Harley King — Top Twelve Books I Read in 2019

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

In 2019 I read 48 books.  Sixty-five percent of the books were fiction, 31% were non-fiction and 4% were poetry.  Of the novels, 11 were fantasy, 9 were mysteries, 4 were science fiction, 3 were historical, 3 were young adult and 3 realistic.  Of the non-fiction books, 33% dealt with art and 4 were memoirs.

During the last 10 years, I have read 470 books which averages out to 47 books a year. The most books I read in one year was 72 and the least was 28.

Here are the 12 best books I read in 2019.

12.  Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert

I have found that young adult and middle school novels seem to do a better job of grappling with the difficult cultural and human issues that we face than adult novels. Gilbert tells the story of illegal immigrant parents from China from the perspective of their high school son who is soon to graduate. He is an artist who is seeking to get admitted to a prestigious art school on the East coast. While the author does not overtly state the young man is gay, it becomes clear that he is. The author does not make homosexuality the main theme of the book. Also, Danny and his friends are still coping with the suicide of a classmate a year ago. Another thread is that Danny has an older sister who he has been told is dead. He feels guilty that he lived and she did not. Gilbert raises a number of issues in the book and does a good job of resolving them. The ending for me was sad.

11.  Stolen Beauty by Laurie Lico Albanese

I took an online course that applied the artistic style of Gustav Klimt to Zentangle. I was inspired to look for books on Klimt and I found this lovely novel. The novel is based on the true stories of Adele Bloch-Bauer and her niece, Maria Altmann. Adele was born and raised in the wealthy class of Vienna, Austria in 1881. She married Ferdinand Bloch in 1899. Ferdinand asked Gustav Klimt to paint his wife's portrait in 1903. Maria Altmann was born in 1916 to the sister of Adele.

The story of these two women is told in alternating chapters. Adele's story is about her relationship to Gustav Klimt and the painting of her portrait. Maria's story begins with the German invasion of Austria in 1938 and explores the treatment of her family under the German rule. She and her husband ultimately escape Austria and eventually come to the United States.

Adele and her husband became art collectors. Klimt painted two portraits of Adele. The Germans stole all of their art and after the war the Austrian government refused to give it back. Maria sued the government of Austria in 2000 and ultimately won the ownership of the portraits in 2006 through arbitration. The original portrait was sold in 2006 for $135 million.

10.  A Place Where the Sea Remembers by Sandra Benitez

A great short novel that touches the heart. The book is a series of short stories interconnected by the fact that the stories are set in a small Mexican village. Each story shares the hopes, sorrows and struggles of a different person from the village. Some of the characters are related like the two who are sisters and others are acquaintances. The characters reappear in the background of each other's stories.

9.  Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

This novel, set in southern Illinois, is an excellent first novel by Glendy Vanderah. Jo, a graduate student, is spending the summer in southern Illinois studying the nesting habits of birds. The appearance of a young 11 year old girl out of nowhere puts in motion events that will change Jo's life. The mystery that keeps the reader glued to the book is whom the girl is and where did she come from. The author does a great job of keeping the reader in suspense until the very end. If you are a caring and compassionate person, the novel will touch your heart and maybe even bring tears to your eyes. The novel is a love story on many levels. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of realistic fiction.

8.  Infinity Net: The Autobiography of Yayoi Kusama by Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama is an amazing artist and storyteller. This book is her memoir of her life in art. Growing up in Japan, she wanted to be an artist, but was discouraged by her mother. She left Japan for the United States in her twenties and she became apart of the New York art scene during the 1950s and 1960s. She became known for both her abstract art as well as her performance art. In the 1970's she returned to Japan and eventually entered a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the rest of her days. She has a studio across the street where she creates her art. Since returning to Japan, she has also been writing and publishing novels. She turned 90 in March 22, 2019. In the last 10 years her 10 top selling works of art ranged from 2 million dollars to 7 million. All but two of these were created in the fifties and sixties. She is one of the few artists who has lived long enough to see the value of her art rise in price.

7.  Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton

Beth Kempton, who has lived in Japan and speaks the language, shares her understanding of Wabi-Sabi. Wabi-Sabi is about imperfection and impermanence. I highly recommend this beautifully written book. She introduced me to the concept of Forest Bathing.

6.  Satellite by Nick Lake

This is an excellent young adult book. Set in space in the near future where space travel is run by the company. The story is about three sixteen year olds who were conceived and born on a space station. They are brought back to live on earth. The novel is about the challenges they face on earth. I highly recommend this book.

