1atozgrl
My name is Irene. I'm a retired librarian, and returned to LT several years ago after a long period of inactivity. I joined the ROOT Challenge because I have so many books on my shelves that I have not yet read. I set my sights a bit too high the first year, but surpassed my goal the last 2 years, so I'm setting my goal at 30 this year. I still hope to be able to read more ROOTs than that.
Anything already on my shelves before 2026 will count as a ROOT. I have also found that counting books I had recently purchased was helpful in meeting my goals, so I will continue to count most books on my shelves, even if it is recent, especially things that have been on my Wishlist. But I will aim to read more of the books that have been on my shelves for a long time this year. I also count re-reads as ROOTs, but again, I am aiming to read more of the books that I have not read before.
Anything already on my shelves before 2026 will count as a ROOT. I have also found that counting books I had recently purchased was helpful in meeting my goals, so I will continue to count most books on my shelves, even if it is recent, especially things that have been on my Wishlist. But I will aim to read more of the books that have been on my shelves for a long time this year. I also count re-reads as ROOTs, but again, I am aiming to read more of the books that I have not read before.
2atozgrl
ROOTs Books Read in 2026
January
1. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
3. What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds by Jennifer Ackerman
February
4. Zorro : a novel by Isabel Allende
5. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
March
6. 1984 by George Orwell
7. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
8. How to Read A Book by Monica Wood
9. Jesus and John Wayne : how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
10. The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America by David Baron
11. Sonnets from the Portuguese : a celebration of love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
April
12. The Women by Kristin Hannah
13. Glory Road by Bruce Catton
May
14. Isola by Allegra Goodman
15. Patrick Henry : first among patriots by Thomas S. Kidd
16. An atlas of afterlives : discover underworlds, otherworlds and heavenly realms by Emily Hawkins
June
17. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
January
1. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
3. What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds by Jennifer Ackerman
February
4. Zorro : a novel by Isabel Allende
5. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
March
6. 1984 by George Orwell
7. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
8. How to Read A Book by Monica Wood
9. Jesus and John Wayne : how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
10. The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America by David Baron
11. Sonnets from the Portuguese : a celebration of love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
April
12. The Women by Kristin Hannah
13. Glory Road by Bruce Catton
May
14. Isola by Allegra Goodman
15. Patrick Henry : first among patriots by Thomas S. Kidd
16. An atlas of afterlives : discover underworlds, otherworlds and heavenly realms by Emily Hawkins
June
17. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
4rabbitprincess
Welcome back and have a great reading year!
5MissWatson
It’s great to see you again. Happy ROOTing!
6atozgrl
>3 connie53: >4 rabbitprincess: >5 MissWatson: Thank you all! I am happy to be back again, and looking forward to seeing what you all read.
7Cecilturtle
Welcome back, Irene, and happy 2026!
9AnishaInkspill
>1 atozgrl: hi and don't worry about the numbers just enjoy the experience, Happy Reading for 2026
10atozgrl
Thanks, Anisha! I don't worry too much about overall reading numbers, but I really do want to do more to clear out my own shelves. Since I've joined in the LT groups, I often find myself picking up something new or something from the library to meet a challenge, and it takes away time from reading off my own shelves. I really need to read more of my own books, partly so that I can clear some of them off the shelves and donate them. Clutter is getting to be a problem.
11detailmuse
Glad to see you're back, enjoy!
12atozgrl
>11 detailmuse: Thanks, MJ! I hope you have a great reading year!
13atozgrl
1. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
My first book this year is a light read. I had never read the book before, though I was familiar with the movies, of course. I'm sure everyone knows the story, about a masked outlaw who fights corrupt rulers and defends the poor and religious friars from injustice. I was a bit surprised to see that in the original story, the "bandit" was not unmasked even for readers until the very end. A nice, easy read to begin the year.
My first book this year is a light read. I had never read the book before, though I was familiar with the movies, of course. I'm sure everyone knows the story, about a masked outlaw who fights corrupt rulers and defends the poor and religious friars from injustice. I was a bit surprised to see that in the original story, the "bandit" was not unmasked even for readers until the very end. A nice, easy read to begin the year.
15atozgrl
>14 Jackie_K: Thanks, Jackie!
16atozgrl
2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
What an utterly delightful, lovely book, with a truly charming central character. I read A Gentleman in Moscow for my RL book club this month. I was completely absorbed in the book right from the start. This is one of those books that you can completely lose yourself in. I used to experience that a lot when I read books when I was young, but not as often in recent years. And the writing is beautiful, which is another thing you don't find much any more.
I presume most people here have already read the book, so I won't try to summarize it here. It's hard to say a whole lot about the story in any case without telling too much for anyone who hasn't read it yet. But if anyone here hasn't read it, I highly recommend it.
What an utterly delightful, lovely book, with a truly charming central character. I read A Gentleman in Moscow for my RL book club this month. I was completely absorbed in the book right from the start. This is one of those books that you can completely lose yourself in. I used to experience that a lot when I read books when I was young, but not as often in recent years. And the writing is beautiful, which is another thing you don't find much any more.
I presume most people here have already read the book, so I won't try to summarize it here. It's hard to say a whole lot about the story in any case without telling too much for anyone who hasn't read it yet. But if anyone here hasn't read it, I highly recommend it.
18MissWatson
>16 atozgrl: Moving this up the queue!
19missizicks
>16 atozgrl: I loved this when I read it, too. As you say, truly charming. Have you read his first novel Rules of Civility? I was gripped by that one.
