The Poet and the Murderer by Simon Worrall

Title: The Poet and the Murderer: A True Story of Literary Crime and the Art of Forgery

Author: Simon Worrall

Publisher: Plume 2002

Genre: History

Pages: 270

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - True Crime; A to Z - P

In The Poet and the Murderer, acclaimed journalist Simon Worrall takes readers into the haunting mind of Mark Hofmann, one of the most daring literary forgers and remorseless murderers of the late twentieth century.

I really really really wanted to enjoyed this mystery/history, and yet I didn't love it. It's a good book and a very interesting premise. I love books about solving history's mysteries, but this one just fell flat for me. The writing style is a bit dry and plodding. I would have loved a narrative history approach to this one. But instead, we get what reads like a newspaper article. A 270 page newspaper article. I just couldn't stay connected to the story. Good book, just not for me...

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Devil in the Shape of a Woman by Carol Karlsen

Title: The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England

Author: Carol Karlsen

Publisher: Norton and Company 1987

Genre: Nonfiction U.S. History

Pages: 370

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Mount TBR

Confessing to "familiarity with the devils," Mary Johnson, a servant, was executed by Connecticut officials in 1648. A wealthy Boston widow, Ann Hibbens was hanged in 1656 for casting spells on her neighbors. The case of Ann Cole, who was "taken with very strange Fits," fueled an outbreak of witchcraft accusations in Hartford a generation before the notorious events at Salem.

More than three hundred years later, the question "Why?" still haunts us. Why were these and other women likely witches―vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft and possession? Carol F. Karlsen reveals the social construction of witchcraft in seventeenth-century New England and illuminates the larger contours of gender relations in that society.

I'm always up for a good history book. And this one doesn't disappoint. I was fully into Karlsen's examinations of the events that led to and resulted from the Salem Witch Trails. More than merely a recounting, Karlsen dives into the motivations of the colonists in New England and focuses on gender dynamics of the time. This volume is very dense, but a great examination of the time. Diehard history fans will love this volume.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Title: Hidden Figures 

Author: Margot Lee Shetterly

Publisher: William Morrow 2016

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 349

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR

Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades they faced challenges, forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives, and their country’s future.

We watched the movie a few months back and I've been itching to read the book. I heard it included much more information and I wasn't disappointed. In this deceptively slim volume, Shetterly packs in so much information. We trace the careers and lives for four women but also learn about social movements, the space race, court cases, and the inner workings of Langley through a very tumultuous time in our nation's history. I was completely entranced by the stories from page one although I will admit to taking a few breaks to allow my brain to absorb the information. The movie did a great job taking very complicated stories and distilling it down to something that could be enjoyed in two hours. But after reading the book, I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Mary Jackson's story. Hers was the journey that really stood out for me. Her passion for engineering, helping her neighbors, and promoting education was fascinating. Definitely a must read! This one will most likely end up on my Top 10 Reads of 2017 list!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Great Quake by Henry Fountain

Title: The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet

Author: Henry Fountain

Publisher: Crown 2017

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (nonfiction)

At 5:36 p.m. on March 27, 1964, a magnitude 9.2. earthquake – the second most powerful in world history – struck the young state of Alaska. The violent shaking, followed by massive tsunamis, devastated the southern half of the state and killed more than 130 people.  A day later, George Plafker, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, arrived to investigate.  His fascinating scientific detective work in the months that followed helped confirm the then-controversial theory of plate tectonics.

In a compelling tale about the almost unimaginable brute force of nature, New York Times science journalist Henry Fountain combines history and science to bring the quake and its aftermath to life in vivid detail.  With deep, on-the-ground reporting from Alaska, often in the company of George Plafker, Fountain shows how the earthquake left its mark on the land and its people -- and on science.

Picked this one up on a whim from the Lucky Day shelf at the library. I loved a good history and this one's cover intrigued me. I knew little of the 1964 Alaska quake or really the history of our understanding of earthquakes. Fountain does have quite the storytelling dexterity as Erik Larson, but I must say that this slim volume was informative and engaging. I learned a lot about the history of earthquakes and our understanding plus how the theory of plate tectonics really came into being. George Plafker is a fascinating person. I loved hearing about his personal journey in science interwoven with the Alaska quake. Definitely a great read!

