This week, we feature an author’s quest to uncover her family’s past from secret records and a “fish memoir,” documenting the efforts to follow a bluefin tuna and explore its species’s legacy.
Nonfiction
‘The Politzer Saga’
By Linda Broenniman
A box of papers survives a house fire, family records that send Ms. Broenniman on a long quest to discover the truth about her Hungarian roots: her father’s hidden Jewish heritage, her mother’s heroism, and their travails under the Nazis and Communists. As she travels even farther back in time, she uncovers not only the story of her remarkable Jewish ancestors, but of the events around them: the wars, revolutions, and oppression. A great story of resilience in the face of injustice and bigotry.
Bethesda Communications Group, 2023, 256 pages
Military History
‘Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-40’
By Richard Dannatt and Robert Lyman
In 1918, the British Army, in a 100-day campaign, shoved the German Army almost back to the German border. It was not due to German exhaustion, but because the British outfought and outmaneuvered the Germans. By 1940, Britain’s army abandoned World War I’s hard-earned lessons, having deteriorated into the worst army of any major power. This book examines the reasons for this collapse and cautions against the military neglecting their core function in order to pursue other objectives.
Osprey Publishing, 2023, 352 pages
Thriller
‘Spymaster’
By Brad Thor
Thor is a master of the espionage thriller, so the title of this book is rather fitting. The moniker, however, is for Mr. Thor’s protagonist Scot Harvath, the former Navy SEAL, now an American spy. When an underground terror organization begins assassinating prominent leaders of NATO countries, it appears the world may be dragged back into a cold war, or worse, a hot war. With graphic detail, memorable characters, and believable dialogue, “Spymaster” proves to be a thriller you can’t put down.
Atria/Emily Brestler Books, 2018, 336 pages
Nature
‘Kings of Their Own Ocean’
By Karen Pinchin
This is the story of one Atlantic bluefin tuna caught, tagged, and released by a charter captain on a mission to better understand the fiercely fast fish at the core of his boating enterprise. It traces her fate through the years but, in doing so, reveals the ancient global legacy of this species in the hearts and pocketbooks of humanity. This is an insightful and inspiring fish tale that blends memoir, science, history, business, and global connectedness into an entertaining and enthralling read.
Dutton, 2023, 320 pages
Classics
‘The Story of the Family: G.K. Chesterton on the Only State that Creates and Loves Its Own Citizens’
Edited by Dale Ahlquist
G.K. Chesterton was a master of aphorism, paradox, wit, and common sense. Readers will find all four of these attributes in generous abundance in this collection of his writings on love, marriage, babies, parents, and home. He foresaw a century ago the toll modernity would exact on the family, and he stands even now as one of its greatest defenders. Chesterton authority Dale Ahlquist has put together this splendid collection, which serves as both defense and glorious celebration of the family.
Ignatius Press, 2022, 237 pages
For Kids
‘How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?‘
By Margaret McNamara and G. Brian Karas
When Mr. Tiffin presents three different-sized pumpkins to his class, he poses the question: How many seeds are in a pumpkin? Students begin to guess, but there’s only one way to truly find out. You’ll feel like part of the class as you share this engaging read-aloud. Soon, you and your young readers will skip counting and start dissecting pumpkins.
Schwartz & Wade, 2007, 40 pages
