The Undiscovered Country: Triumph, Tragedy, and the Shaping of the American West (Paul Andrew Hutton)

Paul Andrew Hutton’s The Undiscovered Country: Triumph, Tragedy, and the Shaping of the American West is a well-researched book that takes the reader through America’s westward expansion. Framing his narrative around seven emblematic figures (Daniel Boone, Red Eagle, Davy Crockett, Mangas Coloradas, Kit Carson, Sitting Bull, and Buffalo Bill Cody), Hutton takes us on a journey through nearly two centuries of American history in its eventual pursuit of “manifest destiny” of being a coast-to-coast nation.

From the “French and Indian War” in the mid 18th Century to the Wounded Knee massacre of 1890, Hutton dives into tales of ambition, violence, environmental ruin, and societal upheaval. The author presents a very balanced account that foregrounds Indigenous experiences alongside settler narratives. In today’s era of historical nonfiction writing, this balance is refreshing to see.

Hutton’s character-driven approach is the strongest aspect of the book, offering both depth and accessibility. This invites readers to ponder American identity through the lens of those who shaped and were impacted by the frontier. The stories and character development are at times methodical but serve a purpose, helping provide important context to particular events that shaped America’s expansion westward. The Undiscovered Country is a strong achievement in narrative history that is epic in scope, compassionate in tone, and unyieldingly honest in its portrayal of an era that defined a nation.

MY RATING: 4.5

Flashes of Brilliance: The Genius of Early Photography and How It Transformed Art, Science, and History (Anika Burgess)

In Flashes of Brilliance: The Genius of Early Photography and How It Transformed Art, Science, and History, photo editor and writer Anika Burgess provides an enjoyable journey through the early decades of photographic history. From photography’s birth in the 1830s to the early 20th century, Burgess blends art, science, and social history into an entertaining story of innovation and eccentricity. She introduces us to pioneers like Anna Atkins, whose cyanotypes produced the first photobook, and the dynamic duo Muybridge and Marey, whose motion‑capture experiments laid the groundwork for modern imaging technologies 

Burgess’s narrative thrives on astonishing and at times humorous anecdotes. Photographers risked their lives with explosive flash powders (sometimes not living to tell the tale) and were known to have lugged massive cameras into hot-air balloons, or even ventured into catacombs and underwater realms to freeze moments no one had ever seen before. Burgess’s storytelling is enriched by dry wit throughout the book. If you’re familiar with Burgess’s writing from Atlas Obscura, you’ll see the thread of their creative writing throughout this book.

Flashes of Brilliance extends beyond technical marvels. The book probes the societal ripples of photographic innovation. Issues like image manipulation, privacy concerns, and surveillance were alive at photography’s inception. Burgess shows how photographs became tools for asserting identity and power, such as self-portraits by Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass. Flashes of Brilliance is not just a history of photography. It’s a well-written, creative narrative about something that many of us take for granted one selfie at a time.

MY RATING: 5

Thomas More: A Life (Joanne Paul)

Joanne Paul’s Thomas More: A Life is a biography of one of 16th Century England’s most enigmatic figures. Drawing on over a decade of archival work, Paul constructs a portrait of More as a complex, intellectually rigorous, and deeply conflicted statesman rooted firmly in his faith and family.

Paul effectively immerses the reader in the shifting currents of late-medieval Catholic England, guided largely by the whims of a lovelorn Henry VIII in search of a wife who could give birth to a male heir. More emerges not merely as a conservative zealot, as popular portrayals might suggest, but as a deeply thoughtful man that is worn and weighed by the pressures of his faith, his country, and also his family. The narrative unfolds with a pace that is both compelling and scholarly. More’s writing, especially his poignant spiritual letters written during his final trials, is a valuable contribution to the author’s development and portrayal of More.

Paul shows More as neither monster nor martyr, but as a Renaissance man wrestling with the demands of conscience in an age of fracturing authority and in an age where faith and reason are increasingly colliding. 

Thomas More: A Life stands out as a clear narrative that brings More’s values into vivid focus. Students of the Reformation era, Henry VIII, and the Catholic-Anglican split will certainly benefit from this biography.

MY RATING: 4.5

Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty (Adam Kucharski)

In Proof: The Art and Science of Certainty, author Adam Kucharski examines the foundations of how we know what we know - whether in mathematics, science, law, or everyday life. Best known for his work on epidemics and data modeling, Kucharski turns his attention to the tools that are used in an attempt to build certainty in a world full of ambiguity. Proof is a thoughtful, timely, and accessible exploration of logic, probability, and the shifting nature of truth.

Kucharski begins with the roots of deductive reasoning and formal proof, tracing their development from Euclid to modern mathematics. From those initial foundations, Kucharski then explores how different domains such as medicine, justice, technology apply (or misapply) various forms of reasoning in pursuit of certainty. Case studies, such as flawed forensic methods or overconfident algorithms, reveal just how fragile “proof” can be when misused.

