Ouch. After the reality check -- more like body slam -- of reading two historical nonfiction works back to back, I'm ready for the science fiction and fantasy of Connie Willis and Karen Lord.

Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts provides a unique perspective to a well known story: the rise of Hitler, Nazi Germany and WW II: that of the U.S. ambassador in Berlin in 1933.

National Public Radio's Fresh Air had an interesting interview this week with journalist turned author Erik Larson; his book In the Garden of Beasts hit bookstores this week as well.