Rite of Fancy Book Recommendations & Reviews

A short summary of The Wager: The mutiny, murder, and mayhem of the Wager's final voyage. My favorite David Grann quote from the book: "Empires preserve their power with the stories that they tell, but just as critical are the stories they don't - the dark silences they impose, the pages they tear out." Questions to ponder while reading: When do you just quit? Did you know scurvy could do that? My review: Amazing real-life story. I was on the edge of my seat! Fans of The Endurance will love this book. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my...

A short summary of All About Love: What love really is. My favorite Bell Hooks quote from the book: "Attention is an important resource." Questions to ponder while reading: Can love transform? Is love significant? My review: A beautiful look at the meaning of love. I agree. Love is a verb. Very spiritual. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!  

A short summary of The Reckless Way of Love: The personal prose of an altruistic convert. My favorite Dorothy Day quote from the book: "To keep regretting what was is to deny God's grace." Questions to ponder while reading: Where have you found God? Where have you found grace? My Review: Wonderful vignettes. Thought-provoking stories. A great book about finding God in the everyday and mundane. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!  

  A short summary of Think Straight: Learning how to let your thoughts go. My favorite Darius Foroux quote from the book: "At the end of the day, thinking by itself is useless without action." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you overthink? Do you act on your thoughts? My review: A good book to help you get out of your head. A quick and easy read. Touched on all the important topics. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: Learning to love a life full of lemons. My favorite Mark Manson quote from the book: "Who you are is defined by what you're willing to struggle for." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you sweat the small stuff? What problems do you focus on? My review: Backed by science! Full of humor!! A great look at what's important!!! ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of A Brief History of Earth: A biography of our home planet. My favorite Andrew H. Knoll quote from the book: 'The face you see in the mirror may be decades old, but it is made of elements formed billions of years ago in ancient stars." Questions to ponder while reading: Did you realize how old the earth really was? Did you realize how diverse the earth really is? My review: An easy-to-understand study of life on earth. A great summary of earth sciences. A perfect foray into popular science. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work b...

  A short summary of This is My Body: Bishop Barron explains the theology of the Eucharist. My favorite Bishop Barron quote from the book: "The glory of God is a human being fully alive." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you believe in the real presence? Is your faith important to you? My review: A deep dive into the meaning of the Eucharist. Great theological arguments. Great biblical backup. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of God's Not Dead: The evidence of God's existence in everyday things. My favorite quote from the book: "Atheism and naturalism can't account for reason. To say that reason came into being for no reason is unreasonable." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you feel lost? Do you think science proves or contradicts divinity? My review of the book: Some good points! Some good research! Some good glimpses of God! ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of The Checklist Manifesto: How to "checklist" a complete world. My favorite Atul Gawande quote from the book: "Man is fallible, but maybe men are less so." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you follow a routine? Do you make mistakes? My review: A wonderful little book about the importance of following a plan. Lots of real-world examples. Lots of ideas for different industries. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England: What the "dark ages" were really like. My favorite Ian Mortimer quote from the book: "Justice is a relative concept in all ages." Questions to ponder while reading: Are you a germaphobe? How responsible were you at 12? My review of the book: A fun look into medieval England. Detailed and well-researched. Best read in small chunks. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of Jesus Revolution: The mass revival that challenged the Free Love Movement. My favorite Greg Laurie quote from the book: "Chaos and desperation are far more likely to lead to revival than comfort and complacency." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you believe in God? Are you religious? My review: A good look into the "counter-culture" of the hippie counter-culture. Interesting and fun to read. I love the bridge built between the two groups. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop ...

  A short summary of What Happened To You: Why you do the self-destructive things you do. My favorite Bruce D. Perry PHD quote from the book: "Rhythm is essential to a healthy body and a healthy mind." Questions to ponder while reading: How was your childhood? Do you struggle with your past? My thoughts about the book: A good paradigm changer. Well-researched with great real-life examples. Staggering statistics on childhood trauma. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A short summary of The Manual: The essential teachings of Epictetus. My favorite Epictetus quote from the book: "What, then, is your own? The way you live your life." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you depend on others? Can you mind your own business? My review: The foundational teachings of stoicism. Practical and easy to follow. A favorite place to look for knowledge. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

A short summary of Code Name: Lise: The story of Odette Sansom, one of Great Britain's bravest secret agents. My favorite Odette Sansom quote from the book: "I am only responsible to my own conscience." Questions to ponder while reading: Are you patriotic? Could you withstand torture? My review of the book: A real-life WWII story. Thoroughly researched and full of details. Lost of action and easy to engage in. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!  

  A short summary of The Seeking Heart: The lessons from a Godly correspondence. My Francois Fenelon quote from the book: "It is not enough to like good books. You must be a good book yourself." Questions to ponder while reading: Do you like daily insights? Are you on a spiritual journey? My review: A great little devotional. Lots of reflections! Lots of Inspiration! ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at  shop.takethebackroads.com #TaketheBackRoads Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors and  webshop  or buying me a cup of coffee!

  A Short Summary of The Bible Unearthed: An archeologist's examination of Israel's Biblical Holy Sites. My Favorite Finkelstein/Silberman Quote From the Book: "The heart of the Hebrew Bible is an epic story that describes the rise of the people of Israel and their continuing relationship with God." Questions to Ponder While Reading: Do you realize how much common memory impacts our stories? Were you surprised by how large the ancient Egyptian empire was? My Review of the Book: Thoroughly explores the history of the Levant. Superb scholarship and research. A great look into the archeology of Biblical Sites. ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her travel writings at  www.takethebackroads.com , you can also read her book reviews at  www.riteoffancy.com  and US military biographies at  www.everydaypatriot.com Her online photography gallery can be found at...

  A short summary of Stories I Only Tell My Friends: The autobiography of a talented actor. My favorite Rob Lowe quote from the book: "All of us, on a daily basis, have the opportunity to move forward or backward or stay put. Today, I know to move forward." Questions to ponder while reading: Which role is your favorite? Could you survive Hollywood? My review of the book: An awesome story about a well-lived life. Lots of fun in a book. I've always been a big fan of Sodapop. (Total geek moment - I'm a total Outsider's fan - read that review here - and in Tulsa, Oklahoma, there is The Outsider's House Museum, created by Danny O'Connor, and it's so much fun to visit. Read all about it here: https://www.takethebackroads.com/2021/10/staying-gold-and-scorning-the-socs-stopping-by-the-outsiders-house-museum.html ****** ********************************* a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to her tra...