Monday, August 4, 2014

Getting My History On



I recently had the chance to read and review Here is Where by Andrew Carroll. I am a huge history buff so this book was right up my alley. Here is Where is a delightful, most of the time, quick read about lost history. You follow Andrew as his crisscrosses across America to find the locations of our lost American history. 

I really enjoyed this book, like I said above, the majority of it was pretty easy quick read. Each chapter is a different location and story. I will admit that some of the stories didn't interest me so I passed a couple of chapters. I did love that the places he went, the locals knew the forgotten history and he was able to share it with the rest of the world. When he told stories of places close to my hometown, I squealed with delight, because I KNEW that story! I KNEW that history! 

I do think, however, that if you are not a history buff, you might not enjoy it as much. You will find some of the stories entertaining, but I think you really have to have a passion for history to get a lot of enjoyment out of the book. That being said, I stayed up for hours one night and powered through the book because I could not put it down. 

I felt as if Mr. Carroll was on my level. He didn't get too involved or over the top, trying to analyze the information. He was just there to tell the story. He didn't put any spin on it or make a political statement. He just wants to get the information to you and allow you to process it to meet your needs. The story of the Orphan Trains is a wonderful example of this. 

Here is Where is an excellent history book that is not too heavy or too opinionated. I like that. It allows me to form my own opinions. Although the book is a great source of information, it is not too technical to be boring, it is the absolute opposite. Definitely a great read! You should check it out! If you want more information about the author and what inspired the book, check out Andrew Carroll's website. 

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