The History Book Club discussion
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DAVE K'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2017
JANUARY1.
by
Terry PratchettFinish date: January 2, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B
Review: Not the best of Pratchett's Discworld novels, but there are still laugh-out-loud moments. This time, Pratchett lampoons everything Aussie, from beer to movies to roos, with the special Discworld spin. See how many movies you can spot as you read it.
2.
by Alan Henry (no photo)Finish date: January 4, 2017
Genre: Sports/Auto Racing History
Rating: B-
Review: Longtime Formula One journalist Alan Henry presents nine portraits of driver pairs from the 1950s to the 1990s. The subtitle is a bit inaccurate since many of the drivers aren't really dueling and are even quite friendly - especially before the 1980s. Sometimes the two drivers profiled are on the same team, sometimes not. Sometimes it's a very friendly, even respectful rivalry; sometimes not (See Prost vs Senna).
I've read much about the history of the sport, but Henry manages to toss out a few interesting highlights that I wasn't aware of. That and the great photos - including many of the stars in smaller formula cars that we aren't used to seeing - make it worth the time. Not that it takes long to read through this. One of the biggest problems I had with the book was its abrupt ending. No summary, no wrap-up of any sort. It just...ends.
Mod
Dave wrote: "1. by Terry PratchettFinish date: January 2, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B
Review: Not the best of Pratchett..."
Pratchett was a genius. I agree Last Continent isn't his best, but it's still great. The town names are wonderful - didjabringabeeralong ....
Peter wrote: "Dave wrote: "1. by Terry PratchettFinish date: January 2, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B
Review: Not the best..."
He was amazing. I'm pacing myself on his books since there will be no more.
3.
by
Peter F. HamiltonFinish date: January 11, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B
Review: This is the first book in a BIG space opera epic. In fact, it's only the first half of the first book. For its U.S. publication, the publisher decided to split the original 1,200 page novel into two parts.
Hamilton has created a detailed universe and some winning characters. But this is such a big story that it takes 400 pages or so for us to even begin to see how the characters and events - especially the opening sequence - might begin to fit together.
But if you want to lose yourself in other worlds and In a mostly well-paced story, you might check this out.
It's a mostly peaceful place (despite the opening battle scene) but there are factions - Edenists, who have been genetically modified to take advantage of new tech like living space ships; and Adamists, normal people like us. Some outside element is introduced into this civilization, and we're only beginning to get a feel for what it is and what it can do by the end of the book. But it doesn't look good for humanity. Like any good space opera (or movie serial), stay tuned for the next installment.
Mod
Bentley wrote: "Dave - I always like your posts and reviews"Thanks Bentley.
4.
by
Dave EggersFinish date: January 16, 2017
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B
Review: I really enjoy Dave Eggers' writing, but I don't always enjoy reading his books. Contradiction? Maybe. Maybe not. His style is easy to read and adapts to the topic he's writing about - which have been varied over the years (part of what I like). His dialogue isn't clumsy or stilted. His characters are real.
But in this book it's his main character who makes the book so hard to read. I find myself cringing in embarrassment for her several times. And if she's capable of making a good, rational decision, she hasn't proved it by the end of the book.
Josie is having a hard time. Her husband has left her, her dental practice is being sued, she has tremendous guilt over a young patient who died in Afghanistan - so she packs up the kids and heads off to Alaska where she rents an RV to escape her life for a while. The blurbs on the cover promise a darkly humorous tale, and there is humor but the "dark" dominates.
5.
by
Eric FonerFinish date: January 22, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: A
Review: Reconstruction is one of those periods of American History that I've never completely understood. Now that I've read this book, I understand why. Historians have been confused about Reconstruction, and the school of thought that prevailed from around 1900 on was a slightly twisted truth that was put forward by southerners shortly after the civil war. There were voices of dissent in the 1930s, but it wasn't until the 1960s and 1970s that more thorough investigations into public records and personal diaries gave us a truer picture of the times. And I was in high school during that transition, so my history classes probably included a bit of both schools of thought.
