 2025

A Treasure Hunt from A to Z

From the publisher:

Join David & Susan Schwartz on a whirlwind tour of Costco warehouses around the globe. They are two of Costco’s biggest fans, yet live in one of NYC’s smallest apartments.

Since 2016, they have been to over 250 of Costco’s 850+ warehouses, plus gotten behind-the-scenes looks at depots, packaging facilities, vendors, meatpacking plants, and even a pre-opening party.

Travelling over 240,000 miles, they have visited at least one warehouse in 47 US states and 13 other countries, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, South Korea, Taiwan, and the UK. They celebrated the launch of this book with a Yonkers to Yorba Linda Costco Road Trip, stopping to visit their favorite retailer along the way.

Topics are covered in a whimsical A to Z format, using Q&A to cover topics ranging from Cashews and Chicken to Hot Dogs and Hawaii, targeted to delight the more than 128 million Costco members and over 300,000 dedicated Costco employees. There is a Prologue that describes how the authors came to write the book, and an introduction that provides a brief narrative history of Costco and its predecessor companies.

Sample Fun Facts:

Costco sells more than half of the world’s cashews and seven times more hotdogs than all MLB stadiums combined.

When Costco changed its source of salmon from Chile to Norway it impacted the economies of both countries.

Costco sells six million pumpkin pies each year, but only between September and December
https://amzn.to/3Umaqfr

My husband and I have been Costco members since around 1988. We had moved back to Florida and his new employer added us to their business account. Back then, only businesses could join. Hard to imagine that now! It was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was an enormous warehouse and while many things have changed over the years, that has not. Back then we would sometimes spend $100 in the store – cash or check only.

This book is a celebration of all things Costco. The authors did their homework, wormed their way behind the scenes, and even had Pennie Clark Ianniciello, the retired book buyer for the chain, help them out. I belong to a Costco Facebook group called “Costco Finds”, and my favorite thing about it is when people post pictures from Costcos in other countries. It’s always so interesting! This book also includes some facts about the Costcos in various countries, and I really enjoyed that. Sushi in Japan! All pork hot dogs in the Pacific area countries. There are stores in Europe, Asia, and Australia (and New Zealand!) Anchorage, Alaska has two stores, and one of them is the third busiest store in the chain. The Iwilei Costco in Hawaii is the busiest store in the world.

There are things I love about Costco – their employees are well treated and generally pretty happy at work. They stick to making about 14% profit on everything, so they never price gouge, not even during a pandemic. They don’t sell crap – stick to Temu or Amazon for that. They sell brand name products as well as Kirkland Signature, their in-house brand, which are priced ridiculously low, comparatively. It’s not perfect – there are things I’ve purchased and loved, and never saw them again. Some are one and done, but some I’ve bought for years and then they disappear – looking at you, Nina canned tomatoes!

Their return policy is so customer focused that they will take back pretty much anything at any time, other than the usual limitations on electronics, appliances, etc. I once bought a new mattress and ended up having to return it. It took a couple of phone calls and that was it. I’ve purchased appliances, and the price, already lower than anywhere else, included installation and hauling away the old ones. We buy tires there as well, they have great prices and great service, too.

Nowadays, I visit Costco about once or twice a month. I purchase almost all of my meat, fish, dairy, and produce there. I get my paper goods, trash bags, toothpaste, vitamins, and over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and generic Flonase. I often buy one of their rotisserie chickens, too; it’s only $4.99 and is twice the size of the chickens I get at Publix for $9, and it’s really good! I can usually get a couple of dinners out of one chicken. My daughter gets her glasses at the optical center. I get most small appliances, computers, and other electronics there. I almost always hit the food court for their Mocha Freeze, a Starbucks frappuccino dupe at less than half the price, my husband loves their famous $1.50 hot dog and a soda, and my daughter loves the pizza. I spend around $400 every time I go; if it’s the second trip that month, maybe that will be $200. But I know I’m getting good quality in everything I buy and it is rare that any other store can match their prices. It is not surprising to me that 90% of their members renew each year.

David and Susan Schwartz did a good job with this book. It was obviously a labor of love and will appeal to Costco fans everywhere. If you’ve never been (there are still four states that don’t have a Costco!) this book will explain its popularity. As much as I love Costco, I didn’t buy this book, but I did get it from my library!

The only downside to this book is that it is only available as a hardcover – there is no ebook or audiobook. It is a very fast read; there are a lot of pictures, and it is very light on text. I read it in an hour or so. If you need a gift for someone who has everything and loves Costco, this is perfect. If you are curious, you can probably check it out of your library.

11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE JOY OF COSTO by David & Susan Schwartz. Hot Dog Press (September 12, 2023). ISBN: 978-1959505006. 272p.

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Spotlight Review: WHAT’S NEXT: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service, by Melissa Fitzgerald & Mary McCormack

November 19, 2024

From the publisher:

A behind-the-scenes look into the creation and legacy of The West Wing as told by cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack, with compelling insights from cast and crew exploring what made the show what it was and how its impassioned commitment to service has made the series and relationships behind it endure.

