The road to the salt sea, by Samuel Kolawole

 

I found this a tough book to read because nothing ever goes right for the protagonist, Able God, or anyone else in the book, for that matter. But it's an important book because it shows us not only the root of the migrant problem in Africa but also the horrible plight of many of those migrants who are sold a dream to go to Europe but who often end up facing starvation, extortion, and slavery. Able God works in a high class hotel but can only afford a small, one-room apartment. He's depressed about his situation and is in the habit of using street drugs and alcohol to stave off his depression. When someone named Ben Ten comes along to recruit people to migrate to Italy, Able is initially skeptical of Ben Ten's promises. But when a situation gets out of control at work and Able kills a customer in self defense, Able flees and signs up with Ben Ten to migrate to Italy. This book details the migration north through Niger, across the Sahara, and into Libya where the migrants are forced into labor camps to supposedly pay off their expenses. Along the way, fellow migrants are left behind in the desert or shot when they try to flee. Able himself is tortured when he refuses to give his captors his parents' phone number (used to extort payment from them), but he eventually relents and gives it up. When Able escapes and finally makes his way to the sea where he can cross in a rickety rubber dinghy, the crossing is nearly as treacherous as crossing the Sahara was. And when he's picked up by the Italian Coast Guard, he's taken to a refugee camp in Malta rather than to Italy. While there, he manages to earn some cash from a man playing speed chess on the beach, offering an optimistic glance at what might help sustain him as he (hopefully) assimilates into European culture. As I said, this is an important book for its portrayal of the plight of the migrant. But I kept thinking about how Able might have done better if he'd stayed away from drugs and alcohol and put his self-help books and reading to better use. This was a straightforward narrative and is very accessible, although I found a number of places where it could have used some better editing (there are what in film I would call continuity errors, for example). But I would recommend the book to anyone who wants to understand the migrant issue better.

Dumb witness, by Agatha Christie

 

In this Hercule Poirot mystery from 1937, wealthy spinster Emily Arundell writes to Poirot with concerns that someone in her family is trying to kill her, but he doesn't get the letter until two months later. When investigating, he quickly comes to the conclusion that an attempt was made on her life that resulted in a fall down a staircase, although she dies a few weeks later of what appears to be natural causes. Lead suspects are her nieces and nephews, her companion, and her two servants. As Poirot investigates, he determines that when the first attempt to murder Emily failed, she was then murdered by poison. He is aided by his friend Captain Hastings who has recently returned from Argentina. 

While some of Christie's earlier books had pets in them, this is the first book in which Christie gives the dog an inner life and dialog. I didn't care for that very much, so hopefully she didn't continue that conceit. Christie also used a racist figure of speech ("N***** in the woodpile"), putting it into Poirot's mouth and naming an entire chapter after it. I had never heard it before and had to look it up on Wikipedia which explained the meaning and history of its use, which declined in the 20th century. I've noted the use of antisemitic language in earlier books along with other slurs, such as Dago or "an Apache attack,", but this appears to be her first slur against Blacks.

Gathering moss: a natural and cultural history of mosses, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

 

I really enjoyed this collection of 19 essays about moss. Subjects include much of the author's research into mosses' reproduction, how they spread, how they've been used in the past (such as in diapers), and how they establish themselves on rocks. The essays are thoughtful and very well written, including a lot of scientific detail but also very personal stories about the author's adventures on field trips or consulting for mysterious landowners who want to create a moss garden instantaneously. I enjoyed the many line drawings of mosses throughout the book but would have loved to see some color photographs included as well. 

London rules, by Mick Herron

This series of novels about MI5's set of outcasts known as "Slow Horses" just gets better and better. In this fifth book in the series, a series of seemingly random terrorist attacks has shocked the nation, and one of the slow horses, Roderick Ho, has been connected somehow to the perpetrators. Slough House has been put on lockdown and during their gripe session, they figure out that the terrorists are following a template created by the government itself to destabilize a small developing nation, although the draft plan was never implemented. They have to stop the next attack before their bosses at MI5 figure it out, but their efforts only confuse the situation further. Sent home, they split up to try to stop the fifth and final terrorist act before the plan is made public. As in the earlier books, there is a lot of humor in the dialog, character descriptions, and plot. But it's still a suspenseful and fraught book that kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. 
 

