The History Book Club discussion

Michele, this is your thread for 2019. I have included the link to the required format thread and an example. If you had a 2018 thread - it will be archived so when you get the opportunity move over your completed books and formats to the 2019 thread - but we will allow time for you to do that.

Please follow the standard required format below - I hope you enjoy your reading in 2019. Here is also a link for assistance with the required guidelines:

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Our Required Format:

JANUARY

1. by Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: January 2019
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

IMPORTANT - THE REVIEW SHOULD BE SHORT AND SWEET - THERE ARE NO LINKS OF ANY KIND IN THE BODY OF THE REVIEW ALLOWED. NONE. DO NOT REFER TO ANY OTHER BOOK IN YOUR BRIEF REVIEW. THE ONLY BOOK CITED IN YOUR REVIEW IS THE ONE YOU ARE REVIEWING - NO OTHERS. ALL LINKS TO OTHER THREADS OR REVIEWS ARE DELETED IMMEDIATELY - THERE WILL BE NO WARNING. WE CONSIDER THIS SELF PROMOTION AND IT IS NOT ALLOWED AND IS IN VIOLATION OF OUR RULES AND GUIDELINES.

Michele, I am archiving your 2018 thread. I will provide the link here in case there are any 2018 books that you have completed and have not yet posted for 2018.

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

This is your 2019 thread where everybody begins with a new and clean slate. Happy Reading.

Thank you, Bentley!

JANUARY

1. by Kakuzō Okakura
Finish date: January 2019
Genre: Japan, history, classics, food and drink
Rating: A
Review: The Book of Tea is about tea, of course, but its also about so much more. The prose in this book is so lyrical that it is beautiful.

2. by C.E. Guldenschuh (no photo)
Finish date: January 2019
Genre; poetry
Rating: B+
Review: Lovely poems. This book is by a late friend of mine. I finally got your book, Curt!

3. by Susan Cain
Finish date: January 2019
Genre: psychology, self help
Rating: A
Review: If you are an introvert, you will see yourself though out this book. If you are an extrovert, read this book. It will help you understand the introverts in your life.

4. by Alison Matthews David
Finish date: January 2019
Genre: history, culture, fashion
Rating: B
Review: Death by clothing! or hair accessories or.... a sobering, scary tale of dangerous clothing. Toxins, fire and strangulation, not just a thing of the past, but still a present danger.

You are welcome Michelle and you are off to a great start.

5. by Susan Orlean
Finish date: January 2019
Genre: Library, history, California, USA
Rating: A
Review: Loved this book! It is about the Great Los Angeles Public library fire that happened in 1986. Its also about the history of this library and of libraries in general.

FEBRUARY

6. by Robin Whiteman (no photo)
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: gardens, history, medieval history
Rating: B
Review: Good look at a Medieval Monastery Herb Garden via Brother Cadfael, but with roots in the reality of such gardens. Also goes though the herbs that would have been grown in these gardens along with the use of the herbs. I was surprised that neither chamomile or oregano were mentioned as Cadfael would have known and used both, but I guess they didn't come up in the series.

Good progress

7. by Brian Dilg (no photo)
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: photography, science, cognition
Rating: B+
Review: The elements of good photography and how the human eye/brain perceives the world, all in this short book. Well done!

8. by Joseph Campbell
Finish date: February 2019
Genre; mythology
Rating: A
Review: Joseph Campbell was working on this Atlas when he passed away. The foundation has done a good job of getting this together with whatever Campbell left. This Prologue goes though creation myths. Interesting to compare them all.

9. by Joseph Campbell
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: mythology
Rating: A
Review: This part of the Atlas goes though the painted caves of Europe though the rock art of southern Africa to the trance dancing of the Bushman and the Kung. Good stuff.

10. by Joseph Campbell
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: mythology
Rating: A
Review: Covers the mythologic differences between the Forest and the plains. Focuses on Pygmy from the Congo Basin of Africa and the Andamanes of the Bay of Bengal. I was a bit ambivalent about the inclusion of the Tasaday of the Philippines. But at the time JC was writing this, the hoax hadn't be discovered yet. The editors chose to leave it in, as it gives us a glimpse into Campbells thought processes. More good stuff!

Good progress

11. by Joseph Campbell
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: art, mythology
Rating: B+
Review: This book does go over some of the same territory as some earlier ones. It does go into cross culture references. I think the last chapter is the best one as it is the most interesting.

12. by Stith Thompson
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: folklore, mythology, Native american
Rating: C
Review: This is a compilation that is divided into themes (example: the animal spouse). Seems to have almost every NA tribe's tales or as many as possible. Can be hard to get though.