Step back inside the world of President Jed Bartlet’s Oval Office with Fitzgerald and McCormack as they reunite the West Wing cast and crew in a lively and colorful “backstage pass” to the timeless series. This intimate, in-depth reflection reveals how The West Wing was conceived, and spotlights the army of people it took to produce it, the lifelong friendships it forged, and the service it inspired.

From cast member origin stories to the collective cathartic farewell on the show’s final night of filming, What’s Next will delight readers with on-set and off-camera anecdotes that even West Wing superfans have never heard. Meanwhile, a deeper analysis of the show’s legacy through American culture, service, government, and civic life underscores how the series envisaged an American politics of decency and honor, creating an aspirational White House beyond the bounds of fictional television.

What’s Next revisits beloved episodes with fresh, untold commentary; compiles poignant and hilarious stories from the show’s production; highlights initiatives supported by the cast, crew, and creators; and makes a powerful case for competent, empathetic leadership, hope, and optimism for whatever lies ahead.

“What’s Next pulls back the curtain on the making of the iconic show, just in time for a pre-election rewatch.” –People

“[This] lively, engaging booktakes a deep dive into the series, including its origin, creators, casting, key episodes from its seven seasons, and more… Fans of the series (aka “Wingnuts”) will enjoy these on- and off-camera stories, and those who have never watched an episode will find out what they’ve missed.” –Booklist

“An entertaining history of the show grounded in extensive interviews with its stars, writers, and crew…the insider stories amuse, and meditations on the show’s legacy highlight its influence on real-life politicos.” —Publishers Weekly

“The authors gained excellent access to key figures on the show… plenty of insider trivia… [a] thorough exploration of a prestige-TV standard-bearer.”—Kirkus
https://amzn.to/3Umaqfr

The West Wing is one of my favorite TV shows, and I constantly rewatch it. I know it is pure fantasy, but I love the fantasy and want to live in the Aaron Sorkin-created world where politicians work hard to make life better for their constituents.

I received the hardcover from the publisher over the summer. I still have trouble reading print books, so I read it a little at a time, which worked out perfectly because I got to savor it in a way that I don’t always get to do when I read on my Kindle. It is an extraordinary read about an extraordinary show.

The authors are two of the cast members: Melissa Fitzgerald played Carol Fitzpatrick, CJ’s assistant, and was there from the beginning throughout the series. Mary McCormack started during season five, and played Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper. Melissa was so inspired by the episode “In Excelsis Deo” that she ended up as the Director of Justice for Vets, a non-profit organization focused on veterans’ treatment courts that has since been rebranded as All Rise. Many of the cast have helped out with the foundation as well. A TV series that inspires public service is a rarity.

This book is for fans of the show. I am a diehard Wingnut and proud of it. If you love the show, you will love this book. If you don’t understand the popularity of the show – now celebrating its 25th anniversary! – then this book will make it clear why it is still popular so many years later. The West Wing was in the infancy of what is now thought of as prestige television, along with The Sopranos and The Wire, all from the same era. The cast was perfect, the writing incomparable, and the storylines interesting and engaging. The West Wing introduced the “walk and talk,” now a fairly common way of filming. Even the music by W. G. Snuffy Walden was unforgettable.

What’s Next is a must-read for any fan of the show. I loved it.

11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WHAT’S NEXT by Melissa Fitzgerald & Mary McCormack. Dutton (August 13, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593184547. 608p.

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Spotlight Review: LIFE’S SHORT, TALK FAST: Fifteen Writers on Why We Can’t Stop Watching Gilmore Girls, edited by Ann Hood

November 12, 2024

From the publisher:

Fifteen leading writers explore what Gilmore Girls means to them in this delightful celebration of a contemporary TV classic.

Fast-talking, warm-hearted, and endlessly rewatchable, Gilmore Girls has bonded real-life mothers and daughters since 2000, when its iconic pilot introduced us to Lorelai, Rory, and their idyllic Connecticut town of Stars Hollow. More than twenty years later, it has become one of the most-streamed TV shows, ever.

In an anthology as intimate and quick-witted as Gilmore Girls itself, best-selling author Ann Hood invites fifteen writers to investigate their personal relationships to the show. (“It’s a show? It’s a lifestyle. It’s a religion.”) Joanna Rakoff considers how Emily Gilmore helped her understand her own mother; Sanjena Sathian sees herself―and Asian American defiance―in Lane Kim; Freya North connects with her son through the show; Francesco Sedita discovers an antidote to pandemic loneliness; Nina de Gramont offers a comic ode to the unreality of Stars Hollow. For anyone who identifies as Team Logan, Team Jess, or even Team Dean, Life’s Short, Talk Fast reveals what Gilmore Girls tells us about ourselves―and why it matters.

