Tag Archive: history


Review: Burn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher

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March 30, 2025

Burn Book: A Tech Love StoryBurn Book: A Tech Love Story by Kara Swisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the 80s, we had a Commodore 64 (my friend and I visited on a Bulletin Board!), a Tandy Sensation, and bits and pieces of others. The internet went from the exciting screaming of connecting modems to what we have today. Remember AOL, NetZero, PeoplePC, Prodigy, and everything in between. This cyberworld has been an adventure and sometimes scary place to visit.

It was fun to think about that history and see it from Kara Swisher’s point of view. She is a techie and journalist.

I found this edition in Libby and found it had to be read while alert. Not a bedtime story. You have to think while listening. I hope everyone gets a chance to listen to this book. Ms. Swisher is intelligent and can help us see how the industry has changed and progressed. She has some cautions for us as we proceed.

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Review: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

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March 20, 2025

Cold Comfort FarmCold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Need a laugh? Here’s a fun book. I didn’t get it at first. When I realized it was supposed to be funny, I grinned for most of the book. It is British humor, my favorite.

I had been reading the Maisie Dobbs series, so I expected a serious mystery or something.

This review isn’t working. Here’s the blurb from GoodReads:
When sensible, sophisticated Flora Poste is orphaned at nineteen, she decides her only choice is to descend upon relatives in deepest Sussex.

At the aptly named Cold Comfort Farm, she meets the doomed Starkadders: cousin Judith, heaving with remorse for unspoken wickedness; Amos, preaching fire and damnation; their sons, lustful Seth and despairing Reuben; child of nature Elfine; and crazed old Aunt Ada Doom, who has kept to her bedroom for the last twenty years.

But Flora loves nothing better than to organize other people. Armed with common sense and a strong will, she resolves to take each of the family in hand. A hilarious and merciless parody of rural melodramas, Cold Comfort Farm (1932) is one of the best-loved comic novels of all time.

I hear there’s a movie. I’ll have to look that up. I picked this edition up from Libby. I think it might have been even better as an audiobook.

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Review: Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

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March 16, 2025

Birds of a Feather (Maisie Dobbs, #2)Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun series so far. Each book is a quick read and not too deep, so great as a bedtime book. Orlagh Cassidy (Narrator) gave a bit of authenticity to the writing that simple text-to-speech could not. The British text-to-speech voice reads these stories well, but a human voice is better when it comes to different dialects. Granted, I don’t know one dialect from another, but Ms. Cassidy’s switching from formal to cockney or other voices helped keep the characters separated.

This mystery had me going. I couldn’t figure out who did it or why. But the author, Jacqueline Winspear, told the tale with intrigue. She builds the world to help readers feel they are in post-war English towns. The feathers were a curious touch. Why? Was it important? Eventually, it will all be solved by our Maisie Dobbs, who is graceful and respectful of her fellow humans and their psychological intricacies.

I was happy to find this audiobook on Libby. I think the series is quite enjoyable. I think you’ll like it, too.

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Review: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

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March 13, 2025

Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1)Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My friend Kay recommended this series. She’s right. These are fun and engaging.

This first installment came from Libby and was in Kindle form. That meant that I could listen to it with text-to-speech. Since I have my Fire set to a British female voice (think Mary Poppins), it fits quite nicely with this story.

War is a horrid thing. This particular war in England and Europe was one of the worst. Yet, for women, it became a way to escape the housewife, childbearer, whore classification most women were forced into. With the men fighting, the jobs were open for women to learn and show their abilities. Sadly, when the men came home, most of the women lost that step up to being wholly human.

Some women did find careers to move on. Maisie Dobbs is one of the ones it worked for.

This first book lays the groundwork for Maisie’s history and sets up the world she’s in. She’s a woman of spirit that can solve mysteries and make friends with all classes of people.

I have already started book two. I am in for the ride!

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Review: Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty by Hillary Rodham Clinton

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March 10, 2025

Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and LibertySomething Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty by Hillary Rodham Clinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m glad I got to read/listen to this as a Libby audiobook. Libby makes sure those of us with meager salaries can still afford to read currently popular books. Unless there is a hold. I didn’t know this had a timeline. Sadly, many like me will read it after the fact. Not that it would have changed my mind. And I doubt those who think differently than me would have changed their minds. Tribes seem set with their own.

