It’s hard to undersell how amazing this story is. How do you become a Black Klansman? Ron Stallworth, a Colorado Springs Police Detective, answered a It’s hard to undersell how amazing this story is. How do you become a Black Klansman? Ron Stallworth, a Colorado Springs Police Detective, answered a classified ad to join the Klan.
He was black. Still is from my understanding.
He proceeds to send in a partner to act in his stead for face to face meetings but continues to talk with the Klan on the phone. It goes so well, he gets to talk with David Duke. He gets closer than that, but I won’t spoil it. I will say that each chapter gets progressively crazier to the point where you would never believe it if was only a movie.
Stallworth’s book has enough drama in it that I never went to see the movie. But if you watch the book or the movie, you get to hate racists. And that’s always fun!...more
This book could have been so boring. It is definitely not.
The story of how Berlin became East and West Berlin is all about post-World War II personaliThis book could have been so boring. It is definitely not.
The story of how Berlin became East and West Berlin is all about post-World War II personalities going at it. (Tangent: I shudder to think how many young people have no idea Berlin was partitioned. Or the Berlin Wall. God help me.)
Giles Milton picks up right after the war ends as the Allies start to figure out what Europe looks like after cessation of hostilities. Germany, and Berlin specifically, are a mess. They have been bombed into oblivion. People are homeless without the barest necessities. On top of that, the people who can help them are the Allies, who are not all that inclined to help Germans. They do, but the tension is pretty high.
This is all just a side dish for the main course. Soviet aggression! Oh, and actually an amazing amount of passive aggression. If not for the fact that actual lives hung in the balance, the back and forth between the Soviets and everyone else borders on pure farce.
Somehow, Giles Milton made all of this come together without making it too hard to follow and keeping it interesting throughout....more
Submarines suck. This book is part disaster, part list of reasons to never go on a submarine. You should never go in the navy anyway, but this just piSubmarines suck. This book is part disaster, part list of reasons to never go on a submarine. You should never go in the navy anyway, but this just piles on.
Rivalry aside, this book is about two things. First, is Charles “Swede” Momsen. Momsen was a smart guy who revolutionized submarine rescue. Actually, it is probably more accurate to say he invented it. He worked his whole career figuring out ways to save his fellow mariners. He was the real deal.
Unfortunately, he got to prove it when the Squalus sank off New Hampshire. Momsen was called in and proceeded to put on a clinic on how to rescue submariners. This book details all the dangers by the stranded crew but also the rescuers. Diving was a very dangerous job and even the best could end up dead because of a bad day....more
There is a lazy joke about the French Army and surrendering but I won’t bother. However, you have to admit that Charles De Gaulle had some amazing conThere is a lazy joke about the French Army and surrendering but I won’t bother. However, you have to admit that Charles De Gaulle had some amazing confidence (arrogance?) when you are run out of your own country and then turn around and start making demands. But I digress.
De Gaulle is only one of the major characters of World War II and each one of them gets their due in Dugard’s book. His writing style is very cinematic and dramatic which makes for a very easy read. The book won’t take you long and if you are someone who has never read before about World War II extensively, you will learn a lot. This is the type of book that is so sprawling, you end up wanting to buy books just on specific people you read about.
You know, like a one-legged, female spy from Baltimore strutting around Paris. Yes, you read that right....more
Isoroku Yamamoto always knew Japan was doomed against the Unites States in World War II. In fact, he liked the U.S. just fine. He spent years in the UIsoroku Yamamoto always knew Japan was doomed against the Unites States in World War II. In fact, he liked the U.S. just fine. He spent years in the U.S. and although he was fond of it, he was always wary that one day it would be his enemy. He made plans how to fight if it came to that.
His conclusion after putting together all his plans? Japan would lose unless they could score enough early wins and disillusion the American people who would beg for armistice. If not, he knew it was impossible to win.
Even someone who hates history knows how that went. But did you know how the war ended for Yamamoto? Well, that’s what Operation Vengeance is.
Dan Hampton tells the whole story including a detailed narrative of the Guadalcanal Campaign, which made the operation possible. While Hampton is detailed, he does not get bogged down and keeps the narrative moving with no let up. He also has no problem pointing out who he thinks acts like an idiot which I personally enjoyed immensely. If you can back up your accusations (and he can), then I am all for it....more
The end of World War II was very bad for Germany. Berlin in particular had it quite rough.
(Yeah, but screw them, Digging holes isn’t easy, apparently.
