The Day the World Came to Town tells the remarkable story of passengers and crews who were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11 when the US closed its airspace following the terrorist attacks. They were greeted with warmth, generosity, and friendship by the town’s citizens. This story of overwhelming human decency was perfect to read during the holiday season and a timely reminder that there’s a lot of good in the world. Continue reading
Category Archives: Nonfiction
Audio Book Review: Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park by Conor Knighton, Narrated by the Author
CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Conor Knighton pitched a story to CBS: he would visit all the US National Parks within a year and film his experiences. Leave Only Footprints is a humorous and interesting memoir of his adventures. If you’re looking for something meaty about the National Parks, this is probably not the right book for you. But if you just want a 20,000-foot overview of some parks, human interest stories, amusing personal anecdotes, history of the park system, and a heavy dose of political and social commentary, you just might enjoy this travelog. Continue reading
Audiobook Review: The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love by Kristin Kimball, Narrated by Tavia Gilbert
The Dirty Life is Kristin Kimball’s engaging memoir about falling in love with a traditionalist farmer and starting a farm from scratch with him in rural New York. It’s also a story of a personal evolution, as the author transitioned from city dweller to a skilled country farmer. Continue reading
Book Review: The Boys of Winter by Wayne Coffey
The Boys of Winter is about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team who won the gold in Lake Placid and inspired a nation. With details of the coaches’ and players’ lives (before and after the Olympics) and play-by-play of some of the more memorable moments of the US vs USSR game, you’ll be amazed by the team’s accomplishments, and may even want to watch the 44-year-old game. Continue reading
Book Review: The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
In The River of Doubt, author Candice Millard focuses her researching and storytelling prowess on Teddy Roosevelt’s ill-conceived exploration of the Brazilian rain forest following his ego bruising, failed attempt to secure a third term as President of the United States. The story is enthralling because of its glimpse into Roosevelt’s larger than life personality as well as its details about the journey and what the men of the expedition were up against by taking on an unexplored section of the Amazon jungle. Continue reading
Book Review: The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World by A. J. Baime
The Accidental President is a fascinating look at Harry S. Truman’s first four months as President of the United States. Thrown reluctantly into the role following the death of Franklin Roosevelt, Truman oversaw major world events including the end of World War II and the beginning of the nuclear arms race. Continue reading
Book Review: Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Furiously Happy is Jenny Lawson’s candid and humorous memoir about her struggles with mental illness. Lawson, an award-winning blogger, holds nothing back in describing her disorders, her coping mechanisms, her family life, and her opinions on everything from the Australian outback to cats that yawn too much. Continue reading
10 Fascinating Nonfiction Books that Will Expand Your Mind
In the right author’s hands, true stories can be just as engrossing as fiction. Plus, the best nonfiction books teach you about a number of topics, including history, famous and non famous people, and both well-known and obscure events and locations. Continue reading
Book Review: The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History by Thomas Harding
In The House by the Lake, Thomas Harding chronicles the history of the summer lake house his Jewish great grandparents built near Berlin in the 1920s. He also weaves in one hundred years of German history and its impact on the house’s different residents, creating a fascinating story. Continue reading
Book Review: Sidecountry: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Roads of Sports by John Branch
Sidecountry is a collection of some of John Branch’s favorite articles. Branch, a Pulitzer Prize winning sports journalist for the New York Times, treats his readers to “something different, something unexpected. They would never ask for it, because they wouldn’t know to ask.” Continue reading
Book Thoughts from Bed 