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In the final years of the Cold War, the struggling Detroit Red Wings hockey team was desperate to find players that could help them turn their franchise around. At the time, some of the best players in the world were playing for a state-controlled team in the Soviet Union. Because these players could not leave their current team without facing prison time or other serious consequences, most NHL teams were not interested in them. The Red Wings, however, were determined to get Russian players for their team by whatever means necessary.

George Santayana an influential 20th century writer once wrote, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.  Kyle Harper in The Fate of Rome, the riveting story of the decline and fall of Rome reveals a lesson fo

If you have read and enjoyed John Grisham’s first novel A Time to Kill, I believe you will enjoy Sycamore Row as well.

Like many others, I enjoy reading some of the latest titles from prolific author John Grisham. During this time of quarantine, I thought I would go back and start with the book that launched his writing career, A Time to Kill.

Not only does the Parks and Recreation and Saturday Night Live

In The Unhoneymooners, perpetually unlucky Olive Torres somehow manages to be one of the only two people at her twin sister Ami’s wedding who does not come down with violent food poisoning, the other being Ethan Thomas, brother of the groom and Olive’s personal nemesis. The honeymoon—an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii that Ami won in a contest—can’t be rescheduled, so the newlyweds urge Olive and Ethan to go in their place.

How does one achieve great success? Is it genius, talent or luck? Author Angela Duckworth contends that the magic, many times, is in grit.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is written in letter form, which, admittedly, was a little confusing at first, but once I had a firm grasp of the main characters, I was hooked. The story takes place right after World War II. The letters span from January to September 1946. The characters reside in the UK (mostly London) and St. Peter Port. St. Peter Port is part of Guernsey, a Channel Island, located in the English Channel between the UK and France.

What I’m reading: The Secret Lives of Color, by Kassia St. Clair. This is the perfect book for me right now, especially as I’m cutting it with a chaser of a wonderful historical novel, A God In Ruins, by Kate Atkinson.

Rookie Move is the first in a series of romance novels centering on the Brooklyn Bruisers, a fictional NHL team. The central couple of the book, Leo Trevi and Georgia Worthington, were high school sweethearts. Six years after their painful breakup, Leo has just signed a contract to play for the Bruisers when he discovers that not only is Georgia the team’s publicist, but Georgia’s father—who can’t stand him—is the new head coach.

The Poison Squad tells the story of Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, head chemist of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 30 years beginning in the late 1880s, who was instrumental in the passing of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act. Not only an account of Wiley’s career, this book also describes in detail the horrifying food industry practices that led to the need for national regulations.

Ayesha At Last is a Pride-and-Prejudice-inspired romantic comedy set in Toronto’s Muslim community. Ayesha, a high school teacher and aspiring poet, believes in marrying for love—in stark contrast to her younger, prettier cousin, who enjoys the attention she gets from the suitors her family arranges for her. When Ayesha meets Khalid, they clash instantly: she thinks he’s too rigid and conservative, and he thinks she is not traditional enough.