"The Given Day" by Dennis Lehane

I came across this book in a local give/take bookshelf years ago. I was familiar with the author's name but had never read anything by him. Knowing that he wrote Mystic River, Gone, Baby, Gone, Shutter Island, I assumed the story would be based out of Boston and it, for the most part, was. It follows a number of protagonists, from Babe Ruth, Danny and Thomas Coughlin, and Luther Lawrence. Set in the early unionizing days, this novel follows a member of the Boston Polize Department as he becomes disillusioned by the treatment of his fellow public servants. Concurrently, we check in with Babe Ruth as he transitions through his first season of "White Ball" and end up being traded to the Yankees. Lastly, we meet an african american who stumbles through life in the first 90 percent of the book and, finally, navigates the final pages with a modicum of intention. The characters were well rounded and entertaining. The buildup of the preceding events of the Boston Riots of 1918 were methodical and effective. I generally had a tough time calling it a night and putting the book down. I would be delighted to read anything else by Lehane.

"Heretics of Dune" by Frank Herbert

Onward we march into the unending adventures of Dune. This portion follows a young Fremen girl with the abilty to control Sandworms movement, the newest incarnation of Duncan Idaho and the first skirmishes between the Bene Gesserrit, the Tielaxu and the Honored Matres. Not so much a story in itself, it serves as prelude to the next chapters. These characters are established and the stage is set for what will follow in Chapterhouse: Dune. I can't wait to see what happens with the Mentat Idaho and his lover Murbella, Odrade, a new Miles Teg and the Honored Matres as the intrigue unfolds.

"Low Life" by Luc Sante

I'm beginning a dive into New York history. This Sante piece looks into living conditions, entertainment, law enforcement, gang activity and basically everything that is not shown about New York City between the 1840's and 1920's. This book dives way past the mansions and elite of the steadily growing metropolis that was NYC during this era. If I'm honest, I wasn't blown away by the organization of this book and perhaps it's because each chapter could have easily been the centerpiece of a comparably sized research project. It felt a lot more like scratching the surface lightly and planting some names that deserve a great deal more space to fully encapsulate. It was an interesting start, nonetheless, and my intrigue has been struck.

"One Summer: America, 1927" by Bill Bryson

I don't think Bryson could write enough books for my life. I am glad I haven't sought them out as I might wish to because, knowing there are more of his works out there to discover gives me a great joy. "One Summer" walks the reader through the remarkable and dramatic events of 1927, primarily the summer months. From Babe Ruth and the Murderer's Row Yankees, to Lindbergh's cross Atlantic Flight, the bombing of an elementary school, the Mississippi River flooding and the political goings on, the book skims shallow then dives deep into the personalities, precipitating events and fallout of what was, truly, an incredibly news filled summer. I love the way Bryson weaves anecdotes and unforseen side effects into the through-line of his story-telling. It's like a beautifully composed orchestral piece. Give me more Bryson, but take your time doing it. I want to savor this.

"God Emperor or Dune" by Frank Herbert

I have been on a tear with the Dune series, in part, because they are so hard to put down. The chapter sizes, pacing of the action, and swiftness of story make these books quick reads, relative to their length. Leto II has evolved into a sandworm with the face of a man. He is now over 3000 years old and he lives as a god and as emperor of the universe. Almost all principal figures from the original trilogy are now historical figures, discussed as ancient figures of great consequence, primarily by their lineage. Only Duncan Idaho remains, though in his most current iterations. As a ghoula, he is replaced by a newly cloned version of himself as Leto's military leader. Yet again, as is the expectation with Herbert's writing, allegory and metaphor assail the reader at every turn. Religious visions and leaders, climactic change, fate vs. freewill, aristocracy, eugenics, love vs. duty, all these themes flow through the pages. I can't wait to get the next books from this series and devour them as well.

"Children of Dune" by Frank Herbert

Intrigue and never-ending jockeying for power are abundant in this chapter of the Dune series. Leo and his sister Ghanima are a pair of 9 year old bodies with access to millenia of experiences. Their aunt Alia holds their throne as regent but even as she struggles with the idea of relenting power, she gives in to temptation and allows her recently killed and deposed ancestor Baron Harkonnen to take root in her mind, controlling her thoughts and emotions. Jessica has her own machinations as she has been folded back into the Bene Gesserit faith. The preacher, who may or may not be Paul Atreides, is causing a stir in the imperium and Farad'n, nephew of the emperor that preceded Paul Atreides has ambitions of regaining the throne for house Corrino. Gurney Halleck, Duncan Idaho, Stilgar all play important roles as the story weaves to it's conclusion. Once again, the story is an allegory for so many aspects of culture. Arrakis is into it's transformation from desert planet to a rich and lustrous climate. Powerful monopolies and governmental oversight groups wield power through dangerous and morally questionable ways. This portion of the Dune series brings it full circle back to rooting for the righteous protagonists.

"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu

In my opinion, this is more of a meditative guide than a book about the rules of warfare. In the edition I read, the arranger provides quotations by other famous thinkers of ancient Asia, illustrating possible practical uses of each rule. This was, at times, helpful, and, at others, distracting. If left alone with just the writings of Tzu, I would have many questions but, also, with a greater satisfaction. Figuring out a riddle is far more satisfying than reading someone else's idea of the solution.