Cards on the table, by Agatha Christie

 

Agatha Christie pokes fun at herself in this first novel featuring the mystery writer Ariadne Oliver. Ms. Oliver is one of eight guests at a party hosted by Mr. Shaitana. The party includes four people that Shaitana suspects of murder and four people who could solve a crime, including Ms. Oliver, Hercule Poirot, and recurring characters Inspector Battle and Colonel Race. After dinner Shaitana splits the group in two with one group in the main room with him and the four crime-solvers in an adjoining room, each group playing bridge. Shaitana himself sits before the fire enjoying his secrets. After a few hours of playing, however, the groups come together and find that Shaitana has been stabbed. The crime-solving quartet never left their room, so they are above suspicion, and they work with the police to investigate the other four who are considered suspects. This requires looking into their backgrounds to see why Shaitana suspected them of murder in the past, then trying to figure out which one was spooked enough to murder Shaitana to prevent it coming to light. This was a good read and kept me guessing to the end.

Again, there are some gratuitous slurs, such as referring to Mr. Shaitana, of unspecified Middle Eastern or Asian origins, as a Dago.  

Standing by the wall, by Mick Herron

Standing by the wall is a collection of five novellas in the Slow Horses series published between 2015 and 2022. They introduce some new characters to the overall Slow Horses universe, and provides some backstory to some of the established characters. The stakes are not huge in these stories; there are no terrorist plots or geopolitical ramifications to most of the happenings in them, but they provide some glimpses into other workings of MI5 and its spies. The writing is very good, and most of the stories have a satisfying twist at the end. The exception is the title story which left me with many more questions than answers; I was left wondering if this was just a tease for a future book. Since the novellas were interspersed with the published novels, and I've only read the first four novels, I've seen a few glimpses into some of the next four novels, although they are hopefully not too much of a spoiler!
 

The chariots of Calyx, by Rosemary Rowe

 

Libertus, a former slave and current mosaic artist, has developed a reputation for solving murders, and in this fourth installment of Rosemary Rowe's series about Roman-era Britain, Libertus is asked by the Roman governor of Britain, Pertinax, to solve the murder of the corn officer. Caius Monnius has been strangled in his bed, and everyone is a suspect, including his young second wife, his mother, and his first wife, who all live together. There are also missing documents and money, and as Libertus follows the clues, he unearths crimes and intrigues that complicate the murder investigation including rigged betting on horse races and fraudulent sales of poor quality corn. As in the earlier books, Libertus and his slave Junio get people to open up to them as they develop their theories about who is responsible for the murder, resulting in a final surprise reveal in the last pages.

Spook Street, by Mick Herron

 

In the 4th novel in the Slow Horses series by Mick Herron, one of the main characters disappears after his grandfather, who has dementia, kills an intruder. River is trying to figure out who's trying to kill his grandfather, and Jackson Lamb and the other slow horses are trying to do the same and also find out where River is. This book raises an interesting question about what happens to people who know a lot of secrets get dementia. How does the government keep the secrets safe along with the people who hold them? This series just keeps getting better and better. The writing is so good that it just propels the narrative along. The characters are funny and quirky, and the dialog hilarious. 

The Ministry of Time, by Kaliane Bradley

I liked this book a lot. The main character is hired to be the companion of a man who was rescued from the 19th century just before he was known to die of exposure in the arctic north during an exploration to find the Northwest Passage. There are others who have similarly been rescued from other centuries in the past, and the government is trying to determine if they can not only survive in a different timeline but also if they can be used for clandestine purposes. The main character falls in love with her charge, but tries to hide her feelings, all the while hiding key details about his circumstances from him (including the fact that he has a tracker embedded under the skin of his back so the government can see everywhere he goes). Like all time travel books, there are lots of things that don't make sense when logic is applied, but if you can ignore that, this makes for a really fun and interesting book.

On all fronts: the education of a journalist, by Clarissa Ward

I really enjoyed this memoir by journalist Clarissa Ward, currently the chief international correspondent for CNN. She studied comparative literature at Yale University, but was inspired to become a journalist after 9/11. Her first experience in journalism was an unpaid internship with CNN's Moscow office. Following graduation, she was hired by Fox News, then did later stints as a freelancer, and worked for CBS and 60 Minutes. Ward has worked in and reported from many dangerous situations in Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Beirut, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Yemen, China, and other places. While I've seen many of her reports on TV, reading about the behind-the-scenes action that allowed her to get close to the action is fascinating. She has had many close calls, including times in which she is in the midst of shelling or has crossed a border illegally. The book closes as she becomes a mother for the first time, and it's clear that being a mother has given her a new perspective on the impact of violence on children and families across the globe.
 