13. by Jordanna Max Brodsky
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: fiction
Rating: A-
Review: Combines Norse and Inuit mythology and has an engaging protagonist. The writing draws you in.

You are moving along.

Yup Thanks>

14.. by Elaine Pagels
Finish date: February 2019
Genre; memoir, religion
Rating" B+
Review: A look at why people turn to religion though the lens of Pagels' life and her personal and devastating losses. It took courage for her to write this book and I salute her for doing this.

15. by Julie Lindahl (no photo)
Finish date: February 2019
Genre: memoir, history
Rating: B+
Review: This book is the result of a generation that refuses to accept the guilt and consequences for their horrific actions; along with the next generation, both traumatized and terrorized, that refuses to acknowledge it; and the generation after that which is left with instinctual shame fueled by questions they are not allowed to ask. Julie Lindahl tackles this as she traces her family's Nazi past across decades and continents.

MARCH

16. by Sally Beauman
Finish date: March 2019
Genre: fiction, historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: Enjoyed this trip to the discovery of King Tut's tomb. I did have a problem with some of the going back and forth between "modern" era and the 1920's as it could be jarring with no notice of the change.

17. by Steven Saylor
Finish date: March 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B
Review: Last of the Ancient World threesome with a young Gordianus and Bethesda.

Great progress Michele

18. by Peter Heather
Finish date: March 2019
Genre: history
Rating: C+
Review: This book was so dense with info that I had to skim and skip around. Its more about the barbarians than the empire. Not a book to read straight though.

APRIL

19. by Jules Verne
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: fiction, science fiction
Rating: B-
Review: A grand adventure under the water!

Read most of this yesterday during a power outage. Some drunken idiot in a suv, hit a powerpole on a major street at 11:45 pm saturday night taking out the power for over 300 homes. We didn't get power back until 6:30 pm sunday.

Great Michelle - sorry about your power outage - how did you read it - by candle light or by battery operated light?

BTW - you already have 58 unique people reading your reviews.

Read it by daylight! Had a nice sunny day and couldn't do much else.

I imagine that was a tough day.

20. by Steven Saylor
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: B
Review: This one sees Gordinus and his family deal with bad neighbors and Catilina's end.

21. by Jay Rubenstein (no photo)
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: history
Rating: B
Review: The typical interpretation of the Crusades is all wrong. At least that's what the author sets out to prove to us. The book presents the Crusades as a direct outgrowth of the anticipation (not paranoia) of the Apocalypse. Which is different than the usual penance and glory interpretation. I think the best chapter is the last one. "The Ongoing Madness of Antichrist" takes everything the book has set up, and shows how the same themes are running around today.

22. by Steven Saylor
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B
Review: How far would you go to protect the ones you love? Murder even? This is the core question Gordinanus has to find a answer for. Poison, betrayals and long held secrets in the dying days of the Roman Republic of 56 bce.

23. by Deborah Blum
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: science, history, true crime
Rating: B
Review: This book is a mix of science, true crime, and history. The author traces the story of the development of forensic toxicology and its pioneers Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler in the Medical Examiner's office in NYC. Each chapter deals with a type of poison and the effort to detect them.

Michele wrote: "23. by Deborah Blum
Finish date: April 20..."

Michele, a nice review. I just finished this book too, and was struck by the dramatic changes that Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler brought to forensic medicine.

24. by Giorgio van Straten (no photo)
Finish date: April 2019
Genre; books about books, nonfiction
Rating: B
Review: A wonderful little book about "lost" works of literature: texts that went missing, were stolen, or deliberately destroyed, and were never published.

25. by Steven Saylor
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: B+
Review: Its 52 bce and Rome is a state of turmoil, being pulled apart by gangs run by two men, Publius Clodius Pulcher and Titus Annius Milo Papianus. When Clodius is murdered on the Appian Way by Milo's men, the city explodes with riots, arson and the Senate House is burned. Gordianus is charged by Pompey the Great to find out what happened. Its interesting that the chaos on the streets is mirrored by upheaval in Gordianus' own house.

26. by Julia Shaw (no photo)
Finish date: April 2019
Genre; psychology, science
Rating: C
Review: I wanted to like this book. I really did. But I can't. It is a popular science book but the subtile " The Science Behind Humanity's Dark Side" should really be " Why Nothing is Really Evil." Does it have science? Yes it does have some, but that gets lost in the author either talking about herself or moralizing to the reader. Even the last chapter, "And I Said Nothing," which, I feel, was the best, couldn't get away from the moralizing.

