Reading this book was forgetting where you were sitting reading it. Everything dropped away.
It was an official book selection for a local library’s One Book, One Town. That’s how I found it.
This is a reminder of how we are all connected and don’t remind it. This is a reminder of how fragile society can be, yet rebuild at the same time if given the will of people to survive.
This book opens with a quote by Rumi. Rumi has come to be my favorite poet and philosopher after Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Rumi writes that “today is your day”.
Today is always your day and you just need to recognize that.
The author, Jonathan Star, whoever this is, puts together a compilation of sacred writings with regards to love and higher power throughout the world. Reading this, I wish I had read it earlier yet realize I read this at the right time in my life.
I wish I had had this for some of my undergraduate classes. The writing is pure and down-to-earth at the same time. One can feel the power put through the words shared.
The book is by the late journalist and author Jonathan Evan Maslow and it is titled Bird of Life, Bird of Death.
Mr. Maslow documents his travels for a month through Guatemala during the 1980’s. I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about this book as Mr. Maslow talks about Guatemala’s past, present up to the 1980’s, and history as well and how all of these relate to the quetzal.
I’ve seen pictures of the quetzal and the quetzal is endangered. They are beautiful birds and symbols of Guatemala’s past and a symbol for freedom because they cannot live in captivity. Guatemala also has a very fascinating past as a country.
This book can be for a variety of people and interests.
This book is written by Margot Lee Shetterly.
Ms. Shetterly writes a book not only about women but local and national history combined together: how if it weren’t for the geography and history the women she writes about in the book may have never landed where they landed. Ms. Shetterly writes about four women and their journeys as “human computers” for both NASA’s predecessor and then NASA itself.
All four women had to overcome racial and sexist bias as well as their own personal struggles. The woman who computed John Glenn’s orbit was referred to as “the girl”. Her name is Dorothy Vaughn and she helped to keep him alive.
Their strength and determination comes through in the pages and they serve as role models for all young women and women reading their biographies.
This book also gives a lot of “hidden” and unknown US history for those interested,
This book is by the award winning author Avi. On the book I have it says: “A Documentary Novel”. Everyone has read one at some point.
What is Avi’s full name? Does anyone know?
The plot is about a young man named Phillip Malloy. Depending on which part of the documentary you choose to believe, Phillip causes a disturbance during The Star Spangled Banner. Avi leaves you holding to the end for the complete truth.
Yet truth is always in the eye of the beholder.
This book is written by Graham Moore. It is appropriate for Tweens and up.
This is a fiction book that fills in the history behind the history.
People know the name Thomas Edison. A lot of people know the name Tesla and Westinghouse. Mr. Moore brings their connections together based on the real life attorney of Paul Cravath.
The year is 1888 and electricity is in its infancy. Edison and Westinghouse are in a race regarding the light bulb and Tesla can make or break their companies. Paul Cravath walks the fine line between all three of these brilliant and ambitious men.
It’s a book you will not want to put down.
