Book Review - The Innocents Abroad Or, The New Pilgrim’s Progress

Title: The Innocents Abroad Or, The New Pilgrim’s Progress
Author: Mark Twain
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Travel books are one of my favorite types of books. That plus the fact that I love Mark Twain's witty and snarky writing style make this book one of my favorite Mark Twain books.    

Description (Audible): In June 1867, Mark Twain set out for Europe and the Holy Land on the paddle steamer Quaker City. His enduring, no-nonsense guide for the first-time traveler also served as an antidote to the insufferably romantic travel books of the period. So Mark Twain acclaims his voyage from New York City to Europe and the Holy Land. His adventures produced The Innocents Abroad, a book so funny and provocative it made him an international star for the rest of his life. He was making his first responses to the Old World—to Paris, Milan, Florence, Venice, Pompeii, Constantinople, Sebastopol, Balaklava, Damascus, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem. For the first time he was seeing the great paintings and sculptures of the Old Masters. He responded with wonder and amazement but also with exasperation, irritation, and disbelief. Above all he displayed the great energy of his humor, more explosive for us now than for his beguiled contemporaries.

Description (ChatGPT): The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain is a hilarious, irreverent romp through Europe and the Holy Land, where the author’s biting humor and sharp wit slice through the grandeur of old-world tourism. Twain, as the ultimate “innocent,” offers a perfect blend of sarcasm and insight, poking fun at the absurdities of foreign cultures while revealing the folly of his fellow American travelers. A blend of travelogue, satire, and comedy, the book is a delightful mix of pointed commentary and laugh-out-loud moments, proving that sometimes the best way to explore a foreign land is through the eyes of a skeptic with a sharp pen.

Book Review - Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling

Title: Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling
Author: Jason De León
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: The Mexico / U.S. border has become such a huge issue. Unfortunately there has been alot of disinformation regarding the border and illegal imigration. For that reason, I felt compelled to read this book and hopefully get a better understanding of the issue. The book did not disappoint and gave me a much better understanding of how poverty, crime and drug cartels have made people so desperate that they would risk everything including their lives to immigrate to the U.S. The biggest take away I got from the book was there is no easy solution and building border walls won't really solve the issue. 

Description (Audible): Political instability, poverty, climate change, and the insatiable appetite for cheap labor all fuel clandestine movement across borders. As those borders harden, the demand for smugglers who aid migrants across them increases every year. Yet the real lives and work of smugglers—or coyotes, or guides, as they are often known by the migrants who hire their services—are only ever reported on from a distance, using tired tropes and stereotypes, often depicted as boogie men and violent warlords. In an effort to better understand this essential yet extralegal billion dollar global industry, internationally recognized anthropologist and expert Jason De León embedded with a group of smugglers moving migrants across Mexico over the course of seven years. The result of this unique and extraordinary access is SOLDIERS AND KINGS: the first ever in-depth, character-driven look at human smuggling. It is a heart-wrenching and intimate narrative that revolves around the life and death of one coyote who falls in love and tries to leave smuggling behind. In a powerful, original voice, De León expertly chronicles the lives of low-level foot soldiers breaking into the smuggling game, and morally conflicted gang leaders who oversee rag-tag crews of guides and informants along the migrant trail. SOLDIERS AND KINGS is not only a ground-breaking up-close glimpse of a difficult-to-access world, it is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction.

Description (ChatGPT): "Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling" reads like a high-stakes game of chess with the pieces constantly reshuffling. The author masterfully weaves tales of desperation and resilience, proving that even in the darkest times, hope can be the ultimate smuggler. With vivid storytelling and sharp insight, it’s a gripping reminder that sometimes the true battles are fought not on the battlefield, but in the shadows of humanity. Just don’t forget to pack your sense of empathy—this journey isn't just a page-turner, it’s an eye-opener!"

Book Review - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Title - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Author: Mark Twain
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: This is my second time reading this book. The first time was ages ago and I almost forgot how much I enjoy Mark Twain. Listening to this book on Audible narrated by Elijah Wood was a pleasure and I totally recommend it. The fact that this book is on some banned book lists in America prompted me to read it again to see what could possibly make it a banned book. The only thing I could see is it's liberal use of the N word and description of slavery prior to the Civil War. I love this book and think it should be required reading for all Americans. However, I think there should probably be some supervision for younger people due to its liberal use of racial epithets.

