I have quite the stack of finished books! As we're getting closer to the end of the year, I'm quite excited - I intend to reshuffle all my TBR books and shake up the stacks a bit, and to acquire several new books. (Yes, 2009 is going to have to be another year of little-to-no book purchasing, as the dent I've made in my TBR stack is sizeable but not big enough.)
Cynthia Peale, The White Crow. Peale writes a series set in Victorian Boston. I quite like it. They're not amazingly written, but they're solid and interesting, with good characters.
Louis L'Amour, The Man from Skibbereen. Just when you thought Mr. L only had one type of protagonist! This guy is straight off the boat from Ireland, stumbles into a dangerous situation basically through being a dope, and needs to go from there to being a competent westerner very fast. Very fun.
Steven E. Woodworth, Nothing But Victory. This overview of the Army of the Tennessee, from birth to dissolution, is nothing short of masterful. If I had a complaint, it would be that the end of the war with the men going home is too short, without enough detail. Other than that, the book was enjoyably readable, firmly conveyed its author's passion for his subject without being too over-the-top, and overall made for excellent pleasure reading in addition to being a fine, solid addition to the research library.
Charles C. Mann, 1491. Loved this book. The basic theory of the book is that it's an overview of the native cultures the year before Columbus arrived in the Americas. The author doesn't shy away from controversial claims, and in fact embraces them, although he does a good job of making the reader aware that not everyone agrees with him. I found it to be a fascinating book, filled with ideas that were new to me, and consider it not only well worth reading, but also well worth recommending.
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