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History and Current Events August 2020
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The Brothers York: A Royal Tragedy by Thomas Penn What it's about: As the Wars of the Roses raged on in 15th-century Europe, three men at the center of the conflict -- House of York brothers Edward, George, and Richard -- saw their fragile unity upended by shifting alliances, greed, and paranoia.
Read it for: a dramatic and vivid narrative that reads like fiction, full of court intrigue, conspiracy plots, battles, and betrayals.
For fans of: Game of Thrones and Shakespeare's Richard III. | | Paying the Land by Joe Sacco What it is: a sobering, richly illustrated history of the Dené, a First Nations group living in Canada's remote Northwest Territories.
Why it matters: This eye-opening chronicle foregrounds a people who have seen their traditional way of life erode due to government assimilation efforts and increased fracking and mining in the region.
Art alert: Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Joe Sacco's realistic black-and-white illustrations accompany affecting oral histories. | | Spies in the Family: An American Spymaster, His Russian Crown Jewel, and the... by Eva Dillon Who it's about: Russian double agent Dimitri Polyavok and his handler, American CIA operative Paul Dillon (the author's father), two men on opposite sides of the Cold War who nonetheless struck up a lifelong friendship.
Why you might like it: Eva Dillon's intimate and well-researched account alternates between both men's experiences and explores the surprising commonalities in their home lives and career trajectories. | | The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War by Antonio & Jonna Mendez with Matt Baglio What it is: a fast-paced account of husband-and-wife duo Antonio and Jonna Mendez's time spent working as CIA agents in 1970s Moscow.
Don't miss: the gadgets (including a rappelling tool nicknamed "the Spiderman") and techniques (disguises, sleight of hand, and misdirection taught by magicians) the pair utilized in their spycraft.
Movie buzz: Ben Affleck portrayed Antonio Mendez in the Oscar-winning Argo. | | Burning Down the Haus: Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Tim Mohr What it's about: the underground East German punk movement whose political activism contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Featuring: 15-year-old "Major," the self-proclaimed first punk in East Germany, known for her safety pin-adorned jackets.
Awards buzz: This engaging and richly detailed history was longlisted for the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. | |
Contact your librarian for more great books!
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