(Wacky Dog, the Best in the West; photo by Rawley/use with permission only)

Welcome, welcome to the book review of the month, now that February is almost over. Ha. I need to write more reviews, y’all. Wintertime has been… uninspiring. But the book selection is good! I’ve been reading a lot. Happy hours. So here we go.

• “True Gretch: Lessons for Anyone Who Wants to Make a Difference” (Co-written with Lisa Dickey, Simon & Schuster, 2024-2025, 176 pages, $18.99). This is the Young Readers’ Edition of Gretchen Whitmer’s memoir, “True Gretch: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything In Between.” Whitmer (D, Governor of Michigan) is a progressive politician and outspoken supporter of healthcare, women’s rights, and infrastructure legislation. I’ve seen several interviews with her. She’s brave, went through some rough stuff and is OK, and I like her.
• Mother-daughter team Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor co-wrote a lovely memoir awhile back, “Traveling with Pomegranates” (Viking Penguin, 2009, 282 pages, $16). If you’re like me, and God knows I am, you’re stuck at home and not traveling at the moment. This book takes you on an amazing (and free) journey to tour sacred sites in Greece and France, circa 1998-2000, with our soul-searching tour guides, Sue and Ann. I’m loving this book, and looking forward to re-reading two of Sue’s novels, “The Secret Life of Bees” and “The Mermaid Chair.” They were both exquisite.
• “Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food” is another knock-it-out-of-the-park cookbook by my hero, Jamie Oliver (Flatiron Books, 2025, 285 beautiful pages, $39.99). Pick it up and try out some new recipes that live up to the title. They all look good, but especially these: No-Cook Pasta Sauces, all of them; Chicken Noodle Broth; Roasted Veg with Camembert Fondue; and… Hero Chocolate Cake. Oh, hello.

My pick of the week is… “True Gretch.” I appreciate how forthright she is and I thank her for looking out for our country.

Disclaimer: All of the books included in today’s post were sent to me free for review purposes. Disclaimer here. Have a great week, y’all, and see you next time!

WM