Books on the brain

        I used to gush at length about the books I've crossed paths with. This took a back seat to TS3 but I think it's time to go over some of the books I've enjoyed recently. The summer is a great time to get in a bunch of reading, so here we go with three of the best titles from the month of July.

 

 In the days of the Civil War, it was the Southern Democrats who were the racist scum while the Republicans were the good guys. I have no idea when the role reversal took place and why but I suspect it was gradual. It’s been on my mind of late thanks to Brenda Wineapple’s ‘The impeachers: the trial of Andrew Johnson and the dream of a just nation’. I couldn’t help but feel a ‘plus ça change’ vibe while I read this book. Racism to spare and Andrew Johnson ends up acquitted. Sound familiar? I wonder if Wineapple has written anything else? (4 out of 5)

 

 

 

 

 Susan Spann is my go-to for shenanigans in the time of the Shogunate with her Shinobi Mystery series.  Father Mateo and his samurai protector Hiro face potential death after vowing to bring the guilty to justice in ‘Claws of the cat’. This is just the beginning of this fantastic series starring our heroes. Currently, my library does not have the fourth book available, so I have the fifth one warming up in the bullpen. Still, this first book is fantastic and I recommend it highly. (4 out of 5)

 

 

 

 

 

In the days of Early New England, people still remembered Matthew Hopkins. Rev. Cotton Mather was New England’s take on the Witchfinder General, I believe, and he crops up a fair bit in John Demos’ ‘Entertaining Satan’. The father of lies and torment must have been greatly entertained by the goings-on to be found in this book. The scolds, the elders, the eccentrics, and the poor were the ones to come under scrutiny, but I did not find as much burning at the stake here. Just lawsuits. Gods, the lawsuits! This book was a bit dry but Demos did what he could. A meticulous study on the small-town mentality of Early New England. (5 out of 5)

 

    

 

      I hope to have the three best titles from August for you soon. Take care of each other and have a great day.

 

BYE.