27. by Katherine Arden
Finish date: April 2019
Genre: historical fiction, fantasy
Rating: B
Review: I liked this book, flaws and all. Its really two books crammed into one with two climaxes. I understand that the author wanted to fold her story into the great historic battle that was the beginning of Russia. That part fell flat though.

Michelle, very interesting reviews.

Thanks Lorna!

MAY

28. by Steven Saylor
Date read: May 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B
Review: It's 49 bce and Julius Cesar and his troops have just crossed the Rubicon and are on their way to Rome. Cesar's rival, Gnaeus Pompey is leaving the city. Pompey's relative, Numerius is found murdered in Gordianus's garden. Pompey takes Gordianus' son-in-law hostage in order to force Gordianus to find out who killed Numerius. Not the best in the series, but still a decent read.

29. by Steven Saylor
Date read: May 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B+
Review: 49 bce and the Roman world is torn apart by war. Cesar and Pompey are fighting and no one is allowed to be neutral. Gordianus has received a note indicating that his son, Meto, may have died in Massilia (modern, Marsille), while being Cesar's double agent. Gordianus and his son-in-law, Davus, leave and arrive at Massilia, which is holding out against Cesar. They find a way into Massilia. The ending and how Gordianus deals with his estranged son is interesting.

30. by Steven Saylor
Date read: May 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B
Review: Its 49/48 bce and Gordianus is back in Rome after the events in Massilia. An Alexerderian actress/seer woman is poisoned and dies in his arms. He feels compelled to solve the mystery of her death. The story is told in alternating chapters between flashbacks and current events. It is focused on what the important women of Rome were doing while all the men (Caesar, Pompey, Antony) are out fighting. I did like the focus on the women of Rome and the author makes a good point that we don't know much about them.

31. by Steven Saylor
Date read: May 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B+
Review: 48 BCE. Caesar and Pompey are both in Egypt. Cleopatra and Ptolemy have a sibling rivalry that has triggered a civil war. Into this dangerous situation, comes Gordianus, who is seeking a cure for his wife, Bethseda, in the sacred waters of the Nile. But things don't go as planned for Gordianus and he finds himself trying to prove the innocence of Meto, the son he once disowned. I like the pacing of this one and found it to be a good read.

32. by Don N. Hagist (no photo)
Date read: May 2019
Genre: US history, American Revolution, biography
Rating: B
Review: In 1863/64, Rev. Hillard set out to interview the last men who had fought in the US Revolution. It was the height of the Civil War and Hillard was motivated by patriotism and not history. Hagist has taken Hillard's work further and used intensive historical research to fill in the gaps and inconstancies in the stories the men told about their service. The book includes photos of the veterans, lithographs of the homes and drawings of what they would have looked like during the Revolution. This book was a great look into the history of both the US Revolution and to some extent, attitudes about the Civil War.

33. by Steven Saylor
Date read: May 2019
Genre: historical fiction, mystery
Rating: B+
Review: Rome. 44bce. The Ides of March are approaching. Julius Caesar has been appointed dictator for life. Gordianus has been raised to Equestrian rank. One morning, both Cicero and Caesar summon him with the same request. To keep an ear out and see if there are any conspiracies against Caesar's life. Oh, and Caesar appoints Gordianus a Senator. Naturally, Gordianus can't find anything, but he is there to witness the assassination of Caesar. But on the day of the funeral for Caesar, Cinna the poet is brutally killed. At first it looks like a mistaken identity, but as Gordianus digs into this, he finds out that Cinna was wanted dead by some very powerful women in Rome. I enjoyed the last book in the series, but there are a few threads left open, Like what will Meto do now that Caesar is dead. Why and how did Eco move his family to the Bay of Naples.

34. by Elie Wiesel
Date read: May 2019
Genre: non-fiction, fiction, WWII
Rating: A-
Review: At first, I didn't understand why an autobiographical story would be included with two fiction stories, but after reading all three, I understand why. Dawn and Day almost seem to be potential lives after the events of Night. They are well written.

35. by Weam Namou
Date read: May 2019
Genre: psychology, mythology
Rating: B
Review: This was a goodreads give-away win.

Beautiful book with the tales of all the Mesopotamian Goddesses along with thoughts and commentary from the author.

Wonderful progress, Michelle. The book by Eli Wiesel looks like something that I would like to read. I have recently been hearing a lot about his books. Nice review.

by Elie Wiesel

Thanks, Lorna. I would recommend reading Wiesel, if you can.