Books of April 2025

 Welcome to spring. 

Books I finished in April 2025:

• 4/11/2025 - Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past by  Kevin M. Kruse (Audible) - Prominent historians debunk misconceptions about U.S. history by examining how political narratives have distorted the past. Immigration, race, economics, American exceptionalism, and more are examined.  
• 4/23/2025 - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick - This alternative history classic takes place in the early 60's in a world that Japan and Germany actually won World War 2 and the United States is split between the victors with a neutral no-man's land in between. Also, there is a book within the book in which Germany and Japan lost the war. Well written, captivating, with a unique twist at the end. 
• 4/29/2025 - The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher's Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer and More Resilient by William B. Irvine - William B. Irvine presents a modern take on ancient Stoic philosophy, offering practical strategies to turn life’s setbacks into opportunities for personal growth. By treating obstacles as tests from the “Stoic gods,” Irvine encourages readers to build resilience, emotional control, and inner strength. I felt like I was missing something after reading this. Though it was a good intro to the Stoic philosophy, but felt a little thin on putting it into practice. 

Death of the “Great Gatsby House”

Books of March 2025

I'm starting to do a monthly review of books I've completed in a given month. These are not books I completed in that month, but just when I completed them. I just don't have the attention span or discipline. I set a yearly goal on Goodreads of 52 for the year. I don't always finish one a week, but it does average out during the year. 

 Books I finished in March 2025:

• 3/6/25 - Wounded Knee: Party Politics and the Road to an American Disaster by Heather Cox Richardson(Audible) - An examination of how partisan political struggles, government corruption in the late 19th century contributed to the tragic 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee.

 

• 3/7/25 - The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookshop by Evan Friss - A fascinting look at history American bookshop's from Benjamin Franklin to Jeff Bezos's Amazon Bookstores. 

 

• 3/16/25 - John Quincy Adams: A Man for the Whole People by Randall B. Woods -  A comprehensive biography of the 6th President of the United States that portrays Adams as a principled statesman dedicated to national unity, social justice, and moral governance. 

 

• 3/21/25 - Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism by Rachel Maddow(Audible) - A chronicle of how in the late 1930s and early 1940s a homegrown fascist movement took root in the United States.

 

• 3/23/25 - Constant Reader: The New Yorker Columns 1927-28 by Dorothy Parker - A collection of the legendary Dorothy Parker's New Yorker book review columns. Her wit and biting humor is still incredible, I enjoyed this one a lot.  

 

• 3/28/25 - From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley & Kiley Keough - A touching memior of Lisa Marie Presley with help from her daughter Kiley Keough. 

 

• 3/28/25 - Dixie's Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Peservation of Confederate Culture by Karen L. Cox - An in depth chronicle of how the United Daughters of the Confederacy helped promote the "lost cause" narrative after the Civil War through erecting countless statues and promoting a favorable narrative throughout the Confederacy and the rest of the country.  

 See you next month. 

The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick

 

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a history buff, I found the premise of an alternate history of World War 2 with a science fiction twist fascinating. I've only seen trailers or clips of the mini-series as I wanted to hold off until I read the book.

The story takes a while before the different parts start to make some cohesive sense. The characters each have their own story arc, and it does spark some interest as to how they connect in the story. Despite the seeming disconnectedness of the characters, I found the picture of the world that the author paints of this alternate history fascinating and kept my attention. It kept me wanting more and returning to the book with more enthusiasm as it went along. Even after finishing, I still felt I wanted to learn more about this world.

I did enjoy this one more than expected. I do see myself returning to this and diving deeper into this story.

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Paul Revere's Ride 250th Anniversary

 

Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book covers Paul Revere's famous midnight ride to warn of British troops headed to capture or destroy military supplies. We do discover who Paul Revere is and how he came to be in his position. The story also goes into detail what exactly happened during that fateful morning in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts in April 1775. Many myths(or at least clarification) on what exactly happened. Many may think it was just a small skirmish but it was much more than that. Many mistakes and gruesome events took place that morning that marked the beginning of the American Revolution. This book is a very good resource if your wanting to discover more about this turning point in American history.

