Non-Fiction

Books About the USA

July 1, 2019 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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It is the first week of July. That means we are a few days away from celebrating the 4th of July!

In honor of the 4th of July, we thought we would put together a list of twenty one books all about the USA.

We included books about presidents, first families, the White House, and general American history. We hope you find a few books to add to your reading list!

John Adams by David McCullough

Upstairs at the White House

Alexander Hamilton

William Henry Harrison by Gail Collins

George Washington’s Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade

American Hippopotamus

George and Barbara Bush by Ellie LeBlond Sosa

First Women

Thomas Jefferson The Art of Power by John Meacham

Eisenhower In War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith

Martha Washington An American Life

American Lion by John Meacham

Riding with Reagan by John R. Barletta

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates

Coolidge by Amity Shlaes

41: A Portrait of my Father by George W. Bush

Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans

The Man Who Save the Union Ulysses Grant by H.W. Brands

Decision Points by George W. Bush

A Being So Gentle The Frontier Love Story of Rachel and Andrew Jackson

Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly

Nonfiction Books about D-Day

June 5, 2019 by Grace Leave a Comment

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This week marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day. As you most likely know, D-Day was when the allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France during WWII.

D-Day cost many brave men their lives, but it allowed the allied forces to gain ground towards winning WWII.

There are so many books on WWII and D-Day that share the stories of the brave men and women who fought during WWII.

WWII is one of our favorite time periods to read about. There is so much to be learned from the courageous men and women who fought during WWII. May we never forget those that gave so much to keep us free.

We have read so many books on WWII. Since this week is the anniversary of D-Day, we wanted to put together a list of our favorite WWII books that at least touch on some of the stories of D-Day and invasion of Normandy France.

If you have a favorite book about WWII or D-Day, please leave a comment letting us know. We love to learn about new books that share interesting parts of history.

Band of Brothers

Band of Brothes by Stephen E. Ambrose is one of the best known books about D-Day and was the basis for the documentary Band of Brothers. This was one of the first nonfiction books that I read on WWII. I read it after reading Flags of Our Fathers because a friend said I should since I love Flags of Our Fathers so much. Band of Brothers shares the story of a group of ordinary men who came together, trained, and fought during WWII. I am so glad I read it as it encouraged me to read other World War II books set in Europe.

Fighting with the Filthy Thirteen

Fighting with the Filthy Thirteen by Jack Womer is the authors very personal story and the own account of fighting as a spearhead of the Screaming Eagles in Normandy, Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge. It is very well written. I started this book while traveling and I had trouble putting it down.

Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends

Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends shares the story of three paratroopers of the U.S. Army who were among the first members of an elite unit of the 101st Airborne Division called Easy Company. Thy were involved in high-risk operation during WWII, including D-Day, Operation Market Garden in Holland, the Battle of the Bulge, and the capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden.

Mission Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe

This book is the story of a famous Academy Award winning actor who left it all behind to serve his country during WWII. Many people know Jimmy Stewart for the Hollywood movies he starred in, but there is a whole lot more to Jimmy Stewart than most people know. Mission Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe by Robert Matzen shares the life of Jimmy Stewart both in Hollywood and his service during WWII.

Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die: How the Allies Won on D-Day

I can’t give a review of this book because I haven’t read it, but it is on my TBR list and I am looking forward to reading it. It has great reviews. Some have called this the best narrative nonfiction book about D-Day and the how it changed WWII. I can’t wait to read it. Have you read it yet?

Presidential Biographies

February 16, 2019 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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It is Presidents Day!!

We love biographies. A few years ago Grace challenged herself to read a book about every U.S. President. She has a ways to go on her challenge, but she has read quite a few so far.

We put together a list of her favorite Presidential biographies. You might not agree with the politics of every president, but there is always something to learn about things like leadership, hardship, war, community, and family.

Becoming a President takes hard work, determination, education, and the ability to connect in some way with the American people. No matter your view on politics, there is something to be learned about the journey each U.S. President takes to the White House.

