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History and Current Events March 2019
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| Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet by Will HuntWhat it is: a brisk, panoramic exploration of the history, science, and mythology of subterranean spaces, written by a self-proclaimed urban explorer and underworld enthusiast.
Featuring: Paris catacombs, Australian ochre mines, New York City subway tunnels, and Turkish underground cities.
For fans of: unique and offbeat travelogues. |
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| Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated... by Larry LoftisWho it's about: Odette Sansom, a French woman recruited by England's Special Operations Executive to spy for Britain during World War II.
Is it for you? Readers who enjoy fast-paced histories that read like thrillers will find much to appreciate in this dramatic tale.
Don't miss: Sansom's relationship with her commanding officer is "the stuff of romance novels" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Last boat out of Shanghai : the epic story of the Chinese who fled Mao's revolution
by Helen Zia
What it's about: The dramatic true stories of four young people caught up in the mass exodus of Shanghai in the wake of China's 1949 Communist Revolution.
About the author: Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: the Emergence of an American People, is a Chinese-American journalist and activist for Asian American and LGBTQ rights.
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| The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present by David TreuerWhat it is: a vivid 125-year history of Native America that details the ways that tribes have survived -- and thrived -- in the face of adversity.
About the author: David Treuer is an Ojibwe novelist and historian who grew up on Minnesota's Leech Lake Indian Reservation.
Reviewers say: "A welcome modern rejoinder to classics such as God is Red and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Bestseller : a century of America's favorite books
by Robert McParland
What it is: This book looks at the bestselling titles since the early 20th century, and considers how the popular circulation of these books reflected America's consciousness and tastes at different junctures in the country's history.
What reviewers say: "Admirably, he [the author] discusses both literary works and those considered "lowbrow," formulaic productions, providing summaries of certain books and biographical details of writers. It's important to note that this is more of a fun discussion than a serious study of what the reading habits mean socially, politically, or culturally."
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| Camelot's End: Kennedy vs. Carter and the Fight That Broke the Democratic Party by Jon WardWhat it is: a captivating account of the 1980 Democratic primary battle between sitting president Jimmy Carter and Senator Ted Kennedy.
Did you know? Incumbent presidents seeking reelection have been challenged from within their own party "only a handful of times."
Why it's significant: Campaign tensions led to divisions within the Democratic party that continue to resonate. |
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Forgotten & Untold Histories
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| The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America's Forgotten Black Pioneers & the Struggle for... by Anna-Lisa CoxWho it's about: the 19th-century black pioneers who established over 300 settlements in the Northwest Territory.
Featuring: Keziah and Charles Grier, who bought their own land in 1818 and became Underground Railroad conductors a few years later.
Book buzz: The Bone and Sinew of the Land was named one of Smithsonian's Best History Books of 2018; Booklist calls it "a moving and necessary corrective to American pioneer history." |
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| Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America's Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe by Rebecca ErbeldingWhat it's about: the War Refugee Board (WRB), which was created by President Roosevelt in 1944 to aid thousands of European Jews.
How'd they do it? The WRB team smuggled supplies into concentration camps, forged identity cards, funded French Resistance efforts, and engaged in bribery and money laundering.
Author alert: Rebecca Erbelding, a curator at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, spent over ten years researching for this book. |
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