Fwd: The Reading Recommendation Email June 27th, 2013

[John Gear]

From: Ryan Holiday <ryan.h...@gmail.com>

Date: June 27, 2013 7:02:36 PDT
To: <Gea...@gmail.com>
Subject: The Reading Recommendation Email June 27th, 2013
Reply-To: Ryan Holiday <ryan.h...@gmail.com>

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
I knew this would be a sweeping and engrossing read, but because it's such a big and ambitious book I put it off for close to a year. I'm sure some of you will do the same. But it is really good and you need to get to it eventually. The book is a history of the great migration (blacks moving out of the South between WWI-1970s) but it's very much a human story. The author does an amazing job zeroing in--out of the millions of people she could have written about--on three stories that represent the full spectrum. After so many pages about these people you empathize so much with their struggle and heartache and you just want things to work out for them (Bad news: it does not always). I've read a lot of books about slavery and war and politics. I have to say, this was the most compelling and convincing exploration about the disgusting and shameful history this country has when it comes to race. But you never feel tired about it, you never feel lectured because the author illustrates these points through story (and rarely through stories you've ever heard before). Set aside a week of your life and read this book.

Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy: A Civil War Odyssey by Peter Carlson
I promise this is not just another Civil War book. It's maybe the coolest book I've ever read about journalism and definitely one of the best narrative non-fiction, non-battle-driven accounts of the Civil War era. It's the story of two unusual journalists embedded with Grant as his boats ran the gun batteries at Vicksburg. They were captured by Confederate soliders and sent to prison camps in the upper Confederacy. After more than a year in prison, they make their escape and travel on foot from North Carolina to the Union stronghold in Tennessee. I mean, do I need to say much more? Oh and one of the journalists had studied Stoic philosophy. The book is crisp and exciting and well-written. If you're looking for some history but still want a great read, pick this up.