24-05-2025
Epoch Booklist: Recommended Reading for May 23–29
This week, we feature a foray into naval slang that has made its way into everyday parlance and a heartwarming children's book about a father and daughter planning a surprise for Mom.
History
'
By Toby Wilkinson
Egypt's final rulers as an independent state in ancient times were the Ptolemies. These Greek conquerors imposed on Egypt, using Egyptian religion and custom to gain acceptance. This book tells their story, following their 335-year reign from its start with Alexander the Great's capture of Egypt to its conquest by Rome. Absorbing, it often reads like a novel, yet it's meticulously-researched history. For those interested in ancient history.
W. Norton & Company, 2025, 384 pages
Fiction
'
By Liam Callanan
Leah Eady has lost her husband, not to death but to disappearance. Robert, an author, exits the house and vanishes, leaving behind some tickets to Paris for Leah and their two teenage daughters. After searching many days for Robert, this threesome makes their home in a Paris bookshop, hoping to find him by tracing clues found in Parisian classics for children. Readers who enjoy learning about Paris and children's literature will find an excellent match in these pages.
Dutton, 2009, 368 pages
Language
'
By Martin Robson
When two people are ready to fight, they are loggerheads. But what is a loggerhead, and why are they associated with fighting? When you're having problems why do friends ask how you are bearing up? For that matter, how much room do you need to swing a cat? These questions and more are answered in this book. It looks at the origins of phrases with unexpected maritime connections. As entertaining as it is informative, it's valuable to anyone who wishes to learn more about phrase origins.
Related Stories
5/15/2025
5/8/2025
Osprey Publishing, 2018, 176 pages
Historical Analysis
'
By Conrad Black
How did America rise so precipitously from colony to independent nation to arguably history's greatest superpower in less than 200 years? Conrad Black gives a full-throated analysis of the strategies American leaders undertook, beginning with the colonial period of the French and Indian War to the 21st century. Black presents a thorough look at how moments—good and bad—presented America with opportunities to expand its global influence
and the steps it took to accomplish that expansion.
Encounter Books, 2013, 824 pages
Classics
'
By Robert Falcon Scott
Editor Max Jones begins his annotated edition of this classic of exploration by noting that Scott's journals, not his ill-fated expedition into Antarctica, won him lasting fame. First published in 1913, the journals coupled with the 1912 discovery of the bodies of Scott and his men roused an enormous interest and pride in the British people that has yet to wane. Jones includes changes made to the text over the years, illustrations, and three appendices from earlier editions.
Oxford University Press, 2008, 592 pages
For Kids
'
By Eve Bunting and Kathryn Hewitt
A young girl and her dad buy potted flowers at the supermarket and delight everyone they pass on their journey home through the city. There, they lovingly plant the flowers in a window box as a birthday surprise for Mom. Illustrating the happiness that even a simple pot-full of nature's beauty can bring, 'Flower Garden' is a sweet spring read.
Clarion Books, 1994, 32 pages
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
