skitch41's reviews
986 reviews

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard

informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

A wonderful history of James Garfield, 20th President of the United States, his tragic assassination, and the unbelievable medical malpractice that really killed him. Indeed, the chapters about Garfield’s medical care are the most fascinating parts of the book. The chapters about Garfield’s life are the next best part as Ms. Millard describes an incredibly qualified, yet humble, person for the country’s highest office. Indeed, Garfield’s qualifications, positions on race and the civil service, and his brief tenure in office make his presidency one of the great “What if?” questions of American history. The prose style leaves a little to be desired, but the plotting and pacing of the book kept me coming back.

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The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy by Jessica Pishko

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challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.0

A shocking exposé on how many sheriffs across the country have lurched towards a far-right ideology that is not only at odds with their core mission of public safety, but is even counter-productive to it. Some of Pishko’s reporting is downright chilling. Clearly, the office of Sheriff needs to be completely overhauled, though I am hesitant to embrace her call to abolish it entirely. Nonetheless, the marriage of sheriffs with far-right ideology is incredibly dangerous and should be opposed.

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Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An incredible blend of Sci-fi and literary fiction with an ending that is both beautiful, yet slightly unsatisfying. The ending is also a wee bit of a mind-f**k that I am still trying to process. It’s also three different stories in one, each pushing the other forward in different ways. Does an author ever truly die? Where does one story end and another begin ? This book blurs those questions in beautiful ways.

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Rampage: Macarthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila by James M. Scott

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

An absolutely horrendous view of the cataclysmic battle for the Philippine Capitol during WWII. The details of the atrocities commuted by Japanese soldiers against civilian men, women, and children often reads like a 1980s slasher flick, in the worst possible way. But the final part of the book detailing the war crimes trial of the Japanese commanding officer was fascinating and raises some judicial and ethical questions that are difficult to disentangle from the suffering detailed in the main section. It does take a long time for the book to actually get to the main action, but no book on war has ever really conveyed just how nightmarish it can truly be like this one.

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