In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Because this book was so groundbreaking when it published and it has inspired others, it’s hard to appreciate it. The story is told in a powerful voice over a shocking crime by two people who also have an interesting back story. It doesn’t excuse what they did, but shows this crime was the result of bad information, misguided ideas and dreams. The murder of the Clutter forever changed many lives. One should read the book as based on a true story, since there have been questions about the license Capote took in improving the storytelling. Despite the reservations it is still a great book
Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America’s Wild Frontier by Stephen E. Ambrose
It’s a wonderful adventure tale. It’s hard to believe how Lewis & Clark’s expedition had faded from history the first 100 years
Reamde by Neal Stephenson
The story moved too slowly for me, but it was still compelling enough to get to the end. I put it down for awhile, but was so close to the end, that it didn’t matter if I mixed up the characters at the end
Good overview of some risks modern armies face against today’s technology and cyberwar. I always appreciate a book that offers readers ways to learn more about the topics.
I’m more used to this genre thanks to Tom Clancy, so it’s harder to get as excited about a book following that path. But it does remind us that regardless of the technology, in the end it comes down to people, sometimes acting independently.
At the end of the book, I felt unsettled, because the threats so strongly identified in the book still exist today.
Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by P.W. Singer
Good overview of some risks modern armies face against today’s technology and cyberwar. I always appreciate a book that offers readers ways to learn more about the topics.
I’m more used to this genre thanks to Tom Clancy, so it’s harder to get as excited about a book following that path. But it does remind us that regardless of the technology, in the end it comes down to people, sometimes acting independently.
At the end of the book, I felt unsettled, because the threats so strongly identified in the book still exist today
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
The story of what the Wright Brothers did in 1903 is well known, but McCullough tells more. Especially interesting was the time after their first flight. They did not build a huge corporation after their flight. Their actions show being first to market does not always guarantee success. Business is very different than solving the issues of powered flight.