This week, we feature a well-researched account of a catastrophe that ravaged San Francisco and an insightful guide to free children from the pressures of contemporary life.
History
‘The Longest Minute: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906’
Matthew J. Davenport
In 1906, San Francisco was the “Queen City of the Pacific,” the largest city in California and busiest port on the Pacific Coast. It was a city of superlatives. Then the earth moved and San Francisco lay in ruins. This book describes the pre-earthquake city. It then recounts the events of the earthquake and what followed in the immediate aftermath. Extensively researched, this dramatic and fascinating account of the 1906 Earthquake makes readers feel they are in the San Francisco of the time.
St. Martin’s Press, 2023, 448 pages
Nonfiction
‘Life Under Compulsion: Ten Ways to Destroy the Humanity of Your Child’
By Anthony Esolen
Advertising, video games, sex education—Anthony Esolen explains how these and other influences steal our children’s freedom and make them slaves to compulsion. He explores 10 ways our culture destroys a child’s inner humanity, ranging from government educational mandates to smartphones. In each case, Mr. Esolen points us to better alternatives for raising humane young people using time-tested helps from literature, history, and philosophy. The key to virtue, it turns out, is learning the true meaning of freedom.
ISI Books, 2015, 224 pages
Military History
‘The Hydaspes 326 BC: The Limits of Alexander the Great’s Conquests’
By Nic Fields
After nearly 2,500 years, Alexander the Great remains a household name. His military exploits and leadership in the field is exhaustively studied to this day. Nic Fields dissects the last battle of Alexander’s campaign to conquer the known world. Facing charioteers and massive Indian elephants, Alexander’s crossing of the Hydaspes River and ultimate victory over the Indian army proved a capital end to a brilliant career. For military strategy enthusiasts, it will prove an enjoyable and educational read.
Osprey Publishing, 2023, 96 pages
Nature
‘The Comfort of Crows, A Backyard Year’
By Margaret Renkl
A keen observer and devotee of the natural world, author Margaret Renkl offers a series of short narratives that follow the seasons of a year. Lovingly crafted, these 52 chapters read like daily devotionals in gratitude to the plants and animals of her environs. Aware of her own aging and the changing dynamics within her household, her observations are both jubilant and sorrowful. This is a reminder that life, ever evolving in its rhythms, continually offers hope and light if you are awake to listen and see.
Spiegel & Grau, 2023, 288 pages
Classics
‘Introducing Jeeves: Six Classic Stories’
By P.G. Wodehouse
If you’re looking for a breather from the daily grind, consider spending some time with Bertie Wooster, a slightly dimwitted gentleman, and his levelheaded manservant, Jeeves, who is, as Bertie himself admits, “the brains of the establishment.” Time and again Bertie puts the wrong foot forward and stumbles, and Jeeves appears to save the day and set everything right. In these delightful stories, we see why critics and fans regard P.G. Wodehouse as one of the great 20th-century humorists.
Dover Publications, 2013, 208 pages
For Kids
‘Bear Feels Sick’
By Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
One of a series of Karma Wilson’s beloved bear books, this is an adorable tale of an achy, sniffly bear, and the loving care his animal friends afford him to help him feel better. Not just for flu season, this story truly centers on kindness and compassion for others—a message that’s delivered gently through simple language and endearing illustrations.
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007, 40 pages
