Book Break - May Edition

We love movies. But we also love books.

Want to break up your screen and stream time?

These are a few of the things we’ve read recently or are reading now.

Flashman and the Tiger (1999)

George Macdonald Frazier arch-rogue in a number of short takes, including a particularly fun exchange between Flashman and a certain Victorian detective.

Flashman is one of my guilty pleasures. Held this one in reserve for years before cracking it open. It was worth the wait.

Good fun if you like historical fiction with a twist, but not for kids.

Four out of Five

⭐⭐⭐⭐

History of the World (1976)

I use Audible to “read” several books these days. This is playing in the background as I write. I first read it a number of years ago, but am due to teach a World Civilization I course in a couple months and thought it would be a good refresher. J.M. Roberts, the author, is one of the best in the business. A solid read for historians or people who just want to know a bit more about our world.

Five out of Five

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (2012)

I’m not a big fan of Presidents Jefferson or Jackson…but I really like Jon Meacham, who wrote respectable biographies of each.

Of the two presidents I can tolerate Jefferson slightly more than Jackson, but The Art of Power was not nearly as engaging as Meacham’s Jackson book, American Lion.

A fair book by a generally exceptional biographer.

Three out of Five

⭐⭐⭐

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith (2004)

Banner, by Jon Krakauer, was a recommendation by Chris DeRose (if you haven’t checked out his latest, Star Spangled Scandal, it is a great and easy read).

The book is a history of the Mormon faith, disguised as a study of a brutal 1984 murder. An absolutely solid read.

Four out of Five

⭐⭐⭐⭐

What’s in your reading stack? Drop us a line and let us know!