My 2014 Reading List

Here's my 2014 reading list. It's a mix of fiction and non-fiction, history, science, and thrillers.  The list is more than 8000 pages. It's the most pages I've read in a single year since college. Many of the books were for fun, but most were research for my next novel.

My favorite was Dark Invasion, a history of German covert operations in the United States during World War I.  This book got me wondering about other foreign covert operations in the United States.  Hmm.  Might be a thriller in there somewhere.

Atomic Accidents was the most scary in its detailing of the countless nuclear accidents and potential disasters. Many were kept secret for decades and several resulted in numerous deaths.

The most fun was Inferno, Dan Brown's latest Robert Langdon thriller. 

What was your favorite book this past year?  Looking for a good couple reads in 2015? Make sure to check out my National Park thrillers.

Inferno

Dance with Dragons

Counter Strike

Physics for Future Presidents Locked On Death Ride Hitler vs. Stalin American Creation The Columbus Affair The Burning Shore Operation Paperclip Gettysburg: the Last Invasion Dark Invasion American Panic Atomic Accidents The Watchers Legacy of Ashes Shadow Factory

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

Writing Fiction? Doing things we can't do in reality

May 21, 2013: One of the fun things about fiction, is writing about things and events we are unlikely to do in reality.  For example in Unleashing Colter's Hell, I created a president and his administration.  In the novel, John Paine is the President of the United States.  He is required to deal with foreign and domestic terrorist threats, a possible volcanic eruption, and the pending death of his best friend and Vice President.  It's all in the life of a commander in chief.  One of the ways I attempt to make President Paine more real to the readers is to give him a history and hint of the values that guide his decisions.

Tradition holds that presidents decorate the cabinet room with four portraits of their favorite presidents from the national gallery of art.  Which portrait the president chooses to hang gives some indication of what values and leadership style his plans to emulate.

In Unleashing Colter's Hell, President Paine chose the portraits of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, and Clinton.  Paine appreciates Lincoln's laser like focus on saving the Union, Roosevelt's attention to the future, Truman's remaining humble and an "every man" even while the White House, and Clinton's deft political skill.

Who would you pick for your cabinet room?