Foner wrote a massive history of Reconstruction that is considered the standard "bible" of the times. This is an abridgement that deletes some of the personal stories but misses none of the accuracy of reporting and research. He covers the period from emancipation to 1877 in great detail - from the views of state and federal politicians, freedmen, the military, plantation owners and even the Klan. There's a lot to read in here, but if you're like me and just a bit uncertain about how Reconstruction worked and what it accomplished, it's well worth reading.
For clarity's sake, which Bible version should we get ? If Foner doesn't wrap his life's work up in 1500 pages before he becomes Emeritus.1)
by
Eric Foner2)
by
Eric Foner3)
by
Eric Foner
Dimitri wrote: "For clarity's sake, which Bible version should we get ? If Foner doesn't wrap his life's work up in 1500 pages before he becomes Emeritus.1)
b..."Yes, he does seem to have a passion for Reconstruction. The version that I highlighted at the beginning of my post is an updated edition of his classic. That's the one I recommend.
by
Eric Foner
6.
by Alan M. Kraut (no photo)Finish date: January 29, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B-
Review: Here's an interesting study of immigrants in the late 18th and early 19th century from the perspective of public health concerns. First Kraut examines the perception by Americans resisting immigration of illnesses running rampant among European immigrants. He delves into the archives to show that this just wasn't true. European immigrants were not only not carrying germs into the U.S., but they were often healthier than the native population. They weren't disease-free, of course, but neither were native-born Americans.
From here, Kraut explores the history of immigrants taking matters into their own hands, sending their children to school to become doctors, and opening their own Catholic and Jewish hospitals. His focus is on Ellis Island and New York, but he does spare a chapter to look into accusations of the Chinese immigrants bringing bubonic plague to San Francisco. The development of visiting nurses, school nurses, school vaccinations and other public health measures is enlightening. It's not always an easy read, but if you're interested in immigration history, this looks at it from a different angle than most history books.
FEBRUARY7.
by Lawrence Goodwyn (no photo)Finish date: February 4, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B
Review: According to Lawrence Goodwyn, the Populist movement of the late 1800s is difficult to understand because it was quite complicated. He tries to simplify it here and succeeds to some extent, but, well, it's complicated!
He starts his story in Texas where farmers are being overcharged by merchants and railroads, charged exorbitant interest rates by banks, and sometimes forced to sell crops at or below cost. A Farmers Alliance tries to resolve these issues, runs into the same problems and turns to politics to try to aid the farmers.
The 1890s were the period of intense activity - their last hurrah is in 1896. As an indication of internal strife and the difficulty of sustaining the movement, the Populists actually select the Democrat's candidate, William Jennings Bryan, to be their presidential candidate too.
Goodwyn's last chapter paints a bleak picture, seeing the Populists as a lost opportunity and America's best chance for the people to regain power from the corporate interests. He wrote his book in 1978, and it stands the test of time. I don't agree with everything he concludes in his last chapter, but it's good to see his argument.
8.
by
Peter F. HamiltonFinish date: February 5, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: It's getting better. We're learning more about the nature of the threat to the universe in this massive story (six fairly large books). We're still not sure where a couple of side stories are going, but that's okay.
The central government has been alerted to the threat and have sent a fleet to investigate the colony planet where it all started. I don't think it's a spoiler to reveal that it doesn't go well. I mean, there are four more books left. If they nip the threat in the bud, who needs all those books, right. But just HOW it goes wrong is part of the mystery I'll keep from you.
One of our main heroes, Joshua Calvert is at the scene and part of the action with his ship, "Lady MacBeth." Ione, his lady love (well, one of many, but we know she's "the one"), aka The Lord of Ruin, has her own problems on Tranquility, the world she rules.
Part of the problem is that the threat is so unbelievable that it defies normal military strategy and has now been loosed upon the galaxy. Oh my! What's going to happen in the third book? I'm glad the series has been out for quite some time, so I don't have to wait too long to find out.
9.
by Robyn Muncy (no photo)Finish date: February 12, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B+
Review: Don't let that forbidding title stop you. This is actually a very readable book that details efforts by women in the early 20th century to reform the nation's approach to care for women and children in the areas of labor laws, public health, education and politics. And other than occasional necessary dips into detailed statistics, it flows nicely and is as entertaining as it is informative.
