Tag: European history

  • The Widow Van Gogh by Joan Martelli

    Why read novels when you can read a book like The Widow Van Gogh by Joan Martelli? It has everything from a weird love triangle to situations that are so cliche they would be laughed out of a pitch meeting. These all revolve around the tragic life of art icon Vincent van Gogh and the…

  • Sleuth-Hound by Lindsey Fitzharris

    I don’t know if it’s superior deduction like Sherlock Holmes or just some sort of black magic, but Lindsey Fitzharris has once again left me asking a simple question. How the hell does this author know to write exactly what I want to read about? She did it first with The Facemaker and now with…

  • This Cursed Beautiful Land by Evan Gershkovich

    Turns out, Russian prison isn’t so bad. That is, if you are an American journalist jailed on trumped-up charges so you can be used for a prisoner swap. Sure, it still sucks, and you will end up with PTSD. However, your experience may vary greatly if you are not in the very specific position author…

  • The Phantom by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

    The reason there are so many World War II books is that there is still so much to be mined from the conflict. Case in point, I had never heard of Major Pierre “Pete” Ortiz until about 3 months ago, and now I have read the second book on him in the last 60 days.…

  • Shadow Before the Flame by Catherine Grace Katz

    There are two types of disaster books in my mind. The first, and much less interesting, is laser-focused on the event. The narrative revolves around the event itself and the carnage and drama around the tragedy. It is about setting things up only as far as necessary to get to the calamity. The second, and…

  • Redwood by Ben Macintyre

    Quite simply, if Ben Macintyre’s name is on the book, I am going to love it. Redwood is no different. In telling the story of a KGB agent who decides to switch sides, Macintyre has once again found a tale that is not well-known, but has such far-reaching effects that I am thoroughly confused how…

  • The Nazi Ghost Train by Greg Lewis

    I am going to read a lot of books in 2026, but I doubt any will have a better title than The Nazi Ghost Train by Greg Lewis. I mean, come on! Yes, you might be holding back a little bit because of one word in that title, but I assure you they lose in…

  • Queens and Kings by Lucy Worsley

    Well, this was delightful. For those of you unfamiliar with Lucy Worsley, I don’t know how. The woman is everywhere. In print, streaming, and in your social media. I think the best way to describe her is that she constantly looks like she is having the BEST time. Now, she is doing it in book…

  • Stone Lands by Fiona Robertson

    Fiona Robertson made me feel things against my will. So, if you are looking at picking up Stone Lands because you think you are just going to learn about some old rocks, then you are warned. Have the tissues handy. Robertson is not messing around. There are two things going on in Stone Lands. First,…