History and Current Events
October 2025
Recent Releases
Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City
by Bench Ansfield

Historian Bench Ansfield's thought-provoking exposé details the ongoing legacy of the 1970s arson epidemic, exacerbated by corrupt landlords and predatory insurance companies, that plagued urban neighborhoods throughout the United States, particularly in the South Bronx. Try this next: The Killing Fields of East New York: The First Subprime Mortgage Scandal, a White-Collar Crime Spree, and the Collapse of an American Neighborhood by Stacy Horn.
The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze That Captured Turn-of-the-Century America
by David Baron

Science journalist David Baron (American Eclipse) chronicles how early-20th century astronomers, writers, and intellectuals popularized a cultural fascination with Mars (and its potential lifeforms) that ushered in a new era of exploration, tabloid journalism, and conspiracy theories. Try this next: Dead Air: The Night That Orson Welles Terrified America by William Elliott Hazelgrove.
Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State
by Caleb Gayle

Journalist Caleb Gayle's compelling and well-researched history offers a nuanced portrait of Black separatist politician and entrepreneur Edward McCabe, whose attempts to establish Black-run communities in the post-Reconstruction Oklahoma Territory spurred the displacement of the Cherokee already living there. Try this next: The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance by Rebecca Clarren. 
The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces
by Seth Harp

Journalist and Iraq War veteran Seth Harp's disturbing debut chronicles the criminal exploits of United States Special Forces soldiers based at North Carolina's Fort Bragg military base, where a 2020 double murder exposed a drug trafficking operation. Try this next: Code Over Country: The Tragedy and Corruption of SEAL Team Six by Matthew Cole.
Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves
by Johnathan Walton

Podcaster and reality TV producer Johnathan Walton draws upon his own experiences as the victim of a con artist in this candid guide to helping readers avoid scams. For fans of: My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel DeLoache Williams.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Easton Area Public Library
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Easton, Pennsylvania 18042
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