PositiveLibrary JournalAll in all, Evans writes a compelling account of how ocean travel—for white women, in particular—evolved in concert with women\'s roles in the cruise industry during the early 20th century ... This fast-paced, well-written social history will appeal to fans of women\'s history who enjoy reading interesting life stories.
Julie Flavell
PositiveLibrary JournalFull of detail and intrigue, the narrative is illustrated with vivid portraits of extended family members and maps of military engagements ... This engaging popular history stands apart for its different perspective of the British side of the American Revolution and the Howe family’s involvement in peace efforts.
Julia Baird
PanLibrary JournalHer writing on her experiences with cancer is truly heartbreaking. She touches on these experiences only briefly, although the beginning of the book indicates that it deals with her life\'s dark periods as an overarching motif. As a result, it can be difficult to see where the writing leads to; Baird discusses instead the activism of her youth, letters to her son and daughter, and her time living in places around the world. This, paired with her beginning section on awe, wonder, and silence, which seemed more scientifically centered, does not synthesize into a unified book ... the book lacks cohesiveness and is a convoluted read overall.
J. Nicole Jones
RaveLibrary Journal... a haunting, lyrical narrative ... Jones crafts a gothic setting for a literary memoir, while maintaining an invitingly informal narrative voice. With a series of vivid snapshots, she charts the rise of her family\'s wealth as they acquired beachfront properties, as well as the hidden tolls of domestic violence and drug abuse. The author\'s writing shines ... ones\'s gift for spinning a tale is readily apparent, and her intertwining the history of the Low Country with her own familial history gives the book depth. A haunting memoir with poetic prose that will appeal to a large audience, owing to its interesting subject and skillful writing.
Audrey Clare Farley
PositiveLibrary JournalExpertly blending biography and history, and using the life of Ann Cooper Hewitt as a backdrop, Farley has created an absorbing biography effectively explaining how the legacy of eugenics still persists today. Hewitt’s story will engage anyone interested in women’s history.
Dorothy Wickenden
RaveLibrary Journal... accessible, engaging writing ... The author effectively places Seward, Wright, and Tubman in historical context. Accounts of Tubman’s life in the Underground Railroad and as a scout in the Union army shine particularly brightly, narrated like the daring exploits they were ... Filling a gap in the telling of women’s and abolitionist history, this highly readable book gives these three women their due. Wickenden’s deft touch will allow this book to appeal to a wide audience.
Andrew Morton
PositiveLibrary Journal... fascinating ... Following the two sisters throughout the years, Morton eschews the familiar tendency to categorize their relationship as one always living in the shadow of the other. Instead, the author illustrates the difficulties of their relationship, especially as Margaret was publicly expected to be loyal to the queen while privately struggling with being defined as the queen’s sister. Though much of the material will be familiar to viewers of The Crown, Morton offers more details of the sisters’ shared history and how it affected their relationship, both positively and negatively, throughout the years. He also pinpoints some scenarios in The Crown, such as the handling of the Townsend affair, that were made to appear more dramatic than the reality ... Morton’s insightful analysis of the complex relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret succeeds in humanizing two extremely public figures and the myths surrounding them. It will engage history buffs, biography readers, and especially fans of The Crown.
Julia Cooke
RaveLibrary Journal... an engaging work of cultural history ... This engrossing account, which reads like a novel, offers a combination of riveting personal stories and little-known history, and will draw in readers from the first page. A must-read.
Homeira Qaderi
PositiveLibrary JournalA shocking, heartbreaking tale of the wars and gender inequality in Afghanistan. This personal story, centered on Qaderi\'s unquenchable spirit in the face of overwhelming odds, will appeal to a vast audience.
Eleanor Herman
PositiveLibrary JournalWritten much like a tell-all, this historical yet approachable look at the sex lives and scandals of several U.S. presidents will appeal to history buffs as well as a large general audience.
