Tag Archives: History

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

American Literature December 27, 2013 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Subtitled “Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants.” Review: In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell reframes many underdog stories, some famous, some obscure, to reveal that there’s more to coming from behind than just luck and good fortune. The underdogs in his stories, including Huguenots hiding Jews in Vichy France, black children facing police dogs in Birmingham, Alabama, a scrappy basketball team comprised of short girls from nerdy families, Br’er Rabbit, and of course, David, the shepherd boy who became a king, won…

The Skies Belong To Us by Brendan I. Koerner

American Literature August 18, 2013 Superfast Reader

Subtitled: Love and Death in the Golden Age of Hijacking. Review: From 1968-1973, hijacking, once a largely anomalous and relatively peaceful act, grew into an epidemic of such proportions that weekly hijackings became the norm. In The Skies Belong to Us, Brendan I. Koerner traces the history of skyjacking from an act of rebellion rooted in the mystique of Cuba into a wildly successful and life-threatening act of piracy that was seemingly unstoppable due to the airlines collective intractability over the necessity of airport security…

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

American Literature May 1, 2012 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: An exploration of a murder committed in the FLDS community of polygamists becomes an exploration of the history of Mormonism and the paradox of the many outward virtues of its followers, and the murders and massacres that have marked its development into a major world religion. Review: This is my second time reading Under the Banner of Heaven, and I got so much out of it this time. The importance of Mormonism on the history of the American West is something that I never…

Lost to the West by Lars Brownworth

American Literature January 26, 2010 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Subtitled: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization. Review: I was first introduced to Lars Brownworth’s Lost to the West thanks to his outstanding podcast 12 Byzantine Rulers. He presented tangled, complicated history so compellingly that I just had to read the book. The book is a fantastic read. The history is clearly presented with an eye to both the big picture and the little details that bring it all to life. The way he tells it, Byzantine history casts new light on…

The Murder of King Tut by James Patterson

American Literature September 28, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Subtitled “A Plot to Kill the Child King–A Nonfiction Thriller,” this book weaves together the discovery of King Tut’s tomb with his reign as Pharaoh in order to show that he may have been murdered. Review: In The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson turns history into potboiler, but I was less than thrilled. The characterizations were cliched and cardboard, and the writing lacked beauty. I was hoping for something along the lines of John Krakauer’s Under the Banner of Heaven, but James Patterson…

The Book That Made America by Jerry Newcombe

American Literature August 17, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Subtitled: How The Bible Formed Our Nation. Review: In The Book That Made America, author Jerry Newcombe lays out a compelling case for the influence that the Bible and Christianity had over the writing of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and other key documents in the formation of America. It’s worth reading by anyone with an interest in early American history and current politics. However, the book suffers a bit by preaching to the choir. Using Ann Coulter as one of your experts…

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