BOOKSHELF: Exciting Books for Fall Reading

Compiled by Jamie H. Vaught

KySportsStyle.com Magazine

--Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America's Nicest Judge by Frank Caprio (BenBella Books, $26.95) brings to the page the same wisdom and spirit of decency that millions of fans have come to treasure. In his four-time Emmy-nominated show Caught in Providence, Judge Caprio’s courtroom became a worldwide beacon of compassionate justice—and an unforgettable watch for millions of fans. From 1985, when he first took the bench, to when he stepped down in 2023, Judge Caprio dispensed true compassion to a continuous flow of regular people in his municipal traffic court in Providence, Rhode Island. His courtroom was a place where defendants were treated with dignity, and where the deserving were given a break—not a pass or get-out-of-jail-free card, but the chance to right their lives and care for their families. Caprio’s memories will challenge readers to become somebody—to value their past and their family, to confront their realities, and to believe that, through respect, compassion, and understanding, they can succeed.

--1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Viking, $35) is an electrifying account about the most infamous stock market crash in history. With unparalleled access to historical records and newly uncovered documents, the author takes readers inside the chaos of the crash, behind the scenes of a raging battle between Wall Street and Washington and the larger-than-life characters whose ambition and naivete in an endless boom led to disaster. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, the 568-page hardcover unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse—one with ripple effects that still shape our society today.

--More Than a President: Sundays with Jimmy Carter by editor Andrew Greer (Mercer University Press, $30) offers a treasury of scriptural insight from a man whose Christian principles informed every aspect of his life, and the 315-page hardcover is filled with never-before-published collection of lessons from President Carter's historic teaching tenure.  Over the course of nearly four decades, thousands of folks from around the world made the pilgrimage to the rural town of Plains, Georgia, for a remarkable opportunity to glean enduring lessons from scripture taught by one of the world's most unlikely Sunday School teachers, President Carter. Through the open-door hospitality of Maranatha Baptist Church, the Plains congregation where Carter maintained a membership for his entire post-presidential life, "Jimmy Carter's Sunday School Class" welcomed crowds of curious folks from a vast variety of faiths, lifestyles, and cultural backgrounds on the search for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to witness a national treasure share his relevant insights from time-tested Scriptures. Also included are selected lessons taught at The First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., during Carter's four years in the Oval Office.

--When You Come at the King: Inside DOJ's Pursuit of the President, from Nixon to Trump by Elie Honig (Harper, $29.99) is a fascinating insider's account of the most important Justice Department investigations of the past 50 years, based on dozens of on-record interviews with firsthand participants. A Watergate prosecutor reveals she hid copies of key documents at home to guard against potential destruction of evidence by the president’s allies. A member of the Iran–Contra prosecution team explains why they made a shocking election-eve revelation. A defense lawyer for Donald Trump details his private meeting with Jack Smith just days before Trump was indicted. From Ken Starr’s investigation of Bill Clinton to modern cases involving Patrick Fitzgerald, Robert Mueller, Jack Smith, and more, the author, who has worked as a federal and state prosecutor for 14 years, charts how the Special Counsel system developed and evolved over time.

Now, with the future of Special Counsels in doubt, the 321-page hardcover addresses the most important question of all: Can the system evolve to better serve the call for justice?

I recently contacted the author for a couple of questions. Asked about the most surprising part of the book, Honig commented, "Many of the tactics we’ve seen in recent years -- from presidents and prosecutors alike -- are very similar to what similarly positioned folks were doing many years ago, dating back to Ulysses Grant. It’s really nothing new for prosecutors to go overboard, for presidents to circle the wagons to protect themselves, for both sides to attack the media. Nixon, Clinton, Trump and other modern presidents did not invent new playbooks; they built of what already existed."

Was the book difficult to write? "Well, every book is difficult in that they require so much work and care. That said, this one flowed so easily because I got so many first-person accounts from the actual participants -- prosecutors, defense lawyers, law enforcement agents, White House officials, defendants and targets," said the author, who is also CNN's senior legal analyst. "Once I got their stories, the book came together fluidly. Their stories are harrowing, inspiring, surprising, funny -- in a word, human."

