March 10, 2020 by Philip Lewenstein

My 2019 Books Informed and Entertained

In 2019, I continued to be informed and entertained by several good books. I gained increased knowledge of history by reading about the courageous pioneers who settled the Northwest Territory, the brave participants in the American War of Independence, and the victims and perpetrators of violence in the bitter war in Northern Ireland.

I learned about the value of generalists over specialists, the inside story of alleged sexual harassment and abuse by prominent public figures, and changing definitions and perceptions of news in the digital age.

My favorite sports book was the inspiring story of a running coach who discovered how his athletes could run farther faster—to the edge.

I enjoyed reading about three Minnesota celebrities: the football coach who led the Gophers to two Rose Bowls and a national championship, a black woman from Texas who became a leading civil- rights activist and educator in Minnesota, and a University of Minnesota professor who participated in many state political events.

I gained insight into key higher education issues, including the college dropout scandal, the disparities in awarding diplomas, the varying effects of the college-admissions process on different categories of students, and the impact of indebtedness on middle-class families.

Following is a list of books I read in 2019:

GENERAL NONFICTION

The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough (2019)—story of the settling of the Northwest Territory (wilderness empire northwest of the Ohio River containing future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin) in 1788 by pioneers who overcame incredible hardships (floods, fires, bears) to build a community based on ideals (freedom of religion, free universal education, and prohibition of slavery) that would come to define our country.  

The Fall of Richard Nixon: A Reporter Remembers by Tom Brokaw (2019)—an accounting of the downfall of President Richard Nixon in August 1974 from the perspective of a young NBC White House correspondent.

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein (2019)—analysis of research showing that in most fields, especially those that are complex and unpredictable, generalists, not specialists, are more prepared to succeed.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Redden Keefe (2019)—narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions as context for bitter conflict in the country.

The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (the Revolution Trilogy) by Rick Atkinson (2019)—detailed and graphic accounting of the first 21 months of America’s War for Independence, from battles at Lexington and Concord to those at Trenton and Princeton, with both American and British perspectives.

She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey (2019)—story of New York Times reporters’ investigation of alleged sexual harassment and abuse by Harvey Weinstein as well as inside story of allegations against Brett Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford.

Fascism: A Warning by Madelene Albright  (2018)—a personal examination by a former secretary of state of fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy affects today’s world as a threat to democracy.

Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts by Jill Abramson (2019)—report by former New York Times executive editor on disruption of news media over the last decade as shown via two legacy (New York Times, Washington Post) and two upstart (BuzzFeed and VICE) companies, highlighting precarious state of news business in the digital age.

The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America by Margaret O’Mara (2019)—behind-the-scenes story of people who shaped Silicon Valley and shaped Big Tech in America from the forties to the present.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo (2019)—exploration of desire, heartbreak, and infatuation in human sexuality based on experiences of three women.

The Last Stone: A Masterpiece of Criminal Investigation by Mark Bowden (2019)—a recounting of a criminal investigation by a reporter who covered the early weeks of a 1975 disappearance of 10-and 12-year-old sisters at a suburban Washington, D.C., shopping mall and new discoveries in the case in 2013.

SPORTS

The Sixth Man: A Memoir by Andre Iguodola with Carvell Wallace (2019)—personal story of the sixth man of the Golden State Warriors, known off the court for his successful tech, philanthropy, and conversations about race in America.

Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, With Baseball on the Brink by Kevin Cook (2019)—dramatic story of the May 17, 1979, slugfest between the underdog Chicago Cubs and first-place Phillies: the teams combined for 13 runs in the first inning in what was to be the highest-scoring game of the century; focus is on human stories behind the game.

Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed by Matthew Futterman (2019)—inspiring story of Bob Larsen, who fell in love with running as a young farm boy in central Minnesota before moving to southern California where, after running in high school and college, became a successful coach focused on discovering how to run farther faster.

Overtime: Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines at the Crossroads of College Football by John U. Bacon (2019)—a look at the inner workings of Michigan football in the Harbaugh era based on the author’s access to the team: coaches, players, and staffers in closed-door meetings, locker rooms, meals, and classes during the 2018 season.

The Autumn Warrior: Murray Warmath: 65 Years in American Football by Mike Wilkinson (1992)—in-depth look at Warmath’s years as player and coach, with emphasis on his University of Minnesota tenure, including two Rose Bowls and the 1960 national championship; each game of his career is chronicled.

The Cost of These Dreams: Sports Stories and Other Serious Business by Wright Thompson (2019)—collection of his stories about some of the great sports figures, including Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Pat Riley, Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, and many others.

LOCAL

Hope in the Struggle by Josie Johnson (2019)—story of how a black woman from Texas became one of the most well-known civil-rights activists in Minnesota; describes seven decades of fighting for fairness in voting, housing, education, and employment; served in the University of Minnesota administration and was the first African American to serve on the Board of Regents.

Professor Berman: The Last Lecture of Minnesota’s Greatest Public Historian by Hy Berman with Jay Weiner ( 2019)—life story of noted political observer and labor historian for many decades, popular lecturer, University of Minnesota professor and regular guest on Almanac public TV show; includes close-up view of Minnesota history and Berman’s role in it via his close relationships with leading state politicians such as Governor Rudy Perpich and Vice President Hubert Humphrey.

FICTION

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2018)—coming-of-age-story and tale of possible murder by so-called Marsh Girl, Kya Clark, in quiet town on North Carolina coast.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (2019)—story of two boys sentenced to hellish reform school, Nickel Academy) in Jim-Crow era Florida.

The Guardians by John Grisham (2019)—story of small nonprofit, led by Cullen Post, that travels the country fighting wrongful convictions and taking on clients forgotten by the system.

Summer of ’69 by Elin Hildebrand (2018)—historical novel focusing on four siblings who experience drama, intrigue, and upheaval in Nantucket in one of the most tumultuous summers of the twentieth century.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The B.A. Breakthrough: How Ending Diploma Disparities Can Change the Face of America by Richard Whitmire and David R. Porterfield (2019)—description of places across America where breakthrough in diploma disparities for the poorest students is occurring, from innovative K-12 schools (many public charters) to where data-driven college counseling is the new standard, to elite colleges like UCLA where once disparaged community college transfers are accepted by the thousands to creative nonprofits like the College Advising Corps.

The College Dropout Scandal by David Kirp (2019)—analysis of problem in which four of ten students (especially black, Latino, poor, first in family to attend) who start college drop out and overview of the tools available to boost graduation rates and shrink the achievement gap—based on reporting of campus leaders, faculty, students, and research to identify institutional reforms.

The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks Us by Paul Tough (2019)—stories of students trying to find ways through the college application process; based on new research on how the higher-education landscape has shifted in recent decades and exposure of hidden truths of how the system works and for whom.

Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy by Tressie McMillan Cottom (2017)—a comprehensive view of the fast-growing for-profit college industry and how it is part of the growing inequality plaguing the country.

Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost by Caitlin Zaloom (2019)—report of author’s visits into homes of middle-class families throughout the nation to show hidden consequences of student debt and ways that financing college has transformed family life.