#Hampton Sides

[deadpresidents]

What have you been reading since the last time you posted your latest reads?

It's been a few months since I updated my latest reads, so I'm probably going to forget a few titles, but here's what I've been reading since then:

•The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact, and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook by Hampton Sides (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Pancho Villa: A Revolutionary Life by Paco Ignacio Taibo II and translated by Todd Chretien (BOOK | KINDLE)

•The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship That Saved Yosemite by Dean King (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day by Garrett M. Graff (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Too Rich: The High Life and Tragic Death of King Farouk by William Stadiem (BOOK)

•The House Divided: Sunni, Shia, and the Making of the Middle East by Barnaby Rogerson (BOOK | KINDLE)

•Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson by James Marcus (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Founders' Curse: James Monroe's Struggle Against Political Parties by Brook Poston (BOOK | KINDLE)

•Decade of Disunion: How Massachusetts and South Carolina Led the Way to Civil War, 1849-1861 by Robert W. Merry (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Age of Reconstruction: How Lincoln's New Birth of Freedom Remade the World by Don H. Doyle (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Power and Glory: Elizabeth II and the Rebirth of Royalty by Alexander Larman (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Situation Room: The Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis by George Stephanopoulos with Lisa Dickey (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Devils Will Get No Rest: FDR, Churchill, and the Plan That Won the War by James B. Conroy (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Ballyhoo!: The Roughhousers, Con Artists, and Wildmen Who Invented Professional Wrestling by Jon Langmead (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Rivals: William Gwin, David Broderick, and the Birth of California by Arthur Quinn (BOOK)

•The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in Eighteen Lives by Adam Smyth (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•A History of the Muslim World: From Its Origins to the Dawn of Modernity by Michael Cook (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Thought of Pope Benedict XVI: An Introduction to the Theology of Joseph Ratzinger, Third Edition by Aidan Nichols (BOOK | KINDLE)

•Avignon and Its Papacy, 1309-1417: Popes, Institutions, and Society by Joëlle Rollo-Koster (BOOK | KINDLE)

[mercerislandbooks]

Our Favorite Nonfiction of 2024

It's very nearly the last minute, and, just in the nick of time, we have our list of favorite nonfiction from 2024. I will admit that this area is not my strong suit, so my coworkers are doing the heavy lifting. These are for the readers who want to more deeply understand the world around us, the history behind us, and the future to come. Brave readers all.

If you're looking for a behind the scenes peek at the giants of the American writing scene, pick up one of Brad's favorites, A Chance Meeting. Brad says, "American Luminaries... they're just like us! They hang out, have coffee together and get into arguments. In Rachel Cohen's wonderful new book, we eavesdrop on artists and writers from Henry James to James Baldwin and witness the impact these men and women had on each other."

As for the editing and publishing side, Caitlin loved The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America. "Judith Jones was the legendary editor at Knopf. She shaped the careers of Julia Child, Madhur Jaffrey, Anne Tyler and John Updike. Early in her career Jones saved The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank from the slush pile. What a life!"

Speaking of Julia Child, many of us love to cook (as well as read) at Island Books, and Laurie highly recommends Seriously, So Good by Carissa Stanton. She says anyone can cook from it and the food is delicious, which is exactly how I like my cookbooks!

Laurie also found Ina Garten's memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens "full of humor and dishy storytelling. The Barefoot Contessa entertains as she weaves the story of her childhood meeting Jeffrey and becoming THE Ina Garten. You'll enjoy this from start to finish!"

As for Cindy, her favorite nonfiction was Doppelganger by Naomi Klein. She says, "In Doppelganger, Canadian author, activist and cultural analyst Naomi Klein tours the persistence of The Doppelganger in history and literature while reckoning with her personal doppelganger, Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth turned conspiracy theorist ("Other Naomi"), with whom she is chronically confused or interchanged with by the public, mainly online. Part memoir, part social critique, Klein touches upon on issues of self-identity, self-presentation, online identity, the rapid dissemination of bad information, news, fake news, and the simmering entry of AI into our online constructs among many other factors that over the last few decades have contributed to the accelerated political polarization and societal disparity we are experiencing today."

