The History Book Club discussion

Cheryl K, here is your new thread for 2012.

Our Format:

JANUARY

1. Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: March 2008
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review or a Few Words about book: 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.

Note: I will delete required format post once you get started.

JANUARY


1. Adam Mansbach
Finish date: January 7, 2012
Genre: Humor / Children's books (for parents only...)
Rating: A+
Review: I hope this book counts, and I promise I won't clutter my 50 books read with really short books, but this book deserves to be highlighted! It is a must read for any parent who has ever thought these words (and I think we all have...). The poetry is well done, and the book is written as a wonderful parody of children's books. The illustrations are also beautiful, as well as being an additional element of the parody. As an added bonus, I highly recommend everyone go to this Youtube link and listen to the amazing reading of this book done by the inimitable Samuel L. Jackson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3Uwbp...

I read this book before New Years eve, hilarious.

MARCH


2. Mark Twain
Finish Date: March 3, 2012
Genre: Memoir
Rating: B+
Review: (I'm off to a slow start this year thanks to a stressful work year, but I'll make up time during the summer.) A wonderful journey down the Mississippi with someone who lived the adventure. Lovers of sarcasm will not be disappointed for with Twain it abounds in spades! Twain is typically Twain in this wonderful mix of straight-forward narration interfused with a lifetime of memories and stories of life on the river. Every town is punctuated with a tall tale or an anecdote of the history of the region.

3. Lauren Willig
Finish Date: March 15, 2012
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: B
Review: This novel is a bit genre bending. This book is not billed as a romance but it probably should be. That is not a disparaging remark - I happen to like historical romances - but the romance takes up most of the plot time, as opposed to daring capers. It's also a bit of historical fantasy, combining historical characters from Napoleon's First Consulate in 1803 with fictional ones. The author places a fun little reference in the book that refers to Napoleon's image of himself as a conquering Roman. It's a fun read, with several strong female characters, and fans of The Scarlet Pimpernel, from which this novel borrows characters and plot lines, will not be disappointed. By the middle of the book I could not put it down. Some of the plot turns were very predictable, but there were also a few well placed surprises. The writing is for the most part even, with a few nice images as well. Most of the plot was believable, but there was one part at the end that bothered me as a missed point - I've put it in the spoiler below. I especially liked that the author included a page at the end in which she details which parts of history she took liberties with (not much). Overall a fun read, and I plan on picking up the sequel.

(view spoiler)[Near the end, there is much talk of needing to get Richard out of the country since his identity has been revealed. However, the head of the police also saw the faces of Amy and Richard's mother as they rescued him from the prison. Why was the mother able to stay in Paris (they were planning on Amy staying as well until she insisted on leaving with Richard), but not Richard? I would think all three would be at the top of the most wanted list. (hide spoiler)]

4. J.M. Tohline
Finish Date: March 17, 2012
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: B
Review: After page 50 or so I couldn't stop - read it in two days. Nice easy prose style and well-developed characters all around. Certainly borrows heavily from Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald but eliminates the elements of Gatsby that I didn't like and found unrealistic. A little too heavy on the "if only I had known" foreshadowing, but other parts of plot foreshadowing are nicely placed. Richard and Lenore are nice reflections of each other - everyone is drawn to Lenore, and everyone feels at ease with and opens up to Richard. The character of Richard is nicely drawn as the outsider who slips in and fits in right away. Great ocean imagery and descriptions - I could just see it out the window. I do, however, want to redecorate and get rid of the salmon-colored chair. :)

5. by Sally Bedell Smith
Finish Date: March 21, 2012
Genre: Biography
Rating: A-
Review: Very well written - a nice even, readable style. The author does a great job of mixing the historical dates and places and names with personal information, anecdotes, and details of everyday life. She takes the outsider's opinion of the Queen as stuffy and unemotional and proves them wrong with a myriad of examples and citations from those who know the Queen personally. The historical details are smoothly addressed and inserted into the prose - my lack of knowledge of certain periods and prime ministers was nicely filled in. A great read.

I think what surprised and impressed me the most about this book is the massive amount of research that went into it, and how seamlessly all of that research was brought together. Citation after citation from people with a personal knowledge of the Queen (and the Royal Family) was woven smoothly into the narrative of the text - Sally makes it look effortless, though it must have been a massive undertaking.