5.  Extraordinary Lives: The Art and Craft of American Biography by William Zinsser, editor

If you love to read biographies, you need to read this book. The book is a collection of six lectures delivered in the winter of 1985 by 6 people who either wrote or were writing a biography. The biographers include David McCullough, Robert B. Sewall, Paul C. Nagel, Ronald Steel, Jean Strouse, and Robert Caro. My favorite talks were by David McCullough on Harry S. Truman and Robert Caro on Lyndon Johnson.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"There are two reasons why a man does anything. There's a good reason and there's the real reason." (p. 12)

"I believe very strongly that essence of writing is to know your subject." (David McCullough) p. 27

"It's much more important to listen when you're interviewing people than to worry about what questions you're going to ask." (David McCullough) p. 45

"I've come to appreciate that doing biography is as much an artistic calling as struggling with ideas." (Paul Nagel) p. 101

"The best biographies have always told wonderful stories." (Jean Strouse) p. 164

"Good biographers combine the arts of the novelist, the detective work of the historian and the insights of the psychologist." (Jean Strouse) p. 164

"If you always tell the truth, you don't need memos to remember what you said." (Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the House of Representatives.) p. 214

I highly recommend this book to all who love biographies.

4.  The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan

The Bonesetter's Daughter is another excellent novel by Amy Tan. This novel follows a similar pattern to several of Tan's other novels. She tells the story of a Chinese mother and daughter whose relationship is filled with challenges. The mother is born in China and emigrates to the United States. The daughter who is born in the U.S. seeks to discover and understand the secret life of her mother in China. I usually find the mother's Chinese story more fascinating than the daughter's current story. In this case, I also enjoyed the contemporary story because the mother is experiencing dementia and the daughter seeks to place her in an assisted living facility. Having worked in long-term care for 40 years, I found the detail of the first visit to the facility to be very accurate. The heart of the story, though, is about a daughter coming to terms with a difficult mother. I highly recommend this book to those who love novels.

3.  Winter Hours: Prose, Prose Poems and Poems by Mary Oliver

Mary Oliver is an excellent essayist. I normally don't read essays, but I picked this up because Mary is a poet. The language of these essays is very poetic.

In the opening essay, Building the House, she writes about a house she built and a carpenter who writes poetry in his spare time. She is an artist of detail. She describes the blue butterflies called azures: "In their small blue dresses they float among the branches, they come close to me, one rests for a moment on my wrist."

In the second essay, Sister Turtle, Oliver writes about the eggs of a turtle: "Last week I ate the eggs of the turtle, like little golden suns...." Every word in the essays have been measured and chosen for its impact.

In the third essay, The Swan, Oliver discusses the writing of poetry. She writes: "I want the poem to ask something and, at its best moments, I want the question to remain unanswered. I want it to be clear that answering the question is the reader's part in an implicit author-reader pact."

In four short essays, Oliver also discusses 4 poets: Poe, Frost, Hopkins and Whitman. In the essay, Swoon, Oliver explores the life of a spider. In the final essay, Oliver explores the impact of the natural world on her poetry. She writes: "I am forever just going out for a walk and tripping over the root, or the petal, of some trivia, then seeing it as if in a second sight, as emblematic."

I highly recommend this short book to anyone who loves language. Enjoy the gifts that Mary Oliver shares with you.

2.  Madam Secretary: A Memoir by Madeleine K. Albright

This is the third memoir I have read by a female Secretary of State about her experience as the Secretary. First, I read Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton. Second, I read No Higher Honor by Condoleezza Rice. Now, I have finished Madeleine Albright's memoir. Each memoir touches on the hot spots around the world and how they dealt with their counterparts in the different countries.

Madeleine was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1937. Josef Korbel, Madeleine's father, was involved in politics and served as an ambassador to Yugoslavia and Albania. The family escaped to England when the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia. They returned after the war only to escape to America after the Communists took over Czechoslovakia. They were given political asylum. The family moved to Denver, Colorado where Josef became a professor.

Madeleine attended Wellesley College and was granted American citizenship in 1957. She married Joseph Albright in 1959. She gave birth to twin daughters in 1961 and a third daughter in 1967. Madeleine was a granted a Ph.D from Columbia University in 1976.

In 1976, Madeleine became chief legislative assistant to Senator Edmund Muskie. She worked on the staff of the National Security Council from 1978 to 1981. She served as foreign policy advisor to presidential nominee Walter Mondale and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. She also served on the faculty at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She became the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. on February 1, 1993. On January 23, 1997, Madeleine was sworn in as the 64th Secretary of State. She was the first female to hold the position.

