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History and Current Events October 2020
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| Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude Jr. What it's about: how James Baldwin's writings on the failures of the civil rights movement remain just as relevant today.
Read it for: an impassioned and incisive blend of history, literary analysis, and own voices memoir.
Topics include: mass incarceration; the Black Lives Matter movement; Confederate monument removals; the election of Donald Trump. |
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| Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil PriceWhat it is: a demythologizing history of the Viking Age (750-1050 CE) written by archaeologist and longtime Viking scholar Neil Price.
Why you might like it: Aided by archaeological discoveries, this nuanced and well-researched account offers vivid recreations of Viking rituals that have often been misrepresented in popular culture.
Don't miss: a gruesome description of a Viking funeral. |
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| Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel WilkersonWhat it's about: the "shape-shifting, unspoken, race-based" caste system that has shaped four centuries of American history.
Read it for: a timely and thought-provoking exploration of how rigid social hierarchies dehumanize the people who live within them.
Book buzz: This impassioned latest from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson (The Warmth of Other Suns) was recently named an Oprah's Book Club pick. |
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City on Fire : The Fight for Hong Kong
by Antony Dapiran
What happened: Through the long, hot summer of 2019, Hong Kong burned. Anti-government protests, sparked by a government proposal to introduce a controversial extradition law, grew into a pro-democracy movement that engulfed the city for months.
What it means: Dapiran explains the city’s long history of dissent, examines the movement's cultural aspects, and looks at what the protests will mean for the future of Hong Kong, China, and beyond
Is it for you? It's "...essential for anyone interested in the current affairs of Hong Kong, specifically, and China, generally" (Library Journal)
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The Habsburgs : to rule the world
by Martyn C. Rady
What it's about: Describes the dominance throughout Europe of the Habsburgs, a dynasty that gained control of the Holy Roman Empire in the 1400s and stretched to Hungary and Spain and centuries later to the New World.
Reviewers say: This is " A sweeping chronicle of the rise and fall of the Habsburg dynasty." (Kirkus) "This admirably compact, exceptionally well-written survey will probably be the standard one-volume history of the Habsburg dynasty for years to come." (Library Journal)
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Lady in waiting : my extraordinary life in the shadow of the crown
by Anne Glenconner
What it's about: The daughter of the 5th Earl of Leicester, unable to inherit her father’s estate, describes growing up with royalty, having served as maid of Honor at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation and as lady in waiting to Princess Margaret.
Is it for you? "Highly recommended for readers interested in the British aristocracy and personality-driven memoirs. Glenconner, featured in the third season of The Crown, is a strong, intriguing woman whom fans of the show may wish to learn more about." (Library Journal)
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U.S. Elections and Voting
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| One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying Our Democracy by Carol AndersonWhat it is: a compelling study of how voter disenfranchisement tactics (such as voter ID laws, roll purges, gerrymandering, and lack of accessibility) are implemented to keep African Americans from the polls.
Reviewers say: "illuminating and clarifying" (Publishers Weekly); "could not be more timely" (Kirkus Reviews).
Try this next: Uncounted: The Crisis of Voter Suppression in America by Gilda R. Daniels. |
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| Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics by Lawrence O'DonnellWhat it's about: Host of MSNBC's The Last Word Lawrence O'Donnell became fascinated with politics at age 17 during the 1968 general elections. Here he reviews the tumultuous political year and the race that captivated him. Is it for you? Whether you remember 1968 yourself or know it from history, you'll enjoy the ringside seat O'Donnell offers in Playing with Fire.
Further reading: For general background on the 1960s, pick up Maurice Isserman and Michael Kazin's America Divided. |
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Where did you get this number? : a pollster's guide to making sense of the world
by Anthony Salvanto
What it's about: The elections and surveys director for CBS News presents a fast-paced, illuminating tour through the world of polling and elections to reveal what they actually say about today's America.
Is it for you? "Salvanto’s explanations and real-world examples add nuance to the numbers and graphs that fill the news. General interest readers and news junkies alike will come away with a greater appreciation of how polls and surveys are conducted, as well as a much clearer sense of what they mean." (Publishers Weekly)
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Why they marched : untold stories of the women who fought for the right to vote
by Susan Ware
What it's about: Looking beyond the national leadership of the suffrage movement, an acclaimed historian gives voice to the thousands of women from different backgrounds, races and religions whose local passion and protest resounded throughout the land.
Reviewers say: "This text brings to light fascinating stories underrepresented in traditional looks at women's suffrage in the United States, providing just the right amount of detail in each chapter before moving on to yet another enthralling tale." (Library Journal)
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Contact your librarian fore more great books!
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Winfield, IL 60190
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