March: Book One by John Lewis

March: Book One by John Lewis

March #1, 128 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis' lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis' personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.

Book One spans John Lewis' youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall.

Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1950s comic book Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story. Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations.

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater - 48 pages

Chris Gall

Summary (From Goodreads)

How do you breathe underwater? What tools can we use to go deeper and deeper into the oceans? And...what's down there?

Two-thirds of our Earth is covered in ocean, yet only 5% of it has been explored.

DIVE deep into our long history of sea exploration to learn why, how, and when humans have dived, and uncover our biggest questions about what hides in the Earth's deepest waters.

Review

I've never been diving, but I still found this an interesting and informative read!  

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, And The Greatest Treasure Hunt In History by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter (Contributor)

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, And The Greatest Treasure Hunt In History by Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter (Contributor)

459 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: "degenerate" works he despised.

In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture.

Focusing on the eleven-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, this fascinating account follows six Monuments Men and their impossible mission to save the world's great art from the Nazis.

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel

 The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel-474 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2

At the same time Adolf Hitler was attempting to take over the western world, his armies were methodically seeking and hoarding the finest art treasures in Europe. The Fuehrer had begun cataloguing the art he planned to collect as well as the art he would destroy: "degenerate" works he despised.
In a race against time, behind enemy lines, often unarmed, a special force of American and British museum directors, curators, art historians, and others, called the Monuments Men, risked their lives scouring Europe to prevent the destruction of thousands of years of culture.
Focusing on the eleven-month period between D-Day and V-E Day, this fascinating account follows six Monuments Men and their impossible mission to save the world's great art from the Nazis.

Thoughts: In the beginning of the book, there is a bit too much background info. and lead-up to the actual events of "The Monuments Men." The group was officially known as the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives, but were simply called The Monuments Men. They never participated in combat, but did witness the horrors of war and at least two were killed. It's an interesting, if uneven read. I especially found the parts with Rose Valland and James Rorimer interesting. I think it's a story worth telling, but it could have been told better. 

Tainted Legacy of Bertha Gifford by S. Kay Murphy

Tainted Legacy of Bertha Gifford by S. Kay Murphy, 167 pages

What would you do if you found out your grandmother was a serial killer?

After one particularly cnhinged family lore drop, S. Kay Murphy found herself taking a journey could could not have foreseen to seek out answers to her grandmother's possible guilt after seventeen friends and neighbors passed under her care.

This work was crafted fastidiously and fairly. It was a winding path that Murphy approached purposefully. The end, while not as definiative as I had hoped, had a satisfying finality to it.

 

Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans Ninth Edition

 Beautiful Crescent: A History of New Orleans Ninth Edition by Joan B. Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer-336 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis: Originally written by Joan B. Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer, this book is widely regarded as the definitive text for tourists, locals, teachers, and students. Complete with a new forward by Barbara Robichaux, a professional French Quarter tour guide, this concise history directs the reader through the diverse traditions and cultures of New Orleans. The updates in this tricentennial edition celebrate the 300-year history of New Orleans, with chapters including details of the city's founding, changing European rule, slavery, and much more. With lists of notable figures and events, this reference volume is a must for historians, tour guides, and lovers of the Big Easy.

Thoughts: I picked this up from William Faulkner Books in New Orleans while there. This bookstore is in the house where Faulkner wrote his first novel, thus the name. It is a good overview of New Orleans history. However, not all of the facts presented are 100% accurate (i.e. the authors say that at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 2,000 British were killed and only 7 Americans were killed. However, there were approx. 2,034 British casualties which included killed, wounded, and missing or captured. Only 291 were killed. 13 Americans were killed among 71 casualties). I did a quick Google search and found the 2 corroborating sources with the same statistics. Also, the writing style isn't very academic like one might expect from a book on history. It's more vernacular and everyday language instead of more academic. A few words are outdated and one in particular is considered offensive today (this book was published in 2017). Overall, it's a good overview of the history of New Orleans, as I said, but with a few drawbacks. 

The Gene: An Intimate History

The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee // 592 pgs

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spanning the globe and several centuries, The Gene is the story of the quest to decipher the master-code that makes and defines humans, that governs our form and function.

The story of the gene begins in an obscure Augustinian abbey in Moravia in 1856 where a monk stumbles on the idea of a ‘unit of heredity’. It intersects with Darwin’s theory of evolution, and collides with the horrors of Nazi eugenics in the 1940s. The gene transforms post-war biology. It reorganizes our understanding of sexuality, temperament, choice and free will. This is a story driven by human ingenuity and obsessive minds – from Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel to Francis Crick, James Watson and Rosalind Franklin, and the thousands of scientists still working to understand the code of codes.

This is an epic, moving history of a scientific idea coming to life, by the author of The Emperor of All Maladies. But woven through The Gene, like a red line, is also an intimate history – the story of Mukherjee’s own family and its recurring pattern of mental illness, reminding us that genetics is vitally relevant to everyday lives. These concerns reverberate even more urgently today as we learn to “read” and “write” the human genome – unleashing the potential to change the fates and identities of our children.

