Book Review- Andrew Morton's The Queen: Her Life

Thank you to Libro FM for providing me with an audio version of Andrew Morton’s latest biography, The Queen: Her Life.

Andrew Morton is the preeminent royal biographer and his latest book, The Queen: Her Life, is a deep-dive into Queen Elizabeth II. Originally published in the UK for the queen’s platinum jubilee, Morton’s book was released in the United States just a few months after her death. 2022 was certainly a big year of changes for the royal family and this biography was released at a time when public interest is running high.

Admittedly, as an American, my recent interest in the royal family has a few layers. The biggest having to due with marrying an English husband and having the opportunity to visit the various palaces on our trips to visit family. In fact, we were at Buckingham Palace just a few days before the Queen passed. Another aspect of fascination and likely many people would agree, is Peter Morgan’s The Crown. While the show is historical fiction, emphasis on fiction, it has a way of capturing the imagination and wondering how much is reality. Another layer is simply being American and the allure of a culture so different from our own. We only have Disney castles here! This is all to say that I have been building my collection of Royal biographies and I was eager to read The Queen: Her Life.

This book did not disappoint. Although the timeline of her life’s big events was mostly familiar to me, and I would imagine most readers, I relished the smaller details, especially with regards to her childhood and her relationship with her sister Margaret. I think it is most interesting to see the Queen from the perspective of things that make her relatable and somewhat ordinary, such as childhood friendships and hobbies. It made me think about a statement that a former college professor made, about history being about ordinary people who rise to extraordinary circumstances. Granted, being born into the monarchy is a type of destiny, however, as a child, Elizabeth could have had no idea how her life would play out. Morton’s book balances the private and the public, giving us a rounded look at one of modern histories most famous and influential people.

Book Review- Betty Gilpin's All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns

Thank you to Libro FM for the audio version of Betty Gilpin’s memoir, All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns.

Actress Betty Gilpin was raised in New York by two parents, both in the entertainment industry. She recalls a colorful childhood in a warm household where delivering a good story was currency. Gilpin grew up watching her parents perform in Broadway shows and to her, being in a theatre, surrounded by theatre people was just normal life. Transitioning into adulthood, Gilpin struggled to find her place, but eventually found success in film and television. It took her awhile, but she also found romantic love and tells quite the beautiful love story.

I’m a fan of Betty Gilpin and enjoyed learning more about her. She narrates the audio book and very entertaining in her narrative. As you might gather from the title, Gilpin struggles with all of the competing voices in her brain. This is not to imply that she has a mental disorder, but that like most women, she struggles with different roles and expectations. It’s relatable.

One of Gilpin’s best roles is as Crystal in The Hunt. I had no idea that there had been so much controversy swirling around this film, controversy that lead to death threats and the film nearly being canceled. Gilpin describes her excitement over this project, including a fair bit of creative license given to her by the director. It was impossible to not feel deflated for her with the troubles that plagued The Hunt, including opening just prior to the pandemic shutdowns. That said, it is a fantastic film and I loved hearing Gilpin’s enthusiasm for her work.

The most touching part of the memoir involves Gilpin’s growth with love and relationships, including her bond with her dog, Babe. Animal lovers will need to have tissue handy.

Gilpin is just all-around fabulous and I really enjoyed All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns.

Book Review- George Saunders' Liberation Day

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of George Saunders’ Liberation Day.

In his latest short story collection, Liberation Day, Saunders explores the shocking realities of human nature, making for an often uncomfortable, yet occasionally humorous, bumpy ride for readers. Saunders forces readers to confront ugly aspects of humanity, seeing those aspects of our own personalities reflected in his characters.

The title story, Liberation Day, is set in a near-future where people who are down on their luck are able to sell themselves as entertainment for wealthy members of society. This cringy situation becomes more fraught when protestors try to help, creating a savior situation and further silencing the voices of those in a potentially compromised position. This leads to the question of autonomy and whether or not it is okay to intercede in situations where you feel someone in a position of powerlessness has made a poor decision. Who gets to decide? All of Saunders’ stories are layered with complicated moral and social situations.

His story Ghoul involves groups of people living underground in Colorado. They spend their days rehearsing for a type of amusement park, where they will act out scenes for visitors. They have various themed sets, such as the wild west and a medieval banquet. They have never seen a guests, but are told the guests will come soon and to prepare, they must constantly rehearse. They are not allowed to question their reality and a strict social code keeps them in their place. If they dare speak out or question, their peers will be obligated to kick the offender to death. It’s very surprising. The main character, who plays a gargoyle type of “Ghoul” is a hilarious and self-serving narrator. As horrific as the situation is, the bluntness and wry observations had me laughing. It also makes the reader consider the things that our own society does not allow us to question for fear of repercussions.

Most of Saunders’ characters are not likable in the slightest, yet I had empathy because their situations, however bizarre, felt universal. Saunders has a keen ability to write absurd situations and make them relatable. I enjoyed how his stories felt like putting together pieces of a puzzle. He drops the reader in and allows them to figure out the situation, teasing out information, rather than spelling it all out. I was able to experience those moments of surprise when I understood what was happening and felt like a participant in the stories. While many authors can write a good plot twist, I can’t remember the last time I read something as truly surprising and mentally engaging as this story collection. I highly recommend Liberation Day.