The end of World War II was very bad for Germany. Berlin in particular had it quite rough.
(Yeah, but screw them, right?)
Well, that’s what a lot of people thought, but it became a battleground between the Soviet Union and everyone else. As such, Berlin was important to a lot of world leaders. Berlin was partitioned and then up went a wall.
It went up fast. Many people became separated and in the early days, escaping was possible. Then it got a lot harder. This book follows one of the major attempts and it is so good. A little bit biography, a little bit history, a little bit prison break, and a lot of tension. ...more
Conferences can be super boring. They can also be quite stressful if the status of the free world is being discussed. In 1945 Churchill, Stalin, and RConferences can be super boring. They can also be quite stressful if the status of the free world is being discussed. In 1945 Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt decided to have a little get together to figure out how this whole World War II thing was going to turn out.
Katz looks at the conference from the point of view of the daughters of Roosevelt, Churchill, and the American ambassador to the USSR, Averell Harriman. I really liked this added wrinkle because instead of just recapping a conference, you learn about three people in the background and what makes them tick. They each have very different stories and it livens up what could be a boring situation to read through.
Which isn’t to say the conference itself isn’t ever interesting. The sheer amount of whining, jockeying for position, and ridiculous formalities add another wrinkle to the story. I liked it!...more
This is definitely going to be turned into a movie sooner or later. It has Hollywood written all over it.
The story is a young Belgian named Adrien de This is definitely going to be turned into a movie sooner or later. It has Hollywood written all over it.
The story is a young Belgian named Adrien de Gerlache is the scion of a well to do Belgian family. He wants to make his mark on the world by doing something daring on the seas. He decides heading to Antarctica is the way to do it. All he needs is some money and a crew. The money was not too hard, but it wasn’t easy. The crew on the other hand…
Belgium was a relatively new country with barely a navy. Gerlache had to piece his crew together but keep a lot of political views in mind. Ultimately, he ended up with some Belgians who were less than qualified to live in a civilized society let alone a boat in the Antarctic. He did end up with some impressive people. Anyone who knows anything about the Arctic/Antarctic will recognize the name of the First Mate, Roald Amundsen.
As with almost literally every Arctic/Antarctic voyage, things go terrible wrong. People die. People go crazy. The ship does become a madhouse at the end of the Earth. Then someone comes up with an insane plan which almost works only for nature to once again show humans who is boss.
I really didn’t know much about Daniel Boone. Of course, any American kid hears about Daniel Boone and him being a frontiersman. I doubt many people kI really didn’t know much about Daniel Boone. Of course, any American kid hears about Daniel Boone and him being a frontiersman. I doubt many people know more than that if you asked them.
Here are some things I learned from this book. Daniel Boone was the closest thing to a superhero or serial killer depending on how you want to interpret his superhuman ability to track other human beings. He also had a daughter who was fantastically capable of giving him, or any American Indian who kidnapped her, a run for their money.
The book’s title focuses on the kidnapping of Jemima Boone, but the book is much more sprawling. The setting is in Kentucky before it was Kentucky. To say the founding of Kentucky was touch and go would be putting it lightly. Matthew Pearl writes a great story and makes the entire thing exciting....more
This is why you should never cheat or help someone else cheat. The significant other may come out of the house and shoot you in cold blood right in thThis is why you should never cheat or help someone else cheat. The significant other may come out of the house and shoot you in cold blood right in the middle of Lafayette Square in D.C. in front of the White House. Sure, that sounds incredibly specific, but it is what happened.
Philip Barton Key was the son of the writer of the Star-Spangled Banner. Barton was a very successful lawyer in his own right. He was also quite the philanderer! This included the wife of Congressman Daniel Sickles. Danny-boy did not appreciate this fact and shot Phil dead.
No, I didn’t spoil the book for you. It’s right in the book jacket. There are plenty more twists and turns to the story and the build up to the event is really well done. Historic true crime can be difficult to write well and DeRose nails it here. The murder ends up being the least interesting part of the book....more
Andrew McMahon has been in a few bands. I am a big fan and took a shot on this one.
I…kind of liked it? Here’s the thing, memoirs are anathema to a hisAndrew McMahon has been in a few bands. I am a big fan and took a shot on this one.
I…kind of liked it? Here’s the thing, memoirs are anathema to a history nerd. The subject is writing about themselves in a generally salacious way. Andrew is 39 and he seems to be working through some things. He’s in therapy and it seems like he is starting to see how he can be difficult with those around him. Also, he doesn’t spill the tea (as the kids say). He often glosses over big moments by not naming names or even naming the songs they inspire.