It starts with Jane Addams' Hull House in Chicago and the national network of women that grew from that to run the Children's Bureau and other organizations for twenty years. It examines the successes of these reformers as well as legitimate criticism of their methods in certain areas.
10.
by Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore (no photo)Finish date: February 17, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: A-
Review: This book focuses on the state of North Carolina and starts in an era that I was not aware of. In the 1890s, middle class African-Americans were not only able to accumulate wealth and prosper in the cities of North Carolina, they were not only tolerated, but often respected by their white neighbors. While Jim Crow laws were being enacted in the deep south, these northern blacks were free to prosper. After 1896, that began to change as white supremacists gained control of the state government.
While black men were robbed of their voting rights the women managed to retain some voice through churches, relationships formed earlier in the women's temperance movement and through some schools. They didn't have an easy time, but they didn't give up so that, by the time women gained the vote in 1920, they were ready to insist on their rights too.
It's an amazing story, especially when Gilmore follows individuals through their everyday lives in the struggle.
Certainly, Jim Crow laws didn't end in 1920, but the efforts to resist them by the women of North Carolina make for an encouraging story of civil rights efforts long before the 1950s.
Mod
MARCH11.
by Ira Katznelson (no photo)Finish date: March 12, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B+
Review: Although flawed, I really enjoyed this book, a look at the presidencies of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman from two perspectives: the influence of fear on government policy and the need for what Katznelson calls "dirty hands" to accomplish the government's goals.
The fear portion, though, is weaker and doesn't always blend as well with the "dirty hands" theme. I think the book would have been stronger had the author focused on one or the other.
The first dirty hand we learn about is the reliance of FDR on the racist southern congressmen to pass crucial New Deal legislation. That meant compromising the legislation to some extent to keep those southerners happy - in effect, blocking African-Americans from many of the New Deal benefits.
The second dirty hand is the Soviet Union, an ally in WWII. It was absolutely necessary to win the war, but it meant that FDR and Truman had to overlook Soviet war crimes even as they prosecuted German war crimes.
Like they say, you don't want to see what goes into the making of sausage or politics, and this book amply demonstrates that in this look at the underside of an important era in our history.
12.
by
Lizabeth CohenFinish date: March 17, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B+
Review: Lizabeth Cohen focuses her sights on workers in the city of Chicago from a disastrous time for them - the smack down they received after a strike in 1919 - to a more positive time in the history of labor - the growth of the CIO and concessions won for all workers by the late 1930s. She examines the steel, meatpacking, farm equipment and electrical equipment industries in the region.
In the early years of her study, workers tended to rely on ethnic institutions for support - neighborhood retailers, bankers, churches, etc. By the late 1920s, the employers were providing what they called welfare capitalism - just enough support to keep the workers from striking. In the depths of the depression, companies could no longer afford this and workers were left with nothing until the Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal began to make itself felt. Part of the New Deal gave more rights to workers and their unions to organize and strike.
It's interesting to see this progression from 1919 to 1939.
13.
by
Gar AlperovitzFinish date: March 25, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B-
Review: In the early 1960s, Gar Alperovitz wrote his dissertation that challenged the accepted story surrounding the events of the summer of 1945 and the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan. It was obviously very controversial. This book, published in 1995 on the 50th anniversary of the bombings, builds on that argument with much new material that was declassified over the intervening years.
The standard story is that the bombs forced Japan's surrender before an invasion of the home islands by American troops would be necessary. It was claimed that invasion would have cost as many as a million American lives, and an equal number on the Japanese side. Alperovitz points out, however, that the actual numbers from a military estimate of the time started out at 46,000 casualties. That's casualties, not lives. Based on percentages in the Pacific war, that would translate to roughly 7,000 to 10,000 deaths. Alperovitz shows how politicians gradually inflated that number over the years to solidify the case for dropping the bombs.
