When I read history, I usually prefer biographies to historical fiction. Sometimes the fiction is so fictional I wonder why it is called historical. Not so with “The Indigo Girl” by Natasha Boyd. The only parts of this story that are fictional are the imagined conversations and friendships with the enslaved people. “The Indigo Girl” …
From Off the Shelf
Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell
“A Woman of No Importance” is my favorite kind of history book: a biography that teaches me about a person in history that I never heard of before. Sonia Purnell writes a gripping and detailed biography about Virginia Hall, the American spy who helped organize the French Resistance and win World War II. Virginia Hall …
Little Women: The Book and the Movie
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott is one of those classic books that I read and reread. It is a wonderful story to get lost in as you enjoy the relationship between the sisters as they grow. The book was first published in 1868 but it wears well over the years. There is a little …
1000 Books Read in the Last Decade
I have read over 1000 books in the last decade. I’m not saying this to brag. I enjoy reading and I read a lot, although not as much as some people. In fact, I thought I would have more time to read when I retired. 1000 books is an average of two books a week. …
Furnishing Eternity by David Giffels
David Giffels is a writer from Akron. He wrote a column which I enjoyed for the Akron Beacon Journal for years. Then he started writing books which I also enjoy. He now writes and teaches at the University of Akron. I recently finished reading his latest book, “Furnishing Eternity.” It was so good that I …
Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God
I mentioned before that I have been reading “My Utmost for His Highest” for my morning devotions. At one point I got curious about the author, Oswald Chambers, and looked him up on Wikipedia. From that I found that he died from appendicitis when he was only 43 years old. In fact, he didn’t write …
Walden Two Intentional Community
About a year ago I reread the book “Walden Two” by B. F. Skinner. Walden Two is a novel about a Utopian society based on the new behavioral science principles. The book was a product of its time, published just after World War II. It isn’t a book I recommend, although I think it was …
Pioneers: Settlers Who Brought American Ideal West
I recently finished reading a book that I enjoyed very much, so I thought I would share it with you. It is David McCullough‘s latest book titled: “The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West.” It is a rather long title and a little misleading. When I think of pioneers …
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Have you ever read a perfect book? One that is so good you never want it to end? When you have finished it you are disappointed you are at the end? That is the way I felt when I read “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.” I wanted it to go on forever. …
Moment of Lift: Empowering Women
I recently read the very good book by Melinda Gates called “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World.” I am an admirer of Bill and Melinda Gates because they worked hard with a new idea (Microsoft). While they made a fortune from it, they have worked just as hard at giving it …