Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


“Our myths have not served us well.”

The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones

by 4 Comments

I don’t imagine this will be a long review, not because the work doesn’t deserve it, and not because there wasn’t plenty to discuss during our book club earlier this fall, but because after spending months with this work, I don’t know how much more brain space I can give it. In a not insignificant way, I need to be done with this work for now. This book is a discussion. Its various contributors are providing context, new or more in-depth analyses of how so […]

History is Made by Persistence and Knowing the Right People

A Woman of Valor: Clara Barton & the Civil War by Stephen B. Oates

by Leave a Comment

Clara Barton is one of those historical figures that sits as a vaguely understood fact in my mind. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know about her existence, but beyond being the founder of the American Red Cross, she never bore much significance to me. But then I wrote a little article about visiting small historical sites and the “Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office” came up in my search. A cursory perusal of the website had me fascinated, and I needed to know […]

The wonkier version of “Hamilton”

Revolutionaries: A New History of the Invention of America by Jack Rakove

by 4 Comments

A very different account of the putting together of the American system of government.  This is the sort of stuff your high school American History (if you had such a class) textbook glossed over, and it’s fascinating to see, in such detail, how it all came together.  Oh sure, there’s some mention of Washington the general, and the various battles, and the multitude of issues the British Empire was facing at the same time, but that’s not where the heart of this book lies. I […]

“Over her golden yard and the glittering hills beyond, into the darkness of the trees…”

Golden Age by Jane Smiley

by Leave a Comment

***Spoilers throughout*** Well, I finished this trilogy and this was a better book than the second one. I think because Smiley starts killing people off in this one, the cast feels less unwieldy and more focused. This book is more of a victory lap in terms of drawing everyone’s narratives to a close. I again had the issue that such dramatic things happen to these people that it feels unrealistic and kept taking me out of the narrative. Any time I spend most of the […]

Down in the (city) in a little bitty pool Swam several little fishies (or kids in this case)

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

by Leave a Comment

This adorable face looked up at me when I was looking at books in a catalog (okay, I know I’m old, but it was an online catalog, so no gruff okay?). It was of middle-schooler Bree. She was staring up and out with these sweet brown eyes, an impish smile, and a confidence I wanted to meet. So, meet her I did in Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas. What on the surface is a cute story of middle school woes with a little history included […]

Reading Can Give you more than an education

Carter Reads the Newspaper: The Story of Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month by Deborah Hopkinson

by Leave a Comment

Carter Reads the Newspaper: The Story of Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month is a longer picture book, therefore, it might not be the best for an active child. It is filled with an accessible tone to the subject of the life and times of Woodson. The older listener (ages five and up) would be perfect. And even though it is in a picture book format ages seven to nine could use as a reference, but not as the only source. The book […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo