These Books are Overdue (Part 3)

I’m over halfway done catching up on writing reviews for the books I’ve read this year! Won’t you join me? It won’t take but a few minutes, I promise. 

The Book Thieves by Anders Rydell

This book was recommended to me for my interest in The Monuments Men. In my opinion, this book is much better. Everyone is familiar with the Nazi obsession over art, but what of their victims libraries? Rydell seeks to answer this question, interspersing his own account of returning a looted book with the stories of the lost libraries and those seeking to find and return books to their rightful owners (if possible).

The picture of excised ex libris plates and inscriptions has stuck with me. Though I read this book through the library, I would purchase my own copy.

The Saxon House of Eldred by Nelson B. Eldred

This book of family history was intriguing, and I wrote about a few discoveries here and here.

Pearls Hogs the Road: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury by Stephan Pastis

Krystal and I were able to attend an author signing for this book. Perhaps one of the best treasuries Pastis has done to date.

How to Survive the Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the End of the World by Robert Joustra and Alissa Wilkinson

This book examines how faith is represented in distopian/apocalyptic tales, ranging from The Walking Dead to Battlestar Galactica. If you’re a religious geek/nerd like I am, this book should be a must-read.

A Brief History of the Vikings: The Last Pagans or the First Modern Europeans by Jonathan Clements

Exactly what it sounds like, this book provides a brief introduction to Viking life and culture.

Alfred the Great by Justin Pollard

I was interested in this book as Alfred is a *legendary* member of the Eldred family. (In fact, he probably wasn’t, but sometimes the lore is strong.) Certain passages were a bit dense, but Pollard provides an accessible biography to a great English king.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

I’d heard good things about Erik Larson, so I picked this one up using a gift card. I was not disappointed. Larson intertwines two compelling stories: the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and H.H. Holmes, America’s (supposed) first serial killer. It is evident were AHS: Hotel drew inspiration. Anyway, this book is currently being made into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

This book would be good for anyone interested in American history, true crime, or thrillers.

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

I found this book for a dollar at a used book store. Thanks to it, I believe I’ll be better equipped to teach the Taosim section of World History next year.

The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle over a Forbidden Book by Peter Finn

I received this book as a Christmas present. Surprisingly, once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. The intrigue of Soviet Russia was compelling alone, never mind the fact that it touched on nooks and censorship (two of my soapboxes).

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson

This is the first book I’ve ever read related specifically to the Lusitania, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in maritime history or World War I.