Mann’s earlier work, 1491: Revelations of America Before Columbus, was published in 2005, and warranted immediate accolades. 1491 combines groundbreaking research, and findings from several fields of study to construct a book that will forever change your perception of the native people of North America, and your reaction to European colonization that all but decimated the native populations everywhere they went. Seeing as most people are familiar with Columbus’s actual voyage to America, and because there is already a book out entitled 1492, Mann’s next installment begins after Columbus and his crew set foot on the North American continent for the first time.

Discoveries regarding the economic, human, and agricultural ramifications of Columbus’s voyage by researchers, archaeologists, historians, and geologists have all been compiled within the dense novel. Mann, however, does not present a book full of dull research and beige sets of facts. Mann uses the information to construct an epic history of all human society that can all be traced back to Christopher Columbus and the establishment of a revolutionary world market known as the Columbian Exchange, and how remnants of that exchange alone can be seen in most locations around the world today.

The Columbian Exchange is based on the idea of “Recreating Pangaea,” or reuniting all of the continents through exploration, settlement, and trade, as they once were 250 million years ago when all continents were one. The economic exchange began with the trade of sugar, silver, slaves, and spices between the Americas and Europe. Later on, even more familiar products like wheat and coffee moved in the opposite direction. Diseases, plants, animal, and even insects traveled along these same routes, marking the very first step toward a shared global economy and experience, much like what we have today.

Some of Mann’s most fascinating points include the discovery that Africans, rather than Europeans, were some of the first immigrants to the Americas, and even beat most of the Europeans across the landmass by years. Even earthworms were brought from the soils of Europe to the New World. Mann expresses that Columbus’s explorations had infinite ramifications and can be traced to events and products on all corners of the globe. Even for non-historians, 1493 provides original insights into Columbus’s initial explorations, as well as the way he shaped human history as we know it.

Through My Eyes

Yet, Tim Tebow would have never been such a famous figure in football without the decision first made by his parents. The book starts out with his parents’ decision to give birth to their son instead of following the suggestion of doctors to abort him. It is this beginning that has set the stage for his life.

His parents grew up on a farm; from them he received an education and learned the value of hard work, persistence, and his faith. When Tim wanted to become a quarterback, his father supported his dreams and found a team that would play him in that position. It was through his family’s support and his faith that he achieved his dream of becoming a quarterback in the NFL.

Most of the football in the book takes place during his time with the University of Central Florida Gators and his first year in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. While he wasn’t as famous as he is now during this time in his life, he already had his faith.

Perhaps, that is what makes this book so unique. Tim Tebow isn’t afraid of making faith a part of his life or revealing how it influenced him. The book isn’t preachy at all and doesn’t try to convert anyone. It is a story of inspiration and his influences in life. His faith is as much a part of as his life as football is.

That being said, there are those who won’t particularly care for a story that has tones of Christianity in it. But that is a part of who Tim Tebow is and he is not ashamed of it.

While it is a inspirational story, if you are a critic or not a fan of Christianity, than you probably won’t like this book. Otherwise, it is one you should add to your collection.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

What this book is really is a memoir of Amy Chua’s experiences raising her daughters. It recounts the parenting tactics that she used to get her daughters to practice the piano. Oddly enough, she also tells about her dogs, which makes the book a little weird. Pretty much all is about the music and the dogs. The other stuff is just background.

The main reason that this has stirred up so many comments is that she relates this style of parenting to a “Chinese parenting style” while, really, it is Amy Chua’s parenting style. This classification has drawn a lot of criticism from Chinese and Asian parents who are adamantly opposed to some of the tactics she used to get her children to practice, such as withholding dinner for an inordinately long period of time.

The book is certainly self-involved and the writing clearly reflects that. It tends to come off as self-centered and selfish at times — like when she refuses to let the children spend time with their grandmother. It also tends to be honest, and she does put herself out there.

