Reviews

Blogging for Books: Enduring Justice

Posted on by Kevin Holtsberry / 0 Comment

I am always looking for ways to connect with publishers and authors.  So when I heard about the WaterBrook Multnomah Blogging for Books program I signed up.  Unfortunately, I behind on my reading and so haven’t had a chance to read this month’s book.  So until I get caught up, here is a quick glance at what the book is about and some background on the author.

enduring-justiceIn Enduring Justice, Hanna Kessler’s childhood secret has remained buried for over two decades. But when the dark shadows of her past threaten to destroy those she loves, Hanna must face the summer that changed her life and the man who still haunts her thoughts.

Crimes Against Children FBI Agent, Michael Parker knows what it means to get knocked down. And when the system fails and a white supremacist is set free, Michael’s drive for retribution eclipses all else.

A racist’s well-planned assault forces Hanna and Michael to decide between executing vengeance and pursuing justice. When the attack turns personal, is healing still possible?

This thought-provoking novel deals with healing from sexual abuse, the balance of justice and mercy, and maintaining mixed-race friendships in the midst of racial tension. Readers who enjoy investigative thrillers by Dee Henderson, Colleen Coble, and Catherine Coulter, and who watch crime dramas like Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, and Without a Trace will love this book-and the entire series.

Author:

Amy Wallace is the author of Ransomed Dreams and Healing Promises, a homeschool mom, and self-confessed chocoholic. She is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and a contributing author of several books including God Answers Moms’ Prayers and Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes. She lives with her husband and three children in Georgia .

Reviews

Off the Beaten Path by the Editors of Readers Digest

Posted on by Kevin Holtsberry / 0 Comment

offthebeatenpathI don’t make it a habit of reviewing coffee table type books.  Of all the various genres and book types I am interested in, that isn’t really an area I spend much time with.

But every once in a while A photography or educational book of this sort comes across my desk and I feel it worthwhile to pass along the information here.  A recent example is Off the Beaten Path.

Here is the publishers blurb:

Off the Beaten Path spotlights over 1,000 of the United States’ most overlooked must- see destinations. In a state-by-state A-to-Z format, this budget-friendly vacation planner reveals the best-kept secret spots so that no matter where you live, you can plan an unforgettable local vacation within an hour or two of your home. Each of the featured sites has been verified by the respective state’s tourist bureau as still being “off the beaten path.” Revel in nature, science, art, and culture, and encounter the unexpected as you explore undiscovered gems.

[…]

Packed with innovative ideas for fun day trips and truly memorable vacations for travelers of every temperament, penchant, and budget, this unparalleled escape book leads you to New Hampshire’s castle in the clouds. pontoon boating through the Florida Everglades, dinosaurs trails through Colorado, an authentic jousting tournament in Virginia, or a stroll down America’s oldest street in New York City.

If you are the type that likes to travel, just for a weekend or for long stretches, this is a great resource.  The book is laid out in a very readable and easy to use style.  Organized alphabetically by state, each state has a collection destinations that even residents might not have thought of.  The beautiful photography and helpful illustrations don’t crowd out the text so it is easy to get the information you need.  And each entry has a website and phone number for more information.  And a handy seasonal events sidebar list key events throughout the year.

I looked through some of the entries in the states that I have lived in and found that most of the entries were “off the beaten path.”  Most of them I was unaware of or had not visited.  My wife and I made notes so we could visit some of the destinations we had missed.

Of course, if you aren’t that adventuresome you could simply use the book to find out interesting things about all 50 states.  It is easy to find your self just flipping through the pages looking for interesting places and destinations; dreaming of vacations and weekend trips.

So whether you use this as a resource for actual travel or a coffee table book for conversation and daydreaming there is really something for everyone.

Reviews

In the Mail: Big Personalities Edition

Posted on by Kevin Holtsberry / 0 Comment

–> LeMay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis LeMay by Warren Kozaklemay

From the Inside Flap

Hero or Villian?

The firebombing of Tokyo. Strategic Air Command. John F. Kennedy. Dr. Strangelove. George Wallace. All of these have one man in common–General Curtis LeMay, who remains as unknowable and controversial as he was in life.

Until now. Warren Kozak traces the trajectory of America’s most infamous general, from his troubled background and heroic service in Europe to his firebombing of Tokyo, guardianship of the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the Cold War, frustrated career in government, and short-lived political run. Curtis LeMay’s life spanned an epoch in American military history, from the small U.S. Army Air Corps of the interwar years to the nuclear age.

LeMay: The Life and Wars of General Curtis LeMay, tells the whole story of the innovative pilot and navigator; the courageous general who led his bomber formations from the front, flying the lead bomber; the brilliant strategist; the unflagging patriot; and the founder of modern strategic bombing, who was famous and notorious in turns.

–> Good Day!: The Paul Harvey Story by Paul Batura

From the Inside Flap

He was the voice of an era. Millions grew up listening to Paul Harvey News and Comment and The Rest of the Story, and trusted the great man who spoke for the little guy.