The writers in this anthology represent bestselling writers, BIPOC and LBGTQ writers, and a varying age range. This diverse group speaks to the broad appeal of Gilmore Girls. These topics include growing up with a single mother, examinations of motherhood from different ages, the fantasy of small-town America, being a single mother, the self-consciousness the show created for non-white fans, a queer look at Lorelai’s parenting that reflects the writer’s own parenting choices, the show’s comfort and impact during the pandemic, Rory’s life path and changes throughout the show and how it did or didn’t disappoint fans and how the guy you root for to win Rory’s heart actually reveals a lot about you.

Essays by Anjanette Delgado, Ann Hood, Annabelle Mei, Cathi Hanauer, Erin Almond, Francesco Sedita, Freya North, Joanna Rakoff, Katie Moulton, Michael Ruhlman/Chris Eigeman, Nina de Gremont, Rand Richards Cooper, Sanjian Sathian, Tracey Minkin and Yassmin Abdel-Magied.

This publication has not been prepared, approved, or licensed by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.; Warner Bros Television; or any other entity or individual associated with the creation or production of Gilmore Girls.

“In this heartfelt tribute to Gilmore Girls, contributors reflect on what the show has meant to them . . . The personal meditations are as soul-stirring as the show itself and shed light on its broad appeal. Gilmore Girls devotees will relish this.” -Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3Umaqfr

I’m a long time Gilmore Girls fan and rewatcher. I started watching with my daughter a few years after the pilot aired, but we only watched sporadically. When it started streaming on Netflix, I watched the entire series, and I’ve been watching it over and over again for years now. There are episodes and even most of a season that I hate, but I don’t skip them (I guess I’m a bit of a masochist?) There are episodes that make me cry, no matter how many times I’ve seen them. It is a comfort watch for me. I love these characters, the quirky small town, and most of all, the relationship between Lorelai and Rory, mother and daughter but more than that, best friends.

They formed that bond because the age difference between them wasn’t great – Lorelai was only 16 when she had Rory, and as a single mother with a terrible relationship with her own mother, Lorelai knew she wanted a completely different relationship with her own daughter. The series starts when Rory is 16 years old, so full circle. They are alike in so many ways, but also different in many others. It’s their dynamic that is so compelling.

In this book, several authors talk about their relationship with the show, with their own mothers, daughters, or sons. Their observations were interesting and educational – I never really thought about Lorelai’s coat collection (there were so many!) and her relationship with money. It was always there, sort of in the background until she needed help from her parents. Most of these authors are fans of the show, and one is definitely not – but his family are.

This is a book for the fans. If you haven’t watched it, this book won’t matter to you or even make much sense. But if you are a fan, it’s another way to visit Stars Hollow. It is thought-provoking, sometimes funny, and sometimes sad, but always interesting. It is the type of book you can pick up, read an essay or two, and put down again. I didn’t – I read it straight through, but you don’t have to. I didn’t always agree with what was said, but I enjoyed hearing all the different perspectives on a TV show that has meant so much to me. I appreciate the sentiments involved with this project, and I hope all the Gilmore Girls fans out there will find this book and love it, too.

As a mother, I’d be Team Logan for my daughter; as me, Team Jess (I married my own Jess!)

11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

LIFE’S SHORT, TALK FAST: Fifteen Writers on Why We Can’t Stop Watching Gilmore Girls, edited by Ann Hood. W. W. Norton & Company; An Unauthorized edition (November 12, 2024). ISBN: 978-1324079453. 208p.

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Spotlight Review: BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten

October 29, 2024

From the publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In her long-awaited memoir, Ina Garten—aka the Barefoot Contessa, author of thirteen bestselling cookbooks, beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation, and cultural icon—shares her personal story with readers hungry for a seat at her table.

Here, for the first time, Ina Garten presents an intimate, entertaining, and inspiring account of her remarkable journey. Ina’s gift is to make everything look easy, yet all her accomplishments have been the result of hard work, audacious choices, and exquisite attention to detail. In her unmistakable voice (no one tells a story like Ina), she brings her past and her process to life in a high-spirited and no-holds-barred memoir that chronicles decades of personal challenges, adventures (and misadventures) and unexpected career twists, all delivered with her signature combination of playfulness and purpose.

From a difficult childhood to meeting the love of her life, Jeffrey, and marrying him while still in college, from a boring bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to answering an ad for a specialty food store in the Hamptons, from the owner of one Barefoot Contessa shop to author of bestselling cookbooks and celebrated television host, Ina has blazed her own trail and, in the meantime, taught millions of people how to cook and entertain. Now, she invites them to come closer to experience her story in vivid detail and to share the important life lessons she learned along the way: do what you love because if you love it you’ll be really good at it, swing for the fences, and always Be Ready When the Luck Happens.

“[Ina Garten] has created an inviting and relaxing world that’s the equivalent of one of her cocktail recipes. To use a Barefoot Contessa catchphrase, How great is that?”—The New York Times

“Simplicity is at the core of [Ina Garten’s] appeal . . . her approachability, charisma and close connection to the sensibilities of the home cook have given her a devoted following.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Though a good deal of luck often came through for her along the way, Garten’s lively memoir emphasizes how hard work and unrelenting tenacity were what made the magic happen. An entertaining foray into this well-loved cooking host’s illustrious life.”—Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/3Umaqfr

I’m a long time Ina Garten fan, so I was delighted to hear she was working on a memoir. While it took a few years, it was ultimately worth the wait. I chose to listen to the audiobook, and I’m very glad I did. Read by the author herself, it lends an intimacy to the reading experience and I highly recommend reading it that way.

