| History and Current Events May 2006 |
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"Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it."
~Oscar Wilde, 19th-century Anglo-Irish playwright, author, and poet |
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| New and recently released! |
| The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast - by Douglas Brinkley |
| Publisher: William Morrow |
| Pub Date: 05/01/2006 |
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| ISBN: 0061124230 |
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Historian, bestselling author, and Tulane University professor Douglas Brinkley provides an eye-opening and deeply personal account of Hurricane Katrina. Brinkley, who was himself displaced by Katrina and its devastation, documents the storm, speaks of the terrible aftermath, and looks at the ongoing crisis confronting New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region. He interviewed federal, state, and local officials to conduct research for this book, which is full of revealing information. This analysis will appeal to anyone affected by Katrina or with an interest in the future and past of Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Gulf Coast. | |
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| Our Town: A Heartland Lynching, a Haunted Town, and the Hidden History of White America - by Cynthia Carr |
| Publisher: Crown Publishers |
| Pub Date: 03/21/2006 |
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| ISBN: 0517705060 |
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Journalist Cynthia Carr describes one of the most infamous events in American history: the August 1930 lynching of two African-Americans in Carr's hometown of Marion, Indiana. Carr draws on archival sources and interviews with survivors to investigate the history of race relations in Marion, the events of the lynching, the role of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana, and her own grandfather's possible involvement. Combining investigative journalism, personal history, and U.S. history in an engaging and unique fashion, Publishers Weekly says this well-written book is an "outstanding narrative." | |
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| The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good - by William Easterly |
| Publisher: Penguin Press |
| Pub Date: 03/16/2006 |
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| ISBN: 1594200378 |
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Former World Bank analyst and current NYU economics professor William Easterly argues that Western foreign aid efforts have done little to stem global poverty and in some countries have actually worsened existing humanitarian crises. While the controversial opinions that Easterly presents in this book may be off-putting to some, the accessible writing style of his critique will allow anyone who wants to explore this argument to jump right in. Kirkus Reviews points out that another recent book that tackles problems with humanitarianism is David Rieff's A Bed For the Night. | |
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| The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power, and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II - by Greg King |
| Publisher: Wiley |
| Pub Date: 03/30/2006 |
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| ISBN: 0471727636 |
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Following The Fate of the Romanovs, historian Greg King gives fans of the Russian imperial family another treat in this look at the court of Nicholas and Alexandra. King lavishes interesting and scrumptious tidbits about the pomp and pageantry of this opulent world as he profiles members of the House of Romanov; he even details the luxurious jewelry and automobiles that they owned. This book is for readers who like to explore history through cultural and material venues rather than through wars, politics, and revolutions. Library Journal compares this book to Orlando Figes' Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia. | |
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| American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century - by Kevin Phillips |
| Publisher: Viking |
| Pub Date: 03/21/2006 |
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| ISBN: 067003486X |
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Kevin Phillips, a former Republican strategist and long-time political commentator, evaluates today's political climate and the inherent dangers posed by such factors as global over-reach, religious fundamentalism, and ballooning debt. This account, which is critical of the Republican party, draws on historical examples while making cautionary predictions about America's growing vulnerability. Not everyone will agree with Phillips' ideas, but if you want to be in the know about this sure to be controversial book, you may want to check it out. Kirkus Reviews says this is a "dazzling treatise." | |
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| The Birth of America: From Before Columbus to the Revolution - by William Roe Polk |
| Publisher: HarperCollins |
| Pub Date: 04/01/2006 |
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| ISBN: 0060750901 |
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This incisive study of the origins of the U.S. ranges from pre-Columbian to Revolutionary times and explains the inevitable break of the American colonies with Britain. Historian William Roe Polk details the important events, personalities, movements, influences, and forces of this critical period in an engaging narrative style. Kirkus Reviews says this book is "packed with impeccable scholarship and insightful analysis" and Publishers Weekly describes Polk as a "masterful storyteller." People with an interest in early U.S. history will want to add this book to their to-be-read list. | |
