Read All About It

Reading Takes Us from the Real to the Potential

By Donna Ruth Morgan

fighters for World War II history buffs.

History buffs and inquisitive people may enjoy the books in our June reviews. Reading helps us delve a little deeper into history, which reveals much about our own time. And some of these selections consider a thoughtful future of our own devising. Read on!

The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James

Baldwin Shaped a Nation (2021) highlights a trio of Black women’s survival of racism, sexism, and violence in the last century. Readers seeking factual biographies about mothers raising world-changing sons may find Anna Malaika Tubbs’ scholarship eclipsed by her injection of personal beliefs into the narratives. Nutshell review: An excellent, extensive bibliography offers unvarnished facts to celebrate these lives.

The Paris Library (2021) shifts from Nazi-occupied Paris in 1939 to Montana in the 1980s. The connection between a mysterious French transplant and a young woman trapped in wartime terror reveals heartbreak overcome by hope. Janet Skeslien Charles’ winsome cast of real-life men and women and imagined characters unite through love of books and freedom. Nutshell review: A treasure for library and book lovers and an extensively researched account of French freedom

Could you change your mind about a deeply-held belief? In Think

Again: The Power of Knowing

What You Don't Know (2021) organizational psychologist Adam Grant shows how opinions can divide us, while relearning to communicate could unite us, one person at a time. Well-written, engaging material requires some mental adjustment to process— “arguing like you’re right but listening like you’re wrong.” Nutshell review: Thirty takeaways at book’s end are invaluable for readers curious about personal blind spots.

The Book of Two Ways is a 2020 “what-if” novel exploring a woman’s past, present, and a duo of possible futures. Dry Egyptology and confusing dips into quantum physics weigh down Jodi Picoult’s storyline about understanding death and survival. Readers might skim over some historical context (especially overly detailed hieroglyphics’ descriptions) in search of the plot, but will relate to the struggles in choosing a fulfilling path. Nutshell review: Dry subject matter and a hurried, frustrating conclusion yield thumbs-down for this book.

Find these books at the library! Brunswick County Library branches have reopened with limited hours and services, and curbside pickup is available. For more information, contact your library branch or go to www.brunswickcountync.gov/library.

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