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Doc Susie: The True Story of a Country Physician in the Colorado Rockies
Doc Susie
By Virginia Cornell
Life was hard, very hard, for the residents of Fraser, Colorado, according to Virginia Cornell’s biography of Doc Susie. Most of the year was extremely cold, and some peoples’ bodies never adjusted to the high altitude. Men were employed in low paying, dangerous lumber jobs or in higher paying, but even more dangerous work, digging out and constructing a tunnel to make faster passage west out of Denver on Moffat Road and across the Continental Divide. When finished, it replaced a treacherous railway route that connected Tolland to Fraser. Lives were lost through accidents and illnesses resulting from bad working conditions. The owners of the railroad and tunnel project were anxious to achieve success along with accompanying fame, prestige, and money, without regard for the people who did all the hard work and took the risks.
Doctors were needed in Fraser, but few wanted to stay long. Doc Susie moved there in 1907 as a cure for her own tuberculosis and to escape an unhappy home life. A petite lady, she had graduated from the University of Michigan. Despite being a woman doctor, she gradually earned the respect of the residents. She made a lot of “house calls,” often to the scene of an accident—deep woods or remote, snowy roads. Frequently, she answered pleas for help for sick patients in isolated areas of Grand County. When she arrived, she examined the patient and took charge, giving orders to the family members. She had a “no drug, no alcohol” policy which meant some painful treatments, but she did use ether for surgery. Going to the patient’s home gave Doc Susie the opportunity to teach the families, by word and by example, the importance of cleanliness so that a wound would not become infected or a disease spread. This spunky lady was not afraid to stand up to railroad bosses or any other man who challenged her personally or professionally.
Doc Susie would have enjoyed being a wife and mother, but those roles never worked out as possibilities for her. This book gives a good picture of what life was like in the Rockies during the first half of the 1900’s for both men and women. The information in the book is well-researched. The author brings Doc Susie’s tale to life in a well-written narrative style. She also includes reproductions of many period photos, including some of Doc Susie. The courageous Doc Susie and her friends are historical figures that I cared about as I envisioned their place in the development of Colorado and of the United States.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Biography, Nonfiction
Publication: 1991—Manifest Publications
Memorable Lines:
Doc Susie looked into a sea of sincere blue eyes. She knew these men, knew their word was as good as money in the First National Bank in Denver, knew that trying to change their minds—well, some said it would have been easier for the Captain to turn the Titanic around before it hit the iceberg than to change a Swede’s mind. If these men said they were going to move a building, you might as well stand back because you might get hurt if you stood in the way.
Mountain life was so harsh; a woman’s waking hours had to be spent keeping the family fed, warm and clean. The same drudgeries awaited them week after week: boil the clothes on Monday and hang them on the line to be showered by cinders raining from the sky each time a train passed, iron on Tuesday, bake on Wednesday, mend on Thursday, split kindling, split kindling, split kindling. The only recognitions these drudges got for their efforts was to be yelled at if things didn’t get done.
Sometimes it seemed there were handsome, strong, beautiful men behind every tree. Unfortunately, the pastoral illusion vanished the moment these he-mountains opened their mouths. After an evening of trying to make conversation with some muscle-brain she found herself yearning for the stimulation of a good book. Sometimes she found herself attracted to raw masculinity; usually the man in question vanished from the scene very quickly, intimidated by her authoritative ways and superior education.
Propaganda Girls–lies to win the war
Propaganda Girls
By Lisa Rogak
Writing a biography about a small group of women must be quite challenging. Lisa Rogak divided her task into four main parts. First, she gives background separately on each of the four ladies: Betty MacDonald, a journalist who was living in Oahu when Pearl Harbor was bombed; Zuzka Lauwers, a bored, multilingual lawyer from the Czech Republic; Jane Smith-Hutton, wife of a naval attaché in Tokyo; and Marlene Dietrich, German-born actress and singer.
In the next section of the book, Rogak describes individually their early introduction to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS)—recruitment, training, and assignments. Then, in the section titled “Believable Lies,” the author describes the actual work the women did. They put in long, hard days, sometimes in less than ideal living and working conditions, but they loved the independence they had in accomplishing their tasks. Their branch was Morale Operations (MO) where they produced “black propaganda.” Always based on at least a kernel of truth, they created media with the goal of demoralizing enemy soldiers and also citizens in occupied areas. They learned as much as they could about the affected country to make it appear that the flyer, broadcast, or whatever media was chosen originated in the enemy country. In “Back to Reality,” Rogak discusses the difficulties each woman had in finding her place in the world when the war ended.
Propaganda Girls was extremely well researched with an extensive bibliography and footnotes. There are many quotes from those who knew the four women and from written resources. These references give authenticity to the biography. The format Rogak chose for this book is fairly rigid resulting in characters who are well-defined in each progression. They are, however, never infused with personality. If you like your nonfiction to be so exciting that it could be mistaken for fiction or be a page turner, then this will not be a good match for you. If you want to learn about women making a difference in World War II, probably saving lives, and working for less pay and respect than their male counterparts, then you’ll be satisfied with this glimpse into a portion of World War II history that has not been well-publicized.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Biography, Nonfiction, History
Publication: March 4, 2025—St. Martin’s Press
Memorable Lines:
Marlene loved the job, and between the cross-country bond tours, working at the canteen, and making an occasional movie, she was exhausted all the time, but here was a way that she could directly affect the lives of thousands of young men who were about to put their lives on the line. She had found her calling.
Betty had crammed a lot of living into her century of life. But like Zuzka, Jane, and Marlene, her war service was the highlight of her life. “There was a real reason for what we were doing in those days,” she said. “A lot of the things we tried didn’t work, but it was war, and it was important.”
But after more than five years of war, Paris wasn’t in much better shape than Tokyo. The city was impassable in many places; apartment buildings and homes were in disrepair and often uninhabitable. Most buildings in the city had gone unheated for the length of the war, except for those that had been occupied by the Germans.
Ordinary Time: The Season of Growth
Ordinary Time: The Season of Growth
By Amy Peeler
The Fullness of Time series discusses the “riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar”: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Outside of these specials seasons are more days—a period between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday and another between Pentecost and Advent. This season is called Ordinary Time and is a season of growth. How do these days fit into the life of a Christian? According to Amy Peeler, an Episcopal priest and professor at Wheaton College, “Being grateful for what God has done—previewed in Genesis and accomplished in Christ—is a necessary step toward daily faithfulness. That daily faithfulness is when trust, even in the face of death, becomes our new ordinary.”
The first half of the book deals with many of the common practices of worship in traditional liturgical churches. Especially meaningful is her in-depth discussion of the Lord’s Supper. The Book of Common Prayer holds many declarations and prayers used to proclaim God’s grace and our unworthiness as we join together as children of God to remember his sacrifice with the bread (His body) and the wine (His blood) as he instructed his followers to do when they gathered.
The second half of the book starts at the beginning of Genesis with the story of Abraham and Sarah and how they grow in faith by seeing God and acknowledging that God sees them, which leads them to trust God. Next is the story of Hagar, a slave, and her son by Abraham who was named Ishmael. There are many lessons about trust, which leads to gratitude, in their story. During Ordinary Time, as in the other seasons, the Scripture readings, prayers, and hymns are all chosen to reflect the theme and, of course, to point to the Trinity: God, the Father; Jesus, the Son; and the Holy Spirit.
Although short, Ordinary Time is not a book you will want to rush through. Its topics are practical, but the discussion reaches deeply into areas that could become perfunctory, but shouldn’t. I appreciated its accessibility while, at the same time, it went deeper, theologically speaking, than is normally expected from a brief book.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Spirituality, Theology
Notes: The Fullness of Time series is edited by Esau McCaulley. It is composed of seven stand alone books that can be read in any order: “Each volume in the Fullness of Time series invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar.” Ordinary Time completes the series.
Publication: 2026—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
The Holy Spirit does not choose the worthy but the willing.
The shattering of the wafer recalls this defeat of death through death.
We might, as Hebrews instructs, meet a stranger who is actually an angel (Hebrews 13:2), but even if that surprising event does not occur, we can rest assured that every person we meet bears the image of God and should be treated as such. Jesus too instructs his followers to treat others as we would treat him (Matthew 25:34-46).
God Bless This Child: Bedtime Prayers and Praises for Little Ones
by Max and Denalyn Lucado
Illustrated by Lisa Alderson
Max Lucado and his wife Denalyn have written a rhyming book of prayer for little ones. Each prayer in this board book also has a short blessing parents can pray over their children and a Scripture verse (with reference) to accompany the prayer. This sweet book has lovely, colorful illustrations that little ones will enjoy looking at.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children, Nonfiction, Devotional
Notes: For Baby-5 years old
Publication: March 4, 2025—Tommy Nelson
Memorable Lines:
I saw a puppy, furry and small.
I saw a tree, so strong and tall.
I saw the sun and thought of Your light.
I saw the moon shine bright at night….
Thank You for making everything I see.
Most of all, God, thanks for making me!
Reflections on the Savior–three books in one
Reflections on the Savior
By Max Lucado
When I purchased Reflections on the Savior, I didn’t have a plan. I just wanted another book full of Biblical insights imparted in an engaging and sometimes anecdotal way by an excellent writer. As a bonus, I would actually be acquiring three books. I decided to read it over the course of three years, one Lent at a time. Lent is the forty days before Easter, a time of reflection and devotion for Christians as we anticipate Jesus’ death on a Roman cross followed three days later, as He predicted, by His resurrection.
And the Angels Were Silent: The Final Week of Jesus
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: 1. Each chapter has a study guide.
2. Divided into sections by days of the week that correlate with the events in Jesus’ last week on Earth.
Publication: 1992—Multnomah
Memorable Lines:
The Pharisees were arrogant. They were arrogant because they were self-righteous. They were self-righteous because they were trying to make themselves righteous without God…They complicated the gospel with odd myths and superstition. They took pride when it came to tithing, but took naps when it came to serving.
The GIFT for All People: Thoughts on God’s Great Grace
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: 1. The chapters are short, of devotional length. They get to the point quickly and with impact.
2. The book is divided into 4 sections:
The Gift of a Savior
Ransom for Sinners
Bounteous Grace
The Choice
Publication: 1999—Multnomah
Memorable Lines:
Jesus knows how you feel. You’re under the gun at work? Jesus knows how you feel. You’ve got more to do than is humanly possible? So did he. People take more from you than they give? Jesus understands. Your teenagers won’t listen? Your students won’t try? Jesus knows how you feel. You are precious to him. So precious that he became like you so that you would come to him.
Sometimes God is so touched by what he sees that he gives us what we need and not simply that for which we ask.
God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there’s a tree in heaven, he’s carved your name in the bark. We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. “I have written your name on my hand,” he declares (Isaiah 49:16).
No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles of the Cross
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: The book is divided into 3 sections:
The Cross: Its Words
The Cross: Its Witnesses
The Cross: Its Wisdom
Publication: 1986—Multnomah
Memorable Lines:
And, by the way, never were those arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future. An embrace of forgiveness offered for anyone who’ll come. A hen gathering her chicks. A father receiving his own. A redeemer redeeming the world. No wonder they call him the Savior.
It was easy for him [a farmer] to believe. I can see why. Someone who witnesses God’s daily display of majesty doesn’t find the secret of Easter absurd. Someone who depends upon the mysteries of nature for his livelihood doesn’t find it difficult to depend on an unseen God for his salvation.
Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog
Sergeant Rex
by Mike Dowling
with Damien Lewis
Meet Rex, a very smart, well-trained German Shepherd. He has a highly sensitive sense of smell and can communicate what he finds to his handler who has trained him so well that that he can trust the dog to lead the way. The result saves a lot of lives, both Iraqi and American. Rex and his handler Mike, a young Marine, are among the first K9 teams to go to Iraq, and they have never been tested in actual battle conditions. They learn a lot which they can then share to help other teams in training. When a Marine team is not scheduled to go out, Mike and Rex rotate through guard duty at the gate. Rex can also bring down a “bad guy.” Neither of these activities meet their goals in Iraq, however, and Mike had to initially persuade commanders to allow them to go into the field on missions. After the soldiers saw what they could do, their bravery, courage, and skills, they begged to have them accompany them.
It’s extremely hot in Iraq and Rex, of course, is wearing a coat. When working he has to be watched carefully for dehydration. The pair go out with regular Marines on missions. Typically, marines clear a building of possible terrorists. Then Mike and Rex enter to search for armaments and materials that can be used to build IED’s. Rex can also do the very dangerous job of sweeping for mines. There are so many points in the process where explosions or enemy attacks could occur. Both Mike and Rex have bullet proof vests, but Mike reserves their use for the times they are most needed because they hold the heat in and increase the possibility of dehydration. Mike always puts Rex’s needs first—from choosing “housing” appropriate for Rex to covering Rex with his own body when they are suddenly under fire. They are truly a dynamic duo and have a special relationship.
Despite the fact that I don’t know much about the various kinds of weapons, I found Sergeant Rex to be both interesting and informative. I learned a lot about the use of dogs in the military and the training involved in preparing a handler/dog team to be successful in the field.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, Nonfiction
Notes: Contains lots of salty language coming from the mouths of tough marines living on the edge, constantly in danger, and frequently in the midst of explosions and gunfire. Given the circumstances, it wasn’t a problem for me. I just considered the context and moved on.
Publication: 2011—Atria
Memorable Lines:
One thing is crystal clear. K9 handlers and their dogs are at the top of the insurgents’ hit list, along with the EOD guys. We always presumed it would be the enemy’s priority to kill Rex and me, because we’re always at the front of patrols sniffing out the bombs. The more effective we get at finding their arms and explosives, the more they’ll want to hit us.
At times like these Rex becomes a therapy and a morale dog. Seeing Rex and talking about their dogs remind the guys of life back home. It reminds them that there is a world outside the madness of Fallujah and Mahmoudiyah, and in part we’re all here fighting for the right to survive this hell and get back to the world that we know so well and love.
The life-and-death existence that we’ve been living here has put it all into perspective and shown me what truly matters in this world.
Lessons from Madam Chic–humorous look at living well
Lessons from Madam Chic
by Jennifer L. Scott
This nonfiction tome is part advice and part memoir. This delightful book draws on Scott’s experiences as a college student living with a family in Paris for six months. I first encountered Jennifer L. Scott in a YouTube video series The Daily Connoisseur. She has written several books that mesh with the stories on her channel. A proponent of the ten-item wardrobe and gracious living, many of her writings and videos center around how to “be classy.”
Jennifer shares some of her many ideas on how to live a passionate life “filled with love, art, and music” where “no moment was wasted.” She dispenses her advice with her trademark, sometimes self-deprecating, gentle humor. She lived with two families, each with their own variety of a fulfilled life. Madame Chic ran a sophisticated, orderly household with a minimalist style that displayed an appreciation for the simple, finer things in life. Madame Bohemienne had a more free flowing joi de vivre approach to life. Both women were role models to Jennifer.
This book is divided into three parts: Diet and Exercise, Style and Beauty, and How to Live Well. One of my favorite chapters is “Snacking Is So Not Chic.” It tells the story of newly arrived Jennifer trying to sneak down to the kitchen for a snack. She soon learned that French people don’t snack or eat on the go. Another of Jennifer’s memorable chapters is “Look Presentable Always” that goes against what many of us in the United States revert to, seeking the comfort of sweats and ragged tees. “Practice the Art of Entertaining” is a chapter this introvert found quite interesting. I’ve focused on three standout portions of the book, but I enjoyed the entire read, and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Nonfiction, Humor, Travel
Notes: subtitled: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris
Publication: 2011—Simon & Schuster
Memorable Lines:
And when you’re not doing housework…Dance! I love to put on music in the morning and dance with my children. They find it quite amusing, I get a good workout in, and we all laugh. It’s a mood booster.
Famille Chic had impeccable manners and used them on a daily basis. They applied the “use your best” philosophy to their behavior toward their guests, of course, but also to their behavior toward each other every day.
There are few things better, in my opinion, than attending a proper dinner party—with apéritifs, hors d’oeuvres, music, a properly set table, interesting guests, excellent cuisine, dessert, cheese course, coffee, and digestif. The experience can be divine. Throwing a dinner party, on the other hand, can be very daunting.
The Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know
The Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know
by O. S. Hawkins
Have you ever felt like you should have more Bible verses committed to memory than you already have? That thought was the impetus for me to purchase and read this book. The goal is to memorize one verse each week. At first that seemed doable, but as life brought some ups and downs, I found myself unable to remember, over the long haul, all the Scripture references that went with each verse. So, about half way through the book, I switched to using it solely as a devotional and that worked well for me in that season.
My first reaction to The Joshua Code was to question the author’s choice of Scriptures. Many of my “favorites” were not included, and I wasn’t sure I saw the importance of those that were selected. As I stayed with it for a few weeks, I began to understand the process. With each verse there is a devotional, a short homily. As I read each chapter I could see why the verse was important. Since then, I have been surprised at how these verses come up in various contexts and provide an “Ah, ha” moment or a “God wink,” a term used by some for seeming “coincidences.”
