Susan's Bookshelf

I'm an avid reader with multiple books stacked on my nightstand.  Here's a sample of my current and most recent reads:

Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming to Age in America

by Helen Thorpe

Living in Cleveland, OH, the issue of illegal immigration is easy to ignore.  But, in Denver, CO and other border states, the issue is front and center.  This story follows the lives for four Mexican high school students who are great students and close friends. Two of the girls are legal and two are not. What are their fates?  An interesting twist happens halfway through the story as the author (wife of then mayor, John Hickenlooper) becomes intertwined with her reporting through real life events. 

Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things

by Randy O. Frost & Gail Steketee

Hoarding behavior has become the newest trend in reality TV.  It's easy to judge those who suffer from this disorder, dismissing it as an "organization" problem.  These authors explore the emotional roots and brain connections associated with hoarding by following the lives of several subjects.  Reading their personal stories, one can't help but have empathy.

Lighten Up

by Peter Walsh

I read this while doing research for a new program on the emotional roots of clutter. Although Walsh is a professional organizer (you may have seen him on TV), he goes much deeper in this book than mere organization.  He tackles emotions, finances, relationships, and lies we tell ourselves to justify our clutter.

Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

by Gabrielle Hamilton

Owner of the acclaimed New York restaurant, Prune, Hamilton examines her unconventional journey to becoming a chef. With sharp wit and terse language, she achingly describes her need for the childhood family life she wants, but cannot manage to recreate. 

  The Heights

by Peter Hedges

Set in a posh neighborhood in Brooklyn Heights, NY, Tim and Kate Welch are a modest couple raising two boys who become tempted by wealth and influence.  As the story unfolds, their choices reveal the sadness and pain that comes from living a facade. Author Tim Hedges is best known for writing, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," and at one time lived in the same neighborhood.

On the Road

by Jack Kerouac

The Beat Generation was before my time, but I decided to read this classic since it's referenced so often.  It reads like one long jazz concert delivered in one breath.