The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet (Scott Weidensaul)

The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet by Scott Weidensaul blends natural history and environmental reflection into a well-written narrative about conservation and rewilding. In this engaging work, Weidensaul chronicles his efforts to restore a declining population of American oystercatchers along the Atlantic coast while exploring broader questions about conservation and humanity’s relationship with nature.

Weidensaul’s journey starts in his home state of Pennsylvania, where he chronicles the efforts that went into the formation of the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary during the Great Depression. He also takes us to Europe, showcasing rewilding efforts in Romania, along with the middle of the boreal forest in Northern Canada to highlight a decades-long conservation effort. In each location, the author focuses primarily on how these efforts and how human intervention and conservation is impacting bird populations. In some cases, the outcomes are not as intended.

Weidsenaul’s book is written through an environmental lens; not quite at activist levels but one where you can see his passion and concern for the environment. He provides a well-written chronicle that showcases the important role birds play in the ecosystem and our role in helping ensure they continue to survive in our world.

MY RATING: 4

Converts: From Oscar Wilde to Muriel Spark, Why So Many Became Catholic in the 20th Century (Melanie McDonagh)

Melanie McDonagh’s Converts: From Oscar Wilde to Muriel Spark, Why So Many Became Catholic in the 20th Century offers a thoughtful look at the British people who embraced Roman Catholicism during the twentieth century. McDonagh examines figures like Edith Sitwell, Graham Greene, Oscar Wilde, and Ronald Knox, showing how personal longing, intellectual curiosity, and social change shaped their religious journeys.

These vignets are samples of a broader movement within early and middle 20th Century British life, where tens of thousands of Brits joined Catholicism for various reasons. Some joined because of their spiritual connection to the faith, others because of family, or a personal connection to someone in the faith who helped them through a troubled time. Conversions topped 10,000 annually for a time in the 1910s and early 1920s per estimates before dwindling sharply after Vatican II. 

Converts is an insightful and absorbing study of belief in an age often marked by skepticism. It reminds readers that spiritual searching remains central to human identity and cultural life. McDonagh approaches her subjects with sympathy while still acknowledging their flaws and contradictions. Readers interested in literature, history, or religion will find much to admire here. 

MY RATING: 4.5

He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860 (Jonathan Earle)

In He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860, author Jonathan Earle retells the story of one of the most consequential elections in American history. The book centers on Abraham Lincoln’s rise from relative obscurity to national prominence, emphasizing his political skill, moral clarity, and ability to connect with ordinary voters. Earle presents Lincoln not as an inevitable hero, but as a shrewd strategist navigating a fractured political landscape marked by deep sectional and partisan tensions.

Earle’s account begins prior to 1860, with various events such as John Brown’s raid, Bleeding Kansas, and the rise of sectionalism. The 1860 presidential election featured four political candidates, each representing a different faction of the electorate. The year’s political proceedings were marked by infighting in conventions, attempts at compromise and fusion candidates that failed, and the grasping attempts of one long standing political leader to outwit his key intrastate rival as they contended for the Presidency.

Earle also carefully traces the collapse of both the Whigs and Know-Nothing movement, and the subsequent emergence of the Republican coalition, showing how Lincoln managed to unify diverse factions. This counters the division within Democratic circles around slavery and popular sovereignty, leading to a schism within the party. The narrative also highlights the roles of lesser known figures, giving readers a broader understanding of the political environment that shaped the election.

The prose is engaging and well paced, making the book suitable for both general readers and students of history. Overall, He Has the People succeeds as an informative and compelling study of leadership and democracy at a pivotal moment. It reminds readers that Lincoln’s victory was not predetermined, but earned through strategy, perceived moderation, and having rallied the coalition of northern Republicans to his side. 

MY RATING: 4.5

Vikings: Culture of Discovery and Plunder

Vikings: Culture of Discovery and Plunder is a very thoughtful and curated collection of illustrations, photos, and renderings of Viking culture, which dominated much of Northern Europe and the North Atlantic in the 8th, 9th, and 10th Centuries. Osprey Publishing’s collaborative work (there’s no lead author and several artists contributed to the artwork within the book) highlights the armor, war material, transportation, and wardrobe of these hardy Norse warriors.

