Someplace Like America: Tales from the New Great Depression Review

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Someplace Like America: Tales from the New Great Depression ReviewDefinitely one of the most important books I've ever read and a sobering one at that. It is one I wish all Americans would read, because it reveals the faces of struggling fellow citizens, the likes of which we haven't seen in these numbers since the Great Depression. "Someplace Like America" is like a real-life, modern-day version of the torment Steinbeck laid out in "The Grapes of Wrath" all those years ago, albeit with numerous stories in various places across America.
As Maharidge himself states, this is a journalistic effort, not a wonky policy book, but he deftly weaves in how various political/policy decisions over the years have resulted in the suffering of Americans regardless of class, age race, sex or region of the country. We are all vulnerable, now more than ever.
My only complaint with the book is that due to the structure, it didn't feel like it really flowed and felt "all of a piece" for a while, and that's probably because it builds on previous books/articles and then moves into the present day, so there isn't necessarily a strong continuum in places. It starts in the 1980s, jumps to the 90s and 00s, revisits some of the individuals and families Maharidge and Williamson encountered previously, and then proceeds forward to document more current struggles throughout America.
Regardless of my quibbles, I found this to be a most enjoyable read, even though the subject matter is heavy and hard to take at times. It is a remarkable piece of work, and a true modern-day classic.Someplace Like America: Tales from the New Great Depression OverviewIn Someplace Like America, writer Dale Maharidge and photographer Michael S. Williamson take us to the working-class heart of America, bringing to life--through shoe leather reporting, memoir, vivid stories, stunning photographs, and thoughtful analysis--the deepening crises of poverty and homelessness. The story begins in 1980, when the authors joined forces to cover the America being ignored by the mainstream media--people living on the margins and losing their jobs as a result of deindustrialization. Since then, Maharidge and Williamson have traveled more than half a million miles to investigate the state of the working class (winning a Pulitzer Prize in the process). In Someplace Like America, they follow the lives of several families over the thirty-year span to present an intimate and devastating portrait of workers going jobless. This brilliant and essential study--begun in the trickle-down Reagan years and culminating with the recent banking catastrophe--puts a human face on today's grim economic numbers. It also illuminates the courage and resolve with which the next generation faces the future.

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City of Tranquil Light: A Novel Review

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City of Tranquil Light: A Novel Review"I have learned to do what God places in front of me, whatever that is," Will Kiehn says as he explains to Hsiao Lao, the bandit chief, his commitment to help anybody in need, be that a sick old farmer or an injured thief. Those same words could also sum up Will's life story in "City of Tranquil Light."
In 1909 Will and his wife, Katherine arrived in Kuang P'ing Ch'eng (City of Tranquil Light), in the North China Plain to establish a new Mennonite church. Little did they know then that they would stay there for nearly 25 years and would come to think of China as their home. Author Bo Caldwell, tells their story through Will, a widower now, in his eighties, and living in a retirement home in California, as he vividly remembers the trials and tribulations of becoming a pastor and of earning the trust of the inhabitants of Kuang P'ing Ch'eng. Caldwell cleverly intersperses Katherine's diary entries with Will's narration thus bringing up her in-the-moment feelings to his remembrance of the events they lived through together. And they lived through a lot: personal losses, bandits, famine, earthquakes and civil war.
Caldwell was inspired by her grandparents' missionary experiences for this book and even gave their last name to her protagonists. Her portrait of missionaries in China is one of individuals who answered God's call and strove to serve Him --despite many sacrifices and hardships-- with passion. In Kuang P'ing C'heng, Will preaches the Word of God while Katherine provides medical care in her clinic. Rather than trying to impose their beliefs, Will and Katherine work selflessly in the hopes that through their words and actions others will come to accept God. Their mission is clear (as Katherine was reminded in her early days in China): "We are here to offer the gift of faith, not remake their way of life, even when the change seems necessary and right."
Although a historical novel, thankfully, Caldwell only includes enough facts to place her characters within the context of China's historical events. Her focus on the characters, their triumphs and sorrows, their faith and their doubts is what makes this novel a satisfying book. Caldwell wrote this story in part because of the bad rap missionaries get in fiction. With this book, she dispels the exploitative image and succeeds in reminding the readers that there were a few who sincerely reached out to others in kindness and compassion, in other words, those who stayed true to God's call.
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Moon Over Manifest Review

