This book is an interesting look at the typical soldier—and Billy does symbolize any soldier with his non-existent personality— forced to participate in a war not of his choosing.
To Kill a Mockingbird | Book Review
This book touched me on a number of levels, but mostly it taught me to have faith in humanity, to have faith in the good in people. This alone makes the book worth reading.
Read the World Wrap-Up | Germany
I knew before I started this Read the World journey that it was going to be awesome. I mean, how could exploring a country be anything but fun? I just wish I had gotten underway a little sooner, and then I could’ve added a few more books to my list. Maybe a travelogue or a children’s book (or…
Germany: A New History | Germany
Germany was so fragmented for so many centuries that, upon finding an identity, it wanted to stretch—so to speak—its fledgling wings.
Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall | Germany
Read this book so that you can really begin to understand: the story of the Berlin Wall is the stories of the people who lived behind it.
Hidden Figures | WWII
This book should be read for how it inspires, for how it illustrates hard work and determination and a lack of self-pity can go so far, for how it shows people of all genders and races and nationalities can accomplish so much together.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich | WWII
I knew intellectually that Hitler was something of a mad man. I mean, you can’t murder millions of people with a matter-of-fact, blasé attitude without being crazy. But after reading this book, after the peek I had into his mind, it’s my opinion that he was a completely, repentantly psychopathic monster. He was the worst type of psychotic: brilliant and psychotic. They do the most damage, and he was the tool of the deaths of multitudes.
More Than the Tattooed Mormon | Book Club
I love how Al Carraway spoke matter-of-factly about the problems and fear that we all have, those things—like trials and temptations—that make us feel alone when in fact they are universal to every human being.
Floating in My Mother’s Palm | Germany
I finished my first German book, Floating in My Mother’s Palm by Ursula Hegi (or at least, my first German book that I’m not reading for my WWII project). Overview: This book takes place just after World War II in the town of Burgdorf, Germany. Our main character is Hanna, a girl between the ages of unborn and 14…
Rouladen | Germany
In order to really experience Germany this month (as much as a person can from across an ocean), I decided to explore German cuisine. When you think of German food, do you think of Bratwurst and sausage? Well you should. Those Germans are all about their sausage. But they’re also about more, such as rouladen….
Code Name Verity | Book Review
Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein, is my first finished WWII book. Because this was already on my reading list, it didn’t take much encouragement to read it. Really fast. Much faster than the histories. Overview: This story follows two girls, one of whom is a special operator (aka spy) and the other a pilot,…
The Perilous Gard | Book Club
I completely forgot about the December book club because, you know, the madness of the holidays. As we did a book exchange instead of reading a book, I’m going to review the book I chose to give in the exchange: The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope. This is one of my all-time favorite books—probably because…
Tyger Tyger 