Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for May 20–26

Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for May 20–26
Dustin Bass
Jeff Minick
Barbara Danza
5/20/2022
Updated:
5/20/2022
This week’s selection of books features a legal drama, detective mysteries, and a history of why Britain never recognized the Confederacy.

Fiction

The Ultimate Legal Thriller

‘The Firm’ By John Grisham

When Mitch McDeere graduates from Harvard Law School, he has the opportunity to join any law firm he likes. He prefers a small, but prominent one. His dream job becomes a nightmare as he finds himself pinned between the Mafia, the FBI, and colleague loyalty.

Island Books, 1992, 432 pages

Humor

Bumbling Down a River

‘Three Men in a Boat’ By Jerome K. Jerome

Jerome intended his book (1889) as a travel guide, but it developed into a grand comedy as three young men from London who were “all feeling seedy” set off on a two-week boating excursion down the River Thames. Along with a dog, Montmorency, the bachelors battle inclement weather, fumble with meal preparations, and meet with other disasters, but it’s Jerome’s deadpan prose that provides most of the hilarity. Regarded by critics and general readers alike as one of the funniest novels in the English language.

Warbler Classics Illustrated, 2020, 211 pages

History

Why Britain Never Recognized the Confederacy

‘Our Man in Charleston: Britain’s Secret Agent in the Civil War South’ By Christopher Dickey

Robert Bunch was Great Britain’s consul (1853–1863) in Charleston, South Carolina. He detested slavery, but concealed this to protect free black British citizens. Once the Civil War started, he reported the Southern plans to export slavery. Despite Confederate denials, they hoped to create new slave states in the Caribbean and Central America and reinstitute the Atlantic slave trade. This was a major reason Britain never recognized the South. A don’t-miss book for Civil War buffs.

Crown Publishers, 2015, 400 pages

Science

Zoology as Seen Through Fable

‘Aesop’s Animals: The Science Behind the Fables’ By Jo Wimpenny

In his fables, Aesop used anthropomorphic animals to deliver his message. How accurate were his depictions of animals? Wimpenny, a zoologist turned writer, answers this question through the lens of modern zoology. She uses nine fables as a springboard to examine the behavior of these animals and related species. Her approach is whimsical and amusing, yet fact-filled and highly readable. She’s as accurate as she is entertaining.

Bloomsbury Sigma, 2021, 368 pages

Classics

A World of Mysteries

‘Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes’ By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

When one thinks of detectives, one must think of Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective created by the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He used as a premise the art of deductive reasoning for his protagonist to solve crimes. Follow the many adventures of Holmes and his assistant, Dr. Watson, as they solve all types of mysteries.

Wordsworth Editions, 2008, 1408 pages

On the Road in India

‘Kim’ By Rudyard Kipling

Remembered today for his poetry and children’s books, Kipling also wrote novels for older readers. In “Kim,” we meet an orphan and street urchin, the son of a British soldier, who’s drawn both to the British Secret Service and to a wise Tibetan Lama. As Kim follows his quest to discover his life’s path, Kipling also paints a vivid description of India at the time: its people, its customs, and the rough, tumultuous life on its streets, as well as “The Great Game” of Russian–British espionage. This book is recommended for ages 14 to adult.

Puffin Books Reprint Edition, 2011, 400 pages

For Kids

What’s in a Name?

‘Tikki Tikki Tembo’ By Arlene Mosel, illustrations by Blair Lent

Written in 1968 and based on a Chinese folktale, “Tikki Tikki Tembo” beckons readers to recall through repetition the distinguished name of a family’s first-born son: “Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo.”

Square Fish, 2007, 48 pages

Heroism and High Adventure

‘Watership Down’ By Richard Adams

With their warren threatened by destruction, a band of rabbits sets out on a perilous journey to seek a new home. This tale of their sometimes-brutal trek offers young readers inspiring lessons in courage, fortitude, and ingenuity.

Scribner Reprint Edition, 2005, 476 pages
Dustin Bass is an author and co-host of The Sons of History podcast. He also writes two weekly series for The Epoch Times: Profiles in History and This Week in History.
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