Chesapeake Requiem: A Year with the Watermen of Vanishing Tangier Island

By Earl Swift This book chronicles the history and ecology of Chesapeake Bay, using Tangier Island as the vehicle to tell the story. Tangier is the largest blue crab harvesting area in the country and a lot of this book is about the 'crabber' who live and work on the island and the surrounding water. Rising sea level is having a devastating effect on the island. Which is shrinking rather rapidly. The island has traditionally been very isolated, and this has fostered a conservative christian community on the island, that is very insular to outside influence. A lot of information is contained in this book, climate change, sea conditions, wild life associated with the bay. However, the picture that is painted did not make me desire to visit the island anytime soon.

The First Tour de France by Peter Cossins. Book review

The First Tour de France by Peter Cossins As the title implies this is the story of the first Tour. Taking place in 1903, this interesting history provides the background on how the Tour got started. Of course several people take credit, but there is a decided upon standard legend story. This is a layered narrative with highlights the different personalities which were involved. Which were considerable. The first Tour was in six stages, and the bulk of the book tells the story of each stage in a chapter. This is done by the author giving us the background of what was going on at the time, then a story of the stage told as if it was an article appearing in a cycling newspaper of the time. Which is extremely effective and well done. Also included in the background of the Tour is the situation in France at the time, and how the Tour help cement the modern image of French nationality and culture. The first Tour was an instant success and changed how competitive cycling at the time was being done.

These are very short book reviews. I don't finish books that I don't like, so I would recommend any of these. The Storied City: The Quest for Timbuktu by Charlie English History of the famous African city, flipping between the issues that started in 2012, and the ancient history of how Europeans ‘discovered’ the city. Making Oscar Wilde by Michele Mendelssohn Biography if Wilde that traces his creation to his 1881-1882 tour of the U.S. Documents his rise and fall. The Traveling Feast by Rick Bass This Bass memoir tells the story of his travels to writers who are his mentors and authors who influenced him. He travels to these writers homes with some of his students and cooks for them, as a way of saying thanks. Lincoln’s Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him to The Presidency by Dan Abrams Interesting story of Lincoln’s last trial before he ran for president. Traces his skills at being trial lawyer, and tells the story of his working as a corporate lawyer for railroads as the west was settled. Tip of the Iceberg by Mark Adams The history of Alaska exploration and settlement, and present state of the people and environement. The Mirage Factory: Illusion, Imagination and The Invention of Los Angeles by Gary Krist Tells the story of LA in the 1910s, and 20s by telling the story of William Mulholland, D. W. Griffith and Aimee Sempel McPherson. Illustrates the development of the LA water system, the movie industry and the social life of the city. Into the Raging Sea by Rachel Slade The sinking of the El Faro container ship on it voyage from Florida to Puerto Rico. Wraps in the history and current situation of the shipping industry. Something Wonderful: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution by Todd Purdum The history of and the creation of the Broadway Musical. The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Fascinating insights into how trees grow and communicate. Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson Analyzes the life and legend of this founding father. Leornardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson How Leonardo became Leonardo, how his life and times influenced him and how he has influenced so much of history. Grant by Ron Chernow The story of the general and president, and his surprising rise and success. The Line Becomes A River by Francisco Cantu The former border patrol agent tells what it is really like to be on and of the Mexican border. The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel The pioneering work in astronomy done by women in the late 1800s. I Wonder as I Wander by Langston Hughes The autobiography and what a fascinating journey he had. The Last Castle by Denise Kiersan The history of the Biltmore in Asheville, NC. The Lonely Life by Bette Davis Her autobiography in her own words.

Warner Bros by David Thompson

Book review: Warner Bros by David Thompson This interesting biography of the Warner Brothers, and the studio they founded, is mostly about Jack Warner. He was the youngest of the brothers, and this is of course the story of the movie industry. Warners were the ones who brought sound to the movies, and they became an iconographic symbol of the american movie industry and helped establish the studio system. An interesting jumping off point for the history of the movies.

Captain Fantastic by Tom Doyle

Book Review: Captain Fantastic by Tom Doyle This great biography of Elton John is another nostalgic trip of a read. The meteoric rise of Elton and his amazing production of songs in the 70s and early 80s is really something to look back on and marvel. Considering their legendary status it is amazing to read about Bernie and Elton’s early years, and the fact that they worked on songs together before they even met, with their agents getting Bernie Taupin’s lyrics to Elton so her could put them to music. Since we all know the songs of these two so well, it’s a great vehicle to read about what was happening in their lives when they create specific songs and albums, and what many of the songs are really about. As pointed out in this book, many people gave deep and mystical meanings to their songs, when they were really just about more personal things happening to them at the time.

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin

Book review: Born Standing Up by Steve Martin This autobiography provides a great overview of Steve’s early life and his life in stand up comedy, and an interesting treatise on why he stopped doing stand up. It also provides some history of comedy transitioning from vaudeville to the modern era, and how comedy has evolved from the 1950s until now. Following his career development from the 60s through to the 80s, we are given the evolution of a comedian who was so much a part of the pop culture of the day. I found it interesting to read about the foundation of so many things that were a part of my younger life, phrases like “a wild and crazy guy!” that became catch phrases seemingly overnight. You can definitely hear Steve’s voice when reading this book. Pairing this with the biography of Elton John, “Captain Fantastic” you get a real sense of the pop culture of the 70s and 80s and so much that pervaded out lives. The one major difference of course being that Steve’s is an autobiography and the Elton book a biography. Elton’s autobiography is slated to come out in 2019.

The Boy Who Loved Too Much by Jennifer Latson

Book Review: The Boy Who Loved Too Much by Jennifer Latson This chronicles the life of a boy from his a couple years old through his graduation to eighth grade. The boy, Eli, is diagnosed with Williams Syndrome when he is a couple years old. A rare genetic disorder, people with Williams Syndrome are over affectionate and hug everyone, friends and stranger alike, and randomly tell people they love them a few minutes after meeting them. Sometimes referred to as the opposite of autism, the lack of self control can be very unsettling for people around them. There are several traits to this disorder, sometimes they are referred to as having ‘elvin’ features, they usually do not grow too tall and typically are over weight. They also can have associated heart problems and other internal organ issues. This book follows one boy and his mother over a 13 year period, illustrating the anxiety of the mother, the support systems she puts in place, and the trials of the boy who is physically growing but who mental state is that of a much younger person. This is a very interesting contrast to the story of the Stranger in the Woods, which chronicles a person who didn’t see or speak to another human being for 27 years. These are two ends of a social interaction spectrum that raises more questions than are answered. I think these examples also illustrate how much of our make up in genetic, and how our behaviors so many times are attempts to deal with how are genetics are pushing us.