20atozgrl
>17 connie53: This one was definitely a beautiful book. I'll have to check out his other books. I do have The Lincoln Highway on my shelf.
>18 MissWatson: It's worth doing so, Birgit!
>19 missizicks: I have not. This was my first Towles book. I definitely need to read more.
>18 MissWatson: It's worth doing so, Birgit!
>19 missizicks: I have not. This was my first Towles book. I definitely need to read more.
21connie53
>20 atozgrl: I also loved Lincoln Highway so don't wait to long, Irene.
22Jackie_K
I loved A Gentleman in Moscow too, it was a 5* read for me. With most fiction I struggle to suspend disbelief, but this was so beautifully written I was glad to in this case! (the bit I struggled to believe was Stalin allowing him to live under 'house arrest' for so many years, I'm sure one of the purges would have got him eventually in real life ).
23missizicks
>20 atozgrl: The Lincoln Highway is great, too. I haven't read his short story collection yet. He is definitely worth reading more by.
24atozgrl
>22 Jackie_K: I gave the book 5 stars too. I had to suspend some disbelief, but for me it was more that he would be able to live in the hotel for so many years. As for Stalin, I think the Count would have been too unimportant a person to have gotten Stalin's notice. So that wasn't something that occurred to me.
25atozgrl
>21 connie53: Thanks, Connie, that's good to know. I'll try not to wait too long, but it all depends on my reading time, book club reads, and the challenges I'm taking part in on LT.
>23 missizicks: Yes, Towles is definitely on my radar now. I'm not a big fan of short stories in general, but I might have to read his.
>23 missizicks: Yes, Towles is definitely on my radar now. I'm not a big fan of short stories in general, but I might have to read his.
26atozgrl
3. What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds by Jennifer Ackerman
I pulled this one off the shelf because it fits a couple of challenges this month: the Category Challenge-NonfictionCAT for January (Science) and the 75ers Nonfiction Challenge of Prize Winners. It covers just about anything you want to know about owls. Ackerman tells us about owls' superpowers, including their night vision, hearing, and silent flight. We also find out about how they communicate, their breeding, and migration patterns, which vary quite a bit between species. She also covers how people have viewed owls through time and the superstitions and folklore that various cultures have developed about owls. Through all of this, Ackerman introduces us to the many scientists who are studying owls, and we get to find out how they have discovered what we know about owls. The book ends with some thoughts about things we can do to help save owls.
I thought the book was really well done. There is a section for "Further Reading," which includes notes for each chapter as well as general reading. There are photos throughout, a section of color photos, and an index. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is interested in owls.
I pulled this one off the shelf because it fits a couple of challenges this month: the Category Challenge-NonfictionCAT for January (Science) and the 75ers Nonfiction Challenge of Prize Winners. It covers just about anything you want to know about owls. Ackerman tells us about owls' superpowers, including their night vision, hearing, and silent flight. We also find out about how they communicate, their breeding, and migration patterns, which vary quite a bit between species. She also covers how people have viewed owls through time and the superstitions and folklore that various cultures have developed about owls. Through all of this, Ackerman introduces us to the many scientists who are studying owls, and we get to find out how they have discovered what we know about owls. The book ends with some thoughts about things we can do to help save owls.
I thought the book was really well done. There is a section for "Further Reading," which includes notes for each chapter as well as general reading. There are photos throughout, a section of color photos, and an index. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is interested in owls.
27Cecilturtle
>26 atozgrl: OOh nice, Irene! It's on my list for later this year (for the Animal Category, I think :D). I'm glad it's a good read. I find non fiction can be pretty dry sometimes.
28atozgrl
>27 Cecilturtle: Some nonfiction can be a drag to read, but I didn't find this one dry. I thought Ackerman made it pretty interesting. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.
29atozgrl
@rabbitprincess had a ROOT of the month over on her thread. I really like that idea, so I'm going to try to implement it here.
Month in review--books read:
1. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
3. What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds by Jennifer Ackerman
ROOT of the month: A Gentleman in Moscow
Month in review--books read:
1. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
2. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
3. What an owl knows : the new science of the world's most enigmatic birds by Jennifer Ackerman
ROOT of the month: A Gentleman in Moscow
30atozgrl
4. Zorro : a novel by Isabel Allende
This is a fun reimagining of the Zorro story. Allende gives Zorro/Diego a background, so we can see where he comes from and why he does the things he does. She does the same thing for his companion, Bernardo, whom I almost did not even remember from the original story. The story begins with Diego's parents and his own childhood in California. But half of the book or more is set in Spain during the Napoleonic era, where Diego is sent with Bernardo for his education. He makes enemies during his stay there, and the politics of Europe where Napoleon is in power to start but then is exiled to Elba also play a big part. Their return to America is interrupted by pirates. All the experiences Diego has during his childhood, on ship, in Spain, and with the pirates are important to the development of his Zorro persona. They finally get back to California, where the fortunes of Diego's father and the community have changed for the worse. Of course, they take up the challenge to make a difference.
There are lots of adventures in this book. Allende pays a lot of attention to what was happening with the Indians in California at this time in history, and that plays an important part in the story. Allende also adds new characters, and women are strong and have agency of their own in this version. There's quite a twist at the end. This story basically ends where the traditional Zorro tales pick up. It's a lot of fun, and I'm glad I finally got to it.