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Currently Reading: A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn (Chapter 1)

 

I've heard about this book for many years, but just recently picked one up to read. I haven't been disappointed so far. I'm about halfway through it but I thought review the first chapter as it also assets the tone and object of the book. Unlike traditional history texts's Howard Zinn focus's less on the famous figures of United States history and more on the common people involved. I think Zinn encapsulates his goal here:

"My viewpoint, in telling the history of the United States, is different: that we must not accept the memory of the states as our own. Nations are not communities and never have been.The history of any country, presented as the history of a family, conceals fierce conflicts of interest (sometimes exploding, most often repressed) between conquerors and conquered, masters and slaves, capitalists and workers, dominators and the dominated in in race and sex. And in such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, as Albert Camus suggested, not to be on the side of the executioners. " (page 10)

It's like the old adage, the winners write the history books.  In modern-day lingo, this is considered to be a "woke" version of United States history. 

Chapter 1: Columbus, The Indians, and Human Progress

Unsurprisingly, we start with Christopher Columbus and his famous voyage in 1492. Instead of painting a heroic explorer, Howard Zinn is far more critical of Columbus and those who followed him. Many histories of this moment skip forward soon after Columbus stepped off his boat, thinking he was in Asia, which is another story. We learn that Christopher Columbus wasn't the noble, altruistic hero that he is often made out to be. We soon see that his primary goal is gold and, is quite ruthless to the indigenous  Arawak in search for this treasure. He has no qualms about murder and enslavement in reaching his goals. The Arawak, who at first were generous and curious about their visitors, soon learned that their visitors were brutal and quite ruthless. 

Howard Zinn flips the traditional Eurocentric viewpoint that focuses on the oppressor and makes the oppressed invisible from a historical perspective. He sets the tone for the book to tell history from a "people's history" perspective of the indigenous people, slaves, the working class, and others who are not the usual focus of historical accounts. 

From Here to the Great Unknown:n A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley & Kiley Keough

 

From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite being close to the same age, I knew little of Lisa Marie Presley's personal life. The only thing I remember much of was her improbable marriage to the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson. The book, though, seems to carry little insight into this period. The book certainly fills in a lot of the spaces of my insight into her life.

Lisa Marie Presley was encouraged to start writing a memoir. She did in fits and starts. Her untimely death at the age of 54 cut this short. Her eldest daughter, Kiley Keough, undertook finishing the book and filled in many holes and added her context to her mother's story.

Lisa Marie's life was like many high-profile celebrity children who struggled to find their way, already being born famous and trying to live up to those high expectations. The book also highlights her struggles with addiction and the grief of her son Benjamen taking his own life in 2020, which she never recovered fully from, understandably.

The book is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the end with Lisa Marie's passing away in 2023. It's relatively short and easy to read. I recommend it if you're interested in Elvis Presley and his family.


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Constant Reader: The New Yorker Columns 1927–28 by Dorothy Parker

 

Constant Reader: The New Yorker Columns 1927–28 by Dorothy Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dorothy Parker is one of those writers you may hear about long before you read them. Her caustic wit is legendary. I remember coming across her many years ago on film portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh in "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" which intrigued me at the time. I came across this book after reading E.B. White, another famous writer from that era who also wrote for the New Yorker magazine in another book(also a McNally Edition) "New York Sketches".

After perusing a copy from my local library I decided I need to possesses it. At times she seems annoyed she has to lower herself to review a book but then it becomes apparent she loves reading and writing about what she consumes. She's can either poke fun or unleash her wit upon some unsuspecting book or author. Even though the majority books or authors I had never heard of I looked forward to each new review. They are just long and short enough to enjoy with a morning coffee or tea, perhaps nursing a hangover like she may have been writing it. My only regret is that I've waited this long to enjoy her writing and company.

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Fahrenheit 451 - Thug Notes Summary and Analysis

A thoughtful, concise, and humorous look at a serious book, Fahrenheit 451 by the late Ray Bradbury. It's about a futuristic society where books are illegal. Firemen burn books instead of putting out fires. The main protagonist, a Fireman called Guy Montag, who becomes curious about the books he burns after meeting a 17-year-old girl named Clarisse in his neighborhood. His life is forever changed. 

