The History Book Club discussion

Alisa, here is your new thread in 2015. Happy reading in the new year.

Our Required Format:

JANUARY

1. by Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: January 2015
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

Hi there Alisa - we did set up a thread for you.

FEBRUARY

1. by Caroline Moorehead
Finish date: Feb 8, 2015
Genre: WWII - occupied France and the Holocaust
Rating: B-
Review: This book recounts the journey of 230 French women who were arrested and imprisoned for participating in the French Resistance during the German occupation of France in WWII. Many of these women did not know each other before they ended up in prison together, and as they were grouped together by their captors quickly formed a bond and found ways to look out after each other as a way to get through their dire circumstances. Ranging in ages from 15 to mid-60s at the time of their capture, they were subjected to the most horrid of circumstances of wartime prison labor camps - the living conditions propagated disease and starvation, and the German prison wardens inflicted some of the worst forms of abuse imaginable. The prisoners who were physically the strongest could endure more suffering and still be able to work, which was a plus in the eyes of their captors who needed them to produce to feed the massive German war machine. Weaker prisoners were singled out for beatings and other severe punishment and then left to die or be executed. As hard as it is to imagine, things got worse when they were transported from the labor camps to Auschwitz and Birkenau. Given what was happening there, it was a miracle any of these women made it through alive and clearly many did not. If there is such a thing as a fate worse than death, these women experienced it. The depth of evil that people are capable of inflicting on each other rightfully shocks the sensibilities of anyone with a shred of morality. How on earth could anyone maintain a shred of sanity being subjected to this sort of thing? Reading about it boggles the mind. Somehow, these French women found a way to hold it together as long as they could and devised many ways to take care of each other in a manner that survived scrutiny and punishment by their captors. It is a remarkable story.

The book itself was difficult to read, not just for the subject matter but also due to the writing. The first part of the book that introduces many of these women and describes their Resistance activities was disjointed. The vignettes were brief and random - nothing to tie it together. I struggled during the first 100 pages of the book to follow what was happening and to get into any flow of the story. Perhaps the lack of cohesion in the story line was intentional as a way to illustrate the chaos of occupied France and what people were going through at the time, but it was challenging for me as a reader. The ending of the book in particular was very powerful, and as a good book should makes a lingering impression and a story one is not apt to forget. In all it was a lot to digest. Read this book, if for no other reason than to absorb the story of these people. Their stories must be told and we must listen and remember them.

Good review Alisa - thank you.

2. by Michael Connelly
Finish date: Feb 22, 2015
Genre: mystery
Rating: B
Review: I enjoyed the Harry Bosch books written by this author so decided to try this one featuring a new protagonist, defense lawyer Mickey Haller. The story is set in Los Angeles and Haller's client base is the garden variety criminal element who have just enough money to disqualify them from public defense but barely enough to pay his bills. Haller keeps his overhead low by operating an office with a cell phone, an all around assistant (who happens to be one of his ex-wives) with a fax machine and computer in her condo, and Haller is chauffeured around town in an old Lincoln town car driven by a previous client working off his debt. Haller has managed to endear himself to an investigator and bail bondsman, among others, who help him out. Haller is no legal scholar but gets by on his street smarts and some fairly effective advocacy. In this story he is hired by a wealthy defendant who has deep pockets and a big problem, but all is not as it seems and things get complicated quickly. Good plot twists keep it interesting.

Good book and the story moved along quickly. This is one book where I wish he would have left off the last chapter. It tied up loose ends and for series book it would have created more suspense to leave that out. But maybe he needs this for the next book. A minor criticism, just my opinion.

Very good thank you.

MARCH

3. by James D. Bradley
Finish date: March 12, 2015
Genre: Presidential History/Teddy Roosevelt
Rating: C
Review: I'm not sure what to make of this book, but it fell short of my expectations. First off, despite the title and description, the book had precious little to do with the actual cruise and short shrift is given to the voyage and the people on it. If it wasn't for the cover of the book one might not know how then Secretary of War William Taft and the President's daughter Alice Roosevelt come to make appearances in Asia. It was before the invention of the airplane so they must have landed there via a sea worthy vessel. If you are looking for much more about The Imperial Cruise then you will have to get your detail elsewhere.

The focus of the book is President Teddy Roosevelt's disastrous foreign policy and underhanded tactics dealing with Japan, Korea, China, and the Philippines. According to the author, TR's approach was born of a vision in world wide domination by Aryan people and a belief that those were the only people fit to rule society and run government. The racist views espoused by TR are abhorrent. TR manages to hide his intentions pretty well, shares his views with a select few, and carefully manipulates both other people and his image to mislead the public. If there is truth to how TR lied to other world leaders and kept information from others in his administration, he would be tried for treason today. Yeah, this author has nothing good to say about Teddy Roosevelt, and he makes out Taft to look like a clueless jovial puppet who never really liked any of his jobs (Secretary of War, US President, etc.) Eventually the author lays blame for WWII with TR's policies and actions in Asia in the early 1900's.

