Fiction
We Need Our Heroes
‘Rising Tiger’ By Brad ThorAn American agent is assassinated in Rajasthan, India. An Indian Air Force helicopter is downed. The threat is global, and the enemy is powerful. Time to unleash America’s deadly operative Scot Harvath, who has the unparalleled skill set to bring the bad actors to justice.
Boots on the Ground
‘Fields of Fire’ By James WebbAn Annapolis graduate and former U.S. senator, James Webb saw combat as a Marine Corps officer in Vietnam and delivers that experience in this novel. Here, we meet several Marines serving in the An Hoa Basin in 1969, young Americans battling a tough enemy in an unpopular war. The combat scenes come alive through Webb’s vivid prose, his knowledge of tactics and small-unit fighting, and his understanding of the hearts and minds of these Marines. The final 20 pages masterfully capture the ambiguities of this war.
Memoir
A Pilot’s View of the Battle of Britain
‘Arise to Conquer: The “Real” Hurricane Pilot’ By Dilip SarkarIan Richard Gleed was an RAF fighter pilot among Churchill’s “few” who defeated the Luftwaffe. In 1942, he put his experiences down in a fictionalized memoir, one of the earliest first-person accounts of the battle available to the public, showing what it was like to be a fighter pilot during the opening days of World War II. This edition is worth reading because of the editor’s explanatory introduction and because it contains 60 previously unpublished wartime photos of Gleed’s squadron.
History
An Inspiring Story About Aeronautics
‘Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race’ By Margot Lee ShetterlyBefore electronic computers appeared, calculations now done by these machines were done by hand. The work was exacting and unexciting. World War II expanded the need for human calculators. NACA (NASA’s predecessor) opened positions to blacks. Several black women, through sheer competence, gained positions of great responsibility, even serving as engineers despite lacking engineering degrees. This book presents their accomplishments.
Biography
A ‘Band of Brothers’ Story
‘Fierce Valor: The True Story of Ronald Speirs and His Band of Brothers’ By Erik Dorr and Jared FrederickRonald Speirs quickly became a fan favorite for those who watched HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” and those hoping to learn more about the enigmatic and incredibly brave lieutenant can discover what happened to him after World War II. Was he a killer or just a very good soldier? This book helps explain the mystery behind the man.
Classics
Pascal’s ‘Pensées’ Edited, Outlined, and Explained
‘Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal’s “Pensées” Edited, Outlined, and Explained’ By Peter KreeftBlaise Pascal was brilliant—a scientist, mathematician, and inventor—whom Kreeft believes was centuries ahead of his time. He was also the author of “Pensées,” a Christian apologetics that Kreeft finds perfect for our modern age of doubt. Kreeft gives us many of Pascal’s passages and then analyzes them, spreading before us a feast of ideas for thought and discussion. Remarkable in his own right as an entertaining and erudite Christian writer, Kreeft and his talents shine in his quest to introduce Pascal to our confused age.
For Kids
Introduction to the Rebus
‘The Fantastic 5 & 10¢ Store: A Rebus Adventure’ By J. Patrick Lewis and Valorie FisherAn old 5- and 10-cent store comes to life in this “rebus” story—the classic form in which pictures are used to represent some words or word parts, creating a puzzle of sorts that readers can solve in order to decipher the story.
A Feast for the Eyes
‘Anno’s Journey’ By Mitsumasa AnnoThis book without words offers a trip through Northern Europe. The artwork is beautiful, and the visitor encounters storybook and historical characters, visual jokes and puzzles, and scenes from cities and the countryside. This book is for readers aged 4 to 8.
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