The RRR is back with the new April edition! If you’re wondering, no, there are no April Fools pranks in here, but there are some books that I hope you’ll find interesting! I’ve compiled a list of my favorite books I read this month, and maybe you can check some of them out too! If this is your first time reading the Triple R, here’s a quick run down.
Similar to Gabe’s Reading List, the Triple R will list my favorite books I read during that month. The RRR will come out on the last day of the month, and Gabe’s will come out on the first day of the next month. That way, we have both reading lists on separate days.
The Robinson Reading Report is, for all intents and purposes, my version of Gabe’s Reading List. It will list my top picks that I read, along with the book cover and the Amazon link. And that’s about it. Just a quick head’s up, I don’t read a lot of novels or fiction, but mainly educational-related, facts/trivia, or nonfiction. Also, all books listed below were rated at least 4/5 by me, with one Six Star book at the end. With that, let’s get started with the April edition of the Robinson Reading Report!
Tools of War | The Vietnam Experience
The Vietnam War was one of the most remembered and controversial wars of the 20th century, and perhaps in all of history. I believe if we want to learn more about the war, we should start on what people used to fight in the war, and Tools of War displays fascinating information on just that. An informative yet not droning writing style, coupled with many high quality pictures, and history on the war itself shows off how good this book by the Vietnam Experience is. War is hell, and if we want to make it less harmful, we should turn to history’s examples, and Tools of War does just that.
Guns, Germs, and Steel | Jared Diamond
I, and probably many of you, have wondered why the Americas and their people were less technologically advanced than their European conquerors. There are many reasons, including farming, geography, and animals, but Diamond’s book is an easy-to-understand story explaining why the Americas were so easily conquered. The book starts with the author’s account of a New Guinean named Yali, asking him why his island was conquered by Europeans and not the other way around. With Diamond’s biological science background and engaging writing style, Guns, Germs, and Steel clearly answers all of our questions on a topic that truly changed the world.
Ask the Pilot | Patrick Smith
I’ve been on many planes throughout my life, and although the routine for all of them were mostly the same, I still enjoy the thrill of taking off and landing, and everything in between. But there’s a lot more that we don’t know about air travel, and Patrick Smith’s book chronicles all of the things we didn’t know about airplanes. With topics ranging from how planes fly, to the secrets of flight attendants and pilots, and accounts of air disasters in history, coupled with a very friendly tone by Smith, Ask the Pilot is the number one guide to the unknowns of flying.
Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things | Cy Tymony
Many everyday objects go unnoticed; a penny here, an old radio there, and so on. But did you know you can turn those everyday things into sneaky tools? That’s right, and Tymony’s short but great book explains how to do just that. Using items that we almost always have at home, Tymony shows us how to turn those things into radios, alarms, and detectors, among many other uses. With this book, we can all have fun combining and tweaking those everyday items into things we can use, well, everyday! Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things is a manual for the DIY-er in us all, and it shows us blueprints that can bring out our inner creativity.
What Einstein Didn’t Know | Robert L. Wolke
Einstein was a genius, there’s no doubt about that. But even in all of his intellectual might, he didn’t know everything, and with Wolke’s book, we can say we know stuff that Einstein didn’t know. With chapters on things in the garage, outside, and in the home, Wolke walks us through how different appliances, processes, and tools work, with humorous illustrations to accompany us. And with “Nitpicker’s Corner” snippets explaining topics more in depth and “Try this at home” sections with experiments we can try out ourselves, What Einstein Didn’t Know fulfills its title and lets us know about the intricacies we didn’t know.
History Makers | Minipedia
Try remembering every famous historical figure in history. Pretty hard right? Well History Makers makes it easy. Organized in alphabetical order, this book in the Minipedia series includes everyone from Aristotle to Xerxex, from Genghis Khan to George Washington. Each entry has a short summary of the person’s lives, with select spots in the book for really famous people who had a large impact in their field. With History Makers, we can learn about and appreciate the many people who lived on this earth who truly made history.
Life Skills | Nic Compton & Others
This book came close to being my Six Star Book, because it is very good. Life, although short, still has decades of opportunity for us, and we should make the most of it. Using the skills told in Life Skills will help us do just that. Including parts from health and fitness, to travel and sports, and some emergencies, this book is fun to read, and did I mention it has helpful illustrations? Life Skills covers topics that make us stronger, happier, and more energized, and I feel it’s a book we can all use.
*Six-Star Book*
Insider Secrets | Reader’s Digest
This is my Six-Star book because this book is chock-full of, well, insider secrets! We can all use a little insight into the workings of different services, businesses, and even people, and Insider Secrets has it all. It has topics on basically everything, including health, travel, and people! Reader’s Digest interviewed people who have insider knowledge on these topics, and they got them to spill their secrets for us! If you want to learn more about the unknown on a countless number of topics, Insider Secrets is the book for you!
The Congressional Report 