Moonwalk: The Story of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing by David Jenkins

October 30, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Moonwalk: The Story of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing by David Jenkins
Publisher: Circa Press
Genre: Non-Fiction, Middle Grade
Length: Short Story (48 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Written for children, but with parents very much in mind, this book tells the Apollo 11 story through the medium of artist Adrian Buckley’s atmospheric imagery. From President Kennedy’s call to put a man on the moon to the celebratory ticker tape parade in Manhattan, this is a story of three extraordinary men and their incredible achievement: Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Buzz Aldrin and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins. On 21 July 1969, when Neil Armstrong opened the hatch in the Lunar Module and descended the ladder to set foot on the surface of the Moon, he became in an instant the greatest traveler in human history. Full of period detail and fascinating insights, this is a book to be explored and enjoyed.

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I’m not usually one for reading books for children, but that didn’t stop me from picking up this picture book. There are tidbits on each page that flow well and nicely explain the images. I learned more than a few things while reading this book. It’s explained and put in language a kid can understand, but doesn’t talk down to the younger reader.

One thing that is a tiny bit distracting–it was to me, but might not be for other readers–is the photos. Some are more like drawings and others actual photos. I didn’t mind the hybrid, but the thing that was odd was how the photos were edited, like editing Neil Armstrong out of the reflection on Buzz Aldrin’s helmet. Or the hyper realism on the Saturn V rocket, but the surrounding area is drawn. It’s a quibble that bothered me, but might be perfectly fine for other readers and isn’t something that should make you pass this book by.

I really enjoyed the snippets on the last couple of pages. The author included interesting facts about the mission, about the astronauts and NASA. The little tidbits are great points for discussion, even with smaller children.

If you’re looking for a book to introduce your younger reader to the space mission, Apollo 11, then this might be the book you’re looking for. Give it a try.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlyn Doughty

October 30, 2019 By 1 Comment


Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlyn Doughty
Publisher: WW Norton & Co.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (240 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Best-selling author and mortician Caitlin Doughty answers real questions from kids about death, dead bodies, and decomposition.

Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. The best questions come from kids. What would happen to an astronaut’s body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can Grandma have a Viking funeral?
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In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge of the body and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to offer factual, hilarious, and candid answers to thirty-five distinctive questions posed by her youngest fans. In her inimitable voice, Doughty details lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn colors during decomposition? And why do hair and nails appear longer after death? Readers will learn the best soil for mummifying your body, whether you can preserve your best friend’s skull as a keepsake, and what happens when you die on a plane.

Beautifully illustrated by Dianné Ruz, Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? shows us that death is science and art, and only by asking questions can we begin to embrace it.

I never thought a book about death would make me laugh out loud. This one did.

I picked up this book because it had the words cat, eat and eyeballs. It grabbed my attention, needless to say. I haven’t read anything else by this author, but this was funny and if this is her style for every book, then she’s worth checking out. The writing flowed well and reminded me of talking to a friend. The questions asked were worthy ones. What happens if you die on a plane? What about if you want to take Fido with you when you move and he’s been buried a while? Will you turn colors when you’re dead? Why was Grandma wearing a plastic sheet under her clothes in the casket? They’re valid questions.

I don’t know that I’d let a kid read this as it’s a little above their age range, but a teen would get a lot out of this book. Someone interested in learning about what happens when we die would get a lot out of it, too. It still can make death seem scary, but not as scary as it could’ve been.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The League of Wives by Heath Hardage Lee

October 22, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The League of Wives by Heath Hardage Lee
The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the U.S. Government to Bring Their Husbands Home
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Genre: Historical Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (336 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The true story of the fierce band of women who battled Washington―and Hanoi―to bring their husbands home from the jungles of Vietnam.

On February 12, 1973, one hundred and sixteen men who, just six years earlier, had been high flying Navy and Air Force pilots, shuffled, limped, or were carried off a huge military transport plane at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. These American servicemen had endured years of brutal torture, kept shackled and starving in solitary confinement, in rat-infested, mosquito-laden prisons, the worst of which was The Hanoi Hilton.

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In a page-turning work of narrative non-fiction, Heath Hardage Lee tells the story of these remarkable women for the first time. The League of Wives is certain to be on everyone’s must-read list.

These women had guts. Period.

I can’t imagine being in the shoes of the League of Wives. Each woman’s husband has been captured in Vietnam and the wives don’t know what happened to them. Talk about stress. Like I said, I can’t imagine how they handled it.

The author handles this topic, the POWs and MIA soldiers in Vietnam with a special touch. The writing flows well and I got caught up in the struggle of each woman profiled. I had no idea how much Ross Perot or Bob Dole did for these soldiers and their family. I learned a lot through the reading of this book. A reader who lived through this era might not learn as much, but that shouldn’t be a deterrent.

This isn’t an easy read. Now I know that sounds strange. I just said the writing flows well, but then I said it’s not an easy read? The author shows how these women went through the wringer and how they did (or sometimes didn’t) handle the stress of their situation. It’s hard to read about women struggling to cope. They’ve got kids, family and their determination to get their husbands home. It’s a lot to handle. Some did. Some didn’t.

Give this book a try. It’s worth the read. Recommended.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien

October 18, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien
How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History
Publisher: Eamon Dolan/Mariner Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full length (382 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Between the world wars, no sport was more popular, or more dangerous, than airplane racing. While male pilots were lauded as heroes, the few women who dared to fly were more often ridiculed—until a cadre of women pilots banded together to break through the entrenched prejudice.
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Fly Girls weaves together the stories of five remarkable women: Florence Klingensmith, a high school dropout from Fargo, North Dakota; Ruth Elder, an Alabama divorcée; Amelia Earhart, the most famous, but not necessarily the most skilled; Ruth Nichols, who chafed at her blue blood family’s expectations; and Louise Thaden, the young mother of two who got her start selling coal in Wichita. Together, they fought for the chance to fly and race airplanes—and in 1936, one of them would triumph, beating the men in the toughest air race of them all.

Five women wanting to own the sky.

I’ve been on a bender reading historical non-fiction books. I’m in awe of the space program, but this book shows where things all began–flight. When I saw the name Amelia Earhart, I thought, okay, this is about her big flight. But it’s really not. It’s about the women who wanted to learn to fly and were part of the twenty-nine who originally got pilots licenses when it wasn’t considered something women should do. I loved the pioneering spirit of these women and the “never give up” attitude.

The writing flowed well, but there were times when I wasn’t sure who I was reading about. The lead-up to the reveal about which woman was being spotlighted in any given chapter was a tad long. At times it read a bit like a textbook, but I wanted to know about these women, so I kept going.

I’ve heard of Earhart, but have you ever heard of Ruth Nichols? Louise Thaden? Ruth Elder? They were giants in airplane racing. Yeah, racing. Never heard of them? You should. If you read Fly Girls, you will. If you’re a fan of flight and pioneers in flight, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw

October 3, 2019 By 2 Comments


Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw
Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Through all the years of strife and triumph, America has been shaped not just by our elected leaders and our formal politics but also by our music—by the lyrics, performers, and instrumentals that have helped to carry us through the dark days and to celebrate the bright ones.

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Beginning with the battle hymns of the revolution, and taking us through songs from the defining events of the Civil War, the fight for women’s suffrage, the two world wars, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and into the twenty-first century, Meacham and McGraw explore the songs that defined generations, and the cultural and political climates that produced them. Readers will discover the power of music in the lives of figures such as Harriet Tubman, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and will learn more about some of our most beloved musicians and performers, including Marian Anderson, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

Songs of America explores both famous songs and lesser-known ones, expanding our understanding of the scope of American music and lending deeper meaning to the historical context of such songs as “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” “God Bless America,” “Over There,” “We Shall Overcome,” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.” As Quincy Jones says, Meacham and McGraw have “convened a concert in Songs of America,” one that reminds us of who we are, where we’ve been, and what we, at our best, can be.

Songs of protest, songs of freedom. Songs that made our lives.

