March Reflections

In March, I read twenty-four books. Two of them were Bibles. I read several books about shipwrecks. Two on the Titanic, one on the Indianapolis, and one on the Endurance. This was mostly unintentional. 

Books read for Becky's Book Reviews

32. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick. 1968. 224 pages. [Source: Library]

33. The Naked Sun. (Robot #2) Isaac Asimov. 1958. 271 pages. [Source: Library]
34. Wakers. Orson Scott Card. 2022. 400 pages. [Source: Library]
35. Castles in Their Bones. Laura Sebastian. 2022. 514 pages. [Source: Review copy]
36. The Last Kingdom. (The Last Kingdom #1) Bernard Cornwell. 2004. 351 pages. [Source: Library]
37. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong. 1998. Random House. 144 pages. [Source: Library]
38. A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice. Rebecca Connolly. 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]
39. In Harm's Way (Young Reader's Edition): The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Story of Its Survivors. Michael J. Tougias and Doug Stanton. 2022. 240 pages. [Source: Library]
40. Why the Titanic Was Doomed. Bryan Jackson. 2022. [June] 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Books read for Young Readers

35. David Dixon's Day as a Dachshund. (Class Critters #2) Kathryn Holmes. Illustrated by Ariel Landy. 2022. [April] 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]
36. Tiny Cedric. Sally Lloyd-Jones. Illustrated by Rowboat Watkins. 2021. [November] 44 pages. [Source: Library]
37. Planet Omar #1: Accidental Trouble Magnet. Zanib Mian. Illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik. 2019. 224 pages. [Source: Library]
38. Even Robots Aren't Perfect. Jan Thomas. 2022. 64 pages. [Source: Library]
39. The Story of a Story. Deborah Hopkinson. 2021. [November] 40 pages. [Source: Library]
40. Cornbread and Poppy. Matthew Cordell. 2022. 80 pages. [Source: Library]
41. Once Upon a Tim. Stuart Gibbs. 2022. 160 pages. [Source: Library]
42. The Sheep, the Rooster, and The Duck. Matt Phelan. 2022. 240 pages. [Source: Library]
43. The School for Whatnots. Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2022. 304 pages. [Source: Library]

Books read for Operation Actually Read Bible

12. A Heart Adrift. Laura Frantz. 2022. [January] 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]
13. Suffering Wisely and Well: The Grief of Job and the Grace of God. Eric Ortlund. 2022. 193 pages. [Source: Review copy]
14. The Element of Love. (The Lumber Baron's Daughters #1) Mary Connealy. 2022. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]
15. Inventions of the Heart. (The Lumber Baron's Daughters #2) Mary Connealy. 2022. [July] 304 pages. [best guess] [Source: Review copy]

Bibles read for Operation Actually Read Bible

3. Berean Study Bible. God. 2020. 1504 pages. [Source: Gift]
4. NIV Young Discoverer's Bible. 1985. Zondervan. 1979 pages. [Source: Childhood copy]

March Totals

March Reads
# of books	24
# of pages	8656

2022 Yearly Totals

2022 Totals
# of books	102
# of pages	28104

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

40. Why the Titanic Was Doomed

Why the Titanic Was Doomed. Bryan Jackson. 2022. [June] 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence from the preface: It is an understatement to say that much has been written about one of the world's most famous ships, Titanic. 

First sentence from the introduction: Ask someone what caused the Titanic to sink and they will tell you, 'It hit an iceberg.'

Premise/plot: Bryan Jackson argues in his book that the Titanic was doomed before it ever left the shipyard. He organizes his book around fourteen main circumstances. But within each "main" circumstance, there seemed to be more additional circumstances that would reasonably lead to trouble or "doom" for the Titanic. For example, the first circumstance is "A Delayed Maiden Voyage," the third circumstance is, "Telegrams That Could Have Changed History," and the twelfth circumstance, "The Coal Strike that Increased the Death Toll."

The first hundred pages (give or take) are sharing all the reasons--or circumstances--why the Titanic was doomed. The last hundred pages (give or take) are sharing about the aftermath of the Titanic. The book goes into great detail--before, during, and after. And it brings in related subjects. Like other ships--the Olympic, the Britannic, the Carpathia, the Californian.

My thoughts: I LOVED this one. It was packed with facts and details. While I had definitely heard some of these facts before, there were plenty new-to-me facts that kept me turning pages. Reading all these facts--the way he compiles these together--it is easy to form a big picture. It is easy to conclude alongside the author that yes, the Titanic was doomed. 