There is much evidence in declassified arguments that points toward a Japanese nation ready to surrender before the bombs were dropped. The threat of the Soviet Union entering the war that summer is thoroughly examines, as is the question of clarifying the term "unconditional surrender." U.S. officials were willing to consider allowing Japan to keep its emperor, and that would likely have been a concession that made surrender more likely. But despite urging from the majority of his advisors, Truman followed the advice of Secretary of State James Byrnes and chose not to communicate this to the Japanese.
This is a huge book, and I can't possibly summarize all of the arguments here. They are very convincing, but not totally so. Certainly mistakes were made on the part of Truman and his team, but Alperovitz's proof that the Japanese were ready to surrender is thin - basically relying on one or two intercepted cables.
My image of Harry Truman is definitely shaken by this account, but I'm not totally won over.
Mod
APRIL14.
by
Melvyn P. LefflerFinish date: April 2, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B
Review: This is a history of key moments in the Cold War - moments when opportunities presented themselves to reduce tensions or even end the Cold War, but which were missed. He starts with the beginning of the Cold War itself, contending that it might have been avoided if different policies had been employed. Leffler tends to place more of the blame on the United States for missed opportunities - sometimes justifiably so, sometimes not so much in my opinion. Either way, it's still an interesting read.
15.
by
Walter M. Miller Jr.Finish date: April 4, 2017
Genre:Science Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: This science fiction classic, written in 1959, stands up pretty well to time. I read it as a teen and had forgotten much of it, so when I set out on a long road trip, I brought this along in audio form to refresh my memory.
The tale begins hundreds of years after a nuclear holocaust in the mid-20th century at a western monastery dedicated to the memory of the blessed Leibowitz - soon to become a saint - who in fact was an engineer whose blueprints and drawings somehow survived the bombing. We see a civilization struggling to climb from the ashes.
The second section takes place another few hundred years later and we see that civilization continuing to advance, at least technologically. Politics and war are still prevalent - which brings us to the third and final section of the book, when the world finds itself on the brink of another nuclear war.
Miller ties the three sections together through subtle and less subtle means, and it was obvious to see why it became such a classic work.
Dave wrote: "15. by Walter M. Miller Jr.Finish date: April 4, 2017
Genre:Science Fiction
Rating: A-
Revie..."
One of the classics of SF, for sure.
16.
by
Alan FurstFinish date: April 6, 2017
Genre: Espionage Fiction
Rating: B
Review: Alan Furst writes some decent spy novels, mostly centered around WWII. This one is not his very best, but still entertaining. In this case, we're in pre-war France, following Spanish nationals as they try to buy and transport arms to the forces fighting Franco's fascism in the Spanish Civil War. There's the requisite love story, the occasional twist and turn, an amusing ploy to transfer arms from the Soviets but there just didn't seem to be quite the level of tension I expected.
17.
by
Barbara RansbyFinish date: April 12, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: A-
Review: So, tell me. What do you know about Ella Baker? Have you even heard her name? Probably not. And that's too bad because she was flat-out amazing. Born in 1903 in North Carolina and gaining an education unusual for black women of her time, she lived into the 1980s and was involved in virtually every step of the black freedom and civil rights movements. She worked in the national office of the NAACP beginning in the late 1920s. She traveled the country doing grass roots organizing in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. She was involved in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. She was a founder and guiding hand of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and continued to work for civil rights up to her death.
There are probably two reasons you haven't heard of her. First, she was a strong organizer who didn't grandstand, working in the background and encouraging local people in cities and towns around the country to be the leaders their community needed. Second, she was a woman, and even as blacks fought for civil rights for all, black men were just as chauvinistic about women's roles as their white counterparts. The leaders believed that it was right for the men to be leaders and women to be followers. They weren't likely to give her, or any of the other women involved in the movement, any more credit than necessary.
Ella Baker fought this, won some battles, but more importantly, went about her tasks in the best way she knew how and advanced the movement immeasurably. She wasn't perfect, but she was impressive. This is an excellent story of her life.
