What I’ve been reading…

I just finished Mark Bowden’s newest book “The Last Stone”.  It’s a non-fiction book about two young girls who went missing in the DC area in 1975.  Mark Bowden reported on the case back then as a local reporter, and returns here to write a book on the follow up investigation which began in 2013.

The book focuses on an incarcerated man who investigators believe may have either been involved, or have information on those involved.  I don’t want to give anything away but the book focuses on the interrogation of this individual while he is already in prison for another heinous crime.

I couldn’t put it down and finished it in about 4 days.  Highly recommended!

What I’ve been reading…

Yes, I’m still alive!  It’s been a whirlwind few months and I just haven’t had time to post.  I do apologize.  Here’s what I’ve been reading:

1.Hue 1968 by Mark Bowden:  I started this long one and simply couldn’t put it down.  It was tough because the content is riveting and heartbreaking at the same time, but I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.  The history books that I was forced to read in school never mentioned this war so I didn’t have much to go on in terms of context.

Ernie Cheatham was my favorite hero in this book but there were many.  I visited the Vietnam Memorial in DC shortly after finishing this book, as well as viewing the excellent Ken Burns documentary.  The memorial is very well done, and was a stark reminder for me of the sacrifices made by so many.

2.Guests of the Ayatollah also by Mark Bowden:  As soon as I finished Hue, I picked this one up from the library.  This was also a period in history that wasn’t mentioned in school, so I knew very little about it going in.  Mark Bowden is a terrific writer and his writing brings you in immediately.

3.Killing England by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard:  Very well done overview of the War for Independence.  If you’re a history buff, this may not be as detailed as you might like, but for this history ignoramus, it provided a good overview.

Happy reading!