When Madeleine became Secretary of State, she discovered that she was of Jewish descent and that several of her relatives had died in the concentration camps. Her parents had raised her Catholic.

Madam Secretary is a fascinating book and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in international politics.

1.  The Godfather by Mario Puzo

I first read this book in 1971, two years after it was published. The following year the movie came out. I have always wondered how closely the book followed the movie so I have now read the book for the second time. And movie follows the book very closely. Only a few scenes are left out.

Having seen the movie multiple times, I pictured the actors in their roles as I read the book. Emotionally, I was still touched by the brutal killing of Sonny.

As someone who is anti-violence, anti-guns , and anti-crime, I am still surprised by my positive response to the book. Anthony Puzo, son of Mario, says, in his opening note to the 5oth anniversary edition, "My father's unique and ultimately brilliant idea to base The Godfather on family values was the key to its success." That may be why I like the book. As a reader, you cannot help but fall in love with the characters. It is about loyalty, about caring for those you love. I believe that even the worst of people have some good in them and that the best of people have some evil in them. None of us are perfect.

Anthony also mentioned some curious facts about the writing of the book. The Don was based on Mario's mother. Hw said: "Whenever the Don opened his mouth, my father said that in his own mind he heard the voice of his mother. He heard her wisdom, ruthlessness and unconquerable love for her family."

I have often wondered how Mario knew so much about the Mafia. The truth is that Mario never met anyone in the Mafia. All his knowledge was gained from research. This flies in the face of the advice writers are given to write about what you know.

I highly recommend this novel both to those who have never read it and to those who have. Read it again. Now, I think it is time for me to see the movie again.

Harley King — New Habits

Harley King — Wants vs Needs

Harley King — Top Ten Books I Read in 2018

In 2018 I read 44 books. Seventy-seven percent of the books were fiction, 23% were non-fiction. Of the novels, 10 were mysteries, 10 were fantasy, 9 were contemporary fiction, 3 were young adult and 2 were science fiction,  Of the non-fiction books, 4 were biographies and memoirs. Eighty-five percent of the books I read were e-books, 15% were physical books.

Here are the 10 best books I read in 2018.

10.  True Places by Sonja Yoerg.

An excellent contemporary novel set in Virginia. The story is told from the point of view of various family members including a mother, father, brother and sister. The world of this family is shattered by Suzanne, the mother, discovering a starved young girl, Iris, at the edge of the road. Suzanne takes Iris to hospital and when she recovers into the family home. This simple act of kindness challenges the family to evaluate their relationships with each other.

9.  Go by Kazuki Kanishiro

In the United States, people tend to think of racism as something between whites and blacks. Unfortunately, racism and discrimination are not the purview of the United States only. Kazuki Kaneshiro, in this novel, addresses how Koreans living in Japan are treated by the Japanese. The main character is a Korean boy who falls in love with a Japanese girl. When he tells her that he is Korean, she rejects him. This is fascinating story and well worth reading.

8.  The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani

Rarely do we ever know the stories of our parents lives and understand what events made them who they became. And we almost never learn much about the lives of our grandparents. Jaya, the main character in this novel, has the good fortune to learn the crucial stories of both her mother and grandmother. This is an emotionally powerful novel and will touch people's hearts.

I did find the action to be very predictable. I guessed a key event long before it happened. About a third of the way through the novel, I made the mistake of reading a few of the reviews. One mentioned how the physical details of India were inaccurate. Having never been there, I could not judge for myself, but the review colored my reading of the book. I began to question if the author had ever been there.

Even if the physical details are not accurate, the emotional power of the story makes it worth reading. If you enjoy love stories, you will enjoy this book.

7.  Banana Rose by Natalie Goldberg

I have been wanting to read this book for years and I finally did. I fell in love with the creative works of Natalie Goldberg more than 25 years ago. I have read Writing Down the Bones 4 or 5 times. I was rereading Wild Mind for the third time when I started reading Banana Rose. I have read two of her memoirs and her book on painting.

In many of her books on writing, Goldberg talks about the importance of detail in writing. And she practices what she preaches in this her only novel. She builds the story through attention to detail. I know some people have been disappointed with this book. I was not. I think she did a great job of telling the story. I liked the character of Banana Rose.

Not much happens in the story. We move from one day in Banana Rose's life to the next. The book is framed by the death of a friend. Goldberg discusses the writing of Banana Rose in the book, Wild Mind. She admits that the main criticism of her editor is that the book has no plot. In the rewrite, she added a slight plot, but don't expect great movement.

If you choose to read this book, go slow and absorb the details. The enjoyment is in the details. And read Wild Mind along side it.

