Deception Point by Dan Brown

This was recommended and donated by Mrs. Treacy.  Although this is a Dan Brown novel, it is not part of the Langdon series.  I liked Digital Fortress by Brown, so when Mrs. Treacy said she liked it, I took it out after it was added into the collection. 

This is a political mystery/thriller.  The current president is lagging in the polls behind a senator.  Said senator has made the dismantling of NASA one of his top priorities.  It just so happens NASA has made a HUGE discovery--a meteorite deep in the Arctic ice containing fossils of creatures not found on Earth. 

The senator's daughter, who works in intelligence, is recruited to make the announcement, along with several civilian scientists with expertise in meteorites/geology/chemistry/etc. 

But someone isn't telling the whole truth. 

I don't want to spoil too much, but this is a guessing game as to who is tricking whom and about what.  It definitely kept me guessing.

This will be back on the shelf later today if you are interested.

I'll be on hiatus from reviewing here for a bit as the holidays approach and I have an SLJ assignment.  Look for my next blog post after the new year!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.

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Boston's Massacre by Eric Hinderaker

You know from reading this blog I like history and love Boston.  I am absolutely in love with Ben Barnes, who most recently portrayed revolutionary Samuel Adams.  You are aware I am culling the collection (my most recent weed based upon age--if it's older than me, it's not coming to the new library).  So, naturally, when I saw this on a recommended list for American History students, I put it on the wish list.  Once it finished its run as a "new book", I took it home.

It irks me that my students begin their sophomore year study of American History in the 1800s.  In my opinion (just that, mine and an opinion), their 8th grade minds are not able to understand the complexities of the American Revolution (nor do their 5th grade minds grasp European exploitation, er, exploration of North America, but I digress).

I bet, though, my sophomores could tell you who Crispus Attucks was.  Think they can name the other 4 men killed that night?  Not likely.  And therein lies part of the lesson in learning about March 5, 1770.  What we choose to retell in the narrative of history makes a lasting impact on those we teach.  Past propaganda, the then-press and current media, human memory, race/gender/age bias, personal lens, and collective purpose all impact what appears in our textbooks and what we want to see on the screen.  One aspect that is central to this retelling is making connections to more recent events, such as Kent State.  Conclusions can be drawn to Black Lives Matter.

This isn't light, mindless reading.  There are many quotes of 1700s English, which is tough to read.  There are many dates and names.  Since you might not remember a whole lot from 8th grade history, it might be useful to do some Googling of the key players, locations, and dates before delving into something this heavy.

This will be back on the shelf come Monday if you're interested.

Follow me on Twitter @RamblingsLMS

Tweet what you're reading #whhs #read

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.