Beloved - Toni Morrison (Spoilers?)

Well, this was a real tonal shift in reading from the previous book! 

This book was a challenge for many reasons. Obviously slavery in the U.S. is something we all have to confront and come to terms with, and it isn't easy to read about it or its (ongoing) aftereffects. The story here was kind of perplexing to me though. Is it someone's descent into madness, based on past trauma? Who really was Beloved? I am not sure what to make of it to be honest, but I will definitely be thinking about it for some time. 

Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure - Anastasia Mills Healy

April's theme is: books I have been putting off reading for no good reason! 

When I travel, I love to seek out places that are, as the title suggests, weird, wonderful, and obscure. Sure, it's fun to hit the main tourist sites and all that - imagine visiting Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower, for example - but I love offbeat stuff so this book appealed to me on that level. 

Who knew that Connecticut, one of the smallest states in the U.S., had so many weird places?? I had no idea that the inspiration for Arsenic and Old Lace took place there, or that the Amistad was docked there. There is a bridge with huge frog statues, a brain archive, a hotel with a helicopter in one of the rooms, so many interesting places to see. The author's writing style is very clear and conversational and she makes everything sound like someplace I want to visit. If you are planning a trip to Connecticut, this book is a must-have. Recommended.