Fascinating and Timely
934780
Author Lachman has produced a lucid, even-handed account of the investigation of the murder of Maria Ridulph, starting in 1957 and proceeding up through the first decade-and-a-half of the 21st century. This book is especially timely since the controversy surrounding the guilt of the man recently convicted of the crime is once again heating up as a decision on his appeal draws near.

Lachman doesnt force the reader into any definite pro or con stance regarding Jack McCulloughs guilt. The book leaves room for readers to come to their own conclusions. However, after you finish reading Footsteps, you might want to check out Piggyback by Jeffrey Doty. The latter book fills in a lot of the gaps left in the testimony of those called by both prosecution and defense during McCulloughs trials. After reading Doty, you might be more definitely swayed in one direction over another, as you feel yourself being drawn into taking a seat as a juror on the case.

Either way, these twin views of the Ridulph case demonstrate once again how much of the truth slips through the cracks in any investigative process. It highlights how delayed and delaying our criminal justice system can be  how the system at best presents a picture through a glass darkly of suspects and their motives. Were left in the position of those famous blind men of the adage of the elephant  each feeling a different part of the animal and each reaching a contentious certitude about the nature of the beast after just his limited contact.

This book leaves the reader wondering, more profoundly perhaps than ever before, how much about the truth of a crime the limited set of questions allowed in a court of law can ever reveal. And even more deeply, it makes us wonder how much we can ever expect to know about each other, based on our limited contacts with people.
1847986
The Beauty of the Fall is so timely and relevant for our times!  President Obama said, "How do we create a space where truth has eyeballs?"  when he was interviewed by Bill Maher for the November 4th airing of HBO's Real Time. The problem: people have difficulty sorting out what is true and what is not.  And this
is exactly the space where The Beauty of the Fall brings focus with a fictional account of software and technology that enables truth, and consequently, problems are tackled and solved once there is a shared set of truisms.

Anyone who's lived through the 2016 election process, the critique of the media, witnessed the need for fact-checkers to take on an increasingly important role, would be keen to read about the startup company,
Conversations Works, founded by the protagonist, Dan Underlight, as a means to do the hard work of fact
checking topics for online conversationalists.

Conversation Works evolves, as Dan Underlight and his tech team bring their vision to market, after Dan's
abrupt firing at the software company, RadioRadio, clearly a reference to yester-year's tech.  The new
company is futuristic with 3-D glasses "CSpectacles" and holographic communications made possible by
"CHalo", and systematic summaries generated to garner agreement among participants.  The goal is to bring truth to chosen conversations, such as domestic violence and equal rights for women, where false
notions create deep divides.  I can think of a few other areas where this fictional software would have been a gold mine- climate change and Hillary's emails!

The Beauty of the Fall is a fast paced read, filled with adversity, resolution, relationships, betrayal, and
healing.
2735891
This book provides a fascinating journey into the conflicts and social upheavals of just a couple of generations ago.  The author brings alive the social movements and those who were involved in a way that few books do.  Butterworth describes the ideas behind the events as well as the personalities involved providing a good education as well as a fascinating read.  I highly recommend this book.
3700589
A real page turner that could not be more timely.  An intriguing story with engaging characters built around a little understood pilar of American democracy- how we actually elect our presidents.
4851222
Richard has written a very creative and timely novel, torn from the pages of today's politics and offering an intriguing story that could have some real life options for today's political zoo!  Read it and start a movement BY THE PEOPLE.

Patrick Williams
3789543
Fred Kaplan devotes this book to the concept that the year 1959 was a seminal year of social and ergo, political change.  He makes a compelling case.  In fact, the read is so fast paced and interesting that 1959 seems surprisingly modern.

Of course, the country was getting ready to transition from the stoic and staid leadership of Dwight Eisenhower to the impetuous, urbane, and youthful regime of John F Kennedy.  Was this a symptom or cause?  This book poses the question, but does not answer it.  It only alludes to the fact that the nation was swept up in a wave of change.

