Geopolitics
The People’s Republic of China has grown in power―economically and militarily―at an exponential rate since the turn of the 21st century. Since being admitted into the World Trade Organization, the CCP’s antagonisms have been ignored by world leaders, even to the detriment of national and regional economies. Gertz reveals how the Clinton administration led the world in turning a blind eye to the CCP’s long-term threats and how this evasion continues to cripple Western democracies.
Science
In his latest homage to one of our richest resources, German forester Peter Wohlleben isn’t an alarmist. He looks to the wisdom of ancient forests and the knowledge to be gleaned as roots for a brighter future. Nicknamed the “tree whisperer,” he shares new perspectives on forest management, often countering modern-day methods. Perhaps preserving old-growth forests is better than planting new ones. Perhaps Mother Nature knows best when it comes to the planet’s health. This is an enlightening read.
Sports
Competitive rowing was once followed as intensely as college football. Broadcast networks used to cover important races, and fans eagerly followed the results. This book explores that era by looking at the University of Washington’s rowing team during the 1930s. It shows how, against the odds, the team qualified to represent the United States in the 1936 Olympics and then went on to win the gold medal in their category: the Men’s Eight. A story of triumph against adversity, it’s a great read.
Romance
North Carolina farmer and musician Colby Mills vacations in Florida and meets the musically talented recent college graduate Morgan Lee, and the table is set for another of Sparks’s romantic tales. Obstacles arise that seem to make a future together impossible. Meanwhile, a woman fleeing an abusive husband haunts these pages, her presence a mystery to readers until the final pages. Sparks’s storytelling abilities and characters who seem as familiar as our neighbors make this one another success.
Classics
This 1900 bestseller sweeps readers into the Jamestown Colony of the 1620s. Johnston tells a love story between Lady Jocelyn Leigh and a gentleman farmer, Ralph Percy, but it’s also a history of Jamestown’s settlers: the “Starvation Time,” the Indian attack of 1622, and the constant battles against the wilderness. Percy and Lady Leigh must also face the wrath of the intended husband from whom she escaped in England. Accustom yourself to the old-fashioned language, and it’s a grand story.
For Kids
This vintage Little Golden Book features sweet rhymes and simple illustrations in its contemplation of the kinds of homes that animals and people might live in. “If I were a gopher,” “If I were a whale,” the young narrator posits, finally concluding that a home is where family is. An example of simpler times, it can still be found if you look.