We are sharing a few of our favorites. We would love to hear yours. Leave a comment letting us know your favorite book about a U.S. President or U.S. Presidents.

John Adams by David McCullough

William Henry Harrison by Gail Collins

George Washington’s Secret Six by Brian Kilmeade

George and Barbara Bush by Ellie LeBlond Sosa

Thomas Jefferson The Art of Power by John Meacham

Eisenhower In War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith

American Lion by John Meacham

Riding with Reagan by John R. Barletta

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates

Coolidge by Amity Shlaes

41: A Portrait of my Father by George W. Bush

The Man Who Save the Union Ulysses Grant by H.W. Brands

Decision Points by George W. Bush

Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly

Books for Those That Love Biographies and Memoirs

December 11, 2018 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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Do you love reading biographies and memoirs? Or do you have someone on your gift list that enjoys them?

Our family loves reading nonfiction, especially biographies and memoirs. A good biography or memoir takes you into another person’s world and experiences. It takes you to a time and place that you would never be able to experience, except by reading it.

A really well written biography is hard to put down. It draws you in and makes you long to know more about the person.

Since we love biographies and memoirs, we put together a list of our favorites. Hopefully you will find a few to add to your to read list or give as a gifts to the readers in your life.

Dust Bowl Girls

Dust Bowl Girls will be one of my favorite books of 2018. One of the reasons that I love reading nonfiction is that I often learn about little known facts in history. This book is an example of that. I have lived in Oklahoma for 24 years, yet I knew nothing about this story of an Oklahoma women’s basketball team during the Dust Bowl.

The Queen of Katwe

History books, that discuss people that overcame difficult situations to accomplish something that seemed impossible, are some of my favorite books. The Queen of Katwe is about a girl, Phiona, from African poverty who became one of the best female chess players in the world. It is an inspiring story and a great read.

Educated

I am pretty sure that Educated will go on my list for favorite books of 2018. I always struggle to say that I enjoyed a non-fiction book like this that shares a tragic event or difficult life and childhood. Maybe saying I found the book very fascinating is a better way to describe it. Once I started this book, I had trouble putting it down.

Catch Me If You Can

Catch Me If You Can is a fun read. It was very hard for me to put down when I got into it. I laughed sometimes and was rather shocked other times. It is unimaginable what Frank Abagnale got away with on his crime spree.

Endurance Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage

Endurance technically might not be a biography, but I always think of it as one. My father in-law gave us this book years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite books. My husband and I have both read it and loved it. This is a true story but the writing and the descriptions in this book make it read like fiction. This is a true story of adventure, leadership, and endurance during the most difficult circumstances. This is one of my all time favorite books. I highly recommend it.

Bryson City Tales

Bryson City Tales was recommended to me by a reader, who thought I would enjoy it, and I did! I loved this book about small town life in the Smoky Mountains. If you have ever lived or owned a business in a small town, this is a must read.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

Nonfiction is my true love when it comes to reading. I almost always prefer real life over fiction, which is why I loved Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey so much. It is the true story of the Countess of Carnarvon and covers a lot of history during the same time frame that the show Downton Abbey covers. If you love Downton Abbey and other British stories, I think you will enjoy this one.

The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle was one of my favorite books of 2016. But it is one of those books that I hesitated to say I enjoyed it. I did enjoy it, but it is a tough book. It covers some hard real life stuff. I think it is an important read and wish more people were this honest about their family’s story.

A Thousand Miles to Freedom

One of my girls gave me A Thousand Miles to Freedom for Christmas because she knows I love reading biographies and that I appreciate lesser known biographies. This book was just that. This is not a well known book, but it was a great read. Very few people escape North Korea. Even fewer escape and then turn their story into a book. What I loved about this book, is that it gives you a look into North Korea that is rare.

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me

A friend of mine let me borrow this book, and I read it in two days. It was that good! I have read a lot of books on WWII, but My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me is a totally different perspective of WWII than I have ever read. It is about a modern day woman, who finds out horrible things about her family’s Nazi past. I could not put this book down. The more I read her story the more fascinated with it I became.