I rarely give five stars to autobiographies. Mainly because it feels like I am being judgmental about the author’s life. It was what they lived and what they remembered; what was important in the moment.

What I liked about this book was it felt like we were having a conversation and she was relating her thoughts. And as with anyone you might have a cup of coffee or tea, you feel close. There are times you laugh. And there are times that are deep and honest. And the strong emotions that can crop up. Forgiveable with anyone.

If you have the curiosity, you may enjoy, even if you don’t politically agree, her work with women, here and abroad. Give her and her chat a chance.

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Review: America’s Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History by Dana Bash

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November 7, 2024

America's Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American HistoryAmerica’s Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History by Dana Bash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Libby is a wonderful way to read books, especially if you are financially challenged. I rarely find myself in this position. I didn’t finish before it was due. And there was a waiting list. So, I had to let the book go back. Today, I listened to it on Audible at the speed of 2.5. Dana Bash narrates quite well at normal speed and surprisingly well at chipmunk speed. Still, I only got to 75% before the book was pulled.

All that to say, this still was an interesting history lesson. Remember, I am not a history person. That and chemistry, or geometry, just bored me in school. But Ms. Bash did a fantastic job keeping my interest. I had no idea all that had happened. I probably would have done better at a different time reading this and still have come away with anxiety.

Anyway, I’m on the waiting list to finish the read later. I will update this review when I finally get the chance. Meanwhile, if you get the chance to read or listen to this book, I think you will find it quite educational yet engaging to the reader.

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Review: Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung

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October 22, 2024

Connie: A MemoirConnie: A Memoir by Connie Chung
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fun memoir! It was quite a surprise after some of the ones I’ve read recently. Connie Chung’s voice is surprisingly rich and personable. Somehow, I didn’t expect that. My impression of her is classic journalism and of the age of nearly regal news reporting. But even in telling her story, you feel that class and strength of character.

Equal to the class, there are parts that make her more human. As she brings up her husband, Maury, we feel her straight laces come undone to humor and that opposite attractiveness. She is not as she appears, not completely. Mischief and a sense of adventure come forth in her book. And her forever-feminist nature.

I highly recommend this book for a sense of history, at least. I was lucky to find the audiobook on Libby.

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Review: The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House by Nancy Pelosi

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October 13, 2024

The Art of Power: My Story as America's First Woman Speaker of the HouseThe Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House by Nancy Pelosi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was more interesting than I thought it would be. I like autobiographies, but I don’t like history or politics much. But the history was of my lifetime, and the issues presented were clearer in the book than it was living through all the news and drama presented every night.

And I didn’t think I would like to hear Nancy’s voice, but she did a good job keeping her voice interesting and I wanted to learn her secret for reading and being kind to her throat.

I realize this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I hadn’t thought it would be mine, but I am glad I read it. I felt I learned a lot in the process.

Libby was the way I was able to listen to this book.

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Review: The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters by Susan Page

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October 7, 2024

The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara WaltersThe Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters by Susan Page
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Susan Page wrote and narrated this book. As much as I enjoy learning the process of an autobiography, a biography seems less personal and often feels a bit of a betrayal to the person, even if it wasn’t meant to be. I guess that’s why folks say, “It wasn’t my tale to tell.” Sure, it might tell unflattering things that may actually be more honest, but often, the motivation of why a person did this or that, even if in self-delusion, is still more honest than hearsay. The ‘why’ is important.

Barbara Walters has passed, so sadly, she couldn’t put her two cents in on this book. Still, I did learn a few things that happened within my history that I didn’t realize. So I don’t cross off this book. It just wasn’t a favorite. You may like it better. Besides, I wasn’t feeling well when I read it. I know life and health can color how you feel about books.

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Review: The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown

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October 4, 2024

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin OlympicsThe Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After reading the book by Katie Ledecky, I thought another Olympic story would be fun.

While not as positive as Katie’s book, this one was full of conquering spirits during a bad time in history. I learned a lot about rowing, but I have to admit this isn’t my kind of sport. I’d rather be in a clean pool than out on the ocean or a lake.

I think this book is one others may like better than I did. If I had to rate it more accurately, it would be three and a half stars. I rounded up. But maybe it was more the fever of COVID than the book itself. Edward Hermann narrated Daniel James Brown’s book with gusto.

Try it! You might like it.

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