Social media is all about sharing deep insights, usually from our own experiences. However, there may be times when you want to break from the norm. This fall, several books captured my attention and are worth quoting on your feed. Here are my top picks.
1. Reagan: His Life and Legend
Reagan: His Life And Legend
My favorite book of the fall, and one that is quite the beast to read at 880 pages, Reagan takes inside the mind of the 40th President. Max Boot is an exceptional writer who crafts a compelling and detailed narrative. My favorite quote is: “[Ronald Reagan’s] life is more than the story of one man. It is the story of a nation’s transformation from rural to urban and suburban…”
2. Impossible Monsters: Dinosaurs, Darwin, and the Battle Between Science and Religion
Impossible Monsters
Highly descriptive writing sets this book about the first dinosaur bone discoveries apart. My favorite sections involve the people searching for fossils and what they found along with the rich historical details. My favorite quote is about one of the protagonists: “[Richard Anning] was always hopeful that fresh finds among the rocks might keep his family in bread.”
3. The Horse: A Galloping History of Humanity
The Horse
I will read just about any “explainer” books, those that take on a well-known topic and write about the rich history and lore. This book is about the impact the horse has had on civilization over the years. My choice quote: “Empires are hard to take, and even harder to hold.”
4. I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine
I Heard There Was A Secret Chord
The author of This Is Your Brain on Music returns with a book covering the neuroscience of music. It’s a fascinating read filled with wondrous examples of how music makes us feel and think (and why that is). My favorite quote: “Memory is the heart of who we are, and the very private sense of what it takes to be us.”
5. The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss
The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum
I’m also partial to books that recount a specific chapter of history through the eyes of a distinct character. Fredericka Mandelbaum was a fence (that is, person who buys and sells stolen goods) for organized crime in the 1870s. My cherry-picked quote: “It is an enduring tenant of thievery that a scrounger bearing coal or copper or cotton — to say nothing of a burglar laden with silk or silver or sapphires — must be in want of a fence.”
6. Mr. Churchill in the White House: The Untold Story of a Prime Minister and Two Presidents
Mr. Churchill in the White House
Another favorite of mine for the fall, this remarkable story of Winston Churchill visiting the White House multiple times offers a fresh perspective. You feel like you are a fly on the wall during his encounters with two Presidents. My favorite quote is about one of those housemates: “A small irony of American history is that Franklin Roosevelt was the only occupant of the White House to establish a presidential library while still in office.”
7. Kent State: An American Tragedy
Kent State
This richly detailed historical account of the Kent State shootings paints a picture of the total chaos that occurred on May 4, 1970, but also brings a fresh perspective on the tragic events. The author describes the people involved on both sides of the shootings. My choice quote from the book: “Vietnam was America’s first — and last — uncensored war.”
8. A Day in September: The Battle of Antietam and the World It Left Behind
A Day in September
What I liked most about this book, an account of a specific battle during the Civil War, is how detailed the writing is. Here’s my favorite example: “Much has been written of Robert E. Lee’s honor and loyalty. But his conception of both…stood closer to the year 1 than the year 1900. His loyalty was always to his family, and his sense of honor was mainly the personal dread of financial ruin.”
This post was originally published on here
