The Heir Apparent by Jane Ridley

Ridley is a British history professor who has written other books about Victorian England.  The Heir Apparent is the definitive biography of King Edward VII -- for whom the Edwardian Era (1901 - 1910) was named.  It is exhausting in its detail, as Ridley seems to quote from every letter she found.  (Many of them didn't even survive!)  But the reader learns several things from the work.  Chief among them is the back story of Queen Victoria, who was disappointed in her first-born son and thought him unfit to rule.  Because "Bertie" (as he is affectionately known) had no official duties, he spent a lot of time entertaining women.  The reader learns all about Bertie's  mistresses, but Ridley also states that there is no evidence to confirm much of the gossip about him.  (So, was he a playboy or not?)  She also outlines Bertie's family tree and shows how most of European royalty was related by marriage.  (Those family ties, however, were not enough to prevent the outbreak of war in 1914).  Bertie himself married Princess Alexandra of Denmark, and his sisters married the Duke of Hesse and the Czarevich of Russia.  His nephew, William, was more commonly known as Kaiser Wilhelm!  (He and Bertie were not on the best of terms.)  As I read the book I couldn't help but compare Bertie's situation with that of Prince Charles.  Will he also have a short reign after waiting decades to assume the throne?

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Shakespeare's Restless World : a Portrait of an Era in Twenty Objects by Neil MacGregor

I've been hesitant to pick up one of these "history in objects" books because of my concern that it would be too disjointed, but since we are celebrating Shakespeare's 450th birthday this month, I figured I would give it a go.  Shakespeare's Restless World is not, in fact, a linear history.  However, it is so fascinating that I really didn't care.  It's like wandering through the Tudor/Jacobean wing of the British Museum and marveling at all the memorabilia on display.  That memorabilia includes a Rapier and Dagger from the Foreshore of the Thames, the Funeral Achievements of Henry V, and a Model of a Bewitched Ship.  MacGregor, the Director of the British Museum, puts each object into its historical context and explores its connection to one or more of Shakespeare's plays.  As a reader with a fair knowledge of the plays and the period, I was able to contexualize the information. However, readers without that background might have some difficulty with the text.  All in all this is a great tribute to Shakespeare and a study of how British history and contemporary Elizabethan life impacted his plays.

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Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of the Great Gatsby by Sarah Churchwell

Imagine “The Devil in the White City” combined with a study of Frank Norris’ naturalistic novel “McTeague”, and you have an idea of how Careless People is structured.  It’s an amazing amalgamation of true crime, biography and literary criticism that captivates the reader and transports him back to The Jazz Age.  The book is intricately structured.  In addition to unfolding chronologically, with each chapter corresponding to a month in 1922 – 1923, the chapters mirror those in Gatsby, with titles taken from an outline of the book that Fitzgerald wrote down years later.  Churchwell’s thesis is that a scandalous double murder that occurred in September 1922 gave Fitzgerald a plot element and the time setting for The Great Gatsby (which was actually published in 1925).  Using primary sources (which are printed in the book), Churchwell offers a compelling narrative of the still-unsolved Hall-Mills murder.  Churchwell also provides intimate details of the Fitzgeralds’ life in New York, drawing on primary sources such as their scrapbooks and monthly ledgers, and she explains which elements of that life wound up in Gatsby.  The “careless people” of the title is a reference to the main characters in Gatsby and to the principals in the murder case but also applies to most of the people in the Fitzgeralds’ milieu.

As an English major and history buff, I found the book mesmerizing in the way it wove together so many threads and provided insight into Gatsby’s timeliness.  I actually re-read Gatsby concurrently with this book, and I advise everyone to do the same.  (Watching the new movie also helps—as it illustrates the timelessness of the novel by mixing the Jazz Age with Hip Hop culture.)

