My Summer Reading List

As is typical for me, I went from nonfiction selections to fiction books this past summer.  Some turned out to be great choices, others not so great.  Rather than writing lengthy reviews and summaries, I will provide a list of the books I read with just a brief description of what the book was about and if it was worth reading.

Ten Men Dead: The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike by David Beresford

A powerful and balanced coverage of the 1981 Hunger Strike at H Block Prison in Belfast.  A portrait of strife-torn Ireland and the IRA, as well as an intensely human story of the ten ordinary men who were overtaken by extraordinary events. .
Highly recommended.
 
Eva Gabrielsson, Common Law wife of Stieg Larsson, the author of the Millenium Trilogy tells her story.  Here is the real inside story—not the one about the Stieg Larsson phenomenon, but rather the love story of a man and a woman whose lives came to be guided by politics and love, coffee and activism, writing and friendship.

If you want to know the story behind the author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a must read. 

 

The World at Night by Alan Furst  

My first venture into this series.  This is the first book in the series called Jean Casson series.   A brilliant re-creation of France during the German Occupation and how Parisians learned to cope with the situation.  Peaked my interest enough to continue with this series.

 

 

 

 

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett

 

I would categorize myself as someone who loves books, but not to the extent that I would steal the books.  This bibliophile just liked to possess the books, not read them.

 

 

 

Murderous Procession by Arianna Franklin

 

This is the fourth in the Mistress of the Art of Death series.  You can read my previous reviews of the earlier volumes.  The fact I am continuing to follow this series should speak volumes (no pun intended).

 

 

  

The Dracula Dossier by James Reese

 

Avoid this one.  Enough said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

 

Erik Larson is one of my favorite nonfiction writers that has a gift of finding through meticulous research some of the fascinating stories behind major historical events.  This one is set in Berlin during the rise of the Third Reich.  A great read.  A copy of this book is in the RHS collection.