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Moon Over Manifest ReviewMoon Over Manifest begins with rough-and-tumble, Depression-era stock heroine, Abilene Tucker, arriving in her father's hometown of Manifest, Kansas. She's used to hopping trains, poor living conditions, a rough life and being a little rough around the edges. You know the type. Her father has taken a railroad job in Iowa, and claiming that the situation isn't proper for a young lady, has sent her to spend the summer with his old friend, bootlegger-turned-pastor, Shady Howard. Or, at least, her father says it is only for the summer...
Looking for clues to her father's past, Abilene instead stumbles instead on a little tin filled with some keepsakes and letters, piquing her interest in a couple of young men named Ned and Jinx, and a spy called "the Rattler."And this is where the story comes alive...Through the recollections of an old Gypsy fortune teller, Abilene learns about the lives of Jinx, Ned, and about the once-lively town of Manifest, Kansas. Vanderpool manages to effortlessly weave in the stories of Manifest in 1918, on the brink of the Great War, with the Depression-era Manifest of 1939. Sometimes, stories with multiple narratives can be frustrating -- just as you start to get into one story, the author switches to the other -- but Vanderpool balances both very well, never sinking to obvious cliff-hangers nor spending too much time in one "place."However, both places have their elements of excitement and mystery that keep you wanting to read about both. Best of all, both are full of some really great and memorable characters. This is one of those novels that is just chock full of people (there's even a handy character guide in the front of the book, but the characters are so vivid and real, you won't much need it) that really give the impression of, well, the life of a whole town.Meanwhile, in terms of historical fiction writing, Vanderpool couldn't have picked a more exciting couple of decades to write about. There's war, depression, labor issues, prohibition, poor race-relations, orphan trains, immigration, and Hoovervilles. All of it filtered through the very relatable character of Abilene Tucker, who is, admittedly, still something of a stock heroine. However, she'll seem fresh enough to the younger set. Overall, this is a fine novel that I really enjoyed reading, and it kept me interested enough to blow through it in less than 24-hours. Only time and a little perspective can really tell how a Newbery will do in the overall scheme of things, but I think that it is a fine choice, and congratulations to first-time author Clare Vanderpool, from whom I look forward to reading more.A book about a girl I think you could get a boy to read, best for ages 10-14.Moon Over Manifest Overview

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Doc: A Novel Review

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Doc: A Novel ReviewI'm a huge Mary Doria Russell fan, BUT not so much a fan of "westerns"...so it was with a bit of trepidation that I approached reading and reviewing Russell's latest novel, "Doc", which takes place in Dodge City, Kansas in the late 1870s and with the legendary (and largely mythical) characters of Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, etc. The eventual events in Arizona at the O.K. Corral are alluded to, but not the focus of this novel.
I needn't have worried, it is Russell's wonderful writing and thorough research that makes any subject interesting and accessible. She clearly revels in the research because hers is meticulous; she makes the "wild west" come alive in surprisingly non-stereotypical ways. Clearly she made an effort to separate the myth and legend of Doc Holliday from the truer (and more interesting) tale.
Set primarily in the summer of 1878, the story begins with Doc and his lady-love/prostitute, Kate, who are in Dodge City so that Doc can make enough money gambling to open a legitimate dentistry practice. Descriptions are vivid and fascinating of the riotous activity and carnival atmosphere in a town full of gambling houses and brothels and ignorant but newly rich cowboys. Russell paints a vivid picture of the burgeoning civilization coming to the "wild west" and I found her descriptions of the various denizens of Dodge at the cusp between wildness and civility to be fascinating. She provides the point of view for farmers, cowboys, lawmen, prostitutes and businessmen. Scenes in Doc's dentistry office are illuminating of early dentistry.
A young mixed race man, Johnnie Sanders, friend to both Doc and Wyatt Earp is killed. In an example of early crime forensics, Doc quickly ascertains that Johnnie was murdered and enlists lawman Earp (who feels somewhat guilty about what Johnnie was doing when he died) to help him establish that as fact, without much hope of catching the killer. This is merely a sub-plot, however, because the real meat of the story is in the characters and their relationships to each other and to Dodge City.
The is the fifth novel I've read by Mary Doria Russell, and once again, she made her characters so real to me that several times I found myself near tears with a distinct lump in my throat. I read a LOT and this does not happen to me routinely. She has never failed to move me, and I am always sad to close the last page. To prolong my enjoyment, when I finished the novel I put on a CD of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto and closed my eyes and imagined myself in a dance hall in Dodge City in 1878.
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City of Light Review

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City of Light ReviewI guess you could pick apart the writing and say that Belfer is not the most literary genius in the history of literature, but I have to confess that I could not put this book down. The plot was engrossing from start to finish -- I had to stay up till 2am to finish it which says something for her writing level. It's a combination of Jack Finney's Time and Again (in terms of the quality to recreate a city, in this case Buffalo, in the early 20th century) and Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day (a repressed narrator who manages to rationalize any hints of emotion).
Ms. Barret, the protagonist, narrator, and headmistress of the Macauley School in Buffalo (based on the Buffalo Seminary School for girls) leads us through the maze of her charges at school, her goddaughter, a murder mystery, the invention and propagation of electricity, etc... all against the backdrop of the falls (Niagra Falls, of course). We see everything through her eyes: the conventions of the day, the politics, the intrigue, the mystery. I didn't solve the central mysteries, but that's not to say other more mystery oriented readers might not. The point is that this novel is well paced, well rendered and extremely readable. Absorbing actually would be a better way to describe it. The characters are based in many cases on real historical characters. Once you read this book, I guarantee you'll never look at Grover Cleveland the same way.
It's hard to believe that this is the author's first novel. She weaves a well-researched and authentic tale that will keep you up late into the evening trying to tie together all the loose ends.City of Light Overview

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Spectacle in the White City: The Chicago 1893 World's Fair Review

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Spectacle in the White City: The Chicago 1893 World's Fair ReviewThis is the perfect companion piece to Devil In The White City. Thank goodness there was photography in 1893.Spectacle in the White City: The Chicago 1893 World's Fair OverviewThe World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, combined nostalgia for the United States' European roots with a celebration of the nation's emergence as a world power. A splendid tribute to the exposition's "White City" of shining Beaux-Arts buildings, this volume offers a grand photographic record, printed in duotone in a sweeping landscape format. Essays and captions by a noted historian offer a guided tour of this prelude to 20th-century America's artistic and industrial might. 128 photographs.

