Mike's Updates

Mike added 'Gwendy's Magic Feather'

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 17:17:22 -0700

Mike gave 3 stars to Gwendy's Magic Feather (The Button Box, #2) by Richard Chizmar
bookshelves: 2025-read, fiction, genre-horror, published-fiction-2010s, library-boston-public
A quick and solid follow up to King and Chizmar's Gwendy's Button Box story. It was interesting to see where Gwendy ended up years later, but some of the magic of the first book was not there this time. A quick read and worth the time if you read the first one.

Mike added 'Fatal Discord: Erasmus, Luther, and the Fight for the Western Mind'

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:54:15 -0700

Mike gave 5 stars to Fatal Discord: Erasmus, Luther, and the Fight for the Western Mind (Hardcover) by Michael Massing
bookshelves: 2025-read, country-germany, euro-16th-century, non-fiction, region-europe, theme-religion
A fascinating read - a dual biography of Erasmus and Martin Luther that also tells much of the religious, social, and political history of their times in Western Europe. I learned so much from this book and have a far greater understanding of the role Luther played in starting what became known as the Reformation. I have a greater appreciation of Erasmus' contributions as well. Highly recommended read for anyone interesting in these figures or this time period.

Mike added 'She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth'

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:09:31 -0700

Mike gave 4 stars to She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth (Hardcover) by Helen Castor
bookshelves: 2025-read, country-england, euro-middle-ages, non-fiction, region-europe, theme-women, theme-biography
The medieval period is a gap in my historical knowledge, but this book made me want to read more and that is the best compliment I can give. It looks at four woman leaders in England and takes the reader through their lives of influence and power. There were a lot of names to keep track of - always difficult when reading about a new period of time - but overall I learned a lot and the author is an outstanding writer. I will look for more of her work.

Mike added 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society'

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:40:33 -0700

Mike gave 3 stars to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Hardcover) by Mary Ann Shaffer
bookshelves: 2025-read, fiction, genre-historical-fiction, glts-bookclub, nookbook-read, published-fiction-2000s
3.5 stars for this one for me. I really enjoyed the characters and the world the author created. In a very different setting, the characters reminded me a bit of Louise Penny's Three Pines village cast of characters in the sense that they were all unique, quirky, and had qualities you love to read about. I particularly enjoyed the lead character Juliet and thought many of her lines witty.

I did not love the narrative style of letter after letter to tell the story. Even the author ran out of the ability to close the story by having a journal type entry near the end. One other quibble - for me, it was just a bridge too far to have a love story based on the background of the holocaust. Specifically - showing jealousy of a concentration camp survivor? Woof.

Mike is on page 110 of 277 of The Guernsey Literary and

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 17:18:43 -0700

Mike is on page 110 of 277 of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Mike added 'Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life'

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 17:14:34 -0700

Mike gave 5 stars to Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life (Hardcover) by Carlo D'Este
bookshelves: 2025-read, non-fiction, potus-34-eisenhower, theme-biography, theme-world-war-ii, theme-world-war-ii-europe, us-history, us-history-10-world-war-2-era, us-presidents
One of the best biographies I have ever read. My only disappointment is that it ends with the surrender of Germany in World War II. It was a very, very long 700 pages, but I wish a second volume through his Presidency was available by this author because I was enthralled from the first to the last page. Cannot recommend this book enough for anyone interested in Eisenhower.

Mike is currently reading 'Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life'

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 08:25:49 -0700

Mike is currently reading Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life by Carlo D'Este

Mike is currently reading 'Citizen: My Life After the White House'

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:19:12 -0700

Mike is currently reading Citizen: My Life After the White House by Bill Clinton

Mike added 'Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic'

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:05:34 -0700

Mike gave 5 stars to Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic (Hardcover) by Lindsay M. Chervinsky
bookshelves: 2025-read, family-adams, non-fiction, potus-02-adams, theme-biography, us-history, us-history-03-young-republic-era, us-presidents
Phenomenal book about the Presidency of John Adams. Chervinksy writes so well, including detailed descriptions of places, events, and most importantly people to truly bring the narrative history to life. I am a big fan of Adams so this was in my wheelhouse, but the focus on his presidency and the machinations he had to deal with from a cabinet that he inherited that was not supportive really fills a hole in the usual biographies of Adams' life. Highly recommended.

Mike wants to read 'On Wings of Eagles'

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:57:40 -0700

Mike wants to read On Wings of Eagles by Ken Follett