THE EARLY YEARS OF CRYONICS, in all their improvisatory cowboy chaos, described by a founding enthusiast. SOLID B

FREEZING PEOPLE IS (NOT) EASY : MY ADVENTURES IN CRYONICS
Lyons Press
2014

THE HEARTBREAKS, EXHILARATIONS of one woman’s journey from an ultra-Orthodox childhood to a more secular life. B PLUS

CUT ME LOOSE : SIN AND SALVATION AFTER MY ULTRA-ORTHODOX GIRLHOOD
Nan A. Talese
2014

THOUGHTS ON FACING LIFE challenges–from hip replacement to the joy of a new dog–with grace. Charming, wry. B PLUS

NEW LIFE, NO INSTRUCTIONS
Random House
2014

THE WILD, ALMOST HALLUCINOGENIC story of writer Walter Kirn’s friendship with murderer “Clark Rockefeller”. A MINUS

BLOOD WILL OUT
Liveright Publishing Corporation
2014

A WRITER REDISCOVERS HER mother’s virtues in challenging times. Lovely, loving memoir is both sweet and wry. B PLUS

GLITTER AND GLUE
Ballantine Books
2014

THE WILD WEST WORLD of professional mushroom hunting, brought to life in all its seedy, picaresque glory.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and his fabled exploits, placed in a broad, rich context of WWI Middle Eastern turmoil. SOLID B

RAW, BRILLIANT ESSAYS by Kiese Laymon (with notes from family and friends) unfold a black American experience. B PLUS

AN ENTERTAINING MISCELLANY OF impostors and hoaxsters through the ages. Lots of information, never boring! SOLID B

A SAVVY AND SLY memoir of life in the trenches at a big-city fast food restaurant. Not always appetizing!  SOLID B