Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Young Chiyo lives with her family in a “tipsy” house along the Japanese coast. As her mother’s illness progresses and her father is unable to care for his daughters, the girls are sold to a businessman from a nearby village. They end up in the city of Kyoto, bound for very different paths. Nine-year-old Chiyo, with her startling blue-gray eyes, is to be trained as geisha, while her older sister is sent to a brothel.

Chiyo quickly makes an enemy of the geisha in her okiya, Hatsumomo. While Hatsumomo seeks to torment her, Chiyo finds comfort in thinking of The Chairman, one of the few people who has shown her kindness in life. Such kindness makes Chiyo determined to make something of herself, but with the Great Depression and later World War II looming, she faces an uphill battle.

503 pages.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Twenty years previously, Claire Randall had traveled back in time and found herself in the arms of a gallant Scottish warrior named Jamie Fraser. When circumstances demand Claire return to her own time, leaving Jamie to die on the battlefield of Culloden moor, she is devastated and unable to forget him.
After the death of her husband in 1966, Claire discovers Jamie survived Culloden. Torn between staying with their daughter or going back in time to be with Jamie once more, Claire must choose her destiny as time and space come full circle.

Book #3 in the Outlander series. 870 pages.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I realized on my first read-through I didn't add the first three books to the blog! And re-watching the series made me want to reread.

In 1945, Claire Randall has happily reunited with her husband for a second honeymoon in the Scottish Highlands after World War II caused them to unwillingly part. When Claire is suddenly forced through the stones at the circle known as Craigh na Dun, she becomes a "Sassenach"--an outsider--in 1743 Scotland. Sent back in time by unseen and unknown forces, Claire must grapple with a past that threatens her very life. In the past, Claire meets Jamie Fraser, a young Scottish warrior, leaving her torn between two very different men, and the different versions of the future they might hold for her.

Book #1 in Outlander series. 627 pages.

The Volunteer: The True Story of the Resistance Hero Who Infiltrated Auschwitz by Jack Fairweather

The Volunteer: The True Story of the Resistance Hero Who Infiltrated Auschwitz by Jack Fairweather

In Nazi-occupied Poland, Witold Pilecki accepted a mission to infiltrate a mysterious new camp called Auschwitz along the Reich's border. His goal was to report Nazi crimes and raise an army to revolt. For the next two and a half years, Witold smuggled evidence of the Nazis' atrocities to the Allies, eventually shaping their response to the Holocaust. Yet after his show trial and execution in 1948, Witold's name was forgotten for decades--until the 1990s, after Poland's return to democracy.  

528 pages.

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 2: Political Scandal, Personal Struggle, and the Years That Defined Elizabeth II (1956-1977) by Robert Lacey

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 2: Political Scandal, Personal Struggle, and the Years That Defined Elizabeth II (1956-1977) by Robert Lacey

Volume 2 of the official companion to the Netflix series The Crown examines the real-life issues that inspired the series, including the Suez Crisis, the race to space, the Duke of Windsor's ties to Hitler, and rumored trouble within the royal marriage of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

304 pages.

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) by Robert Lacey

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955) by Robert Lacey

The official companion to the critically acclaimed Netflix series offers an in-depth look at the early reign of Elizabeth II, highlighting the extensive research and additional material that helped form the show. Author and historian Robert Lacey serves as a historical consultant for The Crown.

322 pages.

The Millionaire and the Mummies by John M. Adams

The Millionaire and the Mummies by John M. Adams

With his rags to riches background, Theodore Davis was perhaps the most famous archaeologist of the early 20th century. His discovery of many of the tombs within Egypt's Valley of the Kings ensured him a place in history. However, when Howard Carter found the tomb of Tutankhamun, Davis would fade into obscurity, though his findings remain as important to understanding the history of Egypt and its pharaohs as ever.

363 pages.

The Love Pirate and the Bandit's Son: Murder, Sin, and Scandal in the Shadow of Jesse James by Laura James

The Love Pirate and the Bandit's Son: Murder, Sin, and Scandal in the Shadow of Jesse James by Laura James

When Zeo Zoe Wilkins was murdered, it was the talk of Kansas City. She certainly wouldn't be missed, but that didn't mean people weren't curious about her fate. Especially since the son of Jesse James, Jesse E. James, could somehow be involved.
Zeo came to Jesse seeking a lawyer and he agreed to take on her case. Six weeks after Zeo's murder, Jesse suffered a mental breakdown. Author Laura James seeks to prove that was no coincidence.

320 pages.