6. 1968: The Year That Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky

This is a great book that should be read by everyone who was alive in 1968 as well as those who have been born since. Kurlansky has done his research and gives us insight into many of the events both in America and around the world. As someone who lived through many of these events, I enjoyed reminiscing.

5.  The Man Who Cried I Am by John A. Williams

Growing up in a small farming community in central Illinois in the 1960's, I had little access to bookstores.  The closest was 25 miles away in Peoria.  Since I was dependent on our small local library and our church library for books, I subscribed to the Doubleday Book Club.  One of the books I bought through the club was The Man Who Cried I Am.  I cannot remember if I read it, but I am sure that I probably did not fully grasp the meaning of the book given my small town upbringing.  

Somewhere over the years I gave the book away.  I purchased the ebook a few weeks ago and was surprised to find the introduction by Walter Mosley, one of my favorite writers.  Written in the 1960's, the novel tells the story of a black writer during the last three days of his life.  Max Reddick, who is dying of cancer, is in Europe for the funeral of a fellow writer.  The book is filled with memories of his life in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's, including the women he loved, the people he knew and the challenges he faced living in the United States and Europe as a black man.  The book skips back and forth in time and the reader must play close attention because there is no warning that a time shift has occurred.

While the world has changed a lot in the last 50 years, much of it remains the same.  The hearts of people are still corrupt, mean-spirited and violent.  The forces that assassinated Kennedy and King are still with us.  Now crazy people kill young children.  Racism and violence are still with us.

This book should be read by all who have trouble understanding what it means to be a minority in the United States and by those who fail to understand what is behind the Black Lives Matter movement.

4.  Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Are you looking for a great novel to read with your child? Read Bud, Not Buddy! This historical novel is set in Michigan in the 1930s. We encounter Bud four years after his mother has died. He has been in and out of foster homes and is currently in an orphanage from which he escapes. In the story Bud travels from Flint to Grand Rapids in search of his father. The story is about his adventures along the way.

My ten-year-old daughter read it in school so she read it to me. This is an amazing novel that parents should read with their children.



3. The Accidental President: Harry Truman and the Four Months that Changed the World by A. J. Baime

Years ago a workshop facilitator asked the group I was in: "Who was president when you were born?" I like most of the people in the class had no idea. The thought had never occurred to me. When I discovered it was Harry S. Truman, I began to read books, eight in all, about him including the comprehensive Truman by David McCullough. I have even read the boring Meeting at Potsdam by Charles Mee. I was not expecting to learn anything new about Truman and was surprised when I did.

The Accidental President is a surprisingly exciting book to read. Baime takes the reader through the first four months of Truman's presidency. He faced challenges that few, if any, presidents have faced upon taking office. The U.S. was fighting a war on two fronts in Europe and in Asia. He was thrown into negotiations with two savvy politicians, Churchill and Stalin, over the fate of Europe. He learned about the development of the atomic bomb and had to make a decision about whether to drop the bomb or not.

People often say that Truman was unprepared to be President. He had only been in the Senate for two terms. Truman was never in Roosevelt's inner circle and Roosevelt kept him in the dark after he was elected Vice-President in 1944. He became President with little knowledge of what was transpiring in the international arena. Yet, Truman was prepared in several ways. He was a student of history and what other leaders had done in difficult situations. He was a decision-maker and did not hesitate to make the difficult decisions. He had a natural instinct for politics. He also had a strong moral character, yet knew when to compromise.

Baime opens the book by taking us through the day when Roosevelt died and Truman stepped into his shoes. He follows this up with a section that shares to story of who Truman was and where he came from. Even in this section, I learned somethings about Truman that I was unaware of. Baime then proceeds to walk us through the riveting first four months of Truman's presidency and the challenges he faced.

I highly recommend this book to anyone in business who finds himself in the midst of a crisis. I also recommend the book to anyone interested in politics, history and the presidency.

2. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

The Golem and the Jinni is a great first novel by Helene Wecker. Set in New York City in the early 1900s, the novel combines the mythology of both the Jewish and Arabian worlds with the real world of recent immigrants to the United States. Wecker has done her research on historical New York and the immigrant cultures portrayed. The book took seven years to write. At its heart, this novel is love story with ups and downs and barriers to overcome. Can mythical creatures from two different worlds find happiness together? Be sure to put this book on your reading list.

1. The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

I have read five of Sujata Massey's books prior to reading The Widows of Malabar Hill. Four of those books involved Rei Shimura, a half American, half Japanese antiques dealer and set either in Japan or America. My favorite was The Kizuna Coast set in Japan after the real-life tsunami. Sujata was born in England to parents from India and Germany, and was raised mostly in St. Paul, MN.

