My Top Ten Books #5

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews.

The next book on my list is written by Gary Paulsen. The Legend of Bass Reeves.

This book is set in the mid 19^th century. Bass Reeves, the main character, is just a boy of ten. He is one of three slaves on “the mister's” ranch, Mammy, Flowers, who doesn't talk, and Bass. At this time in history the Comanches are the feared tribe of Indians. And one day as Bass is out hunting he hears hoofs patting on the ground. They come nearer and nearer until the horse, no eight horses, It's a Comanche party! Bass tries to find a quick hiding spot but only manages to crouch down into some tall grass. As you probably guessed already Bass is really scared at this point. But he is also a little curious. The leader of the party starts to scan the area and when he looks in Bass's direction, Bass almost pees in his pants with fear. But to Bass's surprise, the Indians just start on the trail again. Bass is saved! Then it hits him. This could be an Indian raiding party! He quickly stands and runs home to tell everyone that there could be an Indian raid coming! What will happen? Will the Comanches raid the mister's ranch? If so what will happen to everyone there?

This book is full of adventure and classic western stories. It is one of the best Historical Fiction books I have ever read. So if you like nail biting westerns, Historical Fiction, or just a good book. This is the book for you! The only complaint I have about this book is that there are unneeded swear words through out the book. So probably not the best book for children.

If you do want to read this book, here is the link,https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Bass-Reeves-Gary-Paulsen/dp/0553494295

My Top Ten Books: #6

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews. I will post every two days.

The next book on my list is a series of four books written by Lemony Snicket. 

All the Wrong Questions.

When you hear the name Lemony Snicket you probably think of his first series, 

A Series of Unfortunate Events. That is his more popular series. While I haven't been “fortunate” enough to read that series, I have read his latest series. All the Wrong Questions.

It starts in a big city at a train station. Lemony Snicket, the main character, (yes the author used his own name for the main character) is with his parents and he receives a note. He opens it and it tells him to meet up in an alley. He finds the alley and his new chauffeur (he works for a sort of investigation group). She tells him that they will be driving to a small town called Stain'd by the Sea. She also tells him her name, Theodora S. Markson. And as any good 13 year old would, he asks what the S stands for and she gives him a sly answer. Of course not telling him what it really means. This becomes an ongoing “joke” throughout the whole series.

So after arriving there and not getting a very good first impression of the place, they get news of a stolen item. The stolen item is called the bombinating beast. It is a creepy looking statue of a seahorse. So they start sniffing the trail of the beast. And thus the story is set up for you. But will they find the beast. And if they do, what will it lead to?

Do you like mystery books? Do you like fiction? Do you like missing people, burned buildings or spooky writing? Did you answer yes to any of these questions? If so, this is the series you have been looking for! When I first heard about this book I was very intrigued by it. And by the time I had finished number three, Snicket hadn't even written the final book! But the books kept me wanting

more. So when the fourth book finally came out I was super exited to finally read the last one! So give this series a try. And if you like this one maybe you should try his first series. A Series of Unfortunate Events.

If you do want to give it a try here is the link for the first book,https://www.amazon.com/Could-That-This-Wrong-Questions/dp/0316335479

My Top 10 Books: #7

My Top Ten Books is a series of short book reviews. I will post every two days. Also, I am very sorry for not posting since last Sunday. I was on vacation and didn't have enough reviews written for the entirety of it.

The next book on my list is written by Virginia Sorensen. Plain Girl.

This book is based in an Amish house that has been split apart. Esther, the main character, her brother Dan has run away and was shunned by his family. “We shall never speak his name again” said Esther's father the night Dan went away.

Esther has been schooled at home her entire life but now she has to go to public school or Her father will go to jail. So Esther will have to go to school for the first time on Monday. Her father has always been leery about taking her to school because that was part of the reason Dan had gone away. But now he had no choice. He told Esther to never even look at the other kids. But after a few days she had already begun to talk with another girl named Mary. And after about a month Esther even became her friend. But would Father find out? And if he did what would happen!?

This book dives into the Amish culture and what happens in an Amish household. And I would most definitely recommend this book to Fiction lovers. It is definitely one of my favorite books. So maybe you will like it as much as I did.

If you would like to purchase the book here is the link,https://www.amazon.com/Plain-Girl-Virginia-Sorensen/dp/0152047255

My Top 10 Books: #8

This is a series of short book reviews of my top ten books. I will post every two days.

Number 8 on my list is written by Jules Verne. Journey to the Center of the Earth

It is a story based in the 19^th century and is written in a way that the main character narrates the story.

The main character is Henry and his Uncle is Professor Hardwigg. They live in Germany in a nice house and they both are scientists.

Professor Hardwigg finds an old document from the 16^th century that was written by Arne Saknussemm, an Icelandic explorer. The Professor says that the two of them won't eat until he figures out what it says. It takes the Professor a whole day to figure it out and even then Henry is the one who figures it out. The document has the directions to the center of the earth inscribed on it!

