Friday Finds 05/15/09 (& Kiddo Update)

Happy Friday to all! Thank you again to all who have commented on my Kiddo update posts lately. Today's update: He is drinking the protein formula but he's not getting enough down during the day. Unless he can up his intake over the next few days he's going to need the feeding tube. He's working really hard not to get to that point but despite his excellent attitude I don't know if he can do it. I'll keep you all posted on his progress.

And now, this week's Friday Finds ...

1. A Voyage Long and Strange: On the Trail of Vikings, Conquistadors, Lost Colonists, and Other Adventures in Early America, by Tony Horwitz – "What happened in North America between Columbus's sail in 1492 and the Pilgrims' arrival in 1620? On a visit to Plymouth Rock, Tony Horwitz realizes he doesn't have a clue, nor do most Americans. So he sets off across the continent to rediscover the wild era when Europeans first roamed the New World in quest of gold, glory, converts, and eternal youth." My lovely friend Ti emailed me about this book because she thought I’d enjoy it … and she looks to be correct!
   
   
   
   
2. Cleopatra and Antony: Power, Love, and Politics in the Ancient World, by Diana Preston – According to the review that same friend Ti told me about, “If there is a better book about Cleopatra for today's reader, I don't know what it is.” Now THAT is a ringing endorsement.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Julian, by Gore Vidal – Bibliolatrist says this book, about ancient Roman emperor Julian Augustus “is what historical fiction should be: fascinatingly intelligent, deeply moving, and highly entertaining.” Gotta love it when a blogger you trust gives a review like that!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. A Wall of White: The True Story of Heroism and Survival in the Face of a Deadly Avalanche, by Jennifer Woodlief – I’m a huge fan of good non-fiction, especially stories that take place in snowy regions. S. Krishna reviewed this book and had some great things to say about it.
   
   
   
   
5. Tall Man, by Chloe Hooper - "In 2004 on Palm Island, an Aboriginal settlement in the "Deep North" of Australia, a thirty-six-year-old man named Cameron Doomadgee was arrested for swearing at a white police officer. Forty minutes later he was dead in the jailhouse. The police claimed he'd tripped on a step, but his liver was ruptured. The main suspect was Senior Sergeant Christopher Hurley, a charismatic cop with long experience in Aboriginal communities and decorations for his work." I learned about this one from the Simon & Schuster Academic History newsletter.

What books made it on to YOUR list this week? Post them in the comments or join in the fun at MizB's blog.