February, 2019

"Courting Mr. Lincoln" by Louis Bayard         

This book begins with Mary Todd moving to Springfield in hunt of a husband. She lives with her sister's family, while making the rounds among the politicians and elite. One day, she meets a poor country lawyer, Abraham Lincoln. At first she is put off by his lack of manners and lack of social nicety. However, she is quickly won over by his wit and way with words. The book then switches to Joshua Speed's point of view. Joshua is a dry goods merchant, who has taken Abraham under his wing.         

Although the book was engaging, there were a few problems with the timeline and flow between the points of view. The first part of the book spent a long time with Mary Todd's point of view. It was a bit jolting when Joseph's point of view as first introduced and a bit off-putting. Despite this criticism, the characters were well developed, and entertaining. Overall 3 out of 5 stars.

"The Trial of Lizzie Borden" by Cara Robertson         

Everyone knows the story of Lizzie Borden and her subsequent acquittal for the murder of her father and step-mother. This book goes beyond the lore to focus on the evidence and trial against her. Well researched, the author utilized court records, newspaper accounts, and local accounts to paint a picture of what truly happened in the court room. Overall, a well written and fascinating book. Highly recommended.

"Princess Bari" by Hwang Sok-yong

Bari and her family face starvation, informers, and death in North Korea. After her father is arrested and the family scatters, Bari escapes to China. In China, she is alone, cold, hungry, and desperate. After working illegally as a foot masseuse, she escapes in a cargo ship to London.         

I had trouble getting into this book. It was a mix of real life trauma and mysticism, as Bari has the talent to reach beyond the mundane and read others. Although this book wasn't really for me, it was well written and the characters well developed. I'm sure that many will enjoy this story.

"First: Sandra Day O'Connor" by Evan Thomas 

This book outlines the life and career of Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court justice. Although O'Connor is a fascinating subject, the book was a bit dry and repetitive. It had almost a defensive quality to it, as if the author was trying to justify or explain away O'Connor and her career. Overall, not a book I would re-read or recommend. 

"Titan: Colonizing Saturn's Moon" by Kate Rauner         

Kate Rauner is back with a new series. In Titan, a cult like group called the Kin, have hijacked a space craft and are setting off to colonize Saturn's moon. Fynn, the son of one of the Kin's leader, wakes up from stasis, only to learn that he can no longer return to Earth. As the Kin adjust to their new environment, factions of their group begin acting oddly, imposing discipline for seemingly minor infractions.         

I thought this was a well written, dynamic story. The characters were well developed and interesting. I enjoy the author's attention to detail, particularly with the colonization process. I found myself wanting more details about the Kin as a whole, particularly how they were formed, and how they functioned on Earth. Overall, highly recommended. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

"American Princess" by Stephanie Marie Thornton         

This book follows the colorful life of Alice Roosevelt, daughter of Teddy Roosevelt. At a time when women were relegated to the house, Alice focused on politics and used her celebrity to influence modern events.         

This was a well written and engaging book. I knew nothing about Alice Roosevelt before this book and found her to be a dynamic and interesting historical figure. Overall, highly recommended.

"Recursion" by Blake Crouch         

Barry, a detective, begins investigating a case of suicide, the cause, False Memory Syndrome. Those with FMS have more than one set of memory, often involving family members, relationships, or situations that never really existed. It is enough to drive someone mad. Helena Smith, a neuroscientist interested in preserving memories, is hired by a mysterious man to build a chair, one designed to preserve, and re-experience one's memories. Accidentally, she discovers that the process allows one to "travel back" and change the memory.         

This was a fascinating book. I found myself reading late into the night, waiting to see what happened with the characters and storylines. Barry and Helena were both interesting and dynamic characters. They were fully realized and grew/changed throughout the story.