Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated A Free Man of Color (Benjamin January, #1) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I suppose all the descriptions of people's clothing would have mattered much more to someone who cared about such things, but I do realize that they were important in the context of the story. Personally, I was relieved when the main character went on a journey! I would have been happier had his medical skills been utilized more frequently than they were, but I suppose his experiences were fairly true to life for a "colored" man of his time.
I did learn quite a lot—things that I intend to verify in non-fiction sources shortly. The information about the black code, for instance, and the explanation of the distinction between "black" and "colored" people seemed too precise to be fabricated.
I knew, too, that Louisiana is the only U.S. state whose laws are based on French rather than English common law, which seemed silly to me. Why wouldn't they go with the standard everyone else used? After reading this novel, I'm starting to realize that there may have been rights given to citizens under French law that were lost under English law.
I'm not sure as to whether or not I'll go forward in the series, as I'm not sure that I can handle the unhappiness I can see foreshadowed even in some of the titles. However, I will say that this volume is well-written and well-plotted. I certainly didn't guess who the killer was or why the murder was committed before the big reveal, and that was a pleasant change!
The Buddha in the Attic
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The Pale King
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The Pale King is David Foster Wallace's final novel - a testament to his enduring brilliance The...
The Devil You Know: Stories of Human Cruelty and Compassion
9.5
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A perspective-shattering work into the minds of violent criminals that reveals profound consequences...
Non-Fiction True Crime Psychology Mental Health Crime
Katastrophe
8.0
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The new blockbuster thriller from Graham Hurley set against the final stages of the Second World...
Historical fiction World War 2 War Germany Russia Europe
The Infinite Sea
7.9
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The Infinite Sea is the second book in the phenomenal and bestselling 5th Wave series by...
The Last Star
6.8
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The Last Star is the heart-stopping finale to the bestselling 5th Wave series by award-winning...
This book gives a very in-depth and detailed re-telling of the Battle of Gettysburg, and more specifically the charge of Barksdale himself. A battle and time that will live forever in history, Phillip Thomas Tucker weaves the death and grim reality of war with insightful quotes, maps and ideas about how this battle really occurred.
There are several outstanding aspects of this book, however first I feel it is necessary to warn any potential readers that this book is not that easy to read. I am a frequent reader of non-fiction books, and more specifically historical non-fiction, and this is amongst one of the hardest I have read, but the effort is well worth it. At times, it is just a little over loaded with details such as names, positions in the armies etc, and with the same names appearing in both sides of the battle as well as within the same units, it can get a little hard to keep track of everyone!
On a much more positive note though, the detailed research the author must have done truly does shine through on every page. The quotes from letters, the pictures and the maps, to name but a few things, really do add a whole new dimension to the book. Personally, it made it all seem a lot more real, helping me to engage more with the trials of those poor men (and horses) stuck in the mud and terror of that day. Although knowing all the names did get slightly confusing at times, it was a great touch in helping 'bring home' the reality and enormity of the loss at that battle.
In addition, the pace with which the events were told was pitched just right. Although packed with detail, the book still had a great pace and a pull to it. The action of the battle really does pour through the pages and come alive. It's written with great skill and is one of the best 'battle recounts' that I have read in a long time.
In conclusion, I can only praise this book for summarising one of the pivotal battles of the American Civil War. Detailed, at times a little too much so, and a compelling, engaging and at times emotional read that I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in this period of history, or who is studying this.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries in Books
Jan 18, 2018
First I should mention that I love space. Despite this and the fact that I am actually a fairly intelligent human being, I have found that most books written about space, and physic in general, are written at such a high reading proficiency and are jargon heavy to the point that it is more chore to read than anything.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson brings his trademark humor to this novel as well as making it genuinely enjoyable to read. For being a non-fiction book, it certainly did not read like one. Regardless of whether you are a newbie when it comes to space or a seasoned fan, Death by Black Hole is consciously written with an easy almost conservational style that draws the reader in. I personally feel that it opens a lot of doors to those who want to learn but may have difficulty with the language.
I recommend Death by Black Hole to everyone. Literally everyone.
