Dan's 2017 Books

1. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me a little while to get into The Nightingale, but overall it was a compelling story. I learned a lot about France during WWII and some of the terrible things that the Germans did. It is always uplifting to me to see real people become heroes in terrible times. My faith in mankind is buoyed up. I listened on CD and certainly got sucked into the story and felt like I was transported to 1942 France each drive home from work!

2. Pursuit The Chase and Sinking of the Bismarck by Ludovic Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Admittedly, the book skirted on the edges of being quick enough to interest anyone, but detailed enough that a naval nerd would enjoy it. Despite its depth, the book kept my interest and the details of the events covered in the story are fascinating. Overall I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys learning about history, particularly if you have interest in 1900's war history or naval battles.


3. The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Isn't it funny to read books written many years ago and hear the way they phrase ideas and the words they choose to use? I really enjoyed the book overall and had a fun time getting into the story of these five lost adventurers. It is amazing all of the things Jules Verne thought of, how much natural science he knew, and how he ties it all together into an epic story. Yes, this one is pretty long, but good. I can't really give it five stars because it isn't one I would plan to read again, but don't feel like I wasted time listening to it. Thank you Mr. Verne.

5. Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free by Héctor Tobar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought Hector Tobar did a great job telling this story. It was interesting and he made great efforts to explore the lives of the miners, who they were before the collapse, during the time trapped in the mine, and after the rescue. At the end as he talked about the order each man was extracted from the mine I was surprised to realize that we had learned something about each of the 33 during the course of the book. I only gave it three stars because it was a little slow at times. It was probably hard to write 11 hours of words to describe a story that can be told in a few simple sentences. Mine collapsed. 33 men trapped alive. They were miraculously all rescued.
I'm glad I read it, but don't need to read it again.

6. $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I didn't love this book. I think it was partly because of a mistaken expectation that it was going to be a book about how to live on $2.00 a day, not about poor people who have to live on $2 a day and why they are stuck in that rut and how the government isn't helping them as much as it could/should. I learned some new things about food stamps and a little bit about the current Government Welfare equivalent program, but overall it just wasn't my style of book.

7. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a pretty intense book for me. I don't usually read this type of literature, but it was available on Overdrive so I gave it a shot. I thought the story was pretty compelling and the viewpoints from which it was told were interesting. The warning here is that it had a good bit of foul language and was certainly adult themed. The sex scenes weren't particularly graphic, but not bland or mere suggestions either. I probably couldn't give it a very strong recommendation because of the content.

8. Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really liked Seabiscuit. Laura Hillenbrand took a subject that I know little to nothing about and brought a story to life that captured my interest and made me want to know more. It actually made me want to watch the Kentucky Derby too. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Probably the best book I've read this year, even if you aren't into horse racing.

9. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall Wonder was well written and fairly captivating. Looking back on it I don't really think it's my kind of a book too much. It was pretty sad - maybe a little depressing - because I don't normally spend a lot of time thinking about people who are different and how others react to them. Maybe I should more, and for that reason I'm glad I read the book. Hopefully it brings a little more compassion, acceptance, and love into the world.

10. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Overall, a very sad book about a boy's abrupt and violent transition from boyhood to manhood as he is made a boy soldier in Sierra Leon's civil war. Ishmael is a few years younger than I am and was made to join the army to fight the rebels when he was 12. This was just after he almost caught up to his family, but they were slaughtered minutes before he was reunited with them when the village they were living in was attacked. I have rarely pondered on the impact and utility of drugged up boy soldier warriors, but hearing Ishmael's story really made that stick out to me. He did terrible things and murdered a lot of people. Thankfully, he made it out of the army and was able to be a strong voice for good across the world. I definitely recommend the book, though beware that is it kind of gory in parts. Otherwise no swearing or sex.

11. Thunder in the Mountains: Chief Joseph, Oliver Otis Howard, and the Nez Perce War by Daniel J. Sharfstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Though I had heard of Chief Joseph and his famous "I will fight no more forever" quote since I was a child, I knew little about the Nez Perce Indians and their struggle to maintain their land. Having read about the Lewis and Clark expedition a few years ago I was reminded of the role of this small tribe in shaping America, so when I came across this book I was interested. It is a little bit long and I listed to the audiobook version, but overall I enjoyed the book and felt like I gained a much greater appreciation for the Indian efforts of the late 1800's. I have even driven fairly close to the ancestral lands the Nez Perce claimed as their own and hope to stop there next time we are passing through. If they could have run a little faster or had a few changes in their history, they would have escaped to Canada like the Sioux did and perhaps have never been forced by the US Government to settle on reservation land. Chief Joseph was certainly a unique leader and one with many honorable qualities.

12. Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War by Ben Macintyre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really cool book with interesting information about a topic I know very little. I'd never heard of the British SAS before reading this book (I suppose I could have guess they would have a special forces division but had never really thought about it) and was amazed to hear about their audacious exploits behind German and Italian enemy lines. The book was well written and made me want to keep reading to hear more about the destiny of the men involved in the creation of the SAS.