Lastly, I also liked the information Sally provided about those surrounding the Queen, especially her family members. She paints a picture of the people who most influence and are influenced by the Queen, and gives just enough detail to fill in most people's gaps in knowledge while not also writing several secondary biographies in one.

APRIL


6. William Stillman
Finish Date: April 4, 2012
Genre: Psychology / Parenting / Autism
Rating: B+
Review: A very good introduction to the signs, symptoms and behaviors of autistic children. The information in this book seems based more on a communicative child, however, and I don't think most of the book would be very useful to a parent of a child with severe autism, although there are very good suggestions and references for all areas of the spectrum. The author has Aspergers, and therefore has great insight on what goes through the mind of an autistic person - the advice is thoughtful and sound. A great reference for parents, and great advice on how to deal with parenting issues such as discipline and behavioral therapy. I especially recommend this book for anyone who has contact (parents, family, teachers) with anyone with higher functioning Autism.

By the way, this book made interesting reading along side by Jodi Picoult. I'm halfway through and I found it interesting to compare Jacob's behavior to the information presented in this book.

7. Jodi Picoult

Finish Date: April 8, 2012
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A
Review: An excellent read from beginning to end. The novel switches first person point of view for each chapter, which I personally was tripped up by a few times, but that's my own issue - the author uses the technique very well and to great advantage. I found one section in the second quarter of the book a bit difficult to read - emotionally, that is: Picoult very expertly conveys the mother's feelings of helplessness and fear. The CSI and Aspergers elements were thoroughly and precisely researched. I highly recommend this novel!

8. Harper Lee

Finish Date: April 22, 2012
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: A+
Review: This novel is even more amazing on the re-read. If you read it in high school, pick it up again. The point of view is used to astounding perfection - the author gives us just enough information from Scout's perspective for the reader to really see what is going on, and to keep Scout innocent at the same time. Some of her observations when interpreted are just hilarious, where the same statements made in a straightforward manner would not be funny at all. The study of racism and how the various characters deal with and react to it is just as poignant today, even 50 years after civil rights. I cried with Jem at the end of the trial, knowing that while a lot has changed, not enough has. There is a wonderful bit at the end where Scout recounts the major events of the book from another important character's perspective. This may just be the perfect novel.

One of the great classics,Cheryl and one of the few books that translated well to film. I may have to re-read it.

MAY

9. William Stillman

Finish Date: May 20, 2012
Genre: Psychology / Parenting / Autism
Rating: B
Review: Another good book on autism spectrum from William Stillman. The advice in the book is excellent and well-organized, especially the section about school, special education, and IEPs. The organization is reminiscent of the "for Dummies" books, and nicely highlights important points and definitions/clarifications. An excellent guide for parents or relatives who are just learning of their loved one's diagnosis. A last note - the author is especially good at giving advice on dealing with a spectrum diagnosis with compassion, sensitivity, and respect for the privacy of the child diagnosed. There is at the end of the book a very good section on the possible problems in dealing with law enforcement officals that reminds me very much of by Jodi Picoult

Cheryl, great progress and thank you for following the required format.

:) Thanks for the vote of confidence...my recently taken-on studies have certainly cut into my spare reading time. When I've covered all the chapters, I'll add the 6th edition of my APA manual to this list too!

JULY


10. Colleen McCullough

Finish Date: July 11, 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A
Review: This novel is an excellent, detailed, inside look into Caesar's early career, rise to power, and accumulation of enemies. The book, as the title suggests, has a thematic focus on the women in Caesar's life and how they influence him. McCullough is a brilliant writer with a keen intellect. Her characters come to life with total authority - the words and actions she creates for them are so historically accurate that you'll wonder if she had been eavesdropping on these people. Her writing brings the history of the time period to life as well, and even if you have only a minimal understanding of Roman politics, you can still easily follow the machinations of the main characters (or ignore the extremely technical 'stuff,' as I did in places).

The book could possibly be read alone, but I highly recommend reading the entire series for a more thorough enjoyment of the references to events and characters developed in previous books (especially Sulla - you MUST meet Sulla! The man you'll love to hate!).

I very much enjoyed being a part of the group read on this one.

Good job - not so sure I am looking forward to seeing your APA manual (smile).

11. Alison Weir

Finish Date: July 31, 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: A wonderful, if depressing look at the short, sad life of one of history's puppets. The book covers Jane's brief life in stunning detail, which is the benefit of reading a historical novel written by a historian. For Weir's first attempt at fiction, the novel is very good. My only complaint is that I didn't care for the shifting third person limited point of view. I can see why the author would want to show the perspectives of the various participants in Jane's fate, but I wonder why she didn't choose first person for the changing point of view. Other than that, this is a great piece of historical fiction, with very few inventions other than the dialogue (the book includes a note by the author on what she added and what was real, which I always appreciate in a historical novel). The way Jane is portrayed in the novel leaves one with the notion that she would have made an excellent queen if it weren't for her slightly too passionate Protestant beliefs. I don't think she would have be cruel, but I also don't think she would have been as lenient with the Catholics as Elizabeth was (not that I would replace Elizabeth for anything!). Ironically, and this is the one point I thought the book would have brought up that it didn't, is that if Jane had been a boy, she probably would have been next in line for the throne after Edward.

AUGUST


12. Bernard Cornwell

Finish Date: August 12, 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: B+
Review: This is my first Bernard Cornwell novel and won't be my last. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens to Uhtred in the next novel. The book is written in the first person, and has a wonderful voice. By wonderful, I mean gruff, choppy in places, and one that suits the warrior character from whom it emanates. The cruel nature of the constant invasions of the dark ages is wonderfully captured here in all of its harsh and cold truth. The history is also spot on, and while the main character and his war exploits are imaginary, the details surrounding Alfred the Great kept intact (the author's note detailing the fact vs. fiction is also included). The main character poses the notion that perhaps Alfred's main goal was not uniting England in Christianity but using Christianity to consolidate his power, which is one historical perspective. For a rough book dominated by men, Cornwell draws some well-rounded and interesting female characters too.

13. Harlan Coben

Finish Date: August 17, 2012
Genre: Fiction / Mystery
Rating: B+
Review: Although published in 1999, this book is not dated at all. It's a real page turner, with lots of surprises. Coben has picked the perfect voice for his book - although it's 3rd person limited, the narrator provides wonderfully sarcastic comments from the main character's thoughts, which was one of my favorite parts of the book. There's also a great bit in the book about the police using the press to their advantage against an innocent suspect, which foreshadows Coben's criticism of the mainstream press in later novels. Engaging, vivid characters round out the book's finer points. Perfect for a beach or airplane, too!

SEPTEMBER


14. Colleen McCullough

Finish Date: September 4, 2012
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A+
Review: I'm almost glad I didn't read this one first. I really enjoyed knowing who the characters were and where they were going. The book is just dripping with irony/foreshadowing in some of the characters' statements (which those more historically informed than I in this period will understand). I've missed Sulla, and it was nice to spend some time with him and Gaius Marius again. The book is beyond well-written and well-researched. I didn't want it to end. Having read the others in the series, it's hard to not get the impression that the author wrote this book as a precursor to the rest, in order to introduce the background in which Caesar was raised, and the people who influenced his life and character. I'm looking forward to continuing the series with the upcoming group read of Caesar.

Colleen McCullough

15. David Tyack,Larry Cuban

Finish Date: September 23, 2012
Genre: Education
Rating: B
Review: A very readable history of the reforms of education, with a focus on why reforms work or don't work. I found this book, required reading for a course, refreshing. The authors talk about the politics that move reform in education, and the problems inherent in such origins.

OCTOBER


16. John Dewey

Finish Date: October 6, 2012
Genre: Education / Philosophy
Rating: B-
Review: Another course requirement. The rating is a minus for readability - the philosophy is excellent, but hard to get to. I found rereading the first chapters after studying chapters 4-8 to be a better way of grasping the book. The latter chapters are more concrete than the former, as admitted by the author. This book highlights the issues with the Progressive Education movement at the time, but certainly has implications for any educational reforms, and also states views on education that are still found in education today, such as differentiated instruction and prior knowledge to name just two. The Progressive Education movement may not have taken hold in its entirety, but its legacy of putting the child first is immeasurable.