Majestic in its ambition, and unflinching in its honesty, The Gene gives us a definitive account of the fundamental unit of heredity – and a vision of both humanity’s past and future.

--

I listened to this via audiobook and man was I enraptured. I have a personal interest in genes and genetics, and this was just a fascinating look into the history of genetics and its development over the centuries. The personal anecdotes of Mukherjee and his family history with genetic diseases added to some of the clinical nature of some of the stories. I loved the tackling of how culture and science interconnected with each discovery made; sometimes emboldening new discoveries and other times stifling it. This book discusses genetics, sexism, gender identity, and racism in an interesting way, and I love the conclusion that speaks to unity and acceptance rather than fear and hatred over our minor perceived differences. I cannot recommend this book enough, and I’m very glad I picked it up.

Elegy for Mary Turner: An Illustrated Account of a Lynching by Rachel Marie-Crane Williams

Elegy for Mary Turner: An Illustrated Account of a Lynching by Rachel Marie-Crane Williams-57 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I very recently learned about the lynching of Hayes and Mary Turner. It is a profoundly sad and infuriating moment from history. The author powerfully illustrates the history of the lynchings following the murder of Hampton Smith. He was a local farmer who employed many blacks who owed court debts for various small crimes. He was a cruel man and treated his employees like indentured servants. One of his employees had had enough of him and murdered him. A lynching mob was formed of local white men and proceeded to go on a rampage. The mob lynched several black men and one black woman in retaliation for Hampton Smith's murder. One of the black men was Hayes Turner who had worked for Smith, but there was no evidence tying him to the murder. They lynched him despite the absence of evidence. Hayes' wife called out the mob's actions the next day (May 20, 1918). In retaliation, the mob decided to make an example of her and decided to lynch her, too, that same night. She was brutally murdered (I won't go into gory detail. I encourage you to read the book.) and so was her baby (she was 8 months pregnant). The NAACP spearheaded an investigation and was given names of those in the mob. However, no one was ever charged or arrested in connection with the lynchings. A tablet was erected to memorialize Mary Turner in 2020, but it was vandalized, so they took it down and put a cross there instead. 

I have a degree in Historic Preservation and a keen interest in history (especially American History during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era). I am very aware that lynchings like this took place, but I only recently learned of this specific instance, as mentioned earlier. I am appalled and infuriated by these events and even more appalled that most (if not all) lynching victims never got justice. In many (if not all) cases no one was ever charged for these murders. Thousands of mostly blacks were lynched from the 1880s to the mid 20th Century. This is a short, but powerful book on a harrowing story from May, 1918 in Georgia. 

Food Fight! A Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What and Why Through the Ages by Tanya Steel

 

Food Fight! A Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What and Why Through the Ages by Tanya Steel - 160 pages

I read this book in preparation for a homeschool class I'm teaching.  I found it interesting.  It gave a lot of information on common foods, table etiquette, cooking, and more for different periods throughout history.  It included a lot of trivia that I had not previously known.  This would be a good book for kids interested in food and cooking.

Jefferson Barracks by Sandie Grassino

 

Jefferson Barracks by Sandie Grassino-128 pages

Like many of us, I have loved ones who are buried in Jefferson Barracks.  My dad shipped out on a train from there in 1942 to head to Indio, CA to train under General Patton.  So, when this book came across my desk I grabbed it!  It is short and sweet with a lot of fascinating historic pictures. I enjoyed learning the history of Jefferson Barracks.

Founded in 1926 it was home to America's first permanent Dragoons (later the United States Cavalry), first school of Infantry, and first regiment of buffalo soldiers.  The largest induction and mustering-out center during both the First and Second World Wars. 

It is now home to the Missouri Air National Guard, the VA hospital, the Historic Park, a national cemetery and many museums.  It also has many wonderful walking trails that I highly recommend.  We are fortunate to have so much history so nearby.  I enjoyed this book very much.

A Short History of Ireland by Richard Killeen

A Short History of Ireland by Richard Killeen-72 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

While in Ireland, I purchased this book because I wanted to learn a bit more about Irish history. This book is a good, very broad overview of Irish history. It's a pretty good, easy read. I had learned some of the things mentioned in this book from my trip, but I did learn some new things about Irish history, also. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short, broad overview of Irish history. 

World's Scariest Prisons by Emma Carlson Berne

 

World's Scariest Prisons by Emma Carlson Berne - 109 pages

World's Scariest Prisons will explore the most terrifying prisons of all time. From the Roman Coliseum to the Bastille, the Tower of London to Alcatraz, World's Scariest Prisons will captivate young readers! Each prison will receive its own photo-intensive overview as well as a sidebar, a break out fact box, and a quote. Each prison profile will be followed by a feature spread that explores high-interest topics such as prison slang, prison clothes, and prison food, as well as little known details about kids in prison, famous escapees, and ghost stories. World's Scariest Prisons will be equal parts informative and fun. Perfect for reluctant readers, the text will be simple and engaging.

