Propaganda Girls is the absorbing story of four American women living around the world – in Tokyo, Hawaii, originally from a tiny Cz4+ absorbing stars
Propaganda Girls is the absorbing story of four American women living around the world – in Tokyo, Hawaii, originally from a tiny Czechoslovakian village, and the only one I was familiar with, Marlene Dietrich a German-American singer and actress. From the publisher: “Betty MacDonald was a 28-year-old reporter from Hawaii. Zuzka Lauwers grew up in a tiny Czechoslovakian village and knew five languages by the time she was 21. Jane Smith-Hutton was the wife of a naval attaché living in Tokyo. Marlene Dietrich, the German-American actress and singer, was of course one of the biggest stars of the 20th century. These four women, each fascinating in her own right, together contributed to one of the most covert and successful military campaigns in WWII.”
Propaganda Girls was thoroughly researched and well-written. Experienced author Lisa Rogak wove the stories of these four disparate women of the world together in an organized way. All were fiercely independent and thought creatively about how to create and disseminate propaganda to enemy troops while working for the OSS. (Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the CIA.) Rogak pointed out the blatant sex discrimination these women faced in both pay, rank, and male attitudes. War and separation were very hard on marriages and relationships for these women too. Yet they persevered and made a difference. I like how Rogak gave a short synopsis of each woman’s life after the war.
Samara Naeymi had the perfect voice for the audiobook. Clear, strong and matter of fact, her lively narration made the book come alive for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Propaganda Girls is an interesting non-fiction narrative that contributes to our understanding of some of the roles where women contributed to helping win WWII. It is an outstanding change of pace from the glut of formulaic historical-fiction currently in vogue. ...more
The Cure for Women is an important historical work about women physicians and the barriers they faced. Wo4+ important historical stars, not rounded up
The Cure for Women is an important historical work about women physicians and the barriers they faced. Women need to remember how far they’ve come and be wary of never regressing with their hard-earned rights. We also need to remember those who helped bring us this far. The book mentions Dr. Putnam Jacobi knowing suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony and the Blackwell sisters (doctors), but I had not heard of Mary Putnam Jacobi before. I am glad I got to read about her Dr. Jacobi’s life and work.
The author writes, “In a Victorian culture that valued women as ornamental birthing machines, the cutting-edge, evidence-based medicine Jacobi practiced was an act of disobedience. Her scientific research dismantled the myths about women’s bodies spread by men, transformed medicine, and laid the groundwork for the future advancements of women including suffrage. It was a turning point for women struggling to be seen as fully human. Jacobi became one of the most important physicians, male or female, of the nineteenth century. Her amazing accomplishments remain mostly unrecognized today.” Reeder’s research is amazing. The non-fiction narrative style she uses cites first-person resources extensively.
Just as the subtitle got a bit long, (Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi and the Challenge to Victorian Medicine That Changed Women's Lives Forever), so did the book. The Publisher says it’s 336 pages long; I don’t know if that includes 25% of my Advanced Reader Copy which is research footnotes. I think the book seemed long because there were some tangents besides Victorian Medicine and the topic of women’s health history is a serious topic.
I was dismayed at the male doctors who experimented on enslaved women (gynecology) without anesthesia, and the ‘rest cure’ for mental ailments/ depression that completely took away women’s autonomy and made things worse.
Narrator Sara Sheckells does an outstanding job of making the book come alive and feel more personal. I listen to quite a few audiobooks, and her voice was the perfect combination of easy to listen to but never lulling you to sleep.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
3 criminal stars, not rounded up. Times were tough in New York City before the Civil War and into the Gilded Age. There were no social/ government pro3 criminal stars, not rounded up. Times were tough in New York City before the Civil War and into the Gilded Age. There were no social/ government programs to make sure one was fed, housed, and clothed. This was especially true (as now) for immigrants. Fredericka Mandelbaum turned to crime.
From the publisher: “Marm” Mandelbaum, as she was known, had become the country’s most notorious “fence”—a receiver of stolen goods—and a successful criminal mastermind. By the mid-1880s as much as $10 million worth of purloined luxury goods (the equivalent of nearly $300 million in today’s money) had passed through her modest haberdashery shop on the Lower East Side…She planned, financed, and profited from robberies of cash, gold, diamonds, and silk throughout the city and across the United States…Handpicking a cadre of New York's foremost bank robbers, housebreakers, and shoplifters, and neatly bribing anyone who stood in her way, she handled logistics and organized supply chains—turning theft into a viable, scalable business .
