The History Book Club discussion

Douglass, this is your thread for 2020. I have included the link to the required format thread and an example. If you had a 2019 thread - it will be archived so when you get the opportunity move over your completed books and formats to the 2020 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 2020. 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 2020
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

Douglass, you are ready to go for 2020. We now have a special perk where we can list the books we want to read for the 50 Books Read in 2020. You also now have a Personal Reading List thread where you can keep track of what you want to read; and/or what you have completed etc for the challenge. These of course can be carried over to the next year's personal reading list if you do not complete your 2020 To Be Read list. You would simply do an edit, copy and paste.

Thanks, Bentley! I will definitely use the list thread a bit.

Hi, everybody. I just finished my Master's degree last week, so I finally have time to read more books and write reviews of what I read. I am excited to be back in the 50 Reads Challenge! I'm going to get caught up here on some books I have already read this year, and I am working on a couple books right now that I will be able to add after that.

JANUARY

1. by Erin Morgenstern
Finish date: January 4, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A
Review: The Starless Sea is a mosaic of stories that all intertwine. Surely, every reader will find some of them entertaining and relatable. There is a classic style to some of them, reminiscent of mythological folk tales and fantasy classics, while others are more modern. Some read like short stories, while some of wide story arcs that continue throughout the novel, and they could really be novels of their own. Some are written like ballads, one is a character's diary. There is a little bit of everything. The novel switches between narrators, and each story reveals missing information from the others. Slowly, over the course of the book, the reader pieces together the broader story. This can make it difficult to follow and frustrating for impatient readers and for audiobook listeners, but the revelations are exciting and worth the investment.

Erin Morgenstern's writing prowess shines throughout the book. She tackles a variety of challenges to give each narrator and character a unique voice. The text is rich with details and literary devices. Every word of every sentence has significance to the big picture. There are so few novels in the world that are written with this much density and attention to detail. This makes The Starless Sea anything but a quick read, but absolutely an essential read for any lover of literature.

2. by Brenda Wineapple
Finish date: January 14, 2020
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: This is a high-quality history book, both well-written and well-researched, that delves into one of the most important and informative periods of American history, Reconstruction from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln through the presidency of Andrew Johnson.

The book mostly covers the story and the facts, and you can take away from it what you will. My interpretation is that Johnson was impeached more because of his resistance to Congress and reconstruction than because of his violation of the Tenure of Office Act. There is a lesson there for current and future Presidents. Often the circumstances surrounding impeachment are unclear, and legislators are hesitant to execute such a vague and solemn constitutional instrument, but when a President acts too much like a king, it is difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Bentley wrote: "You are off - could you also add this book and your review to the Presidential Series threads for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson as well."

Can do. There is almost nothing about Lincoln in the book though. Do you still want it there?

3. by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo

Finish date: January 14, 2020
Genre: Economics
Rating: B+
Review: Winners of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo have spent their careers using economics to study poverty and find solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems.

Poor Economics compiles their research and the research of other economists about why problems exist and how effective or ineffective various solutions are. They discuss health, nutrition, education, political involvement, and many other issues in this book. They compare the impacts of interventions like foreign aid, micro-finance, nudges, and more.

There are many interesting conclusions, but, as expected, no magic panacea to solve all our world’s complex problems. This is a great book for people interested in helping others, donating to charity, running a non-profit, or learning about behavioral economics.

4. by Jason Fry
Finish date: January 17, 2020
Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy
Rating: B-
Review: This is a fun Star Wars story that centers around Luke Skywalker. It takes place between the films A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, but it introduces a character in The Force Awakens and sets up many elements of the newer movies. The story advances Luke’s development into The Last Jedi and includes much sassy repartee between R2D2 and C3PO. There is something to enjoy for Star Wars fans of all ages. If you opt for the audiobook version, the production is top notch. It’s like watching one of the movies.

