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History and Current Events June 2025 |
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| Freedom Ship: The Uncharted History of Escaping Slavery by Sea by Marcus RedikerHistorian Marcus Rediker's (The Slave Ship) thoughtful latest explores how enslaved people in the Antebellum South utilized America's waterways to seek their freedom and profiles some of the men and women whose escapes were successful. For fans of: Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad by Ann Hagedorn.
Reviewers Say: "Based on the voluminous first-hand accounts and testimony left by enslaved people and abolitionists, this beautifully written and compassionate account highlights a little-known aspect of antebellum resistance to enslavement. Readers interested in studies of enslavement in the United States and American antebellum history will enjoy this book.” — Library Journal (starred review)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book. |
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Their Accomplices Wore Robes: How the Supreme Court Chained Black America to the Bottom of a Racial Caste System
by Brando Simeo Starkey
A magisterial new history of the role of the Supreme Court as an ally in implementing and preserving a racial caste system in America takes readers from the Civil War era to the present and describes how the Supreme Court (even more than the presidency or Congress) aligned with the enemies of black progress to undermine the promise of the Constitution’s Reconstruction Amendments—which sought to abolish slavery, establish equal protection under the law, and protect voting rights.
Reviewers Say: "A searing indictment of judicially condoned—and even enshrined—racism in American law. . . . A powerfully argued study of a legal system that favors those who 'persevere in undermining Black freedom.'" — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
In Our Collection: This is on order as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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A History of the World in Six Plagues: How Contagion, Class, and Captivity Shaped Us, from Cholera to COVID-19
by Edna Bonhomme
Exploring six epidemics from cholera to COVID-19, this account reveals how pandemics have deepened racial, economic and social inequities, blending history and cultural analysis to expose systemic injustices and advocate for transformative change in public-health policies.
Reviewers Say: "Bonhomme’s frank, timely critique of the Western medical field and our faltering health care system reveals how it is deeply entangled with colonialism and capitalism." — BookPage (starred review)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Righteous Strife: How Warring Religious Nationalists Forged Lincoln's Union
by Richard Carwardine
The first major account of the American Civil War to give full weight to the central role played by religion, reframing the conflict through Abraham Lincoln's contentious appeals to faith-based nationalism.
Reviewers Say: "Tackles a topic many Civil War scholars have tended to overlook: the influence of faith in wartime politics and nationalism . . . [by studying] underused primary sources, including pamphlets, sermons, church reports and newspapers.” —Amanda Brickell Bellows, The Wall Street Journal
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book
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Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare
by Edward Fishman
A gripping account of America's shift to economic warfare details how U.S. leaders harnessed financial and technological power to confront authoritarian regimes, reshape globalization and create an economic arms race that redefines global alliances and tensions.
Reviewers Say: "This peerless contemporary history of American sanctions, grounded in personal experience and thorough research, will guide all who wish to address global problems through the responsible and effective use of economic power." — Timothy Snyder, Professor of History at Yale University and author of On Tyranny and Bloodlands
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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No More Tears: The Dark Story of Johnson & Johnson
by Gardiner Harris
In this blistering exposé, an award-winning investigative journalist uncovers reams of evidence showing decades of Johnson & Johnson's deceitful and dangerous corporate practices that have threatened the lives of millions.
Reviewers Say: "A masterpiece of muckraking . . . This hard-hitting exposé from journalist Harris documents scandals and malfeasance by the pharmaceutical conglomerate Johnson & Johnson. . . . Harris supports his takedown with a mountain of evidence and conveys his findings in scorching prose.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Abundance
by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
A compelling exploration of how systemic scarcity in areas like housing, healthcare and climate action stems from outdated solutions emphasizes the need for a mindset shift toward abundance and proactive systems to drive transformative progress.
Reviewers Say: "It’s time to scrutinize everything from municipal zoning regulations to the paperwork requirements for scientists getting federal funding. The authors’ debut as a duo is very smart and eminently useful. Cogent, well-timed ideas for meeting today’s biggest challenges.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book as well as in eAudiobook format.
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Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS
by Lisa Rogak
Bestselling biographer Lisa Rogak's evocative blend of history and collective biography chronicles the courageous exploits of four women who worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II: American reporter Betty MacDonald, Czech polyglot Zuzka Lauwers, American navy wife Jane Smith-Hutton, and German American film star Marlene Dietrich. For fans of: Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II by Elyse Graham.
Reviewers Say: "An action-packed adventure of women who successfully fought Nazis and sexism." ― People
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America
by Russell Shorto
Drawing on never-before-seen archival materials, bestselling author Russell Shorto's (The Island at the Center of the World) lively social history explores the early days of New York City, from its 1626 purchase by the Dutch to its capture by the English four decades later. For fans of: The Village: 400 Years of Beats and Bohemians, Radicals and Rogues, a History of Greenwich Village by John Strausbaugh.
Reviewers Say: "A masterful account of the international struggle for control of 17th-century Manhattan . . . packed with intrigue and fascinating subplots. . . A bracing narrative of the international standoff that birthed America’s biggest city." ― Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
In Our Collection: This is available as an Adult Nonfiction book.
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The Folly of Realism: How the West Deceived Itself About Russia and Betrayed Ukraine
by Alexander S. Vindman
A national security expert argues that Western indecision and short-sightedness enabled Russia's return to imperialism, culminating in the brutal invasion of Ukraine, while proposing a long-term, values-based approach to counteract Russian expansionism and uphold liberal democracy.
Reviewers Say: "Vindman combines intricate analysis with personal observations…to make a spirited riposte to ‘realists’ who argue America has no vital interests in Ukraine. It’s a penetrating take on American foreign relations.” ― Publishers Weekly
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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