A Smart Girl's Guide to Entertainment

So, confession time: I've been trying to get through this book unsuccessfully for about two months now! That's not to say that this book isn't very good or isn't very interesting. It is both of the above. My struggle came more from the writing style in which the book was penned, wherein the author interweaves the story of several commune members, including that of her own parents. As anyone who has lived through the 90's can attest to- or even the 80's for that fact! - we tend to recycle fashion (among other things). In fact, there is nothing new under the sun - including belief systems. Even as the New Age belief system seems to once again be growing in popularity - including everything from yoga to alternative medicines - I thought it would be worthwhile to revisit the original New Age years - the groovy 70's and the hippies who inhabited them. This book chronicles the "Back to the Land" movement that occurred during those years. In fact,

Hey everyone! Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written.   While I’ve been busy reading all sorts of books this month, it took me a while to decide what I wanted to write about next. I have a few books I’m still working on which will definitely get reviews, but in the mean-time, let me introduce you to a novel that made me remember why I like fantasy (and why you should too!). I picked this book up on Sunday and read through all 520 pages by Tuesday. It’s THAT good. Fantasy is a bit of a struggle for me. I feel like being introduced to a completely new world can take some acclimatization, and it sometimes feels like work to learn an entirely new lingo or world construct. This book made me forget that those had ever been concerns.  I initially picked up the book due to the recommendation of a woman working in Barnes & Noble (thank you, thank you, a million times thank you!). She mentioned that it was a mix of historical fiction and fantasy, and that she couldn’t wai

As per my introduction, I thought I would begin with one of the books that furthered my understanding of American drug policy as it is today- or, more specifically, a book that can help those of us not in our 50's understand the violence and political upheaval that would lead to the notorious War on Drugs! If you haven't already seen Narcos, I would highly suggest it - though be warned, there is quite a big of violence.  While it is a dramatized account of what happened in Colombia in the 70's, it does quite a good job of sticking to the truth (for the most part). The first two seasons of the show tell the story of Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug kingpin who built an empire through the cocaine trade, as well as the American agents who were tasked with bringing him down. The third season focuses on the events that occurred after his death: namely, the rise of the Cali Cartel. Before digging into Narcos: Mexico - which focuses on illegal drug trafficking in Mexico -

Hey all! Welcome to my second attempt at blogging. This blog has been a long time coming - although I'm still somewhat new to professional blogging, so bear with me as the pieces come together! This blog is the result of my first year post-grad school as I attempt to get my bearings in small-town Indiana. My M.A. is in Political Science, which means I spend way too much money on books and have plenty of free time to follow up my reading with tv shows and documentaries that complement the latest topic I've been obsessing over. I would often find myself frustrated at the end of a Netflix binge - where could I go to find more information on topics that are relevant to our modern day lives? I loved Narcos, but I wasn't sure where to find more information on the history and modern-day reality of the war on drugs. Or I'd watch a life-altering documentary like The 13th and and be unsure of where to begin my research on modern day civil rights issues. I figured that othe