THE BRIDGEWATER-SOMERVILLE CONNECTION PAGE 28 NOV 2026-JAN 2027 t h etchoenc no encnt ei oc nt i son j s. cnoj .mc o m PAGE 28 KIDZ CONNECTION 257 N. Main Street, Manville, NJ 08835 908-842-2400 Open Monday-Saturday (11am-6pm) Receive 10% off when you spend $50 WHERE THE SERIOUS COLLECTORS SHOP. Sports card store offering baseball • basketball • football hockey • soccer • pokemon cards • memorabilia • hobby wax single cards • retail and supplies. erriam-Webster defines a memoir as “a narrative composed from personal experience.” As the year comes to an end, it is important to read books that help us reflect. 1. The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos READ IF YOU LOVE: learning new and deeply moving lessons, plots that unlock cathartic experiences, and seeing the end of life through a peaceful lens. HadleyVlahos,ahospicenurse,narrates about balancing a complicated home life while also taking care of various terminally ill patients. When Vlahos unexpectedly became a mother at age nineteen, she was considered an outsider in her own town. Wanting to fully support her baby boy’s life, Vlahos enrolls in nursing school and ends up going down the hospice care path. Through caring for patients, Vlahos observes some truly unbelievable incidents and moments occurring when one is on the border between life and death. 2. Openby Andre Agassi READ IF YOU LOVE: emotional depth, fastpaced storytelling, and beautifully crafted prose. AndreAgassiiswidelyregardedasone of the best tennis players of all time, but what does it take to earn that title? Open is a beautifully written memoir that encapsulates Agassi’s struggles and determination to succeed. In his autobiography, he reveals his difficult childhood (or lack thereof) that contributed to his hatred of tennis and holds the reader close to his heart as he traverses failures and the journey to winning eight Grand Slams. Even if you are not a tennis or sports fan, this memoir is truly a must-read for its strong narration and emotional pull. 3. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner READ IF YOU LOVE: family relationships, exploration of cultural identity, and raw, unfiltered emotion. TwothingsI’mleftwith:hungeranda heavy heart. Michelle Zauner beautifully uses food and her relationship with her family to explore themes of cultural identity and belonging. Her writing is vivid and honest, exploring every angle of grief without restraint. One of the memoir’s standout features is Zauner’s relationship with her mother. She pulls you into her life unapologetically, showing both the ugly and beautiful sides of family. The perfect book to read under a warm blanket with a cup of tea. 4. Educated by Tara Westover READ IF YOU LOVE: captivating narration, heavy action, and discussion of religion. Oneofthemostpopularmemoirs,and rightfully so. Westover is an extraordinarily gifted writer. Spanning her life from childhood to college, detailing the hardships of growing up in isolation. Her family was abusive and did not believe in medicine or education, forcing Westover to educate herself and make the most of her resources. Through work in the junkyard, singing, and various odd jobs, Westover pulls you deeply into her childhood and holds you near her heart. A truly remarkable and inspiring read. 5. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls READ IF YOU LOVE: insightful reads, fascinating symbolism, and complex character relationships. JeannetteWallscomposesabeautifully crafted retelling of her childhood. With an alcoholic father and a free-spirited mother, Jeannette and her siblings, Lori, Brian, and Maureen, are brought together through shared hardship. Rex, their father, promises to build her and her siblings a glass castle someday as a distraction from their obstacles like hunger and poverty. Constantly moving towns present various challenges to the family that force the children to fend for themselves at such young ages. As Jeannette embeds meaningful symbolism, she captivates readers and can fully tell her story. Charlotte Mitchell has been an enthusiastic reader since elementary school with her favorite genre being thriller/mystery. Besides reading, her hobbies consist of running, theater, writing, and baking. Ameya Ram is also an eager reader whose favorites span genres; from memoirs to thrillers to literary fiction, she’s there for the ride. She also loves writing, tennis, and music. Both girls are sophomores attending Bernards High School. M erriam-Webster Reflect on These Memoirs By Charlotte Mitchell & Ameya Ram SHELF AWARENESS
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