Douglass wrote: "Bentley wrote: "You are off - could you also add this book and your review to the Presidential Series threads for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson as well."

Can do. There is almost nothing about..."

Yes, and I see you have done that because much of what Johnson was about all about was tearing down things of his predecessor.

5. by Tom Lobianco (no photo)
Finish date: January 27, 2020
Genre: Current Events
Rating: B+
Review: This biography, written by a journalist who has covered Mike Pence since he was running for office in Indiana, offers details and perspectives from Pence’s political career (so far). LoBianco discusses how Pence’s wife Karen, his evangelical Christianity, and his political ambition have shaped his policies, his campaigns, and his behavior in various situations.

There are no bombshells here, but there are behind-the-scenes looks at many events that offer a new perspective about how Pence has tried to manipulate or obfuscate journalists and how lesser known factors played a role in various events and scandals.

FEBRUARY

6. by David Quammen
Finish date: February 20, 2020
Genre: Science
Rating: B+
Review: The Tree of Life is not really shaped like a tree. It is much more complex than Darwin imagined due to horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Studies in molecular phylogenetics within the last 50 years or so have gradually discovered how this process works, and the Human Genome Project has helped reveal that about 1/12th of human DNA entered our genome from viruses. This book does not only explain how all this work. It tells the story of the scientists and the processes they went through to make discoveries. I really appreciate that the story includes both successes and failures, which are equally important parts of the scientific process. This is quality scientific writing and a comprehensive history of how we learned this fascinating science.

MARCH

7. by Erik Larson
Finish date: March 3, 2020
Genre: History
Rating: B
Review: This is the third Erik Larson book I have read. They are all narrative histories of interesting topics. This one is is pretty crazy, as it focuses on the sociopath H.H. Holmes, who was both a financial scammer and a serial killer. This parallels with a story line of the architects who designed the buildings and grounds of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

The fair had a huge influence on 20th century America far beyond what I was aware of. While the fair showed off the best innovation and culture that its planners believed society had to offer, dark forces were quietly at work, their horrors only to be revealed after the fact. This is a very interesting story backed by Larson's excellent research and writing. I am not sure Devil in the White City fully lives up to the hype surrounding it, but it is definitely worth reading to get a new perspective on American history.

8. by John F. Steiner (no photo)
Finish date: March 26, 2020
Genre: Business
Rating: C
Review: This was a textbook for one of my MBA courses. The cases in this book are interesting, and the writing is good for textbook writing. It makes a good supplement to class discussions about various issues in business and government relations. However, it is limited in its use as a resource for research, and it isn't worth half of the price tag on it.

9. by David Romer (no photo)
Finish date: March 27, 2020
Genre: Economics
Rating: B+
Review: The title doesn't lie. This is a high-level text that covers macroeconomic models for economic growth and fiscal and monetary policy. Romer has a background in physics and focuses primarily on mathematical models. A solid background in algebra, calculus, probability, and statistics is necessary to grasp about 80% of the text. Romer assumes a great deal of prior knowledge of both the mathematical and economic concepts.

This text is extremely comprehensive and incorporates research from various schools of economic thought, including new Keynesian, neoclassical, and monetarist perspectives. Romer is extremely thorough with each concept and includes copious references to papers, making this an excellent research tool.

Great progress Douglass - thanks for the edits.

APRIL

10. by Kenn Kaufman (no photo)
Finish date: April 28, 2020
Genre: Science/Nature
Rating: B-
Review: This is a beautiful book. I really like Kenn Kaufman, and even more after reading this book than before. Nevertheless, there is nothing particularly new here. There are a few interesting facts and some beautiful moments of the experience of birding, but it is a bit like the book couldn’t decide if it was going to be a memoir, a book about migration, a book about activism, or a brochure for a birding festival. It might be something to put on your bookshelf to read in the winter when you miss birding as often and want to get excited about the spring. Kaufman did narrate the audiobook edition himself, which is really nice.