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The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists Review

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The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists ReviewA brilliant, sad and moving account of life in Edwardian England for the working class "Philanthropists" struggling through poverty in order to make their employers rich. Though starving and wretched the majority of these working men react furiously to suggestions that their poverty is caused by their "masters" robbing them of the fruits of their labours. They are referred to as philanthropists due to their generosity of spirit and material wealth , gladly handing over all the benefits of the luxuries and necessaries of life which they help to create, to their greedy paymasters and employers. The solution to their problems is provided by the author as a Socialist, Cooperative Commonwealth of Nations under God, where the marvels of modern science and technology should be harnessed, owned by the people, and producing an abundance of the comforts of civilisation, not for one company's profit but for everyone's needs. An old lesson whose truths are as relevant today as they were when this masterpiece was written. A Socialist's bible if ever their was one.The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists Overview
ReadHowYouWant publishes a wide variety of best selling books in Large and Super Large fonts in partnership with leading publishers. EasyRead books are available in 11pt and 13pt. type. EasyRead Large books are available in 16pt, 16pt Bold, and 18pt Bold type. EasyRead Super Large books are available in 20pt. Bold and 24pt. Bold Type. You choose the format that is right for you.

This is Volume Volume 2 of 2-Volume Set.To purchase the complete set, you will need to order the other volumes separately: to find them, search for the following ISBNs: 9781425051877

A novel that touches the deep emotional chords within the reader. The narrative denunciates capitalism and relates the struggle of two workers who have set out to defeat their poverty. It is an indictment on religious authority and the elite that enslaves the majority. An engrossing and thought-provoking book that highlights the bright-side of Socialism.

To find more titles in your format, Search in Books using EasyRead and the size of the font that makes reading easier and more enjoyable for you.


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To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis & Clark Review

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To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis & Clark ReviewThis is a well-written historical novel that manifests a great deal of painstaking research. I am not an expert on the period, so I cannot comment on the historical details, but as an avid reader I was constantly impressed by the ability of the writer to turn a descriptive phrase that makes you feel like you are there.
The characters are complex, rounded, and real. No one is one-dimensional. The moral ambiguities in the main characters add to the authenticity of the story. This is reality. No one is completely good or completely evil. The interaction between Clark and his slave York was especially intriguing to me.
It is amazing how fragile and vulnerable our republic was during this period. This is a great story, and it gave me a new-found respect for these two American heroes.To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis & Clark OverviewSt. Louis, 1809. Three years after the triumphal return of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, Meriwether Lewis never felt less like a hero. Trapped in a thankless political job, he's drinking too much and spending money like there's no tomorrow. When he's called to a mysterious meeting, Lewis hopes for a new adventure that will turn his life around. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a conspiracy to put him and William Clark at the head of a new American empire. Lewis has his faults, but he's no traitor ... and suddenly Lewis the explorer becomes the hunted. As for Clark, he's willing to risk everything to save his best friend from dishonor and disgrace. In the end, neither man can imagine the price to pay for their loyalty to each other and to their country. History and fiction merge seamlessly in this thrilling historical novel based on one of America's greatest unsolved mysteries. Lewis and Clark's last journey is a classic story of honor, vengeance, and redemption.

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Defying Death Not Duty: Deciphering the Mysteries of Meriwether Lewis Review

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Defying Death Not Duty: Deciphering the Mysteries of Meriwether Lewis ReviewThis author has put a interesting new spin on the life and death of Meriwether Lewis.
I noticed he did alot of research for this book and I now have more questions than I did before about the earlier days of our Country. I look forward to new books by this author. Very interresting book.Defying Death Not Duty: Deciphering the Mysteries of Meriwether Lewis OverviewIn studying Meriwether Lewis' life and death, everything hinges back on the central figure of Jefferson who hired Lewis, sponsored him, aggressively promoted him, but then wrote an epilogue that contradicted all previous actions and statements by labeling Lewis suicidal.That single inexplicable paragraph wiped out any serious debate as to the cause of Lewis's death for almost two hundred years.No one can or should attempt to decipher what happened to Lewis without first explaining why Jefferson would eternally condemn a friend and his good name with that stained legacy.What could drive such a bitter step as to further destroy a man that has already died?That question cannot be ignored and in attempting to answer it this book was produced with Jefferson where he belongs as the central figure of not only the glory widely heaped upon him but also in the deaths of many that orbited his dark planet.

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