Cardington-Lincoln Public Library

History and Current Events
January 2026

Now Available on our shelves or on the Libby app..
Capitalism: A Global History
by Sven Beckert

Award-winning Harvard historian Sven Beckert (Empire of Cotton) explores the development of capitalism around the globe in his sweeping and scholarly latest that's "a joy to read" and "a monumental achievement" (Publishers Weekly). Further reading: Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI by John Cassidy.
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President
by Candice Millard

The inspiration for the Netflix series Death by Lightning - now streaming - NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The extraordinary account of James Garfield's rise from poverty to the American presidency, and the dramatic history of his assassination and legacy, from the bestselling author of The River of Doubt. Crisp, concise and revealing history.... A fresh narrative that plumbs some of the most dramatic days in U.S. presidential history. --The Washington Post James Abram Garfield was one of the most extraordinary men ever elected president. Born into abject poverty, he rose to become a wunderkind scholar, a Civil War hero, a renowned congressman, and a reluctant presidential candidate who took on the nation's corrupt political establishment. But four months after Garfield's inauguration in 1881, he was shot in the back by a deranged office-seeker named Charles Guiteau. Garfield survived the attack, but became the object of bitter, behind-the-scenes struggles for power--over his administration, over the nation's future, and, hauntingly, over his medical care. Meticulously researched, epic in scope, and pulsating with an intimate human focus and high-velocity narrative drive, The Destiny of the Republic brings alive a forgotten chapter of U.S. history. Look for Candice Millard's latest book, River of the Gods.
The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. Mazzeo
The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World
by Tilar J. Mazzeo

Summer, 1856. Nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Patten and her husband Joshua were young and ambitious. Both from New England seafaring families, they had already completed their first clipper-ship voyage around the world with Joshua as captain. If they could win [a] race to San Francisco that year, their dream of building a farm and a family might be within reach. It would mean freedom. And the price of that freedom was one last dangerous transit--into the most treacherous waters in the world. As their ship, Neptune's Car, left New York Harbor and sailed down the jagged coast of South America, Joshua fell deathly ill and was confined to his bunk, delirious. ... With no obvious option for a new captain and heartbroken about her husband, Mary Ann stepped into the breach and convinced the crew to support her, just as they slammed into a gale that would last 18 days. ... Set against the backdrop of the California Gold Rush and taking us to the brink of Antarctica, [this book] finally gives Mary Ann Patten--the first woman to command a merchant vessel as captain--her due--
Mexico: A 500-Year History
by Paul Gillingham

Historian Paul Gillingham's evocative and nuanced history of Mexico's global influence chronicles the country's evolution, from Spain's colonization of the Aztec empire in the early 16th century to Mexico's role today. Further reading: America, América: A New History of the New World by Greg Grandin.
Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Desperadoes Who Plotted Hitler's Downfall, Giving Birth to Modern-Day Black Ops by Damien Lewis
Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Desperadoes Who Plotted Hitler's Downfall, Giving Birth to Modern-Day Black Ops
by Damien Lewis

One of the most remarkable stories in the history of Special Forces' operations - Daily Express In the bleak moments after defeat on mainland Europe in winter 1939, Winston Churchill knew that Britain had to strike back hard. So Britain's wartime leader called for the lightning development of a completely new kind of warfare, recruiting a band of eccentric free-thinking warriors to become the first 'deniable' secret operatives to strike behind enemy lines, offering these volunteers nothing but the potential for glory and all-but-certain death. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare tells the story of the daring victories for this small force of 'freelance pirates', undertaking devastatingly effective missions against the Nazis, often dressed in enemy uniforms and with enemy kit, breaking all previously held rules of warfare. Master storyteller Damien Lewis brings the adventures of the secret unit to life, weaving together the stories of the soldiers' brotherhood in this compelling narrative, from the unit's earliest missions to the death of their leader just weeks before the end of the war.
Barbieland: The Unauthorized History
by Tarpley Hitt

Journalist Tarpley Hitt's funny and engaging debut details the origins, evolution, and cultural impact of the iconic Barbie doll, which launched in 1959. For fans of: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl by Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks.
The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
by Walter Isaacson

Bestselling biographer Walter Isaacson (Steve Jobs) turns his attention to the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence (which begins with "We hold these truths to be self-evident..."), offering a word-by-word breakdown of its significance. Published to coincide with the document's 250th anniversary, this "short, smart analysis" (Kirkus Reviews) will appeal to fans of The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen.
Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History...
by Christine Kuehn

Journalist Christine Kuehn's fast-paced debut details how she learned her grandfather, Otto Kuehn, was a Nazi intelligence agent whose family was sent to pre-World War II Hawaii after his half-Jewish daughter's affair with Joseph Goebbels was discovered. Try this next: Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance by Joe Dunthorne.
 
Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
by W. David Marx

Surveying a wealth of topics including influencer culture, generative AI, identity politics, and more, culture writer W. David Marx's incisive analysis examines the cultural stagnation of the 21st century, detailing how an emphasis on profits and popularity weakens artistic expression. Further reading: Culture Creep: Notes on the Pop Apocalypse by Alice Bolin.
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