Ash and Honor by Jeffrey Robinson

ASH AND HONOR by Jeffrey Robinson details “The Untold 368 Minutes of 9/11.” Robinson, a prolific non-fiction writer, offers over sixty eyewitness accounts, all while describing the confusion and uncertainty of that eventful day. Because of all of the acronyms and bureaucracy involved this text is difficult to follow at times, but it is well-researched and brings up aspects of which few may be aware. The description of getting all of those planes out of the air and subsequently finding box cutters on some after they landed gave me goosebumps. Publishers Weekly calls ASH AND HONOR “a valuable record of bureaucracies and chains of command operating under extreme pressure” and that does seem to be Robinson’s main focus. Look also for other books related to 9/11 if your interests differ.

I am grateful that we collected so many contemporary works (such as Understanding September 11 by Mitch Frank and the Poynter Institute for Media Studies’ Collection of Front Pages) so that they could be available for future student research. We also have numerous works of young adult fiction related to 9/11. And the public library offers several relevant documentary videos through the Kanopy platform. Two items on my own to-be-read list are The Only Plane in the Sky by Graff and The Day the World Came to Town by Defede (also commemorated in the musical Come From Away currently playing in Austin). Despite the sad subject, the passing of twenty-five years deserves a respectful remembrance.

Duty, Honor, Country & Life by William H. McRaven

DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY & LIFE by William H. McRaven (Sea Stories, Make Your Bed, and others) takes its title in part from a speech by General MacArthur. In fact, this new book is filled with speeches that McRaven himself has delivered over the last decade or two. In that sense, it harkens to a more hopeful time and lives up to its subtitle: “A Tribute to the American Spirit.” Examples of the texts that appear include a National Football Foundation Speech (2016), a New York Historical Society speech (2023), and commencement speeches from MIT (2020), UT Southwestern Medical School (2015), and University of Texas at Austin (2014) to name just a few. McRaven had an amazing 37-year career as a Navy SEAL followed by time as the Chancellor of the University of Texas. A patriotic and thoughtful person, he prefaces each speech with a brief commentary and has also included several pieces of his own poetry, plus some from his grandmother. Readers will readily see the values, including family, which are so important to him and those he feels define the country (“liberty, equality, self-government, individualism, the rule of law, and religious freedom”). 

Like McRaven’s other writings, this is an inspirational text – in fact, I was at a local Barnes & Noble yesterday where a customer was requesting it. PBS NewsHour also filmed a recent interview:

If your spirits need a lift, look for DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY & LIFE and other titles by McRaven.

The Black Wolf by Louise Penny

THE BLACK WOLF by Louise Penny is the latest in her series about Inspector Gamache and the Canadian village of Three Pines. This novel picks up where The Grey Wolf ended, with a terrorist plot foiled and the instigator jailed, but something does not seem right to Gamache and his trusted team of Jean-Guy Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste. Plot points involving immoral officials, climate change, and manipulation of social media make this title very relevant; so much so that Penny includes an introductory Author’s Note about how she finished the draft in September 2024 only to be surprised herself in January 2025 “when I started spotting headlines that could have been ripped right from the book.” THE BLACK WOLF received a starred review from Publishers Weekly who summarized this absolutely excellent book perfectly: “Penny’s talent for nail-biting suspense and quiet character moments fuse with surprisingly topical subject matter to deliver an unputdownable installment of an ever reliable series. Readers will cheer.” It will have you thinking …

She writes, “Three Pines is a state of mind. A place we carry with us always and live in when we see the chance for the clever, often cutting, remark, but choose kindness. When we are forgiving, as we sometimes need to be forgiven. When we choose decency, and acceptance. When we have integrity and the courage to stand up for what we know to be right. Even at some personal cost.”

The Flipside by Michelle Curran

THE FLIPSIDE by Michelle "MACE" Curran explains “How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear into Your Superpower.” As the publisher says, this former Air Force fighter pilot “channels her unique perspective into relatable storytelling to empower others to make bold choices and find their inner courage.” Curran describes her decision to become a pilot and discusses silencing one’s inner critic, noting that she “eventually saw that avoiding discomfort came at a higher cost than facing it head-on because it forces us back into our comfort zones, which stunts our growth and keeps us emotionally, spiritually, and personally small.” Another section looks at the differences between reacting and responding and her stories about relying on her training to land safely are memorable. Overall, Curran combines her personal experiences with research and the varied perspectives of others; slightly less than ten percent of the book is devoted to endnotes. While readers may not agree with all of her suggestions (e.g., the timeframes seem too short in one minute to pause, one hour to analyze; and one month to transform), THE FLIPSIDE will encourage readers to reflect on their habits and mindsets. This made me think of other related texts like Be Fearless by Case or Resilient by Hanson.

Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne

SNOW KISSED by best-selling author RaeAnne Thayne is a sweet romance filled with the spirit of the Christmas season. Hard-working proprietor of a flower shop, Holly(!) is a single Mom to five-year-old Lydia who has special needs. Shortly before the holidays she meets Ryan, a military helicopter pilot and brother to one of her employees. As they say, “sparks fly” and their mutual attraction grows quickly even though he will have to return to his base in San Diego. There’s drama with an ex-husband and extended family, but the real focus of the story is how Holly and Ryan come to care for and respect each other. This is a terrific holiday tale (set in small town Idaho so plenty of seasonal snow) and will certainly appeal to Thayne’s many fans as well as readers of authors like Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Fern Michaels, Nora Roberts, and Susan Wiggs.

Coded Justice by Stacey Abrams

CODED JUSTICE by Stacey Abrams is the third book in the mystery series featuring lawyer Avery Keene. Currently working as an internal investigator, Avery accepts a client whose innovative product (a computerized neural network with talking robots) utilizes artificial intelligence algorithms to provide patient care to veterans. Run by a dedicated ex-military scientist, Rafe Diaz, the company is about to execute an IPO, but another scientist/coding engineer has died recently. Was it some kind of malfunction in the air conditioning system (as the local police believe) or malicious intent? Avery and her team (Jared, the cyber security expert; Noah, a lawyer and financial analyst; and Ling, a doctor) have a limited time to discover the truth, especially as more deaths occur, increasingly pointing to danger for all. This thriller is complex with plenty of suspects. If the pace seems slow at times, that is balanced by being informative and thought-provoking about the ethical dilemmas associated with artificial intelligence. CODED JUSTICE received a starred review from Booklist (“The very real concerns with veteran health, privacy, and the chilling prospect of AI run amok will engage readers’ brains and souls.”)

Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen

MRS. ENDICOTT'S SPLENDID ADVENTURE is the latest historical fiction from Rhys Bowen (In Farleigh Field). She is a personal favorite and a prolific author of novels including The Constable Evans mysteries, The Royal Spyness series, and many featuring Molly Murphy in addition to several dealing with WWII and its impact.  This novel begins in 1938 in Surrey, England and moves fairly quickly to the South coast of France (near Marseille) throughout the war. After Mrs. Endicott’s husband seeks a divorce, she – and a group of “strays” – settle in a charming village whose inhabitants, including many fishermen, are largely self-sufficient. Gradually, Mrs. Endicott and her companions (an older woman with health problems, a kind-hearted cleaner fleeing spousal abuse, and a young, unmarried lass) build a community and start to thrive. Even in this remote area, the war years are predictably difficult, but most everyone (including other English ex-pats, a broad-minded priest, and the head of a nearby monastery), pull together. Mrs. Endicott learns to try new adventures, reflecting, “All my life I've been sensible and reasonable. I've done the right thing, tried to please everybody, but nobody ever tried to find out what I wanted.” Instead of giving into despair, she and the others grow and manage to find happiness. At one point, the abbot advocates prayer: “Why don't you start with three things you're blessed with, three things you're afraid of and finally three things you ask of him? And don't forget to listen, too.” An uplifting story in a beautiful setting. 