--Inside the Reagan White House: A Front-Row Seat to Presidential Leadership with Lessons for Today by Frank Lavin (Post Hill Press, $30) contains personal stories, insight on the president, discussion of policy and historical events, and crazy, colorful anecdotes. The 308-page hardcover also includes a vivid take on the Reagan assassination attempt, Gorbachev and the Reykjavik summit, Ollie North and the Contras, , the 1988 Bush-Dukakis contest—and other critical moments of that era. In the Reagan Administration, the author served on the National Security Council and the White House staff.

--Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump's Return to Power by Alex Isenstadt (Grand Central Publishing, $30) is a fly-on-the-wall account of Donald Trump’s history-defying reelection campaign, illustrating how he overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges to return to the White House. The author takes readers deep into Mar-a-Lago, inside the courtroom, and aboard “Trump Force One” to show how Trump and his revamped team responded, overcame, and in some cases orchestrated each and every surreal moment in this one-of-a-kind presidential campaign. Based on extraordinary access and over 300 interviews, Isenstadt paints a unique and deeply revealing portrait of a man bent on returning to the White House at all costs – and who successfully portrayed himself as an avatar of vengeance for the millions of Americans who voted for him.

--History Matters by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster, $27) brings together thought-provoking essays by beloved historian David McCullough, some published here for the first time, written at different points over the course of his long career but all focused on the subject of his lifelong passion: the importance of history in understanding our present and future. McCullough highlights the importance of character in political leaders, with Harry Truman and George Washington serving as exemplars of American values like optimism and determination. He shares his early influences, from the books he cherished in his youth to the people who mentored him. Edited by McCullough’s daughter, Dorie McCullough Lawson, and his longtime researcher, Michael Hill, the 170-page hardcover is a tribute to a master historian and offers fresh insights into McCullough’s enduring interests and writing life. The book also features a foreword by Jon Meacham.

--Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith (Second Edition) by Robert Barron (Word on Fire, $29.95) brings the faith to life for a new generation in a style that is faithful to timeless truths while simultaneously speaking in the language of contemporary life. What is Catholicism? A two-thousand-year-old living tradition? A worldview? A way of life? A relationship? A mystery? In Catholicism, Bishop Barron examines all these questions and more, seeking to capture the body, heart, and mind of the Catholic faith. Starting from the essential foundation of Jesus Christ’s Incarnation, life, and teaching, the author moves through the defining elements of Catholicism—from sacraments, worship, and prayer, to Mary, the Apostles, and saints, to grace, salvation, heaven, and hell—using his distinct and dynamic grasp of art, literature, architecture, personal stories, Scripture, theology, philosophy, and history to present the Church to the world.

--Witness to Belief: Conversations on Faith and Meaning by Russell J. Levenson Jr. (Morehouse Publishing, $29.95) is an inspiring collection of powerful conversations on faith and meaning with 12 public figures who explore the impact of faith in their lives and their success. Through interviews with 12 remarkable people of various Christian faiths, the author explores different ways they come to faith and sustain it in their daily lives. The result is a collection of fascinating, moving, and unique stories, rarely shared with the public. For instance, former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice notes that she knelt down to pray every night when she worked in Washington, but often was so tired she fell asleep during prayer time. Each interview delves into the private, spiritual side of public figures and reveals that behind success and fame there is often a vibrant, personal faith in God that nourishes them.

--McNamara at War: A New History by William Taubman and Philip Taubman (W.W. Norton & Company, $39.99) is a revelatory portrait of Robert S. McNamara, informed by newly discovered diaries, letters, and interviews with those closest to him. McNamara was widely considered to be one of the most brilliant men of his generation. He was an invaluable ally of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson as U.S. secretary of defense, and he had a deeply moving relationship with Jackie Kennedy. But to the country, McNamara was the leading advocate for American escalation in Vietnam. He strongly advised Johnson to deploy hundreds of thousands of American ground troops, just weeks before concluding that the war was unwinnable, and for the next two and a half years, McNamara failed to urge Johnson to cut his losses and withdraw. The 498-page hardcover examines McNamara’s life of intense personal contradictions, following his childhood, his career as a young faculty member at Harvard Business School, and his World War II service, to his leadership of the Ford Motor Company and the World Bank. The authors had access to materials previously unavailable to McNamara biographers, including Jackie Kennedy’s warm letters to McNamara during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations and beyond; family correspondence dating back to McNamara’s service in World War II; and a secret diary maintained by McNamara’s top Vietnam policy aide.