I picked up this book for two reasons. I like the writings of Jon Meacham. I know, someone should tell the author that. He has a very humble way about him and his writing. I enjoy it. The writing flowed well and pulled me right into the collection of stories. The other reason I picked up this book has to be that it’s about music. Not just any music, but music of the United States. Meacham and McGraw (in little bubbles, versus the larger prose used by Meacham), don’t just touch on songs that are popular or songs that are positive. Oh, no. They touch on songs of all American peoples. There needed to be a larger section on the native peoples, but that’s my quibble.

The writing flowed well, as I said, and worked with the format used. It was like reading a collection of essays with songs added. I liked the variety and learned a few things. If you’re at all interested in protest music, then this might be the one for you. Pick it up.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Radium Girls by Claudia Clark

October 1, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Radium Girls by Claudia Clark
Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (304 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

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Whatever happened to the Radium Girls? Read this book and find out.

I’ve been interested in the world of the radium girls for quite a while. I found this book and knew I had to read it. The information in this book is all there. The author digs deep to make the reader feel like he or she is right in the world of the girls. The good, the bad, the really bad…you’re there. For a story that has such a terrible ending, this book certainly captures all of the details.

The thing is, this book reads like a textbook. If it’s supposed to be one, then fabulous. If it’s not, then it can get a bit tedious. The writing is reminiscent of a textbook, which might not appeal to many readers. Then again, if you’re doing a paper about the radium girls, then this is exactly the book needed.

If you’re interested in learning about the radium girls, then try this book. It might be the one you’re looking for.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt

September 24, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical
Length: Full Length (326 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The riveting true story of the women who launched America into space.

In the 1940s and 50s, when the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories, they didn’t turn to male graduates. Rather, they recruited an elite group of young women who, with only pencil, paper, and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design, helped bring about the first American satellites, and made the exploration of the solar system possible.
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For the first time, Rise of the Rocket Girls tells the stories of these women–known as “human computers”–who broke the boundaries of both gender and science. Based on extensive research and interviews with all the living members of the team, Rise of the Rocket Girls offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science: both where we’ve been, and the far reaches of space to which we’re heading.

The Rocket Girls rocked.

I’ve been on a non-fiction kick, reading books about people in the space industry. I stumbled on this book while looking at those lists of ‘if you liked______, you’ll like_______’. I’m glad I looked at that list. This book, Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt, was great reading. It was like reading about a circle of friends who happened to be really smart and know about engineering/math before women were considered capable of doing such things. But it seemed like I was included in the group. The writing flowed very well and I hated to put this down so I could sleep and such. I had to get back to the book.

It tugged at the heartstrings with stories about the ladies and how they did the calculations for the rocket launches, orbits and such. The women share their stories about how they felt when the Apollo I accident happened, Challenger and Discovery. They talked about the trials and tribulations of their lives, too. They were working moms when that wasn’t a popular thing. I wanted to know more about them and felt like I did know them when I finished reading the book.

What tugged the hardest at my heart had to be when the women got together for a reunion and said ‘this will be the last time we see each other[. Talk about ending on a sad note, but a cool one! They knew they’d done some awesome things. I loved going on the ride with them, even if it was only through the book.

If you’re interested in the lives of the ladies involved in the space race, then this might be the book for you. Pick it up. Recommended.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Hello Girls by Elizabeth Combs

September 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Hello Girls by Elizabeth Combs
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (400 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

This is the story of how America’s first women soldiers helped win World War I, earned the vote, and fought the U.S. Army. In 1918, the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent 223 women to France. They were masters of the latest technology: the telephone switchboard. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, demanded female “wire experts” when he discovered that inexperienced doughboys were unable to keep him connected with troops under fire. Without communications for even an hour, the army would collapse.

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The army discharged the last Hello Girls in 1920, the same year Congress ratified the Nineteenth Amendment granting the ballot. When the operators sailed home, the army unexpectedly dismissed them without veterans’ benefits. They began a sixty-year battle that a handful of survivors carried to triumph in 1979. With the help of the National Organization for Women, Senator Barry Goldwater, and a crusading Seattle attorney, they triumphed over the U.S. Army.

Gone but not forgotten.

I had no idea how much women did during World War I. I admit, I haven’t done as much reading about WWI, so that’s on me. When I saw this book, I knew I needed to read it. Women in the war? I’m all in. I’m glad I did.

The book is written in an easy manner that flows well. It’s like reading a narrative, but with many facts thrown in. It’s not like a textbook. I got to know the ladies and see what they had to put up with–things like not being recognized as veterans after the conflict, being put down by the male soldiers, but also being absolutely vital to the war effort. They ran the phone lines! The author touches on suffrage and how women’s rights didn’t move much until the 1970s. I learned a lot and enjoyed this book quite a bit.

If you’re interested in a book that’s a lot about history, but a lot like a novel, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

In the Shadow of the Moon by Francis French

September 5, 2019 By Leave a Comment


In the Shadow of the Moon by Francis French
Publisher: Bison Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (464 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In the Shadow of the Moon tells the story of the most exciting and challenging years in spaceflight, with two superpowers engaged in a titanic struggle to land one of their own people on the moon. Drawing on interviews with astronauts, cosmonauts, their families, technicians, and scientists, as well as rarely seen Soviet and American government documents, the authors craft a remarkable story of the golden age of spaceflight as both an intimate human experience and a rollicking global adventure. From the Gemini flights to the Soyuz space program to the earliest Apollo missions, including the legendary first moon landing, their book draws a richly detailed picture of the space race as an endeavor equally endowed with personal meaning and political significance.

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I’m a sucker for stories about NASA and spaceflight. I’d watched the movie that accompanied this book, but I wanted to get every detail. This book does just that. I learned about flights made by the Russians, flights made by lesser known (to me) astronauts. I had no idea some of the flights were marred by problems, or how some were a little scary. I felt like I was riding with the astronauts and immersed in their world.

I almost can’t put into words how I felt about this book. I enjoyed it and while it’s not easy reading, you have to go back and make sense sometimes of what they’re talking about–especially if you don’t understand some of the terminology–but it’s worth the time. I enjoyed every page and am glad I found this book.

If you’re into anything astronaut and spaceflight, then this might be the book for you.

Give it a try!

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan

September 3, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (416 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The story of Biltmore spans World Wars, the Jazz Age, the Depression, and generations of the famous Vanderbilt family, and features a captivating cast of real-life characters including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Teddy Roosevelt, John Singer Sargent, James Whistler, Henry James, and Edith Wharton.

Orphaned at a young age, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser claimed lineage from one of New York’s best known families. She grew up in Newport and Paris, and her engagement and marriage to George Vanderbilt was one of the most watched events of Gilded Age society. But none of this prepared her to be mistress of Biltmore House.
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Before their marriage, the wealthy and bookish Vanderbilt had dedicated his life to creating a spectacular European-style estate on 125,000 acres of North Carolina wilderness. He summoned the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to tame the grounds, collaborated with celebrated architect Richard Morris Hunt to build a 175,000-square-foot chateau, filled it with priceless art and antiques, and erected a charming village beyond the gates. Newlywed Edith was now mistress of an estate nearly three times the size of Washington, DC and benefactress of the village and surrounding rural area. When fortunes shifted and changing times threatened her family, her home, and her community, it was up to Edith to save Biltmore—and secure the future of the region and her husband’s legacy.

A huge house, a wide landscape and a fairy tale in a real place.

I knew when I picked up this book that I’d be transported and I was. I’ve never seen the Biltmore estate, but through this book, I did.

This book tells the story of the Biltmore through the years, the way it’s changed and just how expensive it can be to keep up the house.

One thing about this book, the author not only discusses the house, but the branch of the Vanderbilt family that created it. I got to learn about the people and the home. I liked learning about the peripheral people as well–who were the movers and shakers at the house, who helped make the house fabulous. I can’t imagine my day to day life having so many fascinating people who are historical figures just being part of it. There are a ton of details and this isn’t an easy read, but it is fascinating.

If you want a book about a place you can just about only dream of, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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