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This week, we feature an analysis of Comanche cultural dominance during the settling of America and a collection of wit and wisdom from U.S. presidents.
American History
‘Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History’
By S. C. Gwynne
The American West is a unique story in the annals of history. Gunslingers, pioneers, lawmen, and Native Americans—all eventually collide violently. This book brings together all that made this story romantic and dramatic. Gwynne presents the rise and fall of the Comanches, arguably history’s most feared Native American tribe. Then there is Cynthia Ann Parker, the kidnapped Texan girl who became the mother of the Comanches’ greatest chief. Drama, violence, and history—beautifully told.
Scribner, 2011, 384 pages
Nonfiction
‘The Hospitality of Need: How Depending on One Another Helps Us Heal and Grow Together’
By Kevan Chandler & Tommy Shelton
Chandler is in his late 30s and weighs 65 pounds soaking wet. Stricken with a rare neuromuscular disease, he has spent his life confined to a wheelchair. Into this touching story, told with his friend and pastor, Tommy Shelton, Chandler brings the many friends old and new who have rallied round him, cared for him in countless ways, and accompanied him on trips as far away as China. Weakness and need, goes the thesis of his faith-filled life and book, are the yeast from which communities can grow.
Moody Publishers, 2025, 208 pages
History
‘A Light in the Northern Sea: Denmark’s Incredible Rescue of Their Jewish Citizens During WWII’
By Tim Brady
During World War II, Nazi-occupied Denmark protected its Jewish population from the Nazis. Over a six-week period in 1943, Danes smuggled most Jews in Denmark to neutral Sweden. This book tells the story of Denmark’s evacuation of its Jewish population. It also recounts the subsequent Danish resistance to German occupation that erupted after this evacuation as Danes rallied against the Nazis. An inspiring tale, it highlights when tyranny was successfully defied by a determined group of people.
Citadel, 2025, 272 pages
Fiction
‘The Windows of Heaven: A Novel of Galveston’s Great Storm of 1900’
By Ron Rozelle
For the centennial of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, which killed 8,000 people, Rozelle commemorated the tragedy in novel form. It tells the story through the eyes of those who experienced it: Sal, a little girl living in Galveston with her father; Sister Zilphia of the St. Mary’s Orphanage; and many others. Rozelle weaves a sensitive and haunting tale. The 25th Anniversary Edition is the novel’s first hardcover release.
The University Press of SHSU, 2025, 275 pages
Classics
‘Wit and Wisdom of the American Presidents: A Book of Quotations’
Edited by Joslyn Pine
This collection of over 400 presidential quotes should delight students in need of essay ideas, teachers looking for material to liven up classroom discussion, and the general public. From George Washington to Barack Obama, the citations fulfill the title’s promise, offering both humor and sound advice to readers. Jefferson’s “We never repent of having eaten too little,” and Grant’s “I know only two tunes. One of them is ‘Yankee Doodle’ and one of them isn’t,” are representative of the quotes.
Dover Publications, 2000, 80 pages
For Kids
‘A Library Book for Bear’
By Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton
Book four of six in the Bear and Mouse series, “A Library Book for Bear” lives up to the high standards of its delightful cohorts as its superb wit and endearing message will both tickle and melt the hearts of readers. Will Bear, ever the curmudgeon and so sure he has enough books, agree to go to the library with the cheerfully persistent Mouse?
Candlewick Press, 2015, 40 pages
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