Prairie Fires reveals hardship lurking in the Little House books

If you grew up reading the Little House books and wondered if the tale was sugarcoated for children (it was), have I got the book for you – Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser. She deservedly nabbed the Pulitzer Prize for biography for this book in 2018.

Fraser dug deep into any records she could find, fleshing out details lurking between the lines of the story told in the children's books. It's a fascinating read.

As I wrote a few years back, I grew up cherishing the Little House books. As a child I didn’t just play house, I played Little House. I imagined living in a log cabin while pining for a piece of horehound candy and a tin mug to call my own. I craved a gingham dress even though I couldn’t pick a gingham anything out of a lineup.

Review: Daisy Jones & the Six takes readers on a realistic, rockin' ride

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is better than it has any right to be. An oral history about a band, that isn’t a real band, told entirely through interviews, that aren’t real interviews? That sounds like a recipe for disaster. And yet … it works. So well. It’s so engaging, feels so real. It opens the portal to every rock documentary, interview, book about a band and performance I’ve ever loved.

As I read, I connected to the characters in this book while at the same time an invisible thread was binding all my past music loves to me and to this story. It's magic.

Podcasts that rock

A good podcast is like a glass of fine wine (preferably the chocolate variety): it fills you with a happy glow, leaves you wanting more, and might even knock you off your feet.

Whether you listen on your commute, at the gym, or just puttering around the house, these podcasts will rock your socks:

This American Life 

This podcast focuses on a different theme each week, comprised of several segments. The masterful storytelling, humor, drama and even a few plot twists will draw you in.

Standout episodes: The Super and Petty Tyrant are both deliciously engrossing, shocking, and fascinating. Listen with a buddy, because you will definitely want someone to share stunned observations with.

Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes: Best bets to read, listen and watch

If you can't get enough of tales about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, have I got a slew of bingeable options for you. Take your pick: listen, watch or read, there are many ways to ingest this endlessly fascinating story.

Patti Smith's "Just Kids" shares an enthralling look at art, love and friendship

Note: I originally posted my review of Just Kids in 2015 and have updated it in honor of its selection as the 2019 "One Book, One New York" reading program winner earlier this week.

I first read this beautiful, infatuating memoir more than three years ago. Just Kids had already waited silently on my Kindle for nearly three years at that time, bought on a whim thanks to a sale price and lush reviews. But with almost no knowledge of Patti Smith or her work, I foolishly let it languish along with so many other titles destined to collect digital dust.

The book details her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe that spanned from the late ’60s until his death from AIDS in 1989. Smith made her arrival in NYC at age 20 with only one suitcase, little cash and no fixed residence. She met Mapplethorpe the first day, and they soon forged a close bond that left them emotionally entwined and dear friends long after their initial romance faded.

Big Little Lies returns in June, Nine Perfect Strangers coming to Hulu

Liane Moriarty can't stop winning. Season two of the HBO must-see series Big Little Lies (based on  her bestselling book) begins on June 9, while her latest bestseller, Nine Perfect Strangers, just got the greenlight at Hulu. Nicole Kidman will produce and star.