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History and Current Events June 2024
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After Eden: A Short History of the World
by John Charles Chasteen
What It's About: Historian John Charles Chasteen provides a concise history of the world, focusing on the ways that human cruelty has manifested in history while also examining sources of inspiration for forging a more humane future.
Reviewers Say: Chasteen ventures some interesting observations...[a] well researched book. (Kirkus Reviews)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech
by Brian Merchant
What It's About: This most pressing story in modern tech introduces an underground network of 19th century rebels, the Luddites, who took arms against the industrialists automating their work in an all-but-forgotten and deeply misunderstood class struggle that nearly brought England to its knees—and sets the stage for the threat of big tech today.
Reviewers Say: Stirring...This is a significant contribution to the history of the Industrial Revolution and a strong warning against complacency in the face of technological change. (Publishers Weekly)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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The Cancer Factory: Industrial Chemicals, Corporate Deception, and the Hidden Deaths of American Workers
by Jim Morris
What It's About: Based on four decades of reporting and delving into scientific literature about toxic substances and health risks, this gripping story of one of the nation's worst, and best-documented, outbreaks of work-related cancer at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company chemical plant exposes the sometimes-deadly risks too many workers face.
Reviewers Say: “Morris’s chronicle vividly reveals the dangers of cancer, birth defects, and other health complications in chemical factories while holding out hope for change for the better in spite of polarized politics and corporate influence.” (Booklist)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book, an eBook, and an eAudiobook.
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The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War
by Erik Larson
What It's About: Drawing on diaries, secret communiques, slave ledgers and plantation ledgers, journalist Erik Larson offers a gripping account of the months between Lincoln's election and the start of the Civil War, which tore a deeply divided nation in two.
Reviewers Say: “Fascinating details, fresh perspectives, and lively writing make this a standout view of the antebellum and Civil War eras.” (Booklist (Starred Review))
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book, an eBook, and an eAudiobook.
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The Lewis and Clark Expedition Day By Day
by Gary E Moulton
What It's About: Historian Gary E. Moulton recounts each day in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, drawing on journal entries to describe personal stories, scientific pursuits, and geographic challenges, along with vivid descriptions of encounters with Native peoples and unknown lands and discoveries of new species of flora and fauna.
Reviewers Say: "Many of the entries provide a visceral sense of what members of the expedition saw on their travels...These details make the Lewis and Clark expedition once again seem new and exciting." (Missouri Historical Review)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Muse of Fire: World War I As Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets
by Michael Korda
What It's About: Michael Korda relates the story of World War I through the intertwined lives of several poets fighting in the conflict, not only bringing to life the soldier poets, but painting an unforgettable picture of life and death in the trenches, and the sacrifice of an entire generation.
Reviewers Say: "Korda’s narrative pulsates with fascinating background detail and harrowing wartime exploits, and the story flows sinuously along channels of literary influence as the poets mentor or otherwise inspire one other...It’s a sophisticated mix of literary and political history." (Publishers Weekly)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of British History at Hampton Court
by Gareth Russell
What It's About: Historian Gareth Russell surveys five centuries of royal goings-on at England's Hampton Court Palace, from its construction during Henry VIII's reign to its hosting of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ball in 1953 and more.
Reviewers Say: “[A] superb panoramic history, bursting with scholarship, wit and riveting detail. A beautifully written, fascinating book about those who have lived and loved at Hampton Court.” (Kate Williams, Professor of Public Engagement with History at the University of Reading)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Sikhs: The Story of a People, Their Faith and Culture
by Saanika Patnaik
What It's About: This book traces the history of Sikhism, explaining how a faith led to the birth of a historic empire of immense military and political might, mapping the emergence of a distinct identity, and looking at its impact on the world, as well as exploring the religion's gurus, scriptures, philosophy, stories, and legends.
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World
by Edward Humes
What It's About: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes explores the pervasive yet hard-to-see wastefulness that permeates our daily lives and shows how individuals and communities are making a real difference for health, prosperity, quality of life and the fight against climate change for a cleaner, greener world.
Reviewers Say: "An engrossing, practical guide to living healthier, less improvident lives and benefiting the planet by doing so." (Kirkus Reviews)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
What It's About: The Pulitzer Prize-winning historian reflects on her 42-year marriage with Dick Goodwin, one the shining stars of John F. Kennedy's New Frontier, and the journey of going through the letters, diaries, documents and memorabilia he saved over the years.
Reviewers Say: “A heartfelt tribute to the author’s late husband and a captivating reflection on this pivotal era in American politics.” (Kirkus)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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