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Someone by Alice McDermott

Alice McDermott is known for writing award-winning novels, and Someone is no exception.  It was featured on Publishers Weekly's list of Best Books for 2013.  It's an unassuming little book, a gentle read in many ways, but it is so carefully crafted that every word has meaning.  It's a pseudo-memoir, and the protagonist is Marie Commeford, born and bred in Brooklyn in the 1920s.  We follow her life in a more or less linear fashion until she is an old blind woman.  Her poor eyesight helps define the book, whether it is the skewed perspective of a child or the old woman not wanting to admit her frailty.  Along the way we meet her family, especially her devoted mother, her sensitive brother, and her adoring husband.  We also see the "someone" motif running through the book and realize it doesn't refer to Marie.  Marie is defined as a "little heathen" by her parents and a "fool" by herself, but  the reader still identifies with her.  (Mothers in particular will identify with her horrific childbirth story.)  My only complaint about the book is how it ends--not at the end of Marie's life but with an episode from the middle.  I would have appreciated one final glimpse of her surrounded by her children as she tries to envision what the end of her life might be.

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JFK, Conservative by Ira Stoll

I have to admit I have never read an entire book about JFK.  I guess it’s because I’m not a fan of the whole Camelot thing.  The title of this book intrigued me, and it reminded me of an excerpt of one of Kennedy’s speeches that I heard.  It was given in December 1962 to the New York Economic Club and was promoting his proposed tax cut.  The theme of JFK,Conservative, is basically found in a quotation from the first paragraph of the penultimate chapter. “President Kennedy spent—and planned to spend—Friday,  November 22, 1963, in Texas doing just what he had done for his entire presidency and for much of his political career: quoting the Bible, making the case for a strong military that would defend freedom against the Communists, and promoting economic growth through a tax cut.” (181)  Ira Stoll, who has previously written a book on patriot Sam Adams, goes through every stage of Kennedy’s career, beginning with a speech he delivered on July 4, 1946, at Feneuil Hall in Boston.  The challenge of the book is defining the terms “conservative” and “liberal,” as they have stood for many things over the years.  Stoll shows that Republican presidents Eisenhower and Nixon were actually more “liberal” in their policies regarding Communism, economic policy and social policy, while Kennedy was more “conservative” in those areas.  As evidence, Stoll cites numerous Kennedy speeches and the many protests by economists and peace activists.  Even his advisors were often frustrated with him, and many of them sought to change his record after his death.  

Stoll examines Kennedy’s conservative legacy as well, pointing out the numerous ways every succeeding president has referenced him and adopted at least one of his core beliefs.  Stoll concludes that it is Ronald Reagan who is the true successor to Kennedy, and most readers will recall that it was Reagan who signed the biggest tax cut and had the greatest success against communism since Kennedy.  I finished this book with a new respect for Kennedy, one that did not relate in any way to the current Kennedy world view that we are all familiar with.

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Heretics and Heroes by Thomas Cahill

Cahill’s latest offering is the sixth installment in the “Hinges of History” series that began in 1995.  Heretics and Heroes: How Renaissance Artists and Reformation Priests Created Our World reads like an upper-level European history lecture class.  It is definitely not for readers unfamiliar with the major artistic, political and religious figures of the time period.  Cahill displays an amazing breadth (if not depth) of knowledge on the topics.  He often references his other books and frequently comments that the topics treated could each have a complete book written about them.  His thesis of sorts is that European sensibilities shifted from a Platonic/Augustianian outlook to a more Aristotelian/Aquinine outlook.  This is reflected in the works of many contemporary artists such as Botticello, Caravaggio, Durer and Bruegher.  Cahill analyzes pieces of Renaissance art in great detail and provides accompanying illustrations of them.  Complementing his art history lecture is a study of the Reformation.  Cahill discusses Luther, Erasmus, Zwingli and Calvin, et al, and pits them against the various popes and church officials who sought to stop the movement.  The reader cringes at the inherent turmoil between Catholic and Protestant, and among the Protestants, as everyone sought to promulgate their version of the truth.  Numerous tortures, beheadings  and burnings are described, and it is this gruesome reality that the artwork reflects.  Lest the reader conclude the book in a foul mood, Cahill decides to end on a high note by profiling authors and artists (e.g. Cervantes, Shakespeare, Donne and Rembrandt) who aren’t defined by religion.