107 days, by Kamala Harris

This is a thoughtful and intimate look at the short presidential run of Kamala Harris in 2024. The chapters are numbered by how many days are left to the election, so it serves as a countdown to the end of the contest. I really enjoyed reading about Kamala's experience and perspective during the run, although it was exhausting just reading about the frenetic activity involved in her presidential contest, including the travel, speaking engagements, policy discussions, and interviews, all while still serving as vice president. I am sympathetic to her perceived slights by the Biden team; she was in a difficult position and they didn't always make it easier. She never really had a chance to sell her vision to the American people, and I believe Joe should never have tried to run for a second term, in spite of everything that he accomplished during his first. This book is well written and has short, snappy chapters that keeps the narrative moving. As an inside look at a presidential run, it works to unveil the mechanisms that keep a campaign moving forward without going into the level of detail that would make it tedious. It's clear that Kamala would have been an exceptional leader, and it's all to0 tragic in comparison with our current president. 
 

Tabula rasa, by Ruth Downie

I really enjoyed this sixth book in Ruth Downie's Medicus series about a doctor in the Roman army in the 2nd century. In this book Gaius and his British wife Tilla are working with a unit that is building Hadrian's wall in the north. Tilla has found some long-lost family members and they plan to hold a wedding ceremony for Gaius and Tilla who got married when they were away in Gaul. But the plans are derailed when Gaius' secretary goes missing, and rumors about a body being hidden in the wall's construction site lead to the kidnapping of a young boy. Gaius and Tilla must both work their connections to try to find out what happened to the secretary, Candidus (who happens to be Gaius' former secretary's nephew), and Branan, the young boy who has been kidnapped and sold into slavery. I like the way this series paints a picture of what life might have been like in Britain under Roman occupation, including details about food, clothing, furniture, medicine, and much more. 
 

Murder in Mesopotamia, by Agatha Christie

The narrator of Murder in Mesopotamia is Nurse Amy Leatherman who has traveled to Mesopotamia to accompany a patient, planning to travel home after she's no longer needed. However, she's asked to assist with the wife of an archaeologist who is excavating a site nearby. The new patient, Louise Leidner, has reported a series of unnerving incidents that have been uncorroborated, leading some of the others in the archaeological team to doubt her truthfulness or mental health. When she turns up murdered, the authorities ask for help from Hercule Poirot who has been traveling nearby, and he works with Nurse Leatherman to find the guilty party. This was a fun mystery narrated by an amusing and perceptive character (her asides about Poirot himself are especially funny).

One thing I noticed in this book, consistent with the previous few Christie books, is the lack of antisemitism, which I had noticed in a number of the early books. One or two had also used slurs against Native Americans, e.g., referring to violent gang members in France as Apache killers. In this book I only noticed one such slur, and it was against Italians. I wonder if given the political climate of Europe in the mid-30s that she found herself unable to have her characters express bigotry against Jews, but found it socially permissible to show bigotry against Italians?

One other funny thing: I don't remember a plane in the book at all; I believe trains and cars were primarily used to get around. So why does the cover have a plane on it?
 

Her hidden genius, by Marie Benedict

This is a very good fictionalized examination of Rosalind Franklin's career as a scientist in 1940s and 1950s England and France. She came from a wealthy family and didn't need to work, but she loved science and chose her work as a scientist over the objections of her parents and other family members. Franklin worked for a period in France, then moved back to London to take a position at Kings College researching the structure of DNA. After nearly two years of dedicated research, her work was stolen and used as the basis for Francis Crick's and James Watson's articles declaring the structure of DNA to be a double helix, for which they later won the Nobel Prize. Rosalind Franklin's contributions to this discovery were not recognized until after Jame Watson published his memoir in which he denigrated both her work and character, and Franklin's friends made an effort to correct the record. It is now widely acknowledged that it was her work that provided the evidence needed to identify the structure of DNA as a double helix, and this book provides an entertaining albeit infuriating fictionalized history of how all of that came to pass. It took me a while to get into the book, but once going it was hard to put down.
 

Real tigers, by Mick Herron

This is the third novel in the Slow Horses series by Mick Herron. It continues the story of a bunch of exiled MI5 officers who are assigned to Slough House in the expectation that given dull and repetitive work, they will resign and save the service the effort of firing them. Some of them were exiled for costly mistakes they made on the job, one was exiled after someone deliberately sabotaged a training exercise he was leading, and another for simply being disliked. As in the first two books, they're drawn into a major operation when one of their own is kidnapped in order to coerce another agent to steal classified information. When he's caught, it quickly becomes clear that this was only the start of a much larger operation and all of the "slow horses" must work together to figure out who's behind the kidnapping and what's really going on. These books have fast-paced action and snappy dialogue. There's a lot of humor but also intrigue and suspense.
 

