Readers who enjoy history, adventure, and nature writing, and fans of Egan, Candice Millard, and Jack London, will savor this page-turner.
Advanced readers of American history, political science, and law will enjoy this detail-rich and erudite example of crime and justice in early America.
This thought-provoking history is based on vast primary sources, and while the narrative sometimes bogs down in excessive detail, Zelikow’s sharp account brings World War I into focus and raises a number of fascinating “what if” scenarios. Recommended for all extensive history collections.
Readers of The New Yorker or The Atlantic will appreciate this detailed look into the Cold War. This sweeping synthesis evinces a polymath’s range and grasp but treads familiar ground with its focus on the Western canon.
A scholarly history that questions the misconception that Indigenous concepts of justice were brutal. While well-documented, such a complex historical analysis is best suited for academics and informed subject specialists.
Explaining how trafficking in slaves advanced private and public priorities as it produced great wealth and promoted national growth, Rothman displays the ever-present and impoverishing cost to the enslaved. A must-read account that sheds light on the interdependence of slavery and capitalism in the United States.
Harden succeeds in bringing often-forgotten history front and center. A well-written, fast-paced account that is highly recommended to all readers.
A poignant, beautifully told story of a young man wanting to help create a bridge between Palestinians and Israelis. Best suited for those interested in Jewish and Middle East studies and contemporary social history.
Readers interested in the South and Confederacy will benefit from this fine work that broadens our understanding of this important era of American history.
Citations are few, authors’ opinions and statements are strong: not a book for serious historians. It will appeal to the authors’ fan base.
Marvel fills his work with meticulous, well-documented details on the span of Porter’s life, from his early years in a military family, through his previous military career in Mexico and Utah, to his ongoing devotion to clearing his name. Such precision occasionally bogs down the generally lively narrative, but both Civil War buffs and military historians will find this book essential to understanding the complex soldier.
Build dimensional and complete collections with these essential titles that recognize African American history as intertwined with U.S. history and provide intersectional context to lived experiences.
It is more important than ever that China’s history be widely known, and this irresistible volume will help readers recognize its many cultural legacies.
A valuable addition to public library collections, the latest from Loftis will especially engage those interested in World War II history and espionage.
An engaging read for fans of polar and Arctic history.
Villoro is not for the casual reader but for those who are interested in a deeply complex yet personal social history of Mexico City. The book serves as a nice complement to The Mexico City Reader (2004).
A must for all students, researchers, and general readers with an interest in Black lives, this essential overview of the CCP’s legacy offers fresh understanding of the history of organized Black activism and commitment to community efforts for equal rights. Highest recommendation.
This important, absorbing work shows that the full story of the Cuban Missile Crisis must be told from its global perspective. See Martin Sherwin’s Gambling with Armageddon for another account that places the Crisis in its Cold War context.
As a whole, this collection showcases the vastness of Black thinking and writing, and nicely complements works by Martha S. Jones and Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers. Complete with a list of suggestions for further reading, this winning anthology is a must for all interested in Black history, but unsure where to start.
At a time when definitions of citizenship and civil rights are again under assault, Masur’s careful accounting of the ways Americans came to understand such terms provides an informed perspective to appreciate that such concepts never were, and thus never are, self-evident. They require due diligence and vigilance to secure and sustain at all levels of government. An essential book.
An intriguing-but-flawed exploration of an often-overlooked aspect of Elizabethan history.
Though Written primarily for history lovers, this thought-provoking book may strike a chord with others as well.
This detailed and thoroughly researched work is essential reading for all students of modern Chinese history.
Highly recommended for fans of historical biography, especially as it intersects with the Civil War.
The personal sacrifice of soldiers in war often gets lost in military histories, and Jordan's moving account of the 107th Ohio is a welcome corrective.
Often chilling, sometimes inspiring, inexpressibly moving, this volume, while not comprehensive, provides an essential record for all readers interested in history, morality, politics, and human nature.
A giant tome that will be indispensable for advanced students and readers of history, especially those wishing to learn more about this pivotal era.
This gripping story is an important reminder of the many layers of injustice still present in the United States, and would be a timely, relevant addition to most true crime and history collections.
This well-written and researched book will strongly appeal to those interested in U.S. history and civil rights.
Heyrman’s previous experience writing on this era of evangelicalism gives her a noted assurance in navigating the complexities of this incident, and she infuses what might have been a dry recounting of facts and dates with effective levels of tension and emotion, making this not only a valuable book for scholars of this subject area but also interesting for a more general audience.
Existing fans of Weir’s histories will enjoy this newest installment, while those interested in English queens of this time period will find this a suitable if occasionally patchy overview.