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Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Bill O'Reilly has done it again!  His latest book, Killing Jesus, continues his series of books on how great historical figures were killed.  (See Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy.)  The book is co-written by historian Michael Dugard, who has contributed greatly to the research.  Ancient historians are cited, and Scripture is quoted.  The authors also traveled to Israel and read up on life during the Roman Empire.  Even though most readers probably know the basics of the story, O'Reilly covers every detail, including the back story. As a result, the books begins with Julius Caesar (including HIS assassination) and the establishment of the Roman Empire.  This was the geopolitical environment into which Jesus was born, in a country that was waiting for its Messiah to deliver the people from Roman oppression.  O'Reilly covers the first attempt to kill Jesus when he was just a toddler and continues with the plots to eliminate him that developed when he began his ministry. He also describes the death of John the Baptist at the hand of King Herod, thereby making it clear for the reader that a culture of death was prevalent throughout the Roman Empire.  All of the Roman Caesars and Israeli kings are covered, and their political relationships are delineated.  O'Reilly spends a lot of time exploring Pontius Pilate's role in the story, as he was in the tenuous position of being a Roman citizen assigned as prefect of Galilee.  Readers of all faith traditions will be enlightened by the book.  O'Reilly concludes the narrative with the empty tomb and acknowledges the belief in the resurrection that forms the basis for Christianity.  This is a welcome addition to the book for Christian readers and sets it apart from most historical studies of Jesus.  It will be interesting to see if O'Reilly continues with this series!

Dawn

The Reason for My Hope : Salvation by Billy Graham

Many thought that Billy Graham's previous book, Nearing Home, would be his last.  Not so.  Apparently having received an infusion of the Holy Spirit, he has written The Reason for My Hope : Salvation.  The book was published in October in conjunction with a television broadcast that aired the week of November 7 - just in time for his 95th birthday!  Most of us would be happy to remember our own names and be able to just function at that age, but here is Graham delivering the same message he has been preaching for 70 years.  The book doesn't have a co-author, and presumably it wasn't ghostwritten, so everything is pure Graham.  He has done some research, as evidenced by the 20 pages of notes at the end, the book focuses on the nature of sin and redemption (i.e. The Cross).  The most intense chapter is called "No Hope of Happy Hour in Hell," and I was absolutely awed as I read it.  Anyone who has never read one of Graham's many books or seen him preach would do well to pick up this book.  It may NOT be his last.

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The Liberty Amendments by Mark Levin

Expanding on the principles set forth in "Liberty and Tyranny" and "Ameritopia," conservative radio host Mark Levin presents solutions to America's woes in his new book.  The Liberty Amendments is a collection of ten amendments to the Constitution that Levin is calling on the states to adopt.  He references Article V of the Constitution, which allows "Legislatures of Two Thirds of the Several States" to petition Congress to "call a Convention for proposing amendments."  The ten amendments address term limits for Congress and Supreme Court Justices; the repealing of the 17th amendment (which allows for direct election of senators); the limitation of federal taxing, spending, and bureaucracy; the promotion of free enterprise through a narrow interpretation of the Commerce Clause; the protection of private property; and voting reforms.  The book is a well-reasoned and carefully crafted treatise, and Levin went so far as to write out the text of each amendment!  However, this is an exercise in futility, unless the Red States are reading this book and petitioning their legislatures to take action. Levin even admits that this method of amending the Constitution has never been attempted.   Passing one amendment is hard enough, but ten?? I'd venture to say it's impossible.

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The Duck Commander Family by Willie and Korie Robertson

OK, folks, my curiosity got the better of me.  I have no desire to watch Duck Dynasty, but The Duck Commander Family by Willie and Korie Robertson looked intriguing.  The book is a quick read, and it's told in both voices, although Willie does most of the narrating.  It's inspirational as both an "only in America" rags-to-riches story and as a testament to the power of faith in God.  Where it falls apart is with its attempts to use food as a metaphor for their lives.  Yes, I know that each episode of the show ends with a family dinner, but just what are these people eating?  Frog legs? Fried squirrel?  Back straps?  (don't ask about that last one)
Just reading about all that oil and grease they consume was enough to make my arteries harden.  And these people in the South wonder why everyone is laughing at them!  Anyway, I really got to know the family, and I even went onto YouTube to watch a summary of one of the episodes and snippets of their hunting videos. Willie talks a lot about how the business has grown and changed over the years, especially once he and Korie bought part of it from patriarch Phil.  Their business model may not be for everyone (running a million-dollar empire out of their home, serving home-cooked meals to the employees, afternoon siestas and fishing trips), but they're successfully filling a niche in "hunting country", and for that I applaud them.