This is a fun reimagining of the Zorro story. Allende gives Zorro/Diego a background, so we can see where he comes from and why he does the things he does. She does the same thing for his companion, Bernardo, whom I almost did not even remember from the original story. The story begins with Diego's parents and his own childhood in California. But half of the book or more is set in Spain during the Napoleonic era, where Diego is sent with Bernardo for his education. He makes enemies during his stay there, and the politics of Europe where Napoleon is in power to start but then is exiled to Elba also play a big part. Their return to America is interrupted by pirates. All the experiences Diego has during his childhood, on ship, in Spain, and with the pirates are important to the development of his Zorro persona. They finally get back to California, where the fortunes of Diego's father and the community have changed for the worse. Of course, they take up the challenge to make a difference.
There are lots of adventures in this book. Allende pays a lot of attention to what was happening with the Indians in California at this time in history, and that plays an important part in the story. Allende also adds new characters, and women are strong and have agency of their own in this version. There's quite a twist at the end. This story basically ends where the traditional Zorro tales pick up. It's a lot of fun, and I'm glad I finally got to it.
31missizicks
>30 atozgrl: This does sound fun. I haven't read anything by Isabel Allende for a long time. I might look this one out - thanks for reviewing it.
32atozgrl
>31 missizicks: I hope you like it if you get to it. I enjoyed it. It was nice to have something fun to read with the world the way it is right now.
33connie53
>32 atozgrl: Totally agree with the way of the world. It's daunting.
34missizicks
>32 atozgrl: Yes, that's something I've been struggling with for a while. I buy a lot of books from independent publishers and there has been a definite turn over the last couple of years towards books that reflect the world in its current state. I've been enjoying pulling books from my backlog that are 10 or more years old. They feel lighter, somehow.
35atozgrl
>33 connie53: It sure is, unfortunately.
>34 missizicks: Zorro was published in 2005, so it fits as an older book. You may be right that things older than 10 years ago are "lighter" in content or outlook.
>34 missizicks: Zorro was published in 2005, so it fits as an older book. You may be right that things older than 10 years ago are "lighter" in content or outlook.
36kaida46
>30 atozgrl: Zorro seems like a fun one, I'll have to add it to my list!
37atozgrl
>36 kaida46: It was fun, give it a try! I hope you like it.
38atozgrl
5. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
I read The Personal Librarian for my RL book club this month. It's one I have had on my shelves for a while now, so I was glad to have a chance to read it. It tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, who was hired by J.P. Morgan as librarian at the Pierpont Morgan Library. She was to organize, curate, and help develop the library's collection of rare books, manuscripts, and artwork. She was also a black woman passing as white in the early 20th century. The book is a fictional telling of Greene's story, but she was a real person.
I was fascinated by Greene, her life and her work, and how she was able to be successful at a time when there was such deep-seated prejudice. Her father was Richard Greener, the first black graduate of Harvard and a well-known promoter of civil rights. There is conflict in the family when Greene's mother sees the writing on the wall as far as hopes for equal rights is concerned and decides for the sake of her children that they would need to pass as white. Her father leaves them at that point. Greene goes on to get an education and eventually obtain the job at the Pierpont Morgan Library. The book tells the story of how she was able to succeed in the world of collectors and rare books, as well as in high society.
The authors tell the story in first person, from Belle Greene's point of view. They have used what is known to construct a fictional story revealing her inner life and feelings, and personal events that are unknown to history. This is the weakest part of the book, as it is hard to know what is true to her real life. Sometimes I had trouble believing that some of the events could have occurred. However, it is fiction. Because of this, I had trouble coming up with a rating for the book, but decided to give it 4 stars, since the story of Belle da Costa Greene is fascinating. Maybe I need to find a nonfiction biography to read.
I read The Personal Librarian for my RL book club this month. It's one I have had on my shelves for a while now, so I was glad to have a chance to read it. It tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, who was hired by J.P. Morgan as librarian at the Pierpont Morgan Library. She was to organize, curate, and help develop the library's collection of rare books, manuscripts, and artwork. She was also a black woman passing as white in the early 20th century. The book is a fictional telling of Greene's story, but she was a real person.
I was fascinated by Greene, her life and her work, and how she was able to be successful at a time when there was such deep-seated prejudice. Her father was Richard Greener, the first black graduate of Harvard and a well-known promoter of civil rights. There is conflict in the family when Greene's mother sees the writing on the wall as far as hopes for equal rights is concerned and decides for the sake of her children that they would need to pass as white. Her father leaves them at that point. Greene goes on to get an education and eventually obtain the job at the Pierpont Morgan Library. The book tells the story of how she was able to succeed in the world of collectors and rare books, as well as in high society.
The authors tell the story in first person, from Belle Greene's point of view. They have used what is known to construct a fictional story revealing her inner life and feelings, and personal events that are unknown to history. This is the weakest part of the book, as it is hard to know what is true to her real life. Sometimes I had trouble believing that some of the events could have occurred. However, it is fiction. Because of this, I had trouble coming up with a rating for the book, but decided to give it 4 stars, since the story of Belle da Costa Greene is fascinating. Maybe I need to find a nonfiction biography to read.
39atozgrl
6. 1984 by George Orwell
It was annoying that I was not able to finish this book in February. I was so close, but we needed to take advantage of the good weather we had yesterday to get out and do some yard work. If February weren't so dang short, I would have finished it in within the month, but it'll just have to go on March's tab.
