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History and Current Events July 2017
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Superfast primetime ultimate nation: The relentless invention of modern India
by Adam Roberts
"Who can foretell India's future? Mr. Joshi is a fortune teller in a slum in south Delhi who uses a soothsaying green parrot to make predictions. When Adam Roberts visited him in 2012, Joshi's parrot declared that India was destined to become the most powerful nation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The parrot also foretold that India would win the soccer World Cup. Parrots may not be the preeminent political authority, but many Indians were just as confident. So Adam Roberts spent five years traveling the length and breadth of the country from Kerala to the Himalayas, Bengal to Gujarat. As he encountered the power brokers, gate keepers, and elaborate social dynamics of the world's largest democracy, he asked if--and how--India can become a truly great economic power, more influential abroad and stable at home. He met prime ministers, multimillionaires, traveling salesmen, pilgrims, eco-warriors, farmers, and tech innovators, each wrestling with the trials posed by the world's most conspicuously nearly great power. He experienced an immense country that, despite daunting challenges, is entering the most optimistic period in its modern history. Through vivid storytelling and insight, Superfast Primetime Ultimate Nation examines the problems and promises of fast-growing India to reveal how it might reach its full potential and become, as Mr. Joshi's parrot predicted, a truly powerful nation"
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| Apollo 8: The thrilling story of the first mission to the moon by Jeffrey KlugerIn Apollo 8, acclaimed science writer Jeffrey Kluger provides a you-were-there reading experience as he recounts the preparations that culminated in the first manned flight to the moon. Drawing on his interviews with crew members Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders, as well as the NASA Oral History Project and other records, Kluger enriches the personal and technical details of the mission with facets of the Cold War-era politics that spurred the race to the moon. Space flight aficionados won't want to miss Kluger's "laudable storytelling" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Fateful choices: Ten decisions that changed the World 1940-1941
by Ian Kershaw
Dramatically recreates a sequence of ten decisions made by six major leaders between May 1940 and December 1941 that reshaped human destiny, from Churchill's war cabinet's choice to continue fighting after the German blitzkrieg defeat of France and Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union to Hitler's declaration of war on the U.S. and his subsequent decision to eliminate Jewish citizens. Reprint.
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| Anatomy of terror: From the death of Bin Laden to the rise of the Islamic State by Ali SoufanIdentifying the primary goals of different terrorist leaders, antiterrorism expert Ali Soufan explains how radical Islamists think. Drawing on both unclassified reports and his own knowledge from working in the FBI, he reveals that al-Qaida cells have continued to grow and organize, so that they again represent a significant threat. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews notes that Anatomy of Terror offers a lucid account of this "dizzying scenario of violence." |
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| The art of the con: The most notorious fakes, frauds, and forgeries in the art world by Anthony M. AmoreConfidence scams, forgeries, and theft plague the world of art, costing museums and legitimate private owners millions of dollars. In The Art of the Con, security expert Anthony Amore (head of security at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum) explores instances of art fraud and theft, details specific methods, and examines the mindset of certain victims. Fans of both art history and true crime accounts will be enthralled and may want to follow up with Ulrich Boser's The Gardner Heist. |
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| Anatomy of injustice: A murder case gone wrong by Raymond BonnerIn Anatomy of Injustice, Pultizer Prize-winning journalist Raymond Bonner chronicles the murder conviction and appeals of an African American handyman in Greenwood, SC. After Edward Lee Elmore was convicted of killing an elderly widow, death penalty appeals specialists tried to show that the investigation was negligent and Elmore's trial representation was ineffective (among other things). However, 22 years passed before his execution was finally blocked. Bonner's powerful narration will engross those interested in the death penalty as well as true crime buffs. |
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| Future crimes: Everything is connected, everyone is vulnerable and what we can do about it by Marc GoodmanIn this accessible discussion, cybersecurity expert Marc Goodman details the current vulnerability of convenient devices (such as baby monitors, GPS, and online calendars) and describes the near-future potential for cybercriminals or governments to paralyse our lives. Though Future Crimes includes reassuring information on minimising Internet risks, this is a sobering report for anyone who uses Internet-connected devices. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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