History
Aficionados of the political process will find a riveting read in this vivid account of the Republican National Convention of May 1860 in the burgeoning city of Chicago. Little-known Illinois lawyer Abraham Lincoln rose from a field of 11 to become that party’s presidential nominee. A tense political climate divided the nation as battles raged over racism, slavery, the economy, immigration, and prohibition. Lincoln’s strategy of quiet patience prevailed and changed the course of history.
Memoir
This memoir is a story of romance, relational guidance, and the anguish of loss. Sheldon Vanauken pours out his heart in one of the most powerful books on how to love unconditionally and about what happens when that love is taken by death. Honesty and vulnerability are on display as the author discusses how he and his wife loved each other, dealt with a terminal diagnosis, and used their faith and friends, including C.S. Lewis, to see them through. It’s a testament to the power of love and faith.
Education
The decay of American public schools has many parents homeschooling or augmenting their children’s education. This book offers a roadmap for parents looking to supplement their children’s literary studies. It lists a subset of great literature, from antiquity to modernity, written for children. Youngsters profit by studying age-appropriate great books before an introduction to mature topics, and it offers parents a structure for teaching their children. It’s a true reminder of the joys of reading.
Reference
Odd, unwieldy words and lots of laughter mark this volume. Two examples should suffice. First: “Circumforaneous: Wandering from house to house. A Mormon, a Jehovah’s Witness, an Avon Lady, a hungry cat, or a teenager.” And second: “Umbriferous: Superior word for shade. ‘Ah, my love,’ you rhapsodize, ‘let us retire to an umbriferous dingle.’” For those who enjoy words as toys—and, as Bowler calls them, weapons—here’s a lexicographic Lego set you can play with for hours while becoming exuberantly lexiphanic.
Classics
This first volume of Undset’s tetralogy, also known as “The Master of Hestviken,” is set in 13th-century Norway, a land of beauty and violence marked by fealties to clan and Christianity. Chief among the many characters are Olav and Ingunn, engaged as children by their fathers and thrown into an adulthood of complicated relationships, murder, treachery, blood loyalties, and their Christian faith. Read this Nobel Prize-winning author, and you’ll feel as if you are living in the Middle Ages.
For Kids
This fun read-aloud depicts how the wind blew and caught an umbrella, which you might expect, but then a balloon, a hat, a kite, and more until what seems like the entire town is chasing after their blown belongings. Delightful rhymes, a silly premise, and just the right level of mishap make this quick read a giggle-inducing breath of fresh air.
