Library Loot ~ a mixed bag of books

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (1964)

This is the only children's book I picked up this time.  Because the book was published when I was adult, I missed it as a child.  Thus, my need to learn about a girl another book blogger said is "ahead of her time."




The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria (2008)

The subtitle is "A History of the World through Islamic Eyes."  The dust jacket says that economic growth in countries such as China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Kenya, and others "is generating a new global landscape where power is shifting and wealth and innovation are bubbling up in unexpected places."



Hanna's Daughters by Marianne Fredrikkson (1994)

I read this a decade or so ago, back when it was fairly new.  I'm planning to re-read it as part of the Nordic reading challenge.  I remember it as a very good book.





Rabbi Paul by Bruce Chilton (2004)

The subtitle here is "An Intellectual Biography." After reading other books about Paul, such as The First Paul by Marcus Borg and Dom Crossan (2009) and The Mythmaker: Paul and the Invention of Christianity by Hyam Maccoby (1986), I'm interested in what Chilton can add.


The Secret History of the Mongol Queens by Jack Weatherford (2010)

The subtitle is "How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire." Now that I've finished my semester of teaching at Chattanooga State, I have time to finish this book, which I had to return half-read last spring because I was limited to seven days for new books. I posted an interesting teaser from this book.





Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary (2009)

We in the West share a common narrative of world history that bypasses an entire civilization.  The subtitle of this book is "A History of the World through Islamic Eyes."






Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida (2007)

This is another novel for the Nordic challenge.  On the day of her father's funeral, 28-year-old Clarissa discovers that he wasn't her biological father after all.





Independent People by Halldor Laxness (1946)

This novel about Iceland is for the Nordic reading challenge.  Laxness got the 1955 Nobel Prize in Literature because of this book.  I want to know more about Iceland.



The Bible with Sources Revealed by Richard Elliott Friedman (2003)

Subtitled "A New View into the Five Books of Moses," this book has (naturally) five parts: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I want to read this one along with The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman's Commentary on the Torah by Ellen Frankel (1996) that I've had for over a decade, still unread.


Library Loot is a weekly meme co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.  Claire has the Mister Linky this week, if you'd like to share a list of the loot you brought home.