Description (Audible): Ernest Hemingway said, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn". One hundred years after its author’s death, this classic remains remarkably modern and poignantly relevant. In this new edition, Elijah Wood reads Huck in a youthful voice that may be the closest interpretation to Twain’s original intent. His performance captures the excitement and confusion of adolescence and adventure. Best of all, the immediacy of Wood’s energetic reading sweeps listeners up and makes them feel as though they’re along for the ride, as Huck and Jim push their raft toward freedom.

Description (ChatGPT): Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is Mark Twain’s timeless romp down the Mississippi River, where a boy, a runaway slave, and a raft make the perfect recipe for mischief and mayhem. It’s part coming-of-age tale, part social commentary, and all charm. Huck’s sense of morality might be as muddy as the river he’s floating on, but his wit and wisdom are sharper than a Southern summer. Twain’s mix of humor and sharp critique of society is as fresh today as it was in 1884—proving that even the wildest adventures can make you think. Just don’t forget your paddle... or your conscience.

Book Review - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Title - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Author: Mark Twain
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Mark Twain is one of my favorite authors and listening to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer narrated by Nick Offerman is about as good as it gets. I first read this book ages ago and hardly remembered the story. So it was almost like reading it for the first time. Mark Twain knows how to tell a story like no one else. Like Mark Twains' other book, Adventures of HuckIeberry Finn, Adventures of Tom Sawyer has received alot of critism for its use of offensive racial epithets (N word 219 times) and depection of racism. As a result, both are on some banned book lists. I love this book and think it should be required reading for all Americans. However, I think there should probably be some supervision for kids due to its liberal use of racial epithets. 

Description (Audible): With The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, not even Twain could have known that when he introduced readers to the inhabitants of the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, he would also be introducing two characters - one a clever and mischievous scamp, and the other a carefree, innocent ragamuffin - whose stories would ultimately shape the course of American literature. But whereas its sequel and companion piece, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, would harken an end to childhood, the story of Tom Sawyer is one that depicts the excitement and adventure of boyhood along the Mississippi. Revisit this enduring classic and you will be struck not only by Twain's skill at capturing a time and place so vividly but also by his uncanny ability to crystallize those oftentimes tumultuous and conflicting emotions that a child experiences at the precipice of adulthood: a longing to be free from the rules and obligations of adults while enjoying the laxity inherent in childhood; a love of all things macabre, like blood oaths, cemetery cures, and haunted houses, that reveal a true innocence - an unawareness of real-life consequences and one's own mortality; and the pangs of guilt when knowing the right thing to do and doing the right thing appear to be at odds.

Description (ChatGPT): The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Mark Twain’s delightful tribute to childhood mischief, where whitewashing fences, treasure hunts, and river escapades make for the perfect recipe for trouble. Tom’s knack for getting into—and out of—scrapes will have you laughing, while his adventures with Huck Finn remind you that growing up is overrated. Twain’s witty commentary on human nature is as sharp as ever, making Tom’s antics not just a childhood romp, but a clever critique of society. So, grab your slingshot, your friends, and dive into a world where imagination always wins over responsibility.

Book Review - Oregon

Title - Oregon
Author: Don Winslow
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍
My Review: This was a short book that popped up as a freebie on my Audible subscription. I've lived in the Pacific Northwest for the last forty-two years so the title caught my attention. Ed Harris is an excellent narrator and the story brought back many memories of growing up in the 1970's and the Vietnam war. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by Don Winslow. 

Description (Audible): It was 1970 in a defeated Rhode Island fishing town. Vietnam and Nixon dominated the national news. Both the near and distant future looked bleak. But they were five inseparable high school friends with something incredible in common: an unwavering resolve to look after each other no matter what hell life threw at them. And they were on a mission. The plan was simple: Go off the grid before they turned 18 to avoid the draft. They’d sell some grass, stack some cash, then head west and start a commune. What could possibly go wrong?