Shut up and read: a memoir from Harriett's Bookshop, by Jeannine A. Cook

This is an interesting and heartfelt memoir by a woman who has founded three bookstores that operate not only as bookstores but also as community centers. Harriett's bookshop is in Philadelphia, Ida's Bookshop is in Collingswood, N.J., and Josephine's Bookshop is in Paris. Cook's memoir also documents her struggle to complete her first novel and the last months she has with her father before his death in 2024. I learned about this book through Spotlight PA's monthly book club, which met over Zoom and included an interview of Cook by Spotlight PA's events coordinator, Yaasmeen Piper. You can find a recording of the book club meeting and interview here. Cook's success with organizing community events, writing two books, and opening and running three bookstores is very impressive!
 

The husbands, by Holly Gramazio

I really loved this fantasy about a woman who gets a new husband every time he goes into the attic. She tries out some of the husbands for a few days or weeks, but she finds others unsuitable and sends them packing immediately. This book was highly entertaining and I couldn't put it down. Part of the pull of the book is wondering how the author was going to resolve everything. This is a first novel and I was really impressed with the plotting, the characters, and how the book reflects modern life, dating, and marriage.
 

A new lease of death, by Ruth Rendell

In this second book in Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford mystery series, both Inspector Wexford and his DI Mike Burdon take a back seat in the plot which is lead primarily by the Reverend Archery who is looking into a 16 year old crime. Herbert Painter was found guilty of the murder of his employer and was ultimately executed. Now his daughter and Archery's son want to marry, but the Reverend is concerned by his son marrying the daughter of a murderer and wants to revisit the case. He proceeds to interview people associated with the case including the convicted murderer's widow and her new husband, the victim's maid, and the neighbors from across the street who found the body. They begin to suspect the victim's grandson, and Archery's son Charlie goes as far as accusing him. Throughout the book they continue to check in with Wexford who eventually (spoiler alert) exonerates the grandson. However, their investigations do provide proof that (another spoiler alert), the convicted man was in fact guilty, and further, they find evidence that removes Archery's objections to his son's marriage. Throughout it all, Rendell's writing is top-notch. And in spite of the book being published in 1967, it doesn't have a sense of being dated (perhaps aside from all the smoking), unlike the Inspector Morse series, which I read and reviewed here a while ago.  

Grit: the power of passion and perseverance, by Angela Duckworth

In this book, University of Pennsylvania psychology professor Angela Duckworth shares her own and others' research about what makes some people more successful than others, a trait that she defines as grit. Grit is a combination of passion and perseverance and while some people seem to have always had this quality, Duckworth believes that you can become grittier through specific practices, and you can help others (e.g., your children, your employees) become grittier as well. Some of her findings show that while talent is important, effort counts for more in measures of success. Much of Duckworth's research relies upon self reporting through surveys that ask participants to rate themselves on questions such as "I finish whatever I begin," or "I am diligent. I never give up." The seond section of the book explores how you can increase your own level of grit by following your passion, deliberate practice, having a purpose that is connected to your core values, and maintaining a sense of hope. The third section looks at how you can inculcate grit in others through encouragement, modeling grit in your own practices, and other means.

While I enjoyed this book and the many examples and anecdotes, I was horrified by some of the animal testing that was used by other researchers and reported on here by Duckworth. Examples using electrical shocks on dogs and rats that showed how random applications removed their willingness to keep trying to get treats and caused long-term damage to their psyches are horrific. I don't believe research such as this is ethical and didn't appreciate seeing it in a book that is meant to address human grittiness. I don't think such research is necessary to show that continually causing random pain to someone (human or animal) proves that it will make them timid and frightened, and I'm surprised that Duckworth would think it's ok to report on in a popular business book that's intended to help people become better versions of themselves. 
 