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Doc: a Memoir by Dwight Gooden

Long-time baseball fans (especially Cubs fans) remember Dwight "Doc" Gooden vividly.  The "19-year-old rookie phenom" (as we all called him) came up in 1984 and was shelled by the Cubs in his first appearance against them.  He vowed never to let the Cubs do that to him again and dominated them for the next two years.  We also remember that his career self destructed after the 1986 World Series championship.  Doc: a Memoir gives us the whole sordid story. (It is actually a follow-up to his 1999 memoir Heat, which recounts his early episodes of tragedy and triumph, culminating with a great 1996 season with the Yankees.) It begins with the World Series victory parade the morning after--a parade Gooden missed because he was hung over from his own cocaine and vodka-fueled all-night celebration.  That episode sets the tone of the book.  The reader cringes at the disasters unfolding on the page but, much like a car crash, simply can't avert his eyes and stop turning the pages.  Although Gooden has loving and supportive parents (his dad taught him everything Dwight knows about baseball) he basically had a dysfunctional extended family.  When he was five years old he witnessed the near shooting death  of his older sister by her husband in their own home, and that trauma was certainly a factor in his dug and alcohol abuse years later.  Dwight has been in and out of rehab, has been arrested several times, and even spent a year in jail.  None of that motivated him to stay clean.  He recounts an episode where a Gospel song moved his heart and caused him to accept the invitation to appear on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" in 2011.  He took the show seriously and credits the doctors and counselors for keeping him clean.  As of this writing, however, TMZ reports that his estranged wife (the couple is in divorce proceedings) obtained a restraining order against him in March.  As a result, Dwight moved out of their house, and in August the rest of the family was evicted for not paying the rent.  Baseball fans hope Dwight can stay clean, but his family turmoil will certainly make that a challenge.

One final note:  Dwight spends a fair amount of time talking about his relationship with teammate and 1983 Rookie Phenom Darryl Strawberry, who wrote his own memoir in 2009 (Straw: Finding My Own Way).  Basically both players went down the same path, even though Staw has been a vocal critic of Doc over the years.  Doc is disappointed over this turn of events, especially since fans continue to link both players together.

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Battle for Ground Zero by Elizabeth Greenspan

This is an agonizing story that every American needs to be aware of, as the 12th anniversary of 9/11 has just passed.  Urban anthropologist Elizabeth Greenspan has written Battle for Ground Zero to answer the burning question, "When are they going to build something at Ground Zero?"  Most Americans outside of New York aren't aware of the trials and tribulations of the 16-acre site in the years following the attack.  Although a slogan of the aftermath was "America the Re-build-iful," the victims' families didn't want to rebuild at all, seeing the site as sacred ground.  That dichotomy is painstakingly detailed; even a simple act like building a viewing platform or putting up a fence is fraught with controversy.  The book recounts every phase of the process, from the selection of the master plan, to the design and construction of the memorial, museum and Freedom Tower. Greenspan gives equal time to the victims and the politicians and introduces us to the designers and architects who are caught in the middle.  In the end the reader gains an understanding of why it took ten years to build the memorial and design the museum and hopes that the soon-to-be-completed Freedom Tower lives up to its name.

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Revolutionary Summer: the Birth of American Independence by Joseph J. Ellis

Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian Joseph Ellis is no stranger to the history of the American Revolution.  He returns to the topic in Revolutionary Summer with a fresh look at the critical period of May - October 1776.  Instead of a reinterpretation of the time, he provides a synthesis of the political and military history, arguing that we can gain a better understanding of the period by studying them together.  All of the expected characters are here, devoted to "The Cause" of American independence, which was seen as foreordained by God.  As such, the Continental Congress looked upon military defeats as minor setbacks.  Those defeats specifically involve the invasion of New York by the Brothers Howe (Admiral Richard and General William).  This campaign was designed to crush the Colonial Rebellion in its infancy.  However, the brothers saw themselves more as emissaries of the Crown sent to negotiate a settlement with the colonists.  It's fortunate for history that they did, because the Continental Army was in "conspicuous disarray", and its military efforts were "hapless" and "hopeless."  Despite Congress' efforts to compel the states to provide soldiers, the states feared a free-standing army and resisted.  Ellis is a masterful storyteller, and the reader comes to appreciate the Divine favor the colonists enjoyed, as well as the inherent contradictions of the cause.  Those who want a clear picture of this critical period of the Revolution would do well to read this book.