For this book, I reviewed a digital copy but could only imagine how much more vivid the hardcover would have been. The artwork within the book was stunning, creative, and realistic. The photography was very detailed. While the text of the book is slim with a collection of essays by Gareth Williams, Noah Tentzner, and others, the text, art, and photography all blend together very seamlessly.

Those interested in the study of the Vikings (not the football team, mind you) and pre-Norman English history would enjoy this book.

MY RATING: 4.5

When the Declaration of Independence Was News (Emily Sneff)

In When the Declaration of Independence Was News, author Emily Sneff offers an engaging perspective on America’s founding document. Rather than focusing solely on the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, Sneff examines what happened immediately after its creation, when it circulated as urgent and uncertain news across the new American nation and then across the Atlantic world.

The book’s central strength lies in its reframing of independence as a communication process. Sneff traces how printers, soldiers, diplomats, and ordinary citizens encountered the document in real time, often through newspapers, broadsides, and public readings. This approach reveals a messy and unpredictable flow of information, where the meaning of independence was not fixed but debated, distorted, and sometimes resisted. The original text of the declaration was sometimes edited depending on the audience, particularly more so in England where publishers feared running afoul of King George III. The emphasis on distribution rather than authorship gives the narrative a dynamic quality, highlighting how fragile and contingent the revolutionary moment truly was.

Sneff succeeds in bringing lesser known figures into the story, particularly the story of Polly Palmer that’s highlighted early in the book. The book is also particularly effective in showing how reactions to independence varied widely, from enthusiastic celebrations to hesitation to even some voices of dissent domestically, as well as a wary eye from Europe to whether the American effort would truly succeed. 

Overall, When the Declaration of Independence Was News is a unique contribution to the study of early American history. It encourages readers to see the founding from the perspective of the news story that it truly was in the middle of 1776.

MY RATING: 4.5

Mafia: A Global History (Ryan Gingeras)

Mafia: A Global History by Ryan Gingeras explores organized crime across different regions and eras. Rather than focusing only on the familiar Italian or American examples, Gingeras broadens the scope to show how mafia-like organizations emerge in varied political and economic conditions. This global perspective is one of the book’s strongest features, as it challenges the reader to rethink assumptions about what defines a mafia.

Gingeras argues that these groups are not simply criminal enterprises but are deeply tied to state formation, governance, and local power structures. He illustrates how corruption, weak institutions, and social networks create environments where such organizations can thrive. The book moves fluidly between case studies, connecting patterns without losing sight of regional differences. While the book effectively covers a number of global enterprises, such as the Yakuza, and includes the stock American mobs that we know and think of often, it did neglect to include mob-related operations in locations throughout America’s heartland, specifically Kansas City and how Italian and Irish gangs helped in the rise of the Pendergasts politically.

Overall, Mafia: A Global History serves as an excellent introduction to the subject. It’s particularly valuable for readers interested in understanding organized crime beyond popular stereotypes and what we’ve seen in The Godfather trilogy. 

MY RATING: 4

The Louisiana Purchase: The Grand Bargain and the Making of America (Alexander Mikaberidze)

Alexander Mikaberidze’s The Louisiana Purchase: The Grand Bargain and the Making of America offers a deeply researched account of one of the most consequential land deals in American history. Rather than treating the purchase as a simple real estate transaction, Mikaberidze weaves the story within a complex web of global politics, imperial ambition, and fragile diplomacy. He demonstrates that the transfer of Louisiana from France to the United States was shaped as much by events in Europe and the Caribbean as by frontier concerns in North America.

Mikaberidze draws on French, Spanish, British, and American sources to show how Napoleon’s strategic calculations, French financial pressures, and military setbacks influenced his willingness to sell. At the same time, he highlights the anxieties of American leaders who feared foreign powers controlling the Mississippi River, the port of New Orleans, and the Gulf coast. The book makes clear that the purchase was neither inevitable nor straightforward, but the product of uncertainty and rapid change.

Mikaberidze writes with clarity and authority in an engaging style. He presents the purchase as a gamble for both nations, filled with risks and unintended consequences. Those consequences extend beyond the expanding American nation, as many native populations soon found out. The Louisiana Purchase changed how the United States viewed itself. It raised constitutional questions and shifted the country from a loose union of states with a weak federal government to a nation with a stronger central government.

By placing the event within a global context, the book helps the reader understand early American expansion and underscores the fragile nature of empires. It is an insightful and compelling study that will appeal to scholars and general readers alike.

