He was just like every other little boy in Pyongyang, taking taekwondo lessons and dreaming of becoming a general in Kim Il-sung's army. In Every Falling Star: The True Story of How I Survived and Escaped North Korea, DPRK-escapee Sungju Lee tells of his family's fall from grace, his life as an orphan on the … Continue reading Every Falling Star: A Review
You're standing at the podium, approaching the climax of your speech, when you say that word. For the first time. Out loud. Each and every one of us knows the exquisite anxiety of saying aloud a word you've only ever read silently to yourself. Thankfully, there's a snappy little book out there to help take … Continue reading You’re Saying It Wrong: A Review
In 1951, one woman's unwilling contribution to medical science ushered in a new era of research and changed countless lives for the better. In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot uncovers the woman who made such an impact on medicine, but went unknown for decades. Until Skloot's book revealed her, many only knew … Continue reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: A Review
In 1692, a deadly terror swept through colonial Massachusetts, ending the lives of 20 people and forever changing how we paranoid fanaticism. If The Crucible enticed you in high school, but you never read any other books about the Salem Witch Trials, I've got four great suggestions for you below. The months-long witch hunt that gripped late-17th century … Continue reading 4 Books about the Salem Witch Trials
Western media romanticizes World War II, but few folks in the U.S. are familiar with the global conflict that dominated the back half of the 1910s and destroyed European empires. If Franz Ferdinand is just an alt-rock band to you, check out these five books about World War I to get better acquainted with the military campaigns that would change … Continue reading 5 Books about World War I