An informative book about some of the most notorious prisons in the world.  Pretty interesting.

The Daughter of Time, Josephine Tey | 206 Pages

 Inspector Alan Grant is laid up in hospital with a broken leg, earned chasing a criminal on his last case. To fill the time, his friend Marta brings a packet of "faces" - copies of photographs and paintings for him to analyze. In the stack is one of Richard III from the end of the War of the Roses. And to Grant's surprise, this sorrowful looking man just doesn't fit the "type" for the villainous murderer he's meant to be.

Restricted to his hospital bed, Grant applies his investigative skills to the case. With the help of friends, he collects history books. He even finds a young American to do hands-on research for him in the British Museum. What really happened to the boys in the Tower? Who really benefited from their loss? Could this "face" really be a violent criminal?

I never thought I'd care about the War of the Roses, but this book quite caught my attention. I like the approach to history via a police investigation. She also wove in a fair bit about the process of writing history - first hand documents, motivations for accounts, and the abundance of "tonypandy," which may be my new favorite word/concept.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

 The Library Book by Susan Orlean

336 pages

★★★★★

Orlean chronicles the 1986 Los Angeles Public Library fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity; brings each department of the library to vivid life through on-the-ground reporting; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago.

The Sinking of the Eastland: America's Forgotten Tragedy by Joe Bonansinga

 The Sinking of the Eastland: America's Forgotten Tragedy by Joe Bonansinga, 280 pages

This book outlines the history of the Eastland and the tragedy that shook Chicago to its core. I appreciate that the author took care to explore not only the origins of the ship but also the series of unfortunate decisions that brought 844 lives to an abrupt and preventable end. 

Capsized!: the Forgotten Story of the SS Eastland Disaster by Patricia Sutton

 Capsized!: the Forgotten Story of the SS Eastland Disaster by Patricia Sutton, 155 pages

From the MARC: "On July 24, 1915, the SS Eastland, filled to capacity with 2,500 aboard, capsized in the Chicago River while still moored to the pier. The disaster took more passenger lives than theTitanic and stands today as the greatest loss of life on the Great Lakes. Capsized! details the events leading up to the fateful day of the disaster and provides a nail-biting, minute-by-minute account of the ship's capsizing. Kids follow the lives of workers and their families, mostly first- and second-generation Polish and Czech immigrants employed by Chicago's largest manufacturer, Western Electric's Hawthorne Works. From the courage of the survivors to the despair of families who lost loved ones, Capsized! brings the stories of ordinary working people enduring the unthinkable to light. It also raises critical-thinking questions for young readers: Why do we know so much about Titanic's sinking and yet so little about the Eastland disaster? What causes a tragedy to be forgotten and left out of society's collective memory? Why was no one ever held responsible for this catastrophe? What lessons from this disaster might we be able to apply today?"

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell

320 pages

★★★★★

The psychology and sociology behind past and current cults are revealed in the power of language by Amanda Montell in this collection of nonfiction essays. The way Montell addresses the fact that many things found “normal” in modern day society use language to control people and can be considered a cult by this standard was extremely interesting. Things such as SoulCycle, MLMs, social media influencers, QAnon, etc. all use language to manipulate the everyday person into following them blindly and wholeheartedly with nothing but the power of words, just as Jonestown, the Manson family, and Scientology have. 

This was eye opening and gripping from start to finish, not using words or ideas that are too technical for the average reader, who are the ones who need to learn this information the most.

Hell's Half Acre: the Untold Stories of the Benders by Susan Jonusas, 345 pages

Hell's Half Acre: the Untold Stories of the Benders explores the story of the infamous Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers who lured their prey on the prairies of Kansas. The author approached the tale from the edges and spent most of the book exploring the aftermath of the Benders, rather than focusing on the carnage itself.

Susan Jonusan did a good job of making the story feel fresh, and it was interesting to see how close the Benders were to being caught multiple times. I liked the book, but I wish that the issue of the Benders' accomplices would have been more fully explored.

Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu

 Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu - 304 pages

Astronaut.  Empress.  Apache Warrior.

Throughout history and across the globe, one characteristic connects the daring women of Brazen: their indomitable spirit. Against overwhelming adversity, these remarkable women raised their voices and changed history.

With her characteristic wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Pénélope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison, from Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green -- 293 pages

A deeply moving and mind-expanding collection of personal essays in the first ever work of non-fiction from #1 internationally bestselling author John Green

The Anthropocene is the current geological age, in which human activity has profoundly shaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his ground-breaking, critically acclaimed podcast, John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet - from the QWERTY keyboard and Halley's Comet to Penguins of Madagascar - on a five-star scale.

Complex and rich with detail, the Anthropocene's reviews have been praised as 'observations that double as exercises in memoiristic empathy', with over 10 million lifetime downloads. John Green's gift for storytelling shines throughout this artfully curated collection about the shared human experience; it includes beloved essays along with six all-new pieces exclusive to the book.