An absorbing account of a visionary project that will engage readers interested in Southern history.
An engaging social history that touches on issues of freedom and liberation, issues that continue to resonate today.
For readers interested in a detailed, wide-ranging overview of the history and people of the Himalaya in relation to outside influences.
Readers who enjoy British and royal history as well as fans of the Netflix series The Crown will greatly enjoy this insightful book.
Aside from the idealization of Washington and some prominent historians, this is an informative narrative of the contested founding of the nation’s capital for both general readers and academics.
A flawed work that will probably best suit World War I completists.
This work uses primary resources to tell the story of a special couple who were the exception rather than the norm. While there are a few other works about them, including their own 1927 reminiscence We Twa, this balanced recounting will be enjoyed by those who savor details on nobility during the Victorian era.
With a cast of colorful characters, some familiar and others not, and a variety of stories that will be new to casual readers, this is a strong recommendation for most libraries with history-loving patrons. For readers of Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre and A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell.
An excellent, well-researched introduction to a long-forgotten British colony of America’s Revolutionary era; for general readers.
Wilkinson is a master storyteller, and the narrative is so engaging that readers will find it hard to put down. This comprehensive study is highly recommended for anyone interested in the exploration and study of Egypt, both ancient and modern.
A solid analysis of how espionage impacted an important theater, this book should appeal to anyone interested in World War II history, particularly intelligence operations.
Readers interested in the Vietnam War and in women’s history will be engaged. See Joyce Hoffmann’s On Their Own: Women Journalists and the American Experience in Vietnam, a compilation of first-person accounts, for additional insight into Vietnam War–era women journalists.
Frank writes a fascinating story of grief and history that will draw readers in from the first page. Must-read narrative nonfiction.
Handling difficult topics with adroit respect and care, Lemmon offers a story that’s eminently relatable and speaks to the ongoing fight for women’s rights the world over. This is a story that needed to be told and needs to be heard. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in current events and women’s history.
With YA crossover appeal, this is an essential collection proving that African American history is American history, and that the two cannot be studied separately.
Featuring often-overlooked perspectives, this is an important read on America’s military involvement in Afghanistan..
This book will appeal to readers interested in the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and constitutional history.
The history of craft is framed as the history of America in a dense compendium. A comprehensive volume perfect for academic use or ambitious novice readers.
Lang’s tour de force is a compelling and essential read. He shows how Americans’ self-anointed claim of exceptionalism was, and is, premised on a supposed consensus on liberty’s meaning that never was and perhaps will never be. Vital reading for all.
No comparable title exists that focuses exclusively on the mysterious background behind one single photo, making this compelling history an essential read for World War II enthusiasts.
Readers interested in German and Cold War history and cultural studies of religious and supernatural beliefs will find much to enjoy in this rich study.
This dense account is not written in a narrative format but seeks for a firm understanding of a pivotal moment in history. Casual readers will not get as much out of Bradbury’s book as serious students of history and readers who like deep analysis of events.
An insight into World War II that will appeal mostly to military enthusiasts and those interested in social history.
An accessible maritime history for libraries with extensive World War II collections.
Covering subjects that are frequently mentioned in contemporary discourse but not always fully explained (see, for instance, the informative entry on historically Black colleges and universities), this is a valuable resource for a wide range of readers.
A moving account of not just a seminal battle but the lasting effects on those waiting for decades to know what happened to their loved ones.
This eminently readable study thoroughly details how European nations sought to redefine and rebuild themselves in the postwar era. It’s indispensable reading for those seeking to better understand modern world affairs.
This thoroughly researched work will engage anyone interested in military, social, and political history of Britain during World War II.
This is a satisfying contribution to World War II scholarship, highlighting a sophisticated, cultured, and still grassroots resistance effort. Recommended for public libraries.
While some of the material may be dense for non-classicists, there are many readers who will find the sections about how we tell and understand medical stories timely and important.
Recommended for readers of popular World War II history.
This detailed and meticulously-researched account is an important contribution to the history of American slavery. Recommended primarily for readers interested in the legal history of slavery and in stories of enslaved people who directly challenged the legality of slavery in the United States.
Information rich and accessible. For history and public policy readers seeking a global vision of the impact of world cities.
Well-written and well-researched, this work is recommended for those interested in causes of the Civil War, Mexican-American history, and human rights.
Holt presents a brief if full picture of the civil rights movement in America that will appeal to high school and college students.
This sumptuously illustrated study incorporating the latest archaeological findings is highly recommended for general and informed readers fascinated by the pyramids and ancient Egyptian civilization. Fans might also enjoy Mark Lehner’s The Complete Pyramids.
