Fiction: Mystery, Crime
BLACK BEACONS MURDER SERIES (also known as DCI Evan Warlow) by Rhys Dylan
I LOVE THIS SERIES! I genuinely love this series and would recommend it to any reader who enjoys police procedural mysteries. This is NOT a “cozy” mystery series! It is realistic – meaning the crimes committed are brutal and violent.
While each case involves a dark murder mystery, it also includes wry humor and likeable, true-to-life characters. Detective Chief Inspector Evan Warlow is the main character. I am quite smitten with him and his black labrador Cadi. While he initially seems a bit grumpy and sarcastic, he clearly has an enthusiastic sense of humor, and he loves his dog – hence my infatuation. The rest of the members of his detective team are likeable, too. I especially like Detective Inspector Gil Jones and his “dad” jokes as well as novice Rhys Harris who naively falls for good-natured teasing – of which there is a lot!
Finally, the setting of the Black Beacons Murder Series is in the heart of rural, wind-blown Wales. One of four mountain ranges in the Brecon Beacons, the Black Mountains spread along the Welsh counties of Powys and Monmouthshire. Dylan’s description of this part of Wales sounds gorgeous. The unique beauty of the Black Beacons plays a key role in each of the mysteries.
I have read four books so far in this series and have started a fifth. There are over a dozen books in this series, and I cannot wait to read them all!
Audiobook Nonfiction: History, War
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell
What if precision bombing could cripple the enemy and make war far less lethal? This was the question asked by a small band of idealistic military strategists - the “Bomber Mafia.”
CAN YOU HAVE A MORE MORAL WAR?
After the carnage of WWI, the Bomber Mafia believed that the use of precision bombing (the destruction of specific military targets, munitions factories, etc.) could limit the deaths of both soldiers and civilians and shorten wars. This book explores the scientists and flyers who tried (and failed) to successfully employ precision bombing during World War II. It also explores the men who believed that blanket bombing, such as that used in the London Blitz, the bombing of Dresden and the napalm bombing of Japan, would ultimately shorten the war. The bombing of Tokyo on the deadliest night of the war was the brainchild of General Curtis LeMay, whose brutal pragmatism and scorched-earth tactics in Japan cost thousands of civilian lives but may have spared even more by averting a planned US invasion. In The Bomber Mafia, Gladwell asks, “Was it worth it?”
“To the extent that the war planners back in Washington conceived of a firebombing campaign, they thought of hitting six Japanese cities, not sixty-seven. By July, LeMay was bombing minor Japanese cities that had no strategically important industry at all—just people, living in tinderboxes.”
The Bomber Mafia was fascinating and thought provoking. It reveals scientific breakthroughs, military strategy, clashing personalities, suicide missions, and a huge ethical debate.
“There is a set of moral problems that can be resolved only with the application of conscience and will. Those are the hardest kinds of problems. But there are other problems that can be resolved with the application of human ingenuity. The genius of the Bomber Mafia was to understand that distinction—and to say, ‘We don’t have to slaughter the innocent, burn them beyond recognition, in pursuit of our military goals. We can do better.’ And they were right.”
Listening to this audiobook is like listening to a podcast. It includes historical and recent interviews, sound effects, and music. I especially enjoyed hearing the voices of the actual military officers and the interviews with people who worked with the Bomber Mafia. This was an excellent audiobook!
Nonfiction: Memoir, Medical
Cook County ICU: 30 Years of Unforgettable Patients and Odd Cases by Dr. Cory Franklin
Publisher’s Description: “An inside look at one of the nation's most famous public hospitals, Cook County, as seen through the eyes of its longtime Director of Intensive Care, Dr. Cory Franklin.
Filled with stories of strange medical cases and unforgettable patients culled from a thirty-year career in medicine, Cook County ICU offers readers a peek into the inner workings of a hospital. Author Dr. Cory Franklin, who headed the hospital’s intensive care unit from the 1970s through the 1990s, shares his most unique and bizarre experiences, including the deadly Chicago heat wave of 1995, treating some of the first AIDS patients in the country before the disease was diagnosed, the nurse with rare Munchausen syndrome, the first surviving ricin victim, and the famous professor whose Parkinson’s disease hid the effects of the wrong medication. Surprising, darkly humorous, heartwarming, and sometimes tragic, these stories provide a look at how the practice of medicine has changed over the years, making it an enjoyable read for patients, doctors, and anyone with an interest in medicine.”
While the author repeats self-congratulatory comments: ‘I was the only one who thought of…’ and ‘If it wasn’t for me…’ the stories are still very compelling. Dr Franklin obviously cared about his patients and saw them as people not just a list of symptoms.
