Book Reviews

‘Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill’

We know the Winston Churchill of World War II, much of his political career and maybe even his personal life during those years. However, his early years have not been written about to a great extent. Now, Candace Millard has illuminated this time period with clarity in relating the exploits of Churchill during the Boer War. Prior to the war, Churchill had stood for Parliament but was defeated. When the Boer War began, he was already out of the army, but he soon made his way into the war as a correspondent. He was ready to fully participate but ended up being captured. The story of his escape is a mixture of luck and great daring, with substantial help provided by English miners remaining in the country. In a war lacking great stories, his escape and return to the battlefield created an indelible image in the mind of the English public. ♦

— Review by Harriet Leitch

‘Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics’

Did you know that Harriet Tubman was a Union spy-master? Have you heard of the Islamic pirate queen who ruled Morocco for 30 years? There was a female pope named Joan, too — bet you’ve never heard that one. History has hordes of wild, wicked and complicated men but shies away from the real stories of powerful women who broke every mold imaginable. We get sanitized versions of history — fairy tales as fact — but in truth, history is flooded with bad-ass, complicated women, not just pretty princesses. Jason Porath has skillfully filled this egregious gap with action-packed, smart and heroic tales worthy of any movie. Suitable for all ages, this huge, gorgeous book is the one you didn’t know you needed. Accompanied by beautiful, animation-style art, “Rejected Princesses” turns traditional princess stories into an homage to strong, fierce and even weird women — the warriors, queens, villains, spies, revolutionaries, scientists and many more who refused to behave and made history reel in the process. n

— Review by Julie Goodrich