The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid (Bill Bryson)

When I was a kid, every day was packed with ten times the activities I’d dream of doing now. Most of it was spontaneous, like finding out what kind of dog was barking on the next block. All of it was important, like finding out what the school looked like upside down. I remember knowing [...]

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First Scientific American (Joyce Chaplin)

I was telling you last time how much enjoy reading about Benjamin Franklin. Now permit me to mention the umpteenth biography I’ve read about him. Franklin had at least five successful careers: writer, businessman, scientist, civic leader, international statesman. Biographers could probably write book length accounts on each of them as if they were [...]

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Franklin: A Biography Favorite

Do you have a favorite person that you enjoy reading about over and over? If you do, please leave a comment and share your thoughts. In the meantime, let me tell you about my favorite.
In my mind, Benjamin Franklin wasn’t a tubby guy flying a kite in a thunderstorm. In fact, there’s good reason to [...]

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The Anatomist (Bill Hayes)

The Anatomist [LibraryThing / WorldCat] was an interesting plunge into one subject (anatomy) and three lives (the author of Gray’s Anatomy, the illustrator of that same book, and the author of this book). It was not the book I expected when I opened it, but it was nevertheless a very enjoyable read.
What began as [...]

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J.P. Patches: Northwest Icon (Chris Wedes)

J.P. Patches was interviewed on the radio yesterday. His wonderful television show started fifty years ago this week. My goodness!
Who is J.P. Patches? He’s a legend in the Seattle area. For 23 years — the longest run for a local children’s program in the country — the J.P. Patches Show aired [...]

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Team of Rivals (Doris Kearns Goodwin)

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals [LibraryThing / WorldCat] is a good history. It might be considered a biography, too. Or a management book. It’s a little of everything. There was plenty of history involved, to be sure. During sections when the author recounted the armies’ progress, I was thinking the title could just as [...]

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