1984 was a reread for me. We read this when I was in school; I think it was Junior High. I honestly remembered very little of the story. Having read Brave New World and The Giver relatively recently, I was struck by the difference in the dystopian worlds. While Brave New World and The Giver show societies that aim to be utopian by getting rid of or covering up the messiness of real life, making things neat and clean, the world in 1984 is dirty, gritty, unpleasant. And as it turns out, it is deliberately so. The ugliness of that world made the early part of the book somewhat difficult to read for me. It was so all around depressing, that I had to put the book down a couple of times. But the story got more interesting in parts 2 and 3. There actually isn't a lot of plot or action in the story, so it's no wonder I didn't remember much. It's a lot more internal thought of the protagonist, Winston Smith, and what happens to him in the totalitarian world in the book. The blurb on the back cover says "As we follow Winston Smith through his rebellion, imprisonment, torture, and reeducation, we witness firsthand the destruction of the truths and freedoms that make us who we are, and the creation of a world where black is white, two plus two equals five, and evil is good."
There are some things in the book that seem very applicable to today, and others that seem more like a criticism of how socialist ideals were perverted in Soviet Russia, and are therefore less of a concern these days. This isn't the easiest read, but I am glad that I got back to it again.
It was annoying that I was not able to finish this book in February. I was so close, but we needed to take advantage of the good weather we had yesterday to get out and do some yard work. If February weren't so dang short, I would have finished it in within the month, but it'll just have to go on March's tab.
1984 was a reread for me. We read this when I was in school; I think it was Junior High. I honestly remembered very little of the story. Having read Brave New World and The Giver relatively recently, I was struck by the difference in the dystopian worlds. While Brave New World and The Giver show societies that aim to be utopian by getting rid of or covering up the messiness of real life, making things neat and clean, the world in 1984 is dirty, gritty, unpleasant. And as it turns out, it is deliberately so. The ugliness of that world made the early part of the book somewhat difficult to read for me. It was so all around depressing, that I had to put the book down a couple of times. But the story got more interesting in parts 2 and 3. There actually isn't a lot of plot or action in the story, so it's no wonder I didn't remember much. It's a lot more internal thought of the protagonist, Winston Smith, and what happens to him in the totalitarian world in the book. The blurb on the back cover says "As we follow Winston Smith through his rebellion, imprisonment, torture, and reeducation, we witness firsthand the destruction of the truths and freedoms that make us who we are, and the creation of a world where black is white, two plus two equals five, and evil is good."
There are some things in the book that seem very applicable to today, and others that seem more like a criticism of how socialist ideals were perverted in Soviet Russia, and are therefore less of a concern these days. This isn't the easiest read, but I am glad that I got back to it again.
40atozgrl
Month in review--books read:
Zorro : a novel by Isabel Allende
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
1984 by George Orwell (I'm including it here because I read most of it in February and would have finished it in the month if the month were not so short)
ROOT of the month: Zorro
Zorro : a novel by Isabel Allende
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
1984 by George Orwell (I'm including it here because I read most of it in February and would have finished it in the month if the month were not so short)
ROOT of the month: Zorro
41kaida46
Hi! 1984 is a tough one to get through, I also read it in school along with Brave New World (which I don't remember much) and The Giver, which touched me deeply, we must have had similar literature classes!
42missizicks
>38 atozgrl: This sounds like a very interesting book, but I understand the way you felt about the imagined inner world of Belle da Costa Greene. I had never heard of her. It would be interesting to know more from a factual biography, I think.
43atozgrl
>41 kaida46: My book club has read all three books within the last couple of years. I read 1984 and Brave New World in school-- junior high for both, I believe. The Giver was new to me. It was published long after I was out of school, so I certainly couldn't read it then. I think it has been helpful to read all of them in a relatively short period of time, so that they are all fresh in my memory.
44atozgrl
>42 missizicks: I had not heard of Belle da Costa Greene before this book either. She certainly led an interesting life. Maybe one of these days I'll get to the biography about her. It would indeed be good to learn more about her from a nonfiction source.
45atozgrl
7. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for my Challenged Books Club this month. This is a Newbery Medal winner. The book tells the story of the Logan family, a black family in Mississippi during the Great Depression. The Logans own their land, while most of their black neighbors are sharecroppers. The story is told by Cassie, who is in the 4th grade. She lives with her three brothers, her mother, and her grandmother. Their father lives with them part of the year, but has to leave for months at a time to work on the railroad, to earn money to pay their mortgage and taxes. Cassie is having to learn how to behave in a world filled with racism.
The story shows us what life was like for a poor black family during the Depression in the South. There is a lot of tension in the story, because the pressure of racism and how it affects the Logans and their friends is ever present. The events of the book felt realistic to me. What they have to live through is not easy, but it is good for us to read about it, to understand what life was like for so many. The Logan family is strong, and they are good people. I definitely recommend it.
I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for my Challenged Books Club this month. This is a Newbery Medal winner. The book tells the story of the Logan family, a black family in Mississippi during the Great Depression. The Logans own their land, while most of their black neighbors are sharecroppers. The story is told by Cassie, who is in the 4th grade. She lives with her three brothers, her mother, and her grandmother. Their father lives with them part of the year, but has to leave for months at a time to work on the railroad, to earn money to pay their mortgage and taxes. Cassie is having to learn how to behave in a world filled with racism.
The story shows us what life was like for a poor black family during the Depression in the South. There is a lot of tension in the story, because the pressure of racism and how it affects the Logans and their friends is ever present. The events of the book felt realistic to me. What they have to live through is not easy, but it is good for us to read about it, to understand what life was like for so many. The Logan family is strong, and they are good people. I definitely recommend it.
