History
By Steve Coll
Coll has become the preeminent scholar and investigator into the relation and impact of the CIA in the Middle East. His new book digs into the worlds of Saddam Hussein, his long and violent reign as leader of Iraq’s Baath Party, and his relationships with four presidential administrations. These relationships were convoluted by unreliable intelligence reports, mixed messaging between leaders, and the search for weapons of mass destruction. This is scholarship that unravels the history of a world-altering decision.
Science Fiction
Edited by David Weber
The Honor Harrington series featuring a fictional space naval officer from the Star Kingdom of Manticore has been going strong for over 30 years. It has expanded into the Honorverse, nearly 40 linked books. This book collects five short stories and novella written by Weber and other contributors. Spread over 300 years, the stories provide fans interesting backstory, while offering a good introduction for those unacquainted with the series. Each story is self-contained and entertaining.
Maritime History
By Eric Hirsimaki
Since the mid-1600s the Great Lakes waterway has been an artery to the North American interior. It remains a critical economic highway for the United States and Canada today. This book offers a full history of Great Lakes ships and shipping. It covers Great Lakes shipbuilding and ship use from the Montreal canoe of the early 1600s through the 1000-footers of the 21st century. An interesting and readable history of Great Lakes shipping, it is a good survey of the topic, lively and entertaining.
Historical Fiction
By Jeff Shaara
Set during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when the United States and the Soviet Union teetered on the brink of nuclear war, Mr. Shaara’s novel brings to the page real-life protagonists, like John F. Kennedy and Nikita Kruschev, along with fictional characters. Here we follow the steps and missteps leading to this crisis and the fear it caused. The exchanges between JFK and his brother Robert, then attorney general, are especially intriguing. It’s a timely novel given today’s geopolitical crises.
Classics
By Mark Twain
First published in the late 1800s, “Life on the Mississippi” is a perennial classic. Samuel Clemens’s choice of pen name, “Mark Twain,” is more than an expression from his steamboat piloting days indicating the river’s safe depth; it reveals his intimate connection to America’s “Father of Waters,” the Mississippi. A mix of memoir, history, river lore, and humorous anecdotes, Twain’s masterpiece brings alive the antebellum glory days of the steamboat and of those who traveled on them. This particular edition contains an excellent introduction, helpful annotations, and a guide to further reading.
For Kids
By Natalie Savage Carlson
First published almost 70 years ago, this heartwarming tale features Armand, a grumpy hobo living under a bridge in Paris. He reluctantly befriends a homeless family who begins living under the same bridge and even begins to help them. Armand discovers the joy of family and the three children bring new life and warmth to his lonely existence. This is a timeless tale to share as a family.
