Book Review: The Americans: The Colonial Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin

The Americans, Vol. 1: The Colonial Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From the individual founding of each colony and their unique cultures to the developments the spanned up and down the continent, this is how America started. The Americans: The Colonial Experience is the first volume of Daniel J. Boorstin’s trilogy which features the American experience from the various English arrivals on the Eastern Seaboard to the verge of Revolution.

Over the course of 372 pages, Boorstin covers the colonial period of the “American experience” beginning by covering the founding and political development of four of the 13 colonies then ending with how the colonies viewed war especially in comparison with the British view of war. The chapters focused on the Quaker governance of Pennsylvania and the saga of Georgia’s early history were very enlightening. Another fascinating aspect that Boorstin brought out was how Puritanism, Quakerism, and Anglicanism (Episcopalism) developed differently in American and Britain with how those differences effected the course of American history in both political and cultural terms. The decentralization of British America with 13 colonial capitals and not one central cultural location diversified education, those in profession occupations needing to be jacks-of-all-trades, and the profusion of various centers of printing were also touched upon not only in shaping the beginnings of America but in how in contrast they were to Britain. Finally, Boorstin’s four chapters on the colonial view of war and how the localization of soldiery made them unprofessional and disunited—much to British annoyance during the Seven Years War—that would continue into the modern day thus preventing the creation of a military caste. Overall, this is a quality written history of the colonial period that seems both “conservative” and “revisionist” at the same time when comparing it to the mythologized and popular version general readers might think of when opening this book.

The Americans: The Colonial Experience is Daniel J. Boorstin’s well-researched and well-written volume on how America was shaped by the same things as Britain during the colonial period but turned out completely different.

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Book Review: Exodus by Jiri Moskala

Exodus: God's Saving Presence, 3Q25 Bible Bookshelf by Jiří Moskala
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

t is the most cinematic story of the Bible, it gives the second book of the Bible its name, gave birth to a nation, but it was only the start. Exodus: God’s Saving Presence by Jiri Moskala is the supplemental book of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study (3rd Quarter 2025) covering the second book of the Bible that is more than an oppressed people walking to freedom but the birth of a nation. Over the course of 128 pages divided into 13 chapters along with an introduction and conclusion, Moskala covers the entire book of Exodus to bring out an important point—a “grand theme”—that readers should take away from the section of Exodus covered. Though a supplementary book for a 13 week Sabbath School lesson, this book can also be used when reading the book of Exodus on your own to enhance your understanding.

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Book Review: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

To some he was a villain who opposed a saint, to others a man of mean birth and fortune who rose to be the right hand man to the two most powerful men in his country, or maybe just a man trying to make it from day to day and hoping to leave his family in better circumstances than those he was born into. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is the first book of a historical fiction trilogy from the view of Thomas Cromwell, a man to a work-class family of no position or name who rose to be the right hand to both Thomas Cardinal Wolsey and King Henry VIII.

Mantel’s first-person biographical historical fiction account of Thomas Cromwell’s life up until the execution of Sir Thomas More not only follows the rise of this “new man” in the political realm but one focused on business to power as well. There is one criticism that I have with the book to get out of the way, Mantel a few times doesn’t not put quotation marks to denote Cromwell’s speaking to other individuals, it isn’t a lot but enough to be noticeable that I sometimes got confused and had to go back to reread sections to get back on track. Besides that, for anyone that has seen historical documentaries or films or television shows that cover Henry VIII’s divorce from Katherine to marry Anne Boleyn while breaking with Rome this book covers it from the perspective of a man who is either seen as a villain or a useful tool for Henry in those other media. While the historical background was familiar ground for me, Mantel’s characterization of Cromwell is what makes this book stand out and keeps the reader engaged throughout especially when it comes to scenes in which Cromwell is dealing with his family and household. The characterizations of other historical personages, though seen through Cromwell’s point of view, were also well done, creating a very believable narrative when compared to the actual historical record. Over the course of a little over 600 pages this book delivers, and it ends with an intriguing reference to the book’s title but is never seen to set up the desire to read the next book.

