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History and Current EventsNovember 2015
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"Who was she, this ordinary woman who rose to such extraordinary fame?" ~ from Dianne R. Hales' Mona Lisa
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| Kissinger's Shadow: The Long Reach of America's Most Controversial Statesman by Greg GrandinIn Kissinger's Shadow, award-winning historian Greg Grandin provides a compelling, thought-provoking exploration of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's influence on American foreign policy during the presidency of Richard Nixon -- and beyond. He looks at Kissinger's psychology, analyzes his political philosophy, and recounts details of his Vietnamese War strategy and other instances of his work in international relations. Grandin convincingly argues that Kissinger played a major role in conservative diplomatic policy formation, which continues to influence the divisive politics of many countries around the world. |
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| The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika LeeThe first Asians to migrate to North America in modern times arrived in Mexico with 16th-century Spanish traders. Tracing the history of various peoples (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hmong, Indian, and others), immigration historian Erika Lee offers a detailed and fascinating portrait of these migrants, highlighting their reasons for coming to the Western Hemisphere as well as their experiences in the new land. Sobering to many readers will be Lee's accounts of the virtual enslavement of thousands of 19th-century railway builders and the racial discrimination Asians suffered and continue to face. The Making of Asian America offers indispensable reading for anyone seeking a complete view of American history. |
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| Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story by David MaranissTaking a focused look at Detroit, Michigan from fall, 1962 to spring, 1964, journalist David Maraniss explores the early socio-economic indicators of the great Motor City's decline. In the early '60s the auto manufacturers were on top of their game, the music industry was providing a morale boost to citizens, especially African Americans, and Detroit was even making a bid to host the 1968 Summer Olympics. However, scholars at Wayne State University already foresaw trouble. In Once in a Great City, Maraniss offers a vivid, riveting snapshot of scintillating urban life on the verge of urban decay. For an engaging longer view, try Scott Martelle's Detroit. |
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| Paradise of the Pacific: Approaching Hawaii by Susanna MooreIn Paradise of the Pacific, author Susanna Moore, who has written both novels and memoirs set in Hawaii, offers a complete history of the islands. Few off-islanders know about the first settlers from Polynesia or the rigid and violent hierarchy that ruled at the time Captain James Cook arrived in 1778, but Moore's book paints a vividly detailed and thoroughly researched portrait of Hawaii from the sixth century to the present. Drawing on original sources, including islanders' journals and reports from sailors, explorers, missionaries, and others, Moore provides a "direct and authentic glimpse" (Booklist) into the reality behind the paradise marketed to tourists. |
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| The Year of Fear: Machine Gun Kelly and the Manhunt That Changed the Nation by Joe UrschelNotorious gangster George "Machine Gun" Kelly riveted America's attention during the Depression when he masterminded the kidnapping of an Oklahoma oilman in 1933. Precipitating a multi-state manhunt led by the new Justice Department Bureau of Investigation's chief, J. Edgar Hoover, the crime led to such innovations as a telephone hotline for tips from the public. In The Year of Fear, journalist Joe Urschel compellingly recounts the course of the snatching and subsequent chase while detailing the M.O.s of Depression-era gangsters and crime-fighters' efforts to foil them. |
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History for Armchair Travelers
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| Jane Austen's England by Roy Adkins and Lesley AdkinsSee the real England of Jane Austen's era in this eye-opening, sometimes gritty account that draws on unpublished primary sources as well as published works. Ordinary people (not just the gentry and aristocracy portrayed by Austen and other writers) fill the pages of Jane Austen's England, which reveals the era's poor conditions of health and sanitation, crowded housing, and dangerous labor practices, as well as intriguing details of the legal system and social customs. Archaeologists Roy and Lesley Adkins portray the upper classes, too, and often quote Austen herself in this whirlwind tour, which will captivate anyone interested in Regency England. |
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| Cronkite's War: His World War II Letters Home by Walter Cronkite IV and Maurice Isserman, editorsDuring World War II, young journalist Walter Cronkite, Jr. reported for UP, the newspaper wire service, from England and other places. This collection, edited by his grandson and a historian, consists of letters to his wife, Betsy, recounting his experiences in personal, rather than journalistic, terms. He mentions the challenges (though not the dangers) of being a neophyte reporter in a war zone, describes the journalist's daily routine, and -- most of all -- expresses his love for his wife. This on-the-ground portrait of World War II England and Europe is a must for readers interested in an individual's perceptions of the time. |
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| Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered by Dianne R. HalesIn Mona Lisa, journalist Dianne Hales confesses that she was fascinated by Leonardo da Vinci's great portrait, but she never thought about its subject as a real person until she visited Florence. When she learned that Mona Lisa was a historical Florentine woman -- named Monna Lisa in Italian -- she decided to learn as much as she could about the woman da Vinci portrayed. In this engaging book, Hales relates the history of Florence from its founding to the rise of the Medici family and recounts what she discovers about Mona Lisa herself. Both personal quest and historical research, Hales' account engages readers in her enthusiasm for the painting, the city, and Italy. |
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| The Discovery of Middle Earth: Mapping the Lost World of the Celts by Graham RobbBefore Julius Caesar radically expanded the Roman Empire westward starting in 58 BC, the Celts ruled Europe from the Black Sea to the British Isles. In The Discovery of Middle Earth, historian Graham Robb relates how he noticed a pattern of ancient place names and early roadways, which inspired him to rediscover and map the pre-Roman Celtic settlements of Europe. Analyzing ancient documents and archaeological finds, Robb concludes that Celtic civilization possessed great learning as well as military skill, only to be obscured when Rome conquered Europe. Kirkus Reviews observes that Robb has "broken significant new ground" in reconstructing early European history. |
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| Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration by David RobertsImagine being 100 miles from your base camp in Antarctica with no food and neither human nor canine companions (because they've already died). Oh, and hidden crevasses are waiting to swallow you up as you traverse the icy landscape. Find out how Australian geologist Douglas Mawson managed this Herculean trek in Alone on the Ice, a well-researched, evocative look, complete with photographs, at the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1913. Mawson's amazing -- though little-known -- adventure (during which he even had to crawl) is a thrilling tale. Readers who enjoy the history of Antarctic exploration, especially the survival stories, should definitely pick up this compelling book by mountaineer David Roberts. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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