Next up on the TBR pile:

50 Great American Places by Brent D. Glass

Title: 50 Great American Places: Essential History Sites Across the U.S.

Author: Brent D. Glass

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2016

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 292

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); What's in a Name - Number in Numbers

 A one-of-a-kind guide to fifty of the most important cultural and historic sites in the United States guaranteed to fascinate, educate, and entertain—selected and described by the former director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

I grabbed this one from the library new books shelf. I love a good history book and thought this would be fun little book where I could learn some new facts. Unfortunately for me, I knew 90% of the information presented. Sometimes it sucks to be a U.S. History major... I did enjoy the book and Glass highlights some interesting spots around the country. It's just not going to be on my favorite reads for the year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto

Title: The Island at the Center of the World

Author: Russell Shorto

Publisher: Doubleday 2004

Genre: U.S. History

Pages:  384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual .(Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR; Popsugar - Bought on a Trip

The Dutch colony pre-dated the “original” thirteen colonies, yet it seems strikingly familiar. Its capital was cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic, and its citizens valued free trade, individual rights, and religious freedom. Their champion was a progressive, young lawyer named Adriaen van der Donck, who emerges in these pages as a forgotten American patriot and whose political vision brought him into conflict with Peter Stuyvesant, the autocratic director of the Dutch colony. The struggle between these two strong-willed men laid the foundation for New York City and helped shape American culture. The Island at the Center of the World uncovers a lost world and offers a surprising new perspective on our own.

I do love my history books and this one was amazing! Being a former history teacher, I have a basic understanding of the Dutch colony in the New World, but that understanding had a lot of holes and questions. This book gave me so much more knowledge. I was amazed at the complexity of the Dutch situation stuck between multiple English colonies, various native groups, and even the Swedish. I loved hearing the narratives of prominent players of the time. Adriaen van der Donck was my favorite. I had never heard of the man prior to reading this book, but he was so incredibly important to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Shorto does an amazing job of brining the people and places to life. He excels at tracing the settling of the region through growth and turmoil to the surrendering of the colony to the English. His argument that the culture of New York City owes itself to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam is compelling. Due to crazy home life, this book took me two weeks to read but it wasn't for lack of interest. If I could, I would have read it in one day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

Title: The Wordy Shipmates

Author: Sarah Vowell

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2009

Genre: History

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR

To this day, America views itself as a Puritan nation, but Sarah Vowell investigates what that means-and what it should mean. What she discovers is something far different from what their uptight shoebuckles- and-corn reputation might suggest-a highly literate, deeply principled, and surprisingly feisty people, whose story is filled with pamphlet feuds, witty courtroom dramas, and bloody vengeance.

Finally finished this book in the early morning hours. I always love a good history book where I learn something. Thankfully Vowell dives deep into the Puritans to get a good look at the people, their lives, and their beliefs. I enjoyed reading the back and forth between John Winthrop and all of his adversaries. I knew some about Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, but this book expanded my knowledge. My only issue with the book is Vowell's deviations into current times. Those passages felt a little too long for how short this book is overall. I wanted more time in Puritan New England and less time in the 20th century...

Hamilton The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter

Title: Hamilton The Revolution

Author: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter

Publisher: Grand Central 2016

Genre: Nonfiction - Theater

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsguar -  Bestseller from 2016; I Love Libraries

HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages--"since before this was even a show," according to Miranda--traces its development from an improbable perfor­mance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here.

Finally got this from the library! And it was so worth the wait! For three days, I was completely engrossed in this book. Reading and rereading the libretto and essays. I loved catching the little nuances in the lines of the songs. Things I never noticed just listening to the cast recording. And it was great to hear the story of how the show came together over many years and many different iterations. My favorite essay was the one discussing the staging and progression of the four songs in Act II dealing with Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds. Fascinating! My stagecraft background definitely came into play while reading that essay. Such a great book for fans of the show.

Founding Myths by Ray Raphael

Title: Founding Myths: Stories That Hide Our Patriotic Past

Author: Ray Raphael

Publisher: The New Press 2004

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 432

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - W37

First published ten years ago, award-winning historian Ray Raphael’s Founding Myths has since established itself as a landmark of historical myth-busting. With Raphael’s trademark wit and flair,Founding Myths exposed the errors and inventions in America’s most cherished tales, from Paul Revere’s famous ride to Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech. For the thousands who have been captivated by Raphael’s eye-opening accounts, history has never been the same.

