HIstory AND Science Combined

When the book description indicates Russia, Jews, and World War I, I'm sold. However, A Bend in the Stars has so much more to the story.

While set in Russia just before and during the early part of World War I and happening to have main characters who are Russian Jews, A Bend in the Stars centers on the eclipse that occurred in Russia on August 21, 1914 and a race to come up with the mathematical equation to prove the Theory of Relativity. This race to be in the right place at the right time and to obtain the photographs thought to be needed to prove the theory is hampered by the obstacles the main characters experience due to their religion and the war. Roadblock after roadblock stands in their way to achieving their goals. In addition to the scientific race, there is also a romance thrown in as well.

A Bend in the Stars is the first novel by Rachel Barenbaum. Barenbaum does an excellent job of vividly portraying the setting and hardships experienced by the characters. The characters, particularly Miri, are well-developed and likeable. There are also numerous twists and turns to keep the reader guessing throughout the book. I look forward to further novels by this author.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received A Bend in the Stars via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Resistance Women

Mildred, Greta, and Sara were run of the mill students in Germany who were later joined by Martha Dodd, a U.S. ambassador's daughter. These ordinary women engaged in extraordinary tactics in Resistance Women.

Jennifer Chiaverini's most recent book Resistance Women might not be a book you would think about reading for Memorial Day, but it is completely fitting as it shares the story of four women who are involved in the Resistance movement in the heart of Germany. In fact one of the main characters, Mildred Harnack, is a native of Wisconsin and her birthday is celebrated in that state as a holiday.

Resistance Women is a historically based novel. Chiaverini has definitely done her research to bring the actual stories of Mildred, Greta, and Martha to life. She does indicate in the Author's Note that the story of Sarah is a conglomeration of multiple individuals rather than an actual person as she needed a fourth woman to tell the story. Using a rotating narrator, the stories of these four women and their families unfolds during Hitler's rise to power and World War II. The women met through doctoral studies both in America and in Germany. Their studies and teaching allowed them to meet and become involved in the resistance movement known as the Red Orchestra. Through their involvement in this movement, they interacted with numerous well-known individuals from this time period. I was most excited to discover Mildred Harnack's husband was a cousin of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Resistance Women is not a fast or easy read. Reading about the hardships these individuals endured is heartbreaking. Yet I could not put the book down as I wanted to find out what would happen to these women and their families. Their determined goal, regardless of the cost, was to defeat Hitler.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received Resistance Women via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

The 21 Coptic Martyrs

Perhaps you remember the 2015 news stories about the Coptic martyrs. Recently, I finished reading The 21: A Journey into the Land of Coptic Martyrs by Martin Mosebach. This book details the author's journey to learn more about the martyred men. He desired to find out what their background story was that made them willing to be martyrs. In doing so, he learned about the men but more specifically learned about the Coptic Christians of Egypt.

Many readers are familiar with Protestant Christians, Catholic Christians, perhaps Orthodox Christians, but many haven't heard of Coptic Christians. Due to this gap in knowledge, Mosebach spends a great deal of time explaining the history and background of Coptic Christianity. This includes not only their beliefs and history, but also how their geographic location influences their spirituality and interaction with the Bible. As such, this book serves as part theological history, part travelogue, and part memoir to the martyred men. What stands out while reading the book is while growing up in their small Egyptian villages, they were no different than any other person in their village. Their bedrock was the church and they lived out their Coptic faith daily. While these men are now considered saints in the Coptic church, their allegiance to Christ is also lived out in their families and villages as a matter of course. This is a great resource to expand your view of world Christianity and highly recommended.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The 21: A Journey into the Land of Coptic Martyrs from Plough via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

A Haunting Story

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek hooked me at the description--a pack mule librarian of Kentucky during the Great Depression! Particularly since I'm a librarian and I have ridden a mule, I looked forward to an interesting story.

However, once I started reading this book was so much more. Author Kim Michelle Richardson completed extensive research into the pack mule librarians in order to provide details on this important service. She also incorporated historical facts and details regarding a specific group of individuals in Kentucky who are referred to as the "blue people." The combination of these two fact-based accounts into a new fiction book provided a marvelous books I couldn't put down.

Beyond a story that draws the reader in, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a haunting read in numerous ways. I found it a good reminder of just how much our world has changed in the almost 90 years since this story took place--particularly so as my grandparents lived the Depression and I grew up hearing stories about this time period. As a librarian by trade, the reminder of how much my profession has changed and how literacy has increased made me very grateful for easy access to printed materials. Richardson also shows how racism and prejudice impacted this area of the country and this specific people group at that time. This book is highly recommended! I also look forward to exploring other books by this author.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.