I am no expert on any of this, but the author has such an obvious axe to grind that it is challenging to accept the credibility of his views. The whole book made me uncomfortable, and in the end I just didn't like it much and felt a little mislead.

I am confused - the book must have been too.

TR puts Taft, a handful of powerless Congressmen, and Alice on the trip ostensibly to send them on a goodwill mission but in reality just wants them out of his hair.

The more I reflect on the book the more disappointed I am. At least there were pictures.

(smile)

Yeah, I remember reading this book, Alisa, and the big takeaway for me was that TR was not perfect. You get wrapped up into his big role of changing the presidency.

Overall, it was just ok, muddled and I had the same confusion myself.

by James D. Bradley

I have other books on my to-read list that are about TR that should fill in the gaps. And in the few books I have read where Taft enters the picture the old guy is consistently disparaged. I'm beginning to feel sorry for him! Will have to add something on him too, just out of curiosity if nothing more.

Alisa.....try this book re: Taft. It is pretty kind to him. I am just finishing it up now and have really liked it.

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Thanks Jill, that is one already on my to-read list. Good to know you find it a worthy read.
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

At least it doesn't treat Taft like some fat dummy. I like this author's work, so I expected it would be as unbiased as an author can be (I think all authors have some bias)....plus it has a lot of information about journalism during that time period and the rise of muckraking and yellow journalism. Pretty interesting stuff. I don't fall over in spasms of adoration for Teddie Roosevelt but he is presented fairly here.....until Taft crossed him or he thought he did.

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Even better! Thanks Jill, always appreciate your perspective and sounds like something I will enjoy - when I get to it. :-)

Alisa wrote: "Even better! Thanks Jill, always appreciate your perspective and sounds like something I will enjoy - when I get to it. :-)"

Just one note, Kearns' book is not a full bio of Taft. It more or less ignores the last years of his life when he was on the Supreme Court.

by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Sad about the view on Taft. You are right, he was not some fat dummy. I think he ate under stress, and he really did not want to be president. Very stressful time. He wanted to be a SCOTUS judge.

There is also a book on his wife that looks good. I read the first chapter and wanted to read more:

by Carl Sferrazza Anthony (no photo)

Bryan wrote: "Sad about the view on Taft. You are right, he was not some fat dummy. I think he ate under stress, and he really did not want to be president. Very stressful time. He wanted to be a SCOTUS judg..."

Another one added to the to-read list. And I should add one on William Taft. Now to find the time!

by Carl Sferrazza Anthony (no photo)

Glad you added it, Alisa.

APRIL

4. by Jo Nesbø
Finish date: April 19, 2015
Genre: suspense
Rating: B+
Review: The phrase "intricately disturbing" used in one book review was right! To adequately describe the plot would require revealing spoilers, which sort of defeats the purpose of reading a suspense novel. Multiple aspects to the story line involving murder, seemingly disparate characters who have no apparent connection to each other, police corruption, scandal, drug and sex trafficking, a prison break, and more than one disturbed individual. The pieces of the puzzle start to fall together during the book, but it is truly not until the end when the picture is complete. Sometimes it got a little too creepy for my taste, as in gruesome twisted violence creepy, so not a good idea to be reading this when you are alone late at night. Ack! Setting is in Oslo, a nice change of pace from the usual thriller set in Los Angeles/big city USA. Closer to a 3.75 on the star rating as I think better editing would tidy it up nicely and why does there have to be a gratuitous love angle where the woman is made out to be the clueless broad? Minor detractions from an overall great suspense story.

MAY

5. by Erik Larson
Finish date: May 23, 2015
Genre: American History
Rating: A
Review: Admittedly my knowledge of world fairs is limited to two: Paris which gave rise to the now glorious Eiffel Tower, and my hometown of Seattle because ELVIS and The Space Needle! I'm sure I knew there were others in between but who really pays attention to those? Frankly I also find it difficult to relate to anything before the advent of industrialization. I quickly imagine what life must have been like without indoor plumbing and electricity and can't imagine what took those people so long to invent the bathroom and the kitchen. If I was a renaissance woman in a prior life I would certainly have been a Medici. Had that happened my ancestors would have stayed in Florenece but they came to America, the land of indoor plumbing and running water. They proved themselves very skillful in the kitchen, among other things, and I attribute my own culinary skill and appreciation of a good bathroom to be firmly rooted in my DNA. Immigrants traverse continents and oceans in search of something to ultimately improve their lot in life. Bathrooms and kitchens have got to be right up there in the list of priorities. In this context, a world's fair seems pretty extravagant. I mean, why? The answer seems in part to be to build, of course!