Back to the realm of what we can control, from the author of Four Thousand Weeks, Victor highly recommends Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. "The perfect book for embracing and accepting your imperfections." Sounds like a good way to start out the new year!

Looking for a seafaring adventure to fill the void left by David Grann's The Wager? Brad says, look no further! "Hampton Sides brings Captain James Cook's final voyage to life in The Wide Wide Sea, while thoughtfully addressing the moral complexity of Cook's encounters with the indigenous populations of the Pacific Ocean."

If you'd like to explore a little closer to home, Nancy can't stop talking about Born of Fire and Rain. She says it's for the reader who is interested in the science and ecology of the Northwest. Plus it's beautifully written and illustrated. Come for the cover, stay for the words.

And for the micro-ecology of our own backyards, Backyard Bird Chronicles is perfect. Nancy says, "This is a great gift for anyone who likes to look out the window. Tan is showing us how to observe with no ulterior motive. Just the birds and beautiful drawings provide wonderful entertainment."

Caitlin loved There's Always This Year, saying it's "a book of fathers, sons, life, and, of course, basketball." And she picked Bluff, by Danez Smith, as a standout poetry collection from this year. She says she often read through individual poems multiple times, and calls it a "deeply thought-provoking look at civil action."

My own contribution is How to Winter, which I enjoyed so much that I wrote a whole blog about it. It's perfect for this time of year, but has tools that can help us shift our mindsets during any challenging times.

I hope one of these catches your eye, either for you, or for the nonfiction reader in your life! This link will take you to the book list on our website:

2024: Our Favorite Nonfiction

Happy perusing!

-- Lori

[bookola-de]

Rezension: Simone Kabst liest einen Gemeinschaftsroman - Vierzehn Tage

Simone Kabst liest einen Gemeinschaftsroman der Herausgeber Margaret Atwood und Douglas Preston Mord kennt kein Alter von 36 Autoren Rezension © 2024 by Ute Spangenmacher für BookOla.de 2024 Hörbuch Hamburg Sprecherin: Simone Kabst ungekürzte Lesung Laufzeit: 929 Minuten Multimedia CD ISBN: 978-3-8449-2944-7 Erscheinungstermin: 15.02.2024 bestellen bei Amazon   Continue reading Rezension:…

[i-am-the-page-turner]

"The Wide Wide Sea" by Hampton Sides.

"The Wide Wide Sea" by Hampton Sides is a gripping narrative non-fiction account of the harrowing journey of three Navy SEALs who find themselves stranded in the Pacific Ocean during a tropical storm. The book follows the true story of Marcus Luttrell, Danny Dietz, and Matthew Axelson, members of SEAL Team 10, as they undertake a covert mission in Afghanistan in 2005. When their mission goes awry, the SEALs are forced to fend for themselves in hostile territory, facing overwhelming odds and treacherous conditions. As they struggle to survive, the men draw on their training, resilience, and camaraderie to persevere against all odds. Sides vividly captures the intensity and danger of their ordeal, transporting readers into the heart of the action. Through meticulous research and interviews with survivors, he provides a gripping and intimate portrait of the courage and sacrifice of these extraordinary men. "The Wide Wide Sea" is not just a tale of survival; it is a tribute to the bravery and dedication of the individuals who serve in America's armed forces. Sides skillfully weaves together the personal stories of the SEALs with the larger geopolitical context of the war on terror, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by those on the front lines. With its fast-paced narrative and vivid storytelling, "The Wide Wide Sea" is a compelling read that will leave readers in awe of the indomitable human spirit.

[maycanady]

SHANOLA HAMPTON as GABI MOSELY FOUND | 1.12 "Missing While Eccentric"

[riptidewaters]

Lipstick

Nate Archibald x Fem! Reader! (NAMED)

