Waukegan Public Library - history

Have You Heard About... Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Fran J — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 06:20:32 +0000

… the bizarre and colorful citizens of Savannah, Georgia? In his nonfiction book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt examines the history and personality of the town, as well as the eccentric citizens who live there. The book is loosely centered around a murder investigation that took place in the city in the 1980s, but the real focus is on the people that Berendt met while living there: The Lady Chablis, a transsexual African American drag queen; Minerva, a voodoo priestess; and Jim Williams, an antiques dealer who has been charged with murder.

Berendt does an excellent job of bringing the Savannah culture to life and exploring the complexities of living in a city with such deep historical roots. But even though this is a nonfiction account, the book reads like a novel, making this a good suggestion for anyone who enjoyed In Cold Blood by Truman Capote or Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.

Reviewed by Katie (staff)

Have You Heard About... Drift

Fran J — Thu, 17 May 2012 06:17:21 +0000

… the military history of the United States? A tremendous amount of research went into Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power as Rachel Maddow historically follows the escalation of our country’s military might since the Vietnam War. Presidents from LBJ to Barack Obama are discussed as they went about employing our enormous and complicated Military Industrial Complex. Talk about huge egos and saber rattling.

I really enjoyed the explanation of how our Predator and Reaper drones are used to fight terror around the globe and the contrast to our very aging and “fungus growing” nuclear armaments also spread around the globe. The best part of the book is the end where Ms Maddow presents her to-do list for America to counter this “war-is-normal course,” our country has embarked on. Rachel Maddow is the host of the Emmy Award winning Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC since 2008.

Reviewed by Richard (staff)

Have You Heard About... The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb

Fran J — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 06:02:10 +0000

…Vinnie Bump? In Melanie Benjamin’s The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb you’ll find out how the amazing Mercy Lavinia ‘Vinnie’ Warren Bump came to knock the Civil War off the front pages of the newspaper. This tiny, 2 ft. 8 in., dynamo had a huge personality and knew what she wanted out of life in a time when women were expected to marry and have children.

While telling of some of the problems that little people face, Vinnie tells her story with humor and compassion. She tells of how she first met the famous P.T Barnum and how their friendship grew and always inspired her. Her marriage to Charles Stratton, better known as General Tom Thumb, is very interesting, as is her loving relationship with her diminutive sister Minnie and what happened after she died.

You’ll need huge blocks of time to read this fascinating story as it’s very hard to put down.

Reviewed by Terry (staff)

Have You Heard About... Escape from the Land of Snows

Fran J — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:42:43 +0000

… the hardships endured by the Dalai Llama and Tibet? Being a big fan of the Dalai Lama, when I saw Escape from the Land of Snows, by Stephan Talty, on the new book shelf, it didn’t take long to snatch it and head for the self-check machines.

I had read Freedom in Exile, The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama just after it had been published in 1990 and found it too to be a gripping read. The new book read like a thriller with plenty of suspense and a chance to cheer for the ultimate underdog. This is all about the March 17, 1959, Tibet uprising against the People’s Liberation Army of Communist China and the Dalai Lama’s ultimate decision to make a harrowing escape over the Himalayas to India. It is also about the events and atrocities leading up to that decision after months of China’s slow but deliberate takeover of the Tibetan people’s liberties, religion, and culture. Today, the Tibet Government in exile remains in Dharamsala, India, but many Tibetan people have never given up on the hope of their God King returning one day despite everything China has done to make the indigenous people feel like outsiders in their own country.

Reviewed by Richard (staff)