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Spell It Out: the Curious, Enthralling, and Extraordinary Story of English Spelling by David Crystal

OK, this book is not for everyone.  But since this is a blog devoted to the written word, it's worthwhile to include it.  Crystal is an expert on linguistics, and Spell It Out is his endeavor to help the reader understand the field of orthography (spelling).  As you might expect, English spelling has been influenced by major events over the centuries.  These include the Norman Conquest in 1066 that brought many French and Latin words into use, the Great Vowel Shift of the 15th - 17th centuries, and the rise of the printing press.  Through it all, one group of people exerted a strong influence--The Scribes.  They were the ones who eliminated some Old English letters (Eth, Thorn and Yogh) and added new letters (J and W) to the language.  Crystal examines numerous categories of words to show how they arrived at their current spellings.  Although his efforts may not help readers remember how to spell them, they will at least understand why they must spell them that way.  Crystal also touches on the future of spelling.  He posits that the Internet and mobile devices actually improve spelling, because users have to know the spelling of terms to search for them online or to abbreviate them correctly.  The only difficulty I had with the book is that Crystal is British, and some of his examples are foreign to those of us "across the pond."  Overall this is a fascinating read for those with an interest in linguistic history.

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College (Un)bound: the Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students by Jeffrey J. Selingo

This is a timely book, coming at a time when so many recent college graduates are unemployed, student loan debt has reached the $1 trillion mark, and student loan interest rates have doubled.  Selingo is editor-at-large for the Chronicle of Higher Education, which is the leading trade journal for academia, so he has insight into today's college experience.  I found College (Un)bound to be all over the board, however, sometimes offering conflicting advice.  For example, Selingo devotes a chapter to the plight of students who go deep into debt to attend an expensive college but then advises students to attend the best college they can get into (even though those colleges tend to be expensive.)  There are a lot of doom and gloom stories and stats about how few students actually graduate in six years, how hard it is to really compare colleges, and how "degree creep" has caused the Bachelor's Degree to be the new equivalent of a high school diploma.  The book really shines, however, in its profiles of schools and entrepreneurs who are improving the college experience for the students.  Most of these improvements come in the form of online learning and student-paced courses.  Although many of these programs are offered outside of established colleges, they are starting to partner with colleges to award credits that could be transferred to another school.  All parents of children who will be attending college within five years would do well to read this book to help them in their college preparations.

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America 1933 by Michael Golay

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the New Deal.  History professor Michael Golay provides a unique perspective on the program in America 1933.  This American tragedy is told through the work of AP reporter Lorena  Hickok, who was hired by Harry Hopkins to provide field reports for the Federal Emergency Relief Administration.  This organization coordinated the monetary relief efforts in the states, and the reports were needed to determine how pervasive the Depression was.  The book focuses on Hickok's travels from Summer 1933 - Summer 1934, when heat, drought and pestilence were at their worst.  Through her writings we learn about the plight of coal miners, wheat farmers, and the Negroes still  living in a South little changed by Reconstruction.  These primary sources make clear the despair of the times but also provide a few insights.  Although labor unions were active, Communists were still despised.  Many families didn't want to go on relief; instead, they favored programs like the Civil Works Administration that provided paying jobs.  (The business owners despised the program because the wages were too high.)  The program was short-lived, however, and even Hickok was happy to see it end.  The book also focuses on the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Hickok, who were lesbian lovers.  I would have preferred fewer quotes from their love letters and more quotes from Hickok's field reports.  But, since FDR was the brainchild behind the New Deal, and ER was involved in it as well, it's impossible to leave them out of the narrative.  The reader will admire Hickok's work and marvel that American was EVER able to recover from the Depression, given the profound effects it had on industry, agriculture and public health.