Hillbilly Elegy

Hillbilly Elegy was one of my favorite books of 2016. It is a tough subject, but I think an important one that many people don’t want to talk about. It is real life stuff that is not easy to read at all. But this book is the reality of life for many people. This book takes place in the Appalachian mountain area of the country.

Irena’s Children

Irena’s Children was an interesting WWII story that had a truly amazing story. It was a little slow to get into, but once Germany invaded Poland, I could not stop reading it.

All Creatures Great and Small

Herriot’s tale, which he weaves in All Creatures Great and Small, is very entertaining. He shows that being a vet, especially in the 1930s, is not for everyone. He discuss his entrance into being a real vet and his interesting mentor. I love the stories that Herriot writes about.

Devil At My Heels

I enjoy autobiographies better than biographies, so I enjoyed reading Devil At My Heels because Louis Zamperini’s perspective on his life. He become a great runner and is known for that, but his World War II story is definitely amazing and worth reading about.

All the Pretty Things

I have read quite a few books by bloggers. All the Pretty Things is one of my favorites! This is a real life story. It is a tough read in so many ways. It is one of those books that will bring you to tears. Your heart will break for what Edie and her family has gone through. But this story is also a story of survival, hope, and God’s grace.

What is your favorite biography or memoir? We would love to hear what it is, so please leave a comment letting us know!

Books for Sports Fans

December 6, 2018 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.

Have a sports fan in your life that also likes to read?

There are all kinds of books out there on sports and famous sports players. Our family has read many of them. Our favorites are always the inspirational stories. The stories of people that have grit and courage. The ones that overcome the odds to become who they are and what they did.

Because we love inspirational sports stories we put together a list of our favorite nonfiction sports stories. Some of these are about an individual and others are about a team, but they are tell a story of overcoming the odds and accomplishing something great.

Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man was such an amazing story that was well written. I think it will make one of Grace’s top books from 2018 because she had so much trouble putting it down once she started it. This is a true comeback story that encourages people to try. The book though also integrates boxing history and how bowing and its rules work. I learned so much and was also able to understand more of how people felt during the Depression and how so much of society loved boxing years ago.

Dust Bowl Girls

The Blind Side

Blind Side is Michael Oher’s amazing story and the family that helped him. I could hardly put this book down when I was reading it, and I was a little sad when I finished it. I feel that this book is well worth reading because of the story that is told.

Shoedog

Shoedog is the story of Nike. Nike is a popular shoe and sports company now, but it started with just an idea. I found this book to be very interesting. A great read for Nike fans or people that love business type books.

Pure Gold

I know that there are a lot of books out there about Eric Liddell, but to me Pure Gold one was a very well written one. I learned a lot about Eric Liddell and was encouraged by his story of faith and running. It was a book about running and missionary work, so I felt like this was a good biography in that it was able to cover a wide variety of Eric Liddell’s life.

Devil At My Heels

I enjoy autobiographies better than biographies, so I enjoyed reading Louis Zamperini’s perspective on his life in the book Devil At My Heels. He become a great runner and is known for that, but his World War II story is definitely amazing and worth reading about.

Unbroken

This is another book about Louis Zamperini. I have read a lot of WWII books and I think this is my favorite. In fact, if I had to make a list of my 10 favorite books of all time this would make the list. This book was a powerful story of survival, strength, and forgiveness. The story of Louis Zamperini is an amazing story, but what I really loved about this book is the powerful writing.

Running the Race

Running the Race is another book about Eric Liddell. Eric Liddell is a well known name in the sports world, especially the running world. The movie Chariots of Fire was based on his life.

The Boys In the Boat

The Boys in the Boat focuses on how Joe Rantz and other boys overcame the great Depression and rowed their boat to victory. This book spends a good section talking about Joe Rantz childhood and how he grew up during hard times on the West coast. It is an inspirational story and one of my favorite books.

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Non-Fiction