I read The Painted Bird (1965) by Jerzy Kosinski. At first, I was enthralled. I could not put this book down. The story of a six-year-old boy sent to the Polish countryside by his parents during World War II to save him was intriguing. He was reviled and hated by villagers, but he somehow always... Continue Reading →
I don’t even know where to begin in describing and reviewing All the Light We Cannot See (2014) by Anthony Doerr. It is a sweeping and gorgeous novel about Germany and France during World War II. In some ways, it is "just" another one of those novels capitalizing on the horror and tragedy of our... Continue Reading →
My great uncle James Kelton January died in the Pacific theater of World War II. I discovered this by accident while doing family history work, which I love. Modern technology has made it easy (and addicting) to find and trace your relatives. While my family history work has slowed down because of my academic research... Continue Reading →
I picked up Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War (2011) by Leymah Gbowee because an acquaintance of mine recommended it. The title was enough to intrigue me, and as I started reading, it reminded me of two other books, I Am Malala (which I reviewed here) and... Continue Reading →
I finally got through Birdsong (1993) by Sebastian Faulks and number 17 on the BBC book list. It took me nearly a full semester to get through it, partly because I was busy with reading and writing for my Ph.D. work, and partly because the novel seemed to lag in certain places, and I had... Continue Reading →
I didn't really like Catch-22 (1961) by Joseph Heller and number 13 on the BBC book list. I'm not saying it isn't a likeable book or that you shouldn't read it or that others won't enjoy it, but I did not. I'm not sure exactly why, because it is funny and well written. But I... Continue Reading →
Almost a year ago, one of my good friends suggested that I read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (2010) by Laura Hillenbrand. I immediately put my name on the list at the library and just recently got a copy of it. It's a popular book, and I ended up... Continue Reading →
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 