It has been many months since I last shared my reading list.  A new job and kids home from college resulted in a change in my unemployed, semi-empty nest routine. My reading time is mostly relegated to bedtime where after turning a few pages, my eyes begin to close and I nod off.  Below is a list of nine books I managed to remain awake long enough to complete.  There are two works of fiction, six memoirs and one WWII era history lesson.

“Glitter and Glue,” by Kelly Corrigan (Memoir)-This book was recommended to me.  The author, a college student at the time, travels to Australia where she runs low on funds and becomes a nanny to a family that has just lost their mother.  While caring for this grieving family, Kelly begins to understand more about her own family and upbringing.

“Home is Burning,” by Dan Marshall (Memoir) – A humorous, and at times raw read about a family dealing with the serious illnesses of BOTH parents.  The mother was diagnosed with cancer when the author was 10 years old and then later, the father is diagnosed with ALS.  The family unites in caring for their parents, coming together once again under the same roof.

“The Boys in the Boat,” by Daniel James Brown (Non-fiction/History)-The true story about nine Americans and their quest for a gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  This one got off to a slow start for me, but quickly picked up.  Not only a WWII history lesson, but also a lesson in the sport of collegiate rowing.

“The Last Mile,” by David Baldacci (Fiction)-I am not usually a fan of the murder mystery novel, but I enjoy the lead character.  I was first introduced to Amos Decker in another Baldacci work, “Memory Man.”  The storyline kept my interest, and I knocked this one off in about a week.

“Love Warrior,” by Glenn Doyle Melton (Memoir)-Ms. Doyle is a recovering alcoholic and bulimic, now married and a mother of three children.  After her husband’s confession of infidelity, she shares how she was able to save her marriage and learn more about her strength, or “warrior status” along the way.

“Shockaholic,” by Carrie Fisher (Memoir)-I have read several of the late Carrie Fisher’s works.  I was not familiar with her experience with electro-shock therapy, though I was familiar with her troubled life.  Always funny and brutally honest, this book did not disappoint.

“Gratitude,” by Oliver Sacks (Memoir)-Just four essays written in 45 pages about the author’s coming to terms with his own impending death.  Just short enough for me to read in one sitting and BEFORE I drifted off.

“The Art of Baking Blind,” by Sarah Vaughan (Fiction)-An entertaining story about contestants in a baking contest.  While the contest is the focus, the reader is entertained by the back story of each of the competitors.

“It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool, Too),” by Nora McInerny Purmort (Memoir)-Nora’s story reads like too many today.  A young wife and mother, who becomes a widow and single parent at the hands of cancer.  Funny, honest, blunt and easy to read.