The History Book Club discussion

Carly, this is your thread for 2019. I have included the link to the required format thread and an example. If you had a 2018 thread - it will be archived so when you get the opportunity move over your completed books and formats to the 2019 thread - but we will allow time for you to do that.

Please follow the standard required format below - I hope you enjoy your reading in 2019. Here is also a link for assistance with the required guidelines:

Link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Our Required Format:

JANUARY

1. by Winston S. Churchill
Finish date: January 2019
Genre: (whatever genre the book happens to be)
Rating: A
Review: You can add text from a review you have written but no links to any review elsewhere even goodreads. And that is about it. Just make sure to number consecutively and just add the months.

IMPORTANT - THE REVIEW SHOULD BE SHORT AND SWEET - THERE ARE NO LINKS OF ANY KIND IN THE BODY OF THE REVIEW ALLOWED. NONE. DO NOT REFER TO ANY OTHER BOOK IN YOUR BRIEF REVIEW. THE ONLY BOOK CITED IN YOUR REVIEW IS THE ONE YOU ARE REVIEWING - NO OTHERS. ALL LINKS TO OTHER THREADS OR REVIEWS ARE DELETED IMMEDIATELY - THERE WILL BE NO WARNING. WE CONSIDER THIS SELF PROMOTION AND IT IS NOT ALLOWED AND IS IN VIOLATION OF OUR RULES AND GUIDELINES.

JANUARY

1. by Ulrich Boser
Finish date: January 7, 2019
Genre: History/True Crime
Rating: B
Review: Boser paints an interesting portrait (no pun intended) of the charcters involved in the biggest art heist in history from the aging art detective Harold Smith who spends his last years investigating the crime to the long list of members of the boston underground (mobsters and art thiefs) who became suspects. The book does focus on what didn't happen a little too much, but all the speculation makes for a good story.

And Carly you are off and running. Happy reading this year.

2. by Ben Reiter
Finish date: January 22, 2019
Genre: Sports
Rating: A
Review: Ben Reiter, the Sports Illustrated writer who predicted the Astros would win in 2017, gives us an in depth look into how the Houston Astros went from the worst team in 50 years to Word Series Champions. Reiter shows us that what happens behind the scenes can be just as important as what happens on the field.

FEBRUARY

3. by David M. Haugen(no photo)
Finish date: February 15, 2019
Genre: history/politics
Rating: A-
Review: Since this book was published in 2014 and most of the articles were written in between 2010 and 2012 it was a little dated. However, the issues dicussed in this book are still relevant and are still ongoing issues involving Russia and the United States policy towards Russia. Very informative.

Thank you Carly.

4. by Donald Stratton(no photo)
Finish date: February 21, 2019
Genre: Memoir/History
Rating: A
Review: A wonderful memoir of a Pearl Harbor survivor with some well researched basic World War II history.

APRIL

5. by Sam Wyly
Finish date: April 1, 2019
Genre: Nonfiction
Rating: B
Review: This was written in 2012 so it might be a little bit dated. Its mostly egotistical bragging. We are really good at that kinda thing. It was fun to read. However, I can only take so much praise of Texas government and the whole time I was reading it I was thinking about all the things that Texas gets wrong. I won't get into that here, the list would be too long.

6. by Tessa Smith McGovern
Finish date: April 2, 2019
Genre: food and drink
Rating: A-
Review: This book is for people who love all things literary or just love a good cocktail. It features 50 cocktail recipes inspired by writers and thier books. It features everything from classic 19th century writers like the Bronte sisters to modern popular fiction writers like Matthew Quick. So sit back and enjoy a great book while drinking a yummy cocktail.

7. by Michael Leventhal(no photo)
Finish date: April 11, 2019
Genre: History
Rating: B
Review: An anthology of quotes about history submitted by over 100 historians from around the world. The quotes come with short commentaries explaining why they chose the quote. A little dry at times but mostly a very interesting book. It includes some pretty good and profound quotes about history.

Excellent progress

JULY

8. by Adrienne N. Hew
Finish date: July 26, 2019
Genre: Cookbook
Rating: A-
Review: A pretty good cookbook with easy healthy recipes. As a nutritionist Adrienne Hew adds in some great advice on nutrition and eating healthy.

Carly we all love good cookbooks and eating healthy is a plus.

SEPTEMBER

9. by Garth Stein
Finish date: September 4, 2019
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A-
Review: The story of the ups and downs of life through the eyes of a dog. Loved the race car driving as metaphors for life.

I just saw that movie and was very moved - a real tear jerker - especially since there is such a dear dog is involved who is a real love as are most of our best canine friends.

DECEMBER

10. by Orlando Figes
Finish date: December 5, 2019
Genre: History
Rating: A-
Review: A well researched history of the cultural influences in Russia beginning with the building of St. Petersburg through the soviet era.

11. by Larry Wilmore (no photo)
Finish date: December 29, 2019
Genre: Humor
Rating: A-
Review: A collection of Larry Wilmore's thoughts on a number of topics including racism, black weatherman, UFOs, and reparations. I was smiling the whole time I was reading. It is wonderfully humorous and delightfully politically incorrect.

We will be setting up a 2020 thread but with some new added ideas to renew this wonderful folder.

Great thanks!!!