Category Archives: nonfiction
1941: The America That Went to War – William M. Christie
This is the story of the end of an era. The last year before America lost its innocence, the year before everything changed. It is told, month by month, with an event that occurred in that month as the theme. … Continue reading
Fastpitch: The Untold History of Softball and the Women Who Made the Game -Erica Westly
762 wins, 88 losses, 162 no hitters, 45 perfect games, and 7,000 strikeouts – Bertha Tickey was a very special softball player. Most of her records still stand. And she taught Lana Turner to swing a bat for a movie … Continue reading
Sweet, Thoughtful Valentine: An Isabel Dalhousie Story – Alexander McCall Smith
Sweet, thoughtful Isabel is once again confronted with a moral dilemma. She made a promise to keep a friend’s secret, and then finds that in order to keep that secret, she must betray another friend. If you are a reader … Continue reading
The First Signs: My Quest to Unlock the Mysteries of the World’s Oldest Symbols – Genevieve von Petzinger
Two hundred thousand years ago modern humans appeared in Africa. Language was completely formed about 100,000 years ago, but when did written communication begin? They had our bodies and brains, but when did they become us? As an undergraduate in … Continue reading
Written in Stone: A Journey Through the Stone Age and the Origins of Modern Language – Christopher Stevens
Say pu. Your lips are pursed, nose wrinkled. There is an unpleasant look on your face. And pu in the Stone Age meant just what it means today – poo. On the other hand, mei makes your mouth stretch from side to … Continue reading
1944: FDR and the Year that Changed History – Jay Winik
As 1944 began the Allies were rapidly preparing for Operation Overlord, the most important effort of the war. But just when Roosevelt’s leadership was needed most, his ever present energy and enthusiasm waned. He was only 62 and had always been an … Continue reading
Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution – Kathleen DuVal
In March of 1781, British sailors guarding the mouth of Pensacola Bay spotted a ship that they hoped contained their reinforcements. But instead of the Union Jack, the red and gold stripes of the Spanish navy were flying over the … Continue reading
Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back – Janice P. Nimura
In 1871, five little girls clothed in rich, embroidered silk, their hair elaborately dressed, were presented to the Empress of Japan. Two were teenagers, the smallest was only six. The Empress commended them for their intention to study abroad. No … Continue reading
The Lost World of the Old Ones: Discoveries in the Ancient Southwest – David Roberts
In a dim recess, they saw a wonderful basket lying face down, perfectly preserved, and beautifully woven. David Roberts and his wife Sharon looked at it in awe, took photographs, and didn’t touch it. They left it just as they … Continue reading
The Next Species: The Future of Evolution in the Aftermath of Man – Michael Tennesen
If all the species now considered threatened are actually lost this century, and if this rate of extinction continues, a study in the magazine Nature determined that we are on track to lose three-quarters of all species within the next … Continue reading
Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat – John McQuaid
From a 480 million-year-old fossil digging for a meal to today’s experimental chefs, the author takes us on a journey of taste and smell. Why do we taste? What is deliciousness? Do we taste with our brains or our tongues? … Continue reading
Lives in Ruins: Archaeologists and the Seductive Lure of Human Rubble – Marilyn Johnson
Archaeologists, real archaeologists are not at all like Indiana Jones. From Machu Picchu to Rhode Island, the Mediterranean to Fishkill, New York, Marilyn Johnson worked and lived with real archaeologists. Her intent was to understand their character, to understand why … Continue reading
Capturing Music: The Story of Notation – Thomas Forrest
I had always just taken musical notation for granted. When I saw the title of this book, it dawned on me that there had to be a beginning. Someone, sometime, had to decide to try to record the music. And … Continue reading
A Cool and Lonely Courage: The Untold Story of Sister Spies in Occupied France – Susan Ottaway
Jacqueline was six years older than Didi and Didi worshiped her, wanted to do whatever she did. Kind Jacqueline always looked after Didi and didn’t seem annoyed by her little sister’s tagging along. Didi was christened Eileen, but that name … Continue reading
The Explorers: A Story of Fearless Outcasts, Blundering Geniuses, and Impossible Success – Martin Dugard
Richard Francis Burton was determined to find the source of the Nile and convinced the Royal Geographic Society to fund his journey. That was not unexpected. When Burton proposed that John Hanning Speke accompany him, that was most unexpected. Their … Continue reading
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