The Golden Lane: How Missouri Women Gained the Vote and Changed History by Margot McMillen

The Golden Lane: How Missouri Women Gained the Vote and Changed History by Margot McMillen

Details the suffrage movement within Missouri and its key players, as well as important events that led to the passing of Amendment 19.

123 pages.

Bridging Two Eras: The Autobiography of Emily Newell Blair, 1877-1951, Edited by Virginia Laas

Bridging Two Eras: The Autobiography of Emily Newell Blair, 1877-1951, Edited by Virginia Laas

Emily Newell Blair, having lived through the end of the nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth, viewed herself as a bridge builder. A dedicated feminist who successfully managed to be both a Midwestern housewife and an outspoken suffragist on the national scale, Emily wanted to give others a glimpse into life during the upheaval of transition. Emily's autobiography, written in 1939 and published in 1999, provides insight into her life in southwest Missouri, her career as a writer, and her progression through American politics.

382 pages. 

Deaths on Pleasant Street: The Ghastly Enigma of Colonel Swope and Doctor Hyde by Giles Fowler

Deaths on Pleasant Street: The Ghastly Enigma of Colonel Swope and Doctor Hyde by Giles Fowler

No one in Independence, Missouri found the circumstances to be overly suspicious when the wealthy Swope family, benefactors of Swope Park in Kansas City, fell ill with typhoid in 1909. People began to whisper, however, when three members of the Swope family died. When news broke the matriarch of the family had accused her son-in-law, Dr. Bennett Clark Hyde, of triple homicide, as well as introducing typhoid to the Swope mansion, society and the media couldn't get enough of the juicy story that would become the "trial of the century."

251 pages.

Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in Stories by Justin Cronin

Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in Stories by Justin Cronin

Justin Cronin's debut novel focuses on O'Neil Burke and Mary Olson, tracing their experiences through early adulthood and marriage. Told in short stories, the reader is given a glimpse into the lives of Mary and O'Neil both separately and as a couple, as well as the lives of O'Neil's parents before their untimely deaths and that of his sister, Kay, who is struggling with illness.

243 pages.

Blood River Rising by Victoria Pope Hubbell

Blood River Rising by Victoria Pope Hubbell

"Some day, something will happen to you, and regardless of the outcome here on earth, you'll know what you felt and saw and heard. And you'll agree with me that something else [God] is there with you.
"Both Crismon and Dad were wounded that day."

Part oral history, part the author's musings and recollections of sessions with 86-year-old Hadley Thompson, Blood River Rising details a little-known feud that took place in Miller County, Missouri, in the 1920s. When the Crismons first move next door to the Thompsons--the family of the aforementioned Hadley Thompson--it seems as if their relationship will be the normal neighborly sort. But when tensions rise because of the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, life will be forever altered for the two families.

236 pages.

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

When Dougless Montgomery is left alone and weeping at a church in the English countryside, seemingly abandoned by her boyfriend and his daughter on their tour of England, she wishes for a knight in shining armor to come and sweep her off her feet. However, she never dreamed that Nicholas Stafford, a real sixteenth century knight, would materialize in front of her very eyes. Sent forward in time to change what is set to become his future, Lord Nicholas has much to learn. Fortunately for him, Dougless is willing to help, and together they embark on a journey to prevent a turn of events that, if unchanged, will end with Lord Nicholas's beheading.

469 pages.

The Black Hand: The Epic War Between a Brilliant Detective and the Deadliest Secret Society in American History by Stephan Talty

The Black Hand: The Epic War Between a Brilliant Detective and the Deadliest Secret Society in American History by Stephan Talty

When the children of Italian immigrants were mysteriously kidnapped in the summer of 1903, no one knew quite what to make of it. But as the crime wave grew to include bombings that ripped tenements apart and innocent bystanders gunned down, it was determined no one was safe, even the highest members of New York society, such as the Rockefellers. The perpetrators, it seemed, were everywhere, lurking in the shadows and ready to take action at the slightest provocation. All anyone knew was that those who were responsible left a calling card: the symbol of a black hand. Joseph Petrosino, a dogged detective known as the Italian Sherlock Holmes, was determined to use his all-Italian police squad to root out the problem. Petrosino would devote his life to the cause, even going so far as to follow known members of the Black Hand back to Sicily, in order to avoid an all-out race war that he feared was inevitable.

298 pages.

