Lynn's List (September 30, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Stony River by Tricia Dower
• Cooper's Creek by Alan Moorehead
• Rather Die Fighting: A Memoir of World War II by Martin Gilbert and Frank Blaichman
• The Firebrand and the First Lady by Patricia Bell-Scott
• Code Breaking in the Pacific by Peter Donovan and John Mack
• Kramer vs. Kramer by Avery Corman
• Citizen Tom Paine by Howard Fast
• March of the Suffragettes: Rosalie Gardiner Jones and the March for Voting Rights by Zachary Michael Jack
• Christmas at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard
• The Birth of a Nation: Nat Turner and the Making of a Movement by Nate Parker
• Deborah Rising: A Novel Inspired by the Bible by Avraham Azrieli
• The Girl in the Castle: A Novel by Santa Montefiore
• Before She Dies by Mary Burton
• The Vanishing Year: A Novel by Kate Moretti
• Chasing Butterflies by Amir Abrams
• Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar J. Mazzeo
• Asylum: A Survivor's Flight from Nazi-Occupied Vienna Through Wartime France by P. N. Singer and Moriz Scheyer
• The Heart of the Declaration: The Founders' Case for an Activist Government by Steve Pincus
• American Prophets: Seven Religious Radicals and Their Struggle for Social and Political Justice by Albert J. Raboteau
• Willa: The Story of Willa Cather, an American Writer by Amy Ehrlich and Wendell Minor
• Possessed: The Infamous Texas Stiletto Murder by Kathryn Casey
• Philadelphia Freedom: Memoir of a Civil Rights Lawyer by David Kairys
• 1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year that Transformed America by David Pietrusza
• The Reunion: A Novel by Dan Walsh
• The White Tiger: A Novel by Aravind Adiga
• Finnegan's Week by Joseph Wambaugh
• Sharon by Gilad Sharon
• Second Life by S. J. Watson
• Hush by Kate White
• We Have Your Daughter: The Unsolved Murder of JonBenét Ramsey Twenty Years Later by Paula Woodward
• George Marshall by Stanley Hirshson, Debi Unger and Irwin Unger
• The Hidden Power of Smell by Paul A. Moore
• All Things Possible by Andrew M. Cuomo
• Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin
• Waylon: An Autobiography by Waylon Jennings and Lenny Kaye
• The Second World War by Antony Beevor
• The Heretic's Daughter: A Novel by Kathleen Kent
• The Longest Night: A Novel by Andria Williams
• Beverly Barton Bundle: Dead By Midnight, Dead By Morning, & Dead by Nightfall by Beverly Barton
• Monster by Steve Jackson
• In the Language of Miracles: A Novel by Rajia Hassib
• Asking For It by Louise O'Neill

Review: The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East by Roger Hardy

Title: The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East
Author: Roger Hardy
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication Date: October 20, 2016
Edition: Hardcover (280 pages)

The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East by Roger Hardy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you've ever wondered about the origin of and reasons for the continuing conflict in the Middle East, reading Roger Hardy's "The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East" will provide you with an excellent historical perspective. The region has had a history of conflict, which the author asserts, is rooted in colonial rule which was in place for generations.

I began reading this book with the assumption that the modern problems in the region are primarily based in religious differences. However, I soon learned the conflicts are much more complex than that, and when you read this book, you will see that the region has been exploited in so many way, by so many, and, especially by the western powers. It is a sad history, and yet the people have thrived, no thanks to broken promises and irresponsible actions of some.

I recommend this book to anyone who would like a better understanding of the people of problems of this region. I received an advance readers copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1) by Diane Chamberlain

Title: The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1)
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Edition: ebook (352 pages)

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've heard authors say that some books just write themselves, and I think some books just read themselves. They are so interesting that the reader forgets they're reading a book because the fictional characters become so real. This is how it was for me reading The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1) by Diane Chamberlain. Riley MacPherson returns to the house she grew up in to sort through her father's things, following his death. She is sad and overwhelmed by the prospect and then begins to find out her life is not at all what she thought it was. That is one story line. The second story line is about another young woman, Riley believes to be her sister. Both women experience so much as they cope with the past and try to come to terms with it in the present.

Sometimes, when a book involves multiple characters in a story line that weaves together the past and present, I find myself having difficulty making the transition in time and place. But, this is not so with The Silent Sister. The transitions are easy and smooth, and with each, a little more is revealed. When a book tells the story of multiple characters, sometimes, one or more is not as detailed by the writer. Again, that is not so here. Diane Chamberlain has made it easy for the reader to experience each character fully and in great depth. This is my first Diane Chamberlain book, and I can't wait to read more.

