Apparently April was a month for memoirs. I love a memoir any month, and I was able to enjoy three fantastic ones recently. These three are the best non-fiction titles I read in April, so if you're someone who loves a good memoir, pick one of these up.
Tiny Hot Dogs: A Memoir in Small Bites by Mary Giuliani - this is a fun memoir by Giuliani who is a party and lifestyle expert to some big name clients. Giuliani is an Italian Catholic, but longed to be Jewish, setting the humorous tone of this book early on with this revelation. I had no idea who Giuliani was prior to picking up this book, and that didn't really seem to matter in my enjoyment of it. I do love a book with some good recipes, which Tiny Hot Dogs provides, along with some fun stories about Giuliani's life and the famous people she rubs elbows with. There are some not-so-fun moments as she recounts fertility struggles, but overall, this memoir is filled with humor and interesting stories - along with some great recipes I'd like to try.
Running Home by Katie Arnold- this is a memoir about running, but it is also about so much more than that. Arnold was introduced to running by her father when she was seven years old. She recounts running her first race, and then years later when her father is dying of cancer picks up running again as an outlet for her grief. Arnold isn't just a casual runner, either, competing in ultra-marathons and spending hours each day training (additionally she writes for Runner's World magazine). I liked the descriptions of the locales Arnold visited, her memories of childhood (she and I are roughly the same age so many of her touchpoints are things I, too, recall), and her writing style. Runners and non-runners alike will enjoy this one.
So Here's The Thing....Notes on Growing Up, Getting Older and Trusting Your Gut by Alyssa Mastromonaco - a few years ago I read Mastromonaco's first meomir about her time in the Obama White House. I was traveling to DC while I was reading it, so it was a perfect book for my travels. I loved her inside view of the Obama years. Some of Mastromonaco's stories overlap with that memoir, but I loved listening to this one on audio (she narrates it) and her memories and advice she gives readers. She is also close to my age, so I appreciated hearing from someone who has been around for a while and had a little life experience behind them. I'd recommend both of Mastromonaco's books to memoir lovers, and think they compliment each other nicely.
I still have stacks of books here - and many good memoirs in the stacks that I'm looking forward to getting to eventually. What memoirs have you read recently?
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