Hi Dave, glad to hear that people are interested in African American history. I actually have heard of Ella Baker. I do not know a whole lot other than she was involved in the civil rights struggle and that she was a highly influential member of the NAACP. You asked whether people knew of her and you gave good, legitimate reasons why most people most likely do not, but I would like to point out one other and far more consequential reason. Most of history's African American leaders and influential citizens have been whitewashed from American history. Kids nowadays barely learn history and even rarer black history. People like Emmit Til, Medgar Evars, William Tillman, Marcus Garvey, Denmark Vesey. Just some of the many not taught about in schools across The United States. Even worse Events in Black history like the Tulsa riot of 1921, or the Jasper Texas hate crime, or the first person killed at the Boston Massacre African American Crispus Attucks. I am only brining this up to spark a little awareness of some very important people and events that most know nothing about. I would like to say that I appreciate your learning about black history and even more so youre sharing it. Keep up the good reading.
18.
by Bernard von Bothmer (no Photo)Finish date: April 15, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: A
Review: "Framing the Sixties" is not a book about the 1960s, but more about perceptions of the 60s, and how presidents and candidates have used the 60s to benefit themselves. The 60s have generally been divided into the "good" 60s (1960-1963) and the "bad" 60s (1964-1974). Ronald Reagan was the first to really base his campaign on the 60s. Even as a conservative Republican, he managed to compare himself to John F Kennedy and the "good" 60s (both were tough on communism and pushed for big tax cuts) while bemoaning everything that followed JFK - government growth, riots and other civil unrest, a war in Vietnam that politicians prevented the military from winning.
It goes on from there - each president blaming or praising the 60s in their campaign. The ultimate in spin has to be George W Bush, who spent his 60s partying, drinking, avoiding service in Vietnam - who managed to pin the negatives of the 60s (Vietnam, drug use, a decline in morals) on Al Gore, who was a model college student, active on the student newspaper, who volunteered for service in Vietnam, and generally lived a boring but moral life. Dubya had a great marketing team.
This book uses speeches by the parties in question as well as interviews with 120+ people who were involved in the campaigns in question. It's a good history lesson as well as an impressive marketing case study.
19.
by Peter Kuznick (no photo)Finish date: April 19, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B
Review: This book is a collection of essays by historians looking at culture during the cold war. Some get quite heavy and deep, others more easily followed. It covers everything from gender and the cold war to just what the average person experienced during this period - was the threat of nuclear war as omnipresent as we are led to believe today. There is also an examination of cold war Hollywood movies. All in all, an interesting collection of thoughts and ideas.
20.
by Allan J. Lichtman (no photo)Finish date: April 24, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: B+
Review: The subtitle of this book is a bit misleading. It covers much more than just the rise of the conservative movement. The book covers its entire history in the 20th century. As the main title implies, it isn't just recently that Christians have figured prominently in conservatism. They are present in the 1920s, 1950s and at other points in this narrative. But this isn't a religious history, so in that way, the main title is a bit misleading too. It's definitely political history. It's just that sometimes the two intertwine. The most challenging part for me was keeping straight all of the organizations that have been connected to the conservative movement in this history. Historian and author Lichtman is thorough in his research and it gets a little confusing at times.
MAY21.
by David Brinkley (no photo)Finish date: May 1, 2017
Genre: American History, Memoir
Rating: B
Review: More a memoir than a history book, journalist Brinkley conveys a feeling through anecdotes and newspaper clippings just what it was Like as Washington DC grew from a sleepy southern city to a true international capital during WWII. There are definitely some interesting and amusing stories here.
22.
by
Sinclair LewisFinish date: May 6, 2017Genre: Classic Fiction
Rating: A
Review: Written in 1935, this book is suddenly selling well again, and I had a long wait on the Library hold list to get a copy. And yes, it has everything to do with current politics, especially our President.
Since Lewis completed this book long before the full horrors of European fascism were known, it is very prescient. Who knew that his fictional president would so accurately predict the attitude and speeches of candidate Trump. We're a few months into Trump's presidency as I write this, and I don't think that situations will sink as low as they do in Lewis' novel, it is still sobering. "Buzz" Windrip defeats FDR for the Democratic nomination in 1936, goes on to win the election, declares martial law, assumes entire control of government, and creates a uniquely American form of fascism called corpoism. Corporations are very much involved in his plan, you see.