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater

THE LISTENERS is a mix of historical fiction, sprinkled with magic, and romance as well as being the adult debut from the best-selling young adult author Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver, The Raven Boys, All the Crooked Saints and many more). Set in the early 1940s during WWII, the focus is on a fictional West Virginian resort hotel called the Avallon (think The Greenbrier or The Homestead) where the extremely capable general manager is a young, local woman named June Hudson. Through compassion and understanding, she fosters the loyalty and affection of her staff and even many of the hotel guests: “June had long ago discovered that most people were bad listeners; they thought listening was synonymous with hearing. But the spoken was only half a conversation. True needs, wants, fears, and hopes hid not in the words that were said, but in the ones that weren't...” Friction ensues when FBI agents (Tucker Rye Minnick, Hugh Calloway, and Pony Harris) and State Department (Benjamin Pennybacker) representatives arrive because the hotel is ordered to provide lodging for an array of diplomats (German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese), their staff, and other foreign nationals (journalists, pilots) prior to their being repatriated. It is a big ask for locals, many of whom have relatives serving in the US military, but June facilitates the stay while also mourning the recently deceased hotel owner, navigating her own romantic feelings, and managing the magical waters associated with the hotel. THE LISTENERS, the Top Pick LibraryReads selection for June 2025, received a starred review from Booklist, Library Journal, and Kirkus (“A novel that will remind readers of why they fell in love with reading in the first place.”). In the author’s notes, Stiefvater suggests several other books to serve as “accessible starting points” about the background history. 

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Kelly

THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB by Martha Hall Kelly (Lilac Girls) was a popular topic at our book club last week – everyone who had read a preview copy was independently recommending it. The story takes place primarily in 1942 (with some modern- day chapters, too). Two sisters, Briar and Cadence (lovely names) and their brother Tom’s girlfriend Bess are trying to run the farm after Tom enlists with the Army Rangers. Meanwhile, Martha’s Vineyard is being used as a training base for amphibious landings so some romance with a soldier is sparked. Suspense develops, too, due to rumors of a local spy and the presence nearby of an enemy submarine. The young women are distinctive and strong characters; the story reads quickly – highly recommended. Praised by writers like Charmaine Wilkerson, Adriana Trigiani, and Kate Quinn, THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for May 2025. In her Author’s Note, Kelly explains that Cadence is based on her own mother who grew up on Martha's Vineyard and other characters echo friends and family. In addition, Kelly references Books in Action by Cole which recounts the introduction of Armed Services Editions of books for troops during WWII; interested readers should also look for When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill, another non-fiction account filled with fascinating information about censorship and the publishing industry at that time.  

Conquering Crisis by William McRaven

CONQUERING CRISIS by best-selling author and retired Admiral William McRaven (Sea Stories and Make Your Bed amongst others) is subtitled “Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them.”  McRaven once again shares insightful advice based largely on his varied military career where he says, “I learned early on what actions must be taken to resolve the crisis quickly and come out with one's professional and personal reputation intact.” In this new collection he describes what he sees as five phases of a crisis: assessment, reporting, containment, shaping the outcome, and managing. For example, his first lesson is “First Reports Are Always Wrong,” and he notes that in a chaotic crisis there frequently is early inaccurate or misleading information, using both the WWII Battle of the Bulge and a 1983 exercise near Chile to illustrate the point. Subsequent lessons include ideas like “Bad News Doesn't Get Better with Age” or “Weaponize the Truth.” In addition to the memorable examples (McRaven is a great storyteller), each chapter/lesson is summarized with a few key points. Publishers Weekly says, “leaders looking for an edge in high-pressure situations will find value here.” I concur.

Unit X by Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff

UNIT X by Raj M. Shah and Christopher Kirchhoff explores “How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War.” In the past, it was the Pentagon which often funded private experimentation with technologies like nuclear power, lasers, and even early versions of the internet. But in the early twenty-first century, military technology was far behind available options (think GPS, drone application, facial recognition, etc.).  Acknowledgement of this situation led to the establishment of Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, DIUx, formed in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California. Shah and Kirchhoff were two of the founders and hence provide an inside look at Unit X’s evolution. They chronicle the initial resistance from DoD as officials sought to protect relationships with traditional suppliers and appropriations from Congress. And then there was resistance within Silicon Valley, as when three thousand Google employees signed a letter arguing that the company “should not be in the business of war.” Readers will be fascinated by stories involving companies like Palantir, Anduril, Shield AI, Joby Aviation and venture capitalists as well as the authors’ insightful analysis of the culture clash between the military, clearly risk-adverse and bureaucratic, and tech innovators. The authors poignantly conclude: “the ultimate goal is not to win wars but to deter them. … Advocates of innovation must keep pressing despite the seemingly Sisyphean task of reform. Leadership must back them to the hilt.” An extensive Bibliography (about 15% of the book) and a helpful Index are included. Recent analyses of military tech “disruptors” and future trends are available online from sources such as RAND, McKinsey and Brookings.  UNIT X was longlisted for the Financial Times Best Book of the Year and reviewed further in publications like The Wall Street Journal and briefly in Foreign Affairs.

