The Rockefeller Center is comprised of nineteen commercial buildings that sit on twenty-two acres in New York City. Fourteen of those builds were designed in the Art Deco style, which I love with a passion. Those fourteen beautiful buildings were commissioned by the Rockefeller family, who had acquired the acreage they were built on. This book goes into great detail about the acquisition of the land and the commissioning of architects for the project. I learned a lot about the Rockefeller family, as well as architecture and construction from this book. It was really fascinating. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in any of the aforementioned topics.

I got this book on Audible Plus and listened to it Friday at work. I got it because I have an interest in architecture that I didn't really know I had, plus an interest in family dynasties. When I got this book, I thought the Rockefeller Center was one building, so I obviously knew essentially nothing. I learned a massive amount of information from this book about how the land was acquired and all of the planning and construction that went into creating this landmark location in the city. I was really pleased with this book, and glad it got me through a shift at work ignoring the coworker I hate. 

 This book covers the murder of Diane Newton King, who was found shot in her driveway on February 09, 1991. Diane was a news anchor in Michigan, where she lived with her husband and two children. She had been to visit her parents and other family members for a few days and had returned home the day of her death. Her children were still strapped into their car seats in the car. This book discusses the details of the police investigation and subsequent court case. The book was well researched and informative.

I watched this episode of Forensic Files not terribly long ago, so I was familiar with the case. I saw the book on Audible Plus, and was trying to listen to the things I selected that are expiring soon. This one expires on May 07, 2024. If you are interested in the Audible version, it was about 14 hours to listen to. The physical copy is around 600 pages. The narration was pleasant and I learned a great deal more about the case than was provided on the short Forensic Files episode. (If you are interested in that, it is Season 9 Episode 6.) 

 This book discusses the Civil War and Confederacy through the lens of the Confederates. This is a slightly different approach than I typically go for, but I do believe in the importance of understanding all sides of an issue so that the historical record is complete and sensible. The author referenced several interviews and newspaper articles from the period, so that was very insightful. It also shows that the Southern states were not as united as they appeared to be, with instances of crime and disagreements becoming frequent. If you are interested in the Civil War era, I would suggest picking up this book.

This book had been in my wish list for a while, and I caught it while it was still available on Audible Plus. I love that I saved a credit to use on something else. The audio version is around 22 hours to listen to, so I listened over the course of several nights. If you are interested in a physical copy, it is fairly thick, at 500 pages. The author of this book is a well-respected Civil War historian, and this book was recommended to me by The Tattooed Historian on Instagram, who is also a civil war historian and reenactor. I found this book to be well researched, and filled with details. I always enjoy knowing where the places discussed in books are located, and that tends to happen with any type of Civil War book with my living in Chattanooga. I actually really enjoyed this book, despite my thin interest in this topic. 

 Sophie Lyons was born in Germany in 1848. As a child, her mother taught Sophie to pickpocket and steal. Sophie upped her game, becoming a career criminal, known for pickpocketing, shoplifting, and being a confidence woman. A confidence woman was a term I had never heard before this book, so if you are unfamiliar, it basically means a good actress that is a scam artist. Her life of crime was interesting, but her life after "retiring" from crime was equally interesting. This book is available currently on Audible Plus, but is expiring soon. I listened to it during the second half of my shift at work today. 

 This book discusses the creation of the Windows on the World restaurant that was located in the World Trade Center. I did not know there was a restaurant there until I started reading disaster books about the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. I really enjoyed learned about the staff of the restaurant and how they created a cohesive unit and provided an unforgettable experience for guests. I liked that the book included information about the other bombing of the World Trade Center as well. This book was included on Audible Plus, but is about to expire so I hurried and listened to it at work yesterday and today. I really liked this book. 

 This book discusses art dealers throughout history. I had never real considered how one becomes an art dealer, nor considered what types of deals one must make as an art dealer. It was really interesting to learn about the career of an art dealer, how they make a name for themselves, how they make contacts, and all the underhanded and behind the scenes things that one never really thinks about. As an art appreciator, I appreciated this book. 

 Guernica is a painting done by Pablo Picasso. This work was painted at Picasso's home in Paris in 1937 and was created as a response to the bombing of Guernica. The painting is oil on canvas and is currently housed at the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid. This book discusses the creation of the painting, and its movement across the world over the decades. The book also discusses the bombing of Guernica, which was perpetrated by the Nazis and their cohorts. I had seen this painting online before, but never knew the significance, and was very interested in the information the book provided. 

 I used to watch wrestling with my Grandfather every week. I got this book because I was curious about Vince McMahon and how he created what I know as the WWE. I have always found Vince McMahon to be an abhorrent character, and as I learned more about him and his scumbaggery, the more I was validated in my opinion of him. I did enjoy some of the behind the scenes about how their careers began (and ended). I am glad that I am no longer contributing to the ratings of this, but I do look back with fond memories. I got the Audible version of this book, and the narrator appeared to have a lisp. If that is something that irks you, I would suggest the physical copy. Overall, I found the book to be very informative, if disheartening. 

 The Panama Canal transects the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific. The Canal is 51 miles long and is an essential waterway for maritime trade. The Canal was constructed between May 04, 1901 and August 15, 1914. Colombia, France, and the United States were the contributors to the construction, with the United States taking control and finishing the project. This book details the construction of the Canal, and all of the political and economic issues surrounding it. I knew very little about this canal, and bought this book because I enjoy this historians other books. I learned a great deal about the construction and hazards associated with the construction in that time period on such a large scale. 

 This book recounts the authors experiences in the Punk Scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. It gives an interesting glimpse into the activities of some famous hangouts, like the CBGB. I am not a super fan of Punk music, but I do enjoy some of it. I also appreciate the impact these Punk bands had on some of the bands I currently enjoy listening to. This book was free to listen to on Audible Plus, and I listened to it on my last shift before leaving for vacation. (I am now catching up on reviews, so sorry to anyone following mine for the bombardment.)