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History and Current Events January 2018
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| The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner by Daniel EllsbergAuthor Daniel Ellsberg (who leaked the Pentagon Papers) recounts his role in the RAND Corporation's 1960s study of the U.S. policy on nuclear strikes. Framed as a memoir, The Doomsday Machine explains how the nuclear policy developed, its flaws (which continue to the present), and the urgency of reducing the availability of nuclear weapons.
his sobering and thought-provoking book shines a spotlight on issues that have become more prominent since North Korea started demonstrating their missile capabilities. |
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| Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics by Lawrence O'DonnellHost of The Last Word on MSNBC and advisor to U.S. Senate committees Lawrence O'Donnell became fascinated with politics at age 17 when he observed the 1968 general elections. Here he reviews the tumultuous political year and the race that captivated him. Whether you remember 1968 yourself or know it from history, you'll enjoy the ringside seat O'Donnell offers in Playing with Fire.
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What unites us : reflections on patriotism
by Dan Rather
The Emmy Award-winning veteran journalist shares passionate essays about what it means to be an American and the relevance of patriotism in today's world, exploring subjects ranging from the institutions that support the nation, major events from that past half century and how the country can better unite to secure a collective future.
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| The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom by Helen ThorpeAuthor Helen Thorpe spent a year immersed in the lives of recently arrived high-schoolers who could speak no English when they started school. She empathetically depicts 22 refugee teenagers and their English Language Acquisition teacher.
Thorpe portrays the students' traumatic passages to the U.S., the complexities of assimilating into American culture, and the teacher's ability to create community in his classroom. The Newcomers spotlights people directly concerned with the political hot topic of immigration. |
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The age of gold : the California Gold Rush and the new American dream
by H. W. Brands
A history of the people and commercial imperatives that contributed to the California gold rush discusses the massive influx of hundreds of thousands of people to the area, which became a state in record time, in a volume set against the political climate and national issues of the period. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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