I loved both sections. I found the first half fascinating and engaging. I couldn't stop reading. Yes, I knew what happened and what was coming. But I was learning. And what wasn't "new" information was being put into context in a better way. Instead of being "scattered" or completely random tidbits, I was putting everything together into a whole picture. The second half might be considered side tangents--in some ways--but I found it still to be of interest.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

39. In Harm's Way

In Harm's Way (Young Reader's Edition): The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Story of Its Survivors. Michael J. Tougias and Doug Stanton. 2022. 240 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Navy Captain Charles McVay stood on the bridge of his ship, forty-five feet above the main deck of the USS Indianapolis.

Premise/plot: What you see is exactly what you get. In this case, an adaptation for "young" readers (I'd say middle grade on up) of Doug Stanton's In Harm's Way. This nonfiction book is about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis....and the story of its survivors. The book begins by introducing--via a list--the people on board. I believe grouping them together. The survivors did end up grouped together in different groups--as they drifted in the ocean for days. The book alternates between these groups.

My thoughts: I would recommend for those that a) have an interest in SURVIVOR stories, b) have an interest in maritime disasters (aka shipwrecks) c) have an interest in world war II, d) have an interest in history. I love books that deliver exactly what you expect. This is nothing more and nothing less than what it claims to be--an account of the USS Indianapolis.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

38. A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice. Rebecca Connolly. 2022. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Arthur Rostron exhaled slowly, enjoying the last quiet moments he would have on the bridge of the RMS Carpathia before they were underway.

Premise/plot: A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice is historical fiction at its best. In alternating chapters, the story of a fateful night in April 1912 unfolds for readers. The narration is divided between Arthur Rostron, the captain of the RMS Carpathia, and Kate Connolly, a third class passenger on board the Titanic.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, LOVED this one. I would say though it's definitely marketed as being adult historical fiction, it truly could be for readers of all ages who happen to have an interest in the Titanic and enjoy history. 

I loved so many things about this one. I LOVED the chapters narrated by Arthur Rostron. I absolutely loved the behind the scenes glimpse of the crew of Carpathia heading into unknown dangers racing against time to save the passengers of the Titanic. I loved how all the chapters began with authentic quotes. I loved the writing. I also loved the faith-focus. For example, I loved this prayer from the captain, "Father God, let us get to them. Guide our hands and our feet, our ship and our hearts. Let it be enough."

I also loved the afterword. I was delighted to know that all the characters were real people. Fictionalized, to be sure, to one degree or another. But this is a well-researched novel.

Quotes:

We must be better sailors, better crew, and better men than we have ever been. 

The clarity of the night sky was breathtaking. It would have been something to marvel had the circumstances been different. Each star lit its portion of the sky with a brilliance he'd rarely seen. "A brilliant night of stars," Arthur murmured to himself as he gazed out at it. He swallowed once. "And ice."

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

37. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the Sea

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong. 1998. Random House. 144 pages. [Source: Library]

Just imagine yourself in the most hostile place on earth. It's not the Sahara or the Gobi Desert. It's not the Arctic. The most hostile place on earth is the Antarctic, the location of the South Pole--what's the difference? The Arctic is mostly water--with ice on top, of course--and that ice is never more than a few feet thick. But under the South Pole lies a continent that supports glaciers up to two miles in depth. Almost the entire southern continent is covered by ice. The mammoth icecap presses down so heavily that it actually distorts the shape of the earth. The ice never melts; it clings to the bottom of the world, spawning winds, storms, and weather that affect the whole planet.

I have read Jennifer Armstrong's Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World four or five times now. The narrative is so strong and compelling, and, yes, even inspiring. It is definitely one of my favorite nonfiction books. And nonfiction isn't something I usually take the time to reread. It is rare for me to keep coming back again and again to a nonfiction book.

Originally published in 1998, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World won the Orbis Pictus Award in 1999. The book follows "the extraordinary true story of Shackleton and the Endurance." If you are unfamiliar with this story, then you really SHOULD read this one. It is a great introduction to the subject. Chapter by chapter, the book follows Shackleton and his men on their journey to Antarctica. Almost from the start, there are indicators that their goal, their quest, will not be an easy one to achieve. After a series of mishaps--thanks to nature--it becomes a long fight to survive. 

 The story is simple and yet dramatic. I think the story would be gripping no matter who told it. But I do think that Jennifer Armstrong did a wonderful job in painting a very human picture of Shackleton and his crew. I think the ending was beautiful--very moving! This one is a book I think everyone should read. 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews