REQUIRED READING
A Great Place to Have a War America in Laos and the Birth of a Military CIA by Joshua Kurlantzick (Simon & Schuster)
Kurlantzick recounts the history of American involvement in the Laotian Civil War, predating but intertwined with the US-Vietnam War. In addition to the characters who shaped the war, from true-believing company men to degenerate but fearless soldiers, the book traces one of the CIA’s first transformations from intelligence-gatherers to war-runners and the crack-up of US efforts in Southeast Asia.
Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson (St. Martin’s)
In a quiet Icelandic fishing village where no one locks their doors, a young woman is found bleeding and lying half-naked in the snow and a writer falls to his death. The cop who arrives on the scene is a rookie who quickly learns that solving a crime won’t be easy in a place where secrets are a way of life.
Fit for the Presidency? Winners, Losers, What-Ifs, and Also-Rans by Seymour Morris Jr. (Potomac Books)
Morris looks at 15 presidential prospects between 1789 to 1980 and examines their résumés through the lens of an executive recruiter: Who was qualified, and how real were their accomplishments? When it came to campaign promises, did they follow through or were they full of hot air? A fun approach to the political circus that is an American election.
Amazing Stories of the Space Age by Rod Pyle (Prometheus)
From the near disaster of the Apollo 11 moon landing to the Nazi plan to bomb the United States from space, science writer Pyle recounts some of the most unusual space missions ever dreamed up by NASA et al. Some of the bizarre missions were designed but not built, others were built but never orchestrated (thankfully, the Nazi plan ran out of steam as the Germans started to lose World War II.)
The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers (Algonquin Books)
Inspired by a true story, this novel tells the tale of Placidia, a teenage Civil War bride left to care for her husband’s farm and infant son while he is away fighting. When he returns two years later, Placidia is headed for jail, accused of murdering the child. What really transpired while Major Hockaday was away is the focus of this fascinating tale.
Gosnell The Untold Story of America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer by Ann McElhinney (Regnery)
Dr. Kermit Gosnell was convicted in 2013 of killing four people, including three babies who were born alive during attempted abortion procedures — but he is thought to have killed hundreds, possibly thousands more over 30 years. A disturbing look into a story that has become a rallying cause for pro-life groups.