History Matters

Author: David McCullough
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2025
Pages: 192
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Rich with McCullough's signature grace, curiosity, and narrative gifts, these essays offer vital lessons in viewing history through the eyes of its participants, a perspective that McCullough believed was crucial to understanding the present as well as the past. History Matters is a testament to McCullough's legacy as one of the great storytellers of this nation's history and of the last promise of American ideals.

Review: Having read several of David McCullough's books, this gave greater insight into McCullough as a person and his writing process. It's a short read that I found interesting.

David McCullough Books
The Johnstown Flood
The Pioneers
Truman

The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: S&S / Marysue Rucci Books, 2014
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: The art of love is never a science: meet Don Tillman, a brilliant yet socially inept professor of genetics, who's decided it's time he found a wife. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs The Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.

Rose Jarman possesses all these qualities. Don easily disqualifies her as a candidate on The Wife Project (even if she is "quite intelligent for a barmaid"). But Don is intrigued by Rosie's own quest to identify her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on The Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie - and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don't find love, it finds you.

Review: In some ways this novel reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Once you give yourself over to the quirky characters, it is enjoyable reading (or listening). I opted to listen.

This was a hot book when it was first published, but I didn't jump on the bandwagon then. I'm glad I gave it a chance when I saw it on the audiobook shelf at my local library. 

Cleopatra Confesses

Author: Carolyn Meyer
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2011
Pages: 304
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: It is the first century B.C. Cleopatra, the third of the pharaoh's six children, is the one that her father has chosen to be the next queen of Egypt. But when King Ptolemy is forced into exile, Cleopatra is left alone to fend for herself in a palace rife with intrigue and murder. Smart, courageous, ambitious, and sensuously beautiful, she possesses the charm to cause two of history's most famous leaders to fall in love with her. But as her cruel sisters plot to steal the throne, Cleopatra realizes there is only one person on whom she can rely - herself.

Review: I've never thought of myself particularly interested in Egyptian history, but I did take two years of it in college. I like to say it's because I figured out how to get As from that professor. However, there might be more to it than that, because I flew through this book. 

Almost more interesting than Cleopatra herself, and she was interesting, are the times in which she lived.

This is another highly readable Carolyn Meyer novel. I only wish she would have gone into more detail about Cleopatra and Mark Antony's relationship. Once again, this is a novel written for ages 12-18, but adults should give it a chance.

Other Carolyn Meyer Novels:
In Mozart's Shadow: His Sister's Story
Diary of a Waitress: The Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Harvey Girl
Mary, Bloody Mary
The Bad Queen

The Bad Queen

Author: Carolyn Meyer
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers, 2011
Pages: 430
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, the spirited young woman can't help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and even a forbidden love affair. Meanwhile, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay for her reckless extravagance with her life.

Review:  Old European monarchs aren't of particular interest to me, or perhaps I should say, until I discovered Carolyn Meyer's novels, they weren't. I knew of Marie-Antoinette, but had not spent any time learning about her. She was a name in the history book.

This novel was so fascinating. I have quite a few books to read yet to meet my reading goal for the year, but I have no regrets starting a 400+ page novel this late in the year. It held my interest and I read it quickly. I came away feeling for sad and sorry for Marie-Antoinette and her family. They deserved better than what they received.

The book jacket indicates that this was written for 7th to 9th graders, but I disagree in some respects. While the writing is easy, some topics / themes are better suited to older high school. It also begs the question, why was so much time spent on the consummation of Marie-Antoinette and Louis' marriage, or rather the lack of consummation. Seems like an odd detail on which to be focused.

Other Carolyn Meyer Novels:
Cleopatra Confesses
Diary of a Waitress: The Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Harvey Girl
In Mozart's Shadow: His Sister's Story
Mary, Bloody Mary

Mary, Bloody Mary

Author: Carolyn Meyer
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2001
Pages: 240
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: The story of Mary Tudor's childhood is a classic fairy tale: A princess who is to inherit the throne of England is separated from her mother; abused by an evil stepmother who has enchanted her father; stripped of her title; and forced to care for her baby stepsister, who inherits Mary's right to the throne. Believe it or not, it's all true.

Told in the voice of the young Mary, this novel explores the history and intrigue of the dramatic rule of Henry VIII, his outrageous affair with and marriage to the bewitching Anne Boleyn, and the consequences of that relationship for his firstborn daughter.

Review: I just love this author for historical biographies. My mother was fascinated with the history of the royal family, and so on principle, I was not ☺However, as it turns out my husband has this same interest and he talks about his novels enough that I found myself sort of interesting. I liked Mary, Bloody Mary because it was "Tudor-lite." It's a crazy family, and because this novel is written for the middle to high school set, it wasn't a deep dive into the family. Perfect for someone who wants to dapple and not know too much.

Other Carolyn Meyer Novels:
Cleopatra Confesses
Diary of a Waitress: The Not-So-Glamorous Life of a Harvey Girl
In Mozart's Shadow: His Sister's Story
The Bad Queen

One Big Happy Family

Author: Susan Mallery
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Harlequin, 2024
Pages: 320
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Julie Parker's kids are her greatest gift. Still, she's not exactly heartbroken when they ask to skip a big Christmas. Her son, Nick, is taking a belated honeymoon with his bride, Blair, while her daughter, Dana, will purge every reminder of the guy her dumped her. Again. Julie feels practically giddy for one-on-one holiday time with Heath, the (much) younger man she's secretly dating.

But her plans go from cozy to chaotic when Nick and Dana plead for Christmas at the family cabin in memory of their late father, Julie's ex. She can't refuse, even though she dreads their reactions to her new man when they realize she's been hiding him for months.

As the guest list grows in surprising ways, from Blair's estranged mom to Heath's precocious children, Julie's secret is one of many to be unwrapped. Over this delightfully complicated and very funny Christmas, she'll discover that more really is merrier and that a big, happy family can become bigger and happier, if they let go of old hurts and open their hearts to love.

Review: Not up to Mallery's usual caliber, this was just an okay novel, even if one of the characters shares my name. It was a fast read, but a disappointing one as well. I don't think Mallery's heart was in this one - she had a deadline to meet and that was it.

Other Novels by Susan Mallery
The Christmas Wedding Ring
The Friendship List
The Sister Effect
The Vineyard at Painted Moon

Wishing Tree Series
The Christmas Wedding Guest
Home Sweet Christmas

Mischief Bay Novels
The Girls of Mischief Bay
The Friends We Keep
A Million Little Things

Silver Alert

Author: Lee Smith
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company, 2024
Pages: 240
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Herb's charmed life with his dear wife, Susan, in their Key West house is coming undone. Susan, in her seventies, now needs constant care, and Herb is in denial about his own ailing health. The one bright spot is the arrival of an endlessly optimistic manicurist calling herself Renee, who brings Susan a much-needed sense of contentment.

Then Herb and Susan's adult children arrive to stage an intervention with their stubborn, independent father, and as a consequence, Renee's gig with Susan - and her grand plans for her own life - start to unravel as well. Herb isn't ready to let go of all that he has ever had, and it turns out that Renee is not the happy, uncomplicated girl she pretends to be. She is not even Renee; she is really Dee Dee, and she, too, has reasons of her own to hit the road. So when Herb suggests one last joy ride in his Porsche with Dee Dee riding shotgun, they light out for parts north, setting off a Silver Alert.  

Review: While this book deals with some heavy topics, I still found it charming a fun read. I listened to the audio version and the narrator brought the characters to life. I can honestly say that I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the print version better.