Deborah Tannen
PositiveLibrary JournalChapters on Eli\'s childhood in the Hasidic Jewish section of Warsaw in the early 1900s are as fascinating as the impressive recollections of his aunts and uncles ... An uneven biography, but a worthy addition to World War II and Holocaust memoirs.
Sarah Maslin Nir
PositiveLibrary JournalJuxtaposing the loneliness she felt as a child and the freedom that riding provided, the author has written an apt memoir of her life thus far and her love for horses ... Packed with stories of the quirky personalities of the horses in her life, this memoir will resonate with horse lovers everywhere for its beautiful tribute to the animals and those who love them.
Sarah Frey
RaveLibrary JournalThe author adds some of her thoughts on what it’s like to be a modern farmer, which are sometimes hilarious and often endearing. She has the inimitable quality of appearing not as someone who accomplished so much at such a young age but rather a person readers will enjoy getting to know, chapter by chapter ... Frey brings a breath of fresh air to both the personal memoir genre and the business world. Her writing is crisp and her personality winning. A must-read.
Kendra Atleework
PositiveLibrary JournalAtleework’s shimmering memoir is set in California’s Eastern Sierra, where water is never far from the minds of those living there ... Both memoir and memorial to place, this account has a haunting quality of sadness and loss, of well-watered land that could have been, and of family that might have been different ... However, more than a work of environmental change or history of place, this is a love letter of sorts to Atleework’s mother. Her presence is felt in every page, and it is in the pursuit of peace amid her loss that ultimately brings Atleework home ... A bittersweet tribute to home and family in breathtaking prose that will appeal to lovers of memoirs and history, as well as anyone who enjoys beautifully crafted writing.
Sophie Heawood
PositiveLibrary JournalBridget Jones’s Diary meets Sex in the City, Heawood’s entertaining account should appeal to fans of similar memoirs on single parenting, motherhood, and relationships.
Alexis Coe
RaveLibrary JournalCoe makes a compelling case that George Washington, esteemed for his part in the Revolutionary War and for becoming the first U.S. president, is more of a historical giant than a knowable persona. Based on primary sources, this accessible, humorous work casts Washington in a personal light. Coe details significant events in Washington’s life while debunking long-held myths ... Coe strikes the ideal balance in her representation of Washington: Neither god nor devil, he was a man who made mistakes as well as strong decisions, and both were often on a grand scale ... An adept, highly approachable read that will appeal to history buffs and anyone seeking a compact overview of the man and the myth.
Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
PositiveLibrary Journal... inspiring ... While the author remarks can be distracting in some cases, in others it adds interest, such as Rodham Clinton’s account of her interactions with the women of South Africa’s Victoria Mxenge community postapartheid ... Broad in scope, this will appeal to a wide audience owing to the range of women spotlighted. Given its length, this is a book to savor over multiple sittings, allowing readers to revisit well-known heroines or discover new ones among the pages.
Francesca Cartier Brickell
PositiveLibrary JournalBrickell easily illustrates her passion for her family’s history in a narrative that follows the lineage of the Cartiers, who created a brand set apart by sumptuously unique jewelry, uniting background cultural events with the intimate personal lives of those behind the famous name ... A thoroughly researched and enjoyable family business history that should appeal to history buffs and lovers of high-end fashion and jewelry alike.
Aarti Namdev Shahani
RaveLibrary JournalIt’s clear that [Shahani\'s] passion for justice shines through ... This thought-provoking and thoroughly engrossing memoir offers the story of Shahani’s experience, as well as those of other families who, though they did not find the American Dream, nevertheless found home.
Peter Finn
PositiveLibrary JournalFinn...shows that Legendre was anything but the average rich society hostess; she possessed an unquenchable desire for adventure, preferring long hunting expeditions to society gatherings ... This riveting account of a little-known historical personality will appeal to World War II and general history fans alike.
Janet Beard
RaveBooklist OnlineThis is approachable, intelligent, and highly satisfying historical fiction.
