www.sleuthofbakerstreet.ca/i/1584200/November_2022_e_MOM_Read.pdf

#AndThereWasLight #NetGalley

Jon Meacham is the highly regarded author of a number of biographies; among these are books on Jefferson, John Lewis and Andrew Jackson. Now Meacham has turned his attention to one of the country’s best known presidents. Here is a fascinating look back at Lincoln and his divisive times. Oh, so many, wish that we had a leader like him now.

This book is long and one that a reader may approach in a slow and steady manner. There is so much to savor here. There are many Lincolns within these pages; thre is a public man of strong morals who got to the presidency from what many saw as inauspicious beginnings. Lincoln was also a private man; his wife was a complex woman and so was his marriage. In addition, Lincoln knew private grief through the death of his son. Lincoln was a leader in wartime, a man who kept a battered country together. There is so much that can be learned from him. I am aware that I am just skimming the surface here. Read this book to learn more for yourself.

Those who enjoy autobiography and those who want to reflect on other troubled times in U.S. history, will want to have this book on their shelves.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 18 October 2022

720 pages

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In his captivating new book, Jon Meacham has given us the Lincoln for our time. And There Was Light brilliantly interweaves the best of gripping narrative history with a deeper search for the complex interplay among morality, politics, and power in a life, in a democracy, and in an America ripped apart over slavery. Here Meacham takes us to the heart of the president who shaped events at ‘the existential hour.’ In doing so, he fortifies us to meet our own.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

“Biography at its best, the great historian Barbara Tuchman wrote, paints an intimate portrait of an individual which simultaneously provides a sweeping view of history. With this deep, compelling work, Jon Meacham has achieved this gold standard. Written with wisdom and grace, his story of Lincoln’s complex moral journey to Emancipation mirrors America’s long quest to live up to its founding ideals.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin

Making A Masterpiece

The stories behind iconic artworks

by Debra N. Mancoff

This lavishly illustrated title tells the stories behind twelve well-known artworks. The paintings include everything from Botticelli’s Birth of Venus to Amery Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama. Interestingly to me, many are paintings of or by women. There are the Mona Lisa, Judith Beheading Holofernes and Woman in Gold, for example.

Each featured art work is labeled a masterpiece, a term that is defined in this title’s introduction. The history of the word is also discussed. The author also talks about the current plurality in the art world and questions how masterpieces may (or may not) fit within this framework.

Each of these works is discussed in depth. Ways in which a given painting has influenced more contemporary artists is also included here. Read in any order and come away with a deeper understanding of these treasures.

Recommended for both the serious art historian and a reader who would like to take a deep dive into works with which they may already be familiar.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group. All opinions are my own.

Recommended and reviewed by me.

Part of a favorite series

A lovely read for fans of The Shell Seekers

Enjoyed and reviewed by me

Nothing is more satisfying than the emotional combustion of characters who were meant to be together.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2022/11/03/books/review/new-romance-novels.html

“I got a copy of Edna O’ Brien’s ‘The Country Girls’ growing up, which hurried my puberty to a place where I thought differently about girls and women,” says the singer and frontman for U2, whose new memoir is “Surrender.” “I still do.”
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2022/11/03/books/review/bono-books-interview.html

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I reviewed this.

I enjoyed this. Second in series also a bargain today.

I enjoyed and reviewed this.

I enjoyed and reviewed this.

Reviewed and enjoyed by me

Quite a theme here. Seems to be royalty day.

Those lucky enough to visit The Tudors exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum may enjoy this.

A Novel

by Noelle Salazar

#TheFlightGirls #NetGalley

The Flight Girls stands out within a popular sub genre of stories about women during war time. This is a good historical fiction novel that centers on the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots Program. The protagonist is Audrey Coltrane. She always wanted to be a pilot and the war gives her this opportunity.

Pearl Harbor was a catastrophic event for the country and a frightening time for Audrey. Readers will be alongside her as she moves forward.

Audrey is very determined. Will this include her saying that she will be immune from romance? Will those she loves remain safe? And, how will the other women she meets help to sustain her? What exactly is the work that these women do? Turn the pages of this very readable novel to find out.

This book opens in Hawaii, also the setting for Sara Ackerman’s, The Code Breaker’s Secret. I recommend both.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 02 July 2019

From the Publisher