MY RATING: 4.5

A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams (Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie)

I didn't plan to write the review for Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie's A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams on July 4 (and our nation's 250th birthday), but it's only fitting that it worked out that way. This is the latest in the authors' historical fiction books about women from our country's early times; they've also written about Eliza Hamilton and Patsy Jefferson.

Not only did Abigail Adams raise her children and "hold down the fort" while her husband was away for sometimes years at a time, but she also demonstrated much financial shrewdness. Abigail was never afraid to speak her mind, offering political counsel to her husband (and even Thomas Jefferson). She famously told her husband to "Remember the ladies" in the new government. During her many years, she suffered much tragedy, but never stopped trying to give both the people she loved and the next generation a better life. 

Some events in this book were a little too drawn out, making it a bit tedious to read at times. And the authors clearly state in the back of the book that they took great liberties with things such as the timing of events. I almost wish they would state this at the front so readers would not deem it 100% factual. But all in all, A Founding Mother is definitely a worthwhile read for our nation's 250th birthday. 

MY RATING: 3.5

Suitable: The Sartorial Revolution and the Fashioning of Modern Men (Chloe Chapin)

Chloe Chapin’s Suitable: The Sartorial Revolution and the Fashioning of Modern Men offers a thoughtful exploration and evolution of the modern dark suit in American (and subsequently Western) life. The development of the American suit coat helped shape modern ideas of masculinity, prestige, and power that have been adopted throughout much of the world since its development in the late 18th and early 19th Century.

Chapin begins by showcasing the evolution of the suit in America, focusing on development of style, fabric, and color, and the choices made by early American leaders to design suit coats in order to differentiate themselves from European royalty and power. This evolution in style also spread into the mainstream of American life, particularly among professional and middle class white males. The suit ultimately became a source of prescribed power and prestige that accumulated as many societal norms as the customs of European royal wardrobes that the suit was developed to shun. Occasional focus on international fashion and the suit’s evolution in other places, such as France and England, is included in the broader discussion, but the book’s focus is largely on American fashion.

Suitable makes the history of the suit and its influence on American history and politics an interesting concept worth reading about.

MY RATING: 4

American Soccer Nation (Mark C. Franek)

In American Soccer Nation: The Remarkable 150-Year History of Yanks on a Roll, from Mob Football to the Modern Game, author Mark C. Franek explores the history of soccer across the United States. Soccer has taken a long, arduous road to gain cultural acceptance in America, often battling outside detractors, as well as from within the sport’s American leadership itself. Franek highlights the rise, fall, rise, fall, and rise again of American soccer culture since people first started playing soccer in the 19th Century in campuses and industrial towns.

Franek’s book is a journey through several iterations of “soccer boom” - the first American Soccer League in the 1920’s, the American’s success in the 1930 World Cup, followed by a nadir in soccer during the Great Depression and World War II, before booming again in the 1970s thanks to infusion of money and international talent. Modern soccer has seen the rise of Major League Soccer (MLS), fueled by a better approach to acquiring international stars, although success at the national team level has been inconsistent at best and marred by bureaucratic and philosophical battles over just how the national team should operate. 

Franek closes the book by offering some suggestions on improving American soccer, including investing more in youth academies built around the twin pillars of soccer and education. He acknowledges that he’s employed by one of these academies that boosts the Philadelphia Union’s pipeline of youth talent; however, he correctly identifies that the way to grow soccer is not just from the top down but also from the youth pipelines on up. 

From a soccer fan’s perspective, the biggest challenge to get American soccer boosted in the mainstream remains improved access and coverage on national television (the author glosses past this point in the book). While MLS’s Apple deal has been a benefit financially, TV ratings for the few broadcast games that do occur and coverage and interest among casual fans have dropped. Getting a major sports broadcaster invested in covering MLS fairly is still the longest kick ahead for soccer domestically. However, American soccer is definitely closer to the “big 4” of American sport than at any point in modern history, and it’s likely it will be within the “big 5” sooner than many think.

MY RATING: 4

The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy (Josh Ireland)

Josh Ireland’s The Death of Trotsky is a detailed account of one of the more dramatic political assassinations of the 20th Century. Rather than presenting a dry historical summary, Ireland reconstructs the final years of Leon Trotsky with narrative energy, drawing readers into a tense world shaped by ideology, betrayal, and relentless pursuit. The author does a great job turning Trotsky’s final years into a historical account blended with a thriller novel.