The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum paints a vivid image of Gilded Age New York—a city teeming with delightful rogues, capitalist power brokers, and Tammany Hall bigwigs, all of whom straddled the line between underworld enterprise and the realm of “legitimate” commerce.” What I notice is that the rogues are delightful and the bigwigs and power brokers seem to be the bad guys. There never seemed to be any moral condemnation of crime, even though it was ‘only’ property crime. The author exalted Mrs. Mandelbaum’s ‘business acumen,’ even though it was illegal.
It felt like the author was trying to stretch the material by elaborating on other crime topics and people, like when she elaborated on bank robbery methods and safes. Fox did the research, but it didn’t seem like there were many personal sources – I never felt like I was rooting for Mrs. Mandelbaum.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
4 true stars “How on earth did South Carolina, a primitive, scantily populated state in economic decline, become the fulcrum for America’s greatest tra4 true stars “How on earth did South Carolina, a primitive, scantily populated state in economic decline, become the fulcrum for America’s greatest tragedy?” In The Demon of Unrest, narrative non-fiction writer Erik Larson sets out to answer this question with an extensively researched, well-organized, highly-readable book.
I like the way Larson occasionally lets his sense of humor slide in on serious subjects. “The Confederate commissioners had come north expecting to be treated as the envoys of a grand new republic, the Confederate States of America, and here was Secretary of State Seward, via Campbell, treating them as if they were house servants demanding a day off.” Another entry, “’Breakfasted with John Manning who made better jokes than usual.’”
Larson does an outstanding job of weaving first-person narratives (often from diaries) together. I appreciated that he includes women’s stories in a historical setting where too often women’s perspectives had been deemed non-worthy or relegated to the distant sidelines.
As always, with his books, I learned new information. He puts in lots of details, but the story never bogs down. Larson includes an extensive bibliography for scholars and those more interested in the Civil War than I am. His long collection of notes includes stories “that for various reasons did not fit into the main narrative but, like little birds in a nest, seemed to cry out to be told.”
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
5 adventurous stars Things I LOVE about this book: • Well-organized by region. Maps included. • Appealing colors and clean graphics. • Concise, not over5 adventurous stars Things I LOVE about this book: • Well-organized by region. Maps included. • Appealing colors and clean graphics. • Concise, not overly detailed. Helps you figure out which parks you want to visit quickly. Journaling space includes room for dates, weather, trails, flora and fauna, memories, and more. • Traveling tips VERY helpful • (If you are looking for many details about each park, this is not the book you want.)
This is one of the few Netgalley ARCs I plan to purchase. HAPPY TRAILS! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Roma Agrawal does a fantastic job of combining universal truths of seven small inventions with personal stories in this non-fiction 4+ inventive stars
Roma Agrawal does a fantastic job of combining universal truths of seven small inventions with personal stories in this non-fiction narrative. She explains complicated things in a simple way that is easy to understand. The book is well-organized. I liked the way she brought attention to lesser known (women and BIPOC) inventors who often get overlooked. The story about the woman who invented the dishwasher and started a company was fascinating.
I listened to the audiobook. Agrawal’s pleasant voice, with an easy-to-understand British accent, makes the narrative lively.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
5 fascinating stars, both entertaining and educational “We needed a kind of user’s manual for the female mammal. A no-nonsense, hard-hitting seriously 5 fascinating stars, both entertaining and educational “We needed a kind of user’s manual for the female mammal. A no-nonsense, hard-hitting seriously researched (but readable) account of what we are. How our bodies evolved how they work, what it really means to be a woman.” Eve, by Cat Bohannon succeeds at this gigantic task in remarkable ways. This fun and fascinating book “traces the evolution of women’s bodies, from tits to toes, and how that evolution shapes our lives today.”
The author takes a complex subject, female evolution over eons, and makes every concept understandable. Cat Bohannon balances the personal with the universal in telling the story of how the female body drove 200 million years of human evolution. The book is extremely well-researched and organized. Author’s notes and an impressive and extensive bibliography are included.