“UGH! Get me the new Alexander Mcqueen Bag Dorota!” Blair Screeched at her loyal servant, the latter muttering a meek ‘Yes, Miss Blair’ and hurrying away. Blair Waldorf, the “mean girl” of Constance and self-proclaimed Queen of the Upper East Side was, according to her throwing the “hottest party” in the whole year. ‘Hey B!’ Serena Van der Woodsen, the “it girl” of New York waved to her best friend, running forward and hugging her tightly, ‘I am so happy that you came back from Europe!’ she declared. Blair scoffed while striking names off the invite list, ‘Well, after Chuck ditched me at the airport I decided to take a girl's trip and travel around Europe anyway!’, She put the list down and walked over to the massive tables full of entreès and delicately put one in her mouth, Serena following her, Blair continued, ‘Anyways, enough about my broken love life, what's the gossip I’ve been hearing on you and Nate?”. Serena looked panicked, “There’s absolutely nothing going on between us! I haven’t dated anyone the entire summer!’ She said proudly, Blair paused and looked at Serena, ‘Wait- S, are you telling me you’ve gotten zero action for the ENTIRE Summer?!’. Serena shrugged, ‘Maybe, well there was that one hot lifeguard-’, Blair looked excited, ‘And....?’, ‘I rejected him’. Blair’s face fell, ‘Seriously S?, I’m gone for one summer and-’. Serena shook her head, ‘Wait! Before you launch into one of your speeches, I've got a surprise for you!’, She sang happily, Blair raised her eyebrows, ‘And what might that be May I ask?’. Serena grinningly thrust a letter into her hand, ‘Read it!’ She said. Blair rolled her eyes,

Dear Serena,

I wasn’t sure if you would remember me, but it’s Charlotte, from junior year. I hope you do! Anyways I’m coming back to Constance this year! I could not be more excited to meet you all again! Maybe we could meet up a few days before school starts? Let me where you are. Well Adios for now! Do tell Blair, Nate and Chuck I said hi!(especially Nate)

Love,

Charlotte.

Blair’s eyes widened, ‘Charlotte, the Charlotte is coming back?’ She questioned excitedly, Serena nodded grinning brightly. ‘I already sent her the invite to your party, if that's cool with you? She said that she’ll come.’ Blair smiled, ‘Definitely!’ ‘Wait! Should we tell Nate?’. She asked Serena looking at the letter, ‘Maybe it should be a surprise.’ Blair nodded, starting a conversation about party favours.

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‘I’ve been waiting for this all day.’ Nate muttered, biting her lip, ‘You sure Serena’s okay with covering for you? She was a little cold.’ Catherine said rubbing herself against Nate, ‘Oh she’s totally fine.’ he said closing his eyes and leaning in, ‘But you haven’t told her anything?’ Cathrine questioned pulling Nate for a chaste kiss, He shook his head, ‘All she knows is I’m seeing someone new...I’m not ready to introduce to anyone yet.’ She pulled away, pushing Nate behind and looking at him with a stern look in her eyes, ‘Or ever.’ He finished. ‘Look, she needed time to decompress from her breakup anyway,’ Nate kissed her, ‘Covering for me works for her too.’ A car whizzed by the one they were in, Catherine looked alarmed, ‘Let’s go back to my place before anyone spots us.’ Nate raised his eyebrows, ‘Your House?’ She grinned, nodding, ‘I thought we couldn’t.’ She smiled at him, ‘There’s always the guest house’. Nate chuckled pulling her in for another kiss.

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‘Okay, how do I look?!’ Blair asked twirling around for Serena to see, She smiled ‘Gorgeous as always B.’ She remarked Blair turned around adjusting her iconic bejewelled headband, ‘How do you think She looks now?’ She asked Serena, ‘I don’t think she might have changed too much,’ Serena shrugged. ‘Probably’ Blair agreed. Looking in the mirror, ‘Excuse me?’ She asked a random saleswoman, ‘Can I get this in white?’, The woman nodded and walked towards the display to get it off the mannequin. ‘This dress is perfect for my party!’ She squealed excitedly clapping her hands. Serena smiled, ‘Now that you’re done can we go look for my dress?’, Blair grinned ‘I’m sure I can take out a few minutes of my valuable time to go look for your dress.’ She said, Serena laughed and grabbed Blair by her shoulders, ‘We are getting out now!’. With that the two girls walked out laughing.