I have also read India Gray, a collection of short stories involving characters from India. My favorite short story, Outnumbered at Oxford, introduces Perveen Mistry in England. I could not wait to meet Perveen again in The Widows of Malabar Hill. And I was not disappointed. This novel is rich in historical detail. The novelist fills in what happened to Perveen prior to traveling to England to study law and what happened after she returned. 

Perveen's family had migrated from Iran to India where they are a small religious minority (Zoarastrian). Perveen becomes the first woman in India to practice law. Her character is inspired by real life women who became the first female lawyers in India.

I highly recommend this mystery novel for its rich historical detail and its powerful female character.

Harley King — Seeds of Hope

We live in difficult and challenging times.  Some have begun to despair that the world is coming to a violent end. I remember another moment in the late 1960's when I felt the world would end. What I have learned over the years is that the world continues.  There are always moments of hope to be found. We must choose to plant seeds of hope.

I believe that everything we do is a choice we make. We have little control over what happens to us. We have little control over the hostile world in which we live. The only thing we control is our response to what is happening. So my choice is to plant seeds of hope with my words and deeds. I choose to celebrate the spirit of love.

We also need to understand that even though we plant seeds of hope, we will not eliminate the hatred and hostility in the world.  So do not give into the false hope of changing the world overnight.  

If we choose to plant to seeds of hope, we will touch the lives of a few people. Every farmer knows, there are different types of soil and not all of it is fertile. I know that sometimes the seeds that I plant fall on stoney ground and the seeds fail to take root. I have learned that I can’t give hope to people if they are not ready to receive it. Sometimes it may take years for that seed to grow. And sometimes the seed is eaten by birds and squirrels. Have faith that some of the seeds you plant will grow and bloom.

Harley King — Gift of Memory

Without memory, we lose all sense of self. We lose the threads and tangles that tell our stories. We lose our history from where we came. We lose our connection to the past. Memory gives our lives meaning and explains who we are and from where we came.

Yet, memory is fragmented, distorted and unconnected. Distorted memories can create false selves and cause us unhappiness. We must reshape our memories into a cohesive story that allows us to enjoy the person whom we have become. We must dig through the ashes of forgetfulness and find the keys to who we are.

Cradle your memories in your arms.  Give them the love and attention that they need.  Memory restores us to the world in which we live.  Choose to cherish your memories.

And as creative leaders, you are fortunate to have the skills and talents necessary to craft memory into a powerful story that touches the hearts and souls of others. Through the retelling of memory life is restored.

Harley King — Best Books 2016

In 2016, I read 72 books, an increase of 17 (31%) over the 55 I read in 2015 and a 50% increase over the number of books I read in 2014.  My overall reading average was 6 books a month. From January through June, I averaged 7 books a month.  From July through December, I averaged 5 books a month.

Seventy percent of the books were fiction, 24% were non-fiction and 6% were poetry. Of the novels, 42% were fantasy, 18% were science fiction and 10% were mysteries.  Of the non-fiction books, 65% were biographies and memoirs.  Sixty-three percent of the books I read were e-books and 15% were audio books.

Here are the 16 best books that I read in 2016:

16. Going Home to Glory: A Memoir of Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969 by David Eisenhower & Julie Nixon Eisenhower

An excellent memoir by the grandson of General Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife about the last years of President Eisenhower's life and his relationship with his grandson. I found it interesting that Lyndon Johnson relied for Eisenhower for support and council and that he spent considerable time visiting Eisenhower in the hospital in 1968 and 1969. The books is based on David's memories and the interviews with many people who knew his grandfather. This is the first book that I have read about the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower and I found it a valuable introduction.

15. Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton

My wife and I listened to this book on our 2,000 mile trip to the east coast. My guess is that Hillary Clinton is a introvert and Bill is an extrovert. Bill is energized by people and Hillary is drained. For me, this is also an explanation as to why so many people hate her. She has learned to overcome some of her shyness, but people don't seem to warm up to her easily. After listening to this book, I find Hillary to be a warm, caring individual committed to helping others. 

Hillary tells the story of her mother and father and how her mother was raised by her grandmother. Her father was raised in Scranton, PA but escaped to Chicago as fast as he could. Hillary came of age when women had more opportunities to go to college. She tells the stories of her college years, meeting Bill and her time in Little Rock, AK. Much of the book is her experiences in the White House and her campaign to be the New York senator.

If more people had read this book, we may have had a different outcome in the presidential election. Unfortunately, too many lies have been told about Hillary. For some people, it is easier to believe the lie than search for the truth.

