Category: Book Reviews

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The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard

“A man’s got to know his limitations” ~~ Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) in the 1973 film Magnum Force.

Part of me is really glad I read this book, and another part is not.

Why am I glad? 

This is a well written, well researched book.  While it relates a true story, it reads like a novel. As opposed to an actual novel, there is a minimal of dialog. What little dialog that is included, is taken from the various journals, diaries and other documents written by the people on the expedition. It is also a mix of history, as taken from the aforementioned documents and news stories of the time, as well as a brief history of Teddy Roosevelt before and after this journey and the history of parts of South America. Add more than a generous dollop of Continue reading “The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard”

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50-Word Stories

Our friend, Jeanne Felfe, introduced me to the series of books of 50 word stories, micro-fiction.  She has one that was published in the 2024 edition.

Below is one story by Edward Di Gangi that especially talked to me:

It was the last time I would see her. She became one of a collection of women I had, without intention, strung together like a necklace of semi-precious stones and who, years later, I realized had loved me and that I had too carelessly discarded.

Perhaps why this piece of micro-fiction talked to me so was that I have, on more than one occasion, described exes as ghosts haunting my soul. This is especially true, as at least with a two or three of my former relationships, I do not feel like we worked out whatever karma it was we were trying to work out.  Long sigh, deep breath.

Link to the edition with Jeanne’s story: The 50-Word Stories of 2024: Microfiction for Lovers of Quick Reads (50 Give or Take)

Here is a link to Jeanne’s personal author page: Jeanne Felfe

And to her page on Amazon: Jeanne’s Amazon page

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Can We Talk About Israel? by Daniel Sokatch

Why I Read This Book

This book, Can We Talk About Israel?, is subtitled, A Guide for the Curious, Confused and Conflicted, which is a good summary of most folks position and feelings about Israel.  We received two copies of this book as part of the pre-tour preparation of our now cancelled two week visit to Israel with side trips to Jordan and Egypt. What is it they say?  Timing is everything.  Also as part of that preparation Señora and I watched two Wondrium courses that I can whole-heartedly recommend:

    • The World of Biblical Israel taught by a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, Cynthia R. Chapman, Th.D. Using the Bible as a framework Chapman ties in historical and archeological records to support its narrative.  She also points out when they do not support the Biblical story.  She also ties together the varied religious influences, including non-Abrahamic religions, that influenced those who wrote the Bible. I learned a great deal about the Babylonian exile of the Jews, a subject of which I had only sketchy knowledge.
    • The Holy Land Revealed taught by Jodi Magness, Ph.D. Using mainly the Bible and the works of the Roman historian Josephus as source materials,  Magness explores various archeological sites around the Holy Land and their significance to the Biblical narrative.

Not a Book Review

This is not so much a review of this recently published book, but more of a recommendation of something to read if you are indeed curious, confused or conflicted about Israel. Sokatch has a very accessible Continue reading “Can We Talk About Israel? by Daniel Sokatch”

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Uncle Johnny – POW

I am going to pull this story out separately as the 3.141592 early readers of my posting: YouTube Playlists: USS Carr and Paul Henry Carr probably missed the addendum I made after a comment from my cousin Perry.

As related earlier, I was digitizing VCRs that another cousin had that relate to my uncle Paul Henry Carr and his namesake ship, the missile frigate USS Carr, FFG-52.

One of the videos I had not seen Continue reading “Uncle Johnny – POW”

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Banned Books, Burned Books

“But the truth is, that when a Library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected youth and age can get hold of it, the deep unconscious irony of it delights me and doesn’t anger me.” ~~ Mark Twain in a letter to Mrs. F. G. Whitmore, 7 February 1907

I recently finished watching a truly excellent and very timely course from Wondrium, Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works taught by Maureen Corrigan, Ph.D. Ms. Corrigan is a professor at Georgetown University, a book critic for NPR, a contributor to several of the most prominent newspapers of the country, has served as a juror for the Pulitzer Prize in Literature, an author in her own right, and on and on.  She is unquestionably Continue reading “Banned Books, Burned Books”

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I Want To Live by Helen Imagene (Jean) Jones Felfe

This was an easy book to read.  This was a hard book to read.

It was an easy book to read as it was well written.  The first part of the book started off a little slow for me, but persevere, it picks up quickly.  After reading the whole book those initial chapters almost seem written in a different style.  Perhaps that was intentional.  Once I got into the meat of the memoir I found it to be a real page turner.  It was an easy book to read as there was Continue reading “I Want To Live by Helen Imagene (Jean) Jones Felfe”

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Reconsidering JFK – A Wondrium Course

If you are of my generation or older you remember the day President John F. Kennedy was shot, 22 November 1963.  I was in 6th grade at an elementary school in Toms River, New Jersey. It was the first time in my educational career that I had had a male teacher.  He was a very tall, skinny man who I remember mainly because he was male and his reaction to the Kennedy news.  When they announced over the loudspeaker that the President had been assassinated, this man cried.  However, when I raised my hand after Continue reading “Reconsidering JFK – A Wondrium Course”

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The House of the Spirits: A Novel by Isabel Allende

Peru has been in the news frequently as of late.  They are on their fifth or sixth president in about as many years.  There are riots in the street in which several folks have died.  The left wing president who attempted to take “executive” control of the country was impeached and has been sentenced to 18 months in jail.  For the first time in its history, Peru has a woman President, but it would surprise me if she stayed in office long. All of which started me thinking about this novel again, which will be clearer as to why if you are brave enough to trudge on.

I actually finished this novel three or four months ago in the Spanish language edition, La casa de los espíritus.  It took me a bit to get through it.  First it is 552 pages.  Secondly when I read a Spanish novel Continue reading “The House of the Spirits: A Novel by Isabel Allende”

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A Light in the Attic poems and drawings by Shel Siverstein

I found this little gem of a book while perusing Señora‘s bookshelves for something to read as I was “reigning” on my throne.  This book has been out a while, my issue lists the publishing date as 1981, but it has been so popular that there has been several special editions published since then.

While it is a book of poems with accompanying line drawings aimed at children, I found it very entertaining with more than a few that talked to me as an adult… or perhaps my inner child.  One such example would be the following poem:

REFLECTION

Each time I see the Upside-Down Man
Standing in the water,
I look at him and start to laugh.
Although I shouldn’t oughtter,
For maybe in another world
Another time
Another town,
Maybe HE is right side up
And I am upside down.

Perhaps this poem spoke to me Continue reading “A Light in the Attic poems and drawings by Shel Siverstein”

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Factfulness by Hans Rosling

The subtitle of this book is: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think.

Read on for a link to the Factfulness quiz.

First a couple of confessions, this is not a book I would normally have read, and it is definitely not one I would have picked off a bookstore shelf.   I have a few charities that I have on automatic pay, including the Fistula Foundation,  a wonderful charity that does good work, and is well managed.  I discovered this charity in an opinion piece by the former New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof. I do not remember the name, but an individual donated copies of this book to the Fistula Foundation along with the money to distribute them.  Being a regular donor they sent me a copy. After reading the first few pages, I became very interested in the book.

My second confession may confound folks who know me as I am betting Continue reading “Factfulness by Hans Rosling”