I began the year in the middle of two books: Jefferson and the Rights of Man and The Philosophy Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained. The latter is a coffee table book about, as you might guess, Philosophy, with concise one to six page discussions about some of history’s Great Thinkers. In some cases the discussions were a little too concise, but it was something I could pick up and read a few pages now and then for a few months.

Jefferson and the Rights of Man is the second volume in Dumas Malone’s six volume biography of Thomas Jefferson, Jefferson and His Time^[1]. This volume covered his time as the Ambassador to France and as Secretary of State during Washington’s first term. While I generally liked it, the author fawns a little too much over his subject.

While reading the Jefferson biography, I had the feeling that there was lot happening that I was missing. (I think this tight focus is one reason I don’t read a lot of biography.) As fate would have it, I came across Douglas Southall Freeman’s seven volume biography of George Washington at the bookstore^[2]. In March, I read (Vol 1): Young Washington. This was incredibly detailed. In fact, I think it was 200 pages before Washington was born. Over the course of the year I would read 3 more volumes — (Vol 2): Young Washington, (Vol) 3: Planter and Patriot, and (Vol 4): Leader of the Revolution — which took me to Valley Forge.

As for other nonfiction works, I read Italian Fascism: It’s Origins and Development by Alexander J. De Grand^[3].

Over the last 10 – 15 years I’ve been reading a lot of classics. And I’ve really enjoyed them, but lately I’ve resolved to read more current fiction. First up in 2019 was White Rose, Black Forest by Eoin Dempsey. This story takes place in southern Germany during World War II and involves a member of the German resistance. While fiction, it does make references to real life German resistance members. Part historical fiction, part literary thriller. Very enjoyable.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite had an intriguing title, a satirical premise, and very positive reviews. It was good, but I was expecting something more a long the lines of So I Married an Axe Murderer^[4].

As we headed to Cancun for vacation I picked up a couple of new books to take with. The River, by Peter Heller is one I had on my To Read list. This story takes place in northern Canada and is about 2 friends canoeing and fly fishing^[5]. Things go awry. Perfect vacation read. Recursion by Blake Crouch was a pleasant surprise. I had heard about it, but really wasn’t interested. However, I needed a second vacation book, so I took a chance. Kind of a sci-fi, mystery / thriller revolving around memory, time, and restarts, with some death and destruction thrown in for good measure. Nice quick, easy read.

John le Carré came out with a new book at the end of the year, Agent Running in the Field. I’m not sure I would have liked this when I was in my spy-novel period 20, 30 years ago, but I really enjoyed his takes on middle age and Brexit.

As for classics, I reread To Kill a Mockingbird early in the year. My son was reading it for school, so I told him I would read it along with him. It really is a brilliant novel. As is All Quiet on the Western Front. I don’t think I have ever read a novel that so thoroughly captures the horrors of war as Erich Maria Remarque’s. I’ve had Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist on my To Read list for a long time. I ended the summer with it, and was very disappointed. I stumbled across Elie Wiesel’s Night at my favorite bookstore. I read it in an afternoon. If this book doesn’t move you, you’re incapable of being moved. Finally, I finished up the year with Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Not as famous as 1984; just as good and important.

Looking ahead to another year of reading. I’ve started the next volume of the Washington biography, (Vol 5): Victory with the Help of France. Hopefully I can wrap up the set this year^[6]. I’ve also got a handful of classics on the shelf and a list of new novels that I hope to find.

Footnotes