The Lost Colony and Hatteras Island by Scott Dawson was a really interesting overview of what we now know about everyone’s favorite colonial mystery. Dawson makes a pretty convincing case the entire “mystery” is basically a misunderstanding of the contemporary evidence and he backs up his assertion with archeological evidence uncovered during a series of digs on Hatteras island. According to Dawson, the plan was for the colony to relocate if necessary to Hatteras (then called Croatoan island) and seek refuge with the local Native Americans who had proven friendly. When the governor came back with resupply he found the colony empty but was overjoyed to see the “CROATOAN” inscription because it proved to him that they had shifted to nearby Hatteras island as they had agreed before he left. Weather prevented a subsequent visit to Hatteras, but the Governor was in no doubt at the time that the colonists were on Hatteras. According to Dawson that fact was somehow forgotten which caused a “mystery” of where they had gone. Interesting book, and I must say, I’m convinced.
Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel is the second book in Mantel’s trilogy on Thomas Cromwell. This one deals with the fall, trial, and execution of Anne Boleyn who Cromwell had worked so hard to get installed as Queen in the first volume, Wolf Hall. The second one is just as good as the first one. I found it immersive and engaging despite knowing the history. Obviously, potential readers will want to start with Wolf Hall , but this one is just as good.
John Ford’s Cavalry Trilogy: Myth or Reality? By MAJ Jeffery C. Prater is a master’s thesis turned into a book by a student at the US Army’s CGSC. MAR Prater goes through all three of the movies and evaluates their accuracy not only from a technical, objective perspective such as uniforms and equipment (they’re not all that accurate) but also from a cultural perspective about how well the films reflected the values and mores of the US Army on the western Frontier (they were much better on this than the technical stuff). He also has a look to discover which historical events James Warner Bellah, who wrote the novels and short stories the films were based on, drew inspiration from. One fascinating fact that emerged from the book was that Katherine Spaatz, daughter of WWII USAAF General “Toohey” Spaatz, was involved in research for two of the films. Among other tasks, Ms Spaatz actually conducted an interview with her Grandmother who had started married life as the wife of a newly minted Cavalry 2nd LT in Arizona in 1889. Anyway, the book is outstanding. I recommend it very highly to anyone interested in these films or in the US Cavalry fighting the Indians.
Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro was a disappointment. I got the book because I am a huge fan of Ishiguro’s Remains of the Day. But like another book of Ishiguro’s I checked out, this one just didn’t do it for me. The book is a collection of short stories that all revolve around night-time and music. Trouble is none of them were particularly well written or engaging. I guess I’m not really a fan of Ishiguro’s after all.
Empire Night on Union Station is the 18th book in E.M. Foner’s comedic sci-fi series about the multi-species space stations run by a benevolent and nearly omniscient AI. This one is of a piece with the other 17, I quite enjoyed it, and I’ll happily buy the next one when it comes out. Potential readers should be warned that this is not the place start. Try Date Night on Union Station I think it’s free from the Kindle owners lending library.
Hymns of the Republic by S.C. Gwynne was another disappointment. This one was just kind of blah. The book is rife with minor errors, distortions of facts, and drawing of major conclusions based on insufficient evidence. The book is 341 pages and I founding something at least mildly annoying on, I’d guess, about 150 of them. Not recommended
Mr S: My Life With Frank Sinatra by George Jacobs and William Stadiem is the “tell-all” memoir of Frank Sinatra’s valet. This book too was disappointing. I don’t know what I was looking for, but it ain’t here. Want to know who was having sex with whom in Hollywood from 1954 to 1968? This is your book. Looking for some insight into Frank Sinatra’s personality or what it was like to live with him? This isn’t your book. Essentially, it’s a mishmash of all the other sensationalist bios of Sinatra with nothing really new. Even serious fans of Frank can take a pass on this one.
A History of Georgia Forts by Alejandro M. de Quesada is a meticulous little summary of all the military fortifications ever located in Georgia from the Spanish Mission period of the 16th century to the current era. The info on each fort is more or less depending on its importance or what we actually know about it, but it seems comprehensive. I’ll be keeping this one as a reference.
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St John Mandel is a fascinating little novel about the reverberations among several families after a child is abducted by her non-custodial parent and grows up constantly on the move with her father. The novel opens with a fellow in a NYC apartment working on his thesis. The guy is distracted, so he doesn’t really pay much attention when Lilia, his live-in girlfriend, tells him she’s going to the corner newsstand for the paper. It is only hours later, when she hasn’t returned, that he looks around the apartment and realizes that her suitcase, and all her personal belongings have gone with her, and she’s not coming back. The rest of the novel explains (to a certain extent) what happened and why it happened. It’s a fascinating story. I got this because I really enjoyed Mandel’s earlier Station Eleven and I was not disappointed. I recommend it very highly.
Well, that’s it. Nine and half months into the year and I need another 22 books to hit the 100 mark. Stay tuned.
78 for the year
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