There is a germ of a very good biography here but written by McMahon everything kind of gets crushed by his overwrought prose and lack of distance from the material. He’s a good writer, but I don’t know that he is the best judge of his own choices.
If you love his stuff, you may like it. If not, I don’t think there is any chance you do....more
There are certain stories which probably only need a short Wikipedia article about them. Now and again, an authThis book could have been much shorter.
There are certain stories which probably only need a short Wikipedia article about them. Now and again, an author sees a way to turn a short story into something worth writing a book about it. Tobey Pearl somehow did this with the first jury trial in America.
Here’s what happened. Four indentured servants decide they don’t like the “indentured” or “servant” part of their job titles. They make a run for it. Unfortunately, they didn’t have what anyone would consider a plan. While stuck in the middle of nowhere, they decide to kill an innocent American Indian to get some food and/or money.
A chase ensues. They get caught (obviously, or the jury trial would be stupid). The trial happens. As you can see, there doesn’t seem to be a book’s worth of material here. You would be wrong.
Pearl puts all of these events in context. The constant state of near war between the American Indians and the colonists. The infighting between the different colonies and even the divides within each colony. The outcome of the trial was far from a sure thing. Pearl fleshes this all out and makes this much more thrilling then it had any right to be....more
The stock market and things of that are ilk are just a dressed-up casino. Michael Lewis would agree!
Lewis (he wrote Moneyball which you may know betteThe stock market and things of that are ilk are just a dressed-up casino. Michael Lewis would agree!
Lewis (he wrote Moneyball which you may know better) takes you through the fall of the Salomon Brothers on Wall Street in the 80s. I’ll give him credit; I hate finance stuff and he still keeps it interesting. It is very clear he could see the excess and bad management from his place in the pecking order and he articulates how things went horribly wrong for the company.
Lewis is a funny writer, but this book will not be for everyone. He does explain the markets and how they came to be as well as how they work. However, if you don’t care at all about the stock market then there isn’t enough of everything else to keep your attention unless stuffy stockbrokers are your bag....more
om Chaffin is a really good writer. His prose is free and easy and he keeps the story moving at a steady pace which can even keep a non-history nerd rom Chaffin is a really good writer. His prose is free and easy and he keeps the story moving at a steady pace which can even keep a non-history nerd riveted.
I do have one overall complaint. The title of the book hinges on the relationship between Lafayette and Jefferson. Ultimately though, their interactions were not frequent and mostly happened through correspondence. Someone who doesn’t know this time in history may find the title misleading even though it was how most relationships during this time period. It’s ultimately minor, but worth pointing out if you are a history newbie.
All of that being said, Chaffin keeps it all interesting. You get the important parts of their lives during this time. Lafayette being too passionate and prideful for his own good. Jefferson being a creepy, slave-owning, and elitist jerk. It’s all I needed!...more
Grandma Gatewood (whom I will call GG from here on out for funsies) just felt like going for a long walk. A 2,050-mile walk. SI feel so lazy and weak.
Grandma Gatewood (whom I will call GG from here on out for funsies) just felt like going for a long walk. A 2,050-mile walk. She didn’t tell her family and she didn’t try and make a big deal out of it. She grabbed the bare necessities (and I mean that in an almost literal sense) and started walking.
Montgomery weaves in previous portions of GG’s life to explain why she might have decided the walk was something she wanted to do. I won’t spoil it, but it’s a convincing argument why GG maybe needed some alone time.
Overall, other than feeling extremely lazy, this book just makes you feel good. You feel good about a woman who wasn’t doing something for publicity. She just wanted to do it. You feel good about the people who helped her along the way. History usually crushes your soul so this is a nice change of pace!...more
Three women worked to kill Nazis and sabotage their plans at every turn. They were very good at it!
World War II produced a ton of stories of ordinary Three women worked to kill Nazis and sabotage their plans at every turn. They were very good at it!
World War II produced a ton of stories of ordinary people putting their lives on the line for what they thought was right. This story puts the spotlight on three young Dutch girls (Hannie was the oldest and in her early 20s, Freddie wasn’t even 15 when the war started). Brady tells the story sparsely in that he does not go into the larger actions of the war in detail which helps keep the story very focused and easy to read. Brady gives you what you need to understand the greater aspect of the war but then returns right back to the lives of Hannie and the sisters.
