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History and Current Events May 2020 Special eBook edition! You must have a current Wilton Library card to use these services. If you are a non-Wilton resident, please check with your hometown library for these services.
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Why We're Polarized
by Ezra Klein
What it's about: A journalist, political commentator and co-founder of Vox explains how today’s rigidly partisan politics came to be, why we all participate in it and what it means for America’s future.
Media mentions: HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, Comedy Central's The Daily Show, and MSNBC's All in with Chris Hayes
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Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America
by Candacy A. Taylor
What it's about: the important historical role of the “black travel guide to America” published from 1936 to 1966, celebrating the courage of black-safe businesses that advanced race relations by including themselves in Green Book listings.
Hoopla tie-in: Listen to the original motion picture soundtrack for "Green Book" (2018)
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The Hero: The Enduring Myth That Makes Us Human
by Lee Child
What it is: an exploration of the endurance of heroes from Achilles to Bond, showing us how this age-old myth is a fundamental part of what makes us human.
Author alert: a first work of nonfiction by the creator of the multi-million-selling Jack Reacher series.
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Some fascinating history books you may have missed... |
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The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
by Kate Moore
What it's about: As World War I escalated, American women tasked with painting watch dials (many used by soldiers) were exposed to the gruesome effects of radiation poisoning.
Why it matters: The surviving workers eventually took their employers to court; the outcome improved labor laws and led to a greater scientific understanding of radiation's harmful effects.
Reviewers say: "written with clarity and a sympathetic voice that brings these figures and their struggles to life" (Library Journal).
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The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story
by Douglas J. Preston
What it is: The co-author of the FBI Agent Pendergast series presents a high-suspense account of the discovery of a lost civilization, contemporaries of the Mayans who lived deep in the Honduran jungle.
Kirkus Reviews called it: "A story that moves from thrilling to sobering, fascinating to downright scary—trademark Preston, in other words, and another winner." (November, 2016)
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Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
by Yuval N. Harari
What it is: an examination of the civilized world's phenomenal achievements in the areas of famine, disease and war, along with provocative predictions about the evolutionary goals of the 21st century.
By the author of: Sapiens (2015) and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018).
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The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
by Ben Macintyre
Who 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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Email a librarian at techref@wiltonlibrary.org for more engrossing history titles! These eBooks may be downloaded in the Libby By OverDrive app or viewed online on our OverDrive page. For more information on borrowing eBooks, visit http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/ebooks-eaudiobooks-and-emagazines |
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