American Civil War – Cannonball Read 17

Fuck your Southern “honor”

The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson

July 12, 2025 by KimMiE" 3 Comments

CBR 17 BINGO: Culture, because the culture of the pre-American Civil War South is prominent in this book Erik Larson is one of my favorite non-fiction writers, and if American history is your jam, this is a must-read. Folks like myself who are less war-curious might still find it interesting; however, I felt it sometimes got bogged down in the logistics of pre-war strategy. I found the sections dedicated to the personalities involved and the beliefs of the times more interesting, and also more rage-inducing. […]

Racing Time

Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse by Kim Wickens

December 2, 2023 by Pooja Leave a Comment

A horse called Darley was born on a farm in Kentucky a decade before the Civil War; under the name Lexington, he broke the world record for speed and left an imprint on the world of American horse racing that persists to this very day. I was never a horse girl, but in elementary school I had a phase in which I read a great deal of Marguerite Henry and Walter Farley. As such, I’ve probably seen about four horses close up throughout my life, […]

Obviously You Should Shoot the Intruder in Your Hidden Pool

The Proud Breed by Celeste de Blasis

February 2, 2023 by Pooja Leave a Comment

After an unexpected encounter by a hidden pool, Tessa and Gavin fall in love, but their lives together in a rapidly developing California will not be easy. Before this book I’d only read de Blasis’s Wild Swan trilogy, and it was glad to see that we see some of the same hallmarks here – strong, complex characters with an undeniable connection, no matter how many times they might fall away from each other for a time. In fact, I might argue that Tessa was a […]

No ticket needed

William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate

March 26, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Who was William Still? One of the most important people who helped run The Underground Railroad and I would wager few know his name. As the book William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad will point out, several people of color were involved in the everyday workings of the Railroad, few are still known. And Don Tate authors and illustrates one man’s journey. The youngest of his siblings, some left behind in slavery when their parents escaped, Still always wanted […]

Meets All the Hype

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

December 13, 2019 by thewheelbarrow Leave a Comment

I wanted to read this book for years. I even bought it an Audible during a sale at one point but I put off reading it due to its length. I was really just looking for the right time to commit to it fully. That happened this summer as my family and I moved back across the country from California to Virginia. My wife and the kids flew as our children are really young. I drove with the dogs and rocked out to a few […]

A Window to the Past

The Civil War Journal of Pvt. Heyward Emmell, Ambulance & Infantry Corps by Heyward Emmell

March 4, 2019 by Ale 1 Comment

The backstory to this read is I’m part of a very nerdy hobby where my hubby and I dress in funny clothes and teach the public about American Civil War history. (aren’t we adorable?) As such, I end up looking for obscure primary sources about the people who didn’t end up having movies made about them. I was very happy to stumble across “The Civil War Journal of Pvt. Heyward Emmell,” and the story of how the diary came to be purchasable on Amazon is […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

Help Our Mission