A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron

 A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron-327 pages

Bella is a loving stray dog found living in a den with cats under a condemned house by Lucas. He lives in an apartment across the street from the condemned house and feeds the cats frequently. Bella immediately takes to Lucas and he takes her in even though it's against his lease agreement. Lucas lives with his mom, who is an Army veteran who struggles with depression and seizures. Bella twice recognizes oncoming seizures from Mom and saves her. Bella and Lucas build a strong bond and Bella views him as her person. However, Lucas runs afoul of the mean man building new housing across the street by continuing to feed and advocate for the cats still living in the den under the house. This man, Gunter, recruits an Animal Control Officer (ACO) to certify Bella as a pit bull. Pit bulls are banned in Denver, where Lucas lives. Soon, Bella is captured by the ACO and separated from Lucas. They're reunited only to be separated again. Bella is determined to get home to Lucas. Will she be able to survive the nearly 400 mile trek back to Lucas? I would rate this one 3 out of 5 stars.

The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony that Shaped America

The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America

By Russell Shorto

384 pages

For centuries, New Netherland was an almost forgotten Dutch colony in New England. However, Russell Shorto brings the settlement to life. The region was explored by Henry Hudson. Eventually, the Hudson River was named after him. The colony, in which New Amsterdam (Manhattan) was the main settlement, existed for decades until the English victory in 1664. Today, the vast area covers part of five states.

Although the historical records are sparse at times, the author reconstructs the lives of many of the residents including several directors of the settlement, Peter Minuit, William Kieft, and Peter Stuyvesant. The most interesting character was Adriaen van der Donck, an educated lawyer who embraced the colony and was committed to individual freedoms of the residents.