This book will certainly insult more than a few parents, especially those of Chinese descent. While there are some good points and maybe a lesson or two to learn, the book is far too self-involved to be a parenting guide. In fact, it is more an example of what not to do as a parent than it is about what to do as a parent.

If you want to see what the controversy is all about, get a copy from the library. Other than the curiosity factor, there really isn’t much reason to add this book to your collection.

As with the 19th-century novel, the book’s eponymous character is orphaned at the age of 10. Gemma travels from Iceland to live with her kind uncle in Scotland. Unfortunately, he dies, and she becomes the ward of an aunt who is anything but pleased to care for the girl. Gemma is sent away to boarding school soon enough as a “working pupil,” where she is to study but is also treated like a servant by the school authorities.

As in Jane Eyre, Gemma has a friend at the school, and the school gets its eventual comeuppance. Her formal education completed, Gemma takes a job as an au pair in the Orkney Islands, where her ward is the disobedient niece of an aloof banker named Hugh Sinclair. It is as this point where, as one reviewer noted,  Livesey’s story differs most clearly from Brontë’s, but also less convincingly so.

Livesey’s ability to write a, well, lively story is undisputed, and lovers of the written word will find plenty to enjoy as she weaves wit, precision, lyricism, and sympathetic insight into the tale. Rather than painting villains and benefactors in pure black and white, the reader is compelled to acknowledge that people sometimes do bad things because of bad things that have happened to them.

Despite being described as “delicate,” Gemma has the will of iron that readers would expect in a heroine like this, allowing the writer to cast her sharp eye on the human consciousness, laying bare every idiosyncrasy that mankind can conjure through writing that is deft and incisive and, in the author’s own words, stealing from (her) own life.

P.D. James’

At the end of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet wed Mr. Darcy. James’ novel begins six years after the presumed marriage took place. The couple has had two sons, with a third on the way. One stormy and sinister evening, an unexpected carriage abruptly arrives at Pemberley, carrying Elizabeth’s sister, Lydia. She bursts out of the carriage claiming that her husband George has died. In the previous novel, Lydia married the notorious womanizer and deadbeat George Wickham. Immediately the Darcys send out a search party and discover Wickham deep in the ancient woods, drunk beyond the point of functioning. Beside him is the lifeless body of his good friend, Captain Denny. Wickham is only conscious enough to exclaim what sounds like a confession, but no more. However, the Darcys find it very hard to believe that Wickham was capable of murder. This is where James begins weaving the tale of mystery and suspense.

P.D. James is easily described as quite possibly the greatest living British writer of crime fiction. Her talent bursts through in this latest novel. James decided not to closely follow the style of Austen’s 19th-century prose, but almost effortlessly creates a modern version of Austen’s quintessential style. Critics have noted that it took James a lot of nerve to attempt a sequel to such a classic novel, but took even more talent to pull it off, which James did successfully. Occasionally, in Death Comes to Pemberley, James mirrors the style of Austen perfectly. For example, in the prologue James writes this popularly quoted passage: “A family of five unmarried daughters is sure of attracting the sympathetic concern of all their neighbors, particularly where other diversions are few.” And the odious Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy’s aunt, makes a characteristic appearance, declaring: “I have never approved of protracted dying. It is an affectation in the aristocracy; in the lower classes it is merely an excuse for avoiding work.” For fans of the literary style and technique of Jane Austen, James will clearly not disappoint.

One of the few criticisms of the book has been that the once sharp and sassy character of Elizabeth Bennet has become quite dull while living at Pemberley. Maybe the stress of housework and childbirth has caused Elizabeth to become more modest. Also, compared to James’ other novels, the mystery is not nearly as deep or as complicated as usual — but it still manages to captivate readers. For fans of Jane Austen, Death Comes to Pemberley is the perfect addition to your library.

The Zombie Survival Guide

The book begins by analyzing the zombies themselves. After all, you have to know how a zombie thinks or doesn’t think about when facing one. It is an essential part of learning how to survive in a world when the zombies do attack.

