Book Nook Cafe discussion

Use this thread to tell us about your book haul !

What interesting books did you pick up from the library, online or book store?

Did you get some good recommendations from one of these sources?

We'd like to hear all about it!

Michele mentioned this book in her 2024 challenge thread. My library doesn't have it. However, since today is 2x Kindle Rewards day, I decided to purchase it.

Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power by Andrew Nagorski

Hitler’s rise to power, Germany’s march to the abyss, as seen by Americans€”diplomats, military, expats, visiting authors, Olympic athletes€”who watched horrified and up close.Some of the Americans in Hitler’s Germany were merely casual observers, others deliberately blind, a few were Nazi apologists. But most began slowly to understand what was unfolding, even when they found it difficult to grasp the breadth of the catastrophe.Among the journalists, William Shirer understood what was happening. Edgar Mowrer, Dorothy Thompson, and Sigrid Schultz, reporters, were alarmed. Consul General George Messersmith distinguished. Truman Smith, the first American official to meet Hitler, was an astute political observer. Historian William Dodd, who FDR tapped as ambassador in Berlin, left disillusioned; his daughter Martha scandalized the embassy with her procession of lovers, Nazis she took up with; she ended as a Soviet spy.On the scene were George Kenn

Alias Reader wrote: "Michele mentioned this book in her 2024 challenge thread. My library doesn't have it. However, since today is 2x Kindle Rewards day, I decided to purchase it. ..."

You jumped right on that, Alias. I sought out some of the books Michele listed at my library, too. I'm glad you found a copy. Enjoy!

My library doesn't have this eBook so I decided to purchase
The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman

Just $5 currently on Amazon for the eBook.

I think I'm in a bird mood today. When I was doing my exercise walk I heard some unfamiliar bird singing. I looked up and there was a beautiful cardinal.

I wish the iPhone had a zoom lens. This image from Google will have to do.

I enjoy bird listening but can identify few. The cardinal, robin & blue jay are three of the few.

Enjoy the book, Alias.

Thanks, deb !

I just saw that Amazon has the Kindle version of the Pulitzer Prize winning book and Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction Books
The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman on sale for $2.

I couldn't pass that up as I also had a credit for $1.50.

Today is also 2 times Kindle Reward day.

Amazon is having a sale on non fiction Kindle books.

I purchased for $2
A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters by Andrew H. Knoll

Harvard’s acclaimed geologist “charts Earth’s history in accessible style” (AP)

“A sublime chronicle of our planet." –Booklist, STARRED review

How well do you know the ground beneath your feet?

Alias Reader wrote: "I just saw that Amazon has the Kindle version of the Pulitzer Prize winning book and Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction Books
[book:The Guns of August|40779..."

Tuchman was a gifted writer with a pleasing grasp for history, major & minor. Sadly, i didn't get far into Guns, although i had a hardback copy. Ultimately, i purged it in one of our moves. I hope you make the time to read it, Alias. No doubt it will be rewarding.

Alias Reader wrote: "Amazon is having a sale on non fiction Kindle books.

I purchased for $2
[book:A Brief History of Earth: Four Bil..."

This sounds perfect for me. I sometimes wonder as we travel, what happened there a thousand+ years ago. I love that subtitle!

madrano wrote:

"Tuchman was a gifted writer with a pleasing grasp for history, major & minor. Sadly, i didn't get far into Guns, although i had a hardback copy. Ultimately, i purged it in one of our moves. I hope you make the time to read it, Alias. No doubt it will be rewarding."

I've had my eye on this book as it seems it's always referenced when someone is writing about WWI. I'm not as familiar with WWI and I am with WWII so I hope to fill in some gaps.

I've always put the book off due to its size. Yes, I know, there is no accounting for my large book phobia. :)

Maybe we need to look at it as a time phobia, fear of wasting our time on a honkin' big book, only to be let down by it?

madrano wrote: "Maybe we need to look at it as a time phobia, fear of wasting our time on a honkin' big book, only to be let down by it?"

I think I find very big tomes go into too much minutia for me.

Once upon a time, i thrived on reading those details. I suppose because i was still learning about the world, cities, rooms, interests and more. Today, however, unless it's important to the subject or plot, i feel i'm mentally tapping my foot, waiting for the book to progress. Mostly, i end up passing on reading them...but not necessarily adding them to my TBR, "just in case" i want a deeper dive. *shrug*¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I've been reading so slowly this year that large tomes are out of the question.

Sorry to hear that, Shomeret. There are some of the larger books that i really want to read but, when i do, seem to go too slow. I'm never sure if it's me or the writing, though. Lately, it seems i'm impatient with most books, and it will seem as though i've been reading them much longer than i really have.

