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History and Current EventsAugust 2014
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"World War I was not inevitable, as many historians say. It could have been avoided, and it was a diplomatically botched negotiation." ~ Richard Holbrooke (1941-2010), American diplomat
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New and Recently Released!
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| The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food by Dan BarberIn The Third Plate, James Beard Award-winning chef Dan Barber delves into the question of food choices and sustainable agriculture by visiting farmers to learn about their innovative methods. At various establishments, including an organic farm in New York where Barber learns about soil and a farm in Spain where they produce foie gras without force-feeding the geese, he finds out how to broaden and diversify American menus while improving the environment that supports our food chain. This "bold and impassioned" (Kirkus Reviews) report concludes that the American diet needs to shift towards sustainability and variety and that restaurateurs should lead the way. |
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| The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book by Peter Finn and Petra CouvéeDoctor Zhivago, a novel published in translation during the late 1950s by Russian author Boris Pasternak, created a sensation in the West with its negative depiction of the Russian Revolution. The CIA recognized that the book could promote anti-Communist sentiment within the Soviet Union, so they arranged to produce copies of the original Russian text and sneak them into Russia. The Zhivago Affair relates the exciting story of how the book-smuggling was accomplished, the severe consequences the Kremlin imposed on Pasternak and his family, and the international controversy aroused by the novel. Publishers Weekly calls this a "triumphant reminder that truth is sometimes gloriously stranger than fiction." |
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| China's Second Continent: How a Million Migrants are Building a New Empire... by Howard W. FrenchJournalist Howard French has extensive knowledge about Africa and China, having served as a bureau chief for The New York Times in both areas. Intrigued by the growing numbers of Chinese people who have moved to Africa, he interviewed both Africans and Chinese about China's apparent "colonization" of Africa. In China's Second Continent, he explains why the Chinese are moving to Africa, portrays their often contemptuously racist attitudes, and describes their business methods, which often involve corrupt practices. French also discusses the potential for economic development that could harm or help Africa, depending on how the Chinese involvement is managed. China's Second Continent provides a thought-provoking assessment of the possible future for both Africa and China. |
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| The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra by Helen RappaportWhile The Romanov Sisters focuses on the four daughters of Russian Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, the book offers more than just a family biography. Weaving together general historical information and excerpts from the girls' journals and letters, historian Helen Rappaport depicts the period leading up to the Russian Revolution, including the political issues that dominated the Romanovs' lives. She explains why they maintained strict isolation from the public, portrays the relationships between the Tsarina and her children, and vividly recounts their interactions with the influential advisor Rasputin. This intimate account provides both an engaging view of the historic family and a window on the rest of the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. |
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World War I began 100 years ago, on July 28, 1914, and ended November 11, 1918.
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| A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914-1918 by G.J. MeyerAuthor G.J. Meyer, in A World Undone, examines both the Great War's military campaigns and its impact on civilian life. In this unusual approach, he covers standard topics that include military strategy, political maneuvering, and specifics such as Gallipoli and trench warfare in the main chapters. In case studies after each main chapter, he changes the focus, discussing the Armenian genocide, the status of Jews in Germany, and the role of Cossacks in the war, among other subjects. Efficiently combining clear accounts of military action and contextual details, A World Undone offers a comprehensive, accessible, and compact history of the war that was supposed to end war. |
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| The Remains of Company D: A Story of the Great War by James Carl NelsonMotivated by the fact that his grandfather had said little about his service in World War I, journalist James Nelson undertook to fill in the gaps through research. In The Remains of Company D, he draws on official records, newspaper reports, and other secondary sources that provide information about Company D of the 28th Infantry Regiment -- his grandfather's unit. Creating a "valuable mosaic" (Booklist) of experiences of the Americans who fought in World War I, Nelson provides details of the battles where Company D saw action and depicts family members' later efforts to find lost soldiers' remains. The Remains of Company D supplies a fascinating, intimate portrait of American participation in the war. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Dauphin County Library System
101 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101
717.234.4961
http://www.dcls.org
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