The History Book Club discussion
MY BOOKS AND I
>
WHAT IS EVERYBODY READING NOW?
message 1751:
by
Alisa
(new)
Jan 28, 2013 12:49PM



reply
|
flag





Also working on a first reads win (I almost fainted when I actually won!)


And finishing up with my book discussion ARC copy of


Hope my eyes and ears hold out until I get through my stash LOL





I read it last year - wonderful book.



Once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature. Keep at it, you are almost there!



[bookcover:Slavery ..."
Bryan, both books are on my list as well.
message 1763:
by
Jerome, Assisting Moderator - Upcoming Books and Releases
(last edited Jan 31, 2013 10:44AM)
(new)
Alisa wrote: "Jerome you are a reading machine! Great stuff."
I know, right? Just finished
by Mark Owen.
It was quite underwhelming.
I know, right? Just finished

It was quite underwhelming.

Jim Bowie: Boy with a Hunting Knife
(hero of the Alamo)
Jim Bowie Boy With A Hunting Knife
by Winders Gh
And,
Champlain: Father of New France Champlain Father of New France
ByCecile Pepin Edwards


Isn't it fun to read the books for your past?....they bring back good memories.

Isn't it fun to read the books for your past?....they bring back good memories."
Yes, it is! I am a teacher so I find the information great to learn, relearn. I remember as a kid thinking I hated reading. As it turned out, I hated fiction. My fifth grade teacher realized I liked history and introduced me to historical fiction.
Fiction books drove me crazy as a kid. I kept thinking there has to be more out there to learn. We would 'discuss' the fiction books in class and would be asked, "Now why do you think the character did this, or did that?" I wanted to say, "Because the author wrote it that way. There is nothing to analyze here!" I was a kid who wanted information in generation of education of discussing fictional stories. ugh!
I am so glad the Common Core is bringing back the emphasis on biographies, science, history, and other informational topics. Fiction is to be less than half of the reading material! woooHOOOO! So maybe, just maybe, some of my kids will read these books!

John Calvin John Calvin

byThomas J. Davis

Good book. Made me realize that it is difficult to summarize Calvin's life and theology into a 100-page-book! I have more reading do to!
I know this is religion, but it also history.



Jim Bowie: Boy with a Hun..."
Tracey,
We apparently grew up in the same era. I loved the biography and history books that were in my school's library back in the 1960's. The Landmark series was probably one of my major reasons I later became a history teacher. A few of my favorites were





I am going to 'require', yet really REALLY PROMOTE AND CHEERLEAD the reading of more biographies. The students learn so much from reading these books and others.












Hi, I read this as an audiobook . . . It was a great listen . . . the narrator did a great job with different voices for the characters and really made it interesting. I can't always say that about audiobooks . . . sometimes having a narrator is distracting and I would prefer to read a print or eBook edition.




BTW, you don't need the book link when the cover is available, otherwise your citation looks great.







I loved THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN. The making of the dictionary itself was very interesting. The contribution to it of the criminally insane Dr. Minor was touching and downright inspiring. Winchester knows how to tell a good story.



In the Garden of the Beasts is a great book of narrative history. I couldn't put it down. It showed how foreign diplomats viewed Hitler at the time. The assessments of many were way off the mark. The American ambassador's daughter, whose letters were one of the main sources, really got around, didn't she? :)
I also picked up Babylon: Mesopotamia And The Birth Of Civilization from the library this summer. I'm afraid I don't remember many details, but I was impressed by how advanced many of the earliest civilizations were. Also, I was reminded once again how unlucky it was to be a woman during most of history.







It's a "different" way of writing history, written by a professor of philosophy and ethics, and he's going through the horrors of the last century with the aim of explaining why mass killings happen and happen again,and tries to find "ways out". It's not entirely my cup of tea, because I believe he is too idealistic about it, but I won't blame him for trying. Does anyone else know this book?

I loved THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN. The making of the dictionary itself was very interesting. The contribution to it of the criminally insane Dr. Minor was touching and downright inspiri..."
The story made me think about how we treat mentally ill and criminals. Wonder how some would turn out if they were/are given the chance to read and learn new things. I am not in those fields, so I do wonder if criminals and mentally ill have opportunities to read a lot, or access to books. The story just opened my mind to more things to wonder about! just what I need, more things to think about!






By all means jump in and and hopefully some responses will come. It's best to format all books at the bottom of the post. If no author photo, then you may omit. Have fun.



Frankly I was disappointed mightily by the book. While I naturally favor politically incorrect and often conservative views his positions were largely unreasoned and unreasonable. He specialized in wisecracks such as "what talent" did Bob Dylan "really" have. He focused on his limited three-chord repertoire. He omits the focus at that time which was people being able to pick up an instrument and with little or no instruction starting to play. He was all over the place on other people, assuming readers would forget what they had just read.
I am now reading The Vikings: A History by Robert Ferguson

The book is shaping up to be quite fascinating. I'll keep you posted.

I just picked up two new books this past weekend. I have been doing a lot of research on modern Cuba at my job recently, and it's piqued my interest.
I just started reading The Cuban Revolution: Origins, Course, and Legacy, 2nd Edition by Marifeli Perez-Stable. It is more of a general survey on the Cuban revolution, written originally as a dissertation. I am a little disappointed in the style so far, but am hopeful that it will improve once I break out of the general background chapters.
Next up is That Infernal Little Cuban Republic: The United States and the Cuban Revolution by Lars Schoultz. Hopefully I will make it through all 750 pages before my library forces me to give it up!



Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.
I would recommend reading this book before seeing the Lincoln movie. Lots more to the story.
Now I'm reading Learned Hand: The Man and the Judge

Book cover (if not available, the link is used, not the avatar), followed by the author's photo (often not available but don't use the avatar), followed by the author's link. Honestly, it becomes second nature once you get the hang of it!! For example:


Link for further information
www.goodreads.com/topic/show/287892

Just finished


Now I'm reading:


I would recommend reading this book before seeing the Lincoln movie. Lots more to the story.
Is that any better?







If you haven't read it, Moneyball is amazing. It changed the way I follow baseball, for the better.









Books mentioned in this topic
Lovely One: A Memoir (other topics)Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution (other topics)
The Remains of the Day (other topics)
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (other topics)
Lovely One: A Memoir (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Stuart Turton (other topics)Mike Duncan (other topics)
Ketanji Brown Jackson (other topics)
Kazuo Ishiguro (other topics)
Mike Duncan (other topics)
More...