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The Victory Season by Robert Weintraub

Baseball columnist Weintraub is the author of The House That Ruth Built.  His latest offering, The Victory Season, is a dual history of the war service of professional baseball players and the 1946 season.  Weintraub reminds the reader that 1946 was a turbulent transitional year marked by housing and food shortages and labor uprisings.  Baseball also saw turbulence with the rise of the Mexican league, the glut of players returning from service, and the failed efforts to organize them.  Weintraub details the war service of numerous players, including DiMaggio, Williams, Musial and Feller.  Some remained stateside and some saw combat, but most were able to play baseball with their units.  He also pays homage to the players who didn't return.  The bulk of the book is devoted to the drama of the season, alternately describing the Boston Red Sox quest for their first World Series title since 1918, and the pennant race between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals.  The narrative concludes with the thrilling World Series, although baseball fans will already know how it ends.  If the book has one flaw, it is that it includes too much detail and useless trivia.  Weintraub tends to overwhelm the reader by gunning them with unrelated facts and hitting the ball all over the field.  But for World War II historians and baseball fans, it's a home run.

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If you enjoy this book, you will also enjoy "When Chicago Ruled Baseball" by Bernard Weisberger

A Story of God and All of Us by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett

The married team of Downey and Burnett have starred in and produced some of modern television's most memorable shows, most recently the miniseries "The Bible."  Working from the screenplay, they created  A Story of God and All of Us, a novelization that captures the drama of the series.  The reader feels like he is listening to a  master storyteller relaying the narratives of the culture's great heroes.  There are ten parts to the book, which correlate with the ten episodes of the series.  Although both  proclaim that they are telling the story of the Bible, they overlook significant portions of it, especially Ruth and Jonah, and they focus more on the Old Testament than on the New Testament.  They also offer new interpretations of many stories (such as the Ninja angels of Sodom) that allow the reader to look at them in new ways.  Nevertheless, the final product flows well and is riveting reading that will inspire Christians and introduce the Bible to many others.

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If you enjoy this book, you will enjoy The Jesus Chronicles by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

Crossroads by Wm. Paul Young

Young is the author of the mega best-selling Christian novel The Shack.  His new book, Crossroads, while less provocative, nonetheless deals with death.  In this case, though, it is spiritual death.  Tony Spencer is a wealthy real estate businessman who experienced familial loss and has alienated his remaining family members.  After suffering a cerebral hemorrhage and falling into a coma, he undergoes a spiritual rebirth.  The book is full of metaphors, and Young personifies the Holy Spirit as a Native American grandmother.  Tony is stuck "in between" life and death and encounters Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who show him what the current condition of his heart and ego are like.  Tony is also given some gifts:  the ability to "slide" into the bodies of various people and the ability to heal one person with the help of God.  Since I haven't read Young's first book, and I am leery of Christian fiction that tries too hard to make its point, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was deeply moved by the narrative and the unique way Young portrays Tony's change of heart. The book will cause the reader to think about the state of his own heart and how he relates to others.

Dawn

If you enjoy Young's books, you may also enjoy books by Ted Dekker.

Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Governator has written his memoir, and it is a page turner.  Total Recall, taken from the title of one of his movies, is a great example of an "only-in-America" story.  Arnold talks candidly about how as a young bodybuilder in Austria he longed to be a world champion and come to America.  When in America he was determined to be a movie star and then governor.  Clearly, Arnold thinks big. He became a Republican upon his arrival in America in 1968 when he watched a debate between Nixon and Humphrey.  Having experienced socialism in Austria, Arnold embraced Nixon's free-market capitalism.  Arnold also speaks lovingly about Maria Shriver, whom he married in 1986, but the final chapter in the memoir, "The Secret," is about the indiscretion that brought his marriage to an end.  Arnold proves the adage "the bigger they are, the harder they fall"; however, I still have tremendous respect for him.  Even though I don't agree with all of his principles, he is very straightforward about what he believes and works hard to achieve his goals.  Arnold concludes the book with his list of ten rules for living--among them are "Reps, Reps, Reps" and "Stay Hungry."  The memoir clearly reflects all of those rules and shows that Arnold's success was no accident but was clearly planned and executed.

Dawn

If you enjoy this book, you will like Don't Start the Revolution Without Me by Jesse Ventura.