How the Irish saved civilization, by Thomas Cahill

I was a little disappointed in this book and feel like the title was misleading. The author spent so much time on the end of the classical period, including the life of Augustine of Hippo, that he doesn't get to his thesis until the last 50 pages, and then it felt entirely too rushed. He claims that Greek literature would have been saved through other means, but that Latin literature would not have survived if not for the Irish monasteries where they copied and presumably distributed those manuscripts. I would have liked to learn much more about the Irish monasteries and scriptoria where they copied manuscripts. What all was saved? How were the manuscripts kept or shared? How many remain? How did historians learn of all of these activities? So many questions, but it was all rushed through with little detail.
 

The Cartographers, by Peng Shepherd

The Cartographers presents an intriguing concept about the purpose of maps and how they work. Nell is a cartographer working in a map shop creating knock-off historical maps. She had a promising research career at the New York Public Library before her father caused her to be fired and unable to find another respectable job in the field. When Nell's father is killed, she finds the map that caused the rift between them, and this leads to Nell investigating the story behind the map to discover why it caused her father to become so upset. What starts out as a mystery morphs into a fantasy, with the map providing a magic entry into another world. I really enjoyed the writing and plot development in this book. It holds together pretty well, aside from some questionable decisions made by Nell's parents.
 

Doors open, by Ian Rankin

 

Before a recent vacation to Scotland, which started and ended in Edinburgh, I wanted to read a novel by Ian Rankin who has been recommended to me by multiple people. I selected this book, a standalone novel that isn't part of any of his series, to take with me on the trip. Doors open is a crime caper that reminded me of Ocean's Eleven and similar stories. Mike Mackenzie, a wealthy tech mogul, and two friends decide to rob the National Galleries of Scotland of some of their better Scottish art, but when they bring in accomplices to help with some aspects of the robbery, everything starts to go wrong. The writing is good and the main characters are interesting and well-developed. I haven't read any of the Rebus novels, but I've heard that they are dark. I wouldn't characterize this book as dark; rather, I found it charming and amusing.

Moments of happiness: a Wisconsin band story, by Mike Leckrone and Doug Moe

 

Band director Mike Leckrone shares highlights of his 50-year career in this joyous memoir. Leckrone grew up in a musical family and his love of applause cemented his desire to perform. He learned multiple instruments, played in school bands, and performed in a musical act with his father. A concert headlined by Louis Armstrong taught Leckrone the importance of giving every performance his best. He attended university and stayed on as director of bands before being recruited by the University of Wisconsin. Leckrone’s enthusiasm shines through as he recounts the marching band’s evolution as an increasingly more important part of the sports and music scenes at Wisconsin. He insisted on rigorous preparation for performances but allowed the students leeway to have fun. A common theme is Leckrone’s focus on remembering those things that create moments of happiness, whether it’s marching in the Rose Bowl parade or something more mundane. He recommends that we bank those memories to help navigate more difficult times. Leckrone retired in 2019 but is still active with projects including a podcast about music and a one-man theatrical production about his life. VERDICT This is an uplifting memoir by a man with a storied and impactful career.

 

A version of this review was published by Library Journal 149:8 (2024): 94.