War and history are the focal points of this week’s Newsmax Rising Bestsellers. One depicts a “warrior poet’s” journey to West Point, the battlefields of Iraq, and back into civilian life. Another describes how a military hero (and another West Point graduate) helped define the course of the American Civil War. Still others set out to prove that the Roman Empire never truly fell — not completely, and the second part of an engrossing world history series — this one beginning at the height of the Roman Empire and running through the reign of France’s Louis XIV. But first, there is a novel that has the earmarks of becoming an exciting new series, penned by a No. 1 bestselling author who is already juggling a number of other series.
“Nightshade,” by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Company)
Los Angeles County Sheriff Department politics has exiled Detective Stilwell from the homicide desk of the crime-ridden mainland to the sleepy resort island of Catalina, where motor vehicles are banned and the only crime is an occasional drunk and disorderly tourist. But the body of an unidentified woman known only as “Nightshade,” who is discovered weighed down in the middle of the island’s harbor, changes all that. This is followed up by a poaching incident that turns violent, and soon sleepy Catalina is turning out to be like working Stilwell’s old precinct. “I was intrigued that the book is set on the island of Catalina, off the coast of Southern California — a place I visited briefly many years ago,” wrote Margie Bunting for Amazon. “The book’s immersion into Catalina local color and customs makes for an interesting read, and Connelly’s signature writing style and intricate plot are in evidence. I’m hoping that if this is a series, Stil’s character will be fleshed out and his romance with Tash developed.” [Fiction]
“Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet,” by Ryan McDermott (Koehler Books)
According to U.S. Army Gen. (ret.) David Petraeus, “Few war memoirs achieve the level of literary depth and emotional resonance of ‘Downriver.’” This is a literary description of one man’s journey from childhood adversity as the son of a single mother, to the patriotic idealism found in halls of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, to the blood and sweat of battlefield command in Iraq, then post-war battles with the disillusionment of PTSD, then finally the offices of an investment banking firm. “Ryan McDermott recounts his life and quest for purpose and an elusive feeling of belonging prior to, during, and following war. It also depicts his aching need for love, a family, and redemption from his traumatic background,” said Feathered Quill Book Reviews for GoodReads. “This is not a book to pass up; rather, it is a tool for re-channeling one’s pain and grief for a greater benefit.” [Nonfiction]
“Hero of Fort Sumter: The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson (Volume 80) (Campaigns and Commanders Series),” by Wesley Moody (University of Oklahoma Press)
Robert Anderson was born into greatness and groomed for heroism. His father crossed the Delaware with Gen. George Washington to launch the surprise attack on Hessian soldiers at Trenton, New Jersey, and change the tide of the Revolutionary War. Other relatives, including Chief Justice John Marshall and William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) helped define the new nation, both legally and geographically. The beginning of the Civil War was marked when Confederate troops fired upon Fort Sumter in South Carolina’s Charleston Harbor. How Anderson conducted himself as the commander of the garrison at Fort Sumpter before, during, and after the attack would set the course for the entire war. [Nonfiction]
“The Neverending Empire: The Infinite Impact of Ancient Rome,” by Aldo Cazzullo, translated by Loredana Maria Rinaldi (HarperCollins)
In “Neverending Empire,” Italian journalist and bestselling author Aldo Cazzullo offers new historical perspective, based upon research that the Roman Empire in some form, not only lives on, but also that its influence is more widespread today than it was 2,000 years ago. He reveals how Rome lives on by drawing intriguing parallels between the ancient and the modern worlds, and how latter empires such as those of Napoleonic France and of Britain, sough to emulate that of Rome, but could never surpass it. “This book argues that the Roman Empire never truly fell, its influence permeating history and shaping modern society,” wrote Andrea Romance for Amazon. “The author explores Rome’s origins, key figures like Caesar and Augustus, and Rome’s enduring legacy in art, law, politics, and technology. This insightful book is full of interesting information, some of which I haven’t seen in other sources.” [Nonfiction]
“The Political and Strategic History of the World, Vol II: From the Caesars to the Peace of Westphalia and Louis XIV, A.D. 14-1661,” by Conrad Black (World Encounter Institute/New English Review Press)
The author argues that history is shaped by motivated human decisions rather than external forces exerting power on the cogs of helpless human beings. He brings this point home by assessing the accomplishments of emperors, kings, and queens throughout the historical period covered in Volume II of his series. At 1,200 pages, this can be considered both a tome for the history buff, as well as a reference work to repeatedly consult as the need arises. It’s also meant as an heirloom, an item of value to be handed down from one generation to the next, so that they may draw inspiration from the greats throughout history. [Nonfiction]
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