Rich Detail, Well Told
579716
Most compelling biography read in a long time ... thoroughly engrossing story that is almost unbelievably one man's life ... still ongoing
1198000
This monumental true story involving History, Art, and Family is - personal.  We get the inside details of the ordinary things that happened when something unique, gigantic, historic and beautiful was built. We get the story by seeing and reading the letters of everyone who was there.  They aren't telling us a story.  They are the story.  It's  given to us in beautiful photographs that were  taken as it was happening - like seeing a film of it all.  The hardship is long, uneventful and lonely - like hardship is.  Surprising moments of chance drop into the story like magic.  We are taken there in the way that no history book, art  book or family story could.  It's superb!
1217877
Although substantially long, this book is extremely imaginative and rich in detail, in both lore and fact. As in "Veronica," there are so many little connections throughout the story, it almost makes you want to plot a map or worksheet of people and places the story touches.
The book is virtually two stories in one, bouncing between its two main characters. It exploits the writing concept of "suspension of disbelief," where the reader is left to either challenge the likelihood of story events, or go along for the ride.
Magic realism aside, the story ultimately is a traditional one, but the creativity Christopher exhibits and the many fine details in this book make it a very worthwhile investment.
1634289
Siren Suicides is a wonderfully detailed, well-told story dealing with some hard subjects: suicide, parental abuse, and heartbreak. Although at times the story felt like it was geared a bit more toward people around the age of the protagonist (teens, whereas I am middle-aged), I still found a ton that I liked and could relate to. And the story is both vividly written and easy to read.

And the ending! Another reviewer had mixed feelings about the ending of this story, but for me the it was the best part. In some books, when you see "Epilogue" you get an addition to the story, something that comes after the story and maybe provides some additional details or closure. In Siren Suicides, the Epilogue is VITAL to the story. It is, in many ways, the redemption of everything that has come before it.

This is the third book of Ksenia's that I have read, and I've never been sorry for the time I've spent in her writing.
1466465
We know the story well.  The attack on Sumpter, the agonizing years of blood letting and the anti climaxes of Appomatax and Fords Theater.  Retelling this story withe the living predecessors as active players gives this tale a richness and context I'd never known.
In this election cycle where again so much is at risk, I read this book even more closely. It was wonderful.
2342781
I liked the story-line and the choice of wording I thought was very rich. I felt like there's still a lot of story left untold; perhaps a sequel? A very good read...
1061261
This book is much more than a detailed account of the former Strouss-Hirshberg Department Store in Youngstown, Ohio. The authors place their study in the rich context of Youngstown and US history. There's lots of reflection in these pages, too. If you are from the Mahoning Valley and can remember Strouss', you'll appreciate this well-annotated and  photo-rich history. If department stores are your area of interest, here's a stellar study of the subject for you.
2381239
American Wolf is an in-depth telling of one of the most famous wolves of Yellowstone, referred to as O-Six, and how she survived despite many odds being stacked against her. Along with this story, however, Blakeslee also includes immense background detail on the other wolves released and raised in Yellowstone, the conflicts between hunters, wolves, and livestock, and the many wolf watchers that took part in observing O-Six's life-- along with many other wolves.

Blakeslee tells the story of O-Six in an incredibly compelling manner that at times feels more like I'm reading a fiction story about wolves than I am reading a nonfiction account of the lives of various wolves. It is apparent that Blakeslee has done much research for this book and he takes great care to provide detailed and illuminating information on this subject.

I was particularly fascinated when reading about the different behaviours displayed by O-Six and many others. I knew a somewhat decent bit about wolves coming into this, but there is so much more to learn about them. The way the packs function and how new packs are formed or destroyed is really rather remarkable. They are such fascinating animals with such distinct and familiar traits that sometimes it seemed as if I was just reading about people and royal families.

American Wolf also dives into much of the debate surrounding wolf hunting and the various political and environmental ramifications of those both for and against it, which I was pleased to see, as it helped me to better understand the entire situation. He also discusses many of the specific scientists, wolf watchers, etc. that spend so much time studying the wolves, which I also found interesting. There were a few instances in which I felt that Blakeslee went on slight tangents or just into a bit too much detail of something that wasn't quite relevant, but overall most topics seemed to fall into place with the topic of the book.

One thing that I struggled about a bit with this book was the fact that the wolves didn't have set names, but were instead referred to by numbers or descriptions (i.e. 574, 'Shy Male,'). I understand that this is because they didn't want the wolves to seem like pets, but it just made it a bit confusing at times to recall who is who. I'm not really counting that against Blakeslee, however, because that's not really his fault, but it is something that I felt I should point out.

Overall, I've given American Wolf four stars!
4568848
Very interesting, but requires close attention. It's packed with detail.
142978
In Mayflower, Philbrick tells much more than the story of our beloved Pilgrims trip across the Atlantic.  In many ways, it is three stories about the Puritans and other Pilgrims: one for their European experiences, another for the first five years as they establish Plymouth and third, a vivid account of the King Phillip war some 50 years later.  As always, Philbrick is meticulous in his research and he tells the story with precision and with so many details that it sometimes reads as historical fiction, but to be sure, it is non-fiction.

