Monthly Archives: June 2019

Circe

Madeline Miller    Pages: 393     Published: 2018

The book: In the ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey, by the poet Homer, Odysseus, journeying home after the fall of Troy, encounters the witch Circe. He and his men are delayed on her island for a year. Although it takes Odysseus ten years to get home, Circe’s appearance in The Odyssey is fleeting. This wonderful novel is Miller’s reimagining and retelling of Circe’s life. Read more

The Sympathizer

Viet Thanh Nguyen    Pages: 385   Published: 2015

The book: This is a story about a Vietnamese communist double agent who comes to America after the fall of Saigon. He’s an Army captain, ostensibly building a new life in the USA, but all the time he is continuing to spy and report back to his communist handler in Vietnam. This is a saga about friendship, the duality of man, and what can both divide us and keep us together. Within the plot, the truth about the role of the USA, in what Americans refer to as the Vietnam War, is explored. Read more

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

John Carreyrou     Pages: 303    Published: 2018

The book: Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos in 2003. She claimed to have a blood testing machine that would make blood tests faster and less painful for patients: only a pin prick of blood was required, instead of a traditional needle draw.
By 2015 Holmes was the new darling of the tech world. Her company was valued at $9 billion. Holmes net worth was estimated to be $4.5 billion. Read more