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| Focus on: Excess, living well, and the art of conspicuous consumption |
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| 740 Park: The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building - by Michael Gross |
| Publisher: Broadway Books |
| Pub Date: 10/18/2005 |
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| ISBN: 0385512090 |
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740 Park Avenue in New York City is one of the world's most coveted addresses. Journalist Michael Gross provides a close-up look at this apartment building, which was developed by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's grandfather and has housed the Bouviers, the Rockefellers, the Vanderbilts, and other legendary wealthy families and icons. In addition to telling the story of the building, Gross paints a portrait of those lucky enough to live there. Marriages of the rich, spoiled children, and business successes and failures are all covered. Fans of New York and anyone who likes social history should enjoy this book. | |
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| Wealth and Democracy: A Political History of the American Rich - by Kevin Phillips |
| Publisher: Broadway Books |
| Pub Date: 04/01/2003 |
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| ISBN: 0767905342 |
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Kevin Phillips, the author of one of this month's new books, has also examined the relationship between wealthy Americans and U.S. politics. In Wealth and Democracy Phillips traces the history of the American rich, exposes a detrimental political pattern that has hindered the democratic process and profoundly impacted the nation's economy, and compares U.S. wealth to that of previous economic powerhouses like Britain, Spain, and Holland. This is a unique combination of economic and social history; Publishers Weekly describes this book as "lucidly written, scrupulously argued and culturally wide-ranging." | |
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| Feast: A History of Grand Eating - by Roy Strong |
| Publisher: Harcourt |
| Pub Date: 11/01/2003 |
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| ISBN: 0151007586 |
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British historian Sir Roy Strong--who writes what The Guardian calls "silver-fork scholarship"--examines the cultural phenomenon of feasting from the ninth through the 20th centuries. He describes how these celebrations mirror the societies that hold them and shows how they reflect shifts in power and class. Among the many topics covered are public feasts in ancient Rome, the Renaissance banquet, etiquette and place settings, and the popularity of informal picnics during the 18th century. Publishers Weekly says this richly illustrated and lively look at food history is "sure to charm and inform." | |
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| Living it Up: Our Love Affair With Luxury - by James B. Twitchell |
| Publisher: Columbia University Press |
| Pub Date: 03/01/2002 |
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| ISBN: 0231124961 |
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James B. Twitchell, a professor of English and advertising at the University of Florida, discusses the evolution of luxury-based consumerism in America. He defines this phenomenon while also drawing conclusions on the economic impact of luxury spending. In addition, Twitchell discusses the democratization of luxury--how each of us can now drink specialty coffees at Starbucks and how marketers take advantage of and perpetuate this trend. Publishers Weekly says this book is written with "intelligence and wit," and compares it to Robert H. Frank's Luxury Fever and Juliet B. Schor's The Overspent American. | |
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| All Dressed in White: The Irresistible Rise of the American Wedding - by Carol McD. Wallace |
| Publisher: Penguin Books |
| Pub Date: 03/01/2004 |
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| ISBN: 014200216X |
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The weddings of today--three-day bonanzas full of multiple brunches, luncheons, and receptions--hardly resemble those quiet, hometown affairs of days gone by. In this book, Carol Wallace explores the social history of the American wedding, from the discreet private ceremony of the past to the elaborate, over-the-top public event of the present. She discusses the influence of such factors as wealth, class, gender, and the rise of popular media on the changing world of the marriage ceremony. This book is insightful reading for those who plan to attend a summer wedding, or anyone who follows the history of social traditions. Booklist calls this book a "fascinating... captivating slice of American popular culture." | |
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| Among the Mansions of Eden: Tales of Love, Lust and Land in Beverly Hills - by David Weddle |
| Publisher: Morrow |
| Pub Date: 03/01/2003 |
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| ISBN: 0060198176 |
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Journalist David Weddle gets up close and personal with one of the most dishworthy locales in all of the U.S.: Beverly Hills, the famous enclave of the rich and fabulous. His cultural study of the lives beneath the glamour features portraits of various citizens, a review of the history and creation of the star-studded town, descriptions of popular spots and Hollywood mansions, and an exploration of local shopping areas. Publishers Weekly says that "anyone interested in ostentatious displays of wealth will lap [this book] up," and Kirkus Reviews calls this insider's account a "shrewd, tell-it-like-it-is profile." | |
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| Still looking for the right book? Contact your librarian. |
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