Novels with Grief

Today is National Grief Awareness Day.  Here are ten novels that deal with themes of grief & grieving. 

Grace After Henry by Eithne Shortall - A quirky love story set in Dublin that's perfect for fans of PS, I Love You and Jojo Moyes, Grace After Henry is a funny, heartfelt debut novel about one woman learning what it means to move on and to let go When her fiancé, Henry Walsh, is killed in a freak biking accident, Grace feels like she's lost her own shadow. For five years, they'd been inseparable: five years of the most rollicking, soul-finding love Grace thought any two people could share. In his absence, Grace picks up the pieces of her life: She moves into the dream house they bought together, she returns to work as a chef, she watches TV with her nosy elderly neighbor, but through it all she's ever aware of the Henry-shaped hole in her life. Until his long-lost twin brother knocks on her door. Andy is Henry, and yet he's not quite. Newly arrived in Dublin on his own search for answers, he makes Grace's loss feel both greater and smaller. Soon Grace isn't sure if she's learning to let go or becoming desperate to hold on. Filled with a warm and zany cast of characters all searching for a sense of home, Grace After Henry is a funny, tender, and bittersweet story about love, loss, and second chances.

Haunting Paris by Mamta Chaudhry - In the summer of 1989, while all of Paris is poised to celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution, Sylvie mourns the loss of her lover, Julien, and is unable to find solace in the music that has always been her refuge. But when she accidentally dislodges an envelope concealed in Julien's desk, she finds an enigmatic note from a stranger and feels compelled to meet this woman who might hold the key to Julien's past. 

The Heart Keeper by Alex Dahl - Two mothers. Two daughters. One heart. When Alison's beloved daughter Amalie drowns, her world turns impenetrably dark. Alison tries to hold it together throughout the bleak fall, but in the darkest days of the Norwegian winter she completely falls apart. In another family, Amalie's passing is a new beginning. After years of severe health problems, young Kaia receives a new heart on the morning after Amalie drowns. Her mother Iselin has struggled to raise Kaia on her own and now things are finally looking up. She's even made an affluent new friend who's taken a special interest in her and her daughter. Alison knows she shouldn't interfere, but really, she's just trying to help Iselin and Kaia. She can give them the life they never had, and by staying close to them, she can still be with her daughter. Kaia is just like her, and surely, something of Amalie must live on in her. As her grief transforms into a terrifying obsession, Alison won't let anything stop her from getting back what she has lost. 

In the Blink of an Eye by Jesse Blackadder - The Brennans, parents, Finn and Bridget, and their sons, Jarrah and Toby, have made a sea change, from chilly Hobart, Tasmania, to subtropical Murwillumbah, New South Wales. Feeling like foreigners in this land of sun and surf, they're still adjusting to work, school, and life in a sprawling purple clapboard house, when one morning, tragedy strikes. In the devastating aftermath, the questions fly. What really happened? And who's to blame? Determined to protect his family, Finn finds himself under the police and media spotlight. Guilty and enraged, Bridget spends nights hunting answers in the last place imaginable. Jarrah, his innocence lost, faces a sudden and frightening adulthood where nothing is certain. In the Blink of an Eye is a haunting, redemptive story about forgiveness and hope.

The Lost Man by Jane Harper - Two brothers meet at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the lonely outback. In an isolated belt of Western Australia, they are each other's nearest neighbor, their homes four hours' drive apart. The third brother lies dead at their feet. Something caused Cam, the middle child who had been in charge of the family homestead, to die alone in the middle of nowhere. So the eldest brother returns with his younger sibling to the family property and those left behind. But the fragile balance of the ranch is threatened. Amidst the grief, suspicion starts to take hold, and the eldest brother begins to wonder if more than one among them is at risk of crumbling as the weight of isolation bears down on them all. Dark, suspenseful, and deeply atmospheric, The Lost Man is the highly anticipated book from the bestselling and award-winning Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature.

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin - Squeezed into a coat closet with his classmates and teacher, first grader Zach Taylor can hear gunshots ringing through the halls of his school. A gunman has entered the building, taking nineteen lives and irrevocably changing the very fabric of this close-knit community. While Zach's mother pursues a quest for justice against the shooter's parents, holding them responsible for their son's actions, Zach retreats into his super-secret hideout and loses himself in a world of books and art. Armed with his newfound understanding, and with the optimism and stubbornness only a child could have, Zach sets out on a captivating journey towards healing and forgiveness, determined to help the adults in his life rediscover the universal truths of love and compassion needed to pull them through their darkest hours.

