Libertarians on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rose Wilder Lane and the Making of the Little House Books by Christine Woodside, 259 pages

 Generations of children have fallen in love with the pioneer saga of the Ingalls family, of Pa and Ma, Laura and her sisters, and their loyal dog, Jack. Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books have taught millions of Americans about frontier life, giving inspiration to many and in the process becoming icons of our national identity. Yet few realize that this cherished bestselling series wandered far from the actual history of the Ingalls family and from what Laura herself understood to be central truths about pioneer life.

In this groundbreaking narrative of literary detection, Christine Woodside reveals for the first time the full extent of the collaboration between Laura and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Rose hated farming and fled the family homestead as an adolescent, eventually becoming a nationally prominent magazine writer, biographer of Herbert Hoover, and successful novelist, who shared the political values of Ayn Rand and became mentor to Roger Lea MacBride, the second Libertarian presidential candidate. Drawing on original manuscripts and letters, Woodside shows how Rose reshaped her mother's story into a series of heroic tales that rebutted the policies of the New Deal. Their secret collaboration would lead in time to their estrangement. A fascinating look at the relationship between two strong-willed women, Libertarians on the Prairie is also the deconstruction of an American myth.

Then They Came For Me by Matthew D. Hockenos, 322 pages

 "First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out-Because I was not a Communist . . . "

Few today recognize the name Martin Niemoeller, though many know his famous confession. In Then They Came for Me, Matthew Hockenos traces Niemoeller's evolution from a Nazi supporter to a determined opponent of Hitler, revealing him to be a more complicated figure than previously understood.

Born into a traditionalist Prussian family, Niemoeller welcomed Hitler's rise to power as an opportunity for national rebirth. Yet when the regime attempted to seize control of the Protestant Church, he helped lead the opposition and was soon arrested. After spending the war in concentration camps, Niemoeller emerged a controversial figure: to his supporters he was a modern Luther, while his critics, including President Harry Truman, saw him as an unrepentant nationalist.

A nuanced portrait of courage in the face of evil, Then They Came for Me puts the question to us today: What would I have done?

Cod by Mark Kurlansky, 294 pages

The history of cod fishing and it's impact on civilization. It push settlements, boundary lines and had a huge effect on history. This author does an outstanding job of bringing what seems to be a boring and obscure part of history alive.

Paper: Paging Through History by Mark Kulansky, 389 pages

I LOVE Mark Kurlansky and would read anything he wrote. I know I come across like a crazy person when I trying to tell them why a book about Salt, Paper or Cod would be interesting, but he truly makes the subjects fascinating. I have set a goal of reading all his books before the end of 2017. It was really interesting in learning not only about the history of paper but also printing.

Fortune's Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt by Arthur Vanderbilt II, 496 pages

A look at the rise and fall of the Vanderbilts. I've read a lot of historical fiction that featured the Vanderbilts and was interested in learning more about this family. The amount of money they went through is just impossible for me to wrap my head around.