The book focuses not only on Trotsky’s life after expulsion from the Soviet Union, but also on the network of agents, sympathizers, and enemies that surrounded him. Ireland pays particular attention to the psychology and motivations of Ramon Mercader, the man who ultimately carried out the killing. This approach deepens the story, transforming it from a simple recounting of events into a layered exploration of loyalty and manipulation. Ireland situates Trotsky’s exile within the broader context of Soviet power struggles, showing how Joseph Stalin’s influence extended far beyond national borders. The book’s pacing is brisk, and the tension builds steadily as the narrative moves toward its inevitable conclusion. 

Overall, The Death of Trotsky is an engaging and informative work that combines scholarly research with storytelling skill. It will appeal to both history enthusiasts and general readers interested in political intrigue and human drama.

MY RATING: 5

Carthage: A New History (Eve MacDonald)

In Carthage: A New History, historian and archaeologist Eve MacDonald offers a strong reassessment of one of the ancient world’s more misunderstood civilizations. Long overshadowed by the narratives of its Roman conquerors, Carthage is traditionally portrayed as a villain in the story of Mediterranean history. MacDonald challenges this perspective by reconstructing the history of Carthage from archaeological discoveries and a careful re-reading of classical sources, many of which were written by Roman authors. 

The book traces Carthage’s development from its origins as a Phoenician colony in the ninth century BCE to its destruction by Rome in 146 BCE. Along the way, MacDonald explores the city’s rise as a maritime and commercial power that dominated trade across the western Mediterranean and even down the West Coast of Africa. She highlights Carthage’s complex political institutions, extensive trading networks, and technological innovations in shipbuilding and industry, presenting it as a sophisticated and multicultural society rather than merely Rome’s enemy.

MacDonald’s narrative is particularly strong when discussing the Punic Wars and figures such as Hannibal Barca. MacDonald effectively discusses the practical realities of strategy, politics, and economic pressure that Carthage and Rome both faced. It’s important to note here that the Carthage of MacDonald’s book refers to the original city-state, not the subsequent colony that Rome established during its empire some time after Carthage was destroyed.

Although the scarcity of Carthaginian written records makes definitive conclusions difficult, MacDonald openly discusses these gaps and offers context as necessary throughout her book. The result is a balanced and engaging account that advocates for a stronger placement of Carthage in Mediterranean history. 

MY RATING: 4.5

The Discovery of Britain: An Accidental History (Graham Robb)

Graham Robb’s The Discovery of Britain: An Accidental History explores some of the deeper history of British geography and the nation itself. Robb challenges familiar narratives of Britain as a nation shaped primarily by Roman roads and later political boundaries. Instead he reconstructs an ancient world that once thrived across what is now England, Scotland, and Wales, revealing a sophisticated Celtic civilization that carefully mapped and measured its terrain.

Robb argues that prehistoric Britons possessed advanced geographical knowledge long before Roman occupation. Through field research and historical detective work, he traces these geographical alignments and boundaries across hills, rivers, and settlements. Very few boundaries in Britain are based on boundaries and roads established in Roman times, with a mix of eras and influences creating what ultimately became today’s geographic landscape of Britain.

Robb’s historical travel narrative is effective, clear, and narrated more like a series of stories than a hard dissertation. Occasionally, Robb ventures into the modern era politics and weaves in discussions on issues that affect Britain. However, Robb artfully uses several arguments from throughout the book to help shape how modern decisions, such as the vote for Brexit and the current issues regarding immigration in the UK, were made.  The Discovery of Britain reshapes how we imagine the origins of British identity and its relationship to the land itself.

MY RATING: 4

George Templeton Strong: Civil War Diaries (George Templeton Strong and Geoff Wisner)

George Templeton Strong was a 19th Century lawyer and civic leader in New York City, helping to start the Union League’s New York social club in 1863. He is known among historians for his vivid diary of his day-to-day life and the events of the mid-19th Century, particularly the Civil War in and around New York. His diary totalled over 2,250 pages by the time he passed away in 1875. Strong’s diaries were originally published in a four volume set in 1952. Geoff Wisner has curated and edited a substantial portion of Strong’s diary into a collection called George Templeton Strong: Civil War Diaries. 

