Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for Oct. 21–Oct. 27

Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for Oct. 21–Oct. 27
Dustin Bass
Jeff Minick
Anita L. Sherman
Barbara Danza
Updated:
This week, we feature a classic novel about a sailor seeking atonement and a prescription for American race relations by a highly respected doctor.

Fiction

Murder Among Soldiers

‘A Gentleman’s Murder’ By Christopher Huang

Only five years after The Great War, a murder occurs in a soldiers-only club. British veteran Lt. Eric Peterkin finds himself searching for answers among the elite and along the streets of London. This post-war mystery is sure to please lovers of detective stories.

Inkshares, 2018, 352 pages

An Endearing Novel of WWII

‘Mister Roberts: A Novel’ By Thomas Heggen

Thomas Heggen takes us aboard the USS Reluctant, a supply ship in a Pacific backwater during the war, where we meet the tyrannical captain, watch the hilarious doings of the crew (especially Ensign Pulver), and come to admire the noble Lt. Roberts, who defends the crew from the captain and wants nothing more than to serve in combat. Here’s a tale of the sea that offers laughter and maybe a few tears. Originally published in 1946, this story gave birth to a hit Broadway play and a popular movie.

Naval Institute Press, 2009, 224 pages

History

Spain Re-examined

‘España: A Brief History of Spain’ By Giles Tremlett

Spain is traditionally cast as a villain in much of English (and U.S.) literature and history. This one-volume history of Spain, from its earliest days to the present, reveals a different Spain, one that made many unappreciated contributions to Western civilization. Punctuation, created by Isidore of Seville, is just one example. While it’s a sympathetic portrayal, it doesn’t whitewash Spanish history. Lavishly illustrated, it unveils a history that more people should know about.

Bloomsbury Publishing, 2022, 320 pages

Biography

The World’s Greatest Escape Artist

‘Houdini: The Elusive American’ By Adam Begley

Erik Weisz is one of America’s most famous stage magicians. If his real name is unfamiliar, his stage name isn’t: Harry Houdini. This biography traces Houdini’s early years as he evolved into the world’s most famous escape artist. It reveals Houdini as a man with many interests. He became the first man to fly in Australia. He made movies. He unmasked fraudulent spiritualists and sought to top past achievements. This is a fabulous book.

Yale University Press, 2020, 232 pages

Social Science

Toward a More Perfect Union

‘Created Equal: The Painful Past, Confusing Present, and Hopeful Future of Race in America’ By Dr. Ben Carson with Candy Carson

Dr. Ben Carson, former secretary of housing and urban development, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, and the former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins is also a best-selling author. Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he shares keen insights on the past and offers an uplifting path forward.

Center Street, 2022, 272 pages

Classics

Seeking Redemption

‘Lord Jim’ By Joseph Conrad

The Patna is sinking. On an impulse, the first mate, the idealistic Jim, leaps into a boat carrying most of the crew, deserting the religious pilgrims the ship is carrying. But the Patna doesn’t sink, and Jim, like the others, is censured and disgraced for abandoning ship. This is an unforgettable study of a young man, his story told by the narrator Marlow, who’s racked by guilt and hopes to restore his honor and prove himself to be a better person. Readers must judge for themselves as to whether Jim succeeds in his quest.

Wordsworth Editions Reprint, 1998, 304 pages

For Kids

Fun Story, Great Pictures

‘Pirates Aren’t Scared of the Dark!’ By Maudie Powell-Tuck

Young Jack wants to camp out in the yard in his pirate tent for the first time and wants nothing to do with his sister Lily. A sweet story about sibling love and that scary night in the tent. This book is illustrated by Alison Edgson and is for ages 2 through 6.

Little Tiger Press, 2014, 32 pages

Warm and Charming

‘Little Bear’ By Elsa Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak

Little Bear is a bit uneasy when his father is away, but his loving mother helps him through it. The book that inspired the lovely animated series is a gentle read that illustrates the joys of childhood and the warmth of family.

Harper Trophy reprint, 2003, 63 pages
Dustin Bass is an author and co-host of The Sons of History podcast. He also writes two weekly series for The Epoch Times: Profiles in History and This Week in History.
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