He looks at several flashpoints in this energetic and electrifying time.  The music of Miles Davis and the inimitable style of Ornette Coleman.  The emergence of Martin Luther King.  and the influence of Jack Kerouac and Alan Ginsburg.

There was the first visit in the Cold War era of a Russian Diplomat when Mikhoyan came to the US.  Little did we know that this Cold Warrior was secretly impressed by our society, and of course, the stare-downs between Kruschev and Eisenhower.

Perhaps one of the most interesting vignettes was about the Swiss-born photagrapher named Robert Frank.  Frank captured the change in the culture, to a more lonely and sad fracturing of the average american.  Kaplan's description of these photos produces a longing to view them immediately.

The times described seem fast-paced and exciting.  Truly, with 1960's beckoning, our culture was at a bursting point.  Kaplan capitalizes on this energy, and takes us back to a time, not so long ago, when it must have been truly engaging to be alive.
4405139
Given the very tense situation this week between Palestine and Israel, this book couldn't have been more timely or pertinent for me.

It is the story of two families -- one Israeli and one Palestinian. The lives of Ellie and Yasif are followed from boyhood to manhood, and through this we gain greater understanding of what the current conflict is about.

Today in the news we are hearing about three Israeli teens who were kidnapped and murdered by Palestinians.  In retaliation, an Israeli murders a 16-year old Palestinian teen.  Rockets are now crossing the border in both directions.  We see day-to-day how the hatred escalates and can soon spiral out of control.  Such is the case in Our Promised Land.

Darkow has done his research and has woven a credible tale that forces us to look at both sides.  Not only do we look, but we can empathize and understand... and hope.
4945719
Through compelling and well-developed characters, Orange Rain engages the reader and draws them inside the lives of group of individuals who appear defined by sex, drugs, and violence. While being led through a fast-paced and sometimes-erotic adventures through some of society's most intriguing subcultures, the reader is largely unaware that they are being drawn into a web of intrigue spun  around an incisive political commentary directed at Monsanto, the notorious super-corporation responsible for wreaking global devastation and crimes against nature. The audience will find themselves enthralled in the lives of the damaged protagonist and his friends and either cheering or crying as the plot evolves. This timely and important novel is a must read for anyone concerned about the state of the planet or simply looking for a good read.
1329452
An  intriguing book that resonates in todays political climate. i couldn't put it down!
4337218
Easy to read, yet packed with contemporary and historical information, this book is a timely antidote to the current climate of suspicion against science.  The author reminds us to rely on data and reproducible results and not be seduced by over-reaction, half-truths, and science "rock star" pronouncements.  I was reminded of a lot I "knew" and was introduced to a lot of new ideas and connections.  I'm recommending this book to family and to book club pals.
4033927
Recently finished this book and can not believe how TIMELY it is to have been released. I love how much depth, insight and knowledge has been afforded us, the readers.....It jumped off the pages to me. Gave me chills due to its timely nature.

Tim Cameron
924555
This timely book on a serious topic is written so well that nonscientists and scientists alike are likely to be impressed by the factuality and story telling skills of the author.  She lays out the case for the Sixth Extinction with the examples with the details and expertise of the diverse scientists she's researched. Yet, the reader comes away not depressed about our collective future on this planet. 0
2032630
This is a timely memoir that sheds light on education, family psychology, the imperatives of personal growth, feminism and the philosophical / ideological schism in today's society in the USA.

The journey is real, and we struggle collectively and individually to define our own experiences in the context of today's perplexing immersion in technology, the fast-paced culture and challenging economic and environmental circumstances, not to mention political turmoil. Any individual in our time needs friends and/or family to construct a narrative that can reliably convince us of our own sanity enough to cope with such a challenging and dysfunctional social upheaval.

I found the author's exposure of her struggles to maintain her sanity exceedingly genuine, authentic, heart-warming and reassuring, this book is an intense experience, I read it in one sitting simply riveted to this narrative of such a dramatic life and education. It encourages me to go further and see my own education in a new context.
1520166
This book is many things, but boring is not one of them. I am always a bit amused when nonfiction books are labeled as such. I rather see this book as thought provoking, particularly in light of current political events here in the USA. I am reminded that while there are significant differences in politics during 2017 and 1381, there most certainly are a great deal of notable similarities between these time frames. By reading about the past, there are many lessons to be learned for the future. One of the most important things that I have come to realize, is that the common person should never be underestimated, which is something that hopefully our leaders will come to recognize as well.
2300341
Saving Our Sons is a timely and courageous book.  It will surprise and enlighten readers from across the political spectrum, and it will arm them with fascinating insights from the frontiers of neuroscience and epigenetics.  Few things are as important as understanding the nature of our children, and it is lucky for us that someone as informed as Dr. Gurian continues to educate his readers about the unprecedented challenges our boys are facing today.

While some may bristle at Dr. Gurians assertion that boys in the U.S. and abroad are falling behind girls in many measures of health and well-being, numerous studies and statistics support this observation.  In 2015, the World Health Organization published a major study of male health worldwide in which the studys authors conclude that: In most parts of the world, health outcomes among boys and men continue to be substantially worse than among girls and women. Yet this gender-based disparity in health has received little national, regional or global acknowledgement or attention from health policy-makers or health-care providers.

Some of the statistics Dr. Gurian cites about American boys are truly shocking.  Boys are twice as likely as girls to be labeled emotionally disturbed and twice as likely to be diagnosed with a behavioral or learning disorder.  Boys are four times as likely as girls to be suspended or expelled from early childhood and K  12 learning environments.  In school, boys receive two-thirds of the Ds and Fs, and less than 40 percent of the As.  While much has been made of the STEM gap, few are aware that boys are much farther behind girls in literary skills than girls are behind boys in math and science.  Tragically, males between the ages of 15 and 24 are four times more likely to commit suicide than young women.

In Saving Our Sons, Dr. Gurian explores the major factors undermining healthy development of our boys and provides a detailed blueprint for how to remedy these challenges.  Along the way, Dr. Gurian implores readers to consider the health of our boys through the perspectives of science and common sense rather than the ideological and politicized gender paradigm that has often dominated such discussions in recent years.

We are reminded that boys and girls are simply different.  They always have been and they always will be.  Rather than viewing these differences as divisive, Dr. Gurian encourages us to celebrate the uniqueness of each gender (including transgender) and to lobby our public institutions to implement policies that will honor those differences in ways that are more effective and fulfilling than a status quo that is clearly inadequate.

Dr. Gurian has added another book to a legacy of important work in the field of childhood development.  I hope that he will continue to share his research and insights with us and that more people will take the time to reflect on his valuable lessons.
3855242
This is an incredibly timely story given the changes that continue to evolve in the Bronx. Since I read this memoir I have been hearing more and more about the Bronx as the next 'place to be.' And I feel as if I have an inside glimpse into the history of the South Bronx and the person who helped shape it into what it is today. It's a story about the South Bronx in a very transformative time in its history and that of NYC. But it's also a story about leadership and family and choices and ethics. I was amazed by Benjy's personal story; how he became a leader at such a young age and how big a life Benjy lived. I was riveted by this kid who was the leader of a gang but whose father was such a steady source of what's 'right' and 'wrong' and how his father's positive influence and stability in his life eventually impacted Benjy's actions. It's a powerful story that will leave you wanting to know more about the history of where you live and wanting to hang out with Benjy to hear more!
4381304
I found this book fascinating.  There are rarely Washington insiders with the narrative talent and an appreciation for process, and in this case, we have a book that provides both.  The careful negotiations, resistance and calculations by federal agencies, the push and pull of partisan politics and the unique friendly-adversarial role of the 911 families provide for absorbing reading.  If nothing else, the use of careful diplomacy by the authors in knowing when to wheedle and when to subpoena is a lesson unto itself.  The delicacy of diplomacy and the ham-handedness of security considerations provide a rare insight into the difficulties of maneuvering inside the beltway, and the differences amongst and amidst the commission itself are more than simple sniping -- they are in many ways a laboratory for American political struggles.  Recommended for policy wonks and aspiring diplomats, and for those, like me, who'd rather get the inside scoop on the White House than Hollywood.