Currently reading (July 2026)

You Can’t Catch Us: Lady Bird Johnson’s Trailblazing 1964 Campaign Train and the Women Who Rode with Her
by Shannon McKenna Schmidt 

Giddy about this one. Lady Bird is incredible. The First Lady of World War II: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back (also by McKenna Schmidt) was, too (see??). I already know I’m going to love this. And it’s the first time I’m dipping into the 1900s (non-fictionally speaking) this year.

The Correspondent
by Virginia Evans

This was recommended to me and I spotted it on the shelf the next day without even looking for it. Just noticed that it has a “Lucky Day” sticker on it and had no idea what that meant. ☘️ Is this a category of books, like Historical Fiction or Fantasy…? Does the book include leprechauns or something? No, Lucky Day means it’s a very popular book and library holds aren’t allowed. Also, neither are renewals. Guess I need to pick up the pace.

Everything You Need to Ace U.S. History in One Big Fat Notebook
by Lily Rothman, editors of Brain Quest, illustrations by Tim Hall

I didn’t read my way through the presidents chronologically. Many of them I read a long time ago. I’m working my way though this fun little book as I prepare my upcoming presentations to refamiliarize myself with how events unfolded over time.

The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
by Robert A. Caro

This one has been kinda ignored. It's started it a while ago, but it’s too big to read while I’m falling asleep (I’ll give myself a concussion!) and it doesn’t fit in my bag. This eliminates two of the times I read the most—bedtime and when I have random pockets of time when I’m out and about.* Still, I’m hopeful** I can finish this by the end of the year.

*No, I am not interested in reading it on a Kindle.

**OK, I’m lying. I’m not hopeful at all. But it is my goal to finish by the end of the year. I’ve left myself most of the book and less than half of the year. Worse yet, I’m reading it with a friend and she’s not reading fast enough to shame me into reading faster. (Ahem, Lisa.)

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Up next:

FICTION

Looking for Alaska
by John Green

NON-FICTION

I’m a conflicted. I have presentations coming up about John Tyler (October) and James K. Polk and did not doodle my way through either as I read about them. Perhaps (only if I can time it well so it doesn’t mess up my timing) I may tackle Tyler:

John Tyler
The American Presidents Series: The 10th President, 1841-1845
by Gary May 

… it’s just a skinny little thing (200 pages) and Steve over at Best Presidential Bios says:

Although I don’t typically include books of this brevity in my library of presidential biographies, I was surprised by its breadth, insight and impact. May’s biography is easy (almost effortless) to read, enjoyable and extremely efficient with the reader’s time. Ironically, May does a better job of piercing Tyler’s private life than other biographers despite the book’s slim size.

Depending on how that goes, maybe I’ll take care of Polk next. No promises.

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More!

You can find all the books I’ve read this year or am reading this year in my Bookshop:

Or check out my related doodles: