Ron Pearson’s Top 10 books to read
Editor’s note: As this is the “Issue of Ron” celebrating his 50th organ concert in 2023, we decided to ask him to tell us about his Top 10 books to read, and we received 18! Some are religious and some are secular. Enjoy these books which give great insight into everything Ron.
I enjoy reading books about specific topics … great composers of music, pipe organs and their history, United States presidents, the Titanic disaster, Apollo lunar missions, the Kennedy political family, the Shroud of Turin and great cathedrals of the world.
Unsinkable by Daniel Allen Butler
Following the great ship from her conception to her fateful collision to the ambitious attempts to salvage her right up to the present day, Daniel Allen Butler draws on 30 years of research to explore the tragedy and its aftermath in remarkable depth and detail.
Captain of the Carpathia Eric L. Clements
Captain Arthur Rostron raced the Cunard liner Carpathia to the scene of the sinking Titanic, rescued the 700 survivors of the world's most famous shipwreck and then carried them to safety to New York. This is the first comprehensive biography of Arthur Rostron before, during and after his year as captain of the Carpathia.
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
The number one New York Times bestseller from David McCullough, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly, Wilbur and Orville Wright. He draws on the extensive Wright family papers to profile not only the brothers but their sister, Katharine, without whom things might well have gone differently for them.
Failure Is Not an Option by Gene Kranz
A fascinating firsthand account by a veteran mission controller of one of America’s greatest achievements, this author reflects on what has happened to the space program and offers his own bold suggestions about what we ought to be doing in space now.
No Dream Is Too High by Buzz Aldrin
Beloved American hero Buzz Aldrin reflects on the wisdom, guiding principles, and irreverent anecdotes he's gathered through his event-filled life in this inspiring guide-to-life for the next generation. This book is a new opportunity for Aldrin to connect with the masses of people who recognize his unique place in human history.
Truman by David McCullough
The Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved historian. McCullough tells the story of the seemingly ordinary “man from Missouri” who was perhaps the most courageous president in our history.
Roosevelt’s Centurions by Joseph E. Persico
What are the qualities we look for in a commander in chief? In an era of renewed conflict, when Americans are again confronting the questions that FDR faced about the nature and exercise of global power, this read is a timely and revealing examination of what it takes to be a wartime leader in a freewheeling, complicated and tumultuous democracy.
The Shroud by Ian Wilson
Two decades after radiocarbon dating declared the Turin Shroud a medieval fake, brand-new historical discoveries strongly suggest that this famous cloth, with its extraordinary photographic imprint, is genuinely Christ’s shroud after all. By arguing his case brilliantly and provocatively, Ian Wilson once more throws the matter into the public arena for further debate and controversy.
Case Closed by Gerald Posner
This was a New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. It was also the subject of a double issue of U.S. News and World Report, and featured on programs such as ABC's 20/20, CBS Special Reports and PBS's Frontline. Posner testified before Congress about the findings in his book that Lee Harvey Oswald had, indeed, acted alone in killing JFK.
Beethoven – Anguish and Triumph by Jan Swafford
This biography of Ludwig van Beethoven peels away layers of legend to get to the living, breathing human being who composed some of the world’s most iconic music. Swafford then tracks his subject to Vienna, capital of European music, where Beethoven built his career in the face of critical incomprehension, crippling ill health, romantic rejection and “fate’s hammer,” his ever-encroaching deafness.
Additional titles:
Widor: A Life beyond the Toccata by John R. Near
A biography of organist Charles-Marie Widor.
Recollections by Marcel Dupre
English translation of organist Marcel Dupre's autobiographical recollections.
The Aeolian Pipe Organ and Its Music by Rollin Smith
The story of America’s oldest, largest and longest-lived residence organ company.
Out of My Life and Thought by Albert Schweitzer
The spiritual odyssey of theologian Albert Schweitzer.
The Indianapolis 500: A Century of Excitement by Ralph Kramer
The compelling and entertaining story of the race that has become known as simply, “The greatest spectacle in racing.”
First Off the Tee by Don van Natta, Jr.
A witty examination into the presidents who play golf and what their game reveals about their personalities.
Scandinavian Humor and Other Myths by John Louis Anderson
A sophisticated, loving look at a stoic crowd.
The Three Stooges Scrapbook by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Maurer, Greg Lenburg
A researched account of the Stooges’ lives and careers.