48Jackie_K
>39 atozgrl: I'd like to reread 1984 as I've not read it since I was a teenager (more years ago than I'd like to admit!). I also got hold of Julia, which is a retelling of the story from Julia's perspective.
49atozgrl
>48 Jackie_K: Oh, how interesting! I didn't realize there was a retelling of 1984. That sounds intriguing. I thought rereading 1984 was very worthwhile, even though it wasn't the easiest book to read.
50atozgrl
8. How to Read A Book by Monica Wood
How to Read A Book tells the story of three people whose lives become intertwined: a young woman who made a bad decision one day and wound up in prison as a result, the retired lady who leads the prison book club, and a retired widower who was harmed by the young woman's mistake. The three encounter each other unexpectedly in a bookstore in Portland, Maine, and the story takes off from there. I can't say much more without revealing too much of the story. The characters are interesting, and the three main characters are very likeable. When I started the book, I found it hard to set down, but some parts of the story later on didn't pull on me quite as much. Certain characters don't make the best decisions. There is also a research lab with parrots, and the parrots also make interesting characters.
Overall, I found this to be a fun story. It's not as memorable or impactful as some of the other books I've read this year, but it was enjoyable.
How to Read A Book tells the story of three people whose lives become intertwined: a young woman who made a bad decision one day and wound up in prison as a result, the retired lady who leads the prison book club, and a retired widower who was harmed by the young woman's mistake. The three encounter each other unexpectedly in a bookstore in Portland, Maine, and the story takes off from there. I can't say much more without revealing too much of the story. The characters are interesting, and the three main characters are very likeable. When I started the book, I found it hard to set down, but some parts of the story later on didn't pull on me quite as much. Certain characters don't make the best decisions. There is also a research lab with parrots, and the parrots also make interesting characters.
Overall, I found this to be a fun story. It's not as memorable or impactful as some of the other books I've read this year, but it was enjoyable.
51atozgrl
9. Jesus and John Wayne : how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
This one has been on my shelves for a while now. I picked it up this month for the March Nonfiction Challenge - Off the Beaten Path Religious Sects. Du Mez gives us a history of evangelicalism in the 20th century, going all the way up to about 2018. There's a little bit about the early 20th century, but the majority of what she covers starts in the 1940's. The book attempts to answer the puzzle of why Bible-believing, "Moral Majority" Christians would seemingly ignore everything they believed in to vote for Donald Trump. The history that Du Mez records shows how right wing evangelicals have made gender issues central to their beliefs and teachings, and have adopted a militant masculinity that holds John Wayne and Mel Gibson's William Wallace as their heroes. They have turned Jesus into a warrior leader. She does note that there are some left-leaning evangelicals who did not go down the same path, and others abandoned evangelicalism after the election of Trump. But Du Mez concludes that the support of Trump by the majority of evangelicals was the culmination of their half-century pursuit of this militant Christian masculinity.
This one has been on my shelves for a while now. I picked it up this month for the March Nonfiction Challenge - Off the Beaten Path Religious Sects. Du Mez gives us a history of evangelicalism in the 20th century, going all the way up to about 2018. There's a little bit about the early 20th century, but the majority of what she covers starts in the 1940's. The book attempts to answer the puzzle of why Bible-believing, "Moral Majority" Christians would seemingly ignore everything they believed in to vote for Donald Trump. The history that Du Mez records shows how right wing evangelicals have made gender issues central to their beliefs and teachings, and have adopted a militant masculinity that holds John Wayne and Mel Gibson's William Wallace as their heroes. They have turned Jesus into a warrior leader. She does note that there are some left-leaning evangelicals who did not go down the same path, and others abandoned evangelicalism after the election of Trump. But Du Mez concludes that the support of Trump by the majority of evangelicals was the culmination of their half-century pursuit of this militant Christian masculinity.
52Jackie_K
>51 atozgrl: I'd be interested to read this one, but I can't help thinking it would be terribly depressing.
53atozgrl
>52 Jackie_K: It was really a deep dive into the historical developments of the movement, so I didn't get depressed reading it. I was sometimes shocked by the things Du Mez reported that I was unaware of. But I do see how it could be depressing, if you take it more personally. And it does present a sad state of the church that I thought I knew. However, Du Mez did end the book on a more hopeful note: "Appreciating how this ideology developed over time is also essential for those who wish to dismantle it. What was once done might also be undone."
54Jackie_K
>53 atozgrl: Although I don't consider myself an evangelical any more, and evangelicalism in the UK is very different from the US, I think what I'd find depressing is how far from the biblical the church has wandered. That quote is a good way to end it though - I hope she's right.
55atozgrl
10. The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America by David Baron
I found this story fascinating. The book tells us about the Martian craze that enveloped the US and Europe at the end of the 19th Century and the early 20th Century. I had no idea that there was such a wide-spread obsession with Mars at that time. Much of the book centers on Percival Lowell, who popularized the idea of canals on Mars after the Italian astronomer Schiaparelli first noted some features on the planet that he called "canali" (channels). Beyond the Mars mania, Baron gives us a lot of background context, digging into what society was like at the time, as well as the popular culture of the day. The yellow press came into existence at this time, reporting sensational stories to boost sales, and the speculation about Mars and its canals, as well as possible intelligent life, fit the bill. H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds was also published during this time, adding to the hysteria.
Baron has done a great deal of research for the book, as is shown by the extensive notes and bibliography at the back of the book. I thought it was really well done.
