The Scientific Mindset: How Thinking Scientifically Drives Better Business Decisions (Stefan H. Thomke)

In The Scientific Mindset: How Thinking Scientifically Drives Better Business Decisions, author Stefan H. Thomke argues that testing, analyzing, and conducting data-driven research can help guide critical decision-making within a business. Its central message is simple: When decisions matter, do not simply trust the "hot" idea in the room, nor the loudest or most influential voices. Just state what you believe, create a system to test it, and allow evidence to guide the outcome.

Thomke applies this approach to the problems leaders face every day, from understanding customers to choosing strategy and allocating resources. He cites examples from Amazon and Lego to show how experimentation can uncover assumptions that ordinary discussion leaves untouched. Thomke encourages readers to go beyond trusting one's gut and begin to ask sharper questions, form testable hypotheses, design meaningful experiments, and build workplaces where learning matters more than defending a first answer or a gut reaction.

The Scientific Mindset is well-suited for managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone making decisions amid uncertainty. Its useful message is to test more, assume less, and avoid trusting your gut in every circumstance. Because sometimes your gut can be wildly wrong.

MY RATING: 4.5

Lightning Beneath the Sea: The Race to Wire the World and the Dawn of the Information Age (James M. Tabor)

In Lightning Beneath the Sea: The Race to Wire the World and the Dawn of the Information Age, James M. Tabor tells the remarkable story of Cyrus Field. Field was an entrepreneur who attempted to connect Europe and North America with an underwater telegraph cable. Beginning in the 1850s, Field and his team faced enormous technical, financial, and natural obstacles before finally succeeding in 1866. Tabor presents the project as a 19th Century equivalent of a moonshot, an ambitious and seemingly impossible idea but one that ultimately transformed communication.

Rather than focusing only on technical details, Tabor personalizes the project. He details conflicts, failures, and determination by Field and various ship crews that labored on several occasions to make the dream of Trans-Atlantic communication a reality. Storms, broken cables, financial losses, competition, and engineering problems repeatedly threatened the expedition. These setbacks provide the narrative with suspense and provide pace to the book. Tabor also explains the complicated science and technology in a way that is accessible to readers who may not have a technical background.

Tabor closes by highlighting why this communications breakthrough still matters today. The submarine telegraph cable became an early foundation of global communication and helped make rapid global communication possible. Instead of taking hours to telegraph a message, as it did in 1858, messages now are near-instantaneous.

Overall, Lightning Beneath the Sea is an engaging combination of history, adventure, science, and biography. Tabor makes a complicated technological achievement accessible and exciting. The book is especially appealing to readers interested in innovation, exploration, engineering, and the origins of modern communication.

MY RATING: 4.5

The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building (Brian Jay Jones)

Brian Jay Jones’s The Capitol: The Surprising Biography of an American Building spans three centuries and combines architecture, politics, popular culture, and biography. Jones follows the building from its beginnings through repeated expansion, conflict, destruction, and renewal.

Jones’s narrative highlights the impact George Washington, Ronald Reagan, and a cast of historic figures from the Senate and House of Representatives had on the building. Additionally, Jones highlights the work of many architects and superintendents who contributed to the continued improvement and upgrades of the building. The book moves from the Capitol’s construction and changing dome to assassination attempts, thwarted bombings, Civil War use, and the January 6 attack. These episodes keep the history immediate rather than merely architectural.

Jones’s greatest strength is connecting physical details with national themes. The Capitol emerges as a structure shaped by argument, compromise, ambition, violence, technology, and repair. Jones’s storytelling is effective and the narrative flows with relative ease despite a parade of names and dates. The balance in storytelling helps show the Capitol as not only a place of significance in America’s government, but also a place that is continuously evolving to meet America’s needs. Ultimately, The Capitol is most persuasive when it treats the building neither as a flawless monument nor as a simple backdrop but as a changing record of American democracy today.

MY RATING: 4.5

Shanghai: The Story of China's Most Dynamic City (Michael Dillon)

Michael Dillon's Shanghai: The Story of China's Most Dynamic City is an engaging look at the modern history of one of the world's most influential urban centers. Dillon has an extensive expertise in Chinese history and lived there for some time. He traces Shanghai's remarkable journey from a modest fishing settlement to a global financial and cultural powerhouse, with the brunt of his focus starting in the 1840’s with the end of the Opium Wars and the opening of Shanghai to foreigners. Rather than presenting a simple chronological account, he shows how the city's identity has been shaped by commerce, foreign influence, political revolution, and rapid economic growth. This broad perspective makes the book accessible to both general readers and those with a deeper interest in Chinese history.

Shanghai has been a city of contradictions. It’s been mostly cosmopolitan for much of the past 200 years, yet also revolutionary during the Cultural Revolution. Dillon examines the wealth and innovation that define the modern city while also acknowledging the inequality, organized crime, and political tensions that were ever present.

Overall, Shanghai is an informative and compelling study that successfully captures the city's rich past and its continuing role in shaping China's future. It is highly recommended for readers interested in Chinese history and urban development. 