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The day of the white party was a complete disaster..... at least it was according to a certain Charles Bass, famously known as Chuck Bass. Blair had asked him if he loved her the day he had met James, Blair’s seemingly “perfect” boyfriend and he had stupidly kept his big mouth shut and made her cry. Showing up to the White party had been a pain in his arse, especially when he saw Blair making out with her new boyfriend who had supposedly gone to “Georgetown”. And then something worth the attention of Chuck Bass happened, He saw Charlotte Jackson, also known as the one who disappeared after Junior year, staring at Serena Van der Woodsen having a spit-swapping session with Nate Archibald. Chuck grabbed a glass of white wine off a tray smirking, ‘Well, that’s going to be fun...’ with that he sauntered off towards an awestruck Charlotte.

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Part 2 is now out!

[virginmary2008]

old money girl 🤍

[pernillecfcw]

The blues are on a side quest they opened the markets at the New York stock exchange 🔔💙

[redrcs]

Calothamnus quadrifidus. One sided bottlebrush

Hampton

On my travels

[deadpresidents]

Could you recommend books on North Korea?

Sure, here are a few about North Korea and the Kim Dynasty that I have read and would definitely suggest:

•The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History by Don Oberdorfer and Robert Carlin (BOOK | KINDLE) This book is a history of the entire Korean Peninsula since World War II, and it's excellent.

•Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Impossible State: North Korea, Past and Future by Victor Cha (BOOK | KINDLE)

•See You Again In Pyongyang: A Journey Into Kim Jong Un's North Korea by Travis Jeppesen (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty by Bradley K. Martin (BOOK | KINDLE) In my opinion, this is probably the best book about North Korea that I've read, but it was published in 2006 when Kim Jong Il was still alive and in charge, so it could use an updated edition.

•The Hermit King: The Dangerous Game of Kim Jong Un by Chung Min Lee (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

•The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un by Anna Fifield (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) This is the best book written so far about North Korea's current leader, Kim Jong Un. Also, the dust jacket design is top-notch.

•Act of War: Lyndon Johnson, North Korea, and the Capture of the Spy Ship Pueblo by Jack Cheevers (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) The thrilling and vastly overlooked story of the USS Pueblo, a U.S. Navy ship that was attacked and captured by North Korea in 1968 while it was spying...I mean, "conducting research"...off the coast of North Korea. The North Koreans held over 80 American sailors as POWs and tortured many of them for nearly a year until the United States finally admitted violating North Korean territorial waters and apologized in return for their release. The United States immediately retracted the admission of wrongdoing and apology as soon as the POWs were released by North Korea. The USS Pueblo is still in North Korea's possession and moored as a museum ship and propaganda tool in Pyongyang.

Here are two really good books on the Korean War that are also worth checking out:

•The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War by David Halberstam (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) The last book written by the legendary David Halberstam.

•On Desperate Ground: The Epic Story of Chosin Reservoir -- the Greatest Battle of the Korean War by Hampton Sides (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) Every book that Hampton Sides has ever written is impossible to put down, so this could be about anything and probably still be incredible. The fact that On Desperate Ground is about one of the most grueling battles in American military history just takes things to another level.

[trippingout-tour]

Sydney Deck medium-sized side yard with a second-story deck and wood railing

[missdragonica]

Minneapolis Bathroom Bathroom: Large coastal kids' white tile floor and white floor bathroom idea with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a drop-in sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, and white countertops.

[levitationmagazine]

Seattle Freestanding Mid-sized elegant freestanding desk carpeted home studio photo

[welovedoll]

Natural Stone Pavers in Toronto a picture of a sizable, classic raised stone garden bed in the front yard.

[riptidewaters]

Part 3, Lipstick

Nate Archibald x fem! Reader (named)

What are you doing here? With Dan?’ Nate asked, eyebrows raised. Dan grabbed Charlotte’s hand, ‘We’re dating’ He announced, ‘We are?’ Charlotte asked, Dan gave her a look, ‘I-I mean, Yeah! We are!’ She corrected herself. ‘What?!’ Serena said, shock evident in her eyes and speech. ‘We broke up a month ago Dan! And you find one of my good friends to date?’. Dan rolled his eyes, ‘Exactly Serena. We broke up a month ago, and You are lip locking with someone else. I guess mistakes do repeat themselves, even bad ones.’ With that he grabbed Charlotte’s arm and led her away.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

