Nonfiction
By Rick Burgess
Writer and radio show host Rick Burgess introduces us to his father, Bill Burgess, a high school and college football championship coach who was hard as nails, tough on his players and sons, and a good man. Burgess, also founder of a men’s ministry, interlaces his dad’s sayings and stories, and the stories told about him, with teachings from the Bible. If you want to see how an old-time coach spoke and acted, and instilled discipline and pride in his players, then this is a must-read.
History
By Victoria Taylor
Much has been written about the Battle of Britain, mostly from a British viewpoint. This book retells the battle from the perspective of the Luftwaffe. It shows how the Luftwaffe was unprepared for the challenges it faced. A first-rate account of the battle, it makes German missteps understandable. It also strips away the “knights-of-the-air” view of the battle, fostered postwar by both sides’ aviators, and instead reveals its brutality. Those interested in World War II’s air war will want to read this book.
Adventure
By Justin Fox
Jack Pembroke leads a minesweeping flotilla in South Africa. Emil Falk is captain of a Nazi auxiliary cruiser—an armed and disguised merchantman hunting enemy freighters far from Europe. Both men, and their ships, are oddities. Pembroke’s confidence was shaken after being sunk at Dunkirk. Falk loves Germany but not its Nazi government. The two have a rendezvous in the waters between Africa and Antarctica as Falk attempts to break into the Indian Ocean with Pembroke intent on stopping him.
Ancient History
By Selena Wisnom
Cuneiform. These ancient tablets, made of baked clay, held the mysteries of the ancient Assyrians. When the Library of Ashurbanipal burned to the ground during the invasion by the Medes and Babylonians in 612 B.C., it was thought to be lost forever. But it was in fact safely buried for thousands of years. First discovered in the mid-19th century, this book highlights the world of the Assyrians before their destruction. Via cuneiform, Winsom guides the reader through this once great empire.
Classics
By Henryk Sienkiewicz
Set in ancient Rome during the reign of Nero, this 1896 novel features a centurion Vinicius, who lusts after the beautiful and mysterious Ligia, a Christian, and so a rarity at that time in the city. As their lives twine together, and as they get to know each other, their budding relationship is complicated by Christian persecution and executions. This is a novel in the grand tradition, sweeping in its themes of love and courage while taking readers on a multifaceted tour of the Eternal City.
For Kids
By Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes
Uniquely illustrated in scratchboard and dotted with golden yellow accents, “The House in the Night” is a modern classic that was inspired by an old nursery rhyme. It peacefully and whimsically builds upon itself to illustrate the profound interconnection between the light in a home and the light in the stars. A comforting, lovely, bedtime read.