Wolf Hall is a fantastic opening installment for a historical fiction trilogy; Hilary Mantel covers a period in English history that seems to have been done to death but from the point of view of an individual that in a lot of media is portrayed as the villain.

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Book Review: Immanuel Kant's Political Writings

Political Writings by Immanuel Kant
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Enlightenment’s most prominent German is known for his comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics; however, he never wrote a dedicated work on his political philosophy. Immanuel Kant’s Political Writings edited by Hans Reiss is a collection of either complete or selected portions of works over the course of the philosopher’s career that attempts to give the reader a in-depth understanding of Kant’s political philosophy.

Over the course of 272 pages of text, Reiss’ aim was to outline the central tenets of Kant’s political thinking and aim through his constructed framework of moral philosophy and the philosophy of history. As it says on the back cover of the book, “Kant’s aim was to establish the philosophical principles on which a just and lasting peace could be based, and to provide a philosophical vindication of representative, constitutional government that would guarantee respect for the political rights of all individuals.” The one problem is that frankly, I only learned that in Reiss’ introduction and postscript—along with the back cover itself—not from any of the selections from Kant’s work presented in the collection. Honestly I think I would have preferred a volume of Reiss writing an explanation of Kant’s political ideas for 272 pages than what I read as a whole especially because in the postscript Reiss wrote that Kant disagreed with rebellion of established government and thus thought the French Revolution was wrong but Reiss explained that Kant viewed the American Revolution favorably along the U.S. Constitution but didn’t explain why the latter revolution was different from the former in Kant’s mind. Reiss put in selections from “The Metaphysics of Morals” and an appendix from “The Critique of Pure Reason”, the former Reiss had to explain the entire work up until the selection so the reader would know what Kant’s frame of mind was and the later one long paragraph about the right form of a constitution. From what I can gather, “Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch” might have been the only complete important work in the collection and while it was interesting, to say I was impressed with Kant’s explanation of his political philosophy—or what could be drawn out—would be a lie though not because it was badly written, it just fine. Overall, I was not really impressed by the book because while it is a collection, it feels more Kant writing about political theory at certain points in a bigger work than articulating a political philosophy.

Immanuel Kant’s Political Writings is a volume from passages from a life’s work which frankly pales in comparison to editor Hans Reiss’ explanations of Kant’s thinking than his actual words presented to reader.

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Book Review: A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman

A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

War, persecution, plague, and death galloped over the horizon on an unsuspecting Europe bring the High Middle Ages to an end and ushering in a series of crises the marked the Late Middle Ages. A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara Tuchman looks at this transformative century that saw two nations begin a century long war, the institution that knitted the fabric of Europe together split in twain, and finally the arrival of mass death thanks to a flea hitching a ride on a rat that stowed away on a boat.

Tuchman weaves the book around the life of Enguerrand de Coucy, a French nobleman once married to the daughter of English King Edward III putting him in the middle of events. The events of the 14th century from the Black Death that devastated the population of Europe, the first 60 years of the Hundred Year’s War that brought physical ruin to France and economic ruin to both France and England, the Papal Schism that broke the unity of the medieval Church after its long residence in Avignon that led to disrepute, and the numerous peasant revolts throughout Western Europe as a fall out from everything happening. Throughout the book, Tuchman brought up the medieval warrior code with its chivalry and worldview that the nobility claimed to do then countering it with what they did. Tuchman wanted to draw parallels between the 14th and 20th centuries and there are several that the reader could nod in agreement, however the differences are stark enough that it’s hard to make the connection but then again that might be why it’s a distant mirror. Over the course of 600 pages, Tuchman gives a pretty good portrait of the 14th Century especially regarding France but not at the total expense of the rest of the continent while being readable for the general reader.