While at times Proof can get a bit technical and wonky for those who are not math or science-inclined, the book is refreshingly honest about the limits of certainty. Kucharski is candid about how rigorous methods can produce false confidence when context is ignored. Proof is not just about logic or math. It’s about trust, evidence, and the human desire to be sure. In an age of misinformation, Kucharski offers a toolkit we badly need.

MY RATING: 4

Allies at War: How the Struggles Between the Allied Powers Shaped the War and the World (Tim Bouverie)

In Allies at War: How the Struggles Between the Allied Powers Shaped the War and the World,  author Tim Bouverie explores one of the most consequential partnerships of the 20th century: the fraught alliance between Winston Churchill (Great Britain), Franklin D. Roosevelt (United States), and Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) during World War II. Bouverie focuses on the inner tensions and political maneuverings that shaped the Allied war effort and ultimately the postwar world.

Much of Allies at War is devoted to the personalities and backstories of Churchill, FDR, and Stalin, plus the ministers that worked for them. Bouverie delves deep into the ego clashes, mistrust, and miscommunication that characterized the “Big Three,” revealing how mutual suspicion, especially between the Western leaders and Stalin, often complicated military and diplomatic strategy. Naivety in understanding the Soviet Union’s political and military motives also played a role in how their partnership developed and ultimately fizzled. Churchill emerges as the emotional, often stubborn statesman; Roosevelt as the charming but at times naive optimist; and Stalin as the cold, calculating tactician with his own brutal vision for Europe.

Bouverie’s book weaves together military history with political drama. Drawing on a wide array of primary sources, he manages to balance narrative momentum with analytical insight, offering a nuanced portrait of how this uneasy alliance held together just long enough to defeat Hitler, before breaking apart into the Cold War divide. Allies at War offers a very good study of the limits and necessities of diplomacy in an era of global crisis. It is well-suited for students of WWII and international relations.

MY RATING: 4.5

The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe's Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II (Adam LeBor)

In The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe’s Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II, author Adam LeBor offers a powerful and deeply researched account of Hungary’s descent into chaos during the war Focusing on Budapest from 1940 to 1945, LeBor begins with the city’s period of deceptive calm before chronicling its tragic descent into anarchy, murder, and brutal fighting during 1944 and early 1945.

The book explores how Hungary, initially a reluctant ally of Nazi Germany, slowly surrendered to growing antisemitism and authoritarianism. LeBor pays special attention to Regent Miklos Horthy, who resisted deporting Hungary’s Jews for a time, but ultimately lost control when German troops invaded in March 1944. Hungary was absorbed gradually into Germany’s political orbit because of Germany’s promises of restoring lost territory in the aftermath of World War I but also due to its own antisemitic undercurrent in politics with a series of laws limiting Jewish representation in a number of professions. Horthy’s ambivalence and dithering as a leader is one of the key takeaways from this book, as LeBor points out there were numerous opportunities for Horthy to cut deals to switch sides in World War II or to remain neutral before being pulled into the war during 1940.

LeBor details both acts of courage, like those of diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, and horrifying cruelty, especially during the reign of the Arrow Cross militia, which deposed Horthy in October 1944. These fanatical fascists unleashed brutal violence, executing Jews on the banks of the Danube and terrorizing the city during the siege of 1944-45.

At just over 500 pages, The Last Days of Budapest is a gripping and sobering read. It’s essential reading for anyone interested in how quickly a country can descend into lawlessness and anarchy and in the human cost of indifference and extremism. 

MY RATING: 4.5

The Young Fed: The Banking Crises of the 1920s and the Making of a Lender of Last Resort (Mark Carlson)

In The Young Fed: The Banking Crises of the 1920s and the Making of a Lender of Last Resort, author Mark Carlson offers a well-researched account of the Federal Reserve’s handling of the twin challenges of agricultural downturns and banking panics in the 1920s. Rooted in extensive archival work, Carlson traces the evolution of the Fed’s role as a “lender of last resort,” a function that was never static but continually redefined based on circumstance and regional bank policy.

What stands out is Carlson’s vivid portrayal of early interventions, ranging from dramatic cash‑loaded armored cars dispatched to regional banks to discreet negotiations aimed at preventing a bank run from becoming more widespread. These episodes reveal an institution in experimentation mode, debating the limits of its mandate and tactical reach. Carlson also doesn’t shy away from complexity. He details how, during the recovery-driven 1920s, some Fed “discount window” lending resulted in losses. In one instance, cattle that were held as collateral and ultimately taken from some failed ranch banks ended up burdening reserve banks with unwieldy assets. Some of these teachable moments helped shape the gradual direction of the Fed.

One could argue that the whack-a-mole strategy that unfolded in the 1920s was unable to mitigate wider Depression-era bank runs. Decisions in the 1920s were often made at regional or even local Fed levels, and a more unified strategy on dealing with bank crises was still some time off. However, the evolution of the Fed was due in large part to those smaller 1920s-era panics and what was learned from them. 

The Young Fed leans academic and a bit wonky on the economics and policy side. However, for those interested in banking history in the United States, this book is a cautionary tale about risk and crisis management in the financial sector.

MY RATING: 4.5