The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England

Dan Jones. A novelistic historical account of the bloodline that "stamped their mark forever on the English imagination." With a bit of background on the civil war between Stephen and Matilda that first gained the throne for Henry, Jones splits his tale in two at the usurpation of Richard II in 1399 by his first cousin Henry IV. This structure will whet readers' appetites for the second volume, which will cover the War of the Roses, the princes in the Tower and Richard III. Historians may question a few dates and events, but for enjoyable historical narratives, this book is a real winner.--Kirkus

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The War Below: The Story of Three Submarines That Battled Japan

James Scott. Using voluminous official records plus interviews and an amazing number of unpublished diaries and letters, Scott delivers a gripping, almost day-by-day account of the actions of three submarines, Silversides, Tang and Drum, from Pearl Harbor to VE Day. Nazi U-boats get the publicity, but America's submarines were more effective, sinking so many Japanese vessels that by the end of World War II, civilians were starving and factories barely functioning. Military buffs will lap it up, but general readers may find it difficult to resist the tension, drama and fireworks of this underappreciated but dazzlingly destructive American weapon of WWII.

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Above the Din of War: Afghans Speak about Their Lives, Their Country, and Their Future-And Why America Should Listen

Peter Eichstaedt. Veteran journalist Eichstaedt delivers from Afghanistan a dismal report on that country's continued disintegration and decline and the failure of U.S. efforts to prevent it. When U.S. and coalition forces entered Afghanistan in 2001 and defeated the brutal Taliban regime, hopes ran high for peace and prosperity. Neither, reports the author, has occurred. Rather, Afghanistan remains a country "crumbling at the edges and collapsing at its core." Heartbreaking and spellbinding dispatches from a country descending into madness.--Kirkus

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The Civil War in 50 Objects

Harold Holzer. This excellent collection of 50 Civil War artifacts is accompanied by beautifully written and incisive essays by acclaimed historian Holzer. Timed for publication to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the book's 50 artifacts have been well selected in an effort to emphasize the personal, human aspects of the conflict. For both Civil War buffs and general readers, this collection should be a treasure.--Booklist

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