I found this story fascinating. The book tells us about the Martian craze that enveloped the US and Europe at the end of the 19th Century and the early 20th Century. I had no idea that there was such a wide-spread obsession with Mars at that time. Much of the book centers on Percival Lowell, who popularized the idea of canals on Mars after the Italian astronomer Schiaparelli first noted some features on the planet that he called "canali" (channels). Beyond the Mars mania, Baron gives us a lot of background context, digging into what society was like at the time, as well as the popular culture of the day. The yellow press came into existence at this time, reporting sensational stories to boost sales, and the speculation about Mars and its canals, as well as possible intelligent life, fit the bill. H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds was also published during this time, adding to the hysteria.
Baron has done a great deal of research for the book, as is shown by the extensive notes and bibliography at the back of the book. I thought it was really well done.
56atozgrl
11. Sonnets from the Portuguese : a celebration of love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I was gifted Sonnets from the Portuguese about 25 years ago, and I decided it was about time to finally read it. It also fits the BingoDog square for Poetry. It's obviously a classic book of poems. As poetry and I don't usually get along all that well, I had a better time understanding some poems better than others. And I did have to look up some of the classical references from some of the poems. Overall, for poetry, it was pretty good.
I was gifted Sonnets from the Portuguese about 25 years ago, and I decided it was about time to finally read it. It also fits the BingoDog square for Poetry. It's obviously a classic book of poems. As poetry and I don't usually get along all that well, I had a better time understanding some poems better than others. And I did have to look up some of the classical references from some of the poems. Overall, for poetry, it was pretty good.
57atozgrl
Month in review--books read:
1. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
2. How to Read A Book by Monica Wood
3. Jesus and John Wayne : how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
4. The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America by David Baron
5. Sonnets from the Portuguese : a celebration of love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
ROOT of the month: The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America
1. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
2. How to Read A Book by Monica Wood
3. Jesus and John Wayne : how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
4. The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America by David Baron
5. Sonnets from the Portuguese : a celebration of love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
ROOT of the month: The Martians: the true story of an alien craze that captured turn-of-the-century America
58MissWatson
>55 atozgrl: Sounds absolutely fascinating! I just finished The man who fell to Earth which is one of the last books to use an alien from Mars. A few years later, the first photographs from a fly-by mission put paid to the notion for ever.
59atozgrl
>58 MissWatson: It really was fascinating to read about the obsession. And it laid the groundwork for everything that came after, both in literature and inspiring future astronomers and engineers. I have not read The Man Who Fell to Earth. What did you think of it?
60MissWatson
>59 atozgrl: I liked it. It was a surprisingly gentle, quiet story focusing on the loneliness of the alien.
61atozgrl
>60 MissWatson: I'll have to check it out. But I don't know when I'll find the time.
62MissWatson
>61 atozgrl: Ah, yes, time. If only we could buy it.
63atozgrl
>62 MissWatson: Ain't that the truth!
64atozgrl
12. The Women by Kristin Hannah
The Women is this month's pick for my RL book club. It's about Frances "Frankie" McGrath. Her brother is leaving for Vietnam, and her father has a "heroes wall" to honor those in the family who have served in the military. She decides to become a nurse and join the Army Nurse Corps to follow her brother, with the hopes she will also make her family proud. The first half of the novel shows us her life in Vietnam and how difficult and dangerous everything was there. But the friendships she makes, especially of the nurses that she lived with, are very important. In the second half of the novel, we see her return to civilian life and how difficult it was to reintegrate into life outside the Army.
I've seen several other reviews of this book here on LT, and most of them seemed to like the first half of the book, the part in Vietnam, better. I would agree with that. However, I do think it was important for Hannah to spend time showing how hard it was for those returning from Vietnam. We know about the difficulties the soldiers faced. It really hasn't been known how hard it was on the women. And they couldn't even get help from the VA that they started to provide the soldiers, because "there were no women in Vietnam." The second half of the book did turn into a soap opera, with Frankie making a lot of mistakes before finally finding herself.
Overall, I liked the book. I was really pulled into the story from the start. I connected with the characters better in this one than I did in The Nightingale.
The Women is this month's pick for my RL book club. It's about Frances "Frankie" McGrath. Her brother is leaving for Vietnam, and her father has a "heroes wall" to honor those in the family who have served in the military. She decides to become a nurse and join the Army Nurse Corps to follow her brother, with the hopes she will also make her family proud. The first half of the novel shows us her life in Vietnam and how difficult and dangerous everything was there. But the friendships she makes, especially of the nurses that she lived with, are very important. In the second half of the novel, we see her return to civilian life and how difficult it was to reintegrate into life outside the Army.
I've seen several other reviews of this book here on LT, and most of them seemed to like the first half of the book, the part in Vietnam, better. I would agree with that. However, I do think it was important for Hannah to spend time showing how hard it was for those returning from Vietnam. We know about the difficulties the soldiers faced. It really hasn't been known how hard it was on the women. And they couldn't even get help from the VA that they started to provide the soldiers, because "there were no women in Vietnam." The second half of the book did turn into a soap opera, with Frankie making a lot of mistakes before finally finding herself.
Overall, I liked the book. I was really pulled into the story from the start. I connected with the characters better in this one than I did in The Nightingale.
65EGBERTINA
>64 atozgrl: Did she make the wall? lol
66atozgrl
>65 EGBERTINA: I'm not quite sure what you mean, but McGrath did get to the Vietnam memorial at the very end of the book.
