Books to Check Out: February 2021 Reads

I’m still dedicated to the nonfiction kick, it would appear. February was a pretty fantastic month for reading. I’ve read some manga, finished a fiction book I’ve been slowly making my way through for a while now. I only have two books I want to focus on this month though, both of them nonfiction. One is a memoir and another is a science book. Both were wonders to read, and nothing would make me happier than to share them with others who may not read them yet.

Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir by Amy Tan

Amy Tan is an author known for books like The Joy Luck Club and The Valley of Amazement. If you’ve read anything by her, you’ll know she’s a terrific storyteller with compelling characters. If you know her work, this may be one of the best reads of your life. If you don’t know her work, guess what? It still may be one of the best reads of your life.

Tan’s memoir covers a wide range of topics, including linguistics, music, writing, and a host of personal stories spanning from childhood on. It’s thorough, interesting, and emotional. What I loved is that her memories of expectations, anxieties, and successes are told in a way that’s both unique to her while also being universal. Many experiences come from her experience as a child of Chinese immigrants in America, and it sheds light on cultural differences and opinions people should be exposed to more often. It’s certainly worth the read, and it will touch your heart in many places. I had points in this book that moved me to silent tears.

Something else to note is that the audiobook for this memoir is stellar. It’s read by Tan herself, and her voice is mesmerizing. Her voice has a soothing quality to it. I was able to listen to the fourteen hour audiobook relatively quickly and stay engaged and attentive the whole time. It’s special when an author narrates their own book. You can tell how much emotion and effort she put into the memoir, and I recommend this one as an audiobook for sure.

The bottom line is that you need to read this book. It's only February and I'm confident it will be one of the top ten books I'll read all year.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

My other nonfiction pick for the month is a science book, and one I’ve been interested in for a while. I’ve read a couple books from Tyson at this point, and I always love the way he presents information. Astrophysics is no different. This book includes a wide array of information on space and the laws of science told in Tyson’s signature style; it’s informative yet humorous.

Science is such a fascinating subject, and reading about it is a blast. There’s a chapter about spheres and circles that I found particularly interesting. There’s things to learn about light, the Big Bang, gravity, etc. There’s a lot in there to learn. I always find it beneficial to read books like this from time to time. There’s so many fun tidbits to learn from Tyson. Not only does he tell you that something is a fact, you also get a concise history lesson on how certain ideas and theories became accepted in the scientific community. I like to think in that way that you get a bit of history as well as science when you read Astrophysics.

This is also a short, small book. It’s only about 200 pages with some relatively short chapters as well. It can be a quick read, and I found it very enjoyable to read it in two or three long sittings. It’s broad enough that you can read it and comprehend a lot of it without having to have any prior knowledge. After all, the title implies that it’s for people in a hurry.

There you have it; two nonfiction books that deserve some attention. They’re well written and will stick with you long after you’ve put them down. As always, happy reading!