The Unmade World by Steve Yarbrough - Set against a backdrop of the current political and cultural upheaval in the US and Eastern Europe,The Unmade World is a thoughtful, scope-y literary novel with a dose of suspense that moves from Poland to California to the Hudson Valley and back to Poland. It covers a decade in the lives of an American journalist and a Polish small businessman turned petty criminal and the wrenching aftermath of an accidental, tragic encounter between these two on a snowy night in 2006 on the outskirts of Krakow. The accident costs the lives of the American journalist Richard Brennan's wife and daughter, an event that colors the rest of his life. It also leads to a downward spiral for Bogdan Baranowsk, leaving emotional scars as he suffers the seemingly inevitable loss of his business, his home, and his wife.

We Own the Sky by Luke Allnut - Rob Coates is a survivor.  He'd thought he'd won the lottery of life--a beautiful home, an incredible wife Anna, and their precious son Jack, who makes every day an extraordinary adventure. But when tragedy befalls his family, Rob becomes his own worst enemy, pushing away all he holds dear. With his world now suddenly just outside of his grasp, Rob turns to photography, capturing the beautiful skyscrapers and clifftops he used to visit--memories of the time when his family was happy. And just when it feels as though there's nowhere left to turn, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to reclaim the joy and love he thought he'd lost. 

The White Book by Han Kang - While on a writer's residency, a nameless narrator wanders the twin white worlds of the blank page and snowy Warsaw. THE WHITE BOOK becomes a meditation on the color white, as well as a fictional journey inspired by an older sister who died in her mother's arms, a few hours old. The narrator grapples with the tragedy that has haunted her family, an event she colors in stark white--breast milk, swaddling bands, the baby's rice cake-colored skin--and, from here, visits all that glows in her memory: from a white dog to sugar cubes.
As the writer reckons with the enormity of her sister's death, Han Kang's trademark frank and chilling prose is softened by retrospection, introspection, and a deep sense of resilience and love. THE WHITE BOOK--ultimately a letter from Kang to her sister--offers powerful philosophy and personal psychology on the tenacity and fragility of the human spirit, and our attempts to graft new life from the ashes of destruction.

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan - They say friends make life worth living... Once a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, Masha's life was forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago. Unable to let go of her grief, she finds comfort in her faithful canine companion Haizum, and peace in the quiet lanes of her town's swimming pool. Almost without her realizing it, her life has shuddered to a halt. It's only when Masha begins an unlikely friendship with the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice and a penchant for saying just what she means, that a new world of possibilities opens up: new friendships, new opportunities, and even a chance for new love. For the first time in years, Masha has the chance to start living again. But just as Masha dares to imagine the future, her past comes roaring back... Like her beloved debut, The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan's second novel introduces a cast of wonderful characters, both ordinary and charmingly eccentric, who lead us through a moving exploration of the simple human connections that unite us all.

Herbs

Today is More Herbs Less Salt Day, so let's explore books on herbs!

Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal by Rosalee de la Foret - Just as alchemists transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, with this book you can transform everyday herbs and spices into effective healing herbal remedies. Rosalee de la Foret, a clinical herbalist and education director at LearningHerbs.com, examines the history and modern-day use of 29 herbs, offering clinical studies to support their healing properties. She also dives into the energetics of herbalism, teaching readers how to match the properties of each plant to their unique needs, for a truly personalized approach to health. The recipes in this book take a variety of forms--from teas, salves, and pastilles to beauty products and delicious foods--to show how easy it is to incorporate the healing power of herbs into your everyday life. You could start your day with Spiced Cold Brew Coffee, pamper your skin with Green Tea and Rose Facial Cream, make a meal of Astragalus Bone Broth and Sage Chicken, then treat yourself to Cardamom Chocolate Mousse Cake and a Holy Basil-Ginger Julep. Beautiful photos taken by the author of the herbs and recipes complement each chapter. This book will appeal to those interested in natural health and herbalism, and the recipes offer an easy entry for beginners. Readers will never look at cinnamon, coffee, parsley, lavender, or even chocolate the same way as they realize the kitchen can be their medicine cabinet.

Backyard Medicine: Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies by Julie Bruton-Seal - Backyard Medicine is a beautiful book, packed with nearly 300 color photographs and over 120 herbal remedies that you can make yourself. It gives a fascinating insight into the literary, historic, and world-wide application of the fifty common plants that it covers. It is the sort of book you can enjoy as an armchair reader or use to harvest and make your own herbal remedies from wild plants. Anyone who wants to improve his or her health in the same way that human-kind has done for centuries around the world, by using local wild plants and herbs, will find this book fascinating and useful.

Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers From Small Spaces by Gayla Trail - Growing a handful of herbs and edible flowers adds sparkle to dozens of meals year-round. Fortunately for us, these plants are not fussy. They're simple to grow and will fit into any space you can provide, including a crack in a broken patio stone, the step next to your front door, or a windowsill. In Easy Growing, Gayla Trail--author of Grow Great Grub and creator of the top online gardening community, YouGrowGirl.com--shares the tips, ideas, and know-how you need to raise delicious organic edibles wherever you can squeeze in a planter.

Herbal Goddess: Discover the Amazing Spirit of 12 Healing Herbs With Teas, Potions, Salves, Food, Yoga, and More by Amy Jirsa - Working with 12 common herbs, Amy Jirsa offers recipes and ideas to open your mind, strengthen your body, and nourish your spirit. In-depth profiles show you how to unlock the powerful properties of calendula, chamomile, cinnamon, dandelion, echinacea, elder, ginger, holy basil, lavender, nettle, rose, and turmeric through delicious teas and foods, luxurious salves, skin and hair care treatments, complementary yoga poses, and meditations. Discover the natural keys to radiant health and wellness.

The Herbal Kitchen: 50 Easy-to-Find Herbs and Over 250 Recipes to Bring Lasting Health to You and Your Family by Kami McBride - Do you enjoy eating garlic bread? Does oregano always find its way into your spaghetti sauce? Do you garnish potato salad with paprika? Then you are participating in the ancient tradition of using herbs to enhance the health benefits and digestibility of your food. With over 250 recipes for herbal oils, vinegars, pestos, dressings, salts, cordials, syrups, smoothies and more, The Herbal Kitchen provides the information necessary to prepare, store, and use herbs, and create a long term healthcare plan.

Herbarium by Caz Hildebrand - Herbs are all about living well, from enriching a meal to treating an illness. Sacred, almost mystical qualities have often been associated with their long history of curative and ritualistic practices. Today, as a wider variety becomes more accessible, and their properties receive more attention, we can benefit from a fuller understanding of the power of herbs. Herbarium explores the histories, associations, and uses of 100 herbs, as well as providing ideas for how each herb can be used to improve both food and well-being. Each entry features a specially commissioned illustration with texts that include the botanical name, place of origin, varieties, and areas where the herb is most commonly grown. The essence of each herb is explored in a brief history peppered with interesting anecdotes, complemented by suggestions of classic combinations and helpful tips for gardeners. A reference section includes advice on how to grow and keep herbs, herb-food pairings, and using herbs for health and beauty treatments.A contemporary reboot of the traditional herbarium, this book will expand readers' knowledge, improve culinary skills, and enhance their appreciation of the incredible world of tastes offered by herbs.

National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs: The World's Most Effective Healing Plants by Rebecca L. Johnson - Each chapter begins with an overview of how plants can bring health to that part of the body, with stories about traditional herbal remedies from around the world and current scientific findings on herbal remedies for specific illnesses. Then each chapter highlights nine plants, combining botanical and medical information--therapeutic uses, effectiveness, preparations, cautions, and advice, including a round-up of current science about the active ingredients in the plant. Every chapter includes a photo gallery showing how one of its herbs is cultivated and processed commercially--the story behind the contents of that bottle you buy in the store. Special features include "Over the Kitchen Counter"--quick and easy ways to use herbs in your everyday life, and time lines for every herb, showing how today's use of herbal remedies collects wisdom from the centuries and around the world.

The New American Herbal by Stephen Orr - In the tradition of the great herbals-encyclopedic books that were historically used to identify plants and share information on their medicinal, culinary, and decorative uses-here is a contemporary indispensible guide to growing just about any herb you can think of. Organized from A to Z, The New American Herbal brings the beautiful spectrum of the herb garden to book form with lush photographs and growing tips from Orr's firsthand experience. Here, too, are 40 delicious recipes such as Ragu Bolognese with Fennel and Lemon Semolina Cake with Lavender as well easy steps for projects such as a hanging herb garden. Whether you're a novice gardener or are planning something more complex, The New American Herbal will guide you through that seed catalog again and again.