67EGBERTINA
>66 atozgrl: Her father's hero wall
68atozgrl
>67 EGBERTINA: Oh, gotcha! I don't know if she ever did make that wall. She should have though.
69atozgrl
13. Glory Road by Bruce Catton
I have been very slowly tackling Bruce Catton's classic set of books on The Army of the Potomac, so I have been planning for some time to read Glory Road for the latest quarterly Reading Through Time challenge. Glory Road is the second book in the trilogy, and it covers the adventures of the Army of the Potomac from the battle of Fredericksburg through Chancellorsville to Gettysburg. As in the first book, Catton concentrates on what life was like in this army and gives us a really good picture of what it was like for the ordinary soldier. He also gives us a good look at the failings of the northern generals in charge of the army. There is some coverage of the political situation in the country, though it was more about what was going on in some of the states, Indiana in particular, rather than Washington.
The book includes a substantial bibliography and notes. There are also maps of the battlefields which are helpful, though they are oddly located in the back of this volume, between the notes and index. When reading about the Battle of Gettysburg, I was very happy to have my copy of the battlefield map that we picked up on our trip last year when we went to the site. The map in the book gives the basics, but it's not as detailed, and the more complete map I have was very helpful. It was also helpful to have a relatively recent visit to the battlefield itself in my mind as I read the descriptions of the battle. This is a good book if you are interested in details of the Civil War.
I have been very slowly tackling Bruce Catton's classic set of books on The Army of the Potomac, so I have been planning for some time to read Glory Road for the latest quarterly Reading Through Time challenge. Glory Road is the second book in the trilogy, and it covers the adventures of the Army of the Potomac from the battle of Fredericksburg through Chancellorsville to Gettysburg. As in the first book, Catton concentrates on what life was like in this army and gives us a really good picture of what it was like for the ordinary soldier. He also gives us a good look at the failings of the northern generals in charge of the army. There is some coverage of the political situation in the country, though it was more about what was going on in some of the states, Indiana in particular, rather than Washington.
The book includes a substantial bibliography and notes. There are also maps of the battlefields which are helpful, though they are oddly located in the back of this volume, between the notes and index. When reading about the Battle of Gettysburg, I was very happy to have my copy of the battlefield map that we picked up on our trip last year when we went to the site. The map in the book gives the basics, but it's not as detailed, and the more complete map I have was very helpful. It was also helpful to have a relatively recent visit to the battlefield itself in my mind as I read the descriptions of the battle. This is a good book if you are interested in details of the Civil War.
70atozgrl
14. Isola by Allegra Goodman
From Amazon: Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. That journey takes a unexpected turn when Marguerite, accused of betrayal, is brutally punished and abandoned on a small island.
This book is based on true events, but there is not much known about the real story. It's rather slow at the start, taking a while to develop the background which takes place in France in the 16th century, and showing Marguerite as she grows up and as her circumstances change over time. When she is a young lady, she is taken to Canada by her guardian along with her nurse and lifelong companion, Damienne, where they are abandoned.
I have to say, after seeing a lot of strongly positive reviews here on LT, that I was somewhat disappointed. I guess I expected more after the raves I had seen. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book and I enjoyed the story overall, but I was expecting more. Over on Reba's thread in the 75 Books Challenge group, @lauralkeet said about Isola "I appreciate when an author is able to create an interesting and more-or-less plausible story based on the scant records available to them." I agree with that.
From Amazon: Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. That journey takes a unexpected turn when Marguerite, accused of betrayal, is brutally punished and abandoned on a small island.
This book is based on true events, but there is not much known about the real story. It's rather slow at the start, taking a while to develop the background which takes place in France in the 16th century, and showing Marguerite as she grows up and as her circumstances change over time. When she is a young lady, she is taken to Canada by her guardian along with her nurse and lifelong companion, Damienne, where they are abandoned.
I have to say, after seeing a lot of strongly positive reviews here on LT, that I was somewhat disappointed. I guess I expected more after the raves I had seen. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book and I enjoyed the story overall, but I was expecting more. Over on Reba's thread in the 75 Books Challenge group, @lauralkeet said about Isola "I appreciate when an author is able to create an interesting and more-or-less plausible story based on the scant records available to them." I agree with that.
71detailmuse
>64 atozgrl: A sister-in-law recommended this book, one comment was that a passage in Hawaii reminded her of her specific time there with my brother while he had leave. I've resisted reading it because I DNF'd the only other novel by Hannah I've tried.
>67 EGBERTINA: Your question is excellent and should have been in the novel! -- showing either a hard-won affirmation or yet more disregard.
>67 EGBERTINA: Your question is excellent and should have been in the novel! -- showing either a hard-won affirmation or yet more disregard.
72atozgrl
>71 detailmuse: I have also read The Nightingale and thought it was good. I haven't read any other of her books yet. But if you don't like her style, then maybe The Women wouldn't be a good choice for you. There are plenty of other books out there waiting to be read.
Good point about the hero wall. I wonder why Hannah didn't say anything about it at the end.
Good point about the hero wall. I wonder why Hannah didn't say anything about it at the end.
73atozgrl
15. Patrick Henry : first among patriots by Thomas S. Kidd
Patrick Henry is one of the less noticed founding fathers. He's famous now primarily for his oratory, especially his "give me liberty or give me death" speech. As it turns out, he was not concerned about keeping his papers, and so historians have less material to go on for Henry than they have for most of the other well-known founders. In fact, we don't even have the text of the famous speech, only recollections after the fact by some people who were there. I was also not aware that Henry had taken a strong stand against the adoption of the Constitution. (He felt that it betrayed the revolution by giving too much power to the central government.) Both of these things have contributed to Henry's being largely forgotten.