I'm giving this book 3 stars, but that rating really only applies to me. I think this is a well written look at many of the myths we learn about U.S. History. Unfortunately for me, I already knew the truth of the matter. Curse of being a history major in college. This book was just too broad for me. I need to pick books that go much deeper in a particular subject or time period instead of a general overview.

The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower

Title: The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House

Author: Kate Andersen Brower

Publisher: HarperCollins 2015

Genre: History

Pages: 310

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Political Memoir (sorta); 52 Books - W36

Combining incredible first-person anecdotes from extensive interviews with scores of White House staff members—many speaking for the first time—with archival research, Kate Andersen Brower tells their story. She reveals the intimacy between the First Family and the people who serve them, as well as tension that has shaken the staff over the decades. From the housekeeper and engineer who fell in love while serving President Reagan to Jackie Kennedy’s private moment of grief with a beloved staffer after her husband’s assassination to the tumultuous days surrounding President Nixon’s resignation and President Clinton’s impeachment battle, The Residence is full of surprising and moving details that illuminate day-to-day life at the White House.

My lovely One Bad Mother gift exchange partner sent me this book last month. I finally got a chance to pick it up a few days ago and I couldn't put it back down. I love this behind the scenes look at the White House. I loved all the little stories and peeks at the personalities and personal lives of the presidents. It was fascinating to hear about all the work that no one ever acknowledges. Definitely a very interesting read.

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade

Title: Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War that Changed American History

Author: Brian Kilmeade

Publisher: Sentinel 2015

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 238

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; 52 Books - W34

This is the little-known story of how a newly indepen­dent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America’s third president decided to stand up to intimidation.

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa’s Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new coun­try could afford.

Definitely a good follow-up to George Washington's Secret Six. I have a passing knowledge of the Barbary War, but even I can classify it as the forgotten war. I learned so much about the intricacies, people involved, and battles of the war. Stories like that of the USS Philadelphia sparked a memory for me, but it was nice to get the full story in these pages. A good random pick-up from the library shelves.

Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; 52 Books - W33; Perpetual (NonAd)

Boston in 1775 is an island city occupied by British troops after a series of incendiary incidents by patriots who range from sober citizens to thuggish vigilantes. After the Boston Tea Party, British and American soldiers and Massachusetts residentshave warily maneuvered around each other until April 19, when violence finally erupts at Lexington and Concord.  In June, however, with the city cut off from supplies by a British blockade and Patriot militia poised in siege, skirmishes give way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It would be the bloodiest battle of the Revolution to come, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.

Been meaning to pick this one up for awhile now. And I enjoyed every page of this volume. Such a great exploration of the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence focusing on the Boston area. I loved following each of the players through the few years detailed. Philbrick scores again with a great narrative history. Even with my background knowledge of the Revolution, I still learned a lot about the details of the time period. Fascinating!

What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted by Tevi Troy

Title: What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House

Author: Tevi Troy

Publisher: Regnery 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 332

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual)

America is a country built by thinkers on a foundation of ideas. Alongside classic works of philosophy and ethics, however, our presidents have been influenced by the books, movies, TV shows, viral videos, and social media sensations of their day. In What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, and Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House presidential scholar and former White House aide Tevi Troy combines research with witty observation to tell the story of how our presidents have been shaped by popular culture.

An interesting collection of tidbits about pop culture and presidents. I learned a decent amount of trivia. Well, the volume is well-written, I knew a fair amount of the information presented. I especially enjoyed the chapters focusing on the presidents of the mid 20th century. Very interesting discussions on how Nixon and Reagan used pop culture.

George Washington's Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade

Title: George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Save the American Revolution

Author: Brian Kilmeade

Publisher:Sentinel 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 236

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); Nonfiction; Book to Movie

When George Washington beat a hasty retreat from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington rallied—thanks in large part to a little-known, top-secret group called the Culper Spy Ring. He realized that he couldn’t defeat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated and deeply secretive intelligence network to infiltrate New York.

Drawing on extensive research, Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger have offered fascinating portraits of these spies: a reserved Quaker merchant, a tavern keeper, a brash young longshoreman, a curmudgeonly Long Island bachelor, a coffeehouse owner, and a mysterious woman. Long unrecognized, the secret six are finally receiving their due among the pantheon of American heroes.