Rodale's 21st-Century Herbal: A Practical Guide for Healthy Living Using Nature's Most Powerful Plants by Michael J. Balick - It turns out that Mother Nature is a brilliant chemist. Our ancestors have used indigenous herbs in daily life for thousands of years due to these plants' ability to heal and promote good health. Now modern science has identified the compounds that give herbs their medicinal qualities, scent, and flavor. The extraordinary diversity of herbal plants has the potential to improve our health and well-being, and we are wholeheartedly incorporating herbs, both fresh and dried, into our lifestyles-for well-being, healing, gardening, beauty, ceremony, and a richer, fuller life. Presented in three parts, Rodale's 21st-Century Herbal by Michael Balick first explores the historical relationship between people and herbal plants and how it has evolved over time. In the second part, readers will delve into an A-to-Z encyclopedia of 180 of the most useful herbs from around the globe, not only familiar herbs like bilberry and nasturtium, but also cutting-edge herbs from other cultures, like red bush tea and maca, that are now available in the West. The final section highlights how herbs create a "fuller" life and features herbal cooking techniques, ways to use herbs for beauty and the bath, ideas for daily herbal use (such as green cleaning, fragrances, decor, smudging, and dyeing), gardening and growing how-tos (with illustrated garden designs), and advice for holistic herbal pet care.

Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide by Rosemary Gladstar - Craft a soothing aloe lotion after an encounter with poison ivy, make a dandelion-burdock tincture to fix sluggish digestion, and brew up some lavender-lemon balm tea to ease a stressful day. In this introductory guide, Rosemary Gladstar shows you how easy it can be to make your own herbal remedies for life's common ailments. Gladstar profiles 33 common healing plants and includes advice on growing, harvesting, preparing, and using herbs in healing tinctures, oils, and creams. Stock your medicine cabinet full of all-natural, low-cost herbal preparations.

Teacher Fiction

Last back to school list - teacher fiction!

Carolina Home by Virginia Kantra - Home to the Fletcher family for generations, Dare Island is a fishing village rocked by changing times-its traditions slipping away like sands of the North Carolina coast. Single dad and fishing boat captain Matt Fletcher deferred his own dreams to support his innkeeper parents and build a future for his sixteen-year-old son. Matt has learned to weather life's storms by steering a steady emotional course...and keeping a commitment-free approach to love. Newcomer Allison Carter came to Dare Island to escape the emotional demands of her wealthy family. The young teacher aims to build a life here, to make a lasting place for herself. She doesn't want to be another Woman Who Once Dated Matt Fletcher. It's both tempting and dangerous to believe she can be something more. Then Matt's brother Luke makes a sudden return home, with a child of his own-and a request that will change all their lives. With a child's welfare at stake, Matt must turn to Allison to teach him to let go of the past, open his eyes...and follow his heart. Book 1 of 5 in the Dare Island series

Different Class by Joanne Harris - After thirty years at St. Oswald's Grammar in North Yorkshire, England, Latin master Roy Straitley has seen all kinds of boys come and go. Each class has its own clowns, rebels, and underdogs--all who hold a special place in the old teacher's heart. But every so often there's a boy who doesn't quite fit the mold. A troublemaker. A boy with darkness inside.
With insolvency and academic failure looming, a new headmaster arrives at the venerable school, bringing with him new technology, sharp suits, and even girls to the dusty corridors. But while Straitley does his sardonic best to resist these steps toward the future, a shadow from his past begins to stir again. A boy who still haunts Straitley's dreams twenty years later. A boy capable of terrible things.

Exposed by Jean-Philippe Blondel - A French teacher on the verge of retirement is invited to a glittering opening that showcases the artwork of his former student, who has since become a celebrated painter. This unexpected encounter leads to the older man posing for his portrait. Possibly in the nude. Such personal exposure at close range entails a strange and troubling pact between artist and sitter that prompts both to reevaluate their lives. Blondel, author of the hugely popular novel The 6:41 to Paris, evokes an intimacy of dangerous intensity in a tale marked by profound nostalgia and a reckoning with the past that allows its two characters to move ahead in to the future.

Gingham Mountain by Mary Connealy - When Hannah Cartwright meets Grant, a disreputable-looking cowboy, she's determined to keep him from exploiting two more orphans. When she gets the job as schoolmarm, she resolves to keep Grant's adopted children in school to minimize their time spent in hard labor on his ranch. Will she succeed in her plans or lose her heart--and the children--to a man she despises? Grant already has a Texas ranch full of orphans he's rescued, but still he's determined to take on the two brought in by the orphan train. Can he wrangle his growing brood while resisting his attraction to the meddlesome Hannah and keeping clear of Prudence, a designing dressmaker? When a couple of con artists discover oil on Grant's land, they'll go to any length to steal his ranch, including forcing him into marriage. Will their plans succeed before the secret of oil spills out? Book 3 of 3 in the Lassoed in Texas series