I'm not sure what's up with that, but i do not like that feeling.

I just saw that
Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space by Carl Sagan

Is on sale for $2 for the Kindle version. So I purchased it.

It's so sad that Sagan has passed away at only 62.

True. On the other hand, he shared so much and ignited a passion in many people. How many of us can lay claim to that?

Very true. I guess with the sorry state of our planet, I felt he would have been a good voice to have out there. Though just today there was a survey I saw mentioned on TV. They noted climate change didn't even make the list. :(

Remarkable.

I saw someone recommend this book online. I went to Amazon and saw the Kindle version is on sale for $2. So I purchased it. It's an older book first published in 1965. Then it was updated and revised in 1984.

The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town 1922-1945 by William Sheridan Allen

“Tells us how Nazism happened, in microcosm, in a single German town that was neither typical nor exceptional in admitting and then yielding to tyranny.” —The New York Times

This sounds very good, Alias. Thank you for the info. My library has an audio of it but not an eBook version. I'm put my name on the "Notify Me" list, in case they opt for it.

Deb, it sounded like a unique perspective.

Also for $2....why not.

Of course!

Introducing the Amazon Book Sale—a new shopping event with deals on thousands of books, starting May 15

What is Amazon Book Sale?
Amazon Book Sale is a new six-day shopping event for readers in the U.S. with deals on thousands of books across a wide selection of genres. Customers will save up to 50% on print best sellers and up to 80% on Kindle Books.

When is Amazon Book Sale?
The new savings event will take place May 15-20, but early deals start today.

-----Full article
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/book...

Is anyone buying any books or eBooks on the big Amazon sale?
Today is the last day.

I'll check out the sales again today. Generally I buy books that I want to read but my library doesn't have eBook. Sometimes if it's a book I will refer to again for motivation like Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones I'll buy that. Also if a book is huge and I don't want to feel pressured to read it quickly, I'll also buy it.

So far I've purchased a book recommended by someone here at BNC.

China After Mao: The Rise of a Superpower by Frank Dikötter

Good deal but i refuse to look! LOL, i cannot afford to add the way i'd like. We'll need an extra bedroom just for books when we finally settle down.

madrano wrote: "Good deal but i refuse to look! LOL, i cannot afford to add the way i'd like. We'll need an extra bedroom just for books when we finally settle down."

I've gone almost 100% eBooks. No problem with storage. ;)

This would frustrate me, i fear. I like (& miss) looking at my books. It also helps me figure out what to read next. I don't think i'll purchase ebooks. Then again, i didn't think i'd read them, either, so who knows?

I purchased this Kindle book for $3 today as it was a Amazon sale.

Kennedy: The Classic Biography: Deluxe Modern Classic (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) Author: Sorensen, Ted September, 2013 by Theodore C. Sorensen
"“A brilliant and essential document,”
Kennedy: The Classic Biography is the intimate, #1 national bestseller by JFK’s great advisor Ted Sorensen."

Well done, Alias.

Thanks, deb. Heaven knows when I'll get around to reading this 800 page behemoth. lol

I have an autobiography on one of the Kennedy’s I’ll try and find that I recommend! It touches a lot more on the mental health and the stress of being part of such a well known family, and some of the history, secrets and mistakes the family has made. I can’t quite remember which Kennedy it was, I’ll have to look around!

Interesting, Somer, i’d be interested in the title. Being part of some well known families must be challenging to some members.

Alias Reader wrote: "Thanks, deb. Heaven knows when I'll get around to reading this 800 page behemoth. lol"

No kidding. However, it sounds thorough.

Somer wrote: "I have an autobiography on one of the Kennedy’s I’ll try and find that I recommend! It touches a lot more on the mental health and the stress of being part of such a well known family, and some of ..."

Welcome to Book Nook Cafe, Somer !

I look forward to your recommendation.

I see you are reading, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma

You may be interested in The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté

I thought it was excellent.

Somer wrote: "I have an autobiography on one of the Kennedy’s I’ll try and find that I recommend! It touches a lot more on the mental health and the stress of being part of such a well known family, and some of ..."

Possibly Moments of Clarity by Christopher Lawford?

Somer wrote:
"I have an autobiography on one of the Kennedy’s I’ll try and find that I recommend! It touches a lot more on the mental health and the stress of being part of such a well known family, and some of ..."
-----------------
James wrote:
Possibly Moments of Clarity by Christopher Lawford?

That must be hard to grow up in such a prominent family. Sorry to see he passed away at 63 of a heart attack. :(

I'm visiting my mother up north soon. As she's a fan of historical fiction, I bought a copy of Finding Dorothy as a gift; saw it on the New Fiction library shelf as inspiration - anyone here familiar with the story?