I'll admit that I picked this up because of my love of watching Turn: Washington's Spies. For all my background in U.S. History, I had never really learned much about the Culper Ring other than it existed. I wanted to see if the tv show was at all factual. While there are certain liberties taken to amp up the dramatic flair and a few characters combined or changed slightly, the show is true to the spirit of the ring. Many historical characters do appear (Tallmadge, Simcoe, Rivington, Brewster, Woodhull, and Townsend). I enjoyed this quick introduction to the Culper Ring and spies during the American Revolution. I knocked off a star because of just how short this volume is. I would have liked more in depth information, maybe more about the actual methods they employed or more detailed accounts of how their ring fit into the larger picture. Very good, but not amazing.

Valiant Ambition by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: Valiant Ambition

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2016

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 427

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; Popsugar - Blue Cover

In September 1776, the vulnerable Continental Army under an unsure George Washington (who had never commanded a large force in battle) evacuates New York after a devastating defeat by the British Army. Three weeks later, near the Canadian border, one of his favorite generals, Benedict Arnold, miraculously succeeds in postponing the British naval advance down Lake Champlain that might have ended the war. Four years later, as the book ends, Washington has vanquished his demons and Arnold has fled to the enemy after a foiled attempt to surrender the American fortress at West Point to the British. After four years of war, America is forced to realize that the real threat to its liberties might not come from without but from within.

Apparently I am in the middle of a huge American Revolution kick. J and I are obsessed with watching Turn on AMC and listening to the Hamilton soundtrack. Nevermind that I've always been a fan of history, I've found myself craving history books lately. I few weeks back I finished Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea and realized that he had just released a new book centered on the American Revolution. Thankfully I spied it at the library last week and immediately snatched it up. So good! In general I know how this story played out, but I was constantly fascinated by the details. It was the little things along with excerpts from letters that sucked me into the story. I was riveted from page one. Philbrick definitely has a way with narrative history. Never once did I get lost or confused by the information. I went along on the journey highlighting what would ultimately be two opposing forces: Washington and Arnold. I think I liked this one better than Philbrick's Mayflower. Fascinating story! Now I want to run off and get the book that Turn the television series is based on. Guess I need some more American Revolution in my life.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Title: In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Publisher: Viking 2000

Genre: Nonfiction – History

Pages: 301

Rating: 5/5 stars Movie: 3/5

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction; Popsugar - National Book Award Winner; Book to Movie

In 1820, the whaleship Essex was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale, leaving the desperate crew to drift for more than ninety days in three tiny boats. Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents and vivid details about the Nantucket whaling tradition to reveal the chilling facts of this infamous maritime disaster.

After reading two of his books, I have to say that Philbrick is my second favorite history author. He doesn't quite beat Eric Larson's wonderful storytelling, but he sure produces some great books. How I have never heard of the whaleship Essex is just crazy! It may have something to do with the fact that I hated Moby Dick and the Essex's story is the inspiration for that book. Thankfully, the real history is a fascinating look at whaling, early 19th century life, and survival. I couldn't put this book down and finished in 2 days. Definitely a must-read. I really should look up Philbrick's other books...

Movie:

Of course Hollywood always has to sensationalize the story. I was not very excited about this movie. It felt like the movie took the real story and crossed it with Moby Dick. The whale continues to pursue the crew even after the ship sinks. Definitely not part of the original story. Plus they made some changes as to the personalities and decisions made by Chase and Pollard. Overall, a disappointing movie.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell

Title: The Partly Cloudy Patriot

Author: Sarah Vowell

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2002

Genre: History

Pages: 197

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (NonAd); Nonfiction; 52 Books - W10

In this insightful and funny collection of personal stories Vowell travels through the American past and in doing so ponders a number of curious questions: Why is she happiest when visiting the sites of bloody struggles like Salem or Gettysburg? Why do people always inappropriately compare themselves to Rosa Parks? Why is a bad life in sunny California so much worse than a bad life anywhere else? What is it about the Zen of foul shots? And, in the title piece, why must doubt and internal arguments haunt the sleepless nights of the true patriot?