Good Day! by Paul J. Batura follows the remarkable life of one of the founding fathers of the news media. Paul Harvey started his career during the Great Depression and narrated America’s story day by day, through wars and peace, the threat of communism and the crumbling of old colonial powers, consumer booms and eventual busts.

[…]

Paul J. Batura’s Good Day! is a colorful biography of the radio pioneer-turned-legend whose guiding light saw the country through dark times. Whether he was covering racial tensions, terrorist attacks, or which vitamins to take, Paul Harvey articulated the American experience for average people making their way in a world too large for quick comprehension. Harvey brought them that world “in dime store words,” with a sense of optimism and faith, and with a deep love for America. Here is Harvey’s story, the rest of the story, as he would tell it himself.

Reviews

The Second Crusade 1148 by David Nicolle

Posted on by Jeff Grim / 0 Comment

The Second Crusade 1148: Disaster Outside Damascus by David Nicolle is a book in Osprey’s “Campaign” series, which gives accounts of history’s greatest conflicts.  The books detail the command strategies, tactics, and battle experiences of the opposing forces throughout the crucial stages of the campaign.

The basic premise of this campaign is that the French King Louis VII and German King Konrad III, along with the Christian forces in the Holy Land, led a force to try to capture Damascus.  They were extremely confident because up to this point the Christians had not lost a campaign.  The Muslim forces were splintered and preyed upon each other.  This all changed with the Damascus campaign – the Christian forces were defeated before the walls of Damascus by a force commanded by various Muslim leaders.

Nicolle, a scholar in medieval and Islamic warfare, has brought his extensive knowledge to his latest book.  The book is divided into several headings: Opposing Commanders, Opposing Forces, Opposing Plans, The Campaign, and Aftermath.  He provides a balanced narrative of what went right and wrong for the opposing forces.

Interspersed throughout the book are a number of photographs and color illustrations.  The illustrations are by Christa Hook.  Three of the illustrations are two-page ones that portray key events that occurred during the campaign.  In addition, there are several maps included that show the land route that the Crusaders took on their way to the Holy Land and the battle.  The battle maps help you understand how the different skirmishes related to the siege of Damascus.

This book is a fine companion to the other two volumes published by Osprey that highlight the First and Third Crusades.

Reviews

The Venetian Judgement by Daivd Stone

Posted on by Kevin Holtsberry / 0 Comment

venetian-judgementMicah Dalton, the lead character in David Stone’s series of espionage thrillers, is a stone cold killer (excuse the pun).  And the job is starting to wear on him.  At the start of Stone’s latest book, The Venetian Judgment, Dalton – a CIA “cleaner” whose connection to the agency is a little nebulous at present – is snuffing out the last remnants of a Serbian mafia gang that shot the women he loves and sent her into a coma.  He is intent on following this revenge until the bitter end even if, and maybe preferably, if it means his own end as well.

But instead he finds a catharsis of sorts and throws himself into a new case.  Accusations of treason and treachery are once again bringing chaos and destruction to the clandestine services section of the CIA.  A retired and beloved code-breaker has been murdered in a particular gruesome fashion.  And Dalton’s superior, head of clandestine ops, Deacon Cather is under suspicion of being a mole. Meanwhile, Dalton’s old nemesis Kiki Lujac is either dead or at the center of this new conspiracy.

To solve the mystery Dalton will have to survive long enough to find the answers.  Doing so will take him from Venice to Greece, Turkey, and eventually back to Langley. The answers are tied up in the seemingly ancient history of the Cold War, but they will have deadly repercussions if left unchecked.

Fans of Stone and Dalton will enjoy the latest adventure with its typical blend of action, intrigue, violence, and tongue-in-cheek type gallows humor.  The plot is a bit convoluted, but it is an entertaining read and there is a thread of political commentary running throughout for those who understand the debates involved.

More below (including “spoilers”).  Continue reading →

Reviews

Secret Son by Laila Lalami

Posted on by Kevin Holtsberry / 2 Comments

secret-son

I have a basic policy of trying to read books written by bloggers with whom I have interacted.  I don’t really know these people, and perhaps it is a form of wanting a connection with the famous (used loosely), but I find it interesting to see how their writing works in long from as opposed to blogging.

So when I saw Laila Lalami had a novel coming out (I missed her short story collection when it came out) I got a hold of a copy.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Secret Son turned out to be a fascinating and powerful story. Here is the synopsis from the back cover:

Youssef el-Mekki, a young man of nineteen, is living with his mother in the slums of Casablanca when he discovers that the father he believed to be dead is, in fact, alive and eager to befriend and support him. Leaving his mother behind, Youssef assumes a life he could only dream of: a famous and influential father, his own penthouse apartment, and all the luxuries associated with his new status. His future appears assured until an abrupt reversal of fortune sends him back to the streets and his childhood friends, where a fringe Islamic group, known simply as the Party, has set up its headquarters.

As that plot summary makes clear, the story is a rather simple one: rags-to-riches and back to rags.  And for the first two-thirds of the book that simplicity largely holds true.  And then in the final third the book kicks it up a notch and suddenly we are racing to a spirited climax full of emotion and punch.

More below.Continue reading →