This week, we feature novels ranging in locale from Hawaii to Mount Everest and a revelatory history of the Third Reich’s abuse of pharmaceuticals.
Fiction
Thrills at Everest’s Peak
‘Abominable: A Novel’ By Dan Simmons Great stories need three things: a solid plot, memorable characters, and an engrossing setting. Simmons brings all three together in his novel about an attempt to summit Mount Everest while also trying to solve the mysterious disappearance of several climbers. Little, Brown and Company, 2013, 672 pages
A Grand Tour of the Aloha State
‘Hawaii’ By James Michener Your bank account may not allow for a vacation to the islands, but “Hawaii” is the next best thing. This thick novel is Michener’s first work to bring places and their people to life through fiction. We start with volcanoes forming the islands, then move hundreds of years through history: the arrival of the Polynesians, then the Europeans and missionaries, and the Chinese, as well as the making of modern Hawaii. This heavily researched piece of historical fiction offers a grand respite from the blast of winter. Dial Press Reprint Edition, 2002, 937 pagesHistory
High Times in Nazi Germany
‘Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich” By Norman Ohler This revelatory book shows that the Third Reich was founded on drug abuse, ran on methamphetamines, and was led by an addict. Nazi armed forces systematically abused the methamphetamine Pervitin, allowing armored columns in Poland and France to keep moving and stay awake for days. Hitler’s doctor doped the leader with feel-good opioids and cocaine, warping his judgment. Eventually, Pervitin abuse burned out Germany’s armies, and Nazi leadership became too addled to realistically run the war. Mariner Books Reprint Edition, 2018, 304 pagesBiography
An Influential Children’s Book Author
‘Astrid Lindgren: The Woman Behind Pippi Longstocking’ Jens Andersen Anyone older than 50 probably read “Pippi Longstocking” as a child. In the 1950s and 1960s, virtually every child read it. This biography tells the life of “Pippi’s” Swedish author, Astrid Lindgren. The anti-authoritarian themes of her children’s book series were a swipe at Nazi Germany. Andersen reveals Lindgren as multidimensional, examining her forays into politics (as a tax-cutting reformer) and pacifist. His revelations of Lindgren’s life will surprise readers. Yale University Press, 2018, 360 pages
How to Handle Health Care Costs
‘Medicare for All, Really?!’ By Rich Yurkowitz Are health care costs in the United States too high? Is Medicare for All the answer? Assembling facts and figures on where health care is today and where it’s headed, Yurkowitz, a health care actuary by profession, shares his knowledge and offers insights into these complex questions. He argues that the government shouldn’t get involved. Amplify Publishing, 2022, 352 pagesClassics
A Manual for an Ordered Life
‘The Rule of St. Benedict’ Edited by Timothy Fry Sixth-century Europe was a place of warring kings and tribes. Into this chaos came Benedict of Nursia, a founder of monasteries, but even more importantly, the author of “The Rule of St. Benedict.” This code served other monastic orders, giving Benedict the title of Father of Western Monasticism. The rule became one of the foundation stones of European culture. Although it was designed for the monastic life, many Christians have relied on this guide to order their own lives. Vintage, 1998, 112 pagesFor Kids
A Sweet Mother-Daughter Story
‘This Quiet Lady’ By Charlotte Zolotow A little girl learns her mother’s story by looking through photographs of her from when she was a child until she became a mother. A lovely book for children, it may spark talk of Mom’s own past. Illustrated by Anita Lobel. This book is for ages 4 to 8. Greenwillow Books, 2000, 24 pages
