|
Biography and Memoir January 2018
|
|
|
|
|
The Road Not Taken : Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam
by Max Boot
What it is: an epic biography of Edward Lansdale (1908– 1987), the man said to be the fictional model for Graham Greene’s The Quiet American, best-selling historian Max Boot demonstrates how Lansdale pioneered a “hearts and mind” diplomacy, first in the Philippines, then in Vietnam. It was a visionary policy that, as Boot reveals, was ultimately crushed by America’s giant military bureaucracy, steered by elitist generals and blueblood diplomats who favored troop build-ups and napalm bombs over winning the trust of the people.
Why you might want to read it: this “engrossing biography” (Karl Marlantes) rescues Lansdale from historical ignominy and suggests that Vietnam could have been different had we only listened. With reverberations that continue to play out in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Road Not Taken is a biography of profound historical consequence.
|
|
| The Only Girl in the World: A Memoir by Maude Julien; translated by Adriana HunterWhat it's about: the cruel childhood of author Maude Julien, who was raised by sadistic survivalist parents in isolated and deprived circumstances, from age three to age 16. This disturbing memoir relates the abuses Julien suffered and the path to freedom offered by a sympathetic music teacher.
Why you might want to read it: Julien's love for animals and her years of therapy helped her to become an empathetic and loving adult, which is apparent as she relates her story. |
|
| The Saboteur: The Aristocrat Who Became France's Most Daring Anti-Nazi Commando by Paul KixFeaturing: Robert de la Rochefoucauld, a scion of the historic and wealthy French family. During the German Occupation of France in World War II, he responded to General Charles de Gaulle's call for the French people to resist, by joining Prime Minister Winston Churchill's secret agents in the Special Operations Executive.
Why you might like it: Filled with real-life derring-do, including hair-raising escapes and spectacular acts of sabotage, this slice of World War II history will appeal to espionage buffs and those who admire the anti-Nazi resistance, especially in France. |
|
| Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality by Jaron LanierWhat it is: the autobiography of interdisciplinary scientist Jaron Lanier, who invented the term "virtual reality" and gave us new ways to understand the human mind's relationship to the universe.
Why you should read it: You'll enjoy Lanier's account of his life and the far-out ideas he's developed. Geeks, nerds, and technophobes will all appreciate this thought-provoking book. |
|
|
Diversifying Diplomacy : My Journey From Roxbury to Dakar
by Harriet Lee Elam-Thomas
Featuring: Harriet Lee Elam-Thomas, a young black woman who beat the odds and challenged the status quo.Inspired by the strong women in her life, she followed in the footsteps of the few women who had gone before her in her effort to make the Foreign Service reflect the diverse faces of the United States.The youngest child of parents who left the segregated Old South to raise their family in Massachusetts, Elam-Thomas distinguished herself with a diplomatic career at a time when few colleagues looked like her . Why you might like it: Diversifying Diplomacy presents the journey of this successful woman,who not only found herself confronted by some of the world's heftier problems but also helped ensure that new shepherds of honesty and authenticity would follow in her international footsteps for generations to come."
|
|
|
Sometimes you have to cross when it says don't walk : a memoir of breaking barriers
by Lesley Visser
What it is: In Sometimes You Have to Cross When It Says 'Don't Walk,' Lesley Visser shares her historic journey through the world of sports broadcasting with innate wisdom and good humor. For sports fans who grew up with Lesley, her memoir reads like a walk down memory lane, full of behind-the-camera, VIP-access stories involving John Madden, Jerry Jones, Bill Belichick, Joe Torre, and many more famous sports figures. But even those hearing her story for the first time, no matter what their background, will be inspired to chase their dreams, blaze new trails, and pursue the life they want.
Why you might like it: Lesley Visser is living proof that, no matter where you start, if you are motivated and passionate, your dreams can come true.
|
|
|
Charles Darwin : Victorian Mythmaker
by A. N. Wilson
What is is: A radical reappraisal of Darwin by the best-selling author of Victoria: A Life argues that the evolution pioneer was less of an original scientific intellect than a ruthless self-promoter who did not give credit to the actual sages whose ideas he advanced in his history-shaping book.
Why you should read it: Contextualizing Darwin and his ideas, Wilson offers a groundbreaking critical look at this revered figure in modern science.
|
|
| Becoming Hitler: The Making of a Nazi by Thomas WeberWhat it is: a revisionist biography of Adolf Hitler by an award-winning historian, who portrays him as an awkward, small-time Bavarian loner who found his calling in demagoguery.
What sets it apart: Author Thomas Weber shows the young Hitler between 1918 and 1926, teaching himself how to rise from failure and become a political manipulator par excellence.
Further reading: Peter Range Ross' 1924; Volker Ullrich's Hitler. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|