Reading Rescue, February 2007: Collective Biographies
By Anne Allen and Mary Anne Fulmer
 We
at Reading Rescue (no boring books here) would like to acquaint or
re-acquaint you with some shelves of books in the library that are not
well known, the 920s. These books are collective biographies or
biographies about two or more people. All of them are interesting, will
give you some intriguing facts about people, and are enjoyable to read.
Steven W. Allen's Founding Fathers brings some
historically important men to life. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin
took daily "air baths"? I was surprised to learn that Patrick Henry had
seventeen children! This book will make you proud to be an American and
to appreciate what our Founding Fathers endured to give us our heritage.
They were willing to sacrifice everything in order to get the nation
started with a Constitution that endures today.
The Curies written by Denis Brian begins before
Marie Sklodowska met Pierre Curie and goes on to follow five generations
of the Sklodowska-Curie-Joliot families. Marie Curie is the only Nobel
Prize Winner discouraged to attend the ceremony by the Awards Committee.
She had an affair with a married colleague, and it ended with him
fighting a duel for her!
Marie and her husband Pierre shared the Nobel Prize for
exploring the physics of radioactivity. Their children, Irene and Eve,
organized X-ray equipment distribution during World War I and trained
many to work at the Radium Institute. Irene and her husband won a Nobel
Prize in 1935 and Eve won accolades for her brilliant biography of her
mother. Brian's book illuminates 100 years of scientific history and is
a marvelous read.
If you like true stories about what the human spirit can
endure and what one person will sacrifice for another, Flags of Our
Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers will keep you very
interested. It is a book primarily about six men who raised the second
flag on Iwo Jima. This is no ordinary "war book" rather it is about
sacrifice, heroism, and the United States Marine Corps. The battle of
Iwo Jima brought "hell to earth" for these men. In one month's time more
than 22,000 Japanese soldiers died, and nearly 26,000 American were
killed. The battle was the turning point in the war of the Pacific.
John Bradley, James Bradley’s father, was one of the
heroes who braved enemy fire to give first aid to a wounded Marine and
to drag him to safety. Bradley received the Navy Cross for his act of
heroism. It was not until his death in 1994, that James pieced together
his father’s heroism. He found a quote from his father at the bottom of
the picture of the Marines lifting the American flag at Iwo Jima, "The
heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn’t come back." It becomes the
thesis of this book. You will never forget this book after you read it.
Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes is a book about a
miserable Irish childhood. He goes on to exclaim that there is nothing
more miserable than an Irish Catholic childhood. McCourt has first-hand
knowledge since his childhood was impoverished because of an alcoholic
father. He did get one thing from his father and that was his gift of
storytelling. McCourt's words will make you laugh out loud when he tells
of "trying on" his parents' false teeth. His descriptions are so vivid
that you will feel you know his characters and have visited each place.
Although a bit difficult to read at times because of the family
struggles, you will want to read every word. This book is a thoroughly
enjoyable read.
Laurence Leaner in his book, The Kennedy Men
covers the life of Joseph Kennedy and his four sons. Joseph Kennedy had
a complicated relationship with all his children. Many have been
skeptical about his fortune and pro-Nazi involvement. Leaner offers
stunning and excruciating details about the death of Joe Kennedy Jr.,
but spends too much time on the sexual exploits of JFK. The book is
interesting and will shed new light on many aspects of the Kennedy men.
The Kennedy Women also written by Laurence Leaner
seems to have a broader scope. He seemed to be able to chart the lines
of many Kennedy women. It is an interesting read and you will learn some
interesting facts and anecdotes about these famous women.
The story of Sweet and Low: A Family Story by
Rich Cohen is an eye opener. Did you know that Cohen's grandfather, Ben
Eisenstadt, was swindled by a large sugar company? His idea of putting
sugar in packets instead in one large container was stolen by the sugar
company. Eisenstadt then came up with the idea of Sweet 'N Low. His
family made a lot of money until saccharin was linked to cancer. Cohen
was not pleased. The problem was that they failed to take care of
business. This is an extremely interesting book about an everyday
product.
There are so many more interesting books in this
category such as No Mountain High Enough by Linda Armstrong. She
was quite a lady, and she was the force behind her son. Three Weeks
with my Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks is a book that is
humorous as well as tragic. This book will make you smile, and it will
touch you deeply. Cokie Robert's Founding Mothers: The Women Who
Raised Our Nation tells the stories of the patriotic, passionate
women who were crucial in forging our nation. Each generation that has
followed these fine ladies has been able to put one foot in front of the
other no matter what the circumstances and carry on.
Please give these fabulous books a try. You will enjoy
them all.
The Friends of the Library will be hosting a book sale
from April 11th to April 17th. They would appreciate donations of good
used books. The books can be brought to the library during regular
business hours -- Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 pm,
Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
As always your comments and questions are appreciated.
Please e-mail at
mfulmer@pennlib.org, call 724-744-4414, or better yet, visit the
library. Happy reading until we meet next month!
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