Easy Money: American Puritans and the Invention of Modern Currency (Dror Goldberg)

Paper currency has existed in various forms since the 7th Century, having first been developed in China. Within European realms, the first paper banknotes were developed by the Swedes in the middle of the 17th Century as a means of payment. The system lasted three years before the central bank that backed the notes went bankrupt. However, the concept that currency could be backed by the faith of the government eventually was tried again.

Dror Goldberg’s Easy Money: American Puritans and the Invention of Modern Currency traces the development of currency in Massachusetts in 1690 to help finance a frontier war the colonists were fighting against the French. In this book, Goldberg explains the mix of circumstances that allowed this experiment to take place, including political instability in England, a lack of coin-based money in Massachusetts, and the economic heft that the colony had within New England and the rest of the developing American East coast.

Goldberg does a wonderful job explaining the evolution of money and the early stages of modern economic thinking in the 17th century and how Massachusetts' actions helped keep the peace domestically but also helped shape how money was thought about and used in the centuries to come.

MY RATING - 4.5

Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues (Jonathan Kennedy)

Conventional historical wisdom suggests that human progress has been due to intellect and technological superiority, ably outfoxing and outsmarting any threat to its existence from neanderthals to foreign powers. Author Jonathan Kennedy, however, argues that microbes win wars, topple empires, and hellp change the course of history.  

Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues tracks human history from the development of homo sapiens through COVID-19, diving into eight major outbreaks of disease that shaped the modern world. From the demise of the neanderthals to the Black Plague in the Middle Ages to European conquests of the Americans, viruses have often played a critical role in shaping the outcome of history. Kennedy notes how religions have become mainstream because of pandemics on more than one occasion, and also talks about the role of economics in shaping modern pandemic outcomes.

In general, Kennedy makes a lot of good points about how viruses and bacteria have been an unseen and, until now, underrated force in shaping our history. While little attention is given to improving human health in the future, Pathogenesis offers a strong case to show us that human health has had a strong role in shaping our overall story.

MY RATING - 4

Letters for the Ages: The Private and Personal Letters of Sir Winston Churchill (Edited by James Drake and Allen Packwood)

Winston Churchill’s political career was full of peaks and valleys while he served many roles in Britain’s government for the majority of five decades. Churchill’s fame rose as a correspondent documenting his time in South Africa during the Second Boer War at the beginning of the 20th Century. Churchill’s prolific writing produced 40 books and also netted him a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. In addition to the known works Churchill put together, there is countless correspondence to his wife, family, allies, and adversaries that many do not know about. Allen Packwood and James Drake have curated a selection of Churchill’s letters, including some that have never been published publicly, in Letters for the Ages: The Private and Personal Letters of Sir Winston Churchill.

Through 100 letters, Packwood and Drake offer relevant context to the events that shaped the correspondence. The reader learns how Churchill’s wife, Clementine, was arguably his strongest sounding board and non-political personal advisor. Correspondence between the two was intimate, often with Clementine advising Sir Winston on how to manage the personal side of politics in order to guide the country through challenging times. Additional correspondence includes various politicians and military leaders.

These letters open a window into Churchill’s mind and personality, his views on the issues of the moment, and his evolution as a leader and consequential politician in 20th Century Great Britain. Both Packwood and Drake offer clear, objective commentary to incorporate important details to the letters in this collection.

MY RATING - 5

Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples Since 1500 (Peter H. Wilson)

History is often not as clean or easy as many who teach it or read about it want it to be. Peel away the outer layer of conventional wisdom and you often find conflicting views that challenge narratives and provide multiple perspectives. In regards to Germany’s history, the idea of a nation founded on militarism and military might is not as clean a narrative as once believed. Peter H. Wilson, an Oxford historian, offers a strong challenge to the conventional wisdom of Germany’s military past in Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples Since 1500.

It’s important to note that this history features more than the components of modern-day Germany, which was dominated by Prussia and Bavaria among a host of smaller kingdoms and feudal states. Before the German Empire was established in 1871, a series of confederations and the Holy Roman Empire preceded it. In Austria, The Habsburgs were in charge of a large multilingual empire that was dominated out of Vienna. Wilson talks about these smaller states, with Austria and Prussia vying to be the strongest voice within the German-speaking world, and how their own constituent armies varied in technology, strength, and military technique…and how they each helped innovate each other. Iron and Blood traces back to the Reformation and shows the slow, uneven evolution of Germany over centuries as these states gradually coalesced around the stronger Prussia as Austrian influence waned.

