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What a powerful read. That this book exists is a miracle: originally written for a contest in 1930s Eastern Europe (in what is now Poland and Lithuania), these six essays were among hundreds hidden from the Nazis multiple times and eventually discovered in a church in 2017.

In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson undertakes to hike the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail that runs from Georgia to Maine. Bryson enlists the help of an unfit friend, Katz, who can barely tackle a staircase. Together they meander along the trail meeting other people with the same goal. Statistics are clearly against them.

Michael Lewis’ classic sports book holds up almost twenty years later. Scott Brick does a fantastic job narrating Moneyball (2003), keeping the pace moving and the subject engaging.

An immigrant memoir that will pull at your heart strings, House of Sticks is an eye-opening tale of suffering and survival. 

The stories shared by comedian Amber Ruffin and her sister Lacey Lamar are hilarious and heartbreaking, unbelievable and yet unsurprising. Their personal and professional experiences and those of their parents demonstrate systemic racism experienced from Omaha to Chicago and New York City. Yes, this book is funny. More importantly, it provides valuable insight on the experiences of Black women in modern America–the daily injustices, the casual ignorance, and the obstacles faced.

In My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies (2017),  New York Times best-selling author and trauma specialist Resmaa Menakem explores, according to the publisher, “the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma

Mo Rocca expands on his podcast of the same name in this engaging and wryly humorous collection of biographies. In Mobituaries (2019), Rocca writes obituaries for those who were not appropriately celebrated upon their death—or whose actions have been forgotten by history.

The Address Book explores the fascinating and little-known history of street addresses. It covers a wide range of locations and time periods, ranging from ancient Rome, 19^th-century London, and Gilded Age Manhattan to modern-day Florida, Japan, South Africa, and India.

Action Park is a memoir written by Andy Mulvihill, whose father, Gene, founded the titular amusement park in 1978. Located in New Jersey, Action Park was known for its innovative rides with lax safety standards, and was popularly known by nicknames such as “Traction Park” and “Class Action Park”. This book tells the horrifying, fascinating story of the park from its founding to its eventual closure in 1996 following six deaths and countless personal injury lawsuits.

Award-winning American poet Mary Oliver was once the best-selling poet in the United States (that title now belongs to Rumi). Swan: Poems and prose poems was published in 2010, making it one of her more recent works. I don’t just recommend this particular set of poetry to people who know they enjoy poetry – this is great for anyone who is looking for a short, yet inspiring read, or anyone who has been overcome by the beauty and power of nature.

Mortician Caitlin Doughty does it again with her second book, this time not about cremation, but still about death, don’t worry! In From Here to Eternity, she reviews her experiences in countries around the world, teaching us what she learned about how different cultures care for their dead. We learn about different rituals and ceremonies, and compare them to our own.

I would give Marching for Freedom five stars and highly recommend it. The story of the marchers is really inspiring and made more real to the reader through personal stories, photos, and song lyrics. I am very thankful for the sacrifices of the people in the story. Put this book on your reading list!

Review By Rachael F