By now the media around this book has been extensive. We’ve learned about her difficult childhood, her abusive father, and her mother, who cooked tasteless, healthy food and kept Ina out of the kitchen. We’ve heard about Jeffrey and Ina’s separation, their equal partnership marriage, and why they never had children. But most importantly, we learned how Ina became the success that she is.

It’s a good listen, especially if you’re a fan. I have a few quibbles – her constant refrain of how poor she and Jeffrey were did not come across as especially truthful. Jeffrey went to one of the best prep schools in the country (not cheap) and to Princeton (also not cheap.) Ina’s father was a surgeon who made a good living. No matter what Ina and Jeffrey wanted to do, they always had family money to count on. A healthy chunk of the book is about the real estate she bought and renovated, again not something a couple with no money could afford to do. We go from her cries of poverty to Jeffrey working for Lehman Brothers in Japan and insisting on first-class airfare for both of them to travel back and forth every other week. Her weekly jaunts to Paris to find an apartment. The Hamptons homes. A lot of this book is about how the rich (Ina & Jeffrey) spend their time and money, and all the celebrities she pals around with. While I didn’t find it inspirational, it is aspirational.

A good deal of the book concerns her business and career; after all, that is how we know her! From purchasing The Barefoot Contessa store in Westhampton, to growing the business and moving it to East Hampton (don’t ask me why the former is one word and the latter is two, it just is) while buying real estate, renovating houses, building new houses, moving to a larger store and renovating it, to finally selling the business. Then she did nothing for a year until she started writing her first cookbook. She had definite ideas about what she wanted it to look like and how it should be laid out, and she found a champion at her publisher who eventually let her do what she wanted. She had a team helping her, something very few (if any) unpublished cookbook writers get – she paid for it herself. A lot of her “luck” was actually hard work, making smart choices, having the financial support to take chances, and being fearless, which is never easy. The book was a bestseller and really changed the cookbook industry.

Ina did not want a career in television, but she was writing a column for Martha Stewart’s magazine, and eventually, Martha wore her down. She filmed a short season, hated it, and swore off TV. Then a friend turned her on to Nigella Lawson, and she really loved that show. When her production company came calling, she finally gave in and The Barefoot Contessa became a hit on the Food Network. She especially loves her new show, where she cooks with her celebrity friends.

What I found most interesting was when she talked about her relationship with Jeffrey. They were so young when they met, but they both fell pretty fast. She talks about how Jeffrey helped her to grow up, and how their partnership works. While they were officially separated for about a year, they have spent a great deal of their marriage living apart. Jeffrey has had jobs in other countries, in New York City, Washington DC, Connecticut, and various other places while Ina bought the Barefoot Contessa and lived out in the Hamptons for many years. They saw each other on weekends and when they had time off from work. Fans of the show revere what appears to be a perfect marriage, and it definitely works for them.

Aside from her difficult childhood, Ina has lived a charmed life, at least according to this memoir. Any fan of the Barefoot Contessa will undoubtedly enjoy this book, and I especially recommend the audio version.

10/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten. Crown (October 1, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593799895. 320p.

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Spotlight Review: GENDER QUEER by Maia Kobabe

August 16, 2022

A Memoir

From the publisher:

2020 ALA Alex Award Winner
2020 Stonewall — Israel Fishman Non-fiction Award Honor Book.

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Then e created Gender Queer. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fan fiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears.

Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: It is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

“It’s also a great resource for those who identify as nonbinary or asexual as well as for those who know someone who identifies that way and wish to better understand.” — SLJ (starred review)

This special deluxe hardcover edition of Gender Queer features a brand-new cover, exclusive art and sketches, a foreword from ND Stevenson, Lumberjanes writer and creator of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and an afterword from Maia Kobabe.
https://amzn.to/3SVREcz

This book has been getting a lot of press and is one of the most banned books in America, so of course, I wanted to read it. I’m very glad I did.

Kobabe uses the pronouns, e/em/eir, and I will try to honor that choice. E struggled with eir identity for most of eir life, and that struggle is graphically portrayed here. When I say graphic, I don’t necessarily mean sexual, although there are a few sexual drawings here (which is probably what is getting this book banned.) What I mean by “graphically portrayed” is that first, this is a graphic novel, but second, it is a raw, honest look at a life of struggle. The struggle is real, and if more people read this book, maybe there would be more empathy and understanding towards the “other”, those who are different, in the LGBTQ+ community.

Like most graphic novels, it is a quick read, but it is also compelling and thought-provoking. I don’t have much experience to draw on here, so I learned a lot about the asexual nonbinary community. I feel it is also an important book because if Kobabe struggled with these feelings, you can bet others do as well. If this book gives comfort to even one person (and I’m sure it has affected many, many people) then it is worthwhile, worth reading, and certainly worth being available to anyone who wants to read it.