The main story is told through the eyes of small-town newspaper editor Doremus Jessup of New England. It takes him a little too long to be convinced of the reality of conditions, writing quite freely and critically until Windrip's Minute Men - the American version of Germany's brownshirts - come for him.
It's a fascinating story, especially considering the time in which it was written. Fascism was gaining strength in Europe and Asia. There was genuine fear that it COULD happen here.
It is selling well again because the world is not well again....
23.
by
Joe HaldemanFinish date: May 8, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: Joe Haldeman is a Vietnam veteran, and he put some of his wartime experience (as well as frustration with the powers that be) in this classic science fiction novel, written in the mid 1970s. Earth is at war with an alien species, and due to time and relativity surrounding near-light speed travel, the war truly seems to go on forever - hundreds of years. The hero of the novel advances from Private to officer in what seems to him like a few years, but it has been hundreds of years, and lifestyles on Earth have changed in that time - a lot.
24.
by
Dan ChaonFinish date: May 12, 2017
Genre: Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: Unreliable narrators have become all the rage in fiction these days, but Chaon pulls out all the stops with at least five points of view and uncertainty swirling around each narrative. Dustin Tillman is a psychologist who, along with his two cousins, suffered the traumatic murder of his and the cousins' parents when he was eight. Now in his 40s, an adopted brother who was accused of the murders is now declared innocent and released from prison. Meanwhile, Tillman gets pulled into an informal investigation of a number of murders of college students that may or may not fit a pattern, depending on who you believe. At one point, Tillman declares that he doesn't know what's real anymore - and neither do we.
25.
by
Alexander McCall SmithFinish date: May 15, 2017
Genre: Mystery Fiction
Rating: A
Review: So many people have recommended this series and I'm so glad I've finally gotten around to starting it. It wasn't at all what I expected - definitely not your typical mystery novel. Smith follows Precious Ramotswe as she opens her private investigation office in Gabarone, the capital of Botswana. With the aid of a book she bought about how to be a private investigator, she solves crimes major and minor. And we are treated to a vivid description of the culture of Botswana. It's a great combination.
26.
by Steven D. Lubar and Kathleen Kendrick (no photo)Finish date: May 23, 2017
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: "Legacies" looks like a classic Smithsonian coffee table book, but it is much more. In addition to photos and stories about 250 artifacts in the National Museum of American History, there is a lot of inside information about what guides the curators in their selections and how these guidelines change as time passes. An object barely worth collecting 100 years ago might gain more value, and vice versa. The authors mention a number of objects that seemed important many years ago but that now merit just a shrug from museum-goers.
27.
by
Frank W. AbagnaleFinish date: May 26, 2017
Genre: Memoir
Rating: D
Review: No matter how bold and amazing the exploits of this con man, I just couldn't get interested in this book. The movie made from it was mildly amusing, but the book was repetitious. Every woman who fell to him was gorgeous, every caper clever. And while I realize the crimes were perpetrated by a person in his late teens and early 20s, he is writing this as an adult about 20 years later and I sense no remorse. He makes a big deal out of bilking only big corporations and never an individual, but he hurt a lot of people and there appears to be no remorse. The book just seems like an opportunity to brag - and in a barely literate style.
Mod
Bentley wrote: "Thank you for following the rules and guidelines. I thought that based upon your post asking for clarification that there might have been a posting that you were concerned about - I did not see any."No problem. I wasn't sure how early SPQR and The Sympathizer had officially been announced. I read and reviewed them last summer. I'll keep an eye out for the upcoming books that I eventually intend to read.
Mod
Also Dave you can read any book you want when you want to do it - that is no problem either nor should it be. But when posting the book's completion - just on the group site - simply leave the rating and review blank or add TBA - until the group's discussion is over with.
We appreciate your assistance and cooperation in advance.
JUNE28.
by
Dava SobelFinish date: June 8, 2017
Genre: History, Science
Rating: B
Review: "Galileo's Daughter" tells the story of the great scientist's life, especially his later years, with the help of letters written to him by his daughter, who lived in a convent near his home. It's a little more personal look at the man, but it also reveals much about the outlook for women during the 16th and 17th century. Galileo actually had two daughters who were consigned to the nunnery because they were not considered marriageable because of their illegitimacy. Yet he also had a son - equally illegitimate - who was educated, married and lived a normal life.