After the Paris world's fair there was an immediate need to have another one. Why I'm not sure, but America seemed determined to outdo other locations in its bid to snag the next fair site and, being America, we have to compete with each other for the privilege of displaying our superiority whether we posses it or not. The book starts with the competitive process which eventually awards the location to Chicago. Experts are selected, important men confer, big egos and politicians are involved, artists are hired, influential people opine about what should be done, and the collective bravado gets louder and louder until pretty soon the date is rapidly approaching and they have to get their collective ass in gear or nothing will happen and America will look like a bunch of overgrown cigar smoking overindulging fools with grandiose ideas. So this will turn out well.

Chicago becomes a city of destiny for people looking to make their fortune and fame, and find adventure and a new life in a city trying to do something big. It attracts all sorts. Including the unseemly who can prey on others and go unnoticed no matter how sinister their acts.

What makes this book so great is that the author weaves in the many story lines involving the monumental task of the innovation and grandeur that created the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, with a parallel story of a seriel killer plying his deception in the emerging city. It's all so fantastic. Architecture as an art and still not quite in step with the science of engineering, landscaping is revered and reviled, and in the mission to come up with something even more spectacular than the Eiffel Tower the Ferris Wheel is created but really as an afterthought when so many other ideas are discarded as unrealistic. The amazing thing is that in spite of building a massive fair grounds resplendent with glorious structures and gardens, at the end they take it all down. Even the Ferris Wheel is disassembled for scrap. Are you kidding me? No wonder you never hear about the Chicago world's fair. Hey, Elvis may be dead but at least Seattle still has the Space Needle (and it is very cool, standing as an internationally recognized structure to this day.). Even after this book, I'm still not sure why Chicago scrapped what they worked so hard to build.

Larson does a great job bringing these disparate characters to life and building a story line that is unique and fascinating. I love history that reads like fiction, and this book stands tall on that score. Great book, held my interest with every page.

Loved that book, Alisa!!!

I can see why! Glad I finally got to it. What a romp.

I really like Larson's book except for one......In the Garden of Beasts. I didn't think it was up to his standards.

by Erik Larson

I have the book on my "to read" shelves, Alisa, and I've heard good things about it. I hope I enjoy reading it as much as I did your entertaining review!

Alisa wrote: "MAY
5. by Erik Larson
Finish date: May 23, 20..."

I enjoy all of Erik Larson's books, but "The Devil in the White City..." is my favorite.

Thanks all. I have not read any of his others but quite enjoyed this one. Donna I think you will like it.

You might try Thunderstruck next, Alisa. It is very good.

by Erik Larson

JUNE

6. by Jeffrey H. Jackson (no photo)
Finish date: June 1, 2015
Genre: European History/natural disaster
Rating: C
Review: Floods are scary. I am lucky to never have experienced one first hand and don't live in an area that is prone to such things. This flood occurred in the heart of a major European city and despite the lack of warning it is remarkable more people were not swept away. When the flood did come, the residents who survived used some good old ingenuity and resourcefulness to hold it together. The political backstory is insightful but not terribly dramatic. At the heart of it, a flood is my vision of the worst kind of massive sewage backup imaginable. The French love their bakeries and I give them a lot of credit for their clean up to get the city back up and running. And aren't we all glad! I sleep a little easier knowing they disinfected the place before turning the ovens back on. Overall this book was okay, but did not find it the riveting and inspiring survival story that one might expect (or that I expected) from a book about an unforeseen natural disaster. Well written, but reads more like a long newspaper article and a bit short on character narrative.

7. by Sara Gruen
Finish date: June 12, 2015
Genre: fiction
Rating: A
Review: I was charmed by this book. The setting is a traveling circus during the depression era told from the perspective of a an almost-graduated Ivy League veterinary student who joins the circus by happenstance. The central character, Jacob, is now in his 90's living in a nursing home and he has occasion to reflect back, adding a melancholy note to the story line. Sure there was some predictability to a few of the elements, but it never felt tortured or overwrought. Tender, a little rough, sometimes sad, but all in a really nice novel.

8. by Benjamin Wallace
Finish date: June 28, 2015
Genre: microhistory/wine
Rating: B
Review: The book starts with the story of a bottle of 1787 Lafite once owned by Thomas Jefferson and sold at auction at Christie's in 1985. The book pivots around story of this bottle and everything associated with it. Things that come into play such as the question of antique provenance, authenticity, wine vintages, high end collecting and super-collecting, the world of the mega-rich, and the rise of the wine industry in the US are explored. It all comes back to this bottle, the sale, and the question of the authenticity of the exterior bottle, the wine itself, and the ownership. The author did a great job illuminating the personalities involved and both the science and absurdity swirling around the story. Really enjoyed this book. Finished reading it on the heels of a trip to the Napa Valley made it even more fun.

