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History and Current Events December 2025 |
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The Penguin Book of Cults
by Book Author
A chilling documentary history of the most notorious cults of the past two thousand years, from the ancient Roman ritual sacrifices that inspired The Wicker Man all the way up to Heaven's Gate A Penguin Classic Hypnotism. Human sacrifice. Sexual perversion. Mass suicide. For millennia, people have been enthralled by graphic descriptions of terrible rites performed by the religious other. The Penguin Book of Cults compiles the most notorious and uncanny of these true accounts: salacious stories of frenzied worship by the cult of Dionysus; human sacrifices burned alive in giant wooden effigies, the inspiration for the (cult) classic movie The Wicker Man; moral panics over the hypnotic powers of yoga; the massacre at Jonestown, which left hundreds of bodies strewn across a foreign jungle; the bloody FBI siege of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas; the deadly chemical attack in a Tokyo subway by the Aum Shinrikyo cult; and the mass suicide of Heaven's Gate. Both terrible and tragic, this illuminating history of cults exposes the seductive power with which new religious movements have ensnared their followers and beguiled outsiders for generations--
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Jesusland: Stories from the Upside Down World of Christian Pop Culture
by Joelle Kidd
Using a blend of cultural criticism, humor, and personal memoir akin to Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror or Grace Perry's The 2000s Made Me Gay, Joelle Kidd writes about her evangelical adolescence through the lens of Christian pop culture of the early 2000s, giving readers a peek into this odd subculture and insight into how evangelicalism's growing popularity around the turn of the millennium has shaped culture and politics -- including today's far right. An empathetic, funny, and sharply critical collection of essays exploring the Christian pop culture of the 2000s and its influence on today's politically powerful evangelicalism Braiding relentless curiosity, sharp argument, and wry comedy, Kidd offers a lucid critique of evangelicalism that is always attentive to, and respectful of, the mysteries of faith. This is cultural criticism at its finest. I'll read anything Kidd writes. -- Tajja Isen, author of Some of My Best Friends In 1999, after three years of secular living in Eastern Europe, Joelle Kidd moved back to Canada and was enrolled in the strange world of an evangelical Christian school. Immediately, she found herself in a strange world of upbeat Christan pop music, purity education, and desperately trendy Bible redesigns, trying to make sense of this unfamiliar preteen cultural landscape. In Jesusland, Joelle writes about the Christian pop culture that she was suddenly immersed in, from perky girl bands to modest styling tips, and draws connections between this evangelical subculture and the mainstream, a tense yet reciprocal relationship that both disavows the secular while employing its media markers. But none of this was just about catchy songs; every abstinence quiz in a teen magazine was laying the foundation for what would become a conservative Christian movement that threatens women's healthcare, attacks queer and trans rights, and drives present-day political division. Through nine incisive, honest, and emotional essays, Jesusland exposes the pop cultural machinations of evangelicalism, while giving voice to aughts-era Christian children and teens who are now adults looking back at their time measuring the length of their skirts, and asking each other if their celebrity crush was Christian enough. With care and generosity, Jesusland shows us how the conservative evangelical movement became the global power it is today by exploring the pop culture that both reflected and shaped an entire generation of young people.
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| Dead and Alive: Essays by Zadie SmithZadie Smith's wide-ranging and witty latest collects 30 essays and talks penned during the last ten years, offering the author's reflections on pop culture, politics, loss, aging, and more. For fans of: Like Love: Essays and Conversations by Maggie Nelson. |
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| On My Honor: The Secret History of the Boy Scouts of America by Kim ChristensenPulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kim Christensen's posthumous exposé unflinchingly examines decades of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America, whose known victims number 82,000 and counting. Further reading: Scout Camp: Sex, Death, and Secret Societies Inside the Boy Scouts of America by James Renner. |
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Uncredited: Women's Overlooked, Misattributed, and Stolen Work
by Allison Tyra
Containing the histories of over 600 overlooked or disregarded women, Uncredited is a testament to women's perseverance and the recognition they deserve for their accomplishments. Women's accomplishments across history are showcased as aberrations or surprising facts. Little thought is often given to the reasons why most of our lauded scientists, reporters, sports stars, politicians, and businesspeople all seem to be men. Uncredited proves that not only have there been hundreds of ground-breaking women in all professions, but that their accomplishments have been overlooked, denigrated, or downright repressed by their male colleagues or historians. Uncredited explores why women have not been properly acknowledged for their accomplishments, both historically and today. This book combines research and statistics with the stories of more than 600 women, and is both an academic source and a fascinating read. Prepare to be frustrated with the history you've been denied but also inspired by these hidden trailblazers.
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Hope by Terry Fox
by Book Author
While many know of Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope, few know how he managed to accomplish such an incredible feat. Through 50+ interviews, newly discovered archive material, and Terry's own journal, Hope reveals his thoughts, motivation, and drive, inspiring readers to conquer any challenge they may face.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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