Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

The third edition of The Strange Case of Jonathan Swift and the Real Long John Silver by Robert A. Prather is a brilliant work that combines historical facts with fiction to offer an investigation that will “wow” readers. Treasure Island is loved by young and old alike, and not only by Americans but readers worldwide, a classic with immortal characters. And who could forget Long John Silver with his cunning and dubious character, and the mysterious aspect of his nature? But what if he isn’t fiction? What if he was blood and flesh, a historical personage? This is the question that Robert A. Prather answers brilliantly, offering clues and facts that point out in a very convincing way that Robert Louis Stevenson’s revered character could have been based on the legendary merchant, Jonathan Swift of Alexandria, Virginia.

Those who have read Treasure Island and have fallen in love with its characters as I have will enjoy Robert A. Prather’s The Strange Case of Jonathan Swift and the Real Long John Silver, an investigation that is as intriguing as it is enjoyable. Readers are introduced to one of America’s old legends: Jonathan Swift. His legendary gold mines have been a subject of interest to many, but did they really exist? Could Swift’s journal entries be believed or were they written after Treasure Island? The answers that readers will find in this book are surprisingly interesting. The author must have spent considerable time doing research, and it is beyond doubt that he knew where to look while researching this work. The writing is elegant, tight, and highly seductive. Prather is a master at helping readers draw the line between history and fiction, while igniting in them a silent yearning for adventure.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

What is it that makes a great writer? A great work of literature? When asked this question, perhaps the first name that comes to mind is Shakespeare. But he was not the only great and it might be argued by Shakespearean scholars that perhaps his words were not his own. Besides, there are a lot of 'greats' outside of Great Britain. Even the United States had its great writers. If one is to compare the era of Shakespeare (the sixteenth century), historians will note that the United States was recognizing its own literary beginnings not long after with the poetry of people like Anne Dudley Bradstreet (1612-1672), considered to be one of the earliest noteworthy American poets. Her writings remained unrivaled by any other American woman writer until the emergence of Emily Dickinson in the 19th century. And, along with the early settlers, the pilgrims and the explorers, there were others who wrote letters (a literary work of art in itself), journals, poetry, stories, articles and much more.

So where does one begin in discussing the 'greats' of American literature? With the historical personages like Bradstreet, but also with the American classics like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha, sparked generations of Europeans who relished the romantic ideal of the noble savage. Then there's Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, sparked the abolitionist cause of the Northern States.

Michael Thomas Barry has done an incredible job bringing together the literary 'greats' of American literature from the first settlers well into the twentieth-century. Did he leave any out? Definitely. His book reveals interesting tidbits, quotes, information, photographs and burial places of fifty American literary 'greats'. It's just a taste to spark the reader's interest. His layout and informative discussions lead the historian, the literary enthusiast, and even the curious reader, through history. It is an easy and enjoyable read for both the intellectual and the general interest audience.

Using author quotes from Washington Irving who wrote, "Great minds have purposes; others have wishes," and Nathaniel Hawthorne who wrote, "Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them," the author provides the reader with insight into the lives, the literature and the birth and burial places of these literary 'greats'. This is an outstanding, interesting and informative resource on some of America's great literary geniuses.

Reviewed by Michelle Robertson for Readers' Favorite

Most people know about the events and historically documented occurrences of African Americans in the United States as they went from slaves to being free citizens. That, however, is far from all that transpired. The black people of the United States, during the birth of the country and up through the time line, had not had a simple and easy time gaining their "true" freedoms and rights as human beings. Come read about the emotional, trying, disturbing, and heartbreaking times African Americans experienced in gaining their freedom and respect as human beings, and the incredible courage, perseverance, and grit they had when racial issues arose not only among average citizens, but also within the government and media of the United States.

The Capacity To Believe: Race, Media and Politics In The American South by Marcus W. Williams is an incredible time line of historical events, accounts, and experiences pertaining to racial issues in African American culture. Readers can expect much factual information relating to the life of African Americans, from the time of slavery up through present day. Author Marcus W. Williams touches your mind, heart, and soul with the way he presents the information to readers. The text is laid out and written in a very personable and descriptive way, and a reader will feel raw emotion as they read through the historical time line of events of American and black people, especially in the southern states. The Capacity to Believe is not for the faint hearted, although everyone should read this book to gain knowledge of what their fellow African American citizens of the past, or ancestors, had to overcome and mentally work through just to be perceived as "normal" members of society.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

The Biggest Picture: From the Big Bang to the Development of the Big Bang Theory by Wendy Curtis presents the scientific community’s best theories about major events, from the Big Bang until present times. Beginning with the Big Bang and the creation of the simplest of the elements, it discusses the formation of stars and other heavy elements. Scientific theories of the birth of the sun and the solar system, as well as the concepts of evolution of life on earth are the topics to follow next. The path life takes, from the early dinosaurs to mammals, from control of fire to hunting and agriculture, and from civilization to civilization with different social stratification methodology is addressed both historically and practically, appropriate for any information seeker. The model of the universe presented here, the one evolving through time from a singularity, is in line with the theories extant on the subject.

