History reads

George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy, by Sally Bedell Smith IF you aren’t tired of reading about ‘the royals’ in Great Britain, then you might enjoy George VI and Elizabeth. We all know the story. We’ve all seen The King’s Speech. We all know that Queen Elizabeth and her mother lived very long and eventful lives. BUT, do we know the ‘inside’ scoop? Before she died, Queen Elizabeth gave Smith access to her parents letters to one another and their diaries. You will discover a relationship that was both treasured by the couple and essential to the role of Great Britain in WWII.

Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt’s Ancient Temples from Destruciton by Lynne Olson, tells the true story of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, a female Indiana Jones, without whom we would have to go scuba diving to see much of Egypt’s cultural heritage. Lynne Olson is a gifted storyteller, as those who have read Citizens of London and Madame Forucade’s Secret War already know. The book is on The Sandcastle Book Club list for this coming year, and I can’t wait to read it!!

A Fever in the Heartland was written by Timothy Egan, a brilliant researcher and an award winning author of non-fiction. The subtitle tells it all–The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Really? Wow! But it actually happened, and this ‘stranger than fiction’ book reads like a riveting suspense story.

Fortune’s Bazaar: The Making of Hong Kong by Vaudine England is for serious readers of history who REALLY want to understand the complexities of a city known as Hong Kong. Who are the citizens of Hong Kong? Are they British, Chinese, students or millionaires? Why is their way of life endangered, and what will likely happen there? The New York Times Book Review says that the book is ‘illuminating.’ I would like to read it and find out.