It’s 2022 and Two Books Are on Trial for ‘Obscenity’

These obscenity proceedings are in line with a history of attacks on our First Amendment rights to read, learn, and think for ourselves.

Not sure what is going on with the publisher, but the paperback version is not available directly from Amazon, but rather through the secondary sellers on Amazon. The hardcover (pictured on top) is only $20 and way less than the paperback, which is odd. There are also 2 different Kindle versions at different prices; I linked to the less expensive (original) edition.

8/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

GENDER QUEER: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe. Oni Press; Deluxe edition (July 5, 2022). ISBN: 978-1637150726. 240p.

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Spotlight Review: BAD FEMINIST by Roxane Gay

March 29, 2022

Essays

From the publisher:

A collection of essays spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched cultural observers of her generation.
In these funny and insightful essays, Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.
Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better, coming from one of our most interesting and important cultural critics.
A New York Times Bestseller • Best Book of the Year: NPR • Boston Globe • Newsweek • Time Out New York • Oprah.com • Miami Herald • Book Riot • Buzz Feed • Globe and Mail (Toronto) • The Root • Shelf Awareness
https://amzn.to/3IL894I

I’m a long time admirer of Roxane Gay, but this is the first book of hers that I read. Over the years I’ve read many of her essays in various publications like New York Magazine, VQR, The New York Times, and many more. This book is part of the Social Impact Book Series that I facilitate at Lynn University. The essays are divided into five parts: Me; Gender & Sexuality; Race & Entertainment; Politics, Gender & Race; and Back to Me.

It was originally published in 2014, and I’m sorry to say there is one essay about Bill Cosby that has not held up. In fact, Gay wrote about Cosby later on, updating her position in The Empty Chair & 35 Women Standing Up to Bill Cosby, Rapist. Then again, most of us loved Bill Cosby until his actions forced us into hating him.

Other essays include the eponymous “Bad Feminist,” in which she says, “The more I write, the more I put myself out into the world as a bad feminist but, I hope, a good woman.” She describes herself as “a mess of contradictions” and discusses the dichotomy of thinking herself a feminist yet listening to rap music that degrades women, knowing nothing about cars, hating how women are held to impossible beauty standards yet being a voracious Vogue reader. I think most women struggle with these and other dichotomies as well, and I certainly can relate.

In this collection, Gay explores what it means to be a woman in America in this century. She explores her own imperfections, thus shining the light on our own and helping us understand that we are all imperfect. Her voice is always engaging and I found myself reading just one more and then one more after that. At times funny and sad and everything in between, Gay takes us on her very personal journey yet somehow I found it very relatable, and that is no easy feat. An easy book to pick up and a bit tougher to put down, this is a collection that is worth seeking out.

NOTE: Roxane Gay Books is a new imprint of Grove Atlantic announced in May. 2021 and will “focus on underrepresented fiction, nonfiction and memoir writers, with or without agents.” (NYT) I am not aware of any books that have been published yet.

3/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BAD FEMINIST by Roxane Gay. Harper Perennial; 1st edition (August 5, 2014). ISBN: 978-0062282712. 336p.

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STOLEN by Katariina Rosenblatt & Cecil Murphey

February 11, 2022

The True Story of a Sex Trafficking Survivor

From the publisher:

Sex trafficking is currently a hot news topic, but it is not a new problem or just a problem in “other” countries. Every year, an estimated 300,000 American children are at risk of being lured into the sex trade, some as young as eight years old. It is thought that up to 90 percent of victims are never rescued.
Stolen is the true story of one survivor who escaped–more than once. First recruited while staying with her family at a hotel in Miami Beach, Katariina Rosenblatt was already a lonely and abused young girl who was yearning to be loved. She fell into the hands of a confident young woman who pretended friendship but slowly lured her into a child prostitution ring. For years afterward, a cycle of false friendship, threats, drugs, and violence kept her trapped.
As Kat shares her harrowing experiences, readers will quickly realize the frightening truth that these terrible things could have happened to any child–a neighbor, a niece, a friend, a sister, a daughter. But beyond that, they will see that there is real hope for the victims of sex trafficking. Stolen is more than a warning. It is a celebration of survival that will inspire.
https://amzn.to/3B9cb4I

This was one of the worst books I’ve ever read. What should have been an important message about sex trafficking in the U.S. is instead an homage to Christianity. The only reason I finished it was because I was asked to do a book talk/discussion for the Social Impact Series at Lynn University, where I work. The Impact Series addresses various topics each month, and part of the series is a book discussion on a book relevant to that topic. The January topic was Sex Trafficking, and this book was selected because the author is local and it was suggested she might be available to participate. It was then decided that we don’t get enough of a turnout to warrant inviting the author, so that was that and I was stuck reading this book.

This book is Kat’s story. She did an interview with CNN several years ago for a series they did on sex trafficking in the US: https://youtu.be/5XhOI_nite8 Watching this short video is preferable to reading this book.