I enjoyed the stories of how the Pilgrims and the Mayflower initially rambled over much of Cape Cod thinking that this new land was too barren to support life.  Of course, eventually they found their way to Plymouth, which turned out to be just a fair site to establish a beachhead.  I also found it refreshing to read that the survival of the group continued to be tenuous at best and the famous Thanksgiving celebration was a much more muted event than is commonly thought.  I also find it interesting that the Puritans felt so strongly about not embellishing their faith beyond the pure writings of the Bible that they did not celebrate Christmas.  I suspect they would be disappointed to realize that a similarly key US holiday was created in their honor.  I give Mayflower a Good Read.
4584967
Geoff Nelder brings to life the 16th century abduction of an entire people with a love and knowledge of Gozo that swept me away. I felt the authors sense of outrage and although I enjoyed the epic sweep of the blockbusting story, what will stay with me are the ghosts who still inhabit the landscape today. I feel I know every blood-stained stone on this little island, although Ive never been there.
From the grey-orange grit of the desert to the horse who loves the smell of lavender, time and place are created in loving, accurate detail  both the 16th century and the present. The authors breadth of knowledge and of research allows us to visit all his locations with never a false note. I know Lyon well and enjoyed revisiting it en route to Gozo.
At times, I felt the author was reliving his own past life, so convincing were his description of slavery, from manning the oars as a slave on a galley to trudging the potentially fatal route to market. He was equally at ease describing the world of female slaves chosen as concubines.
The novel is more than an exciting tale of supernatural justice working its way out after 500 years, through descendants of the key people involved but it is indeed an exciting story. I found some of the earlier scenes in the present day less convincing, with Zita and the love affair portrayed in a clichd manner but once we get Zitas point of view the narrative flows and I was lost in the mystery.
4262595
Jerry Haynes did a terrific job of combining this long told story about a family's loss and search.  The story leading up to the stolen child and the years of search afterwards is captivating.  You are given a close picture of pioneer life and difficulties, and a look at the time taken to accomplish travels of short distances.  The peak into the Indian's way of life was fascinating, leaving me with the desire to read more, especially about the Wyandots.  I found myself lost in the story, not wanting an end to come, but well-satisfied when the story closed.
3300685
This book was different than I expected. I was expecting this to be written more like a human interest/adventure story. It actually it is an incredibly well-researched account, a solid contribution to the history of the period.

Artemis Joukowsky wrore this account of his grandparent's adult lives, particularly their sacrifical move to Czechoslavakia and their efforts to save Jews, intellectuals and others threatened by the advance of Hitler. I was eager to read this book, and took it to the gym with me the minute it arrived. This account is extremely detailed, almost scholarly. In fact, that is a bit of my hesitation to give this five stars. This book got bogged down in the details for me and initially did not engage me emotionally, though the topic is one I am extremely interested in. However, upon reflection this partly due to the well-researched nature of the book. As the book progressed, I was so impressed with the magnitude of what these two people accomplished and the lengths to which they went. I am guessing the companion PBS documentary will be very engaging. So if you have an interest in this topic, the story of this American Unitarian pastor Waitstilll Sharp and his wife Martha will be a worthwhile investment for you. To me one of the saddest part of this book is not just lives that were lost, but that the Sharp's marriage did not withstand the outward-focused nature of their lives and extensive time apart that he and his wife endured.

In the epilogue of this book, we learn that in 2006, Israel declared the Sharps "RIghteous Among the Nations"--a well-deserved honor for the Sharps--which is for those who have "risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust."
4284667
"In Our Quiet Village" is a hard book to put down.  Rich with the details of small town life in America at the turn of the last century, the author has captured an atmosphere which perfumes the pages of the book.  The true story is the tragic tale of a German immigrant, whose suicide, the murder he had attempted, and the circumstances surrounding these violent events, reverberate through several generations. His daughter Minna (the author's mother) emerges as a strong heroine, with perseverance and idealism.  The characters are three dimensional,  flawed and admirable, and portrayed empathetically.  Particularly noteworthy is the author's ability to get inside the minds and intense personal feelings of these real characters. In the historical context of the wave of idealistic German immigration, the beginnings of organized labor,  the assassination of McKinley, the introduction of the automobile, the tentative emergence of feminism, and much more detail, the era is captured with substance.  Compelling and touching, illustrated with photographs of the real people who lived this dramatic story, "In Our Quiet VIllage" is a suspenseful and emotional read.  I give it my highest recommendation.
2294035
I love detailed descriptions, and this book was packed with them.  The historical facts, objects, and events sprinkled throughout, pull you deep into the time period.  Personal facts and experiences were layered onto the main character, Joe Rantz, so completely that at times I suspected an omniscient narrator was constructing a fictionalized person.  Then I finished the book and read about the incredible research Brown did and the access he had to Joe and his family.  Browns description, based on such intimate knowledge of his life, is not fictionalized, but an amazing revelation of the real Joe Rantz.  But, for me, the best part of the book was Browns flawless descriptions of the details of the sport.  They took me back to my own high-school days rowing on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.  I remember the cold, wet practices, the blistered hands, Bachelors Barge Club, the races.  I know what Brown means when describing the interactions between the team members, and recall some of my teammates fondly.  I had no idea, however, what a huge national phenomenon crew was just twenty-five years before it was my turn in the boat.
3750267
i really enjoyed this warm, personal family saga, rich in detail and humor. The narrator brings the time and the people vividly to life. Historical photographs abound and the meticulously constructed family tree at the end is quite impressive. A great read!
1685446
I really enjoyed how the detail within each portion allowed me to visualize the heart of the moments.  It starts with so much detail, in what feels slow.  However, as I continued through the story and began to know these characters - their connection and lifeline - it is worth every detail.  Don't stop reading until you've made it all the way thru, amazing way to share love for such remarkable people.