I found a few interesting books this week. First, in searching out more information about [amazon_link id=”0312558171″ target=”_blank” ]The Ballad of Tom Dooley[/amazon_link] by Sharyn McCrumb, I discovered she has written a whole series of novels based on Appalachian murder ballads (I know, slow me). Anyway, I added her novels [amazon_link id=”0451202503″ target=”_blank” ]The Songcatcher[/amazon_link] and [amazon_link id=”0451197399″ target=”_blank” ]The Ballad of Frankie Silver[/amazon_link] to my TBR list.

I read about [amazon_link id=”1401323901″ target=”_blank” ]Witches of East End[/amazon_link] by Melissa de la Cruz in a Washington Post review by Brunonia Barry. It’s the first in a series, and it looks interesting. Plus I love witches.

Stephanie at Reviews by Lola recently reviewed [amazon_link id=”1590514440″ target=”_blank”]The Reservoir[/amazon_link]. It crossed my radar before, and I can’t recall where, but it looks good, and Stephanie’s review prompted me to add it to my list.

This morning my Any New Books email mentioned Richard Miles’s history [amazon_link id=”0670022667″ target=”_blank” ]Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization[/amazon_link]. I immediately remembered my college Latin exercise in Wheelock in which I translated Cato’s famous “Carthago delenda est.” I had mistranslated it as “Carthage must go.” Latin scholars: is that a more literal translation? Or just flat out wrong?

I remember my professor helping us with that one because, no joke, it was clear that many classmates had the most trouble with what on earth “Carthago” meant because it wasn’t in our glossary or word bank. I had at least figured that part out. I wasn’t shocked by my classmates’ lack of knowledge or anything because I didn’t and still don’t know much about Carthage either beyond two things: 1) Dido was a queen in love with Aeneas, or so the stories say (I plead ignorance on the history), and 2) their great general Hannibal rode over the Alps on elephants, which is totally badass. Now, I can’t tell you why I remember it because I even misremembered “Carthago delenda est” as a quote by Cicero. Thank goodness for Google so I don’t look like too much of an idiot. After recalling this whole event from college, my interest was piqued. So naturally, this book looks like a great opportunity to learn, and it’s available on Kindle, which is a requirement for all history books I read now so that I can highlight and take notes without feeling like I’m defiling a book.

Has anyone read it? I am so scared it will be dry, which is why I tentatively put it on my pile until I can gather more evidence that I will enjoy it while I’m learning something from it. Plus, it is really expensive on Kindle, so I want to be sure it’s good.

[amazon_image id=”0451202503″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]The Songcatcher[/amazon_image] [amazon_image id=”0451197399″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]The Ballad of Frankie Silver[/amazon_image] [amazon_image id=”1401323901″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family)[/amazon_image]

[amazon_image id=”1590514440″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium”]The Reservoir[/amazon_image] [amazon_image id=”0670022667″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization[/amazon_image]