|
History and Current Events November 2020
|
|
|
|
| Standoff: Race, Policing, and a Deadly Assault That Gripped a Nation by Jamie ThompsonWhat it's about: the deadly confrontation between Dallas police officers and a lone gunman at a July 2016 rally protesting the police killings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.
Why you might like it: Debut author Jamie Thompson's tense, minute-by-minute chronicle offers a nuanced examination of a hot-button issue.
Book buzz: Journalist Thompson won the Edward R. Murrow Award for her reportage on the incident for The Dallas Morning News. |
|
|
Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945
by Ian W. Toll
A conclusion to the trilogy that began with Pacific Crucible is based on the final year of World War II and follows MacArthur’s pledge to the Philippines, the kamikaze attacks on Allied fleets and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
|
|
| The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder... by Karen AbbottHow it began: In Prohibition-era Cincinnati, "King of the Bootleggers" George Remus was at the top of his game, at one point owning 35% of all the liquor in the United States.
But then...he lost it all after killing his wife, whom he discovered was having an affair with the investigator assigned to track his activities.
Book buzz: This suspenseful page-turner was named one of the Ten Best History Books of 2019 by Smithsonian. |
|
|
The Trial of Lizzie Borden: A True Story
by Cara Robertson
What it is: a fast-paced account of the notorious 1893 Lizzie Borden murder trial that utilizes court transcripts, newspaper accounts, and recently discovered letters written by Borden herself to argue that the jury who acquitted her got it wrong.
About the author: Debut author Cara Robertson is a lawyer and former Supreme Court clerk who spent 20 years researching the Borden case.
Who it's for: true crime aficionados and amateur sleuths.
|
|
| Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David GrannWhat it's about: In 1920s Oklahoma, a series of murders at the Osage Indian Reservation prompted an investigation by the nascent FBI led by a young J. Edgar Hoover.
Why it matters: Journalist David Grann's extensively researched National Book Award finalist spotlights a little-known slice of Native American history by illuminating the disturbing conspiracies, corruption, and prejudice at the heart of the case. |
|
| Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden KeefeWhat it's about: In December 1972, Belfast widow and mother of ten Jean McConville was wrongly accused of being an informant for the British Army. Abducted from her home by members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), she was never seen again.
Why you might like it: Blending elements of murder mystery, political history, and true crime, this heartwrenching deep dive into The Troubles offers an unflinching portrait of the conflict's lasting impact. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|