Lynn's List (September 23, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• The Speechwriter by Barton Swaim
• True Believer: Stalin's Last American Spy by Kati Marton
• Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story by David Maraniss
• The World War II Trilogy by James Jones
• The Red Bandanna by Tom Rinaldi
• Dylan's Redemption by Jennifer Ryan
• Inside Mrs. B. 's Classroom: Courage, Hope, And Learning On Chicago's South Side by Leslie Baldacci
• Lizzie by Evan Hunter
• United States Army in WWII - the Pacific - Okinawa: the Last Battle: [Illustrated Edition] by James M. Burns, Roy E. Appleman and Russell A. Gugeler
• The Great Spiritual Migration: How the World's Largest Religion Is Seeking a Better Way to Be Christian by Brian D. Mclaren
• Inherit the Wind: The Powerful Courtroom Drama in which Two Men Wage the Legal War of the Century by Robert E. Lee and Jerome Lawrence
• Daniel Silva GABRIEL ALLON Novels 1-4 by Daniel Silva
• Cold Warriors by Anthony L. Fletcher
• The Secret Chord: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks
• Murder Takes Time (Friendship & Honor Series Book 1) by Giacomo Giammatteo

Review: Inside the Clinton White House by Russell L. Riley

Title: Inside the Clinton White House: An Oral History
Author: Russell L. Riley
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication Date: September 29, 2016
Edition: Hardcover (464 pages)

Inside the Clinton White House: An Oral History by Russell L. Riley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Russell L. Riley has put together, from oral interviews of those who were a part of the William J. Clinton campaigns and presidency, one of the most interesting and informative books I have read. One can read news accounts and books, both biographical and autobiographical, and not get some of the nuances accorded a reader who is allowed to read accounts of what happened by the people who were a part of the events--who witnessed them--and, in many cases, helped to shape them.

I found the book fascinating because it reaffirmed many of my thoughts about President Clinton as a brilliant man--one who has been much maligned, and much under appreciated in his accomplishments. I also found the candid description of some of the negative aspects of his personality interesting because no one, no President or leader is perfect, and to expect such perfection is both unrealistic and unwise.

Russell L. Riley has done a most admirable job of organizing this material into an informative and very readable account--one which allowed personalities to emerge and shine. And I learned some things that I was totally unaware of with respect to the strides made by the Clinton Administration in education and other domestic policies. All-in-all, I found the book to be fair and balanced in its characterization of the man and his legacy.

I received an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lynn's List (September 16, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Beyond Your Touch by Pat Esden
• Temperance Creek: A Memoir by Teresa Jordan and Pamela Royes
• John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit by James Traub
• Pure Murder by Corey Mitchell
• Noah's Sweetheart & Plain Peril by Alison Stone and Rebecca Kertz
• Jedidiah's Bride & Plain Threats by Alison Stone and Rebecca Kertz
• Katie's Redemption & Plain Secrets by Patricia Davids and Kit Wilkinson
• Courting Ruth & The Agent's Secret Past by Debby Giusti and Emma Miller
• Thunder Mountain Brotherhood Collection: Cowboy All Night\Cowboy After Dark\Cowboy Untamed by Vicki Lewis Thompson
• Susan Wiggs Great Chicago Fire Trilogy Complete Collection: The Hostage\The Mistress\The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs
• Shelter Island by Carla Neggers
• Cradle and All by James Patterson
• Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
• In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
• Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace
• The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke
• Darktown: A Novel by Thomas Mullen
• The Shooting by James Boice
• Forward: A Memoir by Abby Wambach
• Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
• Lost and Found: A Daughter's Tale of Violence and Redemption by Babette Hughes
• Against All Odds by David M. F. Powers and Patricia Vanasse
• Chasing the Lion (Sword of Redemption #1) by Nancy Kimball
• The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
• Nora Roberts's The Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts
• River's End by Nora Roberts
• The Reef by Nora Roberts
• Way Down Deep by Ruth White
• Judges Against Justice by Hans Petter Graver
• Two Fridays in April by Roisin Meaney
• Something in Common by Roisin Meaney
• Storm Clouds by Bronwyn Parry
• Dead Heat by Bronwyn Parry
• Another Brooklyn: A Novel by Jacqueline Woodson

Lynn's List (September 9, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• The Surrogate (Brennan & Esposito, #1) by Tania Carver
• How Huge the Night: A Novel by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn
• 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
• The Complete Matt Jacob Series by Zachary Klein
• Into the Black: The Extraordinary Untold Story of the First Flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the Astronauts Who Flew Her by Rowland White
• Buried Dreams by Tim Cahill
• Double Life by Linda Wolfe
• Needle Work by Fred Rosen
• Mother's Day by Dennis Mcdougal
• Closing Time by Lacey Fosburgh
• Forever and Five Days by Lowell Cauffiel
• The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Joshua Becker
• The Harbor by Carla Neggers
• The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman
• The Boys of Summer by Richard Cox
• Wanted by Marissa Garner
• The Gatekeeper: Missy LeHand, FDR, and the Untold Story of the Partnership That Defined a Presidency by Kathryn Smith
• Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War by Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky
• Point Deception by Marcia Muller
• Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf
• Outlaw Hearts (Outlaw Hearts, #1) by Rosanne Bittner
• Do Not Forsake Me (Outlaw Hearts, #2) by Rosanne Bittner
• Love's Sweet Revenge (Outlaw Hearts, #3) by Rosanne Bittner
• Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words by Andrew Morton
• The Nixon Tapes: 1973 by Douglas Brinkley and Luke Nichter
• Law, Liberty, and the Rule of Law by Imer B. Flores and Kenneth E. Himma
• A Long Way From Paradise: Surviving The Rwandan Genocide by Leah Chishugi
• The Black Death: The Great Mortality Of 1348-1350 - A Brief History With Documents by John Aberth