Bohannon’s sense of humor lightens what could be dreary subjects, but never are. “Human breast milk, as I’ve since come to learn is also remarkably adaptive. All mammalian milk is. Making babies the way we do is a messy, dangerous business. It sucks, in fact.”
I particularly liked the chapter on the Brain. ”Given hominins’ deep history of being prey species, such a nice big brain was probably extra incentive for our predators. Dessert, if you like…Eves’ brains became more and more disproportionally large compared with the rest of their bodies. They finally got so big, in fact, that they had to build stronger clavicles to support neck muscles that could hold the silly thing up – which did a number on human childbirth, not to mention the fact that now our newborns can’t hold up their own heads for months.”
As stated in my star rating, Eve is both educational and entertaining. It could be thoroughly discussed in college classes or simply enjoyed because of the fascinating subject and outstanding writing. Highly recommended!...more
5 amazing stars “I am Tswb Muas, and I was born in a village called Dej Tschuam, a place where two rivers meet…I tell them that I had not imagined this5 amazing stars “I am Tswb Muas, and I was born in a village called Dej Tschuam, a place where two rivers meet…I tell them that I had not imagined this life for myself, and yet here it is and here I am hoping to continue it – elsewhere. I make my story short and direct, the way I am.”
Where Rivers Part is the fourth non-fiction book I’ve read by Kao Kahlia Yang. A gifted writer, her powerful stories of family share important truths about the Hmong culture and life in America for refugees. The language is direct and poetic. “The wind is angry tonight, and the sky is letting down small flakes.” “My smile looks uneven now, like a fence after a bad storm, twisted by the direction of heavy wind…My tears, once buried deep inside me, now live in my pores. At the slightest squeeze, they seep from my body.”
Kahlia does a marvelous job of weaving the story from Laos to Thailand to Minnesota and back. She writes, “My mom is afraid that no one will be interested in a story about her life. She and my father tell me that just because they have lived hard lives doesn’t mean they are incredible; they both remind me that the hardness in their lives is nothing more than the sorrow they share with those who have been through wars, who know poverty, who understand what it’s like to live without power or belonging on your side.” This is an incredible and true story, full of love, hardship, war, family, and resilience. I admire the courage of Tswb. I can’t imagine sharing so intimately with a writer daughter and the world. The book rings with honesty and strength.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
4.4 storied stars, rounded up “There were no little errors in wartime Germany. The choices you made put you on one side of history or the other.” “Like4.4 storied stars, rounded up “There were no little errors in wartime Germany. The choices you made put you on one side of history or the other.” “Like many men of his generation, my grandfather wasn’t much for self-expression…He wanted to forget, not remember.”
Author Burkhard Bilger is an American, “taught to be unafraid of history – to believe that God is on my side, or at least willing to forgive my lapses. But I also have German blood, so I know that forgiveness doesn’t always come easily.” His family had known that like many of his generation, grandfather Karl belonged to the Nazi party. Fatherland shares Bilger’s research through telling stories about Karl, his mother, (a young child during WWII) and the places they lived.
Bilger has been a writer for The New Yorker for decades and his prowess with words and organization shines throughout the book. “It was a gift, this life. She knew that better than anyone. After the howling sirens and concussing shells, even boiling diapers could seem a blessing. But a darkness still clung to things.” Breaking Karl’s life into chapters based on his life roles worked extremely well: Suspect, Father, Ancestor, Son Soldier, Casualty, Teacher, etc. The black and white photographs at the beginning of each chapter made the book even more personable.
The author makes astute observations. “In Germany, there always seemed to be only one right way to do things – cross a street, wear a hat, raise a child – and if you dare to do otherwise, someone was sure to let you know.” (I found this the case with all my grandparents; they were rigid, stiff, inflexible.) Karl’s granddaughter wanted to know about the war, but knew it was taboo to ask. “’He just wanted to forget. It was the same with others after the war. They were just as broken, as soul sick. I think they raised their kids without emotion to make them as tough as possible.”
