Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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Gangsters vs. Nazis – some interesting philosophical questions

Gangsters vs. Nazis by Michael Benson

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Full disclosure right from the start, I am a practicing Jew. So when my friend lent me this book, Gangsters vs. Nazis: How Jewish Mobsters Battled Nazis in Wartime America, I knew I had to read it. Many may not realize this, but the Nazi movement was quite strong in the United States in the 1930s, especially within the German American community. One of the first surprises this book had for me was who gave the initial impetus behind the Jewish mobsters attacking the Nazis: […]

I Need A Hefty Historical Saga About This Woman, ASAP

The Mistress From Chandernagore by A. B. de M. Hunter

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When Catherine, born to a French family in India, wed an Englishman from down the river, she thought she would settle down and have lots of children. But instead her life becomes a whirl of travel, scandal, spies, and romance that eventually leads her to the highest echelons of Napoleonic society. Poor student of history that I am, I do know who Talleyrand is. But I had never even considered the existence of a Mme de Talleyrand, and so was quite delighted to learn all […]

A Wonderful Exploration of an Unlikely City

Boom Town by Sam Anderson

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This was another suggestion by Emmalita and I really loved it! I didn’t know much of anything about Oklahoma City beyond the basic facts and this was such a fascinating read. I like history that shows how important every little thing is, and how many interesting stories are everywhere. I also like the attempt to break through the East/West coast’s cultural hegemony and show what’s happening elsewhere and the ripple effects things have. Boom Town follows the histories of Oklahoma City from its founding, the […]

So Who Stole the Gate?

Murder in the Neighborhood by Ellen J Green

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Told through the eyes of Raymond, a young boy, and Freda, his mother, this is the story of Howard Unruh, who on a sunny day in September 1949 committed a mass shooting in his neighborhood and killed thirteen people. Funnily enough I had recently listened to the Last Podcast on the Left series on this crime (which, you will know if you also listen, puts me rather far behind in the archives). The podcast focused more on Unruh – his early life, his military career, […]



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