Lynn

Backlist Book Picks

August 16, 2019 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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We are so excited about sharing our favorite backlist book picks each week. This is where we share two backlist books that we love.

These are books that might not be the newest releases and current popular books that everyone seems to be reading, but they are great books that shouldn’t be forgotten about.

Last week we shared two books, a fiction and a nonfiction. Today we are sharing two great nonfiction books for sports fans. And really you don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy these two books.

I am not a huge sports fan, but I loved both of these books. One is about a basketball team in Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl, and the other is the story of how a famous sports company was built.

Both are stories of hard work, overcoming difficulty, and not giving up when times are tough. And both books are also books that I could not put down once I started.

Dust Bowl Girls was released in December 2017, so it is a newer backlist title. I don’t think this book got the attention it deserved. It is a great book and was one of my favorite books for 2018. I read it as part of my nonfiction books for every state challenge. It is the perfect nonfiction book for Oklahoma, but this is a story I think everyone will enjoy.

It is a story about teamwork, sacrifice, hard work, endurance, and the rewards that come when you don’t give up. Dust Bowl Girls also covers a lot of the history of girls basketball and the Dust Bowl.

This book would make a great gift for the sports fan or for someone that enjoys playing basketball. But it is also a good book for learning about a lesser known story from the Dust Bowl years.

Shoe Dog

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a book for not only sports fans, but for anyone that loves business books or memoirs. Grace and I have both read this book and both really enjoyed it. Neither of us are huge sports fans, so you don’t have to be into sports to enjoy this one.

Shoe Dog was released in April of 2016, so it is also a more recent backlist book. One of the reasons I decided to feature this one is because it got a lot of press when it was first released, but it hasn’t gotten a lot of attention since then.

A lot of books by celebrity type people are not that great. Sorry, but they aren’t. So I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read this book. It turned out being way better than I expected it to be. The writing was very well done and once I started reading about the story of NIKE and how Phil Knight started the company and built it, I couldn’t put it down.

Shoe Dog not only made sports interesting it made shoes interesting. I had no ides that it took so much work to design a shoe, especially how much work it took to design an athletic shoe.

Successful business and companies are not made over night and Shoe Dog is a fascinating look at what it took NIKE to become the NIKE it is today.

Have you read either of these books?

Books Set In Oregon

August 13, 2019 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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Are you interested in learning more about the state of Oregon? This list of books set in Oregon will help you learn more about the state and the people that live there.

We are continuing our journey through the U.S by reading through the states. So far we have covered books set in Oklahoma, books set in California, books set in Texas. Today’s list is all about the state of Oregon.

I am a little partial to the state of Oregon. It is where I grew up and where most of my family still live. I have lived in Oklahoma for over twenty years, but Oregon will always be considered home. I love the people, places, and scenery of Oregon.

From just about anywhere you live in Oregon, you can be at the beach, the mountains, or the river in just a few hours. It has hiking, camping, skiing, and so much more. If you love the outdoors, a visit to Oregon is a must.

Since we love books, history and Oregon, we put together a list of books set in Oregon. Most of these are nonfiction, but there is a fiction book or two as well on the list.

If we missed a book that you think should be added to the list please, leave a comment letting us know. We love finding new books.

The Mushroom Hunters

I grew up in a small logging town, in the middle of nowhere, near the NW coast range of Oregon. The area I grew up in and that my family still live in are the areas mentioned in The Mushroom Hunters by Langdon Cook. In fact, I grew up picking mushrooms back in the 1980’s when mushroom picking was just becoming popular.

We walked the forests and logging roads picking mushrooms. We sold them to a mushroom buyer that lived a mile or so down the road. He was a friend of my parents, and I went to school with his son. It was small town rural living.

Mushroom picking has changed drastically since my family picked and sold them back in the 1980’s. In fact I had no idea how much it has changed until I read this book, but this book brought back so many memories.

The Mushroom Hunters is one of those books that would work for two states. This book takes place all over the Pacific Northwest, but a good portion of it covers mushroom picking in Oregon. I grew up mushroom picking in the far northwest corner of Oregon and I could relate so much to the weather, forests, and so much more that this book covers.

Shoe Dog

I couldn’t share a list of books set in Oregon without sharing this one.

Shoe Dog is the story of NIKE and how it became one of the most noticeable brands in the world. But what you may not know about NIKE is that is all started in Oregon.

The headquarters of NIKE are about an hour from where my family lives. When we visit family we drive by the NIKE campus all the time. I have friends that work there. This book made my Oregon list because the culture of NIKE and how it became NIKE tells so much about Oregon and what makes Oregon what it is.

In telling the story of NIKE, Shoe Dog, also tells you so much about the 1960, 1970’s, and 1980’s in Oregon. It covers not only the sport of running, it tells you all about running in Oregon and at the University of Oregon. If you love business books or want to learn more about NIKE or Oregon, Shoe Dog is a great read.

The Oregon Trail

The book The Oregon Trail was a fascinating read.

I grew up about one hour from the end of the Oregon Trail. A big part of history in school for me was about the Oregon Trail. I have visited history centers, read books, watched documentaries, and have been to a few reenactments all about the Oregon Trail.

This book was a little different though in that it mixed Oregon Trail history with a modern day trip across the trail. I started reading this book because I was curious and it sounded interesting, but I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. I ended up loving it. It made history fun by mixing it with modern day events. The Oregon Trail is the story of two brothers, a covered wagon, and a team of mules who traveled 2,000 miles of the Oregon trail, the old-fashioned way.

The Oregon Shanghaiers

I grew up halfway between Portland and Astoria Oregon, but I didn’t know very much about the Oregon Shangaiers. I could have learned about this topic in school years ago, but if I did I don’t remember it.

Grace picked this up on a trip to Oregon to visit family. She read it and I was fascinated with what she told me. It is one I need to read to learn more about the area that I grew up.

If you live in Portland, Oregon, or want to learn more about the history of Portland, The Oregon Shangaiers is an interesting read. This is one of those books that you will definitely learn something from. Even if you live in Oregon, you will probably find out something that you never knew before.

Meet Your Baker

A reader recommended this book and series to me as a cozy mystery type of book because she knew I liked Cozy Mysteries. As soon as I realized it was set in Oregon I knew that it was a must read.

I am glad that read recommended Meet Your Baker because I really enjoyed it. It was an easy, light read, that involved a mystery without the graphic details. Since I grew up in Oregon, I enjoyed that this book took place in a small town in Oregon. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Rogue River Feud

The Rogue River is one of the most known rivers in Oregon. It is also a beautiful area to visit. If you like westerns this is a fun one because it is slightly different than most of them.

It takes place mostly in the woods and country side after World War I. It has a characteristic story line which I could predict. Grace enjoyed Rogue River Feud for a fun read, for a light hearted book with a love story. Since it takes place in Oregon it is a great read for books set in Oregon.

Latest Book Reviews

August 7, 2019 by Lynn 3 Comments

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Did you know that we have over four hundred book reviews here on From Our Bookshelf? You can find our full list of book reviews here .

All books that we share are books that we have read. We want to help you find great books, so we only share books that we can give an honest review of.

That means we only share books that we read, and we are working on getting more reviews up. Our goal is to hit five hundred book reviews by the end of the year.

It is summer and that means between vacations, car trips, and a few flights we have had a little more time for reading.

Today, we are sharing twelve recent reads and reviews with you. Click on the book cover or the title to see more information and our full review of the book.

Spearhead

Marilla of Green Gables

Ready Player One

Dutch Girl

Alexander Hamilton

Adventures Under Fire

The Brenner Assignment

Hellhound on His Trail

Backlist Book Picks

August 5, 2019 by Lynn Leave a Comment

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Social media and book websites are full of popular new releases. The books that are popular right now. The ones that everyone seems to be reading.

This is especially true when it comes to fiction. You see the latest most popular fiction books everywhere on social media and books websites.

We understand why that is the case. Publishers and authors want to get the word out about their books.

The reality is that many great books are released each week, but there are so many older books that are also worth reading. Books that were released last year, five years ago, or even ten or more years ago.

Great books are often called great books because they have stood the test of time. They are the books we recommend now and will still be recommending five years from now. They are books that get attention because they are well written books, not just because they are the hot new books that everyone is reading.

Grace and I decided that it is time for some of our favorite older books to get some attention.

We have over four hundred book reviews here on From Our Bookshelf. They are all books we have read and shared our thoughts on. We want to start highlighting those books.

We decided it would be fun to start sharing a couple of our favorite backlist books each week.

The books we share might be books you knew about, but that got buried in your TBR pile. They might be books that you have never heard of because you missed them when they were new and popular. Or they might be books that are great books, but never got the attention that they deserved.

The books we share each week will all be backlist books that we have read and recommend.

This week we are starting with a very popular fiction book and a not so popular but very good nonfiction book. If you love Jane Austen type of books or are a fan of Downton Abbey, I think you will love the first two books that we are featuring for backlist books.

