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History and Current Events October 2026 |
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| The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy by Gil DuránSan Francisco-based journalist Gil Durán’s incisive debut explores how Silicon Valley tech leaders who are closely aligned with the Trump administration help promote totalitarian ideologies. It’s “an ominous look at an insular elite arrayed against American democracy,” says Publishers Weekly. Further reading: Users: How Big Tech Took Control and How to Fight Back by Beeban Kidron. |
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| The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill LeporeTaking inspiration from Hannah Arendt’s 1951 classic The Origins of Totalitarianism, Pulitzer Prize winner Jill Lepore’s thought-provoking latest examines the origins and evolution of artificial intelligence, detailing AI’s damaging influence over politics, economics, and the everyday fabric of life. Try this next: Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy by Beth Simone Noveck. |
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| The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unraveling Men by Jon RonsonIn his nuanced and compelling latest, bestselling investigative journalist Jon Ronson (So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed) explores the modern masculinity crisis, focusing on the eyebrow-raising exploits of predatory steel industry heir Chris Mark; actor and alleged cannibal Armie Hammer; Ronson’s former friend, disgraced Irish showrunner Graham Linehan; “manosphere” content creator Dan Bilzerian; and more. Try this next: What Is Wrong with Men: Patriarchy, the Crisis of Masculinity, and How (Of Course) Michael Douglas Films Explain Everything by Jessa Crispin. |
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| Changing Gender by Susan StrykerDrawing upon her own experiences as a transgender woman, historian and theorist Susan Stryker’s insightful and accessible history details the evolution of gender as a social and grammatical construct, arguing that gender is “in need of thoughtful delineation.” For fans of: Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words by John McWhorter. |
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| The Everest Mystery: Sandy Irvine, George Mallory, and the Truth Still Buried on Everest by Julie Summers and Jochen HemmlebHistorians Julie Summers and Jochen Hemmleb chronicle Sandy Irvine and George Mallory’s ill-fated 1924 expedition to summit Mt. Everest, during which the explorers perished…but how? And when? Drawing upon letters and journal entries, this evocative and richly detailed account offers a compelling historical mystery with a uniquely personal perspective -- Summers is Irvine’s great-niece. Further reading: The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest by Mark Synnott. |
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| A Moment in the Sun: Black Manhattan Before the Civil War by Shane WhiteScholar Shane White’s well-researched revisionist history offers a lively look at Black social and cultural life in antebellum New York City, utilizing archival materials and firsthand accounts to detail how Black New Yorkers thrived in the face of massive societal upheaval. Further reading: Brooklynites: Free Black Communities in the Nineteenth Century by Prithi Kanakamedala. |
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| Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature by Emily WilsonIn this engaging and accessible essay collection, classical studies professor Emily Wilson, whose work includes revered translations of Homer’s The Odyssey (which served as the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s recent film adaptation) and The Iliad, discusses the complex history and challenges of translating ancient literature. Try this next: Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old by Mary Beard. |
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| Three Rivers: The Extraordinary Waterways That Created Europe by Robert WinderAward-winning former Granta and The Independent editor Robert Winder’s richly detailed and nonlinear history explores how the Rhine, the Rhône, and the Po rivers have impacted Western European civilization. For a more global perspective on how waterways have shaped humanity, check out Seven Rivers: A Journey Through the Currents of Human History by Vanessa Taylor. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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