MAY

11. by Marie Arana (no photo)
Finish date: May 10, 2020
Genre: Biography
Rating: B
Review: Simon Bolívar led a revolution against the Spanish Empire that resulted in the development of 6 new nations, but the impact of both the man and the movement get little attention in the world outside of Latin America. I learned nothing about Bolívar in school aND knew nothing about him until a few years ago. After reading this book, I feel like I might know more than I actually need to!

This book is a thorough chronological biography of one of the world's most important historical figures, at least in terms of the changes that resulted from a figure's life. Unfortunately, it often feels like Bolívar's life is just an endless sequence of transitions from one battle to another and one mistress to another.

Bolívar was a less principled, idealistic revolutionary than many other American revolutionaries, but he did seek their guidance. For Bolívar, it seemed to be more about winning the fight and gaining control than about building a city on a hill and transforming humanity. Nevertheless, he did fight for racial equality and abolition, which puts him ahead of most North American revolutionaries.

Bolívar's efforts toward abolition and racial equality probably saved South America from following in the footsteps of other post-colonial societies, which struggled with slavery, tribal conflicts, and even genocide. Instead, poltical instability would be the defining conflict of the Bolivarian nations. Thus, this book provides essential context for understanding the geopolitical inricacies of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

While Bolívar is not as dynamic as I expected, and the text is a bit dry, Bolívar: American Liberator is a solid biography for the history-lover who wants to learn more about the flamboyant liberator of this vibrant corner of the world.

12. by Jeremy Brown (no photo)
Finish date: May 10, 2020
Genre: Science/Medicine
Rating: B+
Review: This is certainly a topical read that I picked up during the Covid-19 pandemic. It delivered wonderfully for the occasion, providing insights to what the 1918 influenza pandemic was like and how our response to the flu and other infectious diseases has evolved since then.

JUNE

13. by William J. Stevenson (no photo)
Finish date: June 11, 2020
Genre: Business
Rating: B
Review: This was the last textbook of my MBA program and one of the better ones I had to read. It is well-written, well-organized, concise, and easy to understand. No fluff, no filler.

Good choices.

14. by Friedrich A. Hayek
Finish date: June 30, 2020
Genre: Economics
Rating: B
Review: This is a volume containing several important papers and lectures by F. A. Hayek from the 1930s. The best materials in here include "Monetary Theory and the Trade Cycle", "Prices and Production", "Monetary Nationalism and International Stability", and "Investment That Raises the Demand for Capital". Many of the other works sprinkled between them are critiques of the works of other economists that would be of limited use to most readers.

Hayek's writing style often uses long sentences and long paragraphs. He is rarely concise or eloquent, but is quite calculated. Hayek takes a methodological approach to how he writes about economic theory, which makes his work very educational. He has prolifically studied the works of past economists from the famous to the obscure. His critiques of them can be harsh, but keeps biases in check and gives credit and respect to any good work that a colleague has done. Hayek never generalizes. He is always honest and logical.

JULY

15. by Timothy Snyder
Finish date: July 5, 2020
Genre: Politics/History
Rating: A
Review: The first 30 pages or so of this book are underwhelming, and then something clicks and it becomes an amazing wake-up call and call to arms.

Timothy Snyder is a scholar of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. He demonstrates in this book how tyrannical regimes rise to power and what we can do to prevent it. As he progresses through the 20 lessons, he brings more and more attention to the current political climate in the United States, and the comparisons to historical consolidations of government power are alarming.

Unlike many authors on the subject, Snyder does not provide a pessimistic view without a solution. He also does not sell a specific political agenda. Each of the 20 lessons has an actionable solution that the reader can easily begin applying in life today to be part of the change. On Tyranny looks at American politics with a global and historical perspective, warns of the dangers of nationalism, and provides a framework for fighting tyrannical regimes.

