Jerry
A book that is difficult to categorize as it’s equal parts history, memoir, social commentary all wrapped in a deeply personal travel journal from trips through the US South. It is a unique approach to telling the story and enduring legacy of slavery not only in the South but also in the overall fabric of the entire country. Told in a mix of both third and first person the author occasionally speaks directly to the reader as she describes both painful and uplifting episodes of the past and how they relate to the current. I learned a lot from this book and found it difficult to put down.
Based on declassified documents, this is the story of the origins of the OSS (precursor to the CIA) Research and Development branch. Stanley Lovett, a renowned industrial chemist, is recruited into the OSS to lead the R&D department in 1942. A fascinating journey begins as all kinds of new/secretive weapons are developed as moral questions are soon overridden by war needs. I was surprised by many of the inventions; chemical and otherwise that seem like James Bond movie fantasies were, indeed, actual real weapons: umbrella gun, poison pens, and many more.
A spell-binding account of the days before, during & after the Nazi blitz of England, with a specific focus on Winston Churchill & his family. Larson finds new ground on Churchill with an almost daily accounting of the actions taken to manage the defense of England and the vast effort to engage the USA in the war. Reads like a novel!
Maurice Swift is a master manipulator driven by unlimited ambition who tells his story in the fast-moving decades of his life. No one is safe from his unyielding drive to be a world-class author in this novel with shades of The Talented Mr. Ripley. Keeps you on edge with occasional dark humor as Swift wiggles through his lies at key moments. Once you begin this one, it's hard to put down.
This is an excellent collection of very personal, very funny essays. If you're familiar with David Sedaris's other work, you'll notice both similarities in theme and also a few darker (yet still funny) stories, especially when focusing on his father. If you're new to him or familiar with his work, you will enjoy Happy-Go-Lucky.
This story of a man searching for his origins is truly epic in scope, characters and social commentary. Familiar Irving themes--wrestling, ghosts, tragedy, sexual/gender identity, and politics--appear in this novel, but in a fresh, new perspective. Large portions of the book are in screenplay form, which is cleverly incorporated into the plot. There are many laugh-out-loud moments.