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History and Current Events November 2020
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| A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America by Elliott CurrieWhat it is: a disturbing exploration of the systemic violence perpetuated against Black people in America.
What's inside: historical and contemporary research from Black scholars including sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois (whose writings inspired the title of this study); persuasive suggestions for policy reforms.
About the author: Criminologist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Elliott Currie is the author of Crime and Punishment in America. |
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Hunting Whitey: The Inside Story of the Capture & Killing of America's Most Wanted Crime Boss
by Casey Sherman
For the first time, Boston reporters Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge draw on exclusive interviews and exhaustive investigative reportage to tell the complete story of Whitey Bulger, one of the most notorious crime bosses in American history and a longtime FBI informant. The leader of Boston's Winter Hill Gang and #1 on the FBI's Most Wanted list, Bulger was indicted for nineteen counts of murder, racketeering, narcotics distribution, and extortion. But it was his sixteen-year flight from justice on the eve of his arrest that made him a legend and exposed deep corruption within the FBI. While other accounts have examined Bulger's crimes, this remarkable chronicle tells the story of his life on the run, his capture, and his eventual murder inside one of America's most dangerous prisons.
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Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America
by Bill O'Reilly
Bestselling authors Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard venture through the fraught history of our country's founding on already occupied lands, from General Andrew Jackson's brutal battles with the Creek Nation to President James Monroe's epic "sea to shining sea" policy, to President Martin Van Buren's cruel enforcement of a "treaty" that forced the Cherokee Nation out of their homelands along what would be called the Trail of Tears. O'Reilly and Dugard take readers behind the legends to reveal never-before-told historical moments in the fascinating creation story of America.
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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