Review: Bishop Street by Rene D. Schultz

Title: Bishop Street
Author: Rene D. Schultz
Publisher: Kindle
Publication Date: July 28, 2013
Edition: Kindle (333 pages)
Genre: fiction

Bishop Street by Rene D. Schultz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Four children were abandon at the Bishop Street orphanage. A safe and secure place to grow up? Hardly! And yet, they did grow up. Successful lives? You be the judge, after reading this intense and emotionally captivating book.

As you who read my reviews know by now, the richer and more fully developed the characters are, the more I enjoy them. And Ms. Schultz captures these characters in all of their anguish, emotional termoil, happiness and ultimately their journey as they strive to make a life, find one another again and thrive. I went through several tissues as I read this book, but I enjoyed every word.

I received a reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel

Title: Rushing Waters: A Novel
Author: Danielle Steel
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: August 30, 2016
Edition: Kindle (336 pages)

Rushing Waters by Danielle Steel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel follows six people as a hurricane changes their lives, irrevocably, in a very short time. It's about people coming together, endings, and new beginnings.

Like all of her stories, Danielle Steel brings these characters to life in an unforgettable way, leaving me to want to know more and find out what happens to each one as they experience the hurricane and their own personal storms of life.

Review: The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney

Title: The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army
Author: Glen Craney
Publisher: Brigid’s Fire Press
Publication Date: 2014
Edition: Kindle (563 pages)

The Yanks Are Starving by Glen Craney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney is a work of historical fiction that often causes the reader to forget that some of the characters are fictional. The book follows these characters as they fought in World War I and after, as they struggled to rebuild their lives after returning home and survive the beginning years of the Great Depression.

Mr. Craney brings these men an women to life through the use of historical documents, of course, but also with dialogue that is realistic and riveting. As I read, I was right there with these characters as they faced life, death, discrimination, and a country who did not much thank them for their efforts to fight for our freedom.

I had read about the bonus marchers in the history books, but until reading this book, I had little understanding of how these veterans were forced to live. I encourage anyone interest in this period of history to read this work. I believe you will be richer for doing so, as I am.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Lynn's List (September 2, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark
• The Nazi Hunters by Andrew Nagorski
• Deed to Death: A Novel by D. B. Henson
• Never Wave Goodbye: A Novel of Suspense by Doug Magee
• The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman
• Heroes Beneath the Waves by Mary Smith
• Danielle Steel: Historical Classics: 3-Novel Bundle by Danielle Steel
• The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton
• Under Magnolia by Frances Mayes
• Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser
• What Stands in a Storm by Rick Bragg and Kim Cross
• Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon
• Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War by Fred Kaplan
• The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War by Fred Kaplan
• The Reproach of Hunger by David Rieff
• Final Approach by John J. Nance
• The Michigan Murders by Edward Keyes
• Echoes by Danielle Steel
• Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• The Great Fire by Jim Murphy
• The Strivers' Row Spy by Jason Overstreet
• Snowman: The True Story of a Champion by Catherine Hapka and Rutherford Montgomery
• Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
• The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez by Philip Carlo
• Black Friday by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone
• The Language of Sisters by Cathy Lamb
• Ashes of Fiery Weather by Kathleen Donohoe
• Shooting At The Stars: The Christmas Truce Of 1914 by John Hendrix
• The Sparrow: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell
• Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder
• 24 Hours That Changed the World by Adam Hamilton
• Breaking Hearts by Melissa Shirley
• True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray by James Renner
• David McCullough American History E-book Box Set by David Mccullough
• Into the Storm by Suzanne Brockmann
• The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore H. White
• The Making Of The President 1968 by Theodore H. White
• The Making of the President 1972 by Theodore H. White
• Night Of The Grizzlies by Jack Olsen
• If Loving You Is Wrong: The Shocking True Story of Mary Kay Letourneau by Gregg Olsen
• The Amish Widow's Secret & Hidden in Plain View by Diane Burke and Cheryl Williford
• The Farmer Next Door & Lancaster Country Target: Lancaster County Target by Patricia Davids and Kit Wilkinson
• The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
• I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
• The Girl on the Cliff: A Novel by Lucinda Riley
• Destructive Messages by Alexander Tsesis
• The Fighting Rabbis by Albert I. Slomovitz
• Horace Greeley by Robert C. Williams
• Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert
• Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine
• Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall by Anita Silvey
• In the Shadow of Man by Jane van Lawick-Goodall
• Jane Goodall by Dale Peterson