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History and Current Events July 2016
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"That they had fought for freedom abroad only to be denied it anew at home awakened African Americans to the fact that only a collective, nationwide effort would secure their basic constitutional rights." ~ from Rawn James, Jr.'s The Double V
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| The Underdogs: Children, Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional Love by Melissa Fay GreeneService dogs provide life-giving support to people with disabling conditions, but some agencies won't place dogs with people who have especially severe limitations. In The Underdogs, acclaimed author Melissa Fay Greene relates what happened when Karen Shirk decided to raise her own service dog after being turned down by numerous organizations. She eventually launched 4 Paws for Ability, which specializes in matching dogs with people who have unusual needs. Greene, "a master at telling the most human of stories" (Booklist), recounts the circumstances of many of these beneficiaries, offering an inspiring and informative picture of the people, the dogs, and their remarkable partnerships. |
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| Elizabeth: The Forgotten Years by John GuyIn Elizabeth: The Forgotten Years, historian John Guy draws on extensive research into obscure archival records to create a complex portrait of one of the most powerful monarchs in history. Focusing on Queen Elizabeth I's later years, Guy explores the vulnerabilities she concealed behind a façade of competent authority. Critiquing the best-known historical accounts and producing evidence from other sources, he also delves into her personal relationships, events that undermined her equanimity (such as the death of Mary, Queen of Scots), and her struggle to prevail as a woman in a male-dominated society. For new insights into the Virgin Queen, take a look at this scholarly, accessible, and compelling book. |
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| All the Presidents' Gardens: Madison's Cabbages to Kennedy's Roses... by Marta McDowellJust in time for gardening season and vacation trips to the District of Columbia, All the Presidents' Gardens offers a fascinating historical tour of the White House grounds. Garden historian Marta McDowell chronicles the events the gardens have witnessed while detailing individual presidents' interest in seed-collecting (George Washington, who never lived in the city named for him), goats (Abraham Lincoln), golf (Dwight D. Eisenhower), tree houses (Jimmy Carter's daughter Amy), and vegetables (First Lady Michele Obama). Placing each president in the context of his times, McDowell focuses on the grounds and gardeners while supplying abundant illustrations and witty anecdotes about gardening challenges. For additional engaging accounts about American leaders and horticulture, try Andrea Wulf's Founding Gardeners. |
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| Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor by Clinton RomeshaIn 2009, the U.S. military decided to close a vulnerable string of outposts in Afghanistan that were meant to deter Taliban insurgents from free movement across the Pakistan border. Just as the closures were beginning, the Taliban launched a deadly, all-out assault at one location, Command Outpost Keating. In Red Platoon, Medal of Honor recipient Clinton Romesha recounts the firefight, starting with his own training, the capabilities of his troops, and the conditions that exacerbated Keating's vulnerability. His riveting description of the battle itself provides vivid and sobering detail. Military history buffs and readers concerned about the war in Afghanistan will find much to appreciate in this book. |
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| We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to Cover Girl, the Buying and Selling of... by Andi ZeislerAccording to cultural critic and co-founder of Bitch Media Andi Zeisler, feminism has been sold out to big corporate interests. In We Were Feminists Once, she describes how 1970s big business began taking advantage of the profit potential in offering credit cards to women, merchandising feminist slogans, and encouraging women to strive for business careers. Despite these tokens, however, the inequities that prompted the feminist movement have barely shifted. Zeisler argues that women shouldn't be fooled by the superficial marketing glitz that masquerades as progress. Affirming that popular culture can still support the movement, she urges women to "reclaim feminism as an identity, not something commodifiable" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Trigger: Hunting the Assassin Who Brought the World to War by Tim ButcherIn July 1914, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia following the June 28th assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. Having determined that the assassination grew out of anti-Austrian and anti-Monarchical propaganda, the Austrians used their July Ultimatum as the first step in justifying their invasion of Serbia, which led to the start of World War I. In The Trigger, author Tim Butcher traces the assassin's background and details the political unrest arising from imperial oppression in the Balkans. Part travelogue and part biography, this account brings the region and its people to life while demonstrating how resentments extending back to Ottoman rule continue into the 21st century. |
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| Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-VormThe Manhattan Project scientists detonated the first nuclear bomb in the desert of New Mexico on July 16, 1945. In Trinity, writer and illustrator Jonathan Fetter-Vorm presents a concise, straightforward history of nuclear weapons development, going back to Marie Curie's discovery of radioactivity and culminating with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Fetter-Vorm's clear illustrations and informative and thought-provoking text work well as "both a graphic primer and a philosophical meditation" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Brothers at War: The Unending Conflict in Korea by Sheila Miyoshi JagerBrothers at War is a compelling, comprehensive history of the Korean War: how it started, why it hasn't technically ended, and how North Korea continues to stockpile weapons with assistance from China, while its people go without the basic necessities of life. The armistice signed on July 27, 1953 largely stopped the hostilities, but a peaceful settlement of the conflict remains elusive. Historian and journalist Sheila Miyoshi Jager provides a long view of the war, chock-full of insights and impeccably researched detail, depicting the roots of internal conflict in World War II and continuing through the 2011 funeral of leader Kim Jong Il. |
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| The Double V: How Wars, Protest, and Harry Truman Desegregated America's Military by Rawn JamesOn July 26, 1948, Executive Order 9981 mandated the desegregation of U.S. military services, but though this change came about at the stroke of President Harry Truman's pen, it represented 200 years of struggle by African Americans to attain acceptance in the military. In The Double V, author Rawn James chronicles unfair policies and treatment within the armed forces in parallel with discrimination in civilian society. Focusing on the 20th century, he describes specific instances of second-class treatment, beginning with prohibiting African American troops from marching in the Paris victory parade following World War I. The biographical sketches he includes provide inspiration in contrast with the discouraging background of Jim Crow. |
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| Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah VowellReaders looking for smart history plus wry wit will cheer author Sarah Vowell's sally-forth history of U.S. imperialism and the Aloha State. Her informed, irreverent tale sparkles with little-discussed details of Hawaii's annexation in July 1898: con men, lepers, promiscuous whalers, missionaries convinced prostitution would kill them all, and Hawaiian natives convinced that prayer would kill them first. If you're still hungry for Hawaiian history after devouring Unfamiliar Fishes, try James Haley's Captive Paradise. |
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