Descriptioin (ChatGPT): Oregon by Don Winslow is a brutal, fast-paced descent into the morally murky depths of the American West. With his signature mix of gritty realism and sharp, noir-inspired dialogue, Winslow crafts a tale of criminals, betrayals, and high-stakes heists that’s as rugged as the land it’s set in. It’s part Western, part crime thriller, and all heartless, proving once again that Winslow knows how to make you question what’s more dangerous: the law or the people who break it. Buckle up—Oregon isn’t a place for the faint of heart.

Book Review - Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds

Title - Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds
Author: Thomas Halliday
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍
My Review: This is an amazing book full of factual information about evolution, biology, botany, geology and every other kind ology you can think of. I found myself getting a little overwhelmed with the amount of information and I probably only absorbed a small fraction. I think my favorite chapter was the last chapter (epilogue) that discusses humans and our role in what is likely the sixth extinction event in the history of Earth.

Description (Audible): This book is an exploration of the Earth as it used to exist, the changes that have occurred during its history, and the ways that life has found to adapt―or not. It takes us from the savannahs of Pliocene Kenya to watch a python chase a group of australopithecines into an acacia tree; to a cliff overlooking the salt pans of the empty basin of what will be the Mediterranean Sea just as water from the Miocene Atlantic Ocean spills in; into the tropical forests of Eocene Antarctica; and under the shallow pools of Ediacaran Australia, where we glimpse the first microbial life.

Otherlands also offers us a vast perspective on the current state of the planet. The thought that something as vast as the Great Barrier Reef, for example, with all its vibrant diversity, might one day soon be gone sounds improbable. But the fossil record shows us that this sort of wholesale change is not only possible but has repeatedly happened throughout Earth history.

Even as he operates on this broad canvas, Halliday brings us up close to the intricate relationships that defined these lost worlds. In novelistic prose that belies the breadth of his research, he illustrates how ecosystems are formed; how species die out and are replaced; and how species migrate, adapt, and collaborate. It is a breathtaking achievement: a surprisingly emotional narrative about the persistence of life, the fragility of seemingly permanent ecosystems, and the scope of deep time, all of which have something to tell us about our current crisis.

Description (ChatGPT): Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds by Thomas Halliday is a thrilling ride through the planet's prehistoric past, where time travel isn't just possible—it's downright awe-inspiring. Halliday invites readers to explore ancient ecosystems that vanished long before humans existed, from vast forests of towering ferns to deserts teeming with bizarre creatures. His prose is rich, vivid, and laced with just the right amount of humor, making extinct worlds feel both alien and strangely familiar. It’s like Jurassic Park, but with more science and less "run for your life" action. A captivating blend of history, imagination, and pure wonder.

Book Review - James: A Novel

Title: James: A Novel 

Author: Percival Evertt
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review:  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one my favorite books by one of my favorite authors, Mark Twain. When I recently found out that there's a version of Adventures Hucklebery Finn written from the point of view of Hucks' enslaved friend Jim, I had to read it.The book is full of surprises and kept me riveted to the very end. I loved this book and highly recommend it. 

Description (Audible): A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and darkly humorous, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.

Description (ChatGPT): James: A Novel by Ian McGuire is a gripping, no-holds-barred dive into the murky waters of guilt, obsession, and self-destruction. The story of James, a man on the edge of madness, reads like a slow-motion train wreck—painfully fascinating, impossible to look away from. McGuire’s prose is as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting deep into the psyche while leaving just enough flesh to make you squirm. It’s a novel that doesn’t let its protagonist off easy, and neither does it let the reader rest, dragging you through the dark recesses of a tortured soul with a relentless, almost gleeful force. If you like your literature a little raw and unapologetic, this is a perfect plunge into the depths of human complexity. Buckle up—it’s going to be a bumpy, but strangely captivating, ride.

Book Review - The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living

Title -The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Author: Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I used to think a stoic was someone who could endure pain and suffering without complaining. I recently discovered however that stoicism is actually an ancient philosophy founded in Athens Greece by Zeno of Citium. According to Wikipedia, "The Stoics believed that the practice of virtue is enough to achieve eudaimonia: a well-lived life. The Stoics identified the path to achieving it with a life spent practicing the four virtues in everyday life—wisdom, courage, temperance or moderation, and justice—as well as living in accordance with nature."  

