Category Archives: History

Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity by Joseph Lee

12 Friday Dec 2025

Posted by in Biography, History, memoir, nature, Non-fiction, United States

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256 pages, lively , crisp new knowledge and perspective about our favorite Massachusetts summer island’s history and oldest residents.

“With lucid intimacy, Lee traces the story of the Aquinnah Wampanoag across centuries and shorelines, anchoring sweeping histories in the particular texture of lived experience. The past is not background here—it presses forward, unresolved. At its core, this is a book about how to stay in relationship with a land, a people, and a culture that colonialism has scattered and strained. What begins as personal memoir opens into a broader reckoning with Indigenous identity in motion. Lee writes not to restore some lost purity, but to chart a map forward—one that embraces contradiction, survival, and the quiet force of continuity. Few books manage to feel this intimate and this expansive, this tender and this unflinching. It’s not just beautifully told—it’s deeply earned.”—Morgan Talty, national bestselling author of Night of the Living Rez and Fire Exit

“Nothing More of This Land is written with scrupulous attention to nuance and ambiguity. It is an exploration of a complex heritage that is self-searching, deeply intelligent and honest. But it is also a book about America, the public realm, what an Indigenous identity means in this country, and how this has molded the life of Joseph Lee, who is a brilliant and sensitive chronicler of his own destiny and that of his community.” —Colm Tóibín, bestselling author of Brooklyn and Long Island

“A wise meditation on belonging, Lee offers the reader a global perspective on what it means to be Indigenous. Lee’s desire for reciprocity and community will move readers to think about our planetary future. A journalistic feat, heartfelt, well-researched, and vital.”—Deborah Jackson Taffa, author of National Book Award finalist Whiskey Tender

“A potent exploration of what it means to be Indigenous. . . . A deft combination of affective memoir and keen journalism, this profound examination on identity and place impresses.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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The Scrapbook by Heather Clark (debut)

10 Monday Nov 2025

Posted by in Historical Fiction, History, mystery

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“What a novel. . . . Clark has achieved an impressive feat in this beautiful and powerful novel examining the nature of intergenerational trauma, inherited guilt and all-consuming love.” —The Jewish Chronicle

“Clark’s first novel combines historical fiction with a thoughtful examination of a classic rite of passage for many young adults: falling in unrequited love. . . . Clark deftly interweaves Anna and Christoph’s interactions with glimpses of their grandfathers’ lives during the war, adding depth to the story. . . . Clark is at her best.” —Library Journal

“Phenomenal. . . a unique blend of literary and historical fiction as well as a penetrating exploration of philosophy, art, historical responsibility and guilt in the context of war. . . . The Scrapbook is worthy of reading and rereading as Clark serves up romance, history and political philosophy in ways that could hardly be more relevant.” —BookPage (starred review)

“Historical fiction strikes a complicated balance, between a need to recreate with some accuracy events in the past while at the same time communicating the relevance of those facts to the present. Heather Clark situates a contemporary love story in the shadow of—and with capacious insight into—German history both during and immediately after the Second World War. Clark navigates difficult conceptual ground with remarkable ease, making the complex legacy of the war appreciable to readers in the present.” —Matthew Longo, author of The Picnic

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Jackal’s Mistress: A Novel by Chris Bojahlian

20 Saturday Sep 2025

Posted by in action, adventure, Historical Fiction, History, murder, romance, suspense, United States

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“The true story of a wounded Union officer saved by a Confederate woman… adding imaginative twists to the original story line… when Capt. Jonathan Weybridge is severely wounded in battle and left to die… Libby feels honor bound to do for him what she hopes a Union woman would do for her husband. Thus ‘the Jackal…’ becomes a secret member of their household and a perilous friendship blossoms.”—Alida Becker, The New York Times Book Review

“This page-turner from bestselling Bohjalian…will not disappoint fans of American Civil War narratives. The vividly drawn characters and historical details make for a compelling read.”—Library Journal, Starred Review

