This week, we feature a military history of mostly-forgotten soldiers during World War II and a classic children’s story based on Greek myth.
Biography
‘Augustus: First Emperor of Rome’
By Adrian Goldsworthy
The 1st century B.C. was an era of chaos and violence in the Roman world. The adopted son of Julius Caesar, Augustus is made Caesar’s heir, and when the dictator is assassinated, war erupts again. This early period of Augustus’s life witnesses his rise to power, slowly but surely gaining the favor and backing of the Roman legions. His civil war against Mark Antony results in peace in the empire. Goldsworthy deftly traces the first emperor of Rome’s life of war, diplomacy, and finally peace.
Basic Books, 2026, 624 pages
Non-Fiction
‘We Have Ceased to See the Purpose’
By Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Edited by Solzhenitsyn’s son, Ignat, this 10-speech collection begins with his 1972 “Nobel Lecture” and ends with the transcript of a 1997 talk in post-Soviet Moscow. In his controversial and still pertinent 1978 Harvard Address are themes common to the other speeches: the modern bent toward materialism and secularism, the decline of faith, and the vital place of literature and the arts in resisting these trends. The editor’s introduction and notes for each speech deepen our appreciation of a prophetic writer.
University of Notre Dame Press, 2025, 228 pages
Military History
‘Bloody Skies: XV Fighter Command Against all Odds’
By Thomas McKelvey Cleaver
The XV Air Force—“Forgotten Fifteenth”—fought in the Mediterranean Theater. This book gives the history of the XV Air Force. Its focus is the XV Fighter Command. It follows the XV from its formation in the fall of 1943 through the end of the war in Europe and describes how the XV smashed Ploesti. Most of the book describes the fighters’ action, the P-38s of the 82nd Fighter Group, and the P-47s, and P-51s of the 332nd (the all-black Red Tails) and “Checkertail Clan” 325th Fighter Groups.
Osprey Publishing, 2026, 320 pages
Historical Fiction
‘Sailing Toward the Tempest’
By Kent M. Schwendy
When Lt. Joseph Duncan’s captain is struck down just before their frigate discovers a convoy of Revolutionary French ships, Duncan finds himself in command. He must decide whether to take on eight enemy ships single-handedly. His decision leads to promotion and command of the Royal Navy frigate Enchanté. Set in the West Indies in 1795, it’s a tale in the tradition of Forester’s Hornblower series or O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin books. It combines a rollicking adventure with historical accuracy.
Black Rose Writing, 2026, 391 pages
Classics
‘The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements’
By Eric Hoffer
After being mentioned in a press conference by President Eisenhower, this 1951 book became a bestseller and remains in print. It analyzes individual fanaticism and mass movements, religious and secular, and is as pertinent today as it was 75 years ago. Philosophical yet easily understood, Hoffer’s revelations on the political fanatic’s personality and how mass movements morph into totalitarianism leave the reader more attuned to the schemes and deceptions practiced by those seeking power.
Harper Perennial, 2002, 192 pages
For Kids
‘Andy and the Lion’
By James Daugherty
Young Andy heads to the library to find a book about lions. His fascination with lions grows and then, suddenly, he encounters a lion in real life. Daugherty’s energetic illustrations burst with good humor in this retelling of the ancient legend of “Androcles and the Lion” that has charmed children and parents since it was first published in the 1930s.
Puffin Books, 1989, 72 pages
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