This is a standard biography, but it's well researched and it seems balanced to me. It does not shy away from Henry's faults, but also reinterprets some ideas about Henry that were negative. Some historians in the past may have relied too much on statements made by Henry's enemies. (No surprise that one of them was Jefferson, who fell out with Henry as he also did with Adams, Hamilton, and Washington. Seems like there's a pattern here.) The book has a substantial set of notes and an index. It's a good biography that will help you learn about one of the less well known founding fathers.
Patrick Henry is one of the less noticed founding fathers. He's famous now primarily for his oratory, especially his "give me liberty or give me death" speech. As it turns out, he was not concerned about keeping his papers, and so historians have less material to go on for Henry than they have for most of the other well-known founders. In fact, we don't even have the text of the famous speech, only recollections after the fact by some people who were there. I was also not aware that Henry had taken a strong stand against the adoption of the Constitution. (He felt that it betrayed the revolution by giving too much power to the central government.) Both of these things have contributed to Henry's being largely forgotten.
This is a standard biography, but it's well researched and it seems balanced to me. It does not shy away from Henry's faults, but also reinterprets some ideas about Henry that were negative. Some historians in the past may have relied too much on statements made by Henry's enemies. (No surprise that one of them was Jefferson, who fell out with Henry as he also did with Adams, Hamilton, and Washington. Seems like there's a pattern here.) The book has a substantial set of notes and an index. It's a good biography that will help you learn about one of the less well known founding fathers.
74atozgrl
16. An atlas of afterlives : discover underworlds, otherworlds and heavenly realms by Emily Hawkins
An Atlas of Afterlives is a picture book that provides a quick introduction and overview of beliefs from all around the world, beliefs that answer the question of is there life after death, and if so, where do we go? It is arranged by continent, from Europe to Africa to Asia to North and South America and finally Australasia. Most of these ideas go back a very long way, such as the ancient Egyptians. It includes some that are familiar, such as the ancient Greeks or Christian and Islamic beliefs. But there are more that are less familiar, covering the beliefs of many native peoples. It is illustrated throughout, and the pictures are delightful.
An Atlas of Afterlives is a picture book that provides a quick introduction and overview of beliefs from all around the world, beliefs that answer the question of is there life after death, and if so, where do we go? It is arranged by continent, from Europe to Africa to Asia to North and South America and finally Australasia. Most of these ideas go back a very long way, such as the ancient Egyptians. It includes some that are familiar, such as the ancient Greeks or Christian and Islamic beliefs. But there are more that are less familiar, covering the beliefs of many native peoples. It is illustrated throughout, and the pictures are delightful.
75atozgrl
I had so few ROOTs in April that I didn't do a Best of the Month. We also had to head out of town on short notice for a funeral, so I was rushed at that point in time. As a result, I am going to do a combined Month in Review for April and May.
April/May in review--books read:
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Glory Road by Bruce Catton
Isola by Allegra Goodman
Patrick Henry : first among patriots by Thomas S. Kidd
An atlas of afterlives : discover underworlds, otherworlds and heavenly realms by Emily Hawkins
ROOT of the months: The Women by Kristin Hannah
April/May in review--books read:
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Glory Road by Bruce Catton
Isola by Allegra Goodman
Patrick Henry : first among patriots by Thomas S. Kidd
An atlas of afterlives : discover underworlds, otherworlds and heavenly realms by Emily Hawkins
ROOT of the months: The Women by Kristin Hannah
76atozgrl
17. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Cold Mountain tells the story of a wounded soldier (Inman) who is fed up with war and leaves the hospital where he is recovering to walk west across North Carolina back to his home and his sweetheart, Ada. At the same time, Ada's father has died, and she has to figure out how to live on her own, in the Appalachian mountains, where she is not prepared to run a farm or even take care of herself. A neighbor sends her help in the person of Ruby, who has grown up having to take care of herself from the time she was a child.
The story builds slowly. The writing is very rich, descriptive, and evocative. (It's possible that this is partly why I wasn't able to finish the book before. It may not have fit well with my situation at the time. With a slower way of life now, I could absorb the story much better.) It really deals with the inner lives of the main characters, although Inman does have adventures on his trek west. Living in NC, it was also interesting to me to see many of the places in NC come alive as part of the story. I enjoyed it.
Cold Mountain tells the story of a wounded soldier (Inman) who is fed up with war and leaves the hospital where he is recovering to walk west across North Carolina back to his home and his sweetheart, Ada. At the same time, Ada's father has died, and she has to figure out how to live on her own, in the Appalachian mountains, where she is not prepared to run a farm or even take care of herself. A neighbor sends her help in the person of Ruby, who has grown up having to take care of herself from the time she was a child.
The story builds slowly. The writing is very rich, descriptive, and evocative. (It's possible that this is partly why I wasn't able to finish the book before. It may not have fit well with my situation at the time. With a slower way of life now, I could absorb the story much better.) It really deals with the inner lives of the main characters, although Inman does have adventures on his trek west. Living in NC, it was also interesting to me to see many of the places in NC come alive as part of the story. I enjoyed it.
78atozgrl
>77 connie53: Hi Connie, it's so nice to see you here! I've been reading some good books and making progress on my ROOTs. I hope to do even more.
79detailmuse
>76 atozgrl: I remember reading this long before LT and it was okay. Like you, I think I may love it now...might re-read.