“Top-notch…. Based on a true story, The Jackal’s Mistress brings all the propulsive plot and sensitive character development one has come to expect from Bohjalian; here, he spins a tale of unlikely romance between a wounded Union soldier from Vermont and a gritty Virginia woman.”—Kate Tuttle, The Boston Globe

“Elegant, poignant, and richly atmospheric….Bohjalian once again demonstrates his profound respect for women, endowing his female protagonists with depth and nuance.”— Booklist, Starred Review

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The Art Spy: the Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland by Michelle Young

29 Friday Aug 2025

Posted by in Biography, History, Non-fiction

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I’ve read many books about France during World War II, but this story was new to me. “The Art Spy” follows Rose Valland, a real woman working in Paris art museums when the Nazis invaded. Along with others, she took great risks to subvert the Nazis and save as much art as she could. This is a really interesting work of nonfiction.

“Journalist Young recaps the exploits of French Resistance hero Rose Valland in this thrilling saga… Readers will relish this riveting tale of a clever war hero playing the long game against bumbling fascists.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The story of Valland’s courage and dedication to art and justice is compelling and inspiring… Ideal for fans of espionage and strong narrative nonfiction that reads like a compelling novel.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“Young recounts Valland’s brilliance, courage, and sangfroid in enthralling detail as she chronicles her daring work to save the museum’s treasures and her shrewd spying for the Resistance… like Valland’s zealous rescue of stolen masterpieces, Young vibrantly restores a hidden treasure to the pantheon of WWII heroes.” — Booklist (starred review)

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The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss

21 Monday Jul 2025

Posted by in History, Non-fiction, United States

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Goodreads Choice Award Winner in History & Biography One of Time’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2024

“An affectionate and engaging history of the American bookstore and its central place in cultural life, from department stores to indies, from highbrow dealers trading in first editions to sidewalk vendors, and from chains to special-interest community destinations.” (dust jacket blurb)

“A series of thirteen mini-profiles of notable bookstores and their owners. . . . Friss sees the small bookstore in contemporary America as a haven from commercialism—a place where books are treated as more than mere merchandise—and as a community-building space. . . . In Friss’s account, the bookstore survives by redefining itself.”—The New Yorker

“It is a delight to wander through the bookstores of American history in this warm, generous book.” —Emma Straub, New York Times bestselling author and owner of Books Are Magic

“Upbeat and immersive. . . . An entrancing deep dive into the book industry.”—Publishers Weekly (STARRED review)

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The Demon of Unrest : a Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson

29 Wednesday May 2024

Posted by in action, adventure, Fiction, History, Non-fiction, United States

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Remarkable, remarkable.  I could not put this book down. Written by the author of The Splendid and the Ville, Larson brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War focused on Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s harbor.  Meet the leaders of the Secessionist and Union movements, the absence of reliable communications, and the overbearing pride and chivalry of the South’s culture. 

“Larson, one of today’s pre-eminent nonfiction storytellers, trawls a variety of archives to explore the historically momentous months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the Battle of Fort Sumter.”—The New York Times

“Perhaps no other historian has ever rendered the struggle for Sumter in such authoritative detail as Larson does here. . . . Few historians, too, have done a better job of untangling the web of intrigues and counter-intrigues that helped provoke the eventual attack and surrender.”—The Washington Post

“Twisty and cinematic . . . A mesmerizing and disconcerting look at an era when consensus dissolved into deadly polarization.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Fascinating details, fresh perspectives, and lively writing make this a standout view of the antebellum and Civil War eras.”—Booklist (starred review)

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An Unfinished Love Story : a Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin

08 Wednesday May 2024

Posted by in Biography, History, memoir, Non-fiction, United States

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In their last years together, Doris and Dick Goodwin tackle the 300 plus boxes of historical documents, pictures, and memorabilia collected over the years only to discover they had an  “unparalleled personal time capsule of the 1960s, illuminating public and private moments of a decade when individuals were powered by the conviction they could make a difference”.  If you lived during the sixties, you will find this to be a riveting, enlightening and tender read.