Good progress Douglass

16. by Blair Imani
Finish date: July 6, 2020
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: This is a history of The Great Migration that is accessible to most readers and focuses on culturally relevant stories like writers, artists, musicians, athletes, and activists who were part of the journey. Their stories were shaped by the Migration, and they also influenced American culture as we know it.

The book is framed by Imani's personal story and organized into chapters based on different time periods. Subchapters deal with themes from that time period, which are often described through stories of important people and what they did. While the focus is obviously on African Americans, Imani also takes some opportunities to highlight women, the LGBTQ community, and indigenous peoples in areas where they are relevant to the narrative.

I will be using an excerpt from this book for a lesson this fall and keeping the hardback in my classroom library. While this book is very accessible to young readers, it is packed with cultural and historical knowledge. As a frequent reader of US history books, I learned several new things from this book!

You are cruising.

That's the goal! Gotta catch up before I go back to work the 20th.

That is good that you are catching up - but the 20th is still a few days away (smile)

17. by James Jordan (no photo)
Finish date: July 12, 2020
Genre: Music
Rating: A-
Review: James Jordan is amazing as always. This volume contains articles by Jordan and other authors about harmonic rehearsal teaching and Music Learning Theory. It contains many music excerpts and an appendix and CD with valuable resources

I wish that it got into more specifics about MLT. As happens with many James Jordan books, this one awakens the reader, who will have to go buy more resources to fully execute what they learn here. This can be one of the drawbacks of Jordan's books, but it is worth it.

This book challenges many pedagogical and technical assumptions about choral singing and music education. It has led me to rethink how I approach sight-singing, aural skills, vowels and consonants, and other aspects of how I teach my choir as well as some of what I teach my bands.

Very interesting.

18. by Michelle Alexander
Finish date: July 21, 2020
Genre: Politics/History
Rating: A
Review: This book is amazing. I have always felt alone in feeling that civil liberties are the most important issue in every election. These issues have been very important to me for a long time, and I felt very informed about them, but this book taught me so many new things.

Alexander puts the War on Drugs at the center of systemic racism. She uses an almost overwhelming amount of statistical studies and legal cases to make the case. She also connects the dots between systemic racism in law enforcement and in other areas of society, including pockets where it may be hiding in your own mind.

It sounds great.

19. by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Finish date: July 24, 2020
Genre: History
Rating: A
Review: This is a history, not so much of the indigenous peoples of the United States, but of their relationship with the state and with white settlers. Dunbar-Ortiz is a descendent of Native Americans and an activist historian a la Howard Zinn. This work contains very little original history, but condenses the work of other historians, especially Native American historians or historians who study and write about Native Americans without promoting a Eurocentric, colonialist, or pro-government agenda.

Dunbar-Ortiz demonstrates how settler colonialism is at the root of the U.S.'s founding and its history through westward expansion, 20th century imperialism, and even the War on Terror, and how it has shaped the relationship between the state/settlers and indigenous peoples in the U.S. and beyond. There are unfortunately a few moments where Dunbar-Ortiz makes claims that appear to be biased and are not well-supported by evidence or citation, but the work is mostly well-cited. It offers many facts and perspectives that had me highlighting, thinking about, and planning to research further.

Overall, this is a wonderful work worthy of Zinn's "People's History" label. I learned a great deal from this book. It challenged and changed my views on much of my country's history. It pointed me to other works on these subjects that I look forward to reading. Dunbar-Ortiz also suggests solutions that the government could implement to restore the culture, welfare, and autonomy of native peoples residing within the U.S. borders.

Douglass, sold — American!
Regards,
Andrea

Good progress Douglass.

AUGUST

20. by Imbolo Mbue
Finish date: August 7, 2020
Genre: Fiction
Rating: A
Review: This is a beautiful story about family, values, and home. The Jongas immigrate to the United States, where their lives become intertwined with the Edwards. The characters are so lovable, even if they will all break your heart at some point in the book. It is very dialogue-driven, but the dialogue builds the characters, moves the plot along, and is often hilarious.

