Chasing Lincoln's Killer

by James Swanson

I love most things Civil War related, and this was a detailed and interesting account of the events that led up to Lincoln's assassination, and the chase that ended with Booth's death. While I definitely enjoyed it, it left me wanting a little more. I would have loved to have learned more about Booth himself. There's really very little information here about how he became such a radical for his cause, but in fairness, maybe that's a story for another book.

Night

by Elie Wiesel

This book has been on my "to read" list for a long time. Outside of Anne's diary, it's the quintessential holocaust story. Weisel jumps right in, spending very little time on occupation, taking us quickly into the story of his transport. He was able to stay with his father during his time in the camps. While this provides him some comfort, it also creates many stressful situations. I found this to be sort of the crux of his story. His never-ending, undying love for his father shapes his entire camp experience. That love influences all of his decisions, whether or not it endangers his own life. At one point during my reading, he almost seemed judgmental of others who did not make the same sacrifices for family, but brings this up himself at the end, and smooths out those rough edges for me as a reader. (Not that I would judge any holocaust survivor for anything, including judging another person, but it was an interesting aspect of the story for me.)

As far as holocaust stories that create a visceral response for me go, I found Diary of a Young Girl, Boy on the Wooden Box, and even The Boy Who Dared much more compelling. Those stories just interested me more. However, Weisel's writing is absolutely beautiful,and his wife's work on the translation is amazing.

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith

by Deborah Heiligman

Summary: This is the true story--the love story--of Charles and Emma Darwin. Most people don't know that Charles Darwin's wife was a very spiritual and faithful woman. She was concerned about marrying him because she was afraid she would not see him in the afterlife, and she continued to be afraid of this throughout her life and after his death. Charles and Emma had a beautiful and complex relationship, balancing each other out and helping each other through the raising of seven children and the deaths of three. Charles did have doubts about God, and the deaths of his children didn't help this. He was not, however, an atheist, as most people believe. He was simply a man who had questions, and he dedicated his life to finding the answers. This book provides an unusual glimpse into the private life of a very public, and much misunderstood, historical figure.

My thoughts: Darwin's scientific research on the process of natural selection in species changed the way the world thought about creation. He was terribly nervous about publishing his theory because he knew it would offend many people. He was right, but he also had many supporters, and his ideas are now widely accepted as fact. Even during Darwin's day, people misinterpreted his theories. One in particular is the notion that he believed humans are descended from monkeys. He was very frustrated by this even while he was alive, because he simply believed that humans and apes have a common ancestor, not that we evolved from them. (Other scientists during his lifetime did make this claim, but not Darwin.) I really enjoyed reading about this family. I have always pictured Darwin as a gruff, stern, inflexible person. Instead, I learned that he was a sweet and shy family man with a great passion for science, and for humanity.