The Bookshop with Evan Friss

Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingslover

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I became aware of this book because of reviews of another book (Hilbilly Elegy by JD Vance) that recommended this book as being a better representation of poverty and people in Appalachia. The book is written as a modern-day interpretation of the classic David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, which I haven't read, so I wouldn't be very good at making any comparisons to the original story.
Demon is born to a drug-addicted mother. His father had already died before his birth. He grew up in extreme poverty in a relatively rural area. He has friends close by but no close family. After going away for a bit, he comes home to find his Mom had remarried to an abusive(to him and his mother) man. That's the starting point of the book.

My interest in the book starts strong. It seems poor Demon can't catch a break in life. He has a tumultuous relationship with his new stepdad, Stoner. His Mom loses her battle with an overdose and he ends up getting put, by DSS, through a tobacco work farm and then a family where he's stuck in the laundry room and at 9 years old is expected pull his weight financially and is barely fed enough. The father pawns him off to a local storekeeper who has him picking through trash. The family, already dirt poor, ends up leaving, and he goes off to find his paternal grandmother with only a vague notion of where she lives. Just when you think it couldn't get worse, he's robbed by a truck stop addict/prostitute and is left even more penniless. Starving and desperate, he ends up finding his grandmother.

His grandmother, though, is hyper focused on helping women and has little interest in even helping her grandson and her elderly disabled brother, who is rather frail but is well read and has a sharper mind than may first appear. Despite her disdain for men, she helps find a place for Demon through her connections with a football coach elsewhere that will take her grandson in. Before leaving his frail great uncle, (Mr. Dick) leaves him with this thought, "Never be mean in anything. Never be false. Never be cruel. I can always be hopeful of you.". Demon seems to be really touched by these words and takes them to heart.

The football coach is a successful guy admired in his community, but we later find out he has a drinking problem. At first, Demon can't seem to believe his luck. He lives in the Coach's mansion with his room. We seem to rarely see the coach as his assistant, called "U-Haul" (There are a lot of nicknames in this book, so be warned, as it can be confusing) does a lot of the coach's errands and other tasks. He is treated well for a change and enjoys his relative freedom. He has a part-time job at a feed store. While there he meets Dori and falls in love with her.

Over time, the Coach realizes Demon has a football talent. Demon finds success and popularity on the football field. When things were looking good for him, he suffered a serious football injury, and everything seemed to change for the worse. He started on OxyContin, and then Dori introduced him to fentanyl (from her ill father's supply). As you can surmise, it goes downhill from there. I'll stop here, so I won't spoil anything.

I did the book, but I didn't fall in love with the story as many others have. I followed it pretty well up until Demon's injury. Then, it seemed to be a jumble of events and relationships that confused me. As I mentioned before, everyone seems to have a nickname, which was a chore to keep track of. It certainly painted a grim picture of extreme poverty in Appalachia and the drug issues that go along with it. I did enjoy it, but it isn't one I'd return to.

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Connie Martinson Talks With Gore Vidal about Lincoln (1988)

New York Sketches by E.B. White

 

New York Sketches by E.B. White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Most of my knowledge of E.B. White comes from the classic Charlotte Web book. Heard this mationed in a book podcast(the actual one I can't remember and it sounded interesting. I managed to borrow one from my local library. It came at a time when I was reading a couple of long books that were heavy in weight and subject matter, They were beginning to feel like a slog so this thin humble volume was appealing.

The book is snippets of White's time in New York City from the 1930s to 1950s. His writing is welcoming, light, and witty. Many are observations, poems, and a short story or two. It's not like a long book where chapters can go on forever. This you can dive in and out at easily without a heavy feeling of commitment. It was a joy to read.

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These book nooks are a paradise for readers and seaside lovers alike

You don't know what it's like till you lose a parent

I'd read many of David's books in which he talks of his parents. Although many are humorous and heartwarming. Others though are sad and bitter. Anyone who's lost a parent knows the grief or reaction can range from hitting you like a load of bricks to indifference and everything in between. My Dad passed away in 2012 so I could sometimes identify with some of the conflicted feelings of sadness but not quite the level of bitterness David had with his father. Though with my mother turning 81 this year I know her day will come she will leave us and I can understand David's and Amy's feelings when they lost their Mom. It's a wonderful and heartwarming segment. 

