This week, we feature a “hip” look at an American road trip through a famed highway and a story of grit and survival through the eyes of young homesteaders.

Nonfiction

‘The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition, Volume II: The Modern and Contemporary West’

By Allen C. Guelzo and James Hankins

Volume I of this set was the child of Hankins, whereas here, eminent historian and Princeton professor Guelzo covers the story of the West from the Renaissance to today. This sparkling tour of the past serves as both an excellent student textbook and a rich resource for the rest of us, focusing on topics like faith and freedom while time-traveling through the past 600 years. Like its counterpart, Volume II includes hundreds of photos and pictures, maps, and passages taken from original sources.

Encounter Books, 2026, 880 pages

Mystery

‘The Murder at World’s End’

By Ross Montgomery

Stephen Pike arrives at Tithe Hall mansion just in time for the near-Earth passing of Halley’s Comet. The year is 1910 and he has been fortuitously offered a job as a servant of the house. But something odd is taking place. Fear of the comet forces everyone to be sealed in their rooms until the following morning. When morning arrives, the master of the house lies murdered. How is this possible? Pike, joined by Miss Decima, an octogenarian member of the family, must solve the locked-room mystery.

William Morrow, 2026, 336 pages

Western

‘Llano Estacado’

By Max L. Knight

After his wife and unborn child are slain by the U.S. cavalry, Comanche leader White Knife raids West Texas white settlers to seek revenge. Rancher John Harker’s wife and children are slain in the raid. Grief-stricken, Harker sets out single-handedly to avenge their deaths. As he ventures over the traditional Comanche grounds—Llano Estacado—hunting his family’s killers, he discovers vengeance is sterile and redemption a better path. A story of hope, compassion, and healing.

Hill Country Press, 2025, 184 pages

American Culture

‘Hip to the Trip: A Culture History of Route 66’

By Peter B. Dedek

This book looks at the cultural impact of Route 66, from the 1920s to the present. Route 66 was one of the first national highways, giving everyone an automobile route from the Midwest to the Pacific. It was the great highway to the Southwest from 1945 through mid-1960s, but ultimately abandoned for safer interstates. It re-emerged in the 1990s as a symbol of the 20th Century. Dedek juxtaposes the historical reality of Route 66 with its legend—that of the adventure and novelty of the open road.

University of New Mexico Press, 2007, 179 pages

Classics

‘Young Pioneers’

By Rose Wilder Lane

Serialized in 1932 in The Saturday Evening Post, this novel by the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder features young newlyweds Molly and David, who take up homesteading on the prairie. All seems well until disaster forces David to seek work elsewhere. Left alone with their baby, Molly faces challenges testing her courage and resilience. Though recommended now for middle-schoolers, the book was intended for adult audiences as well. Great for fans of the “Little House” series and family read-alouds.

HarperCollins, 1998, 192 pages

For Kids

‘The Tiny Seed’

By Eric Carle

Featuring the familiar collage-art illustrations of the legendary Eric Carle, this colorful picture book takes the reader along the journey of a tiny seed—through different climates and seasons, depicting the various stages of its life cycle. An easy read and fun addition to a late winter or early spring nature study. Great for young kids.

Little Simon, 2009, 36 pages

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