14.  Ike and Dick: Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage by Jeffrey Frank

This is a fascinating book about two men who worked together for eight years and maintained a relationship for another decade. Ike tried in 1952 and 1956 to dump Nixon from the Republican ticket but ultimately failed. Ike often assigned Dick to do his dirty work and when Ike was ill Nixon along with the cabinet held the fort down. 

Like any marriage, the pair had their good times and bad times. Each felt injured or hurt by the other. Nixon used Eisenhower as his sounding board during his political campaigns and often sought his opinion. The two families were forever entwined with the marriage of Nixon's daughter, Julia, to Eisenhower's grandson, David. 

I am surprised that other authors have not explored the relationship between Presidents and their VPs. I recommend the book to those who love history and biographies.

13.  Pat and Dick by Will Swift

This book tells the fascinating love story of Richard and Pat Nixon and how their relationship survived the tumultuous world of politics. Without the emotional support, guidance and love of Pat, Nixon would never have become President. She was the force that kept pushing him. When people tried to force him to resign as the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate in 1952, Pat was the one who kept him going. She said:

"You can't think of resigning. If you do, Eisenhower will lose. You will carry the scar for the rest of your life. If you do not fight back but simply crawl away, you will destroy yourself."

Whenever Nixon was depressed and wanting to quit because of the pressure of the outside world, Pat was always there supporting him.

Winning Pat's heart was not easy. She initially had little interest in Richard but he persisted and eventually won her heart.

I highly recommend this book because it tells the love story and the heartbreak of an American Presidential couple.

12.  Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice

This book is Condoleezza Rice's love poem to her mother and father. She tells the story of a very supportive mother and father who sacrificed to give her opportunities she had. Condi grew up in a family of teachers and preachers in Birmingham, AL, during segregated 50's and 60's. One of her friends was killed in the 1963 church bombing. Both of her parents were college educated and strong believers in education.

Her father, John Wesley Rice, was a Republican because the Democrats in Alabama refused to register him to vote, but a Republican did.

This memoir, written after her experience as Secretary of State under George W. Bush, tells her childhood story through her college years, her acceptance as a professor at Stanford, her mother's death, and her years as Provost at Stanford University. The book closes with the death of her father and Condi moving to Washington D.C. in 2001 as the National Security Advisor to George W. Bush.

I highly recommend the book because of the powerful love story between parents and a child that it tells. The warmth and humanity of the book touched my heart.

11.  Dark Currents (The Emperor's Edge #2) by Lindsay Buroker

Dark Currents is a fast-paced, action-filled steampunk fantasy populated with characters whose company I enjoy. This second book in the series kept me on my toes waiting and watching for what was to happen next. I would recommend the series to anyone who enjoys fantasy and action with a dose of mystery thrown in for good measure. I read the second and third books in the series in 2016.



10. Escaping Peril (Wings of Fire #8) by Tui T. Sutherland

Escaping Peril is the eight book in the series. My daughter and I have read all nine books in the series together and have enjoyed discussing them. She waited for several months for the new book about Peril to arrive. Peril was a character in the first book in the series and my daughter has been fascinated by her ever since. She could hardly wait until book 8 came out. And we were not disappointed. Like the other books, this one took several unexpected twists and turns. If you enjoyed the other books in the series, you will enjoy this one. I would not recommend reading this one until you have read at least the first five. While the book can stand alone, there are so many nuances that will be missed if you have not read the others in the series.

9.  Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life by Tom Robbins

I read three of Tom Robbins novels back in the 1970's and 80's so I found this memoir humorous and engaging. Robbins is a master of the metaphor and the language. I laughed my way through this book and am glad that Robbins wrote it. I listened to it and believe the humor was even stronger because I heard the words spoken. I recommend it to those who love to laugh and who love the work of Tom Robbins.

8.  Being Nixon: The Fears and Hopes of an American President by Evan Thomas

When Richard Nixon lost the 1960 Presidential election to John F. Kennedy, I was eleven years old and barely aware of politics. When Nixon won the 1968 election, I was in Jamaica as a college student and read very little news about the election campaign. Nine months earlier I had been knee deep in politics campaigning for Eugene McCarthy in Wisconsin. I even went Clean for Gene by shaving my beard. 1968 was a troubled year. Martin Luther King was shot in Memphis, TN and Bobby Kennedy was shot in LA. Mayor Richard Daley had his thugs beat up the hippies at the Democratic convention in Chicago. When Nixon resigned from office in August of 1974, I was married and studying for my Master's degree in theatre.