When people think of sex trafficking, they often think of it as something that happens to other people. We think it can’t possibly happen in our town or neighborhood; it’s a problem in big cities or across the border or internationally. We want to feel that the young people we know – our children, our friends’ children, the kids in our neighborhood – can’t possibly be at risk. We are wrong.

It is partially true that sex trafficking does occur across our borders and internationally, but it also occurs here in these United States. Every day. Ohio leads the nation in sex trafficking, followed by Florida, where I live and where this book is set.

The book is divided into three sections. The first is Katariina Rosenblatt’s personal story–her abuse, how her loneliness attracted a recruiter in the hotel she lived in, and how she was groomed step-by-step into slavery by traffickers, her escape and recapture numerous times. In the second part, Kat had escaped and is married, but is in an abusive marriage. The third part of the book deals with how she got involved in saving children from traffickers. She has her own foundation which is promoted heavily here.

The other major theme in this book is an exploration of Kat’s Christianity. The author talks about accepting Christ as her Savior at a Billy Graham crusade when she was 12 years old, a year before the first time she was trafficked. Burned into her mind and heart from that night was Mr. Graham saying, “Remember this: God will never leave you or forsake you.” This was repeated throughout the book, usually when she did not know what to do or where to turn. The Church plays an important role in her life, but lead me to question some of what she talks about.

I had some issues, for instance, with these quotes:

“They’re less likely to go back if people like us can help them break that invisible bondage and provide a mentoring relationship with a safe, Christian adult.”

To me, this sounds like it is useless to help if that safe mentor isn’t a Christian. That’s just some flat out bullshit.

“When I first began visiting strip clubs, I went as part of a group. One night, eight girls came to the Lord through our efforts. That night God seemed to have infiltrated the whole building with his love. We had gone out to the floor and talked with the manager, and we had the privilege of leading him to Jesus Christ while a girl was dancing. We also gave tracts to most of the customers, and they accepted them. Tears flowed as Jesus broke off the shackles of bondage from all sorts of people, from the managers to the girls and even to some of their clientele.”

This was way over the top to me. Not every woman who works in a strip club wants to be “saved” nor do the customers. I found this bizarre.

A bigger problem, however, is her underlying belief that homosexuality is something that can be prayed away. In the chapter “Wedded Bliss”, she talks about her husband’s stepsister:

“The woman was a lesbian, and her girlfriend was involved in Santeria, a religion that is a mixture of African and Caribbean witchcraft and Roman Catholicism…Joel & I prayed regularly for them … ‘I know you’ve been praying for me. Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’m not in that lifestyle anymore.'”

Yep, Kat prayed away the gay. Ugh.

The writing is quite simple and often repetitive. This book was not reviewed by any authoritative journal or newspaper. I did find a “review”, and I use the term loosely, in a Christian women’s magazine that praised her finding Jesus rather than critiquing the book. Most of the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads were from Christian women who were given a free copy of the book for review from the Christian publisher. ‘Nuff said.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

STOLEN by Katariina Rosenblatt & Cecil Murphey. Revell; First Edition (October 7, 2014). ISBN: 978-0800723453. 240p.

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MY TIME AMONG THE WHITES by Jennine Capó Crucet

October 7, 2021

Notes from an Unfinished Education

From the author of Make Your Home Among Strangers, essays on being an “accidental” American―an incisive look at the edges of identity for a woman of color in a society centered on whiteness

In this sharp and candid collection of essays, critically acclaimed writer and first-generation American Jennine Capó Crucet explores the condition of finding herself a stranger in the country where she was born. Raised in Miami and the daughter of Cuban refugees, Crucet examines the political and personal contours of American identity and the physical places where those contours find themselves smashed: be it a rodeo town in Nebraska, a university campus in upstate New York, or Disney World in Florida. Crucet illuminates how she came to see her exclusion from aspects of the theoretical American Dream, despite her family’s attempts to fit in with white American culture―beginning with their ill-fated plan to name her after the winner of the Miss America pageant.

In prose that is both fearless and slyly humorous, My Time Among the Whites examines the sometimes hopeful, sometimes deeply flawed ways in which many Americans have learned to adapt, exist, and―in the face of all signals saying otherwise―perhaps even thrive in a country that never imagined them here.

This memoir is a collection of essays and is remarkable reading. Crucet is the American born daughter of Cuban refugees, and grew up in Hialeah, a Miami haven for Cuban families. In this book, she talks about everything from moving to Nebraska to Walt Disney World to how she was named after a Miss USA – sort of. What drew me to this book was the immigrant experience being told first hand.

Crucet is the first person in her family to go to college, and she writes about that experience and the difficulties she had because she had no guidance. She applied to only two colleges, because no one told her you could get application fees waived and they were steep. She received a full ride to the University of Florida, no easy feat, but instead, she selected a school based on a brochure a secretary was throwing away. The school that looked so appealing was Cornell University, and she was accepted. She did receive financial aid, but not the free ride she could have had at UF. She decided, along with her family, that Cornell was the best place for her, even though it was a struggle.