Included in the book is an in-depth analysis of potential weapons to be used against the zombie. Each weapon’s advantages and disadvantages are discussed so that you can make the best choices when it comes to defending your family. While it maybe a little hard to carry a flame thrower, don’t underestimate the power of a good blade, even though it can get a little messy.

Fighting the zombies is only a partial element of this book. You also have to know where to hide when the numbers become overwhelming, and places to avoid. But most importantly, you have to know what exactly to do after an attack when things are very chaotic. Preparation is the key to survival in an any apocalyptic zombie world.

This book is a serious look into what to do about a zombie invasion. But what makes this book really fun and satirical is that it treats the threat of zombies as a serious matter.

Making number three on the New York Times’ Bestseller Nonfiction list isn’t much of a surprise. The book is well written and basically fun to read. If you thought you knew everything about zombies from video games, well there are a couple of things still left to learn about them.

Bottom line, you should buy this book if you have any interest in surviving a zombie attack or just love pure satire. You can also get this book from the library or borrow from it a friend.

Being George Washington

In this book, the focus is more on the leadership that George Washington displayed as America’s first President, and on the way there. The major point of the story is to show how George Washington was able to be a great President during the turmoil of early America, the time of period when America was fighting the British in an effort to become its own country.

While there is some history to the book, not all of it is entirely accurate. Many of the inaccuracies come during the descriptions of the battles. If you want to understand the battles fought against the British, then you should pick up a different book. This book doesn’t dig in much depth into the history of those battles. Instead, it takes more of a creative approach to the battle scenes.

There is a problem with cohesion in the book. While it follows George Washington’s life, it tends to jump around between some idealized notions of what was in people’s heads, a little bit of history, and Washington’s leadership skills. There is too heavy of an emphasis on the leadership skills, and the whole book is a bit unbalanced in this regard.

The message of the book isn’t bad. If you are looking for what qualities  helped George Washington on his journey and while he was President, then the book delivers on that score. After all, it is about the things that made George Washington a great leader.

In truth, it is more of a storybook with a sprinkling of facts rather than a full-blown history book. There is just too much subjective speculation on what thoughts were in people’s minds to take this book as an accurate accounting of history.

As usual, if you like Glenn Beck, you will probably understand his intent with this book. Otherwise, you won’t find much other than another spin on George Washington.

In 77 Shadow Street, Koontz weaves a tale that will make me reconsider the joys of living in a stratified property. As he tells it, the Pendleton looks over an old city in the heartland at the top of Shadow Hill. Originally conceived as the dream home of a tycoon in the late 1800s, the building’s beauty has instead been marred by mass murder, suicide, madness, and rumors of more dire occurrences.

In the 1970s though, the Pendleton was made over into a luxury apartment building, and is now home to a shamed ex-senator, an ambitious financial manager, a widowed lawyer, and a well-known songwriter and her young son, among others. All tales of dire deeds have faded from memory, and the place is a sanctuary from the big bad world outside; only, nothing lasts forever.

People are seeing shadows they can’t explain cavorting across the walls, and security has witnessed things that are impossible on their cameras. Elsewhere, disembodied voices speak in a language no one understands, and things are skulking in the basement. No one knows what’s going on, but it eventually becomes all too clear that whatever caused the events in the Pendleton’s dark history is rearing its fearsome head once more.

“I am the Pendleton’s history and its destiny. The building is my place of conception, my monument, my killing ground. . . .”

End of Everything–Megan Abbott. This book centers on the friendship of two 13-year-old girls who live in peaceful and perfect suburban America. A few weeks before their eighth grade graduation, one of the girls abruptly disappears. The other friend becomes the star witness, and gets caught up in all of the attention, as evil is happening all around.

