David McCullough on his first book: "The Johnstown Flood"

What a relevant book in light of recent tragic floods in Texas and New Mexico. I'll have to pull this one off my shelf and finally read it. The late David McCullough was a national treasure and a beautiful writer. 

David McCullough Reflects on a Life of Writing and Learning

Wise words of wisdom from the late iconic writer David McCullough. 

Happy 4th of July!

 

The Declaration of Independence with Short Biographies of the Signers by Benson John Lossing
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a nice pocket sized hardcover copy of the the Declaration of Independence. It also includes short paragraph length biography's of the signers in the back. Although pocket sized I'd say it's suitable for a handy bookshelf reference as the cover is handsome and presentable and would get wrecked it someones pocket. Besides it'd feel as if you had a piece of thin plywood in your pocket, not very comfortable. Enjoy.

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Books of June 2025

 Books I've read in June. 

• 6/21/2025 - Who is Government? by Michael Lewis: This book explores the often overlooked but essential role of civil servants and government agencies in maintaining the functioning of American society. Through investigative reporting and vivid storytelling, Lewis reveals how political neglect and misunderstanding of these institutions can have profound and sometimes dangerous consequences.
• 6/21/2025 - Voices From Chernobyl by Sveltlana Alexievich: This is an oral history that weaves together the haunting testimonies of survivors, officials, and families affected by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Through their deeply personal stories, the book reveals the human cost of technological catastrophe and the enduring emotional and psychological scars it left behind.
• 6/24/2025 - American Prometheus: Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird: (Audible): This book traces J. Robert Oppenheimer’s rise from visionary physicist to celebrated leader of the Manhattan Project, illuminating how his intellect and charisma helped birth the atomic age. It then follows his postwar transformation into a conflicted public figure whose moral doubts and political clashes led to the infamous 1954 security-clearance hearing, revealing the tragic cost of scientific triumph.

Hello again. Here is a summary of my book completions this past month. Last month, I was completing a book every few days. This month it took until the third week to finish. 

Two of my books this month were inspired TikTok videos I'd seen of TV/Movie adaptations. One was inspired by clips from the 2019 HBO series Chernobyl, which told the story of the 1986 explosion at the nuclear power plant. Coincidentally, I was close by in Germany at the time while serving in the Army. The book is called Voices From Chernobyl by Sveltlana Alexievich. It is a collection of stories of those who experienced the disaster at the time. The series borrowed many of the stories from the book. 

Scenes from the epic "Oppenheimer" movie, which was a biopic of atomic bomber creator J. Robert Oppenheimer, were the other popular videos showing up on my TikTok feed regularly. The movie was based on the biography by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. I did enjoy listening to the book on Audible, which was narrated by Jeff Cummings. 

 The book "Who is Government?" was originally a series of articles published in the Washington Post. It was put together from well known author, Michael Lewis(The Fifth Risk),  that who and other writers tell the story of federal workers who make a difference. A very relevant book considering how many federal workers were let go this spring, despite the essential work that many of them do. I think they get unfair wrap being labeled as "waste and fraud" by those with a political agenda and are ignorant to what these people do.