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Myths that shaped our history: From Magna Carta to the Battle of Britain
by Simon Webb
All nations and peoples have a body of legendary tales and semi-historical episodes which explain who they are and help to define their place in the world. The British are no exception and in this book Simon Webb explores some of the most well-known episodes from British history; stories which tell the British about themselves and the country in which they live. Examining these events in detail reveals something rather surprising. In every case, the historical facts are greatly at variance with what most British people think that they know about such things as the Battle of Waterloo, Magna Carta, the suffragettes and so on. Indeed, in many cases the reality is precisely the opposite of what is commonly believed.
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| Improv nation: How we made a great American art by Sam WassonWhat it is: a sweeping, behind-the-scenes history of American improv comedy, which was born during the McCarthy era and counts Tina Fey and Steve Carell among its current stars.
Why you might like it: As you might expect, this is a funny and fast-moving read that will delight and entertain as it informs.
Reviewers say: “A remarkable story, magnificently told” (Booklist). |
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Bringing Columbia home: The untold story of a lost space shuttle and her crew
by Michael D. Leinbach
For the first time, here is the definitive inside story of the Columbia disaster and recovery and the inspiring message it ultimately holds. In the aftermath of tragedy, people and communities came together to help bring home the remains of the crew and nearly 40 percent of shuttle, an effort that was instrumental in piecing together what happened so the shuttle programme could return to flight and complete the International Space Station. Bringing Columbia Home shares the deeply personal stories that emerged as NASA employees looked for lost colleagues and searchers overcame immense physical, logistical, and emotional challenges and worked together to accomplish the impossible.
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Leaving the wild: The unnatural history of dogs, cats, cows, and horses
by Gavin Ehringer
The domestication of animals changed the course of human history. But what about the animals who abandoned their wild existence in exchange for our care and protection? Domestication has proven to be a wildly successful survival strategy. But this success has not been without its drawbacks. A modern dairy cow’s daily energy output equals that of a Tour de France rider. Feral cats overpopulate urban areas. And our methods of breeding horses and dogs have resulted in debilitating and sometimes lethal genetic diseases. But these problems and more can be addressed, if we have the will and the compassion.
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The end of money: The story of bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and the blockchain revolution
by Adam Rothstein
Murder for hire. Drug trafficking. Embezzlement. Money laundering. These might sound like plot lines of a thriller, but they are true stories from the short history of cryptocurrencies - digital currencies conceived by computer hackers and cryptographers that represent a completely new sort of financial transaction that could soon become mainstream. The most famous - or infamous - cryptocurrency is bitcoin. But look beyond its tarnished reputation and something much shinier emerges. The technology that underlies bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies - the blockchain - is hailed as the greatest advancement since the invention of the internet. It is now moving away from being the backbone for a digital currency and making inroads into other core concepts of society: identity, ownership and even the rule of law.
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World War II quilts
by Sue Reich
Many American women made warm and attractive quilts to honour and benefit US soldiers during the period 1940-1945, either as outright gifts or as raffle items to raise money for the war effort. This book reflects extensive original research of newspaper and magazine articles of the era, and authenticates the patterns and designs available to quiltmakers, anchoring the quilts historically in time. Colour photos and descriptive text identify many colourful and patriotic quilts made for donation to the Red Cross and organizations such as Bundles for Britain. When possible, original patterns and designs that inspired the quilts are included.The quilts can now be interpreted from factual and objective perspectives, enhancing their historic and emotional importance.
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Bitch doctrine: Essays for dissenting adults
by Laurie Penny
The author of Unspeakable Things argues that feminism, in this day and age, is still a true liberation struggle, one connected to all struggles for equal rights and freedom. Smart and provocative, witty and uncompromising, this collection of Laurie Penny's celebrated essays establishes her as one of the most important and vibrant political voices of our time. Bitch Doctrine takes an unflinching look at the definitive issues of our age, from the shock of Donald Trump's election and the victories of the far right to online harassment and the transgender rights movement.
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The end of patriarchy: Radical feminism for men
by Robert Jensen
The book asks one key question: What do we need to create and maintain stable, decent human communities that can remain in a sustainable relationship with the larger living world? Robert Jensen's answer is feminism and a critique of patriarchy. He calls for a radical feminist challenge to institutionalised male dominance; an uncompromising rejection of men's assertion of a right to control women's sexuality and reproduction; and a demand for an end to the violence and coercion that are at the heart of all systems of domination and subordination.
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Unspeakable things: Sex, lies and revolution
by Laurie Penny
'This is not a fairytale. This is a story about how sex and money and power police our dreams.' Clear-eyed, witty and irreverent, Laurie Penny is as ruthless in her dissection of modern feminism and class politics as she is in discussing her own experiences in journalism, activism and underground culture. This is a book about poverty and prejudice, online dating and eating disorders, riots in the streets and lies on the television. The backlash is on against sexual freedom for men and women and social justice and feminism needs to get braver. Penny speaks for a new feminism that takes no prisoners, a feminism that is about justice and equality, but also about freedom for all.
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200 women: Who will change the way you see the world
by Ruth Hobday
200 women from around the world, famous and unknown, answer the same 5 questions, such as “What really matters to you?” and “What would you change in the world if you could?” The answers are inspiring, moving, sometimes funny, sometimes painful, but always powerful. Interviewees include Graca Michel, widow of Nelson Mandela and an impressive political and social activist, author Margaret Atwood, Nobel laureate Jody Williams, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and women from around the world making a difference. Each interview is accompanied by a photographic portrait, resulting in a volume that is compelling in word and image as it is global in its scope.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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