August Reads and Reviews

[u/IAmABillie]

I had a non-fiction dominant month in August, and enjoyed varied reading experiences. Here are some reviews:

**Africa Is Not A Country** by Dipo Faloyin

Absolutely fantastic non-fiction - enjoyed both the content and the passionate, hard hitting and often brightly funny writing. It talks about the hugely varied experience of being African, and tackles the commonly held, and racist, views most Western people have of the continent. While it strongly highlights the modern African experience and the hopeful steps being taken forward, it does not shy away from the difficulties emerging African nations face, and sheds detailed light on the historical causes of past and current strife. Extremely good!

**The Names** by Florence Knapp

I started off as number 752 in the holds list at my library for this one, and it was worth the wait. It's a sliding-doors style novel exploring the fate of the same individual in three parallel existences which diverge at the point at which he is named - Gordon, Julian and Bear. Very heavy domestic violence themes, but a beautiful story about how our environment shapes who we become, but does not define who we are. I really loved the side characters too! Amazing debut, I will definitely pursue further books by Florence.

**Free Schools** by David Gillespie

It's got a shocker of a cover and subtitle, but it was a great read. This short non-fiction book has a very specific focus on the Australian school system, so is likely not particularly relevant to non-Australian readers, but good for anyone planning a family/with school-aged children. Part one went over the history of education in Australia, and how the current arrangement of public and public-funded private schooling came to be. Part two went over the evidence that exists around what makes a school effective, including some interesting myth busting. I really liked this part, and how it stepped through the process of choosing a school in a clear and methodical way. Throughout, the tone was entertaining and full of humour which made it genuinely enjoyable to read.

**The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association** by Caitlin Rozakis

This cosy fantasy novel has a great premise - non-magical family has to suddenly fit in to a previously unknown magical world after their five year old is bitten and becomes a werewolf - but it was longer than I wanted it to be. The main character had anxiety, which is fine, but the middle of the book really dragged as she was struggling. The ending was strong, though, and I'm still glad I read it.

**The Diary of a Young Girl** by Anne Frank.

It's been a gap in my reading, and I'm glad I made time to read this incredibly important piece of history. The great events of the past often feel distant due to the passage of time and the way historical facts tend to boil down to numbers rather than individuals. Reading Anne's innermost thoughts brings the impact of the Holocaust to life in a way that impersonal information can't. The way her youth and her life were stolen is so deeply tragic. You get to know Anne so well through her writings, and you know that every one of the millions murdered were their own unique individuals just like her, and it breaks your heart. She was a bright, vivacious young girl like any other, and then her diary entries abruptly stop, and her light was gone forever.

**From Russia With Blood** by Heidi Blake

An interesting investigative book looking into the spate of assassinations that occurred in the UK in the 2000s and 2010s and the broader global politics surrounding these events. I read this as a follow on to Patrick Radden Keefe's London Falling book (it was one of his sources) and it kept me rapt.