In New York around the time of the Civil War, a divorce was particularly difficult to obtain. This fascinating account relates the true story of a prominent divorce trial exploring claims and counterclaims of adultery.

The situation for women, judged only by men, was terrifying. Custody of children was presumed to belong to fathers.

Faced with losing custody of her two daughters, Mary Strong fled with her younger daughter. Her husband sued for divorce.

This account is well written and the trial showcases the drama of the situation. It held my interest thoroughly and kept me reading.

Golden age Hollywood behind the scenes was just right for my early summer reading. I was caught up in this story of alliances and gossip in a sometimes struggling studio. Edie, the actor and purveyor of gossip is someone I enjoyed following. Women in a male-run world, hmmm, what could go wrong?

I love a good nonfiction story and David Grann delivers. Experience working onboard a British battleship without the deprivations and dangers. All this adventure, so many situations dire and confounding. It's a gripping fast read.

Imagine a family, a mother and three children, a few years after the dad died in a surfing accident, setting up a small motel in a quiet and scenic spot on Oahu. They had become accustomed to being downwardly mobile after the dad's business had become less profitable.

After a moderately paced beginning, a helpful guy appears. After having bought the motel property sight unseen, the mom is grateful for advice and volunteer help. It gets complicated and somewhat mysterious.

The pace picks up considerably in the later part of the story.

I enjoyed the sense of place as the story developed and was intrigued by the brave (maybe foolish?) experiment in reinvention. It is ultimately a big-hearted novel that works.

I was interested in this account of working through sadness and loneliness after a long marriage, though after reading more than half of the book, I decided that I wasn't ready for the last 100 or so pages. I think someone closer to her situation might find her research and consultations helpful. The mix of personal story and science was effective, but my interest waned.

The Splendid and the Vile covers one year, mid 1940 to 1941, during which German bombers were pummeling London and other British sites. The threat of invasion was continually present. Churchill was looking to the United States for help, but the US political situation made assistance questionable.

The book begins with some scene-setting, and would benefit from a reader's patience during the first 50 or so pages as the threat increases. I love a good nonfiction narrative, and this delivered. I'd recommend it to readers of history who appreciate a detailed account of the Churchill family under the toughest of circumstances. Thank you for the review copy.