A Distant Mirror is a general overview of the history of Europe’s 14th century which is so much more than the Black Death and Hundred Year’s War which Barbara Tuchman brings out in a very readable book.

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Book Review: Norse Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook by Kelsey A. Fuller-Shafer

Norse Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook: From Vikings to Valkyries, an Epic Who's Who in Old Norse Mythology by Kelsey A. Fuller-Shafer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

They are the mythological personages that know they are doomed but still fascinate the modern world, the are the Aesir and Vanir. Norse Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook: From Vikings to Valkyries, an Epic Who’s Who in Old Norse Mythology by Kelsey A. Fuller-Shafer is a handy guide to the major figures of the mythos for those interested in who is who that features illustrations by Sara Richard.

Over the course of 231 pages, Fuller-Shafer covers the major deities of Norse mythology along with their major opponents from the familiar to the lesser known just still important figures. Along with the gods were the major human heroes, whose bloody adventures and equally bloody deaths, that were chronicled in various sagas. Given that the sources Fuller-Shafer consulted sometimes contradicted one another and some of the same stories in both the Poetic and Prose Edda are different as well, she did a good job selecting a version and sticking with its details throughout the book when covering related individuals and stories. Throughout the book the art of Sara Richard brings events, creatures, gods, goddesses, and heroes to life which is fantastic since the main reason I purchased this book was for her art.

Norse Mythology is a quick, easy to read introduction to the major points on well known gods along with human heroes that are the focus of epic sagas that Kelsey A. Fuller-Shafer presents in informative synopsis form and to that the amazing art of Sara Richard which brings it to life makes is an added bonus.

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Book Review: Lake Worth Monster: The True Story of the Greer Island Goatman by Lyle Blackburn

Lake Worth Monster: The True Story of the Greer Island Goatman by Lyle Blackburn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The nation was getting ready to watch man land on the moon, but for a week in July 1969 for one community in northern Texas what was important was the creature roaming the local lake. Lake Worth Monster: The True Story of the Greer Island Goatman by Lyle Blackburn examines the well-told two-night incidents surrounding a mysterious creature that was witnessed by nearly 50 people as well as the sightings and incidents before and after the famous two-night appearances.

In 110 pages, Blackburn goes over famous July 10 and 11, 1969 incidents around Greer Island in Lake Worth just northwest of Fort Worth. Then he goes into the rest of the story from the research and interviews by Sallie Ann Clarke who wrote a book about the incidents a few months later but started a decade-long hunt to find out the truth, especially after she saw it five times over the years. Blackburn then goes the history of various creature sightings around the area, usually matching descriptions of a sasquatch especially with the tale tell big footprints including later sightings around Greer Island and the wider Lake Worth area. However, original reports called the creature a bipedal goat shaped man with horns and cloven feet which leads Blackburn to various locations where a “goatman” is said to haunt or roam from around Old Alton Bridge near Denton, Texas and Prince George County in Maryland. Blackburn also covers every base by going through the rumors who the July 1969 incidents being pranks and hoaxes done by a group of teenagers or multiple groups of teenagers independent of one another over a span of months or just spur of the moment hijinks in front of a large crowd. The major issue I have with the book is that there is a total of 164 pages which meant 50 pages were dedicated to appendices—maps, news and photo archives, an transcript of an interview of Sallie Ann Clarke, and a brief memoir by Bobby Brooks about his connected with the Lake Worth Monster story—which me seemed like the book was formatted incorrectly as the maps, news articles, and photos could have been dispersed throughout the text or between chapters while saving the Sallie Ann Clarke interview and Bobby Brooks’ short memoir as welcome additions at the end of the book. Besides the personal annoyance of the book’s structure, Blackburn’s writing is great as I finished this book in one day due to how interesting and readable he presented everything.

Lake Worth Monster covers one of the most interesting and maybe the best attested cryptid incidents on record, Lyle Blackburn covers the famous two day in July 1969 and then reveals what happened before and long after.

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