Tag: biography

Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life Book Review

The mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart has fascinated America for nearly a century. Did she die in a plane crash? Or did they land and then die of starvation or in a Japanese POW camp?

Author Rachel Hartigan addresses this question in the new non-fiction book, Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life. It was published earlier this year. Hartigan, a reporter for National Geographic, tells a dual tale. The first is Earhart’s biography. The second details the explorations to finally answer the question of her fate, and the hope of finding either the remains of her plane and/or the bodies of those aboard.

I truly enjoyed this book. The author shows her as more than an American icon. She talks about her tumultuous childhood, her unconventional adulthood, and the choices she made to become Amelia Earhart.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life is available wherever books are sold.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies Book Review

Money can buy a lot of things. But can it buy happiness? Not always.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies, by Laura Thompson, was published in 2022. The book follows the lives of six women. They were born into wealth that many of us can only imagine. Materially, they wanted for nothing. But their lives were difficult. Several were forced into unhappy marriages, or later discovered that their husbands were not always on the up and up. Others broke out of their golden cages and found a life outside of what was expected.

I enjoyed this book. The author allows each subject to go beyond the “poor little rich girl” stereotype. What I took away from it is that in the end, their status was actually a hindrance and not a help.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies is available wherever books are sold.

Firebrands: The Untold Story of Four Women Who Made and Unmade Prohibition Book Review

A wise leader does not ignore the power of women.

Firebrands: The Untold Story of Four Women Who Made and Unmade Prohibition, by Gioia Diliberto, was published in 2024. The book tells the story of four women who fought for and against the 18th and 21st amendments. They fought with each other, the government, and the male politicians who had their own agendas.

I enjoyed this book. It was another title that (unsurprisingly) introduced readers to American icons who deserve to have their names and histories known. My only problem is that the author describes several women first and foremost by their looks and/or the association with the men in their lives.

If the purpose of this genre is to liberate the subjects from the traditional mold, these specific choices go against the purpose of the stories.

Do I recommend it? I am leaning toward yes.

Firebrands: The Untold Story of Four Women Who Made and Unmade Prohibition is available wherever books are sold.

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Book Review

In a culture where marriage is the ultimate fate for women, it should be imperative that she has an adventure (or two) before settling down.

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy, by Carl Sferrazza Anthony, was published in 2023. The book follows Jackie‘s early years and ends with her first marriage to John F. Kennedy. Though she was born into a privileged life, her parents’ divorce when she was young left a mark. As a young woman, she chose to travel and work as a newspaper columnist/photographer before walking up the aisle.

I enjoyed this book. When we talk about women of her generation, we usually start with their wedding day, with a brief bio beforehand. By focusing on the four years between 1949 and 1953, we see a more rounded picture of an American icon.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Camera Girl: The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy is available wherever books are sold.

Once There Was a Town: The Memory Books of a Lost Jewish World Book Review

When we talk about the Holocaust, the number six million naturally feels overwhelming. How does a mind compute that this number of people were purposefully persecuted, starved, tortured, and murdered?

Once There Was a Town: The Memory Books of a Lost Jewish World, by Jane Ziegelman, was published in January. The book follows the pre-war lives of ordinary people living in ordinary places whose lives were snuffed out or almost snuffed out.

I enjoyed this book. It humanized the event, reminding readers that behind the numbers are real people whose everyday experiences were not different than ours today.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Once There Was a Town: The Memory Books of a Lost Jewish World is available wherever books are sold.

Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind Book Review

Change in life is the only thing that is constant.

Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind, by Jason Zengerle, was published earlier this year. This biography of the conservative talking head reveals that Carlson was, earlier in his career, more politically centrist. But as the years passed, he started on the path to becoming a far-right Republican and the man we see on our screens today.

For anyone aware of the arc of American politics over the last 25-30 years, Carlson’s journey feels representative of how this country has become more politically extreme (on both sides). I can’t speak for anyone else, but I sometimes feel like those of us who are trying to bring both sides together are drowned out by the loud voices on the extremes.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind is available wherever books are sold.

The Invisible Woman Book Review

Love sometimes comes when we least expect it. That does not mean, however, that this person will be with us for the rest of our days.

The Invisible Woman, by Claire Tomalin, was published in 1990. By the time he was middle-aged, Charles Dickens was a literary icon and a national treasure. He was also married with 10 children. Nelly Ternan was not yet 20 and a budding actress. Despite the age gap and his marital status, they fell in love and were together for a decade. Eventually, Dickens’s marriage fell apart, and Nelly faded into history.

Though there isn’t a lot of information in the public record about Nelly, Tomalin used what she could find. Along with the details that are known about Dickens, she constructs the tale of a woman who finds her place in a society that heavily restricted women and the roles they could play.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Invisible Woman is available wherever books are sold.

The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family Book Review

If you walk down the street of any large city in America these days, you will likely see a mixed-race couple. While it has become more acceptable over the last few decades, it was not that long ago that it was a scandal and/or a crime.

The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family, by Dorothy Roberts, was published earlier this year. The author, who herself is a product of a white father and a black mother, discovered an unfinished study by her late anthropologist father. As a young grad student, he made it his life’s work to study interracial couples. Decades later, his wife became his partner in his work.

Mixed into the interviews and analysis of the subjects is the author’s experience of being a biracial child growing up in 1960s Chicago. While digging through his papers, Robert discovered that she and her sisters were included in their dad’s notes.

I enjoyed this book. It is both a history project and Robert’s own exploration of her family. As I read it, I was reminded that racism can be overcome if one is willing to look past the outer shell of our fellow human beings.

The most interesting chapter was the one in which darker-toned servicemen who served during World War II came home with lighter-skinned European wives. These women could not help but notice the difference between the words that formed our government and the actions of those in power.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family is available wherever books are sold.

Marcel on the Train Play Review

Selflessness is a quality that is not always easy to find. This is especially true during wartime, when many choose

The new play, Marcel on the Train, is the story of Marcel Marceau. Marceau (Ethan Slater) is a legendary Jewish mime and Holocaust survivor. As a young man, he took on the difficult task of secretly ferrying Jewish orphans out of France and to the safety of Switzerland.

This is an extraordinary production. Though it is small in scope (both the physical stage and the number of actors), it is mighty. The audience is taken on an emotional ride that I did not see coming. At just under two hours, it moves quickly. Slater is surprising as the titular character. Despite his youth and perspective on the world, he fully knows what he is doing is dangerous for all involved.

His Marceau is not just clowning around just because he can. He is on a mission and is determined to see it through to the end. Among the ensemble, Tedra Millan stands out. Her character initially openly disapproves of Marceau before learning to appreciate him.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Marcel on the Train is playing at the Classic Stage Company in New York City until March 22nd, 2026. Check the website for tickets and showtimes.

Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Book Review

Behind every fairy tale is a real couple dealing with everyday issues.

Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, by Elizabeth Beller, was published in 2024. It is the basis of the FX/Hulu series, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. Born to a middle-class family, she worked in the fashion industry before marrying into American political royalty. But her life as a Kennedy was not all sunshine and roses.

Forced into the national limelight, Carolyn was unused to being in the public eye. Hounded by the press, many of the accusations (both then and now) that were hurled her way were led by sexism and misogyny. The author portrays her subject as an intelligent and caring woman who was far from the caricature that the press made her out to be.

I enjoyed this book. Beller gives voice to a person who was taken from us too soon and who never had the opportunity to speak for herself.

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy is available wherever books are sold.

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