I had heard of stoicism through the book "Meditations: A New Translation". So, when I saw this book, I was intrigued. The book has daily quotes, anecdotes and teachings from ancient stoics such as Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus and others that can be read and pondered each day of the year. I especially like that it gives an explanation of each quote and how it relates to modern day life. I love this book and totally recommend it to anyone who seeks to find clarity and meaning in every day life. 

Description (ChatGPT): The Daily Stoic is like a pocket-sized philosopher for your day-to-day life, delivering 366 doses of wisdom that make you feel simultaneously enlightened and mildly guilty for not living up to your full potential. Each meditation is a mix of ancient Stoic wisdom and modern-day application, so you can finally stop stressing about your email inbox and start stressing about becoming a better version of yourself. It’s the philosophical equivalent of adding spinach to your smoothie—good for you, if you can get past the fact that you’re still sipping on something vaguely green.

Book Review - Boone: A Biography

Title - Boone: A Biography
Author: Robert Morgan
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Daniel Boone was a legend in his own time. I have many fond memories of the old Daniel Boone TV series. I realize the show was not completely accurate. So, it was satisfying to read a historically accurate account of what Daniel Boone was really like. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.     

Description (ChatGPT): "Boone: A Biography" is a compelling and richly detailed account of one of America's most iconic frontiersmen, Daniel Boone. Morgan brings to life the adventurous spirit and rugged determination of Boone, navigating his remarkable journey through the wilderness of the 18th century. The biography is meticulously researched, combining historical fact with evocative storytelling that immerses the reader in the trials and triumphs of Boone’s life. Morgan's narrative skillfully captures both Boone's legendary status as a pioneer and the complexities of his character, including his interactions with Native Americans and settlers. Overall, it is a fascinating exploration of American frontier life, making it a must-read for history buffs and those interested in the stories that shaped the nation.

Book Review - David Crockett: The Lion of the West

Title - David Crockett: The Lion of the West
Author:Michael Wallis
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I have fond memories of the old Davy Crockett TV miniseries in the 1950's. As a youngster, I never thought much about how accurate the show was but after reading this book, I now realize the show took a few liberties 😁. The book gives a much more realistic portrayal of David Crockett as a frontiersman, hunter, politician and somewhat flawed family man who was a legend in his own time. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Description (Audible): His name was David Crockett. He never signed his name any other way, but popular culture transformed his memory into "Davy Crockett", and Hollywood gave him a raccoon hat he hardly ever wore. Best-selling historian Michael Wallis casts a fresh look at the frontiersman, storyteller, and politician behind these legendary stories. Born into a humble Tennessee family in 1786, Crockett never "killed him a b'ar" when he was only three. But he did cut a huge swath across early-19th-century America - as a bear hunter, a frontier explorer, a soldier serving under Andrew Jackson, an unlikely congressman, and, finally, a martyr in his now-controversial death at the Alamo.

Wallis's David Crockett is more than a riveting story. It is a revelatory, authoritative biography that separates fact from fiction, providing us with an extraordinary evocation of a true American hero and the rough-and-tumble times in which he lived.

Book Review - The Good Rain Across Time and Terrain in the Pacific Northwest

Title - The Good Rain Across Time and Terrain in the Pacific Northwest
Author: Timothy Egan
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: This book attracted me for several reasons. Number one, it's about the Pacific Northwest, a place that I love and where I have lived for the past 42 years. It's also about subjects that I love including nature, history and Native Americans and was written by Timothy Egan, who is an excellent writter and has written several other books that I love. I love this book and highly recommend it.

Description (ChatGPT): The Good Rain: Across Time and Terrain in the Pacific Northwest is like taking a road trip through the Pacific Northwest with a poet and a historian who can’t stop talking about rain, the land, and the deep, existential musings of a region that feels both ancient and eerily modern. Author Timothy Egan takes you on a tour through forests, rivers, and the occasional fog bank, blending natural history, human stories, and a healthy dose of environmental angst. It's as if you’re standing on a misty cliff, contemplating the fragility of nature—while also trying to figure out where you left your umbrella. Perfect for anyone who’s ever been drawn to the Pacific Northwest’s moody beauty and complex past... or just wants to understand why it’s always raining.