Her essays confront a wide range of subjects, themes, icons, and historical moments: Ike, Teddy Roosevelt, and Bill Clinton; Canadian Mounties and German filmmakers; Tom Cruise and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; twins and nerds; the Gettysburg Address, the State of the Union, and George W. Bush's inauguration.

So I love Sarah Vowell. She is funny, but also insightful and relevant. Sometimes she writes exactly what I am thinking about a situation. I think she's my spirit animal. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of essays. I love her perspective. My favorite essay was about Gettysburg. I had many of the same thoughts when I visited years ago. My only issue with this collection is that some of the essays feel very dated when reading them 14 years after the fact. I remember the events, but wow, such old news. Still an entertaining read for this history buff!

The Great Influenza by John M. Barry

Title: The Great Influenza

Author: John M. Barry

Publisher: Penguin Books 2004

Genre: Nonfiction -- History, Science

Pages: 546

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (Nonfiction Adventure); Nonfiction

At the height of WWI, history’s most lethal influenza virus erupted in an army camp in Kansas, moved east with American troops, then exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. It killed more people in twenty-four months than AIDS killed in twenty-four years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century. But this was not the Middle Ages, and 1918 marked the first collision of science and epidemic disease. Magisterial in its breadth of perspective and depth of research and now revised to reflect the growing danger of the avian flu, The Great Influenza is ultimately a tale of triumph amid tragedy, which provides us with a precise and sobering model as we confront the epidemics looming on our own horizon.

Such an interesting premise! The 1918 Flu is one of my great interest areas. I was excited to learn more. Unfortunately, I can't praise this volume. Barry is no Erik Larson. I kept getting very distracted by the slow plodding nature of the writing. I wanted more of a storytelling approach a la Larson. Some of the asides dealing with medical history or epidemiology  went on too long and were too detailed. About 250 pages in, I was getting very weary of the book, but I wanted to find out more about the pandemic and end result. I'm glad I finished it, but it's not going on my favorite books list at all. Just couldn't fully endorse this one.

Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara

Title: Gods and Generals

Author: Jeff Shaara

Publisher: Ballantine Books 1996

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 512

Rating:  3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR

In this brilliantly written epic novel, Jeff Shaara traces the lives, passions, and careers of the great military leaders from the first gathering clouds of the Civil War. Here is Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, a hopelessly by-the-book military instructor and devout Christian who becomes the greatest commander of the Civil War; Winfield Scott Hancock, a captain of quartermasters who quickly establishes himself as one of the finest leaders of the Union army; Joshua Chamberlain, who gives up his promising academic career and goes on to become one of the most heroic soldiers in American history; and Robert E. Lee, never believing until too late that a civil war would ever truly come to pass. Profound in its insights into the minds and hearts of those who fought in the war, Gods and Generals creates a vivid portrait of the soldiers, the battlefields, and the tumultuous times that forever shaped the nation.

Good book, but I'll admit that war history is not my interest area. I wasn't as engaged with this book as others I have read. Or maybe it's because I have a fair knowledge of the players of the Civil War that I didn't really dive into this book. I can see the value of the book and it is well-written. It's just not my cup of tea.

The American Plate by Libby O'Connell

Title: The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites

Author: Libby H. O'Connell

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2014

Genre: Nonfiction - History; Food

Pages: 330

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Read Your Freebies; Dewey Decimal - 600s

Dr. Libby H. O'Connell takes readers on a mouth-watering journey through America's culinary evolution into the vibrant array of foods we savor today. In 100 tantalizing bites, ranging from blueberries and bagels to peanut butter, hard cider, and Cracker Jack, O'Connell reveals the astonishing ways that cultures and individuals have shaped our national diet and continue to influence how we cook and eat.

Peppered throughout with recipes, photos, and tidbits on dozens of foods, from the surprising origins of Hershey Bars to the strange delicacies our ancestors enjoyed, such as roast turtle and grilled beaver tail. Inspiring and intensely satisfying, The American Plate shows how we can use the tastes of our shared past to transform our future.

An interesting, if a bit shallow, look at 100 different foods that came to be important to American life. I enjoyed the earlier chapters more than the later chapters. I felt like O'Connell spent more time on the food in the earlier chapters and then shifted the focus to social movements in the later chapters. Still I learned a bit about the history of some well-known foods. My favorite chapter was the one covering the Progressive Era. Great bites in that chapter!