Reading medical books like Cook County ICU offers me an opportunity to glean insight from health care professionals. It allows me to place myself in their shoes and to consider the world from their perspective. Plus, it increases my knowledge of health and disease. Finally, reading books like this one can help develop an understanding of what our health professionals might be thinking and feeling. Reading the medical stories of others is one uncomplicated way to develop empathy for our health professionals and make us better patients.
Fiction: Science Fiction, Thriller
Extinction by Douglas Preston
Extinction is like Jurassic Park but with some exceptions. Extinction takes place in the Colorado mountains; there are megafauna instead of dinosaurs; and Preston takes a very different approach to the premise. This is not about people being chased by giant, deadly creatures. Instead, he uses it as the launching pad for a crime procedural - Extinction combines a technothriller with a police investigation.
The story begins at the Erebus Resort which occupies a large valley in Eagle County, Colorado, deep in the Rocky Mountains. This exclusive nature park caters to the world’s super-wealthy. It offers guests the unique experience of observe ancient herbivores, including woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, and giant ground sloths, all roaming freely through the picturesque valley. The megafauna were brought back to life from extinction through genetic manipulation.
Two Erebus guests, a famous billionaire's son and his bride are murdered. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation assigns Agent Frances Cash to the case. While Erebus Resort security already launched a full-scale search of the valley to try to find the murderer (or murderers) and offered up their full cooperation and assistance, Cash feels like the Erebus staff are withholding information that might put everyone in danger. Eagle County Sheriff James Colcord teams up with Cash and initially they assume a gang of eco-terrorists committed the crime. Soon however, multiple murders are discovered. Cash and Colcord then begin to ask an unsettling question: Was something else, something dangerous and deadly, brought back from extinction through genetic manipulation?
Extinction is not going to win any literary awards, but it is a fast-moving and entertaining novel. It is an outlandish story that kept me turning pages well into the night. I predict a film adaptation in the future!
Nonfiction: Biography
The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us by Rachelle Bergstein
This biography integrates what was happening in author Judy Blume's life when she authored her books with what was happening in the wider world and explores how these events affected the reception of her books.
Blume wrote for children, teens, and, later in her career, for adults. Blume was a pioneer for openness about sexuality, puberty, divorce, and relationships. Growing up in the 1970s, I knew who Judy Blume was and I loved reading her books - Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Deenie, Fudge, Superfudge, Blubber and Forever.
Publisher’s Description: “The books she wrote starred regular children with genuine thoughts and problems. But behind those deceptively simple tales, Blume explored the pillars of the growing women’s rights movement, in which girls and women were entitled to careers, bodily autonomy, fulfilling relationships, and even sexual pleasure. Blume wasn’t trying to be a revolutionary—she just wanted to tell honest stories—but in doing so, she created a cohesive, culture-altering vision of modern adolescence.
“Blume’s bravery provoked backlash, making her the country’s most-banned author in the mid-1980s. Thankfully, her works withstood those culture wars and it’s no coincidence that Blume has resurfaced as a cultural touchstone now. Young girls are still cat-called, sex education curricula are getting dismissed as pornography, and entire shelves of libraries are being banned. As we face these challenges, it’s only natural we look to Blume, the grand dame of so-called dirty books. This is the story of how a housewife became a groundbreaking artist, and how generations of empowered fans are her legacy, today more than ever.”
In today's political climate it is heartening to read about those who fought - and continue to fight - censorship, specifically regarding young readers. Bergstein did a wonderful job of not only telling Blume's story, but also of highlighting how impactful and revolutionary her works truly are. As a retired children’s librarian, I found this biography to be both interesting and inspirational!
Nonfiction: Journalism, Writing, History
Getting It Wrong: Ten of the Greatest Misreported Stories in American Journalism by W. Joseph Campbell
I decided to read this book after listening to W. Joseph Campbell lecture on C-Span about Watergate and the myth that Woodward and Bernstein of The Washington Post “brought Nixon down.”
In Getting It Wrong, writer and scholar Campbell confronts and dismantles prominent media-driven myths, describing how they can feed stereotypes, distort understanding about the news media, and deflect blame from policymakers.
In each chapter, Campbell delivers succinct, well-researched correctives for each sensational claim:
1. William Randolph Hearst - “I’ll furnish the war.”
2. The War of the Worlds – Thousands of Americans flee in panic.
3. Murrow vs. McCarthy – Edward R. Murrow turns the nation against McCarthyism.
4. The Bay of Pigs – The New York Times suppressed the story.
5. Walter
Cronkite – Cronkite turns the nation against the Vietnam War.
6. Women’s Movement – Feminists burned their bras.
7. Woodward and Bernstein –The Washington Post alone exposed the scandal.
8. Crack Babies – Thousands of children are born with defects.
9. Jessica Lynch – She “fought to the death.”
10. Hurricane Katrina – Chaos ruled.
None of these ten claims are true.
