Readers’ Corner – Nonfiction for Tolerance Day, November 15

By Bonnie McCune and Kathleen Duhamel ~

Welcome to the United States of Anxiety: Observations from a Reforming Neurotic. The stressors of everyday life—24/7 news about the environment, crime, and divisive politics, not to mention the uncertainty of living through a pandemic—have taken their toll on the American psyche. Author Jen Lancaster takes on the topic of the United States’ collective anxiety with wit, humor, and practical tips on how to chill and survive 2020 and beyond.

 Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age. “We can’t change our pasts, but we can still change our stories.” Mary Pipher has delivered a comprehensive guidebook on how women can age joyfully and flourish during their later years. Through interviews with older women (which tend to get a bit repetitive), Pipher confronts the inevitable crises and losses we all experience with the aging process, such as retirement, illness, and loss of a partner.

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know. A powerful examination by thoughtful Malcolm Gladwell of our interactions with people we don’t know, ranging from Fidel Castro’s subterfuge with the CIA, sexual assaults on campuses, the contentious arrest of Sandra Bland on a Texas roadside, Sylvia Plath’s suicide, and many others.
Our tools and strategies turn out to be highly flawed, and we invite conflict and misunderstanding if we don’t take greater care.

Nothing Daunted, The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West. The captivating true story of two restless young women who left their affluent lives to “rough it” as teachers in the wilds of Colorado in 1916. Granddaughter of one adventurer, Dorothy Wickenden found the teachers’ buoyant letters home, which captured the voices of pioneer women, children, and other unforgettable people the women knew. In reconstructing their journey, Wickenden has created an exhilarating saga about intrepid women and the “settling up” of the West.

Author Kathleen Duhamel writes humorous contemporary romance featuring “seasoned” characters. Her newest is Fed Up. https://www.kathleenduhamel.com/ Author Bonne McCune’s latest is Never Retreat, a suspenseful romance in Colorado’s wilderness. https://BonnieMcCune.com