Gore Vidal interviewed by Connie Martinson on "Connie Martinson Talks Books

My Top 10 Books of 2024

This is my top ten reads(or listens) for 2024. They are not in any particular order. It was a year of mega-biographies. Three were by Neal Gabler, two were from a three-volume set on Ted Kennedy, and the third was Walt Disney. Another was the legendary Abraham Lincoln biography from the legendary Carl Sandburg. The first installment The McCartney Legacy about the legendary Beatle Paul McCartney was only the first installment of more volumes anticipated(the second of which was recently published). Another timely book was of President Jimmy Carter, The Outlier by Kai Bird, who recently passed away.

• Against The Wind by Neal Gabler: The third and final volume of the late Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy's biography by Neal Gabler. I couldn't get enough of this series. Along with the Senator's biography, it also told of American Liberalism's rise and fall from prominence. (Audible, Narrated by Joe Barrett)

• Killing Floor by Lee Child: The debut of the legendary Jack Reacher. Tom Cruise has played him in films and Alan Ritchson in a TV series streaming on Amazon Prime. If you think Reacher is ruthless and vicious on the screen you should note he's toned it down from the books.

• The McCartney Legacy by Allan Kozinn, Adrian Sinclair: This is the first volume that takes an in-depth look at legendary Sir Paul McCartney's first years after the break up of The Beatles in 1970. Starting in 1969 the beginning of the end of The Beatles to the end of 1973 when Paul was on the cusp of releasing Band on the Run which would give new success and validation of his new band Wings. The majority of books about Paul virtually end. This is a rare in-depth look at Paul's career after the Fab Four. Another book I couldn't get enough of. I'm looking forward to reading the second volume that was recently released.  

• The Wager by David Grann: I grew up in New England maritime lore so this fell right into that category of a classic true story of shipwrecked survivors in the mid-1700's resorting to drastic measures to survive in some of the most inhospitable conditions. David Grann is an amazing storyteller and I highly recommend this if you're a fan of maritime history. 

• The Outsider by Stephen King: My first new Stephen King book in about 20 years (I've reread some older classic SK books in recent years). I saw the cover of this in a bookstore and was hooked. This was definitely worse. After a boy is brutally murdered, the apparent suspect who is thought to be a sure thing, is also proved to be innocent only after he's murdered by a distraught sibling of the murdered boy. Holly Gibney(a popular recurring King character) discovers what is happening. 

• Abraham Lincoln(The Prairie Years and The War Years) by Carl Sandburg: Being a Civil War buff this had long been on my radar to read. It is long though beautifully written by the legendary Carl Sandburg. It is an epic in every sense. If you read just one Abraham Lincoln biography I highly recommend this. (Audible, Narrated by Arthur Morey) 

• Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay: I discovered Roxane Gay by listening to her on a podcast and found her fascinating. This is a collection of her essays in recent years. She has a knack for being insightful, sensitive, vulnerable, and yet confident in her attitude. She'll make you laugh at one moment and then heart-sick moments later. Her writing can range from pop culture observations to very personal subjects that can be heartbreaking. 

• Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson: Professor Heather Cox Richardson(Boston College) is most well-known for her popular daily newsletter called Letters From An American where she helps make sense of current events with historical insight. This book also does that in it she helps give historical context to current events in politics and other related events. She does it with such ease without a heavy-handed bias one way or another. If you need help making sense of today's current event with historical nuance she's the one. (Audible, Narrated by Heather Cox Richardson)

• The Giver by Lois Lowry: This is one of those books I've seen around that seemed interesting but not until now I've dived into it. It's a futuristic coming-of-age story that centers around 12-year-old boy named Jonah. In the community he lives in everything seems ideal. Everything from families to jobs is already chosen for you. Families are assigned their members. Children are assigned separately from their birth mothers to family units. At age 12 everyone is assigned to train in a job that's chosen for them. When Jonas reaches 12 he is assigned as The Reciever and must train with an elderly man called The Giver. It's then that Jonah's really finds out what he is missing. 

• Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris: Every once in a while I need a dose of David Sedaris. His essays and insights are self-depreciatingly funny and insightful. It can be about dealing with the COVID-19 shutdown or his father dying. If you've followed David you may find out that he had issues with his Dad over the years. Even though his Dad gave him a lot of grief over the years it seems like the old man was mellowing out as he aged but David wasn't adjusting as quickly as his Dad. (Audible Narrated by David Sedaris)

To see what else I read you can check out my list on Goodreads. 

Vidal VS Mailer — A Battle of Wit! | The Dick Cavett Show