History
By Candice Millard
Millard is known for historical works that tend toward the adventuresome. This book hits the nail on the head for both historical adventure and intrigue. It is a tale of three men brought together by one river: the Nile. During the era of colonial powers, the Nile lured these powers to its banks and, ultimately, its source. Two of the men, Richard Burton and John Speke, pursue the source of the Nile and with it, archaeological immortality. But it is the third man that rises above the others.
Religious History
By Mike Aquilina
This book tells how 12 ancient cities, from Lugdunum in the West to Ejmiatsin in the East became Christianized. It takes readers through these cities, which include Rome, Jerusalem and Alexandria, describing their geography, public works, and the attitudes of each city’s peoples. It relates how the Church fathers evangelized each. It has a Catholic bent, emphasizing the Western churches and occasionally minimizing the contributions of Eastern church fathers. It is informative nonetheless.
Science Fiction
By S.M. Stirling
When a mad scientist with a time machine learns a massive thermonuclear war will soon destroy the world he decides to flee to second-century Rome. He lures an Ivy League professor and his four graduate students who study that period of Roman history to his lab and sends them into the past with him. The scientist gets killed in the transition, leaving the five historians stranded in the past. A fast-paced, page-turner of an alternate history novel follows the five as they struggle to survive.
Fiction
By Anne Tyler
For decades, Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Tyler has written fiction centered on the American family with all its strengths and weaknesses. Here, Tyler traces the Garrett family from 1959 up to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Parents Mercy and Robin and their three children are the nexus of this story about the effects of cultural change and private desires on marriage, home life, and family loyalty. Tyler’s trademark blend of humor, hardships, and missteps will please both fans and those new to her work.
Classics
By Giovanni Guareschi
In Italy’s Po River Valley in the late 1940s, local priest Don Camillo battles for faith and tradition against the town’s communist mayor Peppone. A third character, the crucified Christ, advises Don Camillo. The result of this miniature Cold War is a mix of slapstick, satire, and earthy wisdom regarding the human condition. Guareschi wrote well over 300 Don Camillo stories, which also remain in print. This edition features the author’s amusing account of the origins of these beloved tales.
For Kids
by Elisa Kleven
When Lizzy picks a special apple from her apple tree, she confides in the apple that she’s nervous to start school. She gives the apple a twig body and draws a face—and names it Susanna. Her sister warns that apples don’t last forever. When the family begins drying and canning apples for winter, they get an idea. A great read for apple season.