‘What was that?’ Charlotte asked her ponytail smacking her back. ‘I don’t know! I guess I panicked!’ Dan said, running his hands through his disheveled hair. She sighed, ‘it’s ok, we didn’t plan any of that did we?’ ‘Anyways,’ Dan said, ‘What’s your history with Nate?, you mentioned something about liking him for a few years.’ Charlotte sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. ‘It's a long story, but the short version is that I've had a crush on Nate for a while. We've been friends, but I've never had the courage to tell him how I feel.’ ‘Friends?’ Dan raised his eyebrow, ‘That’s interesting. Never thought Nate would be friends with someone other then the upper east side elite.’ Charlotte laughed, ‘Hey! He isn’t that bad you know. And I did go to Constance for a while and my father runs a successful Architectural firm, so never really felt out of place.’ She remarked, ‘I actually met Chuck first, while staying in his dad’s hotel, he’s the one who introduced me to Blair and then Serena and then eventually, I met Nate.’ Dan nodded, ‘Okay, but I find it hard to believe that Chuck didn’t…. You know, try to have sex with you?’ She laughed ‘Oh, believe me! He did! And I now find it hilarious that I didn’t even know until Blair told me that he was trying to!’ ‘And then, I deflected his advances and we formed a playful relationship.’ Dan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A playful friendship with Chuck Bass? That's quite a feat." Charlotte smiled wryly. "I've always been good at handling his charm and deflecting his advances. Besides, I think he respected my boundaries." Dan opened his mouth to respond, but Nate intervened.

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‘Charlotte? Are-are you really dating Dan?’ Nate asked his voice slightly trembling, ‘I-I am!’ She said, with sudden confidence and while grabbing Dan’s hand, ‘Oh…’ Nate’s voice trembled. He looked up and pointed towards the the house, ‘I’m gonna go, Catheri-someone’s waiting for me.’ Nate turned and walked away, leaving Charlotte and Dan standing there in an awkward silence. Charlotte bit her lip, feeling a mix of guilt and confusion. She hadn't expected Nate to react this way. After all, he had never shown any romantic interest in her before, and they had always been just friends.

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Dan, on the other hand, was trying to process the unexpected turn of events. He hadn't planned on telling Serena that he and Charlotte were dating, but the situation had forced his hand. Now he found himself in the middle of a complicated love triangle involving his ex-girlfriend and his new girlfriend's longtime crush.As the night wore on, the tension between Charlotte, Dan, and the rest of the group was palpable. Serena couldn't help but feel hurt and confused by Dan's sudden relationship with her friend, and Nate was struggling to come to terms with the fact that Charlotte had moved on. Blair, always one to enjoy drama, was relishing in the chaos, and Chuck was observing the situation with his usual smirking indifference.The party continued, with guests mingling and gossiping about the unexpected developments. Charlotte tried her best to enjoy herself, but the awkwardness of the situation hung over her like a dark cloud. She couldn't help but steal glances at Nate from across the room, wondering if he would ever come to terms with her new relationship.

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Meanwhile, Dan was torn between his lingering feelings for Serena and his growing connection with Charlotte. He had always been the outsider in the Upper East Side world, and now he found himself even more entangled in its web of secrets and scandals.

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As the night came to a close, and the guests began to depart, Charlotte couldn't shake the feeling that her return to Constance had brought more complications than she had ever anticipated. She knew that navigating the treacherous waters of Manhattan's elite would be challenging, but she had never expected it to be this complicated.

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The days that followed were filled with more drama, as Charlotte tried to balance her friendship with Serena, her new relationship with Dan, and her lingering feelings for Nate. The dynamics of the group were shifting, and no one was quite sure how to handle it.And in the midst of it all, Chuck Bass was watching, waiting, and plotting in his typical enigmatic fashion. He had always been the puppet master of their little world, and he had no intention of letting go of the strings anytime soon.The stage was set for a tumultuous school year at Constance Billard and St. Jude's, with secrets, betrayals, and unexpected alliances waiting to unfold. The Upper East Side was about to become even more scandalous, and Charlotte Jackson was right in the center of it all.

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Part 4 is now out!

@aexbonbon

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[kosovare-madridista]

Traditional Patio Portland

Ideas for a sizable, traditional backyard concrete patio renovation without a cover