The Titled Americans by Elisabeth Kehoe

The Titled Americans by Elisabeth Kehoe

The Titled Americans offers a glimpse into the lives of three privileged and glamorous sisters who married into the British aristocracy. When Leonard Jerome arrived in New York in 1850, he would go on to become a successful Wall Street speculator, whose fortunes rose and fell throughout his life. When his wife, Clarissa, took their three daughters, Jennie, Clara, and Leonie, to Europe in the 1860s, the girls would make quite a splash within the British upper class. Jennie married Lord Randolph Churchill, becoming the mother of Winston and the most famous of the three Jerome daughters. Jennie's marriage would launch her sisters into the highest circles of society, resulting in marriages for both. Titles do not guarantee happiness, however, but deep affection united the Jerome sisters so that they could weather life's sorrows and joys, in a bond only broken in death.

452 pages. 

The Devil & Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession by David Grann

The Devil & Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession by David Grann

Journalist David Grann has compiled short pieces of investigative stories he has written over the years, and the end result is his book, The Devil & Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession. The title is misleading, however: only a few of the stories deal with murder or madness; most deal with some manifestation of obsession, and Sherlock Holmes rarely factors in. Despite this, the stories are well-written and most will be able to find a tale or two that interests them. One standout story includes "Mysterious Circumstances," about the suspicious death of Richard Lancelyn Green, one of the world's foremost Sherlock Holmes scholars not long after Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's personal papers were put up for auction. "The Chameleon" is another story of note, which details the life of Frederic Bourdin, a con artist whose specialty lies in impersonating teen boys. Two stories were especially tragic: "Trial by Fire," featuring the story of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was sentenced to death row for arson and homicide, only for investigators to later find evidence that may have exonerated him, and "Which Way Did He Run?," detailing the story of a NY firefighter who, after dealing with amnesia, was left wondering if his actions on September 11, 2001 were those of a hero or a coward.

404 pages.   

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

It is 1778 and Jamie and Claire Fraser are unsure how things became so complicated: France has declared war on Great Britain, and the British army has fled Philadelphia with George Washington in pursuit. Jamie, meanwhile, has returned from what Claire and Jamie's friend Lord John Grey were told was a watery grave only to find his friend has married his wife in order to protect her. His illegitimate son has discovered the true identity of his biological father, much to the horror of both father and son. In the midst of all this, Jamie's beloved nephew, Ian, has decided to marry a Quaker. Chaos abounding, Claire and Jamie's sister, Jenny, newly arrived from Scotland, attempt to pick up the pieces. One thing the Fraser family is sure of, though, is the safety of their daughter, Brianna, who resides in the twentieth century with her family. But all is not well with Brianna: Her young son has been kidnapped by a man seeking the family's secrets, and Brianna's husband Roger has once more ventured into the past to find the missing child, unaware that Jem is firmly rooted in the present. With Roger gone, Jem's kidnapper is free to focus on his true target: Brianna herself.

Book 8 in the Outlander series. 825 pages.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie Fraser is a former Jacobite and rather unwilling participant in the American Revolution, but he chose rebellion because he was certain of several things: The Americans will win, though fighting on the side of victory would not ensure his survival, and the last thing he wanted to do was face his illegitimate son, a lieutenant in the British army, down the barrel of a gun. Claire Fraser, Jamie's wife, has assured him of victory---something she can guarantee because she is a time-traveler. What she does not know, however, is what the price will be. The price will not include Jamie's life or happiness, at least not if she has anything to say about it. Meanwhile, Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna, and her husband, Roger, reside in the relative safety of the twentieth century with their children. They have settled in Lallybroch, Jamie's ancestral home, and maintain a connection with Brianna's parents through a series of letters they were careful to leave behind. As Brianna and Roger comb the fragile pages for clues to the fate of Claire and Jamie, they learn just how closely their lives are linked.

Book 7 in the Outlander series. 814 pages.

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Claire Randall's first unexpected trip to the past led her into the arms of an 18th century Scottish warrior named Jamie Fraser. Now they are happily reunited, but Claire has left someone behind in the 20th century---her and Jamie's daughter, Brianna. Brianna has fallen in love with a Scottish historian named Roger Wakefield MacKenzie, a man who also has ties to the same mysterious stones that led Claire to Jamie. As Roger is helping Bree research what has happened to her parents, he stumbles upon a disturbing discovery he is determined to hide. Unbeknownst to him, Bree has uncovered the information herself. It leads her to the stone circle known as Craigh na Dun, resulting in Bree plunging headfirst into the past to meet the father she never knew, setting off a chain of events that could leave her stranded forever ... or perhaps just where she was always meant to be.

Book 4 in the Outlander series. 880 pages.