The books reviewed today are all history related. Reading is important as entertainment, but we learn through reading as well. These books teach us some things of history we may not have known before or perhaps gives us deeper knowledge of these historical events and happenings. There are also important people throughout history featured in today’s books.
The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park
The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park: The Secret Intelligence Station that Helped Defeat the Nazis by Dermot Turing give details about a group of linguists, mathematicians and intellecutals from Britain considered the most knowledable in their field. They were brought together to figure out Nazi codes during World War II and it was decades before their work was known. What they did was vital in helping produce a victory.
The writer knows about this event and has the details as well as puts in feeling to this book because he is the nephew of Alan Turing a known codebreaker. Readers are given details from recruitment including how they lived at Bletchley Park as well as everything in-between and dealing with the secret life of a codebreaker.
The information provided is interesting and the book is well-written. You learn about this part of history and it is done in such a way helping readers see it while learning through the pages. We travel back in history and another great element is learning about the important people that participated in this group. Short biographies are sprinkled throughout helping readers learn even more about them, which helps provide an even clearer picture and connection. He puts the people first but also mentions the machines included in the codebreaking.
Those that don’t know much about these codebreakers will benefit most from this book. If you are interested and want to learn more as well as more in-depth detail about the individuals this is an interesting book for you as well. This book is recommended if you enjoy history and if you want to read about codebreakers in World War II.
Clara Colby: The International Suffrigist
Clara Colby: The International Suffrigist by John Holliday celebrates another woman in history instrumental in the women’s right to vote. The Ninetheenth Amendment observed the 100th anniversary in late 2020 and I read several books that published last year featuring these important and brave women. This one is about a woman perhaps new to us because her story has not been told before. Even if we have heard her name this great book provides a picture of who she was and what she did to help in this important movement. She was a British-American and leader in this effort. She came to America from England and excelled. She was a teacher, writer, public speaker and publisher, which I feel all helped her as a great leader. A friend with the founders of the movement she became involved as well as leading others.
This is a great book providing a complete look at her life. It is well written. The writer is able to provide details and keep readers interested while providing historical elements important to allow us knowledge about this woman. We stand with her during the movement as well as feeling as a friend getting to know about her life as well. Readers find out why she is a heroine. It is a recommended book for those interested in history, this time in history, and the suffrage movement.
The Domestic Revolution
The Domestic Revolution: How the Introduction of Coal into Victorian Homes Changed Everything by Ruth Goodman brings history you didn’t know you wanted to know right to you. Sometimes there is knowledge out there you didn’t even think about learning then you start reading a book and are glad you did. This book is such a book. There is some great history in this book. If you enjoy history and learning all you can as I do this is the book for you. It is well written and you’ll find some interesting historical knowledge perhaps you never thought about before. If you are a cook and think about how this has evolved this is a great book for you to read as well. During the Victorian time, the black cast-iron stove or range was introduced. It was a big deal and while it took time for everyone to have them it marked an important start to changing everything for Victorian homes.
This writer considers this a possible start to the Industrial Revolution. She is not new to writing history-based books featuring Victorian themes. She also wrote How to Be a Victorian. She has done her research and it shows. She is also a great historian with a TV series. She tracks the history of this range and introduces coal to households in the Victorian era in a way that is interesting. She talks about the change from wood burning to coal burning and gives facts about how it changed things based in Britain. She brings it alive with personal experiences. She does this with elements of how to cook and clean referring to these forms of past heating and cooking methods. She does a wonderful job with detail and it helps create interest in this book. This book would be something great for high school libraries and anyone interested in history as well as education in general. If you are reading this blog then I also recommend this book.
The Brilliant Ideas of Nikola Tesla
Bright Dreams: The Brilliant Ideas of Nikola Tesla by Tracy Dockray, who is also the illustrator, provides an imaginative look for children into the life of a great mind. This book tells the story of Nikola Tesla starting in his youth showing how he began on his path and it began with a cat. The book’s design is well done including some text in boxes full of detailed information. The illustrations are creative and eye-catching. This is a great way for youth to learn some information about Tesla and the engineering dreams he had as well as some of the things other elements of this life showing not everything works out. It does discuss the happy and sad times in his life leading me to think it would be a good book for teachers.
This book is recommended for ages 8 to 11 and I agree with it being good for elementary age, but there are some advanced words. This is a book that will be a great discussion book for classrooms with a variety of elements available and vocabulary to introduce. Teachers, or even as a family education time, might enjoy using this book as an interesting reading time to introduce this important man and then talk about him. Students and youth might have questions and reading together would help answer questions while leading to a useful as well as educational discussion. The glossary does provide wonderful detail. It is well written and worth reading, but I feel youth get the best benefit of reading with an adult.
Chit Chat with Charity 