The most impactful stories are where the spies are actually unsuccessful. These episodes highlight how difficult the work was and that a cruel twist of fate can mean the difference between life and death. Needless to say, not everyone gets a happy ending. You could argue that there aren’t any at all....more
Let’s get this out of the way. If you don’t remember Crime and Punishment or never read it, you will still like this book. I would assume it might enhLet’s get this out of the way. If you don’t remember Crime and Punishment or never read it, you will still like this book. I would assume it might enhance the book if you have, but I don’t even remember reading it and I fared fine. Be warned, there is an introduction which lays out all the prevailing philosophies of Dostoevsky’s time. Don’t worry, this is just Birmingham setting the stage. I wouldn’t read a philosophy book, and this is thankfully not one.
Kevin Birmingham writes a biography of the writer Fyodor Dostoevsky and a shorter biography of French murderer Pierre-Francois Lacenaire. Lacenaire’s story planted the seed which would become one of literature’s greatest works. He was a very sick dude, by the way.
Dostoevsky’s life is…. really sad. He’s unlucky, self-destructive, and yet an amazing writer as time has proven. His life isn’t all sad, but I won’t ruin the good parts. This book is a good journey....more
Some people just get better at everything when an emergency happens. Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of those people.
In the history of Arctic and AntarcSome people just get better at everything when an emergency happens. Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of those people.
In the history of Arctic and Antarctic exploration, the expeditions get a little silly after the poles were discovered. It then became a race of the first to do this, or the first to do that. For the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition, the goal was to go across all of Antarctica. Why? Because no one else had done it. What does that accomplish? Shut up, that’s what.
What happens when you sail a wooden boat towards the poles? Generally, they get crushed. The Endurance was one of those ships. I won’t spoil any more than that.
Books which were written decades ago can be very dicey. Vernacular changes, people’s viewpoints change, and it can make a great book look pedestrian. Endurance is not one of those books. Lansing’s work is timeless in its simplicity and focus. Along with Walter Lord’s A Night to Remember, also from the 1950s, this book is amazing regardless of when you read it....more
Leave it to Florida to once again give us something to talk about. Unfortunately, this story is not funny in the least.
We Carry Their Bones by Erin KiLeave it to Florida to once again give us something to talk about. Unfortunately, this story is not funny in the least.
We Carry Their Bones by Erin Kimmerle is an important book with some riveting information. The book tells the story of the Dozier School in Florida where numerous children were sent to be tortured and killed some mostly minor offenses. Kimmerle and her team are ultimately called upon to investigate the unmarked graves at the school to bring closure to numerous families over the 100 years the school was open.
The good parts are very good. I liked hearing about Kimmerle’s own experience before this episode in her life which gives a lot of context around who she is. I absolutely loved the science and the process of excavating the school. It showed an extreme measure of care and illuminates the parts shows TV shows cut out. The stories of the boys and what happened to them are heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, there are a few missteps in the narrative which I feel really hamper the book’s flow. It certainly seems Kimmerle intended to settle some scores. Specifically, a blogger is mentioned multiple times as a hindrance in her work. While he certainly seems like a pain and devoid of empathy, he also seems mostly tangential. The book doesn’t explain how much of a problem he really ended up being. If he was so easily swept aside, then it would have been prudent to just ignore him entirely. There are also strange asides which seem out of nowhere. A crack about a relative makes about Catholics makes it into the book without a clear link. There is also a section in the end of the book with a rant on mansplaining. Kimmerle and her team did righteous work in the face of some strong opposition. These examples seem beneath her.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the book for the most part and am happy people like Kimmerle and her team exist to bring the closure these families needed....more
I never thought it could happen, but it did. This is a great historical true crime book, and no one gets murdered!
The Scandalous Hamiltons by Bill ShaI never thought it could happen, but it did. This is a great historical true crime book, and no one gets murdered!
The Scandalous Hamiltons by Bill Shaffer follows the story of Alexander Hamilton descendant, Robert Ray, and his wife, Eva after a stabbing. Actually, some of that previous sentence is not actually true, but I won’t spoil it for you.
I can’t remember the last time a book had so many false endings. Multiple times I found myself wondering, “Well, this is clearly the end, why are there more chapters?” Each time, I quickly realized it was not over.
Shaffer tells a wonderful story which exposes just how an episode most of us never heard of could be so popular in its own time just to fade into obscurity.
The moral of the story is still universal. Be careful who you marry. Also, maybe double check that birth certificate.
(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley.)...more
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