Truevine is a small town in Virginia, and this superb nonfiction work from Beth Macy is the story of the Muse brothers, African-Americans with albinism, who were born there, and into poverty, around the turn of the last century.   As small children, they were lured away/kidnapped/sold to be exhibited in circuses and sideshows as freaks, anything from wild men to Martians.  This was the only life they knew as they grew to manhood and beyond, ultimately lost from family, but never forgotten.  Exhaustively researched and sensitively told.  Loved it.  We wonder, from this vantage point, what life would they have chosen if the choice had been theirs to make.

Full Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided to me by Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley. I would like to thank the publisher and the author for providing me this opportunity. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

An absorbing non-fiction work based on a subject that, I daresay, is unfamiliar to most of us – the role of the Merchant Marine in World War II.  From unarmed vessels, these heroes supplied our troops throughout the war and saved Britain’s bacon by supplying them before we ever joined the fight.  All the sacrifice, none of the honor.  Who knew?  The seven Mathews sons serving as merchant seamen during the war personalize the story.  If this sounds iffy for your taste, just trust me.  Deserves to be told, deserves to be read.

Full Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided to me by PENGUIN GROUP Viking / Viking via NetGalley.  I would like to thank the publisher and the author for providing me this opportunity.  All opinions expressed herein are my own.