Fiction
A Turn-of-the-Century Western
‘So Brave, Young, and Handsome: A Novel’ By Leif EngerIt’s 1915 and Monte Becket, a father, husband, and writer, is looking for adventure—or at least something to write about. After meeting outlaw Glendon Hale, Becket joins him on a wild journey to the West. A delightful modern Western that pulls at the heart.
Spiritual Battles
‘Glittering Images: A Novel’ By Susan HowatchThis novel is the first of six in the “Starbridge Series,” which begins in the 1930s and tells a story of religious and cultural crises over the next four decades. The characters, many of whom appear in several or all of the books, are vividly drawn and associated with the fictional diocese of Starbridge and its Anglican monastic order. In addition to the entertaining plots, we see the interplay between culture and faith up through the 1960s, often with devastating consequences for the Church of England.
History
The Honorable Pastime
‘The Presidents and the Pastime: The History of Baseball and the White House’ By Curt SmithThere’s nothing so all-American as baseball, except perhaps U.S. presidents. This book looks at how baseball and presidents interacted throughout U.S. history. All presidents (as of the date of publication) had some relationship with the game. Even George Washington played a version of stickball. Tracking from Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency, when the major leagues began, the book spends a chapter on each president, focusing on the good in baseball and in the presidents, regardless of their party.
A New Look Inside Colditz
‘Prisoners of the Castle: An Epic Story of Survival and Escape from Colditz, the Nazis’ Fortress Prison’ By Ben MacintyreColditz was a German World War II prisoner of war camp for incorrigible escapers and special political prisoners. It’s so well known that you may wonder if anything more can be gleaned. It can. Based on new information, Macintyre takes another look. He renders the non-British contingents anew, incorporates German accounts, and reveals a spy ring run within Colditz, aided by the German resistance and complete with a love interest.
Searching for the River’s Source
‘River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile’ By Candice MillardShrouded in mystery for millennia, the source of Egypt’s Nile River was a prize of monumental significance that England coveted. A linguist and lover of literature, Richard Burton, was paired with a young aristocrat and hunter, John Speke, to undertake the expedition for its discovery. Their guide, Bombay, played a pivotal role.
Classics
A Treasury of Cultural Riches
‘The Classical Tradition’ Edited by Anthony Grafton, Glenn W. Most, and Salvatore SettisDo you want to learn more about the gifts bestowed by the ancients on the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and our own modern times? In this massive collection of roughly 500 articles, several scholars demonstrate the enormous influence of the Greeks and Romans on Western society and culture in everything from city planning to sororities. More than 80 pages of beautiful photos of statuary, paintings, and buildings enhance the text. Conducted by experts, this tour of history is a vivid reminder of the ties linking past and present.
For Kids
Hard Times on the Prairie
‘The Long Winter’ By Laura Ingalls WilderHit with a brutal winter, the Ingalls family and their neighbors face possible starvation unless young Almanzo Wilder and a friend can deliver a supply of wheat. An inspiring story for what might become our own long winter. This book is for ages 7 to 11.
A Bedtime Classic
‘Goodnight Moon’ By Margaret Wise Brown and Clement HurdThis quintessential bedtime story features soothing, repeating verses as a tucked-in little bunny says goodnight to every familiar thing in his room. Don’t be surprised if your little one has this memorized before long. This is a bedtime must.