MY RATING: 4

Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union as a Civilization, 1953-1991 (Mark B. Smith)

Mark B. Smith's Exit Stalin: The Soviet Union as a Civilization, 1953-1991 opens a window behind the Iron Curtain, giving readers a glimpse into life in the Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin. Smith argues that Soviet society became more complex, with citizens experiencing both greater personal security and continuing political repression until the last few years of Mikhail Gorbachev’s rule when the economy cratered but repression mostly eased. 

Smith explores education, housing, literature, science, and popular culture, showing how ordinary people navigated the contradictions of Soviet society. This approach gives readers a richer understanding of the country, enhancing the stories of each of the Soviet leaders that succeeded Stalin. His discussion of reform under Nikita Khrushchev, stability and stagnation of Leonid Brezhnev's era, and eventual collapse of the Soviet system under Mikhail Gorbachev is balanced and carefully supported by historical evidence. A major focus of the book is on the dissidents in Soviet life (such as Andrei Sakharov and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn) and how the KGB and Soviet leadership varied in their handling of individuals who dissented with the goals of Soviet leadership. 

One of the key questions Smith addresses centers on the primary causes of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a question that many who study Soviet history have debated over the last 35 years. Overall, Exit Stalin is a solid contribution to the study of Soviet and Russian history

MY RATING: 4

The First All-Star Game: Babe Ruth, FDR, and America at the Crossroads (Randall Sullivan)

The First All-Star Game: Babe Ruth, FDR, and America at the Crossroads by Randall Sullivan recounts not just a pivotal moment in baseball history but much of the context that helped set the stage for July 1933’s “Game of the Century” in Chicago. While the book highlights many of the players and the details of the game, Sullivan spends about half of the narrative detailing baseball and American life in the 1920’s and early 1930’s.

To his credit, Sullivan avoids overwhelming the reader with statistics, instead focusing on character, motivation, and atmosphere. His descriptions of players, fans, and journalists create vivid scenes that invite readers into the era. You learn about some of the lesser-known (to today’s baseball fans) stars of the early 1930’s: guys like Lloyd and Paul Waner, Rick Farrell, and Pepper Martin. 

Some sections include extensive background information. About 200 pages dive into the backstory of baseball and America between 1919 and 1933, from the “Black Sox” scandal and appointment of Judge Kennsaw Landis as baseball’s first commissioner to the World’s Fair and America’s political environment. 

If you’re looking for a story on the All-Star game itself, this book may not be for you due to that extra context. However, as a history book that shows the connection between baseball, American life, and big city politics, The First All-Star Game is a detailed account of how the game came to take place and how a “one-time” event turned into a midsummer spectacle that has lasted nearly a century.

MY RATING: 3.5

1873: The Rothschilds, the First Great Depression, and the Making of the Modern World (Liaquat Ahamed)

In 1873: The Rothschilds, the First Great Depression, and the Making of the Modern World, author Liaquat Ahamed offers an engaging account of the financial panic that reshaped the global economy in the late nineteenth century. Focusing on the crash of 1873 and its long aftermath, he argues that this crisis was the first truly global economic downturn, linking events in Europe, the United States, and North Africa through expanding networks of finance and trade.

The Panics of 1873 (the use of “panics” is intentional since there were several stock market selloffs globally that year) were caused in part by feverish speculation in railroads, shipping, and stock markets in a number of places. The first panic was in Vienna, with subsequent market routes breaking out in Germany, France, and in New York, all brought about by excess market or industry speculation.

The book places the Rothschild family at the center of the narrative, using their banking empire as a lens through which readers can understand the rise of international capital markets and the forces that led to collapse. The author also explores the political and social consequences of the depression, including rising populism, growing antisemitism, two decades of deflation in prices, and the weakening of Reconstruction in the United States. Ahamed argues that while growth in the years following the panic was solid, coming in at around 2.5% annually, the perception in many minds was that the depression was lingering since prices were falling. This price drop was caused in part by increasing production, which increased supply of items, causing prices to drop.

Overall, 1873 is an excellent work of economic history that illuminates how financial crises can transform societies. It is both informative and highly readable, offering valuable insights into the origins of the modern global economy.

MY RATING: 4.5

The Hardest, Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest That Changed America (Eric Moskowitz)

In The Hardest, Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Race That Changed America, author Eric Moskowitz recounts the remarkable 1909 “Ocean to Ocean” automobile race that stretched from New York to Seattle. At a time when paved roads were scarce and long distance travel by car seemed like a future fever dream, five teams set out to prove that automobiles could conquer the American landscape. The race covered over 4,000 miles and forced drivers to navigate rough terrain, severe weather, mechanical failures, and countless unexpected challenges.

Moskowitz presents the event as more than a sporting competition. The race became a public demonstration of the potential of the automobile and a powerful marketing opportunity for car manufacturers eager to win the trust of consumers. Among the most prominent competitors was the Ford Motor Company, which hoped to showcase the reliability and durability of the Model T. As the race progressed, Ford and a hard-luck competitor known as Shawmut battled each other for supremacy of their cars.

