History and Current EventsOctober 2025
Recent Releases
We the People : A History of the U.s. Constitution by Jill Lepore
We the People : A History of the U.s. Constitution
by Jill Lepore

Explores the evolving meaning of the U.S. Constitution, tracing generations of interpretation and amendment efforts, and arguing that the founders envisioned a living, adaptable document—challenging modern originalism and advocating for democratic engagement in shaping constitutional change. Illustrations.
Milena and Margarete : a love story in Ravensbrèuck by Gwen Strauss
Milena and Margarete : A Love Story in Ravensbrèuck
by Gwen Strauss

Chronicles a story of love behind the walls of the Ravensbrück concentration camp. 
The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze That Captured Turn-of-the-Century America
by David Baron

Science journalist David Baron (American Eclipse) chronicles how early-20th century astronomers, writers, and intellectuals popularized a cultural fascination with Mars (and its potential lifeforms) that ushered in a new era of exploration, tabloid journalism, and conspiracy theories. Try this next: Dead Air: The Night That Orson Welles Terrified America by William Elliott Hazelgrove.
Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West
by Peter Cozzens

Historian Peter Cozzens' rollicking revisionist history of Deadwood, South Dakota, the Black Hills Gold Rush settlement famously immortalized in the HBO series Deadwood, offers a nuanced portrait of the town's origins and its larger-than-life characters. For fans of: Wild Bill: The True Story of the American Frontier's First Gunfighter by Tom Clavin.
The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers
by Cheryl McKissack Daniel with Nick Chiles

In her inspiring debut, Cheryl McKissack Daniel, president of America's oldest Black-owned construction firm McKissack & McKissack, details two centuries of her trailblazing family's influential yet overlooked contributions to American architecture, from their post-Emancipation projects to the present. Try this next: On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A'Lelia Bundles. 
Could Should Might Don't: How We Think About the Future
by Nick Foster

Futurist and designer Nick Foster's thought-provoking study blends history and current events to examine four mindsets of approaching the future -- "could" (based on projections), "should" (based on goals), "might" (based on data), and "don't" (based on consequences). Further reading: A Century of Tomorrows: How Imagining the Future Shapes the Present by Glenn Adamson.
Dark renaissance : the dangerous times and fatal genius of Shakespeare's greatest rival by Stephen Greenblatt
Dark Renaissance : The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival
by Stephen Greenblatt

The story of how Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare's greatest rival, leveraged his classical education to ignite an explosion of English literature, nourished the literary talent of Shakespeare and challenged societal norms with his transgressive genius.
The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces
by Seth Harp

Journalist and Iraq War veteran Seth Harp's disturbing debut chronicles the criminal exploits of United States Special Forces soldiers based at North Carolina's Fort Bragg military base, where a 2020 double murder exposed a drug trafficking operation. Try this next: Code Over Country: The Tragedy and Corruption of SEAL Team Six by Matthew Cole.
Listening to the law : reflections on the court and constitution by Amy Coney Barrett
Listening to the Law : Reflections on the Court and Constitution
by Amy Coney Barrett

A Supreme Court justice lays out her role on the court, from her deliberation process to dealing with media scrutiny; she brings to life the making of the Constitution and explains her approach to interpreting its text.
Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves
by Johnathan Walton

Podcaster and reality TV producer Johnathan Walton draws upon his own experiences as the victim of a con artist in this candid guide to helping readers avoid scams. For fans of: My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel DeLoache Williams.
Don't see what you're looking for in our catalog? You can always make a purchase suggestion, or check our Interlibrary Loan system!
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