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History and Current Events May 2018
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| The Corporation: An Epic Story of the Cuban American Underworld by T.J. EnglishWhat it's about: José Miguel Battle, a police officer and Bay of Pigs veteran, fled Castro's Cuba in the 1960s to build a criminal empire, becoming a "Godfather" to Cuban exile communities and leaving a bloody trail in his wake.
Is it for you? True crime fans will enjoy this fast-paced saga.
Media buzz: Academy Award-winning actor Benicio del Toro is set to play Battle in an upcoming film adaptation. |
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| The Family Medici: The Hidden History of the Medici Dynasty by Mary HollingsworthWhat it is: a concisely written chronology of the famous family's 500-year history, featuring period art linked to the Medici (whether by patronage or portrayal).
Why it's significant: Revelatory and myth-debunking, The Family Medici reveals the extent of this banking family's desire for power and influence. |
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| Rocket Men: The Daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts Who Made Man's First... by Robert KursonWhat it is: an exhilarating account of the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon and the three astronauts who risked their lives to complete the mission, portrayed with dramatic storytelling flourish.
Want a taste? "Looking back down toward his spacecraft, Borman gave thanks to the scalded machine, an exquisite piece of design and daring."
Did you know? December 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission. |
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| The Little Book of Feminist Saints by Julia Pierpont; illustrated by Manjit Thapp What it is: an inspiring collection of 100 biographical portraits of trailblazing women throughout history, featuring anecdotes, trivia, and full-color illustrations.
Read it for: the "matron saint" names given to its subjects, a pithy nod to Catholic saint-of-the-day books and prayer devotionals.
Reviewers say: "A gloriously diverse, edifying, and curiosity-inspiring collection" (Booklist). |
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| We the Corporations: How American Businesses Won Their Civil Rights by Adam WinklerWhat it's about: In this evocative and evenhanded legal history, Adam Winkler chronicles the relationship between corporations and the government, from the emergence of businesses in colonial America to the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling.
About the author: Winkler is a constitutional law professor and legal commentator.
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History in Graphic Novels
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Canada at War : A Graphic History of World War Two
by Paul Keery
What it's about: In 1914, Canada went to war as a subject of Britain. In 1939, it made the choice to fight all on its own. Canada at War follows the developments and setbacks, wins and losses, of a nation learning to stand up for itself under the toughest possible conditions: in the midst of the most difficult war of the twentieth century.
About the author: Paul Keery is an author and educator based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
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| March. Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell What it's about: Congressman John Lewis's early life and origins in the civil rights movement, during which he served as one of the first Freedom Riders and helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).
Art imitates life: Lewis relied on a popular comic book of the time, Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story, to inform his efforts in the Nashville Student Movement.
Book buzz: The third book in this powerful three-volume memoir series won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. |
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The Death of Stalin
by Fabien Nury
What it is: Satire. When the leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, has a stroke - the political gears begin to turn, plunging the super-state into darkness, uncertainty and near civil war. The struggle for supreme power will determine the fate of the nation and of the world. And it all really happened.
Adaptation: This graphic novel inspired the recent film, Death of Stalin, starring Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Buscemi, Paddy Considine and Michael Palin.
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| Mary Astor's Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936 by Edward SorelStarring: actress Mary Astor, who became a tabloid sensation following her highly publicized affairs and subsequent trial for custody of her daughter.
Don't miss: Cartoonist Edward Sorel explores his longtime fascination with Astor by imagining an interview between the two.
Read it for: excerpts from the diary in question (in which Astor graded her extramarital affairs).
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Maus : A Survivor's Tale
by Art Spiegelman
What it's about: A son struggles to come to terms with the horrific story of his parents and their experiences during the Holocaust and in postwar America.
In this edition: An omnibus edition of Spiegelman's two-part, Pulitzer Prize-winning best-seller.
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