The Biggest Picture: From the Big Bang to the Development of the Big Bang Theory by Wendy Curtis acquaints the reader with all that has happened in the past that leads to the present, and in a format that retains one's interest. A well formed index and intuitive internal organization of the book make it good for reference. This book is therefore useful both as study material for the uninitiated and as a source of consultation for the well informed. With high quality illustrations and a crisp and lively write up, this book is a worthy addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in oneself or one's surroundings.

Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

American Boys: The True Story of the Lost 74 of the Vietnam War, written by Louise Esola, is a non-fiction book about the fate of the USS Frank E. Evans and its crew. It is a profound look at the personal stories of the men who sank with the ship in a 1969 disaster that the US Navy would rather forget. In November 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was unveiled in Washington. Erected through the efforts of Jack Scruggs, a Vietnam War veteran himself, part of the program is to read the 57,939 names of American soldiers who perished in Vietnam. Ann, whose brother perished with the ship, followed the news about the memorial and through her connections volunteered to read a section of names of the Vietnam dead. To her surprise, her brother’s name, along with the other victims of the sinking of the USS Evans, were not on the list that she would have read aloud at a lectern in the National Cathedral. This is their story.

Louise Esola's book, American Boys: The True Story of the Lost 74 of the Vietnam War, is the untold story of American sailors who perished with the USS Frank E. Evans. Putting together the stories of these 74 men is a remarkable feat, not only because this entailed a lot of research but also because the sinking of the ship is a disaster that the US Navy would rather bury in oblivion. It would have taken a great amount of passion and empathy for the author to come up with the idea of this book, let alone setting out to write it. As the United States of America found itself on the losing end of the Vietnam War, protests broke out in the country, American boys were drafted in an unpopular war and the country was counting its dead. Those who sank with the USS Evans were not even counted as casualties of the Vietnam War and this indignity drove Louise Esola to let the public know the story of each of those who lost their lives in the sinking of this ship. The result is a compelling story of despair, determination, love, injustice and reconciliation that gives tribute where it is long overdue.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Shot Down: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth is a military history book written by Steve Snyder, Howard's son. The author played at being soldiers as a boy, but did not really understand the role his father played in WWII until he was older. His father kept in touch with many of the survivors of his crew and with the people in Belgium who helped him after his plane was shot down. In 1994, Steve accompanied his parents to the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Belgium Liberation. Howard Snyder and his wife both died in 2007, and Steve began looking at the war memorabilia they had collected, including Howard's hand-written journals, letters and pictures. He continued his research into the Eighth Air Force and its role in the wartime effort.

Steve Snyder's military history book, Shot Down, reads like a novel, yet it isn't. The names and faces are all real, but their stories are presented in such a compelling manner that this thorough and painstakingly researched effort reads smoothly and fluently as Snyder and his father's journals bring the past to life. I was fascinated as I read about the training the Air Force pilots received and saw how the crew was distributed and functioned on the B-17 bombers that they flew. The drama of the daily selection of planes and their crews for each day’s bombing is so well presented, and the pictures of the airmen watching for the planes to return brought home the perils and tension they lived with on a day-to-day basis. I also found myself totally immersed in the portion of the book that tells of the heroic and selfless Belgians who helped hide American soldiers during the German occupation of that country. Shot Down is a remarkable compilation of historical data that is presented in a well-written and thought-provoking narrative. It’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Barbara Peterson for Readers' Favorite

Author Thomas Hagedorn begins his narrative in 1783. Just after the end of the Revolutionary War, the United States had so many debts that it was unable to give back pay to Army officers and enlisted men who had fought during the war, let alone the plots of lands in the West that they had been promised. How does a fledgling nation that has just won its freedom develop a workable government and pay off its debts? Hagedorn delves deeply into American history – not just the history of public schools but of the United States itself and its expansion westward, because all of this is inextricably intertwined. I’d frankly never realized that one of the main reasons why the United States expanded westward was as a means of paying off the debts it owed to its solders...or that American Indians of the time actually had to give reparations to the United States because they’d fought with the British!

Author Hagedorn follows his subject in chronological order from March, 1783 when General Washington effectively put down the “Newburgh Conspiracy,” in which officers of the Continental Army were being encouraged to mutiny against the Confederate Congress in order to gain the back pay and Western lands that had been promised to them. From this introduction, Hagedorn takes us to the nitty gritty, starting with the Reverend Manasseh Cutler, who in 1787 travels to New York to lobby Congress for “land in the Ohio Country for his Yankee friends and guaranteeing those would-be pioneers that they could bring their government and their culture with them.” Cutler is the founder of the movement – his son Ephraim Cutler and other Calvinists continue it for the next sixty years and thirty territories/states.

