Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

What did Marmee’s husband do during the war?

March by Geraldine Brooks

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Cbr11bingo Birthday. Geraldine Brooks was born September 14, 1955. Bingo #9 Geraldine Brooks’ 2006 novel March is a brilliant Civil War novel that imagines the lives of Marmee and Mr. March, the parents of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Brooks, a journalist by trade, has a history of writing thoroughly researched and highly imaginative fiction. I’ve read most of her novels and they have all been superb. Year of Wonders, Caleb’s Crossing and People of the Book are all fantastic. I know I read March […]

There are better things to rebel against, Nate

Rebel by Bernard Cornwell

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Pressed upon me by a colleague, it took me a few weeks to really get into Rebel in which we meet young Nathaniel Starbuck, a Bostonite who’s fled to the South to escape the wrath of his abolitionist preacher father who is most upset that Nate has stolen a bunch of money for and then been abandoned by a floozy. Narrowly avoiding being tarred by an angry Southern mob thanks to a timely rescue by his friend’s father and wealthy landowner Washington Falcouner, Nate finds […]

Remind me never to go back in time

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott

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This was a pretty well written, interesting look into a part of Civil War history that we don’t always get. Abbott warns at the beginning that some of the stories were told by the characters themselves and may have been exaggerated for the public and I definitely think that’s true at several points in the narrative. That caveat aside, it was really fascinating reading about these women’s lives. It was uncomfortable reading about the confederate characters, O’Neale and Boyd, but I think it’s important to […]

I hate me some damn rebs.

How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove

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I’ve been an avid reader of history for most of my life, and I’ve long been fascinated by alternate history. It’s almost impossible to read history without wondering how much of the world would be different with a minor change or two. For all that, I’ve only ever read The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (years ago). I thought it was okay, but not really what I wanted. How Few Remain takes place in the early 1880s, during the presidency of […]

More like Ron Churn-ow

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I read Chernow’s biography of Hamilton last year because, well, I can’t see the musical.  Also, I majored in History as an undergrad and my favorite era is the American Revolution.   Hamilton, the biogrpaphy, was excellent.  It was the first major biography that read despite a good friend recommending Chernow a few years ago.  I enjoyed Hamilton enough that I added Grant to my queue as soon as it was added to my library and after eight months of waiting, I got my turn. […]



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