I requested the book because like the author’s family, my grandparents and great-grandparents never talked about the war. (My grandmother, who immigrated after WWI, had brothers fighting for both Germany and for the Allies.) Bilger’s descriptive storytelling gave me insights into the desperate, starving times both before and after the war. He made me ponder the moral dilemmas of tough wartime choices.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Occasionally witty, always well-researched and organized, Paul Craddock’s Spare Parts makes you glad to be born with ‘modern medicin4 engrossing stars
Occasionally witty, always well-researched and organized, Paul Craddock’s Spare Parts makes you glad to be born with ‘modern medicine’ available. I’m always surprised at how little was known about the body in the 1600s compared to what I knew in fifth grade. Readers do not need a science background to follow along with the fascinating conversational tone of the book.
The first half of the book covers the very old attempts to transplant parts, including noses and blood. The latter sections cover kidney dialysis and transplants and discuss heart, hand and face transplants.
Trigger warning: Not for the faint of heart (or stomach), some descriptions of early medical experiments can be a bit gross. Descriptions of experimenting on dogs and prisoners bothered me, as did children selling their teeth for money. Nothing is overtly graphic, just a bit yucky.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
A gift for anyone who has loved the church, felt lost, and seeks the place God wants them to be. (In other words, most people!)
Rachel's writing is elA gift for anyone who has loved the church, felt lost, and seeks the place God wants them to be. (In other words, most people!)
Rachel's writing is eloquent, personal, organized. Some passages demand being underlined or marked with a heart. My only regret is we won't have more Rachel Held Evans' truths to discover after her passing. ...more
A moderate Jodi Picoult fan, I wanted to like this book more than I did. Maybe we are still too in the midst of the pandemic. Maybe the Galap3+ stars
A moderate Jodi Picoult fan, I wanted to like this book more than I did. Maybe we are still too in the midst of the pandemic. Maybe the Galapagos, while wonderful, felt so far away. Maybe Diana, with her life all planned out, annoyed me a little too much. Maybe Finn, the handsome surgeon, almost fiancée was too good for Diana. I liked the book but didn’t love it.
The New York City ICU descriptions – what happens on a ventilator – felt Very real. The book brought back strong memories of how little we knew when the pandemic started. I liked the backstory of Diana’s mother at the end. The epilogue at the end felt a bit ‘over-the-top look what I did.’
Make sure you read the Author’s Note at the end. “When I try to make sense of the past year, it feels to me like the world pressed pause.” Life changed dramatically then. Wish You Were Here is an interesting perspective of what happened and the need to examine what is important in our lives.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
B.J. Hollars and his 6-year-old son, Henry, set off on an adventure following the Oregon Trail. They’ve got much to l4.5 adventurous stars, rounded up
B.J. Hollars and his 6-year-old son, Henry, set off on an adventure following the Oregon Trail. They’ve got much to learn… “about history. And geography. And art. And meteorology. And cooking. And tire changing. And oil changing. And the importance of staking down tents.” This funny travelogue is full of excellent writing and broad thoughts.
I love that the book included photos of the author and son along important way points, like their first McDonald’s, as well as historic paintings and Henry’s renderings (which unfortunately were not included in the ARC.) The personal touches, whether a father’s musings, or descriptions by pioneers make this book amusing and memorable.
Hollars takes a balanced approach in discussing Native American contributions. He tells his son that “westward expansion and its aftermath is really a story about power – who had it, who didn’t and the price that was paid as a result.” They seek out Native American sites, museums and guides and relay fresh perspectives on a part of the Oregon Trail that is too often overlooked.
Recommended for (as the dedication reads) “travelers- past, present, and future.“ Go West, Young Man is tender, informative and funny. It makes me want to hit the trail.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
5 wise stars I have heard and read the story of the first Christmas hundreds of times. I had a few doubts about trying another version. I’m so glad I d5 wise stars I have heard and read the story of the first Christmas hundreds of times. I had a few doubts about trying another version. I’m so glad I did! Sticking close to biblical texts and Jewish history of the time, Mitchell brings fresh perspectives to a familiar story.
Mary and Joseph ask themselves and God many questions as they prepare for a one-of-a-kind event. Their doubts turn into brave acceptance. I particularly enjoyed the perspectives of the ox and donkey. They added a gentle touch of humor and charm to the story.
The author, Stephen Mitchell, does an outstanding job of narrating the story. His voice is clear and mellifluous. His calm tone adds to the magic of The First Christmas. I listened to the audiobook, but I believe either print or audio would make a great gift.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Why haven’t I ever heard of Elizabeth Packard – even in a college Women’s history class? Thank you, Kate Moore, for bringing this strong4 worthy stars
Why haven’t I ever heard of Elizabeth Packard – even in a college Women’s history class? Thank you, Kate Moore, for bringing this strong, smart, (definitely not insane) woman to our attention!