Founding Zealots is densely written and reflects Hagedorn’s twenty years of research, not only into the history of the fight of several determined parties – New Englanders and Calvinists - to found public schools where “teaching of religion and morality was more important than any other school activity” and those who wished to prevent them, but also the concurrent political and economic factions and the social history of the time. As befits a scholarly work – although this book is well-written and, by concentrating on specific individuals, keeps our interest – there are detailed notes and references. This book will be of interest to religious scholars, education scholars, and students of American history. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Mary DeKok Blowers for Readers' Favorite

Literary Legends of the British Isles, The Lives and Burial Places of 50 Great Writers, by Michael Thomas Barry, is a wonderful look at great writers of the late medieval and early modern periods, and the 19th and 20th centuries. Little known information about their lives is revealed, with photos of the writers where available and of their grave sites and homes. Any writer, reader, or person interested in the British Isles would love this book and perhaps even become interested in visiting these historic sites. Literary Legends is beautifully compiled, and I especially love the photos of the formal gardens which surround some of the homes and burial sites.

You may find your favorite authors among the pages of Literary Legends. Jane Austen is here, George Orwell, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, and Oscar Wilde, as well as Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Thomas Wyatt of the Henry VIII period and reputed lover of Anne Boleyn. The Bronte sisters —Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — discovered that they were all writing secret poetry and then got together to publish a book of poetry under male pen names. Many female authors of this period did this, whether to avoid disgracing husbands or family, or because women were not taken seriously I am not sure. George Eliot is another example. Michael Thomas Barry, himself a prolific author, has degrees in Criminal Justice and History. His other books include descriptions of other final resting places, and in addition he writes a column for Crime Magazine, On This Day in Crime History.

Reviewed by Fiona Ingram for Readers' Favorite

Alexander McKee, a mixed-blood British Indian agent, was one of the few individuals in history able to unite Indians and exert unbelievable leadership on their behalf. When the War for Independence broke out between the Colonies and the British, McKee chose to remain loyal to his mother country. He played a major role on the American frontier during the French and Indian War, the American Revolution and the post-war era. Because of his selfless devotion to the British and the Native Americans, he forfeited massive real estate and social standing when he left his Pittsburgh mansion to organize Indian raids on the American frontier, for which he was branded a traitor by the Continental Congress. It is hard to make history come alive, but in the capable hands of Frederick Wulff, the historical character of Alexander McKee, a British Indian agent of the colonial frontier, springs vibrantly from the dusty pages of history books. The author uncovers the tragic realities and the bloody consequences of colonialism and the sad disintegration of the Indian way of life as the white man’s behaviour and lawlessness eroded their culture and their rights. The devastating effects of the rum trade cannot be underestimated. The author also reveals the incredible personal story behind the man who played a seminal role in this compelling and chaotic piece of American history. Born of a Shawnee mother and a British father, choosing sides could not have been easy for McKee in the culture clash between the land-grabbing colonialists, the traders, and the Indians, the original inhabitants of this new territory. McKee was a man who could straddle two cultures, understanding both, but ultimately choosing to speak up for the displaced Indians, and losing much in the bargain. McKee is revealed as an exceptional man, intelligent and educated, perceptive, and possessing great leadership qualities. From his mother he learned the values and traditions of her people. He helped broker a precarious peace between Indians, traders, and settlers. McKee earned the title “The Great White Elk,” and this term of respect and admiration was well-deserved as he maneuvered British frontier policy and promoted the interests of the beleaguered Native Americans in the post-Revolution era. His principles and actions did not appeal to later historians who branded him a traitor.

Frederick Wulff’s account of this remarkable man will keep history buffs captivated. Minutely researched and written with a deep understanding of the era and Alexander McKee, this book is an excellent read. The author has an easy-to-read style that makes the wealth of information easily assimilated. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Most of us think we know why this country had a civil war. However, there are many misconceptions as to the true reasons why the South wanted to secede from the United States of America. Walter Coffey deftly describes the facts surrounding the Civil War month by month. When we hear the words 'The War Between the States' most of us think of slavery; but was that really the motive of the Northern states? Most wars are fought over money and politics. 'The War Between The States' was no different. The North was industrialized and to protect against imports stealing profits they wanted high taxes placed on imports. The high taxes on imports greatly affected the Southern states. “Foreign trading partners tended to raise process to offset the tariff increases." The Southern States wanted a smaller Federal government and great power at the state level. The North wanted bigger Federal government. Slavery did play a role but more on an economic level than the humanitarian level.

I have always enjoyed history especially when it comes to the War Between the States. Walter Coffey states the facts but not in a dry or boring manner. He makes this book entertaining as well as educational. Walter Coffey dedicates one chapter to each month; in each chapter he supplies spurs and battles; he does this with precision. Civil War Months: A Month-by-Month Compendium of the War Between the States covers January 1861 through May 1865. This book should be in all high school and middle school libraries.