Dear Mr. Knightly

I read Dear Mr. Knightly a few years ago and loved it. This is one of those books that I almost didn’t read because everyone was raving about it, and I wasn’t sure if I would like it. It wasn’t a book I would normally pick up, so I put off reading it. A few years after it had been out people were still taking about it, so I decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I finally picked this one up.

I read it in two days. It was a fun and easy book to read. It is a modern day version of Jane Austen. Without giving away too much, I will say that the book is about a modern day girl who has had a rough life. She receives a grant to go to college. As part of the grant, she has to write letters to the donor detailing how life and school are going. You learn about her life, her hardships, and how she overcomes them through the letters that she writes. By the end of the second chapter I was hooked and could not put it down.

If you love Jane Austen type of books and haven’t read this one, I think you will like Dear Mr. Knightly

From the Publisher: Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore. But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress. Read more about Dear Mr. Knightly

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

The book, Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey, shares the inspiration and setting for the show Downton Abbey. It tells the story behind Highclere Castle, and the life of one of people that have owned it.

I found this book fascinating. I love reading Jane Austen books, Elizabeth Gaskell’s book, North and South, and other books set in Britain, but I almost always love nonfiction books the best. Lady Almina is the best of both worlds.

This book shares the real life story of a famous castle during the same basic time period that Downton Abbey takes place. A real life story of a family that lives in a Castle in Britain makes for a great book for Downtown Abbey fans. If you are like me and love books set in Britain, but you also enjoy nonfiction, Lady Almina is a fun read.

From the Publisher: The real-life inspiration and setting for the Emmy Award-winning Downton Abbey, Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Read more about Lady Almina

Have you read either of these books? If you have please share your thoughts. I would love to hear what you thought of them.

Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing

July 20, 2019 by Lynn 2 Comments

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This week marks the anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. July 20, 2019 is actually the 50th anniversary of landing on the moon.

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, who were the first two people to walk on the moon, became heroes and gave many people a love for space exploration.

Millions of people were fascinated by space and what it took to make that historic event happen. Hundreds, if not thousands of books have be written about space, the race for space, the lives of the astronauts, and all kinds of facts about space life.

Over the years several of my kids have been fascinated with astronauts and space. In honor of the anniversary of landing on the moon, we are highlighting some books and podcasts about space, NASA, and some of the missions and astronauts that made space exploration possible.

We can’t talk about space without talking about the podcast Houston We Have a Podcast. Have you heard of it? It is a podcast put out by NASA and the Johnson Space Center and we love it. They cover all kinds of topics from space food to interesting space facts to interviewing all kinds of scientists that for NASA and on space projects.

This week I listened to their episode about Apollo 11 and the future of NASA. It is a short 20 minute episode that I found interesting.

This morning while exercising I started listening to the episode about lesser known stories of Apollo 11, and I found it really interesting. It talks about some of the behind the scenes information and shares the stories of the people that made the mission possible.

If you like listening to podcasts, give Houston We Have a Podcast a try.

Although not a podcast, the History Channel also has some interesting facts and information about Apollo 11.

Now for a few books about NASA and space exploration.

Two of my kids have read and really enjoyed the book Apollo 13. This book gives a great perspective into the flight and mission. If you love books about space, this is a great one.

Grace and I have both read Rise of the Rocket Girls and both of us really enjoyed it. This book is a fascinating behind the scenes look at the women who worked as “human computers” during the early days of the race to space.

If you love books about space, math, and science, this is a great read. This is also a great book for teenage girls that love and are good at math and science.

Hidden Figures is another book about the people the helped in the early days of the space program. This book covers the story of the women who were some of the brightest women of their day who helped win the race to space.

They worked for NACA which was later changed to NASA. It not only described this organization, but also some of the incredible black women who worked for both of these organizations.

This is another great book for those that love nonfiction books about math and science. It is also a great book for teens or girls that love math and science.

Endurance by Scott Kelly came out a couple of years ago, and I bought it for my son to read. This is memoir by the astronaut who spent a record breaking year on the International Space Station. This book got a lot of attention when it first came out and has been described as more of a real life look of life in space.

My son has started this one, but hasn’t finished it yet, so I can’t give it a full review. I have been told that there is some language and a few descriptive scenes that were not necessary to the story that could have easily been left out. This one is on my to read list because I haven’t read a lot about space and space exploration.

Have you read any great book about space and space exploration?

Let Us Help You Find Great Books!

Lynn