What I did not know until I read this book was that Nixon's actions helped to destroy the economy of the Midwest in the 1970's and 1980's. Nixon was a consummate politician who knew very little of economics. He proceeded to sever the dollar's connection to the gold standard, knowing it would bring about inflation. He also irritated the Arabs with his support of Israel during the 1973 war. This led to retaliation by OPEC and the oil embargo which helped to increase inflation as well.

Evan Thomas, in this excellent biography, is focused on emotional and psychological nature of Nixon. I learned that Nixon was very shy and uncomfortable around people. He avoided confrontation and held grudges against those who had done him wrong. He had an inferiority complex and had a love-hate relationship with those he perceived to be a part of the East Coast establishment, especially the Kennedy clan. Nixon was not very self-aware. He did not like to focus on the past. He preferred to look to the future.

Nixon was very loving and kind with his immediate family — his wife and daughters. He seemed to compartmentalize his life, behaving one way with his family and another in the world of politics. He was driven to succeed at all costs. Like many of us, Nixon had multiple facets to his personality. One minute he could be kind and supportive and the next yelling and cursing. His closest aides learned not to take him seriously when he went on a rampage. They often ignored his commands. Yet, he was very supportive of the underdog. When the Democratic Vice-President candidate, Thomas Eagleton, was forced out the presidential race in 1972 because of his treatment for depression, Nixon wrote a very kind letter to Eagleton's son.

I decided to read this book when I read where Bill Gates recommended it because it was one of the more balanced biographies of Nixon. And while I have not read any other biographies of Nixon, I would highly recommend this one to anyone interested in Nixon and the time period of the 1950's through 1970's. Evan Thomas tells us both the negative and the positive about the life of Nixon.

7.  Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith

Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected President when I was 3 years old and left office when I was 11. I have read little about Eisenhower until this year. This is the 3rd book that I have read about him this year and is the first full biography.

Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas, the 3rd of 7 sons born to David and Ida Eisenhower. His father had moved the family from Kansas in 1888 to find work. The Eisenhowers only lived in Texas for 4 years before they moved back to Kansas. Dwight's ancestors originally arrived from Germany in 1741. David's father was a preacher with the River Brethren, an offshoot of the Mennonites. Like the Mennonites, the River Brethren did not believe in fighting in wars.

Religion was a major part of the fabric of Eisenhower family. David would begin the day by reading the Bible to the family. They said prayers before meals and the boys read the scriptures at night. Dwight had read the entire Bible twice before entering West Point.

Dwight's father was a very strict and stern man who did not play with his sons nor take them fishing or hunting. Ike's brother, Edgar, said about their father: "He was an inflexible man with a stern code. Life to him was a very serious proposition and that's the way he lived it, soberly and with due reflection."

Dwight's mother, Ida, had the greatest influence on the boys. She was present in their lives and usually found the humor in most situations. In spite of his pacifist upbringing, Dwight sought and received an appointment to West Point where he was admitted in June of 1911. Eisenhower graduated 61st in a class of 164 and was assigned to San Antonio where he met his future wife, Mary Geneva Doud. They were married on July 1, 1916.

Eisenhower did not have the opportunity to see any action on the battle field during World War I. Between the two wars he held administrative posts in various places. In December of 1926 Dwight was assigned to the American Battle Monuments Commission under John J. Pershing. In December, 1927 he moved to Paris to continue the work under the Monuments Commission where he explored first hand the terrain of France. This experience helped prepare him for the invasion of Europe.

In October 1935, Eisenhower sailed to the Philippines to serve under Douglas MacArthur. MacArthur delegated the day to day operations to Eisenhower and James Ord. MacArthur only came into the office about an hour a day.

In June of 1942, Eisenhower was given the command of the invasion of Europe. His first task was to establish a command structure. Eisenhower initially made some serious mistakes as the army tried to retake northern Africa before entering France. He had never commanded troops in combat and did not do well as a field commander. He was better at overall organization and in public relations. He was skilled in managing the top brass. Eisenhower was name Supreme Commander where he could devote his time to the political and inter-allied problems. Others were given direct field command of the soldiers. Dwight was promoted to a four star general. The invasion of Europe began in June, 1944. Eisenhower made the final decision when to start the attack. Victory in Europe made Eisenhower an international hero.

In 1952, Ike Eisenhower won the Republican nomination for President against Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic nominee. The 1952 campaign has been called one of nastiest on record at the time. There were bogus claims about a Communist conspiracy in the Truman administration and the GOP launched a negative campaign questioning the sexual orientation of Governor Stevenson. More than 61 million Americans voted and Ike won 55% of the popular vote. He won 442 electoral votes to Stevenson's 89.