A signal contribution to U.S. antebellum historiography. Highly recommended for U.S. Middle Period, African American, and Civil War historians, and for all general readers.
Thanksgiving can often get lost in the commercialization of the holiday season, but this history of its origins puts the holiday in a fresh perspective. Readers seeking an inspiring story of persistence and achievement will appreciate.
This fascinating look at the lives and times of the six daughters of George III and Queen Charlotte delivers an engaging read for enthusiasts of the royals and British history.
Gabler explores the life and legacy of Ted Kennedy. Logevall writes a masterful first volume on the lasting influence of John F. Kennedy.
Stunningly well-researched, this book fully examines a pivotal moment in Chicago’s history. Readers of Smith’s other Chicago-based books will find this fascinating. Fans of Erik Larson, American history, and the triumph of the human spirit will also greatly enjoy..
The latest book by Hess has deservedly reached the apex of Vicksburg scholarship to date and does justice to its author’s historical acumen. Highly recommended for all U.S. Middle Period and Civil War historians and biographers, together with students of military command and field strategy.
DeCaro has assembled fragments of Green’s life from the historical record in a judicious and thoughtful biography. Readers interested in antebellum, African American, and Civil War history will enjoy this brief biography.
An excellent and accessible telling of the invasion that will be enjoyed by military history and World War II enthusiasts alike.
Offering a look at the Founders rarely glimpsed, Ricks successfully argues that America needs to rediscover its classical roots.
Anticipating basic questions, maintaining objectivity, and deploying an engaging style, Werner ably provides an introduction of Western history for general readers.
A skilled blend of interpretative essays and primary documents about the women’s suffrage movement recommended for students, teachers, and general readers.
This compelling work is highly recommended for those who like history and readers interested in social justice.
Jones writes an insightful book that shines light on Black suffragists underexplored in history. Cahill shows how women of color needed to continue to fight even after 1920 to earn the right to vote.
Overall, an engaging history recommended for all U.S. history and World War II collections.
Errors and awkward prose mar a work that could have otherwise been acceptable. Not recommended.
Of modest value as a war memoir.
Bringing these men together as a group draws attention to how their thought and action unfolded in response to new challenges and dispels any illusion that they were a monolithic bloc. Cheney is an adept writer who makes no wrong steps. Perfect for history buffs, though little new ground is tread.
A lively work recommended for both researchers and casual readers with an interest in prehistory, ancient history, anthropology, religion, and popular culture.
Essential for anyone interested in 19th-century Japanese history, and a great companion piece to Anna Sherman’s The Bells of Old Tokyo, which compares modern day Tokyo with historic Edo.
Readers looking for consolation and a plan for a more just and equitable future will not find it here. Recommended primarily for those concerned by the tone and direction of American politics and seeking a better understanding of the question on which the book is framed: “How did we get here?”
This fast-paced historical account reads like a novel, with surprising twists and turns, and will thrill readers until the very last page. Readers who enjoy the writings of Neal Bascomb or Candice Millard, and fans of historical fiction will relish this book.
Those interested in military history, and the idea of how we make, prepare, and enable war, will enjoy this thought-provoking read.
This impressively researched book will appeal to general history readers interested in untold perspectives of World War II.
A fascinating, fun view of how far-reaching changes resulted from choices in household fuel. This will be particularly valuable for those interested in the unwritten history of domestic labor and “women’s work.”
An absorbing narrative of pride, greed, arrogance, and retribution that will find a place in history and true crime collections.
. Although this is a lengthy book, it reads easily and, within its accessible pages, readers can gain a better understanding of an ongoing, yet often forgotten war. An essential, thoroughly reported work.
This important investigation of a significant Cold War event will inform and engross modern history readers.
This fast-paced narrative will engage those interested in Cold War international espionage and true crime.
A crushing but nonetheless important read chronicling firsthand perspectives and experiences of a lost family miraculously brought to life. Highly recommended as a respectfully told, exhaustively researched, and ceaselessly alarming call to attention.
A fascinating and wonderfully readable portrayal of the tensions between fiery militancy and determined but measured devotion in working toward a goal; ambitious, comprehensive, and highly recommended for public and academic libraries
A fascinating and compulsively readable account of warime spying.
A fascinating and wonderfully readable portrayal of the tensions between fiery militancy and determined but measured devotion in working toward a goal. Excellent for general readers, especially those with an interest in the Civil War.
Fans of Toll’s previous volumes will enjoy this book. World War II experts may find this work redundant, since it uses previously published materials. However, casual enthusiasts will appreciate as it compiles those works thoroