Three Books Hitting the Shelves in June 2021

A Marine Corps combat veteran and naval aviator and lieutenant colonel with 28 years of service, Jennifer Grieves has spent two decades in leadership roles and operations management. In her free time, Jennifer Grieves enjoys camping in her Airstream trailer and reading.

The online Literary Hub has compiled 228 of the most anticipated books of 2021. Here are some of their selections to look for in June:

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy

When a comet’s debris crashes in northern Minnesota, it leaves behind omnimetal, which offers energy-renewing potential that could help the planet. In the aftermath of this discovery, the region experiences a “gold rush,” replete with shady business deals and troubling family dynamics.

Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley Ford

This memoir by Ford explores the author’s childhood, growing up without a father, who has been incarcerated for a secret reason. Ford discovers the secret, which has a profound implication on her life and her relationship with her father.

The Great Mistake by Jonathan Lee

Lee’s character-driven historical fiction begins with the assassination of city planner Andrew Haswell Green, known for his work on Central Park and other New York City institutions. Lee then goes back to Green’s humble beginnings and follows him through his life, portraying him as a complicated, haunted man.

What It Takes to Become a Marine Corps Pilot

Jennifer Grieves served more than 25 years in the United States Marine Corps, during which she completed a course in military studies at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. As part of her Marine Corps career, Jennifer Grieves trained to be a pilot, earned multiple awards and medals.

The first step to becoming a pilot is to enlist with the Marines and hold a bachelor’s degree. The applicant must also be a commissioned officer at the rank of second lieutenant and between the ages of 18 and 27 years, as well as a US citizen.

Applicants must pass medical and physical fitness tests, as well as the aviation physical. Once a candidate is cleared for flight school they will have to complete either officer's training or platoon leaders school, then go to The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia.

Flight school consists of four different stages, starting with pre-indoctrination, which lasts six weeks. Then there are three different levels of flight training, consisting of beginner, intermediate, and advanced, which will have the candidate spending hundreds of hours in the classroom and flight simulators, as well as real aircraft.

Comparing Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway Theatres

LtCol Jennifer Grieves served the nation as a military officer, flying helicopters and assuming operational responsibilities while a member of the US Marine Corps. In her leisure time, one of Jennifer Grieves’ favorite pastimes is to attend Broadway theatre shows.

Broadway Street in New York City featured productions performed in theatre houses from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The theatre district was also known as The Great White Way, a name which alluded to the bright lights that framed titles and posters on theatre marquees.

Over time, things have changed. Today, more than 40 establishments in the theatre district are considered Broadway theatres although only a few have actual Broadway addresses. The three different types of Broadway venues are Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway.

A Broadway theatre has at least 500 seats and may or may not reside along Broadway Street. It will, however, be located in the Theatre District. Productions in these theaters must also contract with union labor for the show, including actors, musicians, and choreographers. Broadway theatre tickets are expensive because the cost to stage a production is high.

An Off-Broadway theatre located in New York City holds an audience of 99 to 499. Off-Broadway theatres became the alternative to pricier Broadway productions starting in the 1950s. An Off-Off-Broadway theatre has fewer than 99 seats. Any space can become an Off-Off-Broadway venue, such as bars, restaurants, and coffee shops.

How Reading Improves Memory

A lieutenant colonel with the United States Marine Corps, Jennifer Grieves served as a pilot for the Marines for over two decades. In her free time, LtCol Jennifer Grieves enjoys exercising both her body and mind by riding her Peloton bike and reading.

Reading is associated with plenty of benefits, including improved memory. This partially has to do with the neurobiological process of reading. When a person reads, separate parts of their brain must work together. These parts are associated with language, vision, and associative learning. No other activity, including processing speech or images, forces these sections of the brain to work together in such a complex way.

In addition, reading forces the mind to produce narrative, imagine the plot, and consider comprehension. These activities further benefit the brain by exercising it. As with any muscle, the more the brain is exercised by reading instead of listening or watching, the stronger it becomes.

This increased mental strength plays an important role in brain capacity as a person ages. According to a study from UC Berkeley, reading reduces levels of beta-amyloid in the brain, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s. Another study showed that reading protects memory and thinking skills. And Hong Kong’s Elderly Health Centres found that risk of dementia was lower in people who read books or engaged in other intellectual activities every day.