Fall Quick Takes

The War of the Roses – The Fall of the Plantagnets and the Rise of the Tudors– Dan Jones (Viking Books)

Old-school storytelling that posits a terrible blood feud, great heroes, sadistic villains, mixed with a heavy dose of bloody carnage and single battles that leave astounding body counts; the latest from Game of Thrones author George R R Martin? No…it’s history! At least as history is penned by British historian and I would certainly declare, STORYTELLER, Dan Jones.

If the mere thought of reading history sends chills up your spine, and I don’t mean the good kind, then might I recommend The War of the Roses – The Fall of the Plantagnets and the Rise of the Tudors. Jones uses a masterful touch and really makes history sing with not only a great tale, but a real flair for keeping a page-turning pace, something not regularly associated with the form.

Dr. Mutter’s Marvels – A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine– Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (Gotham Books)

It seems almost amazing that there was a point at which medical practitioners didn’t believe in hand washing, sterilizing surgical instruments and performed surgical procedures without the benefit of anesthesia! It is against that backdrop that author Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz pens the story of Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter, a talented, innovative surgeon who was literally on the cutting edge of the evolution of modern medicine.

 

In Dr. Mutter’s Marvels – A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine, Aptowicz details not only the interesting dynamics that were at play, as Mutter tried to spur change in the medical field and the often virulent backlash that he faced from his fellow practitioners. interestingly Aptowicz, a poet by trade, delves into a bit of poetic license to set the scenes in which Mutter brings innovation to the front lines of medicine in the form of direct patient care.

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up – Life-Changing Lessons From Heaven - Theresa Caputo (Atria Books)

Theresa Caputo, the so-called Long Island Medium, from the TLC cable TV show of the same name, is out with her second book where she collects some of her “experiences” communicating with the spirit world and what she labels “lessons” that she has learned and tries to impart to the family members she “helps.” While I don’t necessarily buy what Caputo is selling in You Can’t Make This Stuff Up – Life-Changing Lessons From Heaven, there clearly is a group of folks who buy into it hook, line and sinker; my attitude is whatever floats your boat.

 

Unlike many other who work this vein, Caputo does two things that are different; one- she shows a clear sense of humor that make her seem more human and not full of herself and her “special gift” and two she does seem to display a clear sense of spirituality. While some may dub her a charlatan or a fraud, I think that if people gain a sense of peace from there interactions with her, more power to them.