We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter

I found this book in a list of books to read now in the January issue of Oprah Magazine.  I wasn't expecting much, but didn't have any fiction to read, so I ordered a copy from the library and was instantly drawn in.  I loved the characters and the story.  I liked the way the author created very interesting characters and placed them in a historical setting and made it come alive. 

The story begins in Germany after WWI with a Jewish family.  We follow along as the family struggles with the changes in their country and as the son, emigrates to America.  It shows us what German, Jewish, and Irish immigrants had to deal with and how hard it was to start over in a new country.  A good lesson now when a lot of political talk seems to be exclusionary.  The title says it all "We were Strangers Once."

A well-written, very interesting story with a good reminder that most all of us are descended from people like the main characters in this book.  A good lesson to keep in mind today!

The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton by Jane Smiley

My daughter goes to school at the University of Kansas where the mascot is the Jayhawk.  In Lawrence there are also a lot of things named with "Free State" at the beginning and I, at first, didn't think much about it, but slowly I began to realize what a significant history Kansas has regarding slavery.  I also love Oprah--I subscribe to her magazine and page to the books section as soon as it arrives in the mail.  Well, in one issue, I read about The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton, which instantly intrigued me.  A book that would maybe explain what happened in Kansas, I immediately put it on my to-read list.  It took me a while to decide to order it and then a while longer to decide to begin reading it and a while longer to actually read it (I took a break for several months), but have finally finished it! 

I think the cover and title are misleading--I would have never picked it up without reading about it in Oprah.  It makes me think of some stuffy Victorian novel about a rich woman traveling and that is not what the book is about. 

I truly enjoyed the story!  That is not to say that I didn't become bogged down and have to take a break from time to time.  The author's writing style does not make one want to stay up all night reading, but what a rich story!  I learned things I didn't know about the Kansas-Missouri border war, it's roll in Kansas being a free state, and the subsequent civil war.  The book, told from the point of view of Lidie Newton, takes us from Quincy, Illinois to Lawrence, Kansas and back during the turbulent times of 1855, a time when Kansas was still a territory. 

A great book!  Anyone interested in Kansas history and the civil war should definitely read this book.  Told from the point of view of someone there experiencing it brought the events to reality in a much better way than if just reading about it in a dry non-fiction book. 

Stealing Lincoln's Body

by Thomas J. Craughwall

This is an interesting little book, full of Illinois history.  The author starts with counterfeiting and ends up explaining a bizarre attempt to seal Lincoln's body.  I learned a lot of local history that I did not know.