Non-Fiction
‘A Rage to Conquer: Twelve Battles That Changed the Course of Western History’
By Michael WalshThough billed as a sequel to Walsh’s “Last Stands,” this study of 12 famous battles that changed the course of Western civilization can be read on its own. Walsh begins with that icon of strategy, Clausewitz, and then moves through crucial battles, from Alexander at Gaugamela to Napoleon at Austerlitz to Admiral Nimitz at Midway and Patton at the Battle of the Bulge. Here’s an excellent history with a warning to today’s American politicians: If you go to war, the first objective is winning.
Nic Costa is a police detective in modern Rome. Called to an art studio in the Ortaccio, Rome’s traditional artist’s quarter, Costa finds two brutally murdered people. Hung on the wall above the bodies is a painting that appears to be an unknown work by Caravaggio, the 17th-century master artist. The painting reflects the murder scene. What follows as Costa unravels tangled clues to solve the murders marvelously fuses history and mystery. It’s a tale that both mystery enthusiasts and history buffs will enjoy.
History
’Sailing from Byzantium: How a Lost Empire Shaped the World’
By Colin WellsThis book explains how Byzantium influenced the development of three civilizations: Western Europe, the Arab World, and Slavonic culture. The influence the Byzantine Empire had on these three civilizations is a story largely forgotten today. The book demonstrates how Byzantium fought to preserve its ancient heritage, how it went through its own dark ages and enlightenments, and how its knowledge was passed down to these three civilizations. A book that both fascinates and informs.
According to Wilfred Funk, the renown lexicographer, “Our language is made up of terms that were all originally figures of speech.” Have you ever wondered where our words come from? When you “write” something, did you know that it used to be called “wrītan” in Old English, which meant to scratch. The author takes readers on countless journeys through the lives of words we use everyday, giving us a clearer understanding of all that we say or write (or scratch). A delightful study of English.
Classics
‘Poems of Heroism in American Life’
Edited by John R. HowardOriginally published in 1922, this excellent collection celebrates and honors the American spirit in verse. The range of topics is broad, addressing subjects like the Pilgrims and Theodore Roosevelt, and events like the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Civil War. This gathering of poems is especially interesting because, though a number of the selections will be familiar, others are new to readers. Included are many once-popular works lost to time and circumstance, like Robert Johnson’s “Dewey at Manila” or Richard Burton’s “The Polar Quest.”
For the youngest readers, this educational board book invites little fingers to point to and count interesting animals using tactile holes in the illustrations. Working from “one shiny green frog” up to “ten busy bees,” each animal is featured with an enjoyable poem beside it. Children can practice counting and recognizing numbers.