Book Review -- Every Time I Find the Meaning of Life, They Change It

Title - Every Time I Find the Meaning of Life, They Change It
Author: Daniel Klein
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

My Review: This book showed up in my Little Free Library. Maybe it's because I'm old but I'm finding books about philosophy and how to live a more meaningful life much more interesting. The book consists of "pithies" or quotes the author wrote into a journal when he was younger in an attempt to understand how to live a better life. In his later years, the author revisits those pithies and offers further explanations and aphorisms picked up over the years. I totally loved this book and highly recommend it.

Description (ChatGPT): Every Time I Find the Meaning of Life, They Change It is like a self-help book written by your most existentially confused friend who keeps updating their "life philosophy" every time they get a new Spotify playlist. Author Daniel Klein takes you on a journey through the great minds of philosophy, cracking open ancient wisdom while giving it a humorous, modern spin—because apparently, understanding life’s meaning is a full-time job with benefits that change every quarter. Whether he’s quoting Socrates, Schopenhauer, or just rambling about his own midlife crisis, Klein’s wit shines through as he navigates the infinite maze of meaning, proving that maybe the real answer is that there isn’t one. Or maybe there is. Or maybe it’s… hold on, let me Google it.

Book Review - A Fever in the Heartland

Title - A Fever in the Heartland - The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them
Author: Timothy Egan

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I really enjoyed this book. It's a perfect example of why it is so important to teach history, good and bad, in schools today. I had no idea how powerful KKK was back in the 1920's and how close it came to taking over the country. What's especially frightning is how close the story describes what's going on in America today.

Description (ChatGPT): A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan is a pulse-pounding, historical thriller that proves the pen is mightier than the hood. Egan masterfully recounts the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, blending sinister conspiracy with a fight for justice that feels as urgent today as it did nearly a century ago. At the heart of it all is the fearless and often overlooked woman, Madge Oberholtzer, whose courage was the spark that ignited a movement to stop the Klan's insidious plot to seize political power. With Egan's razor-sharp prose and knack for storytelling, the book exposes the raw, dangerous power of hate—and the quiet, steadfast bravery needed to push it back into the shadows. A chilling, compelling read that reminds us all: heroes come in many forms, and some of them wear pearls and a hat.

Northwest Passages - Librarian Nancy Pearl interviews author Tim Egan about his book " A Fever in the Heartland" 

Book Review - An Immense World

Title - An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us

Author: Ed Yong

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

My Review: This book literally opened my eyes to the number of senses animals and we possess and how those senses affect our preception of the world. I absolutely loved this book. 

Description (Audible): The Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every kind of animal, including humans, is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving but a tiny sliver of our immense world.

In An Immense World, Ed Yong coaxes us beyond the confines of our own senses, allowing us to perceive the skeins of scent, waves of electromagnetism, and pulses of pressure that surround us. We encounter beetles that are drawn to fires, turtles that can track the Earth’s magnetic fields, fish that fill rivers with electrical messages, and even humans who wield sonar like bats. We discover that a crocodile’s scaly face is as sensitive as a lover’s fingertips, that the eyes of a giant squid evolved to see sparkling whales, that plants thrum with the inaudible songs of courting bugs, and that even simple scallops have complex vision. We learn what bees see in flowers, what songbirds hear in their tunes, and what dogs smell on the street. We listen to stories of pivotal discoveries in the field, while looking ahead at the many mysteries that remain unsolved.

Book Review - Botanical Curses and Poisons

Title - Botanical Curses and Poisons – The Shadow-Lives of Plants
Author: Fez Inkwright
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I loved this book but, as a botanist, I may be a little biased. I honestly never realized how many common garden plants are poisonous. Another interesting fact I learned is, in the past, there were actually people who specialized in poisonous plants who could be hired to kill people you don't like 😮

Description (ChatGPT): Botanical Curses and Poisons by Fez Inkwright is a mischievous romp through the dark side of the plant world, where every rose has its thorn—and it might just kill you. This book is equal parts botanical guide and gothic fairy tale, revealing the lethal potential lurking in your garden. From ancient curses to poisonings, Inkwright paints plants as cunning characters in their own right, with a flair for the dramatic and the deadly. It’s like your favorite herbalist had a bit too much to drink and started whispering about the deadly secrets of dandelions and the murderous tendencies of mistletoe. A charmingly sinister read for anyone who has ever wondered if their houseplants were plotting something more nefarious. Who knew flora could be so fabulous—and fatal?

