Please rate your books, too, so others might get ideas about what to read.

Good idea.

This is my first time participating in any reading challenge on PBS.  I am looking forward to it.  I have a question, can a Memior count as a Biography, or are they really two seperate things?

Hi Alex, personally, I would count memoirs as a biography, but as Tess said, do what you feel is fair.

Tess, you're finishing some heavy duty books!

I'm probably not going to read much for this challenge until October, only because I'm trying to finish 7 more books for the last 2 of the other 4 challenges I'm doing this year--hope to finish them by September 30th.  That will leave me 3 months for history.  Looking back at my list of books read this year, I did read 3 books for other challenges that I could get to fit into categories here, but I don't think I want to count a book for two different challenges.  That's my OWN feeling, as I said above, everyone should do the challenge in the way that they'll get the most enjoyment.  After all, we're doing this for ourselves!

Diane

Here are some of my reads with my ratings:  

Local history:  The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick, 4 stars.  Just love the little details the author includes to make his historicals fascinating.  For example, Custer and his wife, Libbie, were much of the same mind in advancing his career.  He often chose his own way rather than listening to his commanding officer.   And, the photo we see so often of his long curls is not the entire story.  As he aged he began to lose his hair and had cut if off and very short before the last campaign.  This book is fascinating and includes many maps to help the reader see where the different groups marched as well as where the Indians were traveling.