Struggle is at the heart of the book. Crucet is Latinx, a light skinned brown person who often passes as white, living in a country where the last president called Mexicans rapists and murderers. I loved the review in the Los Angeles Review of Books; they described this book as “post-Trump Latinx literature.” The bigotry she has to deal with is at times subtle, and other times overt, but it is always there, a backdrop to every essay in this collection. This is a worthwhile read, especially now when right-wing racist groups have gained national attention. It is sometimes painful reading, sometimes funny, but always engaging, making this a difficult but excellent read.

NOTE: I am facilitating a discussion of this book at Lynn University on Friday, 10/8/2021 at noon, with college students and faculty. I am especially looking forward to hearing what the students have to say. This discussion is part of the Impact Series: in collaboration with Student Affairs and the Lynn Library, Project Civitas‘ Impact Series is a multi-departmental collaboration that seeks to immerse students, faculty and staff in holistic conversations about issues of social justice. Register here for the book discussion: https://lynn.libcal.com/event/8297620

10/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MY TIME AMONG THE WHITES by Jennine Capó Crucet. Picador (September 3, 2019). ISBN:‎ 978-1250299437. 208 pages.

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THE TRIAL OF ANDREW JOHNSON by Noel B. Gerson

April 23, 2021

A Biography of the Reconstruction Era President

From the publisher:

How do you remove an unpopular president from office?

On February 24, 1868, members of the United States House of Representatives voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson on thirteen separate charges of having committed high crimes and misdemeanors against the government and the people.

In this impressive biography, Noel B. Gerson examines how these extraordinary events came about, the circumstances leading up to it, and the aftermath of a trial that was unique in the history of the country.

Born into poverty and with no formal education, Johnson rose to prominence through perseverance and hard work. Entering politics, he became an adept stump speaker, championing the common man and vilifying the plantation aristocracy. Nominally a Democrat, who advocated free homesteads and education for all, he was soon to discover that not all agreed with his desire to see the nation reunited under the Constitution, as it had been before the Civil War.

Sworn in as seventeenth President of the United States following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, Johnson faced the enormous task of presiding over the tumultuous first years of Reconstruction, a task made harder by his enemies, notably radical Republicans Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner and Edwin Stanton, who turned the tide of support against him and were instrumental in the campaign to disgrace Johnson and drive him from office.

By utilizing a wealth of primary sources, including quoted speeches, letters and press articles, Gerson masterfully portrays a sympathetic national figure devoted to his country and the Constitution, who escaped conviction by a single vote and went on to achieve a level of popularity he had never before known.

The Trial of Andrew Johnson is an ideal read for those who wish to find out more about the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson and his fight for vindication against the radical Republicans in the United States Congress.

Noel B. Gerson was a prodigious author of many books, the majority of which were historical. He was an unabashed patriot with a great deal of his books concerned with U.S. history. Among his better known works are “55 Days at Peking,” the “Naked Maja,” and the “Swamp Fox.”

The “Trial of Andrew Johnson” was first published in 1977 and brings to light a figure previously not greatly touched upon in American history. Andrew Johnson was the 17th president of the U.S. and as the vice president during Abraham Lincoln’s term ascended to the office when Mr. Lincoln was assassinated.

Like Lincoln before him, Johnson came from a very poor family and lifted himself up by his own bootstraps, teaching himself how to read and write. He got into politics and made a stump speaker out of himself. Rising through a progression of offices for his home state of Tennessee he was selected by Lincoln to run as his vice president and held that office during the tumultuous years of the Civil war and until elevated to the presidency by Lincoln’s assassination.

After the cessation of hostilities Johnson championed the reentrance of those states that had seceded as part of the Confederacy with no penalty providing that affidavits of loyalty be signed by residents and elected officials as conditions of acceptance back into the union. He faced a large group of members of Congress that wanted to lay blame for the war and charge reparations to the seceding states. When Johnson could not be moved from his position the never before use of impeachment with an ensuing trial and forced removal from office was started by those that demanded blame be placed on the recalcitrant states.

Gerson’s forte was the writing of historical fact in a manner that made reading his books almost a work of enjoying a good novel while learning about the area the author was touching upon. It would be interesting to read again or for the first time those books that are reissued. His writing is not dated and would appeal to all that enjoy a good historical book.

4/2021 Paul Lane

THE TRIAL OF ANDREW JOHNSON by Noel B. Gerson. Sapere Books (March 8, 2021). ISBN: 978-1800551015. 138 pages.

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SHIT, ACTUALLY by Lindy West

December 25, 2020

The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema

From the publisher:

One of the “Best Books of 2020” by NPR’s Book Concierge

**Your Favorite Movies, Re-Watched**New York Times opinion writer and bestselling author Lindy West was once the in-house movie critic for Seattle’s alternative newsweekly The Stranger, where she covered film with brutal honesty and giddy irreverence. In Shit, Actually, Lindy returns to those roots, re-examining beloved and iconic movies from the past 40 years with an eye toward the big questions of our time: Is Twilight the horniest movie in history? Why do the zebras in The Lion King trust Mufasa-WHO IS A LION-to look out for their best interests? Why did anyone bother making any more movies after The Fugitive achieved perfection? And, my god, why don’t any of the women in Love, Actually ever fucking talk?!?!

