Category: books

Book Review: ‘Save the Last Bullet’

With each passing year, another collection of works about World War II is produced. From economic analyses to military histories to biographies to historical fiction, there seems to be an endless supply. The war was a moment, lasting less than a decade, in which the world attempted to destroy itself. It is a moment that…


Vindication: Harriet Beecher Stowe and the ‘Byron Scandal’

“So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war.” Whether Abraham Lincoln greeted Harriet Beecher Stowe with those words during her 1862 visit to the White House is uncertain, but if so, they were accurate. Stowe was little—she stood less than five feet tall—and the novel she had written 10…


‘Untenable: The True Story of White Ethnic Flight from America’s Cities’

“White flight” is one of those terms that drips with resentment and feeds on self-hatred. As a label for the mass movement of white Americans out of cities during the 20th century, it’s no friendlier than “gentrification,” used to define the reverse movement over recent decades. But many white people, such as “White Fragility” author…


Charles Dickens’s Short Story: ‘The Child’s Story’

As we journey through our busy schedules, we can easily forget to contemplate life. In his short story, “The Child’s Story,” Charles Dickens shows that, rather than just passing through life, we should contemplate it, for life is “a magic journey” filled with lessons and treasures we cannot find elsewhere. A traveler sets out on…


Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for July 21–27

This week, we feature a look at “perfect” Scandinavian societies and an absorbing novel about a girl longing to practice medicine in China’s past. Historical Fiction ‘Lady Tan’s Circle of Women’ By Lisa See This captivating story begins in 1469, the fifth year of the Chenghua Emperor’s reign. The protagonist is a girl named Tan…


Book Review: ‘Lockett and the Devil’s Path’

“Lockett and the Devil’s Path” is the fourth in a series of historical fiction by author T.J. Johnston. But no worries if you haven’t read the other three; it’s just fine as a standalone. If you are a fan and have been anxiously waiting for the fourth, you won’t be disappointed as Mr. Johnston’s main…


Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘The Cop and the Anthem’

NR | 16 min 55 sec | Drama, Comedy | 1952 In a rare on-camera appearance as narrator, John Steinbeck introduces the film, “The Cop and the Anthem,” one part of the five-part anthology film, “O. Henry’s Full House.” This adaptation of O. Henry’s light-hearted short story, directed by Henry Koster, comically ponders the double-edged nature…


A Lost Grace? History, Culture, and the Art of the Letter

On May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse sent the world’s first long distance telegraph message—“What hath God wrought”—and so changed forever human communication. This union of electricity and human ingenuity next brought the convenience and speed of the telephone, followed by today’s Internet. In 2023, a father sitting at his dining room table in the United…


Choosing a Role Model: Do Not Listen to Those Who Seek to Lower You to Their Own Level

A Fox that had been caught in a trap, succeeded at last, after much painful tugging, in getting away. But he had to leave his beautiful bushy tail behind him. For a long time he kept away from the other Foxes, for he knew well enough that they would all make fun of him and…


Brave Books: Traditional Children’s Books With Pizzazz

Today’s adults are often confronted with hostile ideas toward our culture and may need help navigating young children through these challenging times. For those wanting to reinforce their traditional values, Brave Books may be one way to help. Brave Books has created alternative books to the current progressive agenda. Each book teaches traditional values that…