Eisenhower served as President during eight years of peace and prosperity. When he left office in 1961, his popularity ratings were as high as when he was inaugurated.

This is an excellent biography by Jean Edward Smith. The book gains momentum with the discussion of Eisenhower's activities during World War II and his accomplishments and failures during his Presidency. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

6.  Dragon Seed: The Story of China at War by Pearl S. Buck

This is a brilliant anti-war novel seen through the eyes of a Chinese family of farmers. Buck writes of the invasion of China in 1937 by the Japanese. This is a novel that everyone should read.

5.  Slaughterhouse-Five: The Childrens Crusade, a Duty Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut

I have been a fan of the work of Kurt Vonnegut for over 40 years. My favorite book of his is Cat's Cradle. I also heard Vonnegut speak in the 1980s while I was living in the Indianapolis area. I read Slaughterhouse-Five while in college shortly after it came out. I don't remember that the book impressed me that much at the time. And now I understand why: the book is not a linear narrative. It jumps back and forth in time as well as place. It involves space travel, war and eye glasses. While I loved science fiction, this did not seem like science fiction. 

So, all these years later, I decided to listen to Slaughterhouse-Five and loved it. The voice of Ethan Hawke set the tone for the book and allowed me to better appreciate the non-linear narrative. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Sometimes listening to a story is even better than reading it.

4.  Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella

I read the Iowa Baseball Confederacy by Kinsella back in the 1980s, but never read Shoeless Joe. I have, though, watched Field of Dreams on multiple occasions. I usually don't like to read books after I have seen the movie, but decided to give this one a try. I found myself initially visualizing the characters in the image of the actors in the movie, but it was not a hindrance since I love the movie. All the major movie scenes are in the book, but a couple of characters in the book were cut from the movie — Ray's twin brother and Eddie Sessions, the farmer who sold the farm to Ray. Also the movie changed the character of J.D. Salinger to Terrence Mann.

The book at its core is about the nature of obsession and how people pursue their dreams against all odds. The book and movie are both motivational and inspiring.

I discovered after reading the book that W.P. Kinsella was Canadian. He did earn a Masters from the Iowa Writers Workshop. I recommend the book to all lovers of dreams and baseball.

3.  Middle Age: A Romance by Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates, a master novelist, is one of the most prolific writers of her generation. This is the second of her novels that I have read. Both novels start with an event — in this case the death of a neighbor and friend — and follow the impact on various people. The event triggers in each character an opportunity to re-evaluate his or her life. Some are more successful at this then others. This is a book worth reading by one of the great American novelists. Don't let the insipid title get in the way of picking up this book. There is more nuance and depth to this book then the title will lead you to believe.

2.  The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk is a brilliant novel by Kelli Estes. Set simultaneously in the 1880s and present day, Estes tells the tragic historical story of how the Chinese were driven out of northwest Washington by white men. The heart of the novel is the story of Mei Lien and her family who are forced out of their home in Seattle onto a ship that is bound for China back in the 1880's. Mei Lien discovers that the Chinese are not being taken to China, but that the plan is to throw them overboard when the ship is far enough from shore. When she tells her father, he makes the decision that she needs to jump overboard while there is still opportunity for her to swim to shore. Mei Lien is rescued by a white man who ultimately becomes her husband. Mei Lien's tale is the story of racism and the anti-Chinese hysteria that ran through the villages and towns on the west coast of Washington before it became a state.

Wrapped around Mei Lien's story is the story of present day Inara who discovers an embroidered sleeve and attempts to find out its historical importance.

The message of the story is very relevant today amidst the current immigration and anti-Muslim hysteria that has overtaken many people in this country. This is book is a must read for everyone who cares about people.

This novel is Kelli Estes' first published novel and has been fourteen years in the making. Estes writes: "In the fourteen years between quitting that job and selling this novel, I wrote six manuscripts, attended countless writing workshops and conferences, and raised two boys who are now in school all day, which allows me to focus on writing."

I highly recommend that everyone read this novel for a better understanding of a tragic time in American history and the pain that racism causes. Racism touches everyone and is not just about blacks and whites, but is also about Asians, Hispanics and anyone who does not fit the perceived norm.

1.  The Sacrifice: A Novel by Joyce Carol Oates  Another fantastic novel by Joyce Carol Oates. She has the ability to create a realistic fictional world that feels right out of the pages of life. I would highly recommend that you listen to the reading of this story by multiple actors. This book provides a serious look at racism in America through fiction. Everyone should read this book.