Book Review - The Bedside Baccalaureate

Title - The Bedside Baccalaureate – A Daily Primer to Refresh Your Knowledge

Author: David Rubel

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Great book. Also works well as a bathroom reader. 

Description (ChatGPT): The Bedside Baccalaureate is the literary equivalent of a daily vitamin for your brain—minus the unpleasant aftertaste. This charming primer offers a fresh tidbit of knowledge each day, perfect for those who want to sound more sophisticated at dinner parties without actually doing any heavy lifting. From philosophy to science to art, it’s like a mental spa treatment, gently massaging your intellect one bite-sized nugget at a time. It won’t turn you into a Nobel laureate overnight, but it might make you the person everyone turns to for an obscure fact about ancient Greek pottery. A delightful companion for the curious mind—because who doesn’t want to be casually brilliant before their morning coffee?

Book Review - Crazy Horse and Custer

Title - Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors
Author:Stephen E. Ambrose

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I love books about Native Americans and this book is one of the better ones I've read. The displacement of Native Americans by white American settlers through manifest destiny was tragic. The majority of the book covers the lives of George Custer and Crazy Horse. The eventual description of the Battle of the Little Bighorn was disappointingly short but overall, I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Description (Audible): On the sparkling morning of June 25, 1876, 611 men of the US 7th Cavalry rode toward the banks of the Little Bighorn in the Montana Territory, where 3,000 Indians stood waiting for battle. The lives of two great warriors would soon be forever linked throughout history: Crazy Horse, leader of the Oglala Sioux, and General George Armstrong Custer. Both were men of aggression and supreme courage. Both became leaders in their societies at very early ages; both were stripped of power, in disgrace, and worked to earn back the respect of their people. And to both of them, the unspoiled grandeur of the Great Plains of North America was an irresistible challenge. Their parallel lives would pave the way, in a manner unknown to either, for an inevitable clash between two nations fighting for possession of the open prairie.

Description (ChatGPT): Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors by Stephen Ambrose offers a fascinating (and sometimes bewildering) dance between two men who couldn’t have been more different, yet shared a singular destiny: the American frontier. Ambrose weaves their stories with a historian’s precision, but also a novelist’s flair, showing how the lives of these two warriors—one a fierce Native American leader, the other a brash, doomed cavalry officer—ran in parallel like two trains speeding toward the same tragic collision. It’s a deep dive into history’s contradictions, where heroism and hubris meet in the dust of battle. If you’ve ever wondered how a man can be both a martyr and a fool, this book will clear that up—while reminding you that history isn’t always as simple as "good guys vs. bad guys." Prepare to be enlightened, and perhaps a little mystified, but never bored.

Book Review - The Little Ice Age

Title - The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850
Author: Brian Fagan

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: Pending ....

Description (Audible): The Little Ice Age tells the story of the turbulent, unpredictable, and often very cold years of modern European history, how climate altered historical events, and what they mean in the context of today’s global warming. Only in the last decade have climatologists developed an accurate picture of yearly climate conditions in historical times. This development confirmed a long-standing suspicion: that the world endured a 500-year cold snap, a little ice age, that lasted roughly from AD 1300 until 1850. With its basis in cutting-edge science, The Little Ice Age offers a new perspective on familiar events. Renowned archaeologist Brian Fagan shows how the increasing cold affected Norse exploration; how changing sea temperatures caused English and Basque fishermen to follow vast shoals of cod all the way to the New World; how a generations-long subsistence crisis in France contributed to social disintegration and ultimately revolution; and how English efforts to improve farm productivity in the face of a deteriorating climate helped pave the way for the Industrial Revolution and hence for global warming.

Description (ChatGPT): Brian Fagan’s The Little Ice Age serves up a frosty historical tale that proves the weather has always been more than just small talk. With vivid storytelling and a scientist’s eye, Fagan unpacks how Europe’s cooler-than-usual weather from 1300 to 1850 froze crops, stoked political unrest, and even shaped the course of wars. If you thought your winter commute was bad, imagine living through crop failures, famines, and freezing rivers—now that's a cold front of history. Fagan's research is solid, his writing sharp, and his ability to tie climate shifts to human drama is downright chilling. A must-read for anyone who thinks the weather doesn't affect the world. Spoiler alert: it does—just ask history.