A Marriage for Meghan by Mary Ellis - Meghan Yost is 19, bright, and eager to prove to her father, the bishop, that she's mature enough to teach in the Old Order district. But just when Meghan gains confidence and assurance, a troubled student challenges her authority and a male suitor challenges her patience.
Life and love tensions escalate when a string of crimes threaten the Amish community, and handsome FBI agent Thomas Mast arrives to investigate.
Is there truth behind Meghan's fear that she's the cause for disruptions in the serene county? And is there true love behind her mixed feelings for Thomas, the outsider? Book 2 of 2 in the Wayne County series

Miracle Road by Emily March - After tragedy strikes his team, college basketball coach Lucca Romano arrives in the haven of Eternity Springs to reassess his life. Even a winning record and big offers can't dent the wall of guilt that Lucca has built around himself. Nothing can--except maybe a vibrant new neighbor who won't give up on him.
Schoolteacher Hope Montgomery believes in miracles. She has to believe--because giving up would mean crumbling under the greatest loss a parent can endure. Hope understands Lucca's suffering; she lives it herself every day. However, the high school team needs his coaching expertise, so she sets out to draw him from his cold, solitary shell and into the warmth of life in their small Rocky Mountain town. But when a weak moment leads to consequences that shake Hope's faith, it's up to Lucca to put aside his heartache and show the teacher that here in Eternity Springs broken hearts can heal--just in time for Christmas. Book 7 of 15 in the Eternity Springs series

The Practice House by Laura McNeal - Nineteen-year-old Aldine McKenna is stuck at home with her sister and aunt in a Scottish village in 1929 when two Mormon missionaries ring the doorbell. Aldine's sister converts and moves to America to marry, and Aldine follows, hoping to find the life she's meant to lead and the person she's meant to love. In New York, Aldine answers an ad soliciting a teacher for a one-room schoolhouse in a place she can't possibly imagine: drought-stricken Kansas. She arrives as farms on the Great Plains have begun to fail and schools are going bankrupt, unable to pay or house new teachers. With no money and too much pride to turn back, she lives uneasily with the family of Ansel Price--the charming, optimistic man who placed the ad--and his family responds to her with kind curiosity, suspicion, and, most dangerously, love. Just as she's settling into her strange new life, a storm forces unspoken thoughts to the surface that will forever alter the course of their lives.

Serenity Harbor by RaeAnne Thayne - Computer-tech millionaire Bowie Callahan is about the last person that schoolteacher Katrina Bailey wants to work for. As far as she can see, he's arrogant, entitled and not up to the task of caring for his young half brother, Milo. But Kat is, especially if it brings her closer to her goal of adopting an orphaned little girl. And as her kindness and patience work wonders with Milo, she realizes there's more to sexy, wary Bo than she'd ever realized.
Bo never imagined he'd be tasked with caring for a sibling he didn't know existed. Then again, he never pictured himself impulsively kissing vibrant, compassionate Katrina in the moonlight. Now he's ready to make her dream of family come true...and hoping there's room in it for him, too... Book 6 of 10 in the Haven Point series

The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason F. Wright - Seventeen seconds can change a life forever. This is what Rex Connor learned on a gorgeous summer afternoon in 1970 when, as a lifeguard, he diverted his gaze for seventeen seconds and tragedy occurred. Forty years later the waves of that day still ripple through the lives of countless people, including his son, Cole.
Cole Connor has become a patient teacher, and now he has invited three struggling teenagers to visit him on his front porch to learn about Rex Connor--and the Seventeen Second Miracle. Together they will learn how Rex Connor could have allowed seventeen seconds to destroy him, but instead he chose to live every day believing the smallest of acts could change the world for good. And the students, each with their own secrets and private pains, will begin to understand that even tragedy brings lessons. Even pain brings comfort. Even death brings miracles. A seventeen second miracle can change a life--if you let it.

Sunrise Cabin by Stacey Donovan - Dylan's an overworked investment banker. Paige is a freespirited first-grade teacher. From the first time they meet, these two opposites attract. Meanwhile, the cabin Paige is renting has gone up for sale. She loves living there, and she just might be able to buy it--if she finally achieves her dream of selling her children's stories. When she learns Dylan is also determined to buy the cabin, their new romance turns into a real estate rivalry. Dylan could explain his own connection to the place--but that would mean opening up about his past. As his relationship with Paige goes from funny to touching, they both learn more about love and the true meaning of home. 

Pirates Nonfiction

Ahoy! I previously featured pirate novels, and now it is time for pirate nonfiction...before Arr-gust is over!  Enjoy!

Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates by Eric Jay Dolin - Set against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals the dramatic and surprising history of American piracy's "Golden Age"--spanning the late 1600s through the early 1700s--when lawless pirates plied the coastal waters of North America and beyond. Best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin illustrates how American colonists at first supported these outrageous pirates in an early display of solidarity against the Crown, and then violently opposed them. Through engrossing episodes of roguish glamour and extreme brutality, Dolin depicts the star pirates of this period, among them towering Blackbeard, ill-fated Captain Kidd, and sadistic Edward Low, who delighted in torturing his prey. Also brilliantly detailed are the pirates' manifold enemies, including colonial governor John Winthrop, evangelist Cotton Mather, and young Benjamin Franklin. Upending popular misconceptions and cartoonish stereotypes, Dolin provides this wholly original account of the seafaring outlaws whose raids reflect the precarious nature of American colonial life.

Empire of Blue Water: Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe That Ended the Outlaws' Blood Reign by Stephan Talty - He challenged the greatest empire on earth with a ragtag bunch of renegades-- and brought it to its knees. Empire of Blue Water is the real story of the pirates of the Caribbean. Henry Morgan, a twenty-year-old Welshman, crossed the Atlantic in 1655, hell-bent on making his fortune. Over the next three decades, his exploits in the Caribbean in the service of the English became legendary. His daring attacks on the mighty Spanish Empire on land and at sea determined the fates of kings and queens, and his victories helped shape the destiny of the New World. Morgan gathered disaffected European sailors and soldiers, hard-bitten adventurers, runaway slaves, and vicious cutthroats, and turned them into the most feared army in the Western Hemisphere. Sailing out from the English stronghold of Port Royal, Jamaica, " the wickedest city in the New World, " Morgan and his men terrorized Spanish merchant ships and devastated the cities where great riches in silver, gold, and gems lay waiting. His last raid, a daring assault on the fabled city of Panama, helped break Spain' s hold on the Americas forever.

The End of Barbary Terror: America's 1815 War Against the Pirates of North Africa by Frederick C. Leiner - When Barbary pirates captured an obscure Yankee sailing brig off the coast of North Africa in 1812, enslaving eleven American sailors, President James Madison first tried to settle the issue through diplomacy. But when these efforts failed, he sent the largest American naval force evergathered to that time, led by the heroic Commodore Stephen Decatur, to end Barbary terror once and for all.Drawing upon numerous ship logs, journals, love letters, and government documents, Frederick C. Leiner paints a vivid picture of the world of naval officers and diplomats in the early nineteenth century, as he recreates a remarkable and little known episode from the early American republic.Leiner first describes Madison's initial efforts at diplomacy, sending Mordecai Noah to negotiate, reasoning that the Jewish Noah would fare better with the Islamic leader. But when the ruler refused to ransom the Americans--"not for two millions of dollars"--Madison declared war and sent a fleet toNorth Africa. Decatur's squadron dealt quick blows to the Barbary navy, dramatically fighting and capturing two ships. Decatur then sailed to Algiers. He refused to go ashore to negotiate--indeed, he refused to negotiate on any essential point. The ruler of Algiers signed the treaty--in Decatur'swords, "dictated at the mouths of our cannon"--in twenty-four hours. The United States would never pay tribute to the Barbary world again, and the captive Americans were set free--although in a sad, ironic twist, they never arrived home, their ship being lost at sea in heavy weather.Here then is a real-life naval adventure that will thrill fans of Patrick O'Brian, a story of Islamic terrorism, white slavery, poison gas, diplomatic intrigue, and battles with pirates on the high seas.

If a Pirate I Must Be: The True Story of "Black Bart," King of the Caribbean Pirates by Richard Sanders - In a page-turning tale brimming with adventure, author Richard Sanders tells of the remarkable exploits of Bartholomew Roberts (better known as Black Bart), the greatest of the Caribbean pirates. He drank tea instead of rum. He banned women and gambling on his ships. He never made his prisoners walk the plank, instead inviting them into his cabin for a friendly chat. And during the course of his extraordinary two-and-a-half-year career as a pirate captain, he captured four hundred prizes and brought trade in the eastern Caribbean to a standstill. In If a Pirate I Must Be..., Richard Sanders tells the larger-than-life story of Bartholomew Roberts, aka Black Bart. Born in a rural town, Roberts rose from third mate on a slave ship to pirate captain in a matter of months. Before long, his combination of audaciousness and cunning won him fame and fortune from the fisheries of Newfoundland to the slave ports of West Africa. Sanders brings to life a fascinating world of theater and ritual, where men (a third of whom were black) lived a close-knit, egalitarian life, democratically electing their officers and sharing their spoils. They were highly (if surreptitiously) popular with many merchants, with whom they struck incredibly lucrative deals. Yet with a fierce team of Royal Navy pirate hunters tracking his every move, Roberts' heyday would prove a brief one, and with his capture, the Golden Age of pirates would pass into the lore and legend of books and movies. Based on historical records, journals and letters from pirates under Roberts' command, and on writings by Roberts himself, If a Pirate I Must Be... is the true story of the greatest pirate ever to sail the Caribbean.

Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson - Finding and identifying a pirate ship is the hardest thing to do under the sea. But two men--John Chatterton and John Mattera--are willing to risk everything to find the Golden Fleece, the ship of the infamous pirate Joseph Bannister. At large during the Golden Age of Piracy in the seventeenth century, Bannister should have been immortalized in the lore of the sea--his exploits more notorious than Blackbeard's, more daring than Kidd's. But his story, and his ship, have been lost to time. If Chatterton and Mattera succeed, they will make history--it will be just the second time ever that a pirate ship has been discovered and positively identified. Soon, however, they realize that cutting-edge technology and a willingness to lose everything aren't enough to track down Bannister's ship. They must travel the globe in search of historic documents and accounts of the great pirate's exploits, face down dangerous rivals, battle the tides of nations and governments and experts. But it's only when they learn to think and act like pirates--like Bannister--that they become able to go where no pirate hunters have gone before.

Pirates of New England: Ruthless Raiders and Rotten Renegades by Gail Selinger - Tales of swashbuckling adventure, murder, treachery, and mayhem One would be mistaken to think of pirates as roaming only the Caribbean. Pirates as famous as William Kidd and Henry Every have at various times plundered, pillaged, and murdered their way up and down the New England seaboard, striking fear among local merchants and incurring the wrath of colonial authorities. Piracy historian Gail Selinger brings these tales of mayhem and villainy to life while also exploring why New England became such a breeding ground for high seas crime and how the view of piracy changed over time, from winking toleration to brutal crackdown.

The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down by Colin Woodard - In the early eighteenth century a number of the great pirate captains, including Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and "Black Sam" Bellamy, joined forces. This infamous "Flying Gang" was more than simply a thieving band of brothers. Many of its members had come to piracy as a revolt against conditions in the merchant fleet and in the cities and plantations in the Old and New Worlds. Inspired by notions of self-government, they established a crude but distinctive form of democracy in the Bahamas,carving out their own zone of freedom in which indentured servants were released and leaders chosen or deposed by a vote. They were ultimately overcome by their archnemesis, Captain Woodes Rogers--a merchant fleet owner and former privateer--and the brief though glorious moment of the Republic of Pirates came to an end.In this unique and fascinating book, Colin Woodard brings to life this virtually unexplored chapter in the Golden Age of Piracy.

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History by Brian Kilmeade & Don Yaeger - This is the little-known story of how a newly independent nation was challenged by four Muslim powers and what happened when America's third president decided to stand up to intimidation. When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa's Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford. Over the previous fifteen years, as a diplomat and then as secretary of state, Jefferson had tried to work with the Barbary states (Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco). Unfortunately, he found it impossible to negotiate with people who believed their religion justified the plunder and enslavement of non-Muslims. These rogue states would show no mercy--at least not while easy money could be made by extorting America, France, England, and other powers. So President Jefferson decided to move beyond diplomacy. He sent the U.S. Navy's new warships and a detachment of marines to blockade Tripoli--launching the Barbary Wars and beginning America's journey toward future superpower status.

Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age by Marcus Rediker - Villains of All Nations explores the "Golden Age" of Atlantic piracy (1716-1726) and the infamous generation whose images underlie our modern, romanticized view of pirates. Rediker introduces us to the dreaded black flag, the Jolly Roger; swashbuckling figures such as Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard; and the unnamed, unlimbed pirate who was likely Robert Louis Stevenson's model for Long John Silver in Treasure Island.This history shows from the bottom up how sailors emerged from deadly working conditions on merchant and naval ships, turned pirate, and created a starkly different reality aboard their own ships, electing their officers, dividing their booty equitably, and maintaining a multinational social order. The real lives of this motley crew-which included cross-dressing women, people of color, and the "outcasts of all nations"-are far more compelling than contemporary myth.

