Book reviews and book-nerdy stuff
A History of the Crusades, 3 Volume Box Set, published by the preeminent Folio Society in 2003, was written by Steven Runciman and is definitely a collector’s item for any serious Crusade scholar and book nerd (#booknerd). You know that you’re a book nerd when you get so excited that […]
A History of the Crusades, 3 Volume Box Set (Folio Society) Read More »
Among the names of the greatest literary minds of all time towers Dr. Samuel Johnson. Not only did he produce thousands of writings, ghost writings, sermons, and literary pieces, he also wrote the Dictionary of the English Language in the 18th century – at a time when such a notion
Samuel Johnson Dictionary Maker (A Lexicographer’s Life) Read More »
This is the book I’ve been waiting for! “Daughters of Chivalry: The Forgotten Children of Edward I” is akin to the perfectly faceted jewel affixed to the perfectly crafted ring: it is mesmerizing from afar yet intricately complex upon microscopic adoration. Author Kelcey Wilson-Lee examines the lives of the children
“Daughters of Chivalry: The Forgotten Children of Edward I” [Review] Read More »
“A History of Multicultural America” is a volume in a series comprising 8 total books: “The Great Migrations 1880s-1912” is the book I’m reviewing here. It’s a small 96 page book which covers 20 different categories of late 19th and early 20th century immigrants from Italians, to Baltics, to Japanese,
“The Great Migrations 1880s-1912” (A History of Multicultural America) Read More »
A book about 4 Norman queens of England, “Queens of the Conquest” is a lavishly-detailed account that takes you through the Norman Dynasty into the Plantagenet Dynasty through the eyes of its medieval queens. This is a superb narrative for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes lives of the founding families
“Queens of the Conquest” by Alison Weir [BOOK REVIEW] Read More »
Ron Chernow is one of my all-time favourite authors, and “Grant” is the consummate biography of one of America’s greatest heroes. Military strategist, General, and 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant was a man of stalwart nature who rose from being a somewhat misunderstood subordinate to a
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Books about Charlemagne! Here are THE 5 best books about Charlemagne that you cannot do without, plus 14 more recommendations! As someone who reads extensively, these are my recommendations with annotations. Want to know everything about King Charlemagne? Well here you go! Charlemagne, aka Charles The Great, aka Karl der
19 Books About Charlemagne (5 Reviews & 14 Recommendations) Read More »
It’s virtually a meta-book on Charlemagne! “Becoming Charlemagne” by Jeff Sypeck was an unexpected find in a bookstore in Nashville, Tennessee that totally transformed my understanding of the “Father of Europe.” Compared to “The Two Lives of Charlemagne” or Fried’s “Charlemagne,” Jeff Sypeck’s treatment of King Charlemagne was a different
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This book is a racier, sexier rebirth of “God’s War” by Christopher Tyerman! “The World of the Crusades” by the same author repackages a masterpiece in the only way it can be improved upon: load it with images, charts, graphs, and beautiful artwork. This resplendent new offering by historian Christopher
“World of the Crusades” by Christopher Tyerman [Book Review] Read More »
Out of the mind of the master comes “Upheaval” by Jared Diamond. Scintillating, didactic, and eminently practical, this book observes the historical record by subjecting them to both historical and psychological scrutiny. How does one apply the psychology of individuals to nations? Well, that’s the marvel of “Upheaval: Turning Points
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“The Origins of the Anglo-Saxons” by Jean Manco is how every book should be written: with preeminent scholarship and exquisite maps and supporting images. This masterpiece was compiled vis-à-vis Mary Hollingworth’s “The Medici Family” or Christopher De Hamel’s “Remarkable Manuscripts” and is a trend in publishing I hope to see
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“Alabama: The History of a Deep South State” is a carefully constructed montage of the history of the state of Alabama from its earliest native inhabitants up until the modern period. Of course, the actual state itself did not carry the moniker of Alabama as we know it until 1819,
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“God’s War” by Christopher Tyerman knocks all other Crusade books off of the shelf! It’s 922 pages of amazing page-turns; I mean when’s the last time you read a 900 page book without some sort of latent fear of actually trying to finish it? Tyerman’s “God’s War” is both macroscopic
“God’s War” by Christopher Tyerman [Book Review] Read More »
Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819 and 2019 marks the Alabama Bicentennial: 200 years of being a state. It’s time to celebrate! Whether you’re “built by Bama,” a Southerner, or a proud American, 200 years statehood for any state is something to sink your teeth into and reflect
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My 2018 Reading List has been very much historical. I’ve focused on the histories of Colonial America and Medieval Europe for the most part as well as a melange of other interesting tidbits. A lot of what I read came from my travels to Canada, California, Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama
My 2018 Reading List Read More »