And thus the journey begins. The Professor makes arrangements to leave in the next few days and Henry must come with him. Henry thinks that this is a ludicrous idea but he is forced to go with his uncle. After collecting all the items needed, they leave for Iceland. Even after having a horrible time at sea, they eventually make it. The Professor says he never wants to ride on a boat again and they continue their journey. Their final goal is to get to the top of Mount Sneffels where the supposed entrance to the center of the earth is. Along the way they stay in stranger's houses and some of them are kind but some of them... not so much. Also along the way they recruit a guide, Hans, who is an Eider-Duck hunter and is a very brawny guy but doesn't talk much. Hans proves to be very useful. Eventually they make it to the top of Sneffels and start their descent into the center of the earth!

This book is a very well written book and keeps you turning the page. Jules Verne's writing style is very unique. If you like reading Science Fiction, or more specifically, adventure, you should take some timeand read it. I mean come on, it's only 250 pages!

Here is the link for the book https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Center-Earth-Jules-Verne/dp/1402743378

My Top 10 Books #9

This is a series of short book reviews of my top ten books. I will post every two days.

The 9^th book on the list is written by C. Coco De Young. A Letter to Miss Roosevelt.

A Letter to Miss Roosevelt is a book based in the Great Depression. The main character, Margo Bandini, lives in a small town in Pennsylvania. As the Depression creeps closer to Margo's neighborhood, she receives a project from school. That project was to write to someone that inspires her, whether famous or not. The next day she finds an article on Eleanor Roosevelt and thinks that writing to her would be perfect! But the next day after coming home from school, the banker is at her house telling them that if they didn't pay him the money they owed by the end of the week he would put the sheriff sale sign in their window. The sheriff sale sign means they have to be out of their house by the end of the week! What will the Bandinis do!

This book is based on a true story that happened in the author's family. It is written very well and as a history person my self, I can tell you this is a great read for history lovers! And it won't take too long to read either. It's only 100 Pages!

Here is the link for the book https://www.amazon.com/Letter-Mrs-Roosevelt-Coco-Young/dp/0440415292   

My Top 10 Books #10

My Top 10 Books is going to be a series of short book reviews on my top 10 favorite books. I will be posting a review every two days.

The number ten book on my list is written by Eloise McGraw. The Seventeenth Swap.

The Seventeenth Swap is a book based in the mid 80's in a small town called Iron Mountain. The main character, Eric Greene, is a kid who lives in a run down apartment complex with his Dad. Every couple of days he watches a boy, Jimmy, in another apartment room while Jimmy's mother is gone at work. Jimmy needs someone to watch him because he's paralyzed and can't walk.

One day while watching Jimmy he sees an ad for red cowboy boots that are on sale for $17.99. Jimmy adores the boots and says he would give anything for them. Right then Eric decides to find a way to buy the boots for Jimmy. But only one problem, where is he going to get $18?

This book is very well written and definitely a good read for realistic fiction lovers. It has you wanting to turn the pages to find out what happens next. And at 150 pages it doesn't take a lot of time to read.

I would most definitely recommend this book. So if you think that this would be a good book for you, click on this link,

https://www.amazon.com/Seventeenth-Swap-Eloise-Mcgraw/dp/0689503989

and order it today! Or just go to your local Library!  

Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt: Steamboat and railroad tycoon

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a 19^th century entrepreneur who made made his riches in producing and sailing steamboats and creating some of the biggest railroad lines. He was born on Staten Island on May 27, 1794 into a poor family who couldn't give him a very good education. But with perseverance and hard work Vanderbilt became one of the most wealthy people in American history. As a boy he worked with his father on a steamboat line and found his interest for ships there. As a teenager he started shipping things on his own steamboat and a few years after that he bought a small fleet of ships and became a captain.

During the California gold rush of 1849 Vanderbilt started a steamboat line on the Atlantic and Caribbean to help ship things from California back to the east. And instead of going down to Panama to get to the west, Vanderbilt's ships went through Nicaragua and went back and forth a lot faster than going down to Panama. He even proposed putting a canal in Nicaragua because it was faster and most of it was already there with Lake Nicaragua and the San Jose River but Vanderbilt didn't get enough endorsements so the plans never followed through.

In the 1860s Vanderbilt started focusing on the up and coming Railroad industry. He started by buying a couple of lines that ran between Chicago and New York and introduced a new system called the inter-regional railroad system. It changed the way the railroads work by putting long lines in, instead of a lot of short lines. It made traveling cheaper and faster. Vanderbilt's system changed the railroad industry very positively.

At the start of the Civil War, Vanderbilt went to the Union army and offered his biggest and best steamboat the Vanderbilt but the army wasn't interested at that point claiming the war wouldn't last very long. But when the famous Confederate ship, the Merrimack, started raiding the east coast, the army took Vanderbilt's deal and his ship. The Vanderbilt stopped the Merrimack in its tracks. After stopping the Merrimack, the Vanderbilt helped track down another of the Confederate's ships. And for Vanderbilt's service to the Union army he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

In 1869 the cousin of Vanderbilt's wife talked him into endorsing a University which eventually became, Vanderbilt University named in Vanderbilt's honor. And by no coincidence the schools nickname became the Commodores.

Cornelius Vanderbilt died on January 4, 1877, at his home in New England. His net worth at his death was over $100 million and in today's that's approximately $2,333,296,875 in 2016 dollars!