Book Reviews "Killing Lincoln" and "Many Ways To Say I Love You"

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly

This book tells the details and workings of John Wilkes Booth and his manipulations behind the assassination of President Lincoln.  As a group we all agreed the book started a bit dry, with battle scenes and details that felt very text-book like.  As the book dives deeper into the mind and life of Booth, however, it picks up steam and intensity.

Booth was definitely motivated and definitely delusional, and the violence around this act, with the other murders planned to clean up the leadership of our nation, feel haunting at times.  While the writing may feel weak to some and at times be over simplified,  readers not familiar with the events around this assassination will most likely find this book is a great place to start that journey.

Out of our 9 members 2 did not finish the book.  A couple of readers would have rated it higher if the 'war chapters' had been better written, or skipped altogether, and one reader noted she loved the 'present tense' style of the book, as the format added to the intensity. Great photos add a touch of reality and put faces to the names you are reading about.

Book average by group 3 1/2 stars.

*Book is ideal for the reader who loves history but is short of being a history buff - may appeal to the YA student and teen crowd*



Many Ways To Say I Love You by Fred Rogers

This is a sweet little compilation of various quotes, poems, and song lyrics by Fred Rogers noted over the years.  This is part of a series, and they have been published since the death of Fred Rogers.  For readers who grew up watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood this book is a cozy little reminder of a gentler time, when TV was soothing and we all had a friend on TV. 

The quotes are thought provoking and insightful, however this isn't really a 'pick up and read cover to cover' type of book.  It is probably best enjoyed bits at a time, but also, for our group this was sort of a 'bonus read'.  We pick little side books every once in a while to add to what we are reading, and that is what this book was.  One of our former group members had mentioned she enjoyed reading this book as a mom and thought we might like it too. 

Personally, I enjoyed it, but I sort of wonder where a book like this fits in our world of reading today.  A lot of members didn't really have time to get to it, and because it isn't a driving story I do think this type of little book gets overlooked sometimes.  Here is our group breakdown:

5 of our 9 members finished the book

average rating 3 stars

*Book would great as a gift to new parents or grandparents*

Coming up : Book Store and dinner field trip - discussing Wolf Hall by Hilary Matel

Escape From Rwanda with John Bizimana

Our January book club was a special event that included dinner and a discussion with the author of Escape From Rwanda, John Bizimana. I knew it would be an interesting discussion when he walked in, surrounded by many friends, and quietly whispered to the girl next to him..."wow, this is so weird. They are all holding my book. " Yes, John...that's how we roll!

John's story (working title A Wayfaring Man tossed out by publishers) is one of adversity, but amazing hope. John was just a boy as his mother gathered up her children and a few precious belongings and trudged out of the genocide smitten land of Rwanda. The details of the story are what followed after. Living one life while dreaming of more. Struggling to find a place to fit in, struggling to find something to believe in. In spite of the horrific event from his childhood you could say he really just struggled with the same things we all do, and that is what makes his story so universal.

This little memoir style book is very inspirational. If a man can be as gentle, kind, and humble as John is after what he has seen, then can't we all be that way? We discussed the tragedy of Rwanda, the lands where he lived, the languages he speaks. We discussed his memories and our own feelings, and the little miracle it is that someone heard his story, encouraged him to share it, it crossed the desk of a publisher (without an agent attached to promote it) who also felt it was a story that needed to be told, and now it can be found on the shelf at the book store.

While John softly concludes "I'm not a writer" we all have to disagree. There are different types of writing, and different reasons to read. If someone can write a book that inspires you to have more hope, to dream a little bigger, and to remember to thank God for the miracles we sometimes call coincidence then I say you have earned the title.

If just one reader (like me) picks up his story and walks away determined to learn more about Rwanda and the reasons why something so maddening could happen, then you've done your job. In learning how something like this can happen we also learn some other critical information......how to keep it from happening again.

For this reason, I will be forever grateful I read this story- and met the life behind it.

you may also like to read another member's review at My Way. Click for more insight!