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History and Current Events October 2017
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Killing England : The Brutal Struggle for American Independence
by Bill O'Reilly
In a book told through the eyes of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Great Britain’s King George III, the authors chronicle the path to independence in gripping detail, taking the reader from the battlefields of America to the royal courts of Europe. By the #1 New York Times best-selling authors of Killing the Rising Sun.
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Grant
by Ron Chernow
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Washington: A Life presents a meticulously researched portrait of the complicated Civil War general and 18th President, challenging the views of his critics while sharing insights into his prowess as a military leader, the honor with which he conducted his administration and the rise and fall of his fortunes.
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| Alone: Britain, Churchill, and Dunkirk by Michael KordaAuthor and former editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster Michael Korda was born in England in 1933; his family went to the U.S. in 1941 for the duration of World War II. In Alone, Korda weaves his childhood memories of Britain with a thoroughly researched history of the early months of the war up through the 1940 evacuation from Dunkirk. This detailed history presents an "excellent revisitation" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) of military tactics and international politics, illuminated by Korda's personal recollections. |
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The Accidental President : Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World
by A. J. Baime
A suspenseful chronicle of the 33rd president's first four months in office traces his unlikely rise to the Oval Office and his pivotal contributions to major decisions, from the founding of the United Nations and the Nazi surrender to the liberation of concentration camps and the decision to drop the bomb. 50,000 first printing.
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Bobby Kennedy : a raging spirit
by Christopher Matthews
A revelatory new portrait of Robert F. Kennedy by the anchor of MSNBC's Hardball depicts him as a perpetual family underdog, sharing insights into his decision to join the military as a common sailor, his ability to connect with voters from all walks of life and his assassination during his 1968 campaign
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Russia: 100 years since the Revolution
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| Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Aleksievich; translated by Bela ShayevichIf you want a closeup view of the end of the Soviet Union and the beginnings of the new Russia, check out this moving oral history collection that provides an eye-opening look at the Soviet and post-Soviet soul. Sharing the stories of a wide variety of people from across the vast country, 2015 Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Aleksievich provides a thorough, fascinating look at war, freedom, family, and more, giving voice to those who've seen so much upheaval. For further reading on travels in contemporary Russia, pick up Anne Garrels' Putin Country. |
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| The End of Tsarist Russia: The March to World War I and Revolution by Dominic LievenAccording to Cambridge historian Dominic Lieven, World War I arose from Eastern European imperialism -- the Austro-Hungarians vs. the Russians. Though Western Europe was soon sucked into the maelstrom, the Teutonic and Slavic factions had the most to lose and gain. Drawing on materials in Russian archives only recently made accessible, Lieven traces the impact of the Bolshevik upheaval on the outcome of the World War and explores how these conflicts influenced the development of the next Russian empire -- the Soviet Union. Library Journal calls The End of Tsarist Russia a "fascinating reappraisal" of the Russian/Soviet role in the 20th century. |
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| The New Tsar: The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee MyersIn The New Tsar, former New York Times Moscow bureau chief Steven Myers recounts in great detail the career of Vladimir Putin, who emerged on the Russian political scene in the 1990s and succeeded Boris Yeltsin as President in 2000. Myers describes Putin's initial economic reforms, which transformed the Russian economy, but which he soon followed with oppressive authoritarian measures and military actions that created global angst. Offering a personal assessment and political analysis designed to help Westerners understand the Russian leader, Myers presents a "highly effective portrait of a frighteningly powerful autocrat" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Invention of Russia: From Gorbachev's Freedom to Putin's War by Arkady OstrovskyAward-winning journalist Arkady Ostrovsky, formerly the Moscow bureau chief for the Economist, traces the rise of the new Russia out of the ruins of the Soviet Union in this "troubling and superbly documented" (Booklist) account. After Mikhail Gorbachev liberalized journalistic, economic, and political policies, his successors reversed course and reestablished absolutist governmental control. Relying on the press to create the stories he wants people to hear, current President Vladimir Putin has recreated Russian rule according to the Stalinist model. If you're interested in Russia's role in international affairs or the power of propaganda, you'll find The Invention of Russia gripping and enlightening. |
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| The Romanovs: 1613-1918 by Simon Sebag MontefioreFor three centuries, until 1918, the Romanov dynasty ruled a sixth of the world's surface. In this comprehensive and absorbing narrative, author Simon Sebag Montefiore details the unlikely birth of their power in 1613 and traces their rule until their downfall. Utilizing correspondence, diaries, and other primary materials, Montefiore draws compelling portraits of each of the rulers and their spouses, creating a history of Russian imperial leadership and illuminating the autocratic and violent character of their reigns. Current affairs buffs who are intrigued by the authoritarian methods of President Vladimir Putin will find this a thought-provoking examination of Russian political traditions. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Hauppauge Public Library
601 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, New York 11788
(631) 979-1600
http://www.hauppaugelibrary.org/
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