We have read and discussed two books since I last wrote in this blog! In January we read The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak, it was a book about Catherine the Great. Although the book dealt more with her childhood, castle life, and a lot about her mother in law, the Empress Elizabeth, I did manage to learn things I had not known about Catherine the Great. For one thing, I had not realized, that in fact, Catherine was really German and her given name was Sophie. Some people in the group really enjoyed the book, while others found it a bit tedious with all of the court drama. If court intrigue is your thing, I personally found it fascinating, and I would definitely recommend it. There is a sequel as well, Empress of the Night, which continues the story of Catherine and her reign as Queen of Russia.
In February we read Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, a book on Transgender Teens. This was a very powerful book, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I learned so much reading this book, as did all of the members of the group. The teens stories are each unique, but they all have the same sense of not feeling like they belong in the bodies they were given. Reading these very personal accounts, and some of the things they have faced and dealt with was very emotional and eye opening. It made me realize all the more that you can never know what another person is feeling and should never judge someone by their appearance.
In February we read Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin, a book on Transgender Teens. This was a very powerful book, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. I learned so much reading this book, as did all of the members of the group. The teens stories are each unique, but they all have the same sense of not feeling like they belong in the bodies they were given. Reading these very personal accounts, and some of the things they have faced and dealt with was very emotional and eye opening. It made me realize all the more that you can never know what another person is feeling and should never judge someone by their appearance.