|
History and Current EventsNovember 2014
|
Best and Worst Children's Books of the Year |
|
If you enjoy children's and young adult books, make sure not to miss the popular Best and Worst Children’s Books of the Year event at Upper Riccarton Library on Wednesday 19 November, 7-9pm. Come and join us for a fun evening with raffles and refreshments. You might even spot some Christmas present ideas!
|
|
|
New and Recently Released!
|
|
| The invisible soldiers: how America outsourced our security by Ann HagedornDuring the past three decades, the U.S. government has increasingly come to rely on private security and military contractors (PSMCs) to handle everything from police work to combat support. As a result, U.S. operations, in addition to relations with allies on the ground, are often complicated by the fact that contractors -- rather than government personnel -- handle training, drone operations, embassy security, and many other functions. Author Ann Hagedorn employs a neutral tone to expose problems and describe success stories in this "fast-paced, critical introduction to the privatization of America's national security" (Library Journal). |
|
| The underground girls of Kabul: the hidden lives of Afghan girls disguised as boys by Jenny NordbergIn traditional Afghan culture, families rejoice when a boy is born, while the arrival of a baby girl may provoke mourning -- especially if the family has no male children. In order to raise a family's status, as well as for practical reasons, a girl may be dressed and live as a boy according to a custom called bacha posh. Investigative journalist Jenny Nordberg details this practice -- and its effects on the girls -- in this account, which focuses on the experiences of several different bacha posh women. The Underground Girls of Kabul provides a gripping narrative that highlights the importance of women's rights for promoting peace. For a well-researched novel featuring this subject, read Nadia Hashimi's The Pearl That Broke Its Shell. |
|
|
The red and the white: a family saga of the American West
by Andrew R. Graybill
Set in the mid 1800s, this multi-generational family saga describes the mixed marriage of a Montana fur trader and his Piegan Blackfeet bride and the prejudice experienced by their children and grandchildren who ultimately fought their blood kin at Wounded Knee.
|
|
|
Between two worlds: how the English became Americans
by Malcolm Gaskill
Following a cast of visionaries, heretics, merchants, warriors, slaves and rebels, a renowned historian tells the epic story of the English experience in America during the first century of colonisation, bringing to life the many challenges the settlers faced as they strove to leave their mark on the New World.
|
|
|
Liar, temptress, soldier, spy: four women undercover in the Civil War
by Karen Abbott
In Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, author Karen Abbott adds an unusual and compelling chapter to the history of the American Civil War. Four different women aided their causes (two on the Union side and two for the Confederacy) by going against expected norms as they employed their particular skills and social networks. This account is distinctive not only for its subject matter, but for its structure, weaving parallel accounts of the women's activities together so that the book reads like a spy thriller. Abbott includes additional historical details about women who assumed unconventional roles during the war in this well researched, informative, and enthralling account.
|
|
|
The collapse: the accidental opening of the Berlin Wall
by Mary Elise Sarotte
In a book based on archival sources and dozens of interviews, the author reveals how a perfect storm of decisions made by daring underground revolutionaries, disgruntled Stasi officers and dictatorial party bosses sparked an unexpected series of events culminating in the chaotic fall of the Berlin Wall.
|
|
"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." ~ Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), English writer
|
|
| With wings like eagles: a history of the Battle of Britain by Michael KordaThis in-depth history of World War II's Battle of Britain draws on the firsthand perspectives of pilots, ground crews, and commanders, but although author Michael Korda details the fighting from both British and German viewpoints, he emphasises the period leading up to the 1940 battle. Central to the RAF's readiness to defend Britain was the work of Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, who spent years building an integrated air defense system for England, training his pilots, and preventing the politicians from diverting his resources to France. If you're interested in the preparations that assured British success, as well as a thrilling account of the air battle, try With Wings Like Eagles. |
|
| The royal Stuarts: a history of the family that shaped Britain by Allan MassieIn The Royal Stuarts, "well-grounded and nimble" (Booklist) author Allan Massie dishes up an enthralling slice of history from 14th-century Scotland, when Robert II became the first Stewart (later spelled Stuart) king of Scotland, to the 18th century, when Queen Anne united England, Scotland, and Ireland. Novelist, journalist, and newspaper columnist Massie knows his history and how to keep readers hooked, combining vivid individual portraits of key figures and universal themes of dramatic interest (loyalty, lechery, power, and piety). Fans of Alison Weir's Tudor-centric histories may enjoy visiting the Stuart clan for a change of pace in this comprehensive and engaging account (complete with family trees) of their dynasty. |
|
| Shooting Victoria: madness, mayhem, and the rebirth of the British monarchy by Paul Thomas MurphyQueen Victoria inherited a crown that had been thoroughly tarnished by her predecessors' incompetence and immorality, but by the time of her death 64 years later, the monarchy was almost universally adored. Author Paul Murphy believes that seven attempts to assassinate Victoria boosted the queen's popularity with her subjects and helped her to strengthen the monarchy. Shooting Victoria focuses on the men who tried to kill her, their motives, and their convictions and punishments. It also details changes in criminal law and police administration while describing Victoria's relationships with her prime ministers. This intriguing approach to Victoria's life and times (a New York Times Notable Book for 2012) will please readers who enjoyed Helen Rappaport's A Magnificent Obsession. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|