This week, we feature an uplifting collection of micro-stories to help you start your day and a “he-ARRR-ty” anthology of swashbuckling pirate adventures.
Essays
‘The Village Maestro and 100 Other Stories’
By Vaghese Mathai
When Vaghese Mathai first began teaching, his college asked student volunteers to open the class with a devotional, a brief statement to set the stage for the class. Students were reluctant to volunteer. Mr. Mathai began giving it. His openings were so fascinating that students took his classes to hear his opening statements. This book collects 101 of his micro-stories in a short volume. It is a collection of meditations on the human condition. Each is a gem worth reading, rereading, and pondering.
Pippa Rann Books, 2022, 296 pages
Nonfiction
‘The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary’
By Sarah Ogilvie
In 2014, Sarah Ogilvie was visiting the Oxford Dictionary Archives when she discovered James Murray’s black book wherein this intrepid editor had recorded the names and addresses of thousands of volunteer contributors to the greatest English dictionary ever written. Ms. Ogilvie then spent years tracking down the histories of these often eccentric “unsung heroes.” The result is this sparkling, witty collection of their stories. Logophiles especially will delight in this remarkable saga.
Knopf, 2023, 384 pages
History
‘Battle for the Island Kingdom: England’s Destiny 1000-1066’
By Don Hollway
1066. The Battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror. The time, place. and person may be familiar to us, but how did all three ultimately converge to bring about a history-altering and world-shaping moment? In Mr. Hollway’s latest work, he guides the reader through nearly a century of history where Vikings, Normans, and Anglo-Saxons fight for England’s throne. Exhaustively researched, easy to follow, adding descriptions of violence and tinges of humor, this is how history books should be written.
Osprey Publishing, 2023, 432 pages
Historical Fiction
‘The Little Wartime Library’
By Kate Thompson
Based on the true story of a library created in London during World War II, the novel tells of the Bethnal Green tube station, which was turned into the country’s only underground library. Feisty branch librarian Clara Button creates a safe place where factory workers and children can find solace as the bombs fall aboveground. She and her incorrigible best friend Ruby Munroe pledge to remain strong in the face of adversity, and they’re sorely tested when the lives of their loved ones are imperiled.
Forever, 2023, 480 pages
Classics
‘A Pirate Anthology: A Collection of Swashbuckling Tales of Piracy, Buried Treasure & Adventure at Sea’
By Robert Louis Stevenson, et al.
If you see yourself as a seagoing swashbuckler or if you simply enjoy the old-time tales of corsairs and buried doubloons, you’ve come to the right book. Besides “Treasure Island,” you’ll find Jack London’s “Tales of the Fish Patrol,” J.M. Barrie’s “Peter and Wendy,” Bret Hart’s “The Queen of Pirate Isle,” and seven other classic adventures of freebooters and buccaneers. Heads up, shipmates: Daniel Defoe’s 1720 “The King of the Pirates” appears in the syntax and spelling of his day. Arrrr!
Independently Published, 2020, 742 pages
For Kids
‘Earl the Squirrel‘
By Don Freeman
From the author of “Corduroy,” “Earl the Squirrel” is an adventuresome delight. Earl’s mother thinks it’s high time he learns to gather his own acorns. So, Earl sets out to show his mom he can do it, facing ups and downs along the way. Light-hearted and fun, it’s just right for this time of year when squirrels are likely just outside the window.
Puffin Books, 2007, 48 pages
