The Pacesetter by Jerry M. Fisher

Genre: Adult, Biography
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I requested this book when I found out about it for several reasons. The first is that I've always had a love of racing, thanks to my father. I was born and raised most of my young life in Indiana. I've been on the track at the Indianapolis Speedway. It was one of the most terrifying and exhilarating times of my life. According to my mom, my dad worked the pits in Indianapolis and Kokomo. Another reason I wanted to read the book was because I had just learned that I had a distant cousin, Harry Knight ,who was part of the early racing in Indianapolis, racing in the first two Indy 500 races. He sadly lost his life in 1913 during a race in Ohio. These were the initial reasons I wanted to read the book. However there were so many more reasons to read this wonderful book.

I learned so much about the early years of the Indy 500 and the speedway just from reading this book.  Carl G. Fisher was a name I had never heard associated with it.  I am so glad I read the book.  He started out as a very poor boy.  He was considered stupid by many. He quit school at the age of six.  The problem wasn't that he was stupid, it was that he couldn't see.  This is something that was discovered later in his life. Not only did he create the Indy 500, but he was responsible for two major highways. The Transcontinental highway that crossed the United States East and West and the Dixie Highway went from Indianapolis to Miami.  He began to build up Miami.  Fisher Island is actually named after him. The more I read his book the more I became convinced that although he made a lot of money, it seemed to be more about the adventure, getting somewhere with his ideas.

Although all of these adventures were thrilling to read about,  nothing touched me like the story of an accident that caused him to fight for civil rights. One of his black workers fell into a vat of boiling tar. Carl himself drove the man in his personal car to the hospital.  He was told that they didn't treat "his kind" at that hospital. As he drove his worker to the other hospital, the worker died.  This was the fuel needed to make him work hard for equal rights.    This man made a lot of contributions to our country yet we know very little about him.  I think it is time we get the word out.

Everyone has Their Little Secrets by Michael Louthan

Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book was such a grabber that I had finished it before I knew it. This story is take from Zoe’s diary. From this book we find a tee, Zoe dealing with more than she should have to deal with at her age. The first thing she has to deal with is her neighbor and brother’s friend Kirk.  For some reason he really likes to bully her every chance he gets.  He looks for opportunities when Zoe’s brother is not around to protect her.

Things take a turn when Zoe’s brother is shot and killed by Kirk. He claims it was an accident. Zoe and her family believe otherwise. From here it seems that Zoe’s life begins to spiral out of control. She begins to make some bad choices.  She deals with more catastrophic events.  All of this leads to another tragedy for the family. 

This is a must read book.  It will keep you asking, what else can possibly happen to this girl and her family?  Be sure before you read it you are ready for the answer to that question.  This is a definite must read for those who like coming of age stories.

About the author:

Michael Louthan was born in Enid, Oklahoma, and grew up in southwest Kansas. He graduated from Wichita State University (Go Shockers!), where he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. For the last 20 years Michael has lived in New Orleans.

Student Saturday: Heroes of the Holocaust by Mara Bovsun Zullo Allan

Student Reviewer Logan C.
Genre:  Non-Fiction

This story took place in Europe uring the time of Hitler and the Holocaust. The main characers are Jews in hiding and Non-Jews willing to help them.

The major plot points are the survival or capture of the various people involved. The brutality of the Nazis was peppered throughout the book.
A connection that I have is that I hope that if I were in a situation like that I soulc bd zabl to help. I would recommend this book to history lovers, but prepare yourself for an emotional roller coaster.  I hated this book because of the horrible truths that it revcealed. It is horrible that people could be so cruel to each other