The Marriage Plot–Jeffrey Eugenides. Set in the early 1980s, this is a revitalized and re-energized bildungsroman meant for the 21st century. A recent college grad must choose between two men, who are both equally plagued with character flaws. This book follows the basic model of past coming of age stories, but has found plenty of new ways to complicate it.

State of Wonder–Ann Patchett. This novel has been acclaimed for being just plain amazing. Two dynamic female characters traverse the rainforest together, as a scientist from Minnesota is sent to find another American scientist who has “gone native” on a research mission to extend female fertility.

There but for the–Ali Smith. After a dinner party one night, a guest goes upstairs, and locks himself in the spare bedroom — for several months. Some serious issues currently facing the UK are discussed, and the story is narrated by four characters. Smith’s playful and unique style earns this book a top ranking.

Swamplandia–Karen Russell. This book has received much praise in the last few months, and for good reason. The inventive language and style Russell uses beautifully weave the story of a young girl who is trying to preserve her family’s way of life deep within the mangrove jungle of the Everglades.

11/22/63–Stephen King. King’s newest novel features a diner in Maine that allows an English teacher to go back in time to 1958 to stop Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating Kennedy. This novel reminds us of the terrifying nature of time.

The Tiger’s Wife–Tea Obreht. Obreht has created a story surrounding a young doctor who blends her grandfather’s folk tales with stories of her own upbringing to tell a spellbinding story of the Balkan conflict.

A World on Fire–Amanda Foreman. Foreman gives the reader a giant and vibrant roster of characters and wildly vivid descriptions in a brilliant examination of the battle between Britain and the side it took during the Civil War.

Hemingway’s Boat–Paul Hendrickson. Hendrickson writes a biography of Hemingway by focusing on his greatest companion in Key West: his boat. The stories are rich and vivid and present Hemingway’s life in an absolutely unique format.

The Secret Mistress–Mary Balogh. Throw away your cheap and trashy romance novel for this tale of a noble debutante and an earl who is anything but suave. The period details are superb, and the characters flawless.

• What I Hate – Forget the A to Z books of the past, which were filled with animals and other friendly images. Roz Chast has put together an A to Z book with a much better subject: epic horrors and daily unpleasantries. You’ll be entertained by cartoon illustrations and appropriate supplemental text for every letter from A to Z.  Chast will help you develop a very necessary fear of abductions, rabies, tunnels, and much more.
• I Am Better Than Your Kids – If you don’t deal well with mean sarcasm, then you should stay away from this book. You will not be able to resist the urge to send this man hate mail. George Ouzounian, who goes by the pen name Maddox, spares no expense in letting you to know that your child’s poor attempts at art and the third-grade book reports you’ve saved belong in one place: the trash. You might be surprised by the hold this book can have on you. Readers love to hate Maddox.
• The Onion Presents: Christmas Exposed – The Onion Staff, a parody news organization, is always able to generate a good laugh. This Christmas, The Onion Staff brings us shocking tales of secret Santas and other wintery topics (such as the unavoidable dysfunctional family dinner), which prove to be quite illuminating (or at the very least, hilarious).
• Goodnight iPad – Goodbye moon, hello iPad. Ann Droyd‘s parody of Margaret Wise Brown‘s Goodnight Moon pokes fun at our plugged-in lives. No more do we say goodnight to our room or the cow jumping over the moon. No more do we say goodnight to our light or a red balloon. Today, we say goodnight to all of our gadgetry.
• Bossypants – Can you really go wrong with Tina Fey‘s autobiography? This book contains silly anecdotes that will draw laughter from you on every page. As a bonus, you will learn how Fey ended up on SNL and how she created 30 Rock.

A reader might equally enjoy some less recent, but equally humorous hits, such as George Carlin‘s Brain Droppings, which was published in 1997. I picked Brain Droppings up off of my neighbor’s shelf after Thanksgiving dinner and couldn’t put it down. I literally ended up taking it back home with me. Good humor never gets old.