From Forrest Gump, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Bad Boys II, to Face/Off, Top Gun, and The Notebook, Lindy combines her razor-sharp wit and trademark humor with a genuine adoration for nostalgic trash to shed new critical light on some of our defining cultural touchstones-the stories we’ve long been telling ourselves about who we are. At once outrageously funny and piercingly incisive, Shit, Actually reminds us to pause and ask, “How does this movie hold up?”, all while teaching us how to laugh at the things we love without ever letting them or ourselves off the hook.

Shit, Actually is a love letter and a break-up note all in one: to the films that shaped us and the ones that ruined us. More often than not, Lindy finds, they’re one and the same.

Most people who know me never give me books.. Writers do. Publicists do. But most people know that I get tons of books and I am rarely in need of anything, and they figure I probably have what they want to give me anyway. My immediate family and a few of my closest friends give me books because they know I love books, and as they are coming from people who know me so well, they are usually fairly confident I’ll like the books they give me. My husband brought me back a beautiful book of photographs of Ireland and a book of Irish poetry when he was over there for work. I loved both of those books. Friends have given me cookbooks, and those I love. My son gave me a book called Haikus for Jews that was just adorable and I loved it.

I am telling you all this because my boss, who I have grown very close to through working with such an amazing woman, but especially during this pandemic, gave me a book. This book, by Lindy West. I was shocked. This just doesn’t happen to me! I took it home and immediately started reading. I was laughing out loud within the first couple of pages. This is some funny shit, actually.

West riffs on her perceptions of very popular movies. The title of the book comes from her essay on the film Love, Actually, which is one of my favorite Christmas films, but as much as I love it her interpretation had me in hysterics. It was amazing. She sets the standard with the first chapter entitled, “The Fugitive is the Only Good Movie.” She explains why and although I don’t agree with her analysis, she judges the rest of the films in the book by her unique rating system. For instance, Love, Actually rates 0/10 DVDs of The Fugitive. The essay on the film Twilight called “Never Boring, Always Horny” rated 5/10 DVDs of The Fugitive.

I absolutely loved her take on Harry Potter, entitled “Harry Plot Hole”. She proceeds to point out holes in the story that are so big you could drive a truck through them, as well as smaller foibles. Harry Potter was a big part of our lives for many years. The first book came out when my daughter, Ariel, was five years old. I was working for Borders and no one really knew anything about it, but we got a bunch of copies so I brought one home for her. We read it together, taking turns reading each night, and it took us most of the summer to read it. She went on to reread it several times, and read every book in the series as it came out. Borders did big book release parties at midnight on sale day and Ariel came to all of them, preferring to take her book and start reading over playing wizard games. So when I read this essay, I knew Ariel had to read it, and she just loved it. One of her favorite parts was when West pointed out that the wizards must be Christian because they celebrate Christmas!

Every essay is a gem. I love books like this, especially around the holidays, when not everyone has a lot of time to sit and read. You can pick up the book and read any of the essays, and just know you will be laughing. I had to stop reading while watching football because I knew I was disturbing my husband, not that he would ever say anything. But I felt guilty so only read during commercial breaks and halftime. I also hadn’t seen all of the movies she discusses, like Face/Off and Honey I Shrunk the Kids, but I’d heard enough about those films to understand where she was coming from. If you want a book to just escape into for brief periods of time, and need a little more joy in your life this holiday season, this is your book. I loved it. Apparently, I’m in good company:

NPR’s Book Concierge, “Best Books of 2020” (Staff Picks; Funny Stuff; No Biz Like Show Biz; Short Stories, Essays & Poetry)

Kobo, “Top Nonfiction Titles of 2020”, “Top 20 Ebooks of 2020”

The Buzz Magazine, “Best nonfiction books of 2020”

BookRiot, “Best Audiobooks for Nonfiction November” and Book Recommendations for October 2020″Fortune, “Five New Books to Read in October”

BookTribe, “Editors’ pick for October’s best audiobooks”

LitHub, “14 New Books to Treat Yourself To”

SeattleMet, “11 Localish Books to Read This Autumn”

Up News Info, “5 new books to read in October”

Writers’ Bone, “A book that should be on your radar”

TBR, ETC. “New Books for the Week!”

New York Times, Holiday Gift Guide

Bustle, Holiday Gift Guide

The Globe and Mail, Holiday Gift Guide

Finally, let me leave you with this snippet of a review: “Queen of keenly observed, hilariously rendered cultural criticism, West offers this delicious distraction from reality….a cathartic, joyful exploration of entertainment….in true West form she reads like your smartest, funniest, and warmest friend. A perfect blend of substance, escapism, and laughter – a gift from West to the rest of us.”―Booklist Review (starred)

12/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SHIT, ACTUALLY by Lindy West. Hachette Books (October 20, 2020). ISBN 978-0316449823. 272 pages.