According to the author, the title Joshua Code refers to Joshua 1:8 and is a “challenge to keep God’s Word in our mouths through memorization and keep it in our hearts through meditation ‘day and night.’ ” In the Introduction, Hawkins gives his practical method for committing verses to memory. He also explains what meditation is for Christians and how valuable meditation can be when applied to these verses.
I recommend this book for Christians and also for those seeking a relationship with Jesus. This book will show readers how to find Jesus in the Scriptures despite the chaos of daily life and digital content that constantly bombards us.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: 1. 52 Scriptures and devotionals to encourage memorization
2. A note at the end of the book states that all of the author’s royalties and any other proceeds from the book go to Mission Dignity which “enables thousands of retired ministers (and, in most cases, their widows) who are living below the poverty level, to live out their days with dignity and security.” Small churches are often unable to contribute to a pastor’s retirement, and Hawkins is using his book to financially fill that need.
Publication: 2012—Thomas Nelson
The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger
The Case for Christmas
By Lee Strobel
The author of the book The Case for Christmas is a former investigative journalist and atheist. His investigations into Christ have resulted in his becoming a Christian because of the proofs he uncovered. The Case for Christmas is part of a series of books Strobel has written delving into historical and scientific evidence concerning the Bible. In this case, he examines the virgin birth, the Gospel recounting of the Christmas story, December 25 as the date of the birth of Christ, the name Emmanuel, prophecy, and other pertinent topics. His research includes quotes from many authors in the field of Christian theology and from the Bible itself. I was not particularly comfortable with his use of other scholars’ opinions as a type of proof even when I agreed with them. When the author obtained actual historical data or sourced information from the Bible, I was more comfortable with his research. Overall, I found this book an interesting one for the Christmas season. I enjoyed the author’s reading of The Case for Christmas.
I received a complimentary copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Nonfiction, Christian, Religion and Spirituality
Notes: Audio version is narrated by the author
Publication: September 9, 2025—Zondervan
Tame Your Thoughts–substitute good thoughts for bad
Tame Your Thoughts
by Max Lucado
Our inner thought life—we all have one. Often our thoughts bubble out into actions. Max Lucado, in Tame Your Thoughts, shares how to control our thoughts, turning the negative ones into positive ones.
Lucado shares three tools to help you manage your thoughts. He reviews the neuroscience that confirms the Biblical truths that God can change your brain. One of the most important truths is that just because you have a thought doesn’t mean you have to dwell on it.
There are many thoughts we have that we wish we didn’t, but God gives us the helmet of salvation to protect us from the evil of the devil. In his typical anecdotal style, Lucado shares examples of the types of thoughts we should ask God to protect us from. The 70,000 thoughts we have each day include plenty of negative ones like anxiety, guilt, lust (craving for anything you can’t have), and anger. Where is the joy in your life? Do you fear rejection? Are you trying to understand the circumstances that are overwhelming you or your inability be satisfied with your life? Are you plagued with pain?
Thinking negative thoughts leads to untruths which we need to “uproot and replant” with positive truths. Tame Your Thoughts is a book that will focus your mind on Biblical truths that will help you reshape your thinking. God has a lot to say about what we think. Pertinent Scriptures are found throughout this book and many are gathered for reference at the end, compiled into a helpful Scripture Database that correlates with each chapter.
Max Lucado is a prolific writer. The “voice” in his writing is one of a pastor, counselor, and friend rolled into one. He is both wise and humorous. He has researched his subject well, but he is also a great storyteller and a creative and talented wordsmith who will always point the reader away from himself and towards God.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion and Spirituality, Self-Help
Notes: 1. Includes discussion questions and a Scripture Database.
2. Other items are available for purchase to accompany this book: Bible Study Guide including access to a streaming Bible Study led by Max Lucado and Audio version read by Lucado.
3. The same streaming 6 session Bible Study is available free online. It starts on September 22.
Publication: August 12, 2025—Thomas Nelson Books
Memorable Lines:
Practice Picky Thinking whenever you’re tempted to grumble. Choose gratitude. Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes he calms the child.
Remember, joy is more than a good mood. It is a deep-seated confidence in God’s presence, power, and promises.
Being a disciple comes down to letting God change the way we live by changing the way we think. Good actions follow good thoughts, Behavior takes its cue from beliefs. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. But, if our belief is godly, our behavior will be godly.
education pathways 