There was enough in this book about Thomas Jefferson, his wine collecting habits, and life in Paris that adds an element of intrigue as well. He duplicated all of his correspondence, by hand, and kept multiple catalogs of it all. Not sure if I knew that before but can you imagine such a thing? Where did he find the time? Huh.

JULY

9. by David King (no photo)
Finish date: July 5, 2015
Genre: true crime/WWII Occupied France
Rating: B+
Review: Gruesome and chilling true crime story of Dr. Marcel Petiot, a physician in Paris during the Occupation, who was also a serial killer. The book provides insights into life in Paris during the Nazi Occupation, and as it turns out many of Dr. Petiot's unfortunate victims were those who came to him under the guise of being provided a way out of Paris through sympathizers in the Resistance. Despite the well researched book, unanswered questions remain about the precise number of victims, who else exactly knew what Dr. Petiot was up to, and whether he was a member of the Resistance (as he claimed), a Nazi sympathizer who implemented his own version of the final solution, or a lone wolf completely psychotic serial killer who perpetrated a wholesale gruesome butchering of vulnerable and desperate people looking for a way to freedom. Not for the feint of heart.

I loved that book, Alisa and had never heard of this particular person or his activities. Scary stuff.

Because of the parade of horribles going on elsewhere in Europe this somehow flies under the radar. Beyond scary!

Too true.

10. by David Brooks
Finish date: July 20, 2015
Genre: Philosophy
Rating: A++
Review: Essential reading to stimulate awareness and development of personal moral character. David Brooks' writing in this speaks directly to the soul. Yes, it's *that* good.

Still processing, more thoughts to follow . . .

Thanks for the tip, Alisa. I think we all need to read a book like that.

It's a topic severely lacking in our national dialogue.

Only one of many, unfortunately.

Word!!

AUGUST

11. by Timothy Egan
Finish date: August 2, 2015
Genre: Native American history
Rating: A
Review: In the late 1800's, Edward Curtis began what would become his lifetime quest of photographing Native American populations. He immersed himself in learning about Indian tribal culture, customs, language, and religion and would spend long stretches - months and eventually years - befriending himself to tribal leaders and living among them, all for the sake of getting the photographic images at just the right time. His journey and life story are beautifully captured in this book by Timothy Egan, who writes with grace and artful prose that brings the vividness of this story to life. It is a fascinating story, and a couple of Egan's favorite subjects - Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot - are part of the story. So much to love about this book. It will break your heart for the government's horrendous treatment of the American Indian, the roller coaster life and fortunes of Edward Curtis, and still make you glad that this man stayed on his mission and that in legacy his work flourished and the story he longed to tell finally earned recognition.

Tim Egan is a brilliant writer. He could make a gum wrapper sound interesting.

I think Curtis' work is amazing and his folios are collectors' items which none of us can probably afford. One of my favorites is "Crow's Heart", shown below. The beauty and majesty of the Native Americans is often breathtaking.

The pictures in the book are wonderful and must be captivating to see the originals. Ironically, although much of his work was funded by JP Morgan, Curtis never saw the profits and died penniless.

12. by Paula McLain
Finish date: Aug 9, 2015
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: C
Review: One of those books that is widely rated by critical reviewers and friends alike, but left me flat. Maybe it was timing. The two previous books I read hit it out of the park and this one didn't meet the hype or expectations. If you are into Ernest Hemingway this might be the book for you. The writing was fine, maybe it was the story I found predictable. It just didn't capture my imagination.

Awww...I'll still give it a try but good to know not to get my hopes up for a great book.

Alisa wrote: "12. by Paula McLain
Finish date: Aug 9, 2015
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: C
Review: One of those books th..."

Thanks, Alisa.....I was thinking about reading it but might move it down my list a little further.

Jill and Teri, I have a hit and miss track record with popular best sellers so it may well be one of those that missed the mark for me but others find more interesting.

You have usually been in agreement with me when we have read common books.....besides, I've got so many to read, that I would rather put this one off.

13. by James Lee Burke
Finish date: Aug 22, 2015
Genre: detective novel
Rating: B+
Review: Another great entry in the Dave Robicheaux investigation series. This one is set in post-Katrina New Orleans which adds even more than the usual grit that comes in his novels. The first 80+ pages have more of the flavor of critical investigative reporting and throughout the book Burke spares no expense in airing his opinion about how the government responded to Katrina as well as the lack of attention to the protective infrastructure in the years preceding it. South Louisiana is his home and his fierce opinions and passion for the area ring through quite clearly. He does a great job weaving his perspective into the story. Some may not agree with his view but personally I did not find it a distraction and in fact expected it given his background. I thought the story rambled in places but overall this was a very worthy book.