The book highlights the determination and creativity required to keep the vehicles moving across mountains, deserts, forests, and muddy roads. Drivers and mechanics frequently repaired their cars under difficult conditions while searching for routes through regions that lacked modern transportation infrastructure. These experiences revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of early automotive technology. The book also highlights the lengths, both legit and not, that the Ford Motor Company went to in order to prove the Model T was the superior vehicle.

As the finish approached, controversy emerged over claims of unfair advantages and disputed decisions. Moskowitz explores these conflicts while examining the broader cultural and economic significance of the race. Ultimately, the event helped convince Americans that automobiles could be practical tools for transportation, contributing to the rapid growth of car ownership, particularly of the Model T, and the transformation of travel in the United States. Moskowitz’s narrative is well-paced and enjoyable for those who like books about distance travel and history.

MY RATING: 5

From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdogan (Suzy Hansen)

Suzy Hansen's From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdogan is a thoughtful and ambitious exploration of politics in Turkiye since the start of the Turkish Republic in the 1920’s. The early years of Turkiye set the stage for a greater focus on Recep Erdogan’s rule as Prime Minister and President for the past two plus decades. Drawing on her experiences living in Istanbul, Hansen examines how personal perspectives are shaped by culture, history, and power. The book challenges readers to reconsider assumptions that often go unquestioned, particularly those related to national identity and the influence of the United States on global affairs.

Hansen effectively connects rising nationalism in Turkiye to the greater trend of nationalism in much of the West, the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), and beyond. In many instances, the rise in nationalism has been fueled by migration due to war and conflict in adjacent regions; in other cases, a desire to return to past historical glory. Hansen advocates in many of these cases that the rise in nationalism has coincided with a decline in democratic norms. The best parts of this book are the personalized accounts of various Istanbul residents, their views on life in Istanbul and Turkiye, and how changing real world conditions are impacting them.

If you filter through the author’s worldview and consistent references to one perceived crisis or another (whether climate change, human rights, economic, or whatever it may be), From Life Itself is a very effective book in explaining modern Turkiye and its position on the world stage.

MY RATING: 4

Credit to the Nation (Rebecca Kobrin)

Rebecca Kobrin’s Credit to the Nation is an account of the role that Eastern European Jewish immigrant bankers played in shaping American finance between 1873 and 1930. Drawing on an impressive range of archival sources, Kobrin uncovers a largely overlooked chapter of American economic history and demonstrates how immigrant communities created financial institutions that served needs ignored by mainstream banks and how mainstream finance shunned many of the immigrant banks’ practices due partly to antisemitism and nativism.

The book excels at connecting personal stories of migration and entrepreneurship with larger developments in banking and growth, particularly in New York City. Kobrin shows how immigrant bankers provided loans, financed travel, and supported business formation for newly arrived Jewish immigrants who often faced barriers to conventional credit. In doing so, these institutions helped foster economic mobility while also contributing to the transformation of New York City’s real estate market and financial landscape.

Kobrin effectively balances historical analysis with strong writing. Her discussion of the rise and eventual decline of immigrant banking, particularly the collapse of the Bank of United States in 1930, provides important insight into the broader evolution of American finance. The bank’s failure was not only symbolic of many bank failures during the Great Depression but served as a catalyst to spur reforms in the financial system during the Great Depression. Among these reforms was the creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a backstop to insure deposits at member banks.

More than a history of banking, Credit to the Nation is a thoughtful exploration of migration, trust, community, and economic opportunity. Kobrin convincingly argues that immigrant financial networks were an important contributor to the history of American commerce and finance.

MY RATING: 4.5

A Kingdom and a Village: A One-Thousand-Year History of Moscow (Simon Morrison)

A Kingdom and a Village: A One-Thousand-Year History of Moscow by Simon Morrison is an artistic and cultural retelling of the story of Moscow. Rather than offering a conventional political history, Morrison presents Moscow as a living character whose development mirrors the triumphs, tragedies, and contradictions of Russian history. 

One of the book's greatest strengths is Morrison’s dive into cultural and artistic stories of Moscow. The best stories focus on Moscow’s subway system and the Bolshoi. Russia’s story is one of conflict and mistrust, unsure if it should pivot towards Europe or look inward, let alone look towards Asia as it has from time to time throughout its history. 

Because of this, Moscow has been impacted dramatically by this struggle. At times Russia’s capital, other times a secondary city that broods because of the presence of other cities of prominence. The author is particularly effective at showing how geography, religion, culture, and political ambition shaped the city's identity. His personal familiarity with Moscow adds warmth and insight, allowing readers to see beyond statistics and historical dates to the experiences of ordinary residents.

Overall, A Kingdom and a Village is a richly detailed and thought-provoking work that offers valuable insight into both Moscow's past and the forces that continue to shape modern Russia. It is highly recommended for readers interested in history, politics, and urban studies.

MY RATING: 4.5

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