Sorry ! I'm not familiar with the author or the book.

Enjoy the visit with your mom !

I thought this book might be of interest to some here.

I purchased this eBook on Amazon for $2.

The Fear and the Freedom: How the Second World War Changed Us by Keith Lowe

Bestselling historian Keith Lowe's The Fear and the Freedom looks at the astonishing innovations that sprang from WWII and how they changed the world.

The Fear and the Freedom is Keith Lowe’s follow-up to Savage Continent. While that book painted a picture of Europe in all its horror as WWII was ending, The Fear and the Freedom looks at all that has happened since, focusing on the changes that were brought about because of WWII—simultaneously one of the most catastrophic and most innovative events in history. It killed millions and eradicated empires, creating the idea of human rights, and giving birth to the UN. It was because of the war that penicillin was first mass-produced, computers were developed, and rockets first sent to the edge of space. The war created new philosophies, new ways of living, new architecture: this was the era of Le Corbusier, Simone de Beauvoir and Chairman Mao.

But amidst the waves of revolution and idealism there were also fears of globalization, a dread of the atom bomb, and an unexpressed longing for a past forever gone. All of these things and more came about as direct consequences of the war and continue to affect the world that we live in today. The Fear and the Freedom is the first book to look at all of the changes brought about because of WWII. Based on research from five continents, Keith Lowe’s The Fear and the Freedom tells the very human story of how the war not only transformed our world but also changed the very way we think about ourselves.

John wrote: "I'm visiting my mother up north soon. As she's a fan of historical fiction, I bought a copy of Finding Dorothy as a gift; saw it on the New Fiction library shelf as inspiration - an..."

John, i read this book two or so years ago, partly because it mentions Aberdeen, South Dakota, where we lived during the '80s. The main character's mother, Matilda Joslyn Gage ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda...), was a well known local woman, who lived with L. Frank & Maud while there. She was an avid feminist and her recreated parlor was part of the county museum.

ANYway, the film WoO has been a favorite since i was a kid, as well, so i couldn't pass this up. In all it was a nice book with a story which pleased me. No drama, really, just fine. The only warning i would give is that many readers do not like chapters which bounce around in time & this one waffles between California and Maud's early life. It didn't bother me, indeed, my notes indicate i like that. :-)

I hope your mom does, too.

PS, i have read another Elizabeth Letts book, the nonfiction The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America, which i liked better.

Alias Reader wrote: "I thought this book might be of interest to some here.

I purchased this eBook on Amazon for $2...."

This sounds like a good topic. I suppose, historically speaking, many wars change society in the aftermath. In addition to other things, i know WWI is known to have heavily bent England's entitled society. It's a topic well worth exploring. I hope you like it.

madrano wrote: "John wrote: "I'm visiting my mother up north soon. As she's a fan of historical fiction, I bought a copy of Finding Dorothy as a gift; saw it on the New Fiction library shelf as ins..."

Many thanks! I'm sure she'll be fine with the timelines.

Terrific, John.

My mom was pleased with it. She bought the Kindle edition of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store that same day.

I'm glad to hear the book was a winner.

I hope she enjoys Heaven & Earth. The writing is top notch.

Thanks for sharing that info, John. She must enjoy reading quite a bit, too.

Just wanted to give a heads-up this book is on sale for Kindle. $4

I picked up a copy for our U.S. President bio challenge. I also like that it has a focus on the 1950s too.

The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s by William I. Hitchcock

The New York Times–bestselling biography: a “complete and powerful assessment” of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency (Booklist, starred review).

Drawing on newly declassified documents and thousands of pages of unpublished material, The Age of Eisenhower tells the story of a masterful president guiding the nation through the great crises of the 1950s, from McCarthyism and the Korean War through civil rights turmoil and Cold War conflicts. This is a portrait of a skilled leader who, despite his conservative inclinations, found a middle path through the bitter partisanship of his era.

At home, Eisenhower affirmed the central elements of the New Deal, such as Social Security; fought the demagoguery of Senator Joseph McCarthy; and advanced the agenda of civil rights for African-Americans. Abroad, he ended the Korean War and avoided a new quagmire in Vietnam. Yet he also charted a significant expansion of America’s missile technology and deployed a vast array of covert operations around the world to confront the challenge of communism. As he left office, he cautioned Americans to remain alert to the dangers of a powerful military-industrial complex that could threaten their liberties.

Today, presidential historians rank Eisenhower fifth on the list of great presidents, and William Hitchcock’s “rich narrative” shows us why Ike’s stock has risen so high. He was a gifted leader, a decent man of humble origins who used his powers to advance the welfare of all Americans (The Wall Street Journal).

Plenty of controversy now about the era, but at the time, so many were grateful to him & our recovery.