Charting out how the United States and most of Western Europe can return to something that’s been sorely lacking for at least a decade — common sense — highlights this week’s Newsmax Rising Bestsellers. Another offering reveals the growing horror of radical Islam and a third relates the story of the time when two beleaguered groups — escaped Black slaves and Florida Seminole tribes — combined forces to fight the U.S. government. A final nonfiction selection describes an amateur diver’s quest for a fortune in sunken treasure. This week’s novel is a real whodunit that will keep readers on the edge of their seat.
“The Common Sense Cowboy's Guide to Life: Stories from the Old Guy at the End of the Bar,” by Patrick Dorinson (Humanix Books)
In an age where grievance trumps actual talent, where there are far more calendar days to recognize the LGBTQ community than for veterans and presidents combined, and where people with degrees in obscure programs that have little demand sneer at tradesmen, this book is just the remedy to return society to reality. If you’ve finally had enough of this nonsense, saddle up and ride the range with author Patrick Dorinson, who’ll offer something that we used to call “common” sense, which has become far less common. “Never discount an old man in a profession where people tend to die young,” said Carl Higbie, host of Newsmax TV’s “Carl Higbie Frontline,” author of “Profiles in Freedom,” and a retired Navy SEAL. “This book has more wisdom in it than any four-year degree.” [Nonfiction]
"Epicenter: Nigeria, Radical Islam, and the War for Global Order,” by Mike Arnold (Independently published)
Author Mike Arnold makes the case that the African nation of Nigeria is the epicenter of radical Islam’s attempt to control the world through jihad. If Nigeria falls, the African continent will be next. We read about it in the headlines nearly every day. Christians are murdered, young girls kidnapped, houses of worship destroyed. To date there have been some 125,000 Christians slaughtered, 18,000 churches burned, and 10 million driven from their homes. And after Africa falls, the rest of the world is next. “Mike Arnold exemplifies Christ‑like courage — choosing integrity over money and personal safety, even when facing powerful pressure by top Nigeria government officials,” said Johnson Agiriga for Amazon. “Truly admirable.” [Nonfiction]
“The Free and the Dead: The Untold Story of the Black Seminole Chief, the Indigenous Rebel, and America's Forgotten War,” by Jamie Holmes (Atria/One Signal Publishers)
From 1817 to 1858 the United States engaged in the Seminole Wars, fighting for control of the land that eventually became the state of Florida. But it wasn’t just indigenous tribes who fought to defend the land, there were generations of Blacks who’d escaped slavery. They fought U.S. soldiers side-by-side for freedom — the Seminoles to continue living on their ancestral land, and the Blacks to avoid a return to bondage. Two figures rose above the rest in this fight: Abraham, a free Black American, and the esteemed Creek warrior Osceola. This is their story. “A revelatory and well-researched book about the violent expulsion of indigenous people from their lands in the Southeast. Recommended for readers interested in indigenous, Black, and U.S. military history,” wrote Library Journal. [Nonfiction]
“Neptune's Fortune: The Billion-Dollar Shipwreck and the Ghosts of the Spanish Empire,” by Julian Sancton (Crown)
Purely by fate, Roger Dooley made a startling discovery at a Spanish archive that led him to the fate of the San José, a Spanish galleon that fought a British warship off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, in 1708. The San José came out the loser and was swallowed up by the sea. She took with her a fortune in New World treasure bound for Spain. Although the precise location of the shipwreck was lost to time, Dooley, an amateur diver, learned enough to whet his appetite. But he wasn’t alone. Well-funded professional treasure hunters were also hard at work to recover a bounty worth $1 billion today. “Gripping, concluded Library Journal in its starred review. “(Author Julian) Sancton navigates the fraught tensions among archaeologists, governments, private salvors, and indigenous groups with nuance and clarity. This is more than a treasure-hunt tale; it’s also a compelling examination of history, ethics, and obsession beneath the waves.” [Nonfiction]
“Anatomy of an Alibi: A Novel,” by Ashley Elston (Pamela Dorman Books)
This instant New York Times bestseller centers on two women, one dead husband, and a single alibi. The two women combine their efforts to learn more about a successful Louisiana lawyer. One of the women is his wife, who believes he is keeping secrets from her; and the second believes he knows something about a terrible event that changed her life a decade earlier. When the man is found murdered, both women scramble for an alibi, knowing they would be prime suspects. “I loved this! So many twists and it just kept moving. Also, loved the title, couldn't have been more perfect,” wrote Kim Krause for Amazon. “This is a must-read. I absolutely recommend it!” [Fiction]
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