Fans of Ken Burns will recall excerpts of Strong’s diary narrated by George Plimpton in The Civil War. Those excerpts, and another 750 pages worth of diary, are pulled together into a vivid retelling of daily life in New York City during the Civil War. Strong’s support for the Union, for Lincoln, and his disdain of Copperheads oozes out through the pages of the book. The diary adds detail in seeing how rumors of events during the Civil War would spread quickly, oftentimes not accurately. Given it is a diary from the 19th Century, the less savory elements of the time (racism, anti-ethnic bias) are evident in various entries.

Strong’s diaries are presented largely “as is,” with limited editing, except to remove items that were not germane to the War or family life at the time. This collection is a vivid retelling of life in the North during the Civil War through the eyes of one leading social figure.

MY RATING: 4.5

Blood and Treasure: The Economics of Conflict from the Vikings to the Modern Era (Duncan Weldon)

Duncan Weldon’s Blood and Treasure: The Economics of Conflict from the Vikings to the Modern Era is a historic study of how economic forces shape conflict and state power. Weldon talks about the evolution of warfare from an economic perspective, from the ability to raise your money and manage your debts better than your foe to how warfare turned into an economic negative due to the evolution of war itself into a more violent, scorched earth style struggle. 

Weldon highlights over a dozen examples of economics and war, starting with the Vikings in the Middle Ages and continuing through the modern Russian conflicts with Ukraine. Each of these examples offer case studies that show why some states could fight longer and recover faster than rivals and how some states were better positioned going into conflict than others. Weldon artfully articulates in one part of the book that not all American dollars were equal at one time and also that the North’s ability to nationalize the dollar during the Civil War gave it a significant economic advantage over the South. 

The vast majority of the book is written with European examples. Genghis Khan does earn a chapter, as does colonial India in the 19th Century under the control of the British East India Company. However, much of the book is European or American in focus. That said, the context and history of war and economics over time is valuable as a way to gain understanding of how finance and power interact. Students of economic history and politics will find Blood and Treasure an enjoyable read.

MY RATING: 4

Conquering the North (John Man)

John Man’s Conquering The North: China, Russia, Mongolia, 2,000 Years of Conflict is a compelling and richly detailed study of the historical conflict over the Mongolian Steppe, fought between the Mongol people, Russia, and China. Man’s historical book focuses on the frontier zones that shaped empires, identities, and power over many centuries. His book brings clarity and attention to a region that is often overlooked in popular history, showing how geography, culture, and strategy combined to define the fate of not just these three nations but arguably the entire world.

The book traces the long contest between sedentary Chinese states and the nomadic peoples of the north, particularly the Mongols, whose mobility and military skill repeatedly reshaped the balance of power. Man explains how the rise of the Mongol Empire transformed Eurasia, and how Chinese dynasties sought to defend themselves through walls, diplomacy, and cultural assimilation. The emergence of Russia as a northern imperial force in the 17th Century adds a further layer, creating a three sided-struggle marked by shifting alliances.

Although the subject is complex, Man maintains momentum and coherence throughout. Conquering The North succeeds as both a history of power politics and a study of how frontiers shape world history and can change. It offers valuable insight into forces that continue to influence relations in the region today.

MY RATING: 4.5

1968: The Year the World Shook (Alexander Bloom)

In 1968: The Year The World Shook, author Alexander Bloom studies a year when protest, cultural change, and political conflict seemed to erupt across the globe simultaneously. The book argues that events in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia were not isolated crises but parts of a shared historical mood and generational shift. Bloom guides readers through student uprisings, civil rights struggles, anti-war demonstrations, and challenges to established authority, showing how many had hoped that rapid change was possible.

Bloom connects the fights for racial justice and against the Vietnam War in the United States with student uprisings in Paris and Mexico City, as well as the resistance to authoritarian rule in Czechoslovakia and elsewhere. By placing these stories side by side, the author highlights how media, music, and youth culture helped spread a sense of rebellion. While these events occurred in 1968, Bloom provides important context to show that the beginning of protests, and subsequent counter-protests from the establishment, were years in the making.

Overall, the book offers a concise and engaging introduction to a remarkable year in modern history, one that was more consequential for the course of the modern world than any since 1945. It’s accessible for general readers, yet thoughtful enough for students of history and politics. Bloom shows why the debates of that year still shape public life today in many societies worldwide.

