September, 2017

"Bad Girls From History" by Dee Gordon         

This book features short descriptions of "Bad Girls From History." The women featured were everything from prostitutes to murderers. I found myself growing bored with this book. The author seemed to feature English women heavily and often referred to the women's lover's by title. I have to admit that I don't know enough about the English royal's to know who had what title when. Everything just ran together after a while. The passages for each woman were about a page each, which didn't give enough detail to make any of them stand out. Overall, a bust.

"Iced In: Ten Days Trapped on the Edge of Antarctica" by Chris Turney       

On a scientific voyage to Antarctica, Chris, his family, and his team, were iced in by a sudden weather change. With ice all around, the ship's hull was breached, rescue ships were also stuck, and disaster seemed inevitable. Beginning with his idea for the trip, Chris paints a vivid picture of both the science and adventure behind his story. Throughout his story, Chris also shares the story of Ernest Shackleton, a previous Antarctic explorer whose team was frozen in. Well written and engaging, this is a fascinating story. Highly recommended.

"Limestone Wall" by Marlene Lee         

Shortly after her husband's death, Evelyn returns to her hometown. Her family home, in the shadow of the prison, also houses her mother, a woman serving life for murdering a neighbors twin babies. Evelyn struggles to come to terms with the loss of her husband and reconnect with her mother. Instead, she meets Roz, a women who is devastated over an upcoming execution.         

I didn't particularly enjoy this book. I disliked Evelyn and I really disliked Roz. Both of them just grated on my nerves. Despite this, the book was well written. The characters were real and Evelyn's childhood was fascinating. I would be interested in a different book by this author, this one just wasn't for me.

"Hidden Women: The African-American Women Mathematicians Who Helped America Win the Space Race" by Rebecca Rissman         

As NASA raced to the moon, a number of African-American women played key roles throughout the process. This is a middle grade book that details the life and careers of these ladies. Overall, this was a well researched and written book. It seemed to be a good mix of education and storytelling.

"Black Dahlia, Red Rose" by Piu Eatwell

In 1947, the body of Elizabeth Short was found neatly bisected at the torso. The gruesomeness of the murder caused media sensation, as the police scrambled to solve the crime. This book offers a theory of the crime, one that focuses on Leslie Dillon, a suspect interviewed in detail and ultimately released. Well written and researched, it was well organized and offered just the right amount of details. Overall, an interesting read.