Though I’d really like to start reading more fiction, I can’t seem to pull myself away from historical biographies. Here are five of them that I’m either currently reading or that I’ve just finished.
1. A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War. Joseph Loconte looks at the epic fantasies of Tolkien and Lewis in light of World War I and the culture it gave birth to. I haven’t studied a ton on the period of the first world war, especially from the perspective of Great Britain, but this is wonderfully interesting.
2. Creativity, INC., Ed Catmull is the co-founder of Pixar. I suppose this isn’t technically a historical biography but this book covers the history of Pixar and gives lessons on creativity and business along the way. I’m going through this one slowly but I’ve really benefited from this as I think about pastoral ministry.
3. Lincoln’s Melancholy. Though I don’t share the authors view on humanity and the behavioral sciences I am still finding his take on the depression of Lincoln to be fascinating. I’m not too far into this book but I’m having a hard time putting it down so I will probably finish it soon.
4. Andy & Don. Watching TBS reruns of the Andy Griffith Show was part of my daily routine as a child. This book presents itself as a sort of “tell-all” and a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between these two superstars. It kind of disappoints a bit on that end but it was still a very fun read.
5. The President and the Assassin. I just finished this one a little over a week ago. I really had never learned much about William McKinley or the landscape of America at the turn of the century. This book was an informative and highly enjoyable read. Not only do we learn about McKinley and turn of the century America but we also are introduced to the world of anarchy and the presidents assassin.