Wilson challenges some of the historical narratives of German military might, particularly around strategy and leadership. The author cites several examples of wasted resources in World War II by the German military and paramilitary within the Nazi regime as some very strong examples to this. However, one narrative Wilson hasn’t challenged has been modern-day Germany’s aversion to spending heavily on military in the wake of the country’s defeat in World War II.

Iron and Blood is a comprehensive and at times technical read. For military historians, it’s a great bit of research into one of Europe’s historical powers.

MY RATING - 4.5

My Darling Girl (Jennifer McMahon)

I belong to a "Spooky Book Club" group, and Jennifer McMahon is definitely an author who fits well in that group. McMahon's Island of Lost Girls was one of the very first books reviewed on this blog back in July 2009(!) -- she's an author I never miss. So I was really excited to get my hands on My Darling Girl, with a planned release in October (not surprising) of 2023.

I've read all of McMahon's books, and I "think" this is her first book about demonic possession. So if you're not into that, you may want to pass on this one! This is the story of Alison, who gets a call one day that her estranged mother is dying. Alison goes to see her, but her brother cannot forgive what their mother put them through as children. Her mother has one request -- to die in Alison's home. Admirably, (or stupidly?), she agrees. When her mother arrives, strange things start to occur - some even involving Alison's two children, who Alison will do anything to protect. 

I read this one before bed with the lights off, and it really scared me at times. While I didn't like it quite as much as her best (the aforementioned Island), this still has the classic slow-building creepiness that McMahon is known for. Can't wait for the next one!

MY RATING - 4

The Scythian Empire: Central Eurasia and the Birth of the Classical Age from Persia to China (Christopher I. Beckwith)

Central Asia has been the home to some of history’s largest empires. You’re likely familiar with the Mongols, who dominated in the 13th Century. You may remember the Huns, who migrated west from Central Asia and dominated parts of Eastern Europe in the 4th and 5th Centuries. One group that is not as well known to history buffs is the Scythians, who dominated and influenced large swaths of Eastern Europe and Asia in the centuries before Alexander the Great and the Romans.

Christopher I Beckwith’s book The Scythian Empire: Central Eurasia and the Birth of the Classical Age from Persia to China is a well-researched, highly detailed history of the Scythians and how they influenced philosophy, religion, politics, warfare, and culture. At the height of their power and influence, the Scythians influenced territory ranging from Mongolia and Manchuria in the East to the shores of the Black Sea in the West. Beckwith points out Scythian influence through the fact that three capital cities in very different parts of Asia all had the same name, Agamatana. Additionally, detailed research shows Scythian influence of language on Persian and Chinese.

The Scythian Empire is very detailed, perhaps at times too much so for those who aren’t experts in pre-Roman history. There was one chapter that I had to read at least a couple of times to understand better. However, Beckwith does a great job of highlighting the importance these early influencers had on world culture before the Romans or Alexander the Great came along…and the Scythians made their mark without a smartphone or an Instagram account to reach the masses.

MY RATING - 4.5

How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between (Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner)

Large-scale projects such as airport terminals, power plants, stadiums, and performing arts venues often cost more than what’s advertised and very often don’t deliver what is promised by public officials when they announce their big project. There are a lot of reasons for why big things come in over budget and often later than promised.  Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner uncover some of the secrets to how successful projects can be executed on time and within budget in their entertaining book How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, From Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between.

This book dives into what drives the success and ability of the project to be completed on time. According to the authors, less than one half of one percent of major projects are completed on time and within budget. Based on this statistic, it’s pretty easy to see that failure to plan properly and account for a slew of potential factors is planning to fail.

The authors offer eleven rules of thumb at the end of the book to help in decision making. The most important rules include asking “why” and ensuring that the team of people involved in a major project is right. The best projects have well-functioning teams that can work through disputes and perform to goals and standards. Teamwork and proper planning go a long way and How Big Things Get Done offers plenty of sound advice for projects of all sizes.

MY RATING - 4.5