“A touching invitation to eavesdrop on a long marriage between two people who had an unusual level of access to presidential policy and personality.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Just as An Unfinished Love Story is a testament to the Kearns Goodwin marriage, so is it a love story of the United States and its democratic government. The many speeches written by Goodwin, the writings of Kearns Goodwin and both their reflections demonstrate that words do indeed matter.”—The Columbus Dispatch

“An intimate political history….about the love of historical research, in this case demonstrated by a joint examination of 300 boxes of documents, drafts, and the personal flotsam accumulated over the course of a marriage played out in the arena of American politics. And about the love of America, its past and future, its struggles and promise”—The Boston Globe

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The Mona Lisa Vanishes: a Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day and Brett Helquist

20 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in detective, History, mystery, Non-fiction, True crime

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“A propulsive work of narrative nonfiction about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world—and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all.  NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2023 by Publishers Weekly • School Library Journal • Booklist • Kirkus Reviews • NPR • The New York Public Library • The Chicago Public Library.” – Amazon.  Easy reading full of very interesting facts and amusing detective errors of the times.

“The playful prose in direct address charmingly invites readers into a story that details everything from the stuffy gender roles of fifteenth-century Florence to a wildly inept police investigation to a rather deceitful and not at all admirable Pablo Picasso.” —The Bulletin

 “A multistranded yarn skillfully laid out in broad, light brush strokes with some cogent themes mixed in.” Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 “A completely engaging book.” Booklist, starred review

 “A wildly entertaining, thoroughly contextualized look at art, history, and fame.” Publishers Weekly, starred review

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North Woods by Daniel Mason 

06 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction, History, United States

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Follow the history of a New England house from early colonial days to the present. Each chapter focuses on the house’s different inhabitants, including lots of colorful characters. This is a strange, intriguing story with beautiful writing.

“Readers, too, will find themselves in an entrancing fictional realm . . . Like the house at its center, a book that is multitudinous and magical.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A time-spanning, genre-blurring work of storytelling magic . . . Each chapter germinates its own form while sending out tendrils that entwine beneath the surface of the novel . . . As [Mason] floats through thrillers, a bit of comic noir, erotic paranormal fiction and other genres, it’s hard to imagine there is anything he can’t do . . .”—The Washington Post

“Each arc is beautifully, heartbreakingly conveyed, stitching together subtle connections across time. This astonishes.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“North Woods is the most original and spellbinding novel I’ve read in ages. Mason makes bramble, brush, and orchard come alive with the spirits of their unforgettable former inhabitants. Their lives . . . had me glued to my seat.”—Abraham Verghese, New York Times bestselling author of The Covenant of Water

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Strip Tees by Kate Flannery

27 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by in Biography, History, United States

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This memoir tells the story of the millennial feminist meeting toxic patriarchal culture at American Apparel. Hilariously funny – I was cheering for Kate the whole way! 

“A racy, thoughtful memoir of [Flannery’s] tenure during the rise and fall of the controversial company…Flannery’s conversion from credulous retail recruit to company woman doesn’t trade in hyper-intellectual #MeToo-era analysis or retrospective scolding. Instead, its currency is the prickly panic of realizing your life doesn’t match your principles, spiked with salacious specifics that evoke the highly sexed environment of American Apparel’s cultural and commercial peak.”
―New York Times Book Review

“[A] bold debut memoir…Flannery succeeds in illustrating the fashion industry’s blurred lines in the decade prior to #MeToo, and the tough choices women faced between professional success and personal safety. This is an authentic portrait of the battle to remain true to oneself.―Publishers Weekly

“Begins like a classic Hollywood noir…Strip Tees goes down as easy as a rum and Diet Coke, breezily written and punctuated at its intermission by a few pages of glossy photos…[it’s] as if Flannery were recounting the saga of her ill-fated years at American Apparel directly to you ― not in a suburban basement, but perhaps over frozen rosé outside a hotel bar, where we can smell the pool water and swimsuit Lycra.”―Washington Post

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