National Archives

America's Ministry of Documents, 1934-1968 by Donald R McCoy...read for my class in Archives.  I found this book to be interesting in the sense that it talked about the beginnings of our National Archives.  All of the key players, when, how much, how the collection grew, and how it was managed are all included in this book.  For someone interested in the history of our document collection, this is interesting.  As a nation, we started collecting our documents early but managing and filing so that people could look at them didn't start until the 1930s.  This book is more interesting for those in the field, but holds some interesting information about how the National Archives building in DC was built and managed.

The Lowell Experiment

Public History in a Postindustrial City...by Cathy Stanton...I had high hopes when starting this book.  Right away the reader knows that this was a research project.  She lays out her research and her observations.  She starts with a short introduction to the field of public history...and continues to talk more in depth about her research.  It would have been nice to get a little more background on Lowell, MA.  There is a map and some discussion, but for readers like myself, I had to go to the internet to learn more about Lowell.  She critiques the tours, the layout, and the format.  I found the appendix with her physical research results most fascinating.  I think for something to introduce some of the difficulties of an interpreter of history, this is a good read.  If you are not in the field, you would only find some of the read of interest.  I did read the entire book...for a class...and I would say it held my interest but she had so many referrals to other chapters and writings not in the book at times it was confusing.

The Minister's Daughter

By Julie Hearn...This book takes place in 1645 England with a flash foward in 1692 Salem.  The daughters of a local minister accuse a healer and her grandmother of witchcraft.  This book is filled with interesting remedies and spells, some of the folklore of the time like pixies and fairies and the influence this has on society.  Lies the daughters tell about the healer and her grandmother follow the youngest daughter into Salem.  There are some great twists and turns, I really enjoyed the book.  This book is for young adults, teens, and adults.  I have always been fascinated by this part of our history...I would like to read more about the actual history.

Reading in 2010

So I went to Goodreads...I was curious about the number of books I read in 2010...I hit 102 books in 2010!  I was so excited.  I always feel like I am slacking in the reading department.  Now, admittedly I have been listening to books more than I ever have.  I am not sure if that is cheating or not!  Also, just heard this morning that an author has been authorized to write a Sherlock Holmes novel.  Anthony Horowitz, author of the teen series Alex Rider.  I am excited and can't wait for that to come out!

Anyway, I hope to do better about blogging and keeping up with the comments on my page!  I will try and check that more often. As always, I love recommendations and love to hear about what you are reading!

Sacred Ground

Americans and Their Battlefields by Edward Tabor Linenthal...it is back to class.  I am reading a lot of books right now, but this one was assigned and had to be read in a week.  Linenthal visits the history of a few of our battlefields; Lexington and Concord, The Alamo, Gettysburg, The Little Bighorn, and Pearl Harbor.  Each of the chapters read like a biography of the battlefield.  When was it born, how did the history develop, and where is it now (when the book was published)?  In each of the chapters you can read about what happened (both the reality and the myth), the symbols or myths that still exist today, the interest groups or stakeholders in the space, and the controversies that still exist today.  For a student of history, this was a great book to read.  I had never really thought about battlefields.  I actually have never visited any of the battlefields.  I guess I had always thought of them as a place to remember those who fought there...your family, your ancestors...not a place to go on vacation.  But, there are many unmarked battlefields in the United States...so I am sure I have walked on a couple of them!  Great ideas, interesting thoughts and I really enjoyed the reading.  As a side note, our professor arranged to have a phone conversation with him in class and it was incredible.  We asked questions and got a little background on why he wrote the book and what he would add to the book today.  I recommend to those of you who love history out there!

Happy New Year 2011

Okay...it is a few weeks late.  One of my New Year's resolutions should have been to keep up with this blog better than I do.  Once a week...at least once a week I should update what I am reading.  So...I will need to get you caught up!

My audio over the holidays was RUN by Ann Patchett.  I had read mixed reviews of the book, but decided to listen to one CD and if it didn't grab me, I would stop.  Needless to say I listened to the WHOLE book.  I liked the book, I liked the characters...some of the criticism involved the reality of the characters...and I felt like there was a realism to them.  Now, I did disagree with some of the directions the book took...but it did make it messy and complicated enough to keep me wondering.  I would recommend it.

Next...I read Freedom by Jonathan Franzen.  I had been anxiously awaiting this book.  I was a huge fan of THE CORRECTIONS.  This proved to be just as messy and involved.  I saw the development of the characters...I liked them, I hated them.  I couldn't believe some of the things they did.  The book follows a married couple, Walter and Patty Berglund.  Their courtship, their marriage, their kids, their friends, their neighbors....all very interesting, twisted and complicated.  I laughed out loud, I felt uncomfortable and I am not entirely sure I was satisfied with the ending...but all in all a great read.

Finally, I caught up on my teen reading by reading Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia.  It was on my to read list and I figured I could squeeze it in before my classes started.  Supernatural powers are at work when Lena and Ethan work.  They live in a small Southern town.  Ethan has been counting the days until he can leave the town when he meets Lena.  Yes, they are in high school...but odd powers are at work.  Lena has come to the small town of Gatlin for a reason...and Ethan is both intrigued and smitten by her.  Meet the fun cast of the town...the Caster family, Ethan's father, their housekeeper, the town librarian...it was creepy and definitely left you hanging...yes there is another book in the series Beautiful Darkness...I will have to check it out as well!