GIST
A thoroughly researched and descriptive history of the B-24 "Liberators" that played an important but under-appreciated role in the war. George McGovern, who became a South Dakota senator and then the Democratic nominee for president in 1972, was one of the young airmen who handled themselves heroically in the face of danger.

GIST
Mr. McCullough set out to write a dual biography of Jefferson and Adams, but once he began he found Adams to be the more interesting figure. One of Bill Clinton's legacies may be that John Adams, faithful husband and honorable man, is gaining in reputation as historians appreciate the place character plays in public life.

GIST
Bruce Wilkinson says he's prayed this prayer every day for 30 years and seen his Walk Thru the Bible ministry grow exponentially. That's the experience of the people he cites: They pray this prayer and their organizations and families prosper. The book may make prayer seem mechanistic.

GIST
In the parable, cheese makes us happy. We get accustomed to it, don't notice when it begins to smell bad, and we hurt ourselves and our organizations when we fight to hold on to it. When is it wise to resist change in order to uphold a higher principle? Mr. Johnson doesn't say.

GIST
John Edward scorns the less scrupulous psychics who frequent his profession. His job is communicating with the dead-and so what if he's not always correct? No one complains when top hitters in baseball make outs most of the time. That a book with such silly analogies has made it onto the bestseller lists shows that some people who read care about Edward's TV show, his travels, and the media bias he constantly faces.