Book Review - Thank You for Your Servitude

Title - Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission
Author: Mark Leibovich
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I was attracted to this book mostly because I wanted to understand how someone as despicable as Trump has been able to rise to the level of President of the United States. What I found is the Republican party is seriously lacking in the ability to stand up to bullies like Trump who has been described by Psychologists including Dr. Drew Westen as a malignant, narcissistic psycopath. Needless to say, it's freakin frightening to have someone like Trump in any position of power, nevermind President of the United States.

Description (Audible): In the early months of Trump’s candidacy, the Republican Party’s most important figures, people such as Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Lindsey Graham, were united—and loud—in their scorn and contempt. Even more, in their outrage: Trump was a menace and an affront to our democracy. Then, awkwardly, Trump won. Thank You for Your Servitude is Mark Leibovich’s unflinching account of the moral rout of a major American political party, tracking the transformation of Rubio, Cruz, Graham, and their ilk into the administration’s chief enablers, and the swamp’s lesser lights into frantic chasers of the grift. What would these politicos do to preserve their place in the sun, or at least the orbit of the spray tan? What would they do to preserve their “relevance”? Almost anything, it turns out. Trump’s savage bullying of everyone in his circle, along with his singular command of his political base, created a dangerous culture of submission in the Republican Party. Meanwhile, many of the most alpha of the lapdogs happily conceded to Mark Leibovich that they were “in on the joke”. As Lindsey Graham told the author, his supporters in South Carolina generally don’t read The New York Times, and they won’t read this book, either. All that cynicism, shading into nihilism, led to a country truly unhinged from reality and to the events of January 6, 2021. It’s a vista that makes the Washington of This Town seem like a comedy of manners in comparison.

Description (ChatGPT): Thank You for Your Servitude by Mark Leibovich is a biting, no-holds-barred dissection of the sycophantic circus that is Trump’s Washington, where loyalty is the ultimate currency—and common sense is in short supply. Leibovich’s sharp wit and acerbic eye make this book feel like a backstage pass to the most bizarre political show on Earth, where the price of submission is often your dignity, if not your soul. With a mix of dark humor and profound disillusionment, Leibovich chronicles the absurd lengths to which the political elite bent, crawled, and grovelled before the former president, revealing just how far some were willing to go for a taste of power. It’s part political analysis, part black comedy, and all jaw-droppingly entertaining. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to sell your soul in D.C.—this book is your guide. Spoiler alert: it’s not cheap.

Book Review - Birding While Indian: A Mixed Blood

Title - Birding While Indian: A Mixed Blood Memoir 

Author: Thomas C. Gannon
My Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
My Review: I loved this book and how the author uses birding as a way to understand and resolve in his mind how Indians have been treated in America. Thomas Gannon gives an honest description of how America has been so cognitively dissonant in its treatment of American Indians and nature. Using military and religion, European immigrants conquered nature and Indians using a "Winchester rifle in one hand and a King James Bible in the other". 

Description (Book Cover): Thomas C. Gannon’s Birding While Indian spans more than fifty years of childhood walks and adult road trips to deliver, via a compendium of birds recorded and revered, the author’s life as a part-Lakota inhabitant of the Great Plains. Great Horned Owl, Sandhill Crane, Dickcissel: such species form a kind of rosary, a corrective to the rosaries that evoke Gannon’s traumatic time in an Indian boarding school in South Dakota, his mother’s devastation at racist bullying from coworkers, and the violent erasure colonialism demanded of the people and other animals indigenous to the United States.

Description (ChatGPT): Birding While Indian: A Mixed Blood is a delightful blend of sharp humor and keen observation, both of the natural world and of the cultural landscapes we navigate as "mixed blood" individuals. In this memoir, the author soars effortlessly between personal reflections and the avian world, offering a rare mix of self-awareness, wit, and birdwatching wisdom. Whether he's tracking a rare species or untangling his own identity, the narrative never misses a beat—it's as layered as the feathers of the birds he chases. With humor that feels like an insider's joke and a perspective that's both fresh and grounded, this book will make you see both the skies and your own mixed heritage in a new light. It's not just a birding book; it's a wild ride through the forests of identity and the freedom of flight.