Getting It Wrong reinforces the necessity of healthy skepticism; a commitment to fully understanding the implications of research; and the importance of cultivating diverse, credible sources and viewpoints for probing, quality journalism. A worthwhile read!
Fiction
Maureen by Rachel Joyce
This is the finale to a trilogy that began with The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and continued in The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. I absolutely loved both of those books, and Maureen was the perfect ending to the trilogy.
A decade after Harold returned from his pilgrimage, he and Maureen learn of a memorial at Queenie's Sea Garden to their son, David, who committed suicide years ago. This loss has festered inside Maureen for decades, a grief she has never been able to address. Although it takes time for her to make the decision, it is now Maureen's turn to go on a pilgrimage to see David’s memorial. However, Maureen’s journey is not on foot like Harold’s, instead she is traveling by car. Like Harold’s pilgrimage, Maureen meets people along the way but, unlike easy-going Harold, she struggles to interact positively with people.
Maureen arranges to stay with Kate, a woman Harold met and befriended during his pilgrimage. However, Maureen finds staying at Kate's home hard to manage. It is messy and “unclean,” so unlike her fastidiously clean home. She sneaks away in the morning without a farewell.
Later, when Maureen sees the memorial to David, she is far from happy, and she injures herself trying to uproot the memorial. Needing time to rest and heal, Maureen finds herself relying on the care offered by compassionate Kate. Finally, Maureen finds herself facing up to the grief she has locked inside her.
Maureen embarked on one of life’s the most challenging of journeys – grieving the loss of a loved one. During her journey, she finds enlightenment in the most surprising of places, bringing much needed changes to her life. Maureen is a heartwarming, humorous, insightful, and unforgettable book!
Books by the Beach Book Club: International Fiction - Croatia
On the Edge of Reason by Miroslav Krleža and Zora Depolo (Translator)
Written in 1938, On the Edge of Reason reveals a deep chasm between conformity and individuality. The story begins when a middle-aged lawyer whose life and career have been eminently respectable, inadvertently blurts out a thought…
The lawyer is attending a party is hosted by a politically connected businessman and the other guests include the local elite. The businessman loudly brags about killing four men who were trying to break into his wine cellar to steal a liter of Riesling. He shots two of the men; the other two were shot attempting to climb the fence that led to safety. All four were shot in the back. They had no weapons, did not threaten the businessman, and were running away. Even though this incident happened thirty years ago, the businessman relishes the retelling how he killed the four "mad dogs" at every one of his parties.
Listening, once again, to the story, the lawyer has a moment of clarity. At the precise moment when the businessman was taking a breath between bombasts, the lawyer utters aloud what he is thinking about the businessman’s actions – “It was all a crime, a bloody thing, moral insanity.”
The lawyer said aloud what everyone else was thinking. However, since the businessman is an “elite,” the town instead shuns the lawyer; the businessman sues him for slander; and the lawyer’s life careens downhill. Even his wife disowns him, and he finds himself accused of increasingly bizarre crimes. But liberated by his act, the lawyer stands firm against the growing hypocrisy of friends and institutions.
On the Edge of Reason skewers government, politics, and, mostly, human nature. It is sometimes funny, yet profound. I found this to be a brisk critique of human stupidity – which, although beyond reason, is nevertheless intriguing!
Nonfiction: History, Biography, Presidents
The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis by George Stephanopoulos, Lisa Dickey
In The Situation Room, Stephanopoulos describes the history of this famous White House room. He zeroes in on a single crisis during each of twelve presidencies during the Situation Room’s (Sit Room) existence. The stories describe the words and actions of the normally nameless and faceless public servants and the duty officers who have staffed the center since its inception during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. In this documented history, he reveals the differing management styles of the nation’s presidents and offers plenty of interesting pieces of history.
The book also provides compelling narratives and inside-the-room perspectives on several national security crises.
· President Lyndon Johnson monitored, micromanaged, and agonized over the Vietnam War from the Sit Room. He often joined duty officers there in the wee hours of the morning.
· At a critical juncture during the Yom Kippur War, as the Russians threatened to intervene directly, Secretary of State Kissinger ordered an escalation of US military forces to DEFCON 3 without consulting with a drunk President Nixon.
· Then there’s the moment-by-moment updates about the release of the US hostages in Iran provided to President Jimmy Carter by National Security Council (NSC) officer Gary Sick from the Sit Room during President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration.
· Most recently, he describes the Biden national security team as it learns of the terrorist bombing of Abbey Gate outside the Kabul airport and how that tragedy informed how our nation approached the impending invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
· The Situation Room also describes the dysfunction in the NSC interagency process during the Trump administration, which included a dramatic decline in the use of the Sit Room. *No wonder, four Secretaries of Defense; four Directors of National Intelligence; four White House Chiefs of Staff; and five Secretaries of Homeland Security all left service under Trump’s “leadership.”
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