xxstefaniereadsxx's reviews
1367 reviews

Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier by Charles Spencer

informative medium-paced

3.0

 

Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland was born in Prague, Bohemia, Holy Roman Empire in 1619. His parents were Elizabeth Stuart and Frederick V of Palatinate. Rupert's father was strongly supported by Protestants, and was elected King by the Protestant areas of Bohemia. The Habsburgs were staunchly Catholic and viewed this as an act of rebellion, thrusting the area into war. He was largely ignored by his parents as a child, and as a teenager he participated in several battles during the Thirty Years War. He went on to fight in the English Civil War, impressing everyone with his military prowess and fearlessness in battle. He continued to serve after the Restoration, even after his military career ended. He was very involved in politics and governmental affairs. He was also extremely interested and involved in the arts and sciences. He died in 1682, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

I bought this book at McKay's Chattanooga, and paid a dollar for it. I have had this book on my shelf for an obscene amount of time. In my effort to read all of my unread books and downsize before moving, I finally got around to reading this book. I had never heard of Prince Rupert before reading this, and I learned a great deal about him. This book was well written and well researched, and I appreciated all of the facts and resources the author used in its creation.

 

Napoleon: His Wives and Women by Christopher Hibbert

informative medium-paced

3.0

 This book discusses women in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. His relationship with his mother and sisters are one focus. His wives were another. Also discussed are the relationships Napoleon had with women outside of his marriage. The author of this book paints a picture of Napoleon that is less than flattering, and certainly believable. His behavior toward women was disturbing, and often violent. It was interesting to note how women were somehow taken by him, though he was a womanizer, among other things. It was also interesting to see how these women worked behind the scenes to persuade him from doing, or not doing, things...especially since he was so domineering and hateful. I found this book to be really informative and entertaining, and it provoked some deep thinking about the interactions people had with Napoleon. 

Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds: A True Story of Tragedy and Triumph by Gary M. Pomerantz

informative tense medium-paced

3.0

 Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 departed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on August 21, 1995. There were twenty six passengers and three crew members aboard the plane on this flight. Not long after takeoff, a loud noise was heard and an engine failed. Captain Ed Gannaway and First Officer Matthew Warmerdam were both skilled pilots, with many flight hours logged. They attempted to return to the airport for an emergency landing, but the plane began a rapid and uncontrollable descent due to excessive drag and sudden loss of lift on one side of the plane. The pilots decided to conduct an emergency landing in a field. The landing was devastating, with Gannaway dying on impact. The plane's fuel tanks burst into flame, causing nine people to die in the aftermath due to burns. There were also a number of other injuries due to both the crash and the fire.

This book was another one of my used bookstore finds. The author of this book uses survivor's accounts of the disaster to convey what the crash was like. I always appreciate first person accounts, because they really drive home what an experience was like. There was also plenty of research and information taken from other sources about the cause of the crash. I thought this was a very informative book, and if you are a person who likes disasters or are interested in aircraft, you would probably like this book. 

Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

 Jill Duggar is the fourth child out of nineteen children born to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Jill was born in 1991 in Arkansas. She began being filmed in 2004, when the family was filmed for a documentary special called 14 Children And Pregnant Again. In 2008, the family was picked up for a regular series show, called 19 Kids And Counting. Her parents insisted that filming this show would be a good way to spread their religious message, though I am inclined to believe it was simply a cash cow for that Jim Bob Duggar. Jill married Derrick Dillard in 2014, after being set up by Jim Bob. The two have three children together. This is also not going to be like a normal review that I write, so if you follow me, sorry for you. If you do not wish to read what I am about to write, you can simply read this: If you are interested in this show and the people on it, read the book. If you are interested in what kind of scum buckets are in this family, read the book. If that didn't do it for you and you would like to hear the rest of what I think, read the bottom:

** I have to admit that I was a regular watcher of 19 Kids And Counting, mostly because I was interested in the kids, and thought the lifestyle was interesting. I have always been interested in cults, and this entire concept of IBLP and Quiverfull were new to me. I find both the IBLP and the concept of Quiverfull repulsive.

**Jim Bob Duggar is a disgusting human being. He is manipulative, abusive, and negligent. He allowed nonsense and shenanagins to go on in his own house, valuing his disgusting cretin of a son over his daughters. He held money over their heads, and swindled them. I have never liked him, from the moment I began watching this show, and my dislike has been validated many times over the years. This book is just the most recent validation.

**I have to admit that I did not care for Derrick when he was introduced on the show, but I take back my opinion on him. He seems to be a good husband to Jill, and a wonderful support system. I truly believe without him, she would still be taken advantage of by her father.

**That brother of hers is scummy. He sexually assaulted multiple of his own siblings, people outside the home, cheated on his wife, and then got busted with unspeakable amounts of child pornography. I think it is deplorable that her family chose to cover up his misdeeds and baby him, instead of standing up for and advocating for their children he abused. I also think it is deplorable that these girls had to go sit on a Fox (of course) show and rehash this experience, answer questions about it, and defend this scum bucket while he sat there and watched them. Absolutely not. I have always hated these gossip sites, especially TMZ, and the one that leaked the information about her and her sisters' assaults is right up there on the scum bucket list with Josh and Jim Bob and Michelle. Sickening. 

Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped by Tony Perrottet

funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

 This book is written by an American collector, who heard the story of Napoleon's stolen "artifact". He thought it was interesting and kind of funny, and began to wonder what other oddities were out there from other historical figures and events. This book is about his quest to uncover other interesting items and stories. I bought this book at a used book store, and it was a good enough book for the price. I thought there were parts of it that were fairly humorous, and I enjoyed it. I am glad to have it completed and off my shelf before my move. 

Smokejumper: A Memoir by One of America's Most Select Airborne Firefighters by Jason A. Ramos, Julian Smith

informative medium-paced

3.0

 

I grew up in a firefighting family, so I have always enjoyed reading books like this and learning about this profession. I also enjoy reading about disasters, which sometimes include wildfires. I thought this book was very informative about how woodland firefighters go about fighting these massive wildfires, as well as how they do maintenance to prevent them. I enjoyed the personal experiences that the author shared. If you are interested

 

Mrs. Robinson's Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady by Kate Summerscale

informative medium-paced

4.0

 This book is about the case of Henry and Isabella Robinson. Henry traveled often for work, and Isabella was terribly lonely. She passed her time by writing in a diary, which Henry unfortunately read. Isabella wrote what is tantamount to smut, and Henry strongly believed she was having an affair. Divorce was illegal in England, but Henry was determined to divorce her and took the matter before the courts. The resulting court fiasco was a source of great entertainment for those reading about it in the papers, and a landmark case in the English civil court system.

I absolutely love Kate Summerscale. I have read other work by this author and enjoyed it immensely. I had high hopes for this book, and I was not disappointed. I also got lucky and found this book at my local used book store for the wonderful price of one dollar, so that made this an even better book. If you are interested in Victorian Era true crime cases, I would strongly suggest looking up this author and checking out her books. She does her due diligence and researches through the archives to find out the facts of these cases and what happened to the people involved in the aftermath. 

Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum by Ed O'Donnell

dark informative sad tense medium-paced

4.0

 General Slocum was a steamboat built by Brooklyn shipbuilder, Divine Burtis Jr. Construction was completed in 1891, with her maiden voyage being in June of the same year. The ship was a sidewheel steamboat, with a twenty two person crew. The ship's purpose was as a passenger vessel, carrying them to and fro on the East River. The ship had several accidents involving groundings before the final incident in 1904. The final voyage took place on June 15, 1904. There were 1,358 passengers and a larger crew of 30 on this voyage. While underway, a fire caught in one of the rooms toward the front of the ship, spreading rapidly due to many flammable materials scattered around and those used for construction. The captain ordered the ship to be beached, ultimately saving many lives. Unfortunately, safety aboard the ship was not maintained. Life jackets disintegrated and life boats were not accessible. Most of the passengers could not swim, or were weighed down by the heavy clothing of the time. There were other infuriating issues that I will not go into for those who are interested in the story. The end result was a massive loss of life, and one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the United States.

I really enjoyed this book. I had never even heard of this disaster, and I just accidentally ran across this book in my favorite used book store. I love that store for the prices, but sometimes I really do find some gems. The detail this book provided was immense, and I learned so much from it. I would love to go see the huge memorial that is dedicated to the people who lost their lives in this disaster. If you happen to be located in Queens, the memorial is at the Lutheran All Faiths Cemetery. The passengers who died were members of the St. Marks Lutheran Evangelical Church, who had chartered this vessel for a trip. 

Mad Mary Lamb: Lunacy and Murder in Literary London by Susan Tyler Hitchcock

informative medium-paced

3.0

 Mary Lamb was born in 1764 in London, England. She was the third of seven children born to her parents, John and Elizabeth. Her father began cognitive decline, her mother became ill and crippled, and her bother moved home after an accident. Mary assumed care for her family members, while also working outside the home as a seamstress. Mary's other brother, Charles, suffered from mental illness and spent time in private care facilities. Mary also began exhibiting symptoms of mental illness, which culminated in her stabbing her mother to death in 1796, in front of her siblings. She was sent to a mental care facility, but was eventually released. She went on to become an avid reader and writer, helping with a literacy society in partnership with her brother, Charles. Charles did have her confined to mental care facilities several times throughout the rest of her life due to episodes of mental illness.

I bought this book because it was a dollar, and also because I like old crime cases. This was not my favorite book for the month of November, but it wasn't the worst. It was interesting to learn about Charles and Mary Lamb and their contributions to the literary community. I did also like learning about her mother's murder, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be. Certainly not a bad read for a dollar though. 

Mrs. Keppel and Her Daughter by Diana Souhami

informative medium-paced

3.0

 Alice Edmonstone was born in Kent, England in 1868. She was raised in Duntreath Castle, which I thought was extremely interesting. The castle has been a gift to Mary Stuart at one point, so the history of the place was rich and valuable. She married George Keppel, a Lieutenant Colonel and the son of the 7th Earl of Albemarle. She was arguably the most well known society hostess of her time, throwing dinners and parties with notable people in attendance on the regular. Her husband did not make enough money to support her lifestyle and children, so she began having affairs with wealthier men. Her husband knew about the affairs, and also had affairs of his own. Her most famous affair was with Edward VII, Prince of Wales. The affair continues throughout his reign, up to his death. She would go on to become the grandmother of another famous mistress, Camilla Parker-Bowles. She died in 1947.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I always enjoy learning about royals, nobles, and mistresses, so this book was right up my alley. The author did a good job of conveying both information about Alice and her activities and her personality. I learned a lot from this book, and would recommend it for someone who was interested in royal affairs.