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History and Current Events November 2018
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Recent Releases - History |
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| American Dialogue: The Founding Fathers and Us by Joseph J. EllisWhat would the Founding Fathers think? In this nuanced examination of the "ongoing conversation between past and present," Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Joseph J. Ellis (Founding Brothers) reveals how the often contradictory wisdom of America's Founding Fathers remains relevant in contemporary political discourse.
Further reading: For another incisive study by a Pulitzer Prize winner, try Doris Kearns Goodwin's Leadership in Turbulent Times. |
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The tango war : the struggle for the hearts, minds and riches of Latin America during World War II
by Mary Jo McConahay
What it's about: Traces the lesser-known story of the fight for the allegiance of Latin America during World War II, tracing the region's essential role in supplying important materials, providing military support and negotiating prisoner exchanges.
What reviewers say: "This lively book, driven by colorful personalities, strikes the ideal balance between informative and entertaining." (Publishers Weekly)
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| The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben MacintyreWho it's about: disillusioned KGB operative-turned double agent Oleg Gordievsky, whose work on behalf of MI6 helped end the Cold War.
What's inside: propulsive descriptions of Gordievsky's nail-biting schemes; lists of codenames and aliases used during his spycraft.
For fans of: John le Carré (who calls The Spy and the Traitor "the best true spy story I have ever read"). |
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| The Library Book by Susan OrleanWhat's the story? In April 1986, a devastating fire engulfed the main branch of the Los Angeles Public Library, destroying over one million books and leading to the building's seven-year closure. Was it an accident...or arson?
Check it out: This "love letter to libraries everywhere" (Library Journal) offers an immersive blend of true crime, journalistic reportage, history, and biography, culminating in a sweeping tribute to the library as an enduring cultural institution. |
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The poison squad : one chemist's single-minded crusade for food safety at the turn of the twentieth century
by Deborah Blum
What it's about: Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley set out to ensure food safety. He selected food tasters to test various food additives and preservatives, letting them know that the substances could be harmful or deadly. The tasters were recognized for their courage, and became known as the poison squad.
Is it for you: This look into the history of food safety is "a stomach churner and a page-turner." (Publishers Weekly)
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Recent Releases - Current Events
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Exploding data : reclaiming our cybersecurity in the digital age
by Michael Chertoff
What it's about: The former Secretary of Homeland Security outlines powerful arguments for new laws and policies to protect society and individual autonomy from cyber-security threats.
Why it's important: "What's actually at stake isn't simply loss of privacy but individual autonomy—personal choices unfettered by manipulation and force." (Library Journal)
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| American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures by America Ferrera (editor) What it is: a powerful collection of 32 first-person essays written by immigrants or children of immigrants, including Al Madrigal, Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Michelle Kwan, and Roxane Gay.
Want a taste? "We live as citizens of a country that does not always claim us or even see us, and yet we continue to build, to create, and to compel it toward its own promise." |
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We are the nerds : the birth and tumultuous life of Reddit, the internet's culture laboratory
by Christine Lagorio-Chafkin
What it's about: An award-winning journalist offers a look inside Reddit, the wildly popular, often misunderstood website, whose intensely-engaged users have changed the culture of the Internet.
What reviewers say: "Capturing Reddit at its best (like its philanthropic offshoot Reddit Gifts) and worst (the noxious troll Violentacrez), the book works as a portrait of both internet culture and a startup-turned-phenomenon reckoning with success." (ooklist)
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Winfield, IL 60190
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