21. by Ibram X. Kendi (no photo)
Finish date: August 11, 2020
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: A
Review: Kendi's thesis is that racism is rooted in policy, not in ideology. Racist policies are created to serve the self interests of the people who create them, then racism is used to promote and defend these policies. According to Kendi, the key antiracism is to dismantle racist policies, then racist ideas will fall with them.

Agree with it or not, Kendi defends his thesis well with strong evidence and great writing. Each chapter defines a type of racism and the corresponding type of antiracism that challenges it. And each ties a story from Kendi’s personal experiences with the theory and history of the concept. This is mostly a high quality text with comprehensive content that is well-cited.

One area of disappointment is the “Class” chapter. Antiracist authors are often dismissed as Marxists, and it is difficult to defend them when they write language like Kendi uses here, which—in a Marxist fashion—emphasizes history and identity over theory and praxis. To his credit, Kendi differentiates between historical capitalism and theoretical capitalism. However, he chooses to focus on the historical definition, and he uses contradictions and generalizations to dismiss capitalism racist, without fully supporting the claim as he does with almost all other claims in the book. To use Kendi’s own logical approach, I would argue that if antiracists do not wish to be dismissed for having a Marxist agenda, then they should not dismiss capitalists as having a racist agenda.

For me, Kendi more than makes up for this in the “Gender” chapter, which provides an excellent explanation of intersectional identities and how they affect many racist policies and racist behaviors. This is an area of racism I was not informed enough about, so I got a lot out of this chapter.

Some other big takeaways from this book: Race is more than a social construct, it is a power construct. Racist policy has only been changed when it served the interests of racist power. And, perhaps one of his more controversial points: anyone can be racist against any racial group, including their own and including a group that has racial power.

Some of Kendi's ideas have received mixed responses in the antiracist community. There is some controversy over his thesis and the "White" and "Black" chapters, for example. I am not going to comment on them here because as a straight white male, it's not really my place to say what people in these more vulnerable groups should and should not be worried about. I will just do what I can to read a lot of antiracist work, listen to the concerns of other people, and fight for equality in policy. I will say that Kendi does explain his ideas well, and they are worth reading and considering as part of a broader education in antiracism.

As important as this reading and listening are, we must do more. As Kendi states,

Knowledge is only power if knowledge is put to the struggle for power. Changing minds is not a movement. Critiquing racism is not activism. Changing minds is not activism. An activist produces power and policy change.

That is the ultimate lesson of this book. We must apply what we have learned from books like this one to changing the policies in our communities that empower racism.

Excellent review.

22. by Robert Repino
Finish date: August 24, 2020
Genre: Sci-fi
Rating: A-
Review: Imagine that animals are suddenly able to walk and talk like humans, oh, and by the way, this is happening in the middle of an epic apocalyptic war. This book takes some crazy ideas from across genres and consolidates them into a great story that explores love, friendship, family, religion, philosophy, and science. It is an imaginative, unpredictable story with spunky characters and some original sci-fi concepts. Approach this book with an open mind and enjoy imagining an apocalypse like no other you have ever read!

23. by Richard M. Ebeling (no photo)
Finish date: August 30, 2020
Genre: Economics
Rating: B+
Review: This is a short book of 6 essays about the Austrian theory of the trade cycle (business cycle). If you need a brief overview of it, this is the place to go. The into by Roger W. Garrison and essay by Ludwig von Mises are excellent concise introductions. The essay by Gottfried Haberler probably explains the concepts better than F. A. Hayek, who first introduced it to Americans. Add in essays by Rothbard and Hayek, and this is one heck of a primer on the Austrian theory.

SEPTEMBER

24. by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Finish date: September 6, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: A+
Review: At an event in Indianapolis shortly before his first novel was published, Ta-Nehisi Coates said that when he turned in the first draft of it, his editor replied, "this ain't it!" He went back to the drawing board and made major edits toward a better draft, as he had with his previous books. Eventually, he completed a story as radical as the Underground itself, The Water Dancer.

Coates injects magical realism into the historical setting of the antebellum South and the Underground Railroad. The magical elements are controversial for some readers, who feel–rightfully–that the heroes of the Underground can hold their own without the need for superpowers. However, the novel is a compelling experiment. The inclusion of magical powers allows Coates to explore interesting conflicts between the protagonist, Hiram, and his past and his fate. For the open-minded reader who is willing to see new perspectives of American history pushed to a creative frontier, this is a pretty amazing story.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is my favorite writer. He just has this amazing flow to his prose that I attribute to the combination of his brilliant mind and his love of hip-hop music. He delivers this flowing prose as well in The Water Dancer as in his beloved memoirs, perhaps even better. There are times in this book where one must stop to contemplate and read a passage again and again to relish it. It has been years since I read a book that made me do that so many times.

This is a such a rich text that one cannot simply gobble it down; one must savor every long, flowing sentence and every subtle, sophisticated phrase. If you are ready to go on an epic journey that will be entirely too long and arduous, leading only to a more complex freedom, the Underground Railroad is the route for you, and Hiram can be your Conductor. On the other hand, if you are looking for a quick read to breeze through this weekend, "this ain't it!"

25. by George Selgin (no photo)
Finish date: September 9, 2020
Genre: Economics
Rating: D+
Review: This paper presents a brief overview of praxeology and arguments for and against some of the Austrian school's positions on economics that are based on praxeology. It addresses issues like determinism, entrepreneurial action, and the tendency of the market to move toward (or away from) equilibrium. It is not the clearest or the most coherent, but it covers some of the basics and cites some good sources that I am more interested in exploring.

26. by Herodotus
Finish date: September 20, 2020
Genre: History
Rating: B+
Review: I picked this book up at the library while listening to the "Kings of Kings" episodes of Dan Carlan's Hardcore History podcast. I thought I would just skim it and read interesting sections, but I ended up getting really into it, purchasing my own copy, bookmarking tons of interesting sections, and reading all 639 pages of it.

Herodotus, the world's first published historian, provides amazing insights into many people and cultures of Southeastern Europe, Egypt, and the Fertile Crescent about 2,500 years ago. He rights from a Greek perspective, but shows respect and enthusiasm for other cultures. He cites sources throughout, though not as specifically as historians due today (footnotes and style guides hadn't been invented yet). Being the first to put so much of this on paper, much of it is a recitation of oral histories, so it must be taken with a grain of salt. Notwithstanding, Herodotus's details and perspectives are valuable to both serious historians and casual readers like myself.

Goodreads lists more than 500 editions of Herodotus's The Histories. I would venture to say that this is one of the top 3. Tom Holland's translation is wonderful–it is such a smooth read–and the cover, binding, and printing are beautiful. It is a fine addition to any history buff's bookshelf. I would highly suggest getting a copy, if only to occasionally pick it up and browse a section, although I must warn that you may find you can't put it down and have to invest half a summer into finishing it!

Tom Holland

OCTOBER

27. by Jon Lee Anderson
Finish date: October 1, 2020
Genre: Biography
Rating: A-
Review: This is a very thorough and well-researched biography of one of the most influential figures in Latin American history and 20th century world history. It is mostly chronological, occasionally adding snippets from the past or future for context. It is not very creative or editorial. It is about the subject, not the author, and Anderson neither glorifies nor vilifies the man. He just tells the story and provides the prospectives of the people involved. Whether you love or hate Guevara or his politics, you would learn a lot about the man and the revolution from reading this book.

28. by Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Finish date: October 16, 2020
Genre: Politics/Law
Rating: B
Review: True to its title, this is largely a book of (the Notorious) RBG's writings and speeches from her teenage years through her more than 2 decades on the Supreme Court. Biographical material is mixed in as well, and there are even excerpts from the opera written about Justices Ginsberg and Scalia. In the audiobook version, many of the recordings of the original speeches are used, as well as musical recordings of the opera excerpts.

The book is a great overview of Ginsberg's life, her major accomplishments, her values, and her way of thinking about the law. These are important things to consider as we enter a new era in our nation's history, where the Supreme Court is more politicized and progress is not guaranteed to move one direction.

Today, as I was finishing this book, it was reported that Bernard Cohen, the lawyer who argued Loving v. Virginia passed away. My Own Words discusses this case. The Lovings were arrested in their own bedroom and were forced to leave Virginia or be imprisoned. Inspired by the civil rights movement, they decided to appeal their case. Cohen, who was volunteering at the ACLU, took up the case, which ultimately led to the Supreme Court ruling that states cannot ban International marriage. 4 million American couples are safe in their own bedrooms today because of that ruling.

We must keep reading and telling heroic stories of justice like this one. The country has been changing politically, and not for the better. We must make it about freedom and equality again. For these reasons, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you, Douglass, for that review. I’m currently on the wait list for the book at my local library, so you have encouraged me to stick it out, as the book sounds like it will be worth the wait.
Regards,
Andrea

29. by Bryan Stevenson
Finish date: October 30, 2020
Genre: Law/Memoir
Rating: A+
Review: I was not sure exactly what to expect from this book. I have been following Bryan Stephenson on Twitter for awhile and then saw him in a documentary, but I did not know much about the book other than that it came highly acclaimed. This book knocked the wind out of me.

The cases that Stevenson has taken on are some of the gravest injustices forced upon Americans by the criminal justice system. Racism is a big part of it, but also corruption, ignorance, and psychopathy. So many law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges have taken part in the wrongful imprisonment, unjust sentencing, and state-sponsored murder of our society's most vulnerable people.

Innocent men on death row for being Black. Mentally ill people on death row despite the Supreme Court's ruling that it is illegal. Children sentenced to life without parole when they are 13-14 years old, placed in adult prisons where they are sexually assaulted. People diagnosed with MS and other devastating illnesses that were triggered by the conditions of their imprisonment.

Stevenson details their personal stories as well as how he fought their cases, some of which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. He gets to how his role affected him as well. The book is one of the greatest expressions of empathy that I have ever read. It is simultaneously heartbreaking, inspiring, and informative.

Yes, indeed, Douglass, this is a “heartbreaking, inspiring, and informative” book. I couldn’t agree more.
Regards,
Andrea

NOVEMBER

30. by Timothy Snyder
Finish date: November 2, 2020
Genre: Politics/Medicine/Memoir
Rating: A
Review: When I saw that Timothy Snyder had a new book out, I grabbed a copy at the bookstore and immediately started reading. Snyder is one of the great political thinkers of our time. He is an expert on tyrannical governments like Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. This book is partially a memoir of his hospitalizations in late 2019 and early 2020, as he was treated in Germany, Austria, and the U.S. for an appendectomy and then a liver infection caused by the appendectomy. He compares the health systems in Europe and the U.S., discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and worsened the healthcare situation in the U.S., and explores the idea that people cannot be free if they are sick. I do not agree with all of Snyder's policy proposals, but I love reading his perspective. He has done great research and given a lot of thought to these issues. This book is a wonderful, short, and informative read that would help anyone concerned about these issues.

31. by Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk
Finish date: November 2, 2020
Genre: Economics
Rating: C-
Review: Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk makes fine contributions to price and value theory which would influence Ludwig von Mises and the rest of the Austrian school of economics. While Böhm-Bawerk's contributions in this and other texts are quite notable, they are far less readable. Sadly, I more enjoy reading about Böhm-Bawerk than I enjoy actually reading him.

Douglass, great progress and a lot of interesting books. Bryan Stevenson's book is still one of my favorite ever.

by Bryan Stevenson