Troubled by Rob Henderson

Subtitled “A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class,” TROUBLED by Rob Henderson describes his experiences in foster care, the military, Yale and Cambridge. In some ways, this text is reminiscent of 2016’s Hillbilly Elegy as both chronicle childhood instability (life with drug addicts and abandonment by parents) followed by military stints and time at Yale (in fact, Vance “blurbed” this new book). Henderson is quietly reflective and focuses a great deal on what he labels as “luxury beliefs.” He writes at length about differences in experiences and perspectives, noting, for example, “in one of my classes at Yale, I learned that eighteen out of the twenty students were raised by both of their birth parents. That stunned me, because none of the kids I knew growing up was raised by both of their parents.” Later, he comments, “I grew to understand that there were aspects of social class that can't be quantified or put on a resume” and “part of integrating into this community meant having a cursory knowledge of the latest op-eds and fashionable news items.” Henderson himself has written an essay with excerpts (“Only the affluent can afford to learn strange vocabulary. Ordinary people have real problems to worry about”) from TROUBLED for The Wall Street Journal. Given Henderson’s frustration, anger, and bitterness at “elites” and hypocrisy, it would be interesting to compare and contrast his conclusions with the analysis and commentary on White Rural Rage recently published in The New York Times.

Cold Victory by Karl Marlantes

COLD VICTORY by Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn) begins in 1946 Helsinki where American Arnie Koski and his wife, Louise, have just been assigned to a US military-diplomatic (read: intelligence gathering) post. They meet Russian Mikhail and his wife, Natalya Bobrova, at a social gathering and the men realize they know each other from the European battlefield. Some friendly joshing turns into a decision to race each other on skis over five hundred kilometers and much of the book deals with that harrowing experience. In the meantime, the two wives, using their ability to communicate in French, develop a close friendship and work together to benefit a Finnish orphanage. Both strong women are tested in the post WWII environment. Of course, there is a pervasive sinister element due to the seemingly constant surveillance by the Soviet secret police. Lives are jeopardized in this well-written, action-packed adventure story.

Robots and the People Who Love them by Herold

ROBOTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM by Eve Herold is a new non-fiction text about “Holding on to Our Humanity in an Age of Social Robots.” Herold, an award-winning science writer and consultant, explores questions like “Could robots make us more emotionally intelligent?” and “Will robots be smarter than humans?” She includes numerous examples, particularly from Japan. In addition, Herold raises concerns about using robots as nannies or warriors, and she asks about possible impacts on human culture, commenting that “it doesn't take a particularly able robot to elicit projection or to bring out the very best and the worst in humanity.” Another informative quote: “The facial expressions showing six basic emotions -- anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise -- are understood more or less universally without a language translator ... and roboticists are programming these expressions into social robots.” Overall, the text seems to consist of many anecdotes and factoids strung together which is fine since concrete examples may effectively spark reflection and discussion, but ROBOTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM is less action oriented than expected. Chapter summaries could help provide a better overview of the argument Herold may be making. Also, while roughly twenty percent of the text is devoted to notes, the text could benefit from adding a list of relevant resources -- companies in this field, researchers in this field, and organizations that deal with each of the areas (e.g., childcare, military) concerned. This is an important topic which merits informed discussion and thoughtful regulation; as Herold references a study that “highlights what psychologists already recognize: interactive robots are not really about robots -- they're mostly about us and the complicated emotions we bring to the human-robot interaction.”  

Invisible Generals by Doug Melville

INVISIBLE GENERALS by Doug Melville is an amazing book that I first became aware of due to a feature on PBSNewsHour (see embedded video below). Melville is related to the first two Black generals in U.S. military history and he is clearly on a quest to honor them and recognize their contributions. So he should be. These men, Benjamin O. Davis and Benjamin O. Davis Jr., faced incredible pressures and unrelenting prejudice. Davis, Sr. had to enlist because, as a Black man, he could not get an appointment to West Point. His son was successful in that regard, but spent four years being ostracized; no one spoke to him or ate meals with him for the entire time. Their heroism and impact is readily apparent in the stories about their wartime service and subsequent contributions to plans for integrating the US military. Melville has created a very readable – yet astounding – recounting of family history and American history. Readers can sense his own pride and excitement in the video below: