Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16

Author: Moshe Kasher Publication Date: March 2012 This book was a recommendation from Mayim Bialik in some post as a must-read and life-changing, so I was intrigued and picked it up. I have mixed feelings about this book. It is honest and open, and a bit too detailed for my taste when it comes to the drugs being used and the mind-altering experiences associated with them. It was also sad and upsetting. It is distressing—especially to see how society and people can be enablers by overlooking, not paying attention, or simply turning a blind eye to what the youth around us are actually doing. Continue reading

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.

Uncultured: A Memoir

Author: Daniella Mestyanek Young Publication Date: September 2022 The question I had to ask throughout the book: Why? Why and why? Why would adults do this to themselves and their children? Why would women willingly submit themselves to men and live a life that is so belittling, and why would they make other women do the same? And why does this happen in today’s age, when there is so much more awareness… or why is this happening in the so-called, Western, developed countries? Continue reading

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.

Educated: A Memoir

Author: Tara Westover Publication Date: Feb 2022 Education — in particular higher education, going to a university — was never considered a choice, but something that I was meant to do. It was drilled into me starting from kindergarten that education is everything, and that excelling in it is the only way to move up the social ladder and live well. But growing up in India, you either had to excel academically or come from a well-off family to achieve this. Continue reading

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.

Patriot: A Memoir

Author: Alexei Navalny Publication Date: October 2024 What drives a person to sacrifice themselves, their family, and their friends for a conviction? Is it truly a selfless act? The memoir is very interesting — a fascinating read. Navalny talks about his childhood, his upbringing, his rejection of the political system, how he exposed corruption and the selfishness of government officials, why in his view Russia never progressed and is still behind other European countries, why he feels people need to stand up and claim what belongs to them, how he went about fighting it, why he decided to go back even after the Novichok attack, and, most interestingly, how he remained sane in solitary confinement. Continue reading

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.

Freedom

Author: Angela Merkel Publication Date: November 2024 Angela Merkel is a true inspiration. The first of many—first woman chancellor of Germany, first politician from former East Germany, and for me, the first of many who stayed true to what they believed in. She has been criticized, ridiculed, and put down, yet she has always been a symbol of stability and consistency. Many might say she was rigid and inflexible, but it is admirable to be so firm about following through on a commitment. Continue reading

© 2026 Sindhuja Cheema Enzinger. All Rights Reserved.