Books Read in 2018

It was another year spent reading a wide variety of books.  The books read span non-fiction history to political thrillers.  Once again, there were several thousand pages read, most on recent current events, but also hundreds of pages on the scientific evidence for how life started on earth and where life might exist in the Universe.  Also, a few hundreds pages spent on bubblegum political thrillers and adventure.  

Most memorable of the bunch is likely Shelby Foote's Civil War narrative Vol. 1.  It is the first volume of a three part history of the American Civil War.  Starting prior to the south's secession and concluding near the end of 1862, this first volume weaves an engaging story of the major events and players of America's bloodiest conflict.  Written in 1958, the narrative is told primarily however, from the south's point of view and paints a largely favorable view of the Southern cause.  Much additional scholarship has been done since this book was written providing a more balanced view of the war's main cause and a more complete sketch of its main actors.

Origin
Undeniable
Life in the Universe
Influence
Fire and Fury
Russian Roulette
Higher Loyalty 
The President is Missing
The Civil War: A Narrative Vol. 1 : Fort Sumter to Perryville
Indiana Jones and the Philosopher's Stone

What was your favorite read of 2018?  Let us know in the comment section.


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Sean Smith is an award winning conservationist and author. He is a former National Park Ranger at Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Cascades. He is a TEDx speaker, and private pilot. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1989 with a degree in Political Science. He got his master's in Natural Resources Management from Central Washington University in 1996. He currently runs Washington State's efforts to reduce and eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products and serves as the Mayor Pro Tem of Covington.

He has been writing stories and books since he was a child and currently writes national park thrillers from the shadow of Mount Rainier.

All his novels can be found here: Mr. Sean D Smith

Books Read for 2017

Since 2003, I've read more than 200 books totaling a little more 50,000 pages. This year I read ten
titles totaling more than 3500 pages. The majority of the titles were non-fiction focusing on world and US history.  One was on the 2016 presidential election, another on arson forensics, a third on how to write a murder mystery, a handful on the civil war, and the last a bubblegum spy thriller.

These books covered diverse subjects, yet there were a couple common themes throughout them: conflict, warfare, science, and politics.  Most notably, whether its ancient Rome or modern south east Asia, human's political ambitions come in contact with others.  But despite the passage of two millennium humans have progressed toward resolving problems without open warfare.  

Here's the 2017 book list.

The Decline and Fall of Rome

Rebel Yell

Arson

How to write a damn good Mystery

Asia's Cauldron

Last Full Measure

Terrible Swift Sword

Shattered

Sherman's March

Point of Contact

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Sean Smith is an award winning conservationist and author. He is a former National Park Ranger at Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Cascades. He is a TEDx speaker, and private pilot. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1989 with a degree in Political Science. He got his master's in Natural Resources Management from Central Washington University in 1996. He currently runs Washington State's efforts to reduce and eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products and serves as the Mayor Pro Tem of Covington.

He has been writing stories and books since he was a child and currently writes national park thrillers from the shadow of Mount Rainier.

All his novels can be found here: Mr. Sean D Smith

Park Thrillers Make Great Gifts!

The Holidays are just around the corner and if you are looking for a gift for that park lover who enjoys political thrillers, we have just the novels for you.

Unleashing Colter's Hell is the best selling debut thriller from award winning author Sean Smith. Set in Yellowstone National Park, the story is a fast-paced adventure with Park Ranger Grayson Cole at its center. The sweeping story spans the globe from North Korea to the Wyoming wilderness. It's hair raising action and twists and turns will leave you on the edge of your seat guessing up until the end.

Lost Cause is the critically acclaimed follow up to Unleashing Colter's Hell.  Reader's Favorites gives it five stars and calls it exciting. The novel starts in 1862 at the height of the Civil War. It moves to modern times in a chase for a war relic believed to hold the power to start the second Civil War.  Once again, Ranger Cole is at the center of the action, trying to stop a terrorist group hell bent on tearing the nation apart.

Both Unleashing Colter's Hell and Lost Cause are available from Amazon. Kindle downloads are still only $0.99, while holiday prices for paperback versions of the thrillers range from $9 to $13. Check Amazon for actual prices.

To get your copies of these best selling novels, please click here.

Happy Holidays!

Great Earth Day Reads

April 18, 2014: Earth Day is nearly here. And in honor of the day that celebrates our home planet, I thought I'd list some of my favorite conservation and environmental books.  Here's my list:

1. Encounters with an Archdruid
This is the story of David Brower and the book that set me on my career toward conservation.

2. Crossing the Next Meridian
A great primer on the major federal agencies responsible for managing our public lands, as well as, some of the issues and challenges facing the public servants who steward our natural wonders.

3. Mountains without Handrails
Essay on the importance of having places that remain wild and "risky."

4. The Lorax
Story that lays out the importance of conservation, recycling, and thinking of the next generation.

5. Guns, Germs, and Steel
Essay on the sometimes little things like geography that can make a society thrive or wither.

6. Theodore Rex
Biography of Teddy Roosevelt which lays out some of the political forces that shaped his conservation legacy.

7. The Magic of Reality
Book by Richard Dawkins on the "magic" that can be found by using the scientific principle when searching for truth.

8. A Sand County Almanac
Classic Aldo Leopold book on the development of a relationship with the land which could be the most important relationship for our long term survival.

9. The Cat in the Hat comes Back
Not normally thought of as a conservation book, but a telling story about the importance of not polluting and the difficulty in cleaning environmental spills.

10.  Unleashing Colter's Hell
Thriller about the potential catastrophic impact of a Yellowstone eruption. 

What's on your list of great Earth Day reads?

My 2013 Reading List

December 31, 2013: At the end of the year, I like to look back at the books I've read over the past 365 days. Here is my list. There are some really great reads, others not so much. Although, I didn't set out the year to read a broad spectrum of works, 2013 turned out to have a great mix of fiction and non-fiction, thrillers, science, history, and fantasy.  Every one of the books made me think, which I believe is the ultimate goal of every author.

What does your list look like?

1. The Lost Bank
2. The Inner Circle
3. The Magic of Reality
4. Pearl Harbor: FDR Leads the Nation to War
5. Feast of Crows
6. Why the North Won the War
7. Area 51
8. The Story of Medieval England, from King Arthur to the Tudor Conquest
9. Dance with Dragons
10. Inferno

Books to take outdoors

May 24, 2013: It's the Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer.  Many people will be heading to the woods, the beach, or the lake for the holiday. I too have spent many a memorial day relaxing in the great outdoors.  One thing that makes this time so wonderful is the opportunity to read a great book.

If headed to the National Parks this weekend, may I suggest you take a copy of Unleashing Colter's Hell with you?  It's a fun, roller coaster ride of the thriller.  A great escape from the real world. 

Here is a short list of other great outdoor reads.

Encounters with the Archdruid
Three vignettes on David Brower, the father of the modern environmental movement.  Great sketches of the passion and skill David Brower brought to the environmental movement.

Illusions
Novel that investigates what we call reality is merely an illusion we create for learning and enjoyment.
 
Angels and Demons
Dan Brown’s best Robert Langdon novel.

Undaunted Courage
Comprehensive review of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Gives one appreciation for the ultimate camping trip.

What books are you reading this memorial day?