The description of life in the convent is an interesting side note in the book. His daughter, Marie Celeste, was quite devout, yet once referred to her home as a prison and died young due to a harsh life of work and little food.
The author also does a good job of presenting Galileo's troubles with the church. Pope Urban VIII had been friendly with and supportive of Galileo earlier as a Cardinal, but seemed to turn on him after becoming Pope. Sobel explains the pressure Urban was under. The Protestant Reformation was in full swing and the Thirty Years War - essentially a war between Catholics and Protestants - was winding down and he was criticized for not making a strong enough stand in it. He was forced to be tough by the time Galileo's book on the realignment of the solar system was published. Ironic, though, because Galileo and his daughter remained staunch Catholics throughout.
29.
by
Peter F. HamiltonFinish date: June 10, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: This is book 3 in an epic 6-book series that started with "The Reality Dysfunction" and spans the galaxy. You really have to start with the first book. By now, we've learned that the mysterious invasion that began on a small colony world is, in fact, sprits of the dead returning from some rift in "the beyond" to possess people. They possess strange powers, but it isn't a mystical kind of thing. You just feel that there is going to be a scientific explanation of some sort. And after the initial shock, the governments are beginning to develop ways to fight the invasion so the conflict of the subtitle isn't as one-sided as it has been.
A few historical figures appear, such as Al Capone providing the organizational skills needed to pull together the possessed in one planetary system. And not all of the dead are evil - a fact which I'm sure will make things even more interesting in the remaining books.
Maybe it's my tired old brain, but it gets a little confusing trying to remember which characters are on which world, but the author gives you clues early in each chapter to help some.
30.
by
Patricia HighsmithFinish date: June 15, 2017
Genre: Classic Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: This classic, published in 1955, is an amazing look inside the mind of a young sociopath. It drags at times, and I can feel absolutely no sympathy for the title character (although others do), but it is still an impressive piece of writing.
31.
by
Dashiell HammettFinish date: June 18, 2017
Genre: Mystery
Rating: A-
Review: The slang is dated but this is still a great read that stands the test of time. Plenty of twists and turns and uncertainty. Who is playing whom? You have to read until the very end.
32.
by Maya Jasanoff (no photo)Finish date: June 23, 2017
Genre: American History
Rating: A-
Review: There are two sides to every story. This book tells the side of the American Revolution that doesn't get told very often in the U.S. It's the tale of those American colonists who would rather have worked things out with the crown rather than seceding and going to war. Many suffered violence at the hands of the patriots even before the war began. Many lost everything and dispersed to other parts of the British empire: Nova Scotia, Bahamas, Jamaica, Great Britain, Sierra Leone, India. And before you think that those who fled to the Caribbean were much more fortunate than those who fled north, remember that these were the days before yellow fever and malaria had been conquered. The death toll was staggering.
In addition to the white British subjects, Jasanoff covers the blacks who escaped to the British side for the promise of freedom from slavery - a promise not very well kept for many. She also includes the Mohawks and Creek Indians who felt their future was brighter with the British than with the Americans. After all, one of the reasons for the revolution was the fact that the British wouldn't allow American settlers free rein to take Indian land and settle the west.
Most of us have probably heard some of the story, but the big picture is fascinating.
Mod
33.
by
Alfred BesterFinish date: June 25, 2017
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: A
Review: So I was wondering recently, as I was looking at a list of recent Hugo award winners, who won the first Hugo for best Science Fiction novel? Turns out it was Alfred Bester in 1953 for "The Demolished Man." And a well-deserved win, I might add - now that I've finally read it. It is set in a future when actual mind readers are working for the police keeping people straight - especially murderers. There hasn't been a premeditated murder in many years. Until now, of course. It isn't a mystery. We know who the murderer is. But it is the fascinating chess game between the murderer and the inspector that makes this a great book. The murderer, if caught, will face demolition (hence the title), and just wait until you find out what that means.
The History Book Club
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Terry Pratchett (other topics)Gregory Maguire (other topics)
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