MY RATING: 4

El Generalisimo (Giles Tremlett)

Giles Tremlett’s El Generalísimo is a well-researched biography of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, explaining his rise from an unremarkable military officer to one of Europe’s longest ruling dictators.

Franco was an enigma to some degree - fascist by many definitions, at minimum a nationalist dictator that fused a strong religious dogma within state convention. Spain struggled to recover from its Civil War in the 1930’s, mostly because of Franco’s policies, until a monetary bailout plus increasing affluence in Europe helped drive tourism and exports, almost both by accident. In the wake of Franco’s death in 1975, the Spanish monarchy was restored and Juan Carlos I quickly brought about changes to ensure representative government and modernization within Spain. Tremlett covers not only Franco’s life but the aftermath of his rule with effective, balanced coverage.

Tremlett explains complex military and political developments in Spain in the early 20th Century  to help readers understand why the political environment was such that someone like Franco was able to take control of Spain’s government. One of the book’s greatest strengths is Tremlett’s argument that Franco’s rise to power and enduring control of the Spanish government came less from his personal charisma or fervent ideology and more from patience, discipline, and an ability to outlast rivals. This interpretation challenges the idea that Franco’s rise was inevitable, emphasizing how chance events, especially the Spanish Civil War and specific events within the war itself, played a decisive role in ensuring Franco took over as Caudillo of Spain.

Overall, El Generalísimo is an engaging and insightful biography that offers a nuanced understanding of Franco and the conditions that enabled his rise, making it valuable for both students and general readers interested in Spanish history.

MY RATING: 4.5

The Winner's Curse: Behavioral Economics Anomalies, Then and Now (Richard H. Thaler and Alex O. Imas)

Richard H. Thaler and Alex O. Imas team up to update the economics book The Winner’s Curse: Behavioral Economics Anomalies, Then and Now. This book offers an engaging exploration of how real people actually make economic decisions rather than how textbooks assume they should. The book is a collection of essays and reflections that trace the rise of behavioral economics and its challenge to traditional rational models. The central idea of The Winner’s Curse shows how competitive environments can lead individuals to overpay or overcommit because of flawed judgment, optimism, and social pressure. In other words, keeping up with the Jones’s can be a helluva drag on the wallet.

The Winner’s Curse is not the lightest of reads that you can breeze through in a weekend unless you have a background in psychology, sociology, or economics. However, the authors do an effective job of making the book relatable. Concepts such as mental accounting, loss aversion, and fairness get explained through stories drawn from decades of research within the field of behavioral economics and the author’s own anecdotal everyday stories.

Another strength of the book is its narrative about the development of behavioral economics. Thaler reflects on the early skepticism he faced from mainstream economists, while Imas contributes a contemporary experimental perspective in nearly every chapter through an “Update” essay. Together, they show how behavioral ideas moved from the margins into more mainstream public policy, finance, and business strategy. 

Overall, The Winner’s Curse is thoughtful, persuasive, and informative. Those with an interest in human behavior and economics will enjoy the updated version of this book.

MY RATING: 4.5

The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind (Simon Winchester)

Simon Winchester’s The Breath of the Gods is a study of wind and humanity’s long effort to measure and understand it. Rather than focusing on a single dramatic event, the book traces several key facets of the interaction of wind in everyday life, often positive but sometimes disastrous.

The Breath of the Gods is a book that blends scientific research and man’s quest for innovation over time while dealing with a subject all of us face. Winchester probes the study of measuring wind, how wind matters in war and in peace, as well as how nature and man have fought a long battle that often centered around harnessing and controlling wind. When Winchester focuses on storytelling, the book shines. At moments, however, the author strays off from simply telling the story to interjecting his belief systems. These moments, which have become far too common in nonfiction writing in the 21st Century, can detract from a well-written book and turn it into a piece better suited for The New Yorker or National Review, depending on the expressed opinion. It’s an unfortunate trend that arguably needs to calm down a bit in today’s writing.

I wish I could have loved this book and for a while, I was sailing through and enjoying it. However, those occasional gusts of commentary blow the book slightly off course and detract from what could have been a much more enjoyable breeze of a read. That said, the story of wind and our quest to harness and understand it is arguably worth reading about.

MY RATING: 3.5