Women’s rights during the Civil War were pretty much non-existent. I found it appalling how many rights husbands had and astonishing how husbands could have their wives locked up in an insane asylum with no evidence, just 2 doctors’ signatures. This happened to Elizabeth Packard. Theophilus, a pastor, believed everyone, including himself was damned. Wife, Elizabeth saw good in all. “Theo” could not cope with Elizabeth’s independent mind and spirit. She even “asserted herself in public too, such as in a Bible class run by his church.” Besides locking her in her room, he conceived a plan to put her in an insane asylum.
Elizabeth Packard not only kept her sanity but helped others in the asylum. Elizabeth writes of the abuses that occurred in the asylum and later gives court testimony regarding the terrible circumstances. After she was released, Elizabeth published books, self-publishing at first because her work was not accepted. She did crowdfunding, as there were no readily available jobs after the Civil War. She worked with legislatures to help get rid of discriminatory laws and help those declared insane.
Kate Moore, author of Radium Girls, did an incredible amount of research, using original sources, to bring Elizabeth’s important story to light. The prose is clear, if not always concise. Quotes used the more formal language of the 19th century, which may bother some readers. I don’t think this book is as emotional as Radium Girls, but I found myself rooting for Elizabeth, an American hero who deserves much more recognition.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Originally poor mudlarks salvaged scrap metal from the Thames’ shores and sold it to dealers. As time went on, mudlarks looked not only for profit, buOriginally poor mudlarks salvaged scrap metal from the Thames’ shores and sold it to dealers. As time went on, mudlarks looked not only for profit, but for fun and history. The Thames is not a neatly stratified archeological site. “It gives up a hundred random objects, and it is up to the finder to discover their stories. That is the joy of mudlarking; that after every trip to the river you know more than you did before. Chance connections with something that was once treasured, that was lost and has now been found again.” Sandling’s writing is poetic and well organized. I know more than I did before.
The publisher’s blurb indicated that the book was ‘beautifully illustrated.’ Alas, to my great dismay, there were no photographs in the Advanced Readers Copy, only descriptions of the objects. Had Quarto Publishing added pictures, I’m sure it would have merited another star.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Loved this book! Started listening to this as a podcast. So Glad John Green turned it into a book! Essays with personal stories, a bit of history and Loved this book! Started listening to this as a podcast. So Glad John Green turned it into a book! Essays with personal stories, a bit of history and background, and a sense of wonder! So glad I have a signed copy to reread and share. ...more
3 intriguing stars While I enjoyed The Thief of Souls 4 stars worth, I need to subtract 1 star for abnormal sexual and graphic violence against multip3 intriguing stars While I enjoyed The Thief of Souls 4 stars worth, I need to subtract 1 star for abnormal sexual and graphic violence against multiple women. I can’t in good conscience wholeheartedly recommend it to my many reading female friends or other Christians.
Klingborg uses humorous and colorful turns of phrases such as “dumb as a wheelbarrow full of pig shit.” Given that northern China is the sole setting for the mystery, I was surprised by references to a police officer as short, squat, and tough as old rhinoceros hide and another reference to a hollowed-out dugout canoe. Seemed a bit out of context.
Sections start with a quote by Mao. Sentences are often direct and short, even choppy, moving the pace of the mystery on quickly. Pacing was excellent, building toward an extraordinarily strong ending. To add to the suspense, the killer speaks a short soliloquy at the end of each section.
I admired Inspector Lu for his honesty and dedication. I found myself rooting for him when bad guys and other Chinese politicos were against him.
I especially enjoyed the brief commentaries about modern life in China; firearms are rare, cigarettes as an expression of rank, power and wealth, mental health is a touchy subject. China’s arrest and trial system differs vastly from the United States with a conviction rate more than 90%. For those without much knowledge of Chinese history, a concise view of Mao’s Great Leap explains the main character’s motivations. I was initially hoping to read more of Inspector Lu in the future – interesting characters, tidbits of Chinese history, a romantic interest, fresh setting – but I have no stomach for reading about a psychopath carving up and raping female victims.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
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