Nonfiction
‘The Disenlightenment: Politics, Horror, and Entertainment’
By David MametBiography
‘The Boundless Deep: Young Tennyson, Science and the Crisis of Belief’
By Richard HolmesAlfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, is the best-known British poet of the Victorian Era. Today, most view Tennyson as a thoroughly establishment old man, with a long white beard. Yet Tennyson was once a young groundbreaking member of the literary avant-garde. This book examines Tennyson’s development as a poet, going from avant-guard to establishment pillar. It also shows Tennyson as much as a man of science as of letters. It’s a fascinating look at the literary growth of a great poet.
Ancient History
‘The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium’
By Barry StraussThe first century B.C. was an era of civil wars for the Roman Republic. There were three civil wars between the Romans, with the final one pitting Octavian, Julius Caesar’s chosen heir, against Caesar’s friend, Mark Antony. This book centers on the naval battle at Actium that turned the tide of the war in Octavian’s favor. Strauss presents the war, the players, and how the outcome resulted in the establishment of the Roman Empire led by Octavian—famously known to history as Caesar Augustus.
Novel
‘Glide Path’
By Arthur C. ClarkeBefore becoming known for science-fiction, Arthur C. Clarke served in the Royal Air Force in World War II. This book, his only non-science fiction novel, is a fictionalized account of his wartime experiences. It follows the experiences of Flying Officer Alan Bishop, a young man who is assigned to an experimental base developing Ground Control Approach radar, to “talk” pilots to the ground in bad weather. A coming-of-age story, it’s a fascinating look at people and technology development.
Classics
‘The Mark of Zorro’
By Johnston McCulleyThis 1919 tale mixes the comedy, adventure, and romance that thrilled its first readers and made the masked man with a sword a cultural icon. By day, Diego Vega is a languid dandy and aristocrat who prefers poetry to bloodshed. But by night, he’s Zorro, a Californian Robin Hood who singlehandedly battles oppressors of the people. The passionate Lolita Pulido can hardly bear the anemic Vega, but she falls madly in love with Zorro. This book and its sequels birthed plays, songs, movies, and a TV show.
For Kids
‘Petunia’
By Roger DuvoisinPetunia the goose is known as a silly goose until, one day, she finds a book in the meadow and decides that carrying it under her wing will make her wise. She proudly begins to offer advice to her barnyard friends—until her unfounded counsel causes real trouble. A charming, funny fable contrasting the appearance versus the substance of knowledge.