The World Atlas of Pirates: Treasures and Treachery on the Seven Seas, In Maps, Tall Tales, and Pictures by Angus Konstam - By combining stunning cartography with engaging and authoritative text, The World Atlas of Pirates presents the story of piracy in a completely new way. Eighty maps plot the routes that pirates followed--whether crossing the world's great oceans or pursuing their prey through creeks and bays. Colorful archive illustrations, including photographs and images from England's National Maritime Museum and other historic collections, bring the villains, their ships, and their victims to life. Lively, accessible text by pirate expert Angus Konstam explains how piracy grew and flourished from the early buccaneers to the rogues of popular legends, how it has been snuffed out, and how it has reared its head again with the machine-gun-toting pirates operating on today's high seas.

Kindergarten Picture Books

It's my first picture book post!  If I do another one in the future I might have to revamp my book graphic, as picture books do not fit quite as nicely as adult books do! 

School is starting this week, or next week, or already has begun all over the United States!  A major milestone in children's lives, and a theme for August - Get Ready for Kindergarten Month!  Here are ten books about kindergarten.

Eliza's Kindergarten Pet by Alice B. McGinty and illustrated by Nancy Speir - Miss Summer has a special treat for Eliza's kindergarten class--a new pet guinea pig that the kids name Cookie. But Eliza doesn't like this kind of cookie: "A cookie with teeth?" Eliza thinks. She knows that people eat chocolate chip cookies. But do chocolate chip cookies ever eat people? Child-friendly illustrations using acrylic paint by Nancy Speir add charm and appeal as Eliza overcomes her fear and makes friends with Cookie.

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Daniel Jennewein - Your buffalo is growing up. He plays with friends. He shares his toys. He's smart! But is he ready for kindergarten? (And is kindergarten ready for him?) Although kindergarten provides unique challenges for a young buffalo, one who follows the rules and tries his best will get along fine.

It's the First Day of Kindergarten, Chloe Zoe! by Jane Smith - Chloe Zoe is starting kindergarten! Full days of school for a full week. Chloe Zoe has a new backpack and matching lunch box and is so excited to see her best friends Mary Margaret and George. On the first day of school, Chloe Zoe discovers Mary Margaret is in a different kindergarten class. Will kindergarten be any fun without her best friend?

Jumping Into Kindergarten by Julia Cook & Laura A. Jana, illustrated by James Newman Gray - Follow Roo as he figures out how to use and apply his amazing "QI" (new, school-readiness skills pronounced key) skills: ME, WE, WHY, WILL, WIGGLE, WOBBLE, and WHAT IF. 'I love to move around and explore, so my favorite skill is WIGGLE. I can jump into things, and reach for the stars. And bend and stretch and jiggle!' With his backpack of "super cool" skills and a head full of questions, Roo is excited to jump into kindergarten, and your children will be too!

Kindergarten Diary by Antoinette Portis - Starting kindergarten can be a little scary. But Annalina shows us there are lots of new and exciting things to look forward to--meeting your teacher, playing on the monkey bars, feeding the pet tortoise, and making new friends. Experience the ups and downs of the first days of kindergarten through Annalina's very own diary.

Kindergarten, Here I Come! by DJ Steinberg and illustrated by Mark Chambers - This adorable picture book celebrates all the familiar milestones and moments shared by every single kindergartener. Whether it's the first-day-of-school jitters or the hundredth-day-of-school party, every aspect of the kindergarten experience is introduced with a light and funny poem--not to mention charming illustrations.

The King of Kindergarten by Derrick D. Barnes and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton - Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm! And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day.

Kisses for Kindergarten by Livingstone Crouse and illustrated by Macky Pamintuan - School is about to begin, and Stella Isabella Harden decides that kindergarten just isn't for her. Instead, she decides to spend the day learning from her puppy named Buster. Together these two adventurers plan a day full of playtime, teatime, nap time, and story time. After every "lesson," Stella gets the best reward: a kiss from her best friend and favorite puppy. But will she change her mind about kindergarten before the first day of school? Join Stella and Buster in this lyrical read-aloud and heartwarming story about growing up.

Planet Kindergarten by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrated by Shane Prigmore - This clever picture book will prepare young explorers to boldly go where they have never gone before: Planet Kindergarten. Suit up for a daring adventure as our hero navigates the unknown reaches and alien inhabitants of this strange new world. Hilarious and confidence-boosting, this exciting story will have new kindergarteners ready for liftoff!

Twindergarten by Nikki Ehrlich and illustrated by Zoey Abbott - Dax and Zoe are twins. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. It's the night before the twins are starting kindergarten, and they have the just-about-to-start-school jitters. After all, they will be in different classrooms! What will kindergarten be like when they're not together all day? But Dax and Zoe will learn that kindergarten is full of new surprises and adventures, and being apart for a short while isn't so bad.