Longitude by Dava Sobel is a short, satisfying, and surprisingly engaging read about one of history’s most fascinating scientific challenges: how to measure longitude at sea. Sobel tells the story of the eighteenth-century clockmakers, astronomers, and explorers who tried to solve this problem — a problem that cost lives, ships, and fortunes before it was finally cracked.
It’s not often that a nonfiction book grabs me the way Family of Spies did. I first saw it on a Goodreads “anticipated nonfiction” list and immediately added it to my Want to Read shelf. So when I had the chance to get an advance digital review copy from NetGalley, I jumped on it — and I’m so glad I did. This book completely absorbed me from beginning to end. Christine Kuehn clearly did extensive research, but what makes this story exceptional is how deeply personal it feels. Her discovery of her family’s connections to both Nazi Germany and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is shocking enough, but the way she processes that information — and invites us along as she does — is what makes it unforgettable.
There’s no denying that 1986 was a year of tragedy, with two major disasters: the explosions of Space Shuttle Challenger in January and of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in April. Both were horrific in their own right and arguably could have been avoided. And while Challenger claimed seven lives in an instant, Chernobyl killed 30 over the course of three months with countless lives affected in the months and years thereafter.
I should preface this by mentioning that I realize this is a bit of a controversial book. And the show that it inspired, Ancient Aliens, may be even more controversial in its claims. But who doesn’t like a good ol’ conspiracy theory or “out there” claims? I, for one, love hearing flat-earthers try to back their claims. But let me be clear – this book only asks questions and puts forward hypotheses as to possible answers. And the author even acknowledges how crazy these may sound.
Do people often tell you to go to Hell? Is it actually quite common? Like, more common than you’d like to admit? Do you not really have a lot of context for where exactly Hell is? Well then, this is the book for you!
This is a book that I picked for Black History Month 2024 by looking at what books other black authors thought were powerful. This one stuck out to me when I saw it. And I’m so glad I picked it up! As far as non-fiction books go, it’s always nice to have one that’s got a through-story weaving it all together. What makes this book so good is that it has three through-stories of people that, while they never meet, the themes and overall story connects them in ways that the individuals in question never could have anticipated. If you want a great historical read, this is fantastic!
We landed on the Moon! Like, today – as I write this! Intuitive Machines, a US-based company, successfully landed the Odysseus lander on the Moon. This is the first private company to land on the Moon and the first US landing on the Moon in over 50 years! That may be why this book is the Planetary Society book club pick for February 2024.
I was supposed to read this in school. Years later, I finally got around to it. Originally published in 2005, this third edition was updated and expanded for the ever-increasing amount of technology in the world. What was timely when this was published is now a matter of history. Which, I suppose, is what the title alludes to. But does this book hold up as a reference for technological historians?
My first book of 2024! I picked this one up shortly after joining The Planetary Society and finding out they do a monthly book club. As the title suggests, it’s about the first six women selected by NASA for the Space Shuttle program. How does one not spoil a work of non-fiction? Is 2024 off to a good start? Read on and find out!