Being mortal: medicine and what matters in the end, by Atul Gawande

 

This is a very moving book about what people need to think about as they approach end of life. Author Atul Gawande is a surgeon, writer, and public health researcher who currently works at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., and teaches at Harvard Medical School. He also recently served for three years as an administrator of USAID. He writes early in the book about the history of nursing homes and the evolution of assisted living facilities before transitioning to discuss a number of cases of people dealing with terminal illnesses and how their cases were discussed by their caregivers. In many cases, the doctors were reluctant to face the inevitable outcomes and found it difficult to be honest with the patients about the often likelihood of failure of chemo and radiation to significantly extend life, for example, in the case of various cancers. In those cases, the instinct is to try everything, even when it seriously diminishes quality of life and barely (if at all) extends life. Gawande stresses the importance of finding out what your loved ones really want at the end, whether it's simply to reduce pain or die at home rather in an institution. He shares his own experience with his father's last illness, illustrating how difficult these discussions are even for professionals. I found this book to highly informative and thought-provoking, but also quite moving.

Semper fidelis, by Ruth Downie

 

In this fifth mystery in the Gaius Petreius Ruso series about a doctor attached to the Roman army in 2nd century Britain, Ruso uncovers corruption in the army in Eboracum and when he notifies the emperor Hadrian, he's arrested and accused of murder. The backdrop of this book is Hadrian's tour of Britain on his way to inspect the wall that would eventually be named for him. Hadrian's wife Sabina is traveling with him and takes an interest in Ruso's British wife Tilla to break her boredom. Both Tilla and Ruso are trying to do the right thing by reporting the mistreatment of British recruits by the Roman centurion Geminus, but it all goes wrong when Geminus is murdered and Ruso is framed for the crime. This was an interesting and well-written story that left me wanting even more to visit modern day Eboracum (York), but I found it frustrating that the main character, Ruso, spent much of the book in captivity. I got used to Ruso leading the action in the first four books, and this was a little less satisfying to me. But I am still looking forward to the next four books.

The ABC murders, by Agatha Christie

I really enjoyed this mystery, Agatha Christie's 11th with Hercule Poirot and the first featuring a serial killer. Poirot's friend Captain Hastings is visiting England from his home in Argentina and laments that they don't have a good murder to solve. Before you know it, there's just such a murder, with a killer who writes taunting letters to Poirot. At first it's unclear that there's a serial killer on the loose, but after the second murder shows up, it seems clear that someone is targeting people based on the alphabet, with last names and towns that begin with A, B, and then C. They're challenged by their inability to identify anything that connects the three victims other than the sequence of letters. Finally, a chance clue pops up that ties the murders together, leading Poirot to identify a suspect, but he's still not satisfied. Did they catch the right guy or not?
 

The wedding people, by Alison Espach

 

This is a page-turner of a novel that I just couldn't put down. College professor and recently divorced Phoebe goes to a resort hotel in Rhode Island with the intention of committing suicide by overdosing on her recently dead cat's pain pills. When she arrives she finds that the rest of the hotel has been taken over by a wedding party for week-long festivities. Her plans for suicide are thwarted on the first night, and Phoebe gives up on the idea, but still not sure what to do next, she's drawn into the drama surrounding the wedding and quickly befriends the bride, Lila. When Lila's maid of honor has to cancel at the last minute, Phoebe is drafted for the job and she gets drawn more and more into Lila's family situation. Things get complicated when she realizes that both the bride and groom have doubts about their wedding plans, and Phoebe begins to have feelings for the groom. This is a funny but heartfelt exploration on grief and love. It's very well-written and I felt myself absorbed by the plot and characters. Highly recommended!

The power of habit: why we do what we do in life and business, by Charles Duhigg

In an engaging and entertaining collection of stories and research, author Charles Duhigg shares how habits form and how they can be changed. Claiming that habits cannot be eliminated, only changed, Duhigg says that one must identify the cue, routine, and reward cycle for any habit, then work to change the routine. In a manner reminiscent of many business self help books, Duhigg bolsters his and others' research with many anecdotes to illustrate how habits are formed by individuals, organizations, and societies. While interesting, I was hoping for something more instructive to apply to my own habits, but this book does lay the foundation for how to think about the habits we have and how we might change the cycle. This was a re-read, and my opinion is the same this time around.
 

Dead lions, by Mick Herron

 

I really enjoyed this second book in the Slow Horses series by author Mick Herron. The story begins when a retired spy notices a former Soviet agent; he follows him but ends up killed. When Jackson Lamb finds out about the death, he immediately suspects that it's murder and he begins to investigate, crossing paths with another MI5 agent who's trying to recruit a Russian oligarch to be an intelligence asset. As in the first book, some of the agents at Slough House are used by the central leadership of MI5 to support the recruitment effort, while others are working with Jackson to investigate the murder of his former colleague. This book was easier to follow than the first because so many of the characters were already introduced. The action and intrigue in this story are page turning and lead to a very exciting climax. I can't wait to read the next one!

Remarkably bright creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt

 

I really loved this first novel by author Shelby Van Pelt. It's about a woman named Tova Sullivan who has endured significant loss over the years and who has taken a job as an evening cleaner at the local aquarium. Tova lost her son when he was just 19 in mysterious circumstances at sea. She lost her husband a few years ago, and her brother has also recently died. Tova's job at the aquarium brings her into contact with a highly intelligent Pacific octopus who has a penchant for escaping his tank for short jaunts around the aquarium to look for snacks. The octopus, named Marcellus, also holds the secret to what happened to her son years ago, and he sets in motion a series of events that lead to Tova learning about her son and much more. There are a lot of great characters in the book, including a local shop owner who has a crush on Tova, a young man who's searching for his father, and the members of Tova's knitting group. The interplay between all of the characters and especially between Tova and Marcellus is funny and touching. The writing is wonderful, and I couldn't put this book down. I'm looking forward to the author's next book!

Mayra, by Nicky Gonzalez

I did not love this horror novel about a young woman, Ingrid, who goes off to the Everglades for a weekend visit with Mayra, a friend she hasn't seen in a long time. They're staying in a home with Mayra's boyfriend, Benji, who is obsessed with caring for the house. The house itself is strange and seems to grow and develop organically, reflecting its occupants' lives. As days pass, it's clear that the house is causing Ingrid to lose track of time and her life outside. When Ingrid finds a diary of a former occupant, she begins to realize what's happening and plans an escape. In the end, she gets out, but Mayra decides to stay behind in the house with Benji. While the premise is interesting, the book didn't coalesce well for me. In flashbacks, Ingrid delves into her and Mayra's past relationship, but none if it seemed to shed light on what's happening in the present. Similarly, the diary did lead to Ingrid's figuring out what was going on, but it seemed like an unnecessary digression from the plot. I also didn't like the author's overemphasis on gross descriptions of sweat and dirt. At one point Benji wipes his finger along a dusty windowpane and then eats the dust ball. I didn't get the point of that at all, given that he's not in any other way depicted as a monster or demented (other than being bewitched by the house). 
 

Among friends, by Hal Ebbott

 

I did not care for this book at all. Two families have been friends since childhood, but the adults all seem to resent and even dislike each other. When one molests the daughter of his best friend, her resulting downward spiral leads to her telling her parents what happened, but they're torn about what to do because they don't want to break up the friendship. WHAT? I found this book incredibly offensive, made even worse by the fact that the adult characters don't even seem to like each other. It makes the conclusion unfathomable and actually unbelievable.

Master slave husband wife, by Ilyon Woo

 

I really enjoyed this true story about a husband and wife, both enslaved, who escape the south by disguising themselves as a master and slave, with the wife posing as a young man and her husband posing as her slave. They had saved enough money from their skilled labor that they were able to purchase train and boat tickets that took them first to Philadelphia, and then to the Boston area. They joined up with abolitionists and went on a speaking circuit to raise money for themselves and abolitionist causes before trying to settle down. However, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made their safety uncertain, so they fled to England where they lived until 1968. Author Ilyon Woo provides a deeply researched look at their lives as well as the historical background, but the book reads as smoothly as a novel.

By the second spring: seven lives and one year of the war in Ukraine, by Danielle Leavitt

 

This is an amazing work of contemporary history. In it, author Danielle Leavitt profiles seven Ukrainians during the first 18 months of the Ukraine war. They were ordinary citizens, men and women, old and young, married and single, well-to-do and those of moderate means. They came from all over the country and also include one woman who had emigrated to the US with her American husband but who dropped everything to go back and provide relief efforts when the war began. The author structures her books around the seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall/winter, and spring, hence the title. In each section she provides an update on each of those profiled. One man had just fulfilled his dream by opening a coffee shop a few weeks before the war started, only to see it demolished. A woman flees eastern Ukraine with her parents when her husband decides to volunteer for the Ukrainian army. Others try to stay in place while the war rages around them. Throughout the book, Leavitt provides background information that helps set the context for contemporary Russian aggression, outlining much of 20th century Soviet history through the breakup of the Soviet Union and Russia's subsequent attempts to control and dominate its former fellow republics. This book only covers the period through spring of 2023 and its heartbreaking to think about and not know what has happened to the people profiled in the three years since then. I hope at some point there will be an effort to track them down and provide an update.