The Raging Erie

4 out of 5 Stars

Title: The Raging Erie: Life and Labor Along the Erie Canal

Author: Mark S. Ferrara

Publisher: Columbia University Press

This book is well researched and written and presents a different spin from other books that focused on the building of the canal. It encompasses the many different groups that lived and worked along the Erie Canal. It starts with the Native Americans who lost the land upon which the canal was built, the immigrants who worked on and around the canal, the use of the canal as part of the Underground Railroad and the wide range of colorful characters who were in some way connected to the canal. A must read for those interested in the history of New York State.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

The Demon of Unrest

5 out of 5 Stars

Title: The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War

Publisher: Crown Publishing

This book is well researched and written. I have read several previous books by the author and this one does not disappoint. It deals with the five months of events leading up to the Civil War with the election of Lincoln and the assault of Fort Sumter. Larason does a very good job of covering both sides of the of the building conflict and the emotions that it revealed. A must read for those interested in the Civil War.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

Willie, Waylon and the Boys

4 out of 5 Stars

Title: Willie, Waylon and the Boys: How Nashville Outsiders Changed Country Music Forever

Author: Brian Fairbanks

Publisher: Hachette Books

This book is well researched and written. It gives a history of the evolution of Country Music. I was interested in reading this book as I grew up in a household that listened and played country music in the 1950s and 1960s. The initial focus of the books is an overview biography of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson and how each of them had an impact on the evolution of country music. The last few sections deal with the evolution of country music after them of which I am not a fan, but it was interesting reading. Overall, a good read for those interested in country music.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

The Call To Serve

5 out of 5 Stars

Title: The Call To Serve: The Life Of President George Herbert Walker Bush

Author: Jon Meacham

Publisher: Random House

This book is well researched and written. It gives an overview of the life of President George Herbert Walker Bush. It is meant as a companion book to the author’s more detailed biography of Bush. It contains over 400 pictures of the President throughout his life and I got as much from the photo captions as I did from the overview in each chapter. A good addition to anyone interested in Presidential biographies.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

Clouds of Glory

35 out of 5 Stars

Title: Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee

Author: Michael Korda

Publisher: Harper Collins

This book is a biography of Andrew Jackson that focuses on his years during the Civil War. The book was a bit of a disappointment as the author is definitely a fan of Lee and glossed over or made rationalizations for his character flaws. The author is repetitive, especially when it comes to Lee’s character, and has a tendency for pages long paragraphs making for a challenging read. I was truly disappointed in this book after having read his book on Eisenhower which was way better.

A Walk In The Park

2 out of 5 Stars

Title: A Walk In The Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

Author: Kevin Fedarko

Publisher: Scribner

This book is a disappointment (at least for me, not for some others). It strikes me as a wannabe Bill Bryson “A Walk In The Woods” without the humor (although there are numerous attempts at being humorous, but most fall flat) nor the engaging writing style. I had high hopes for this book as I am a fan of the Grand Canyon, but alas it was not to be.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

The Yankee Way

4 out of 5 Stars

Title: The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story of The Brian Cashman Era

Author:Andy Martino

Publisher: Doubleday Books

This book is well researched and written. It gives a good history of the New York Yankees from the late 1960s to the present in regards to the organization and how it went about redeveloping a championship team multiple times. George Steinbrenner made it extremely difficult and the author is very direct in his criticism pointing out that much has been glossed over prior to and subsequent to his death. It also points several individuals who played key parts that are relatively unknown. A must read for any Yankee fan.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

The Situation Room

4 out of 5 Stars

Title: The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis

Author: George Stephanopoulos and Lisa Dickey

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

This book is well researched and written. It gives a history of the Situation Room in the White House. The room itself is very different from what has been presented in movies and television although the most recent update starts to approximate the media. How it was used by Presidents has varied from very little to fairly frequent use. It makes for a very interesting read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt

4 out of 5 Stars

Title: The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt: The Women Who Created a President

Author: Hampton Sides

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

The subtitle of the book describes the contents. I have read several biographies of Theodore Roosevelt covering his entire life or specific events such as Mexican American War, Amazon River, his lifelong interest in Conservation, etc. This is the first that has focused on the women in his life versus them playing a smaller role in other biographies. The author presents a well written and researched history of the role that his mother, wives and sisters played in his life and the development of his character. This is well worth the read especially for those interested in the live of Theodore Roosevelt.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

American Lion

5 out of 5 Stars

Title: American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

Author: Jon Meacham

Publisher: Random House

This book is a biography of Andrew Jackson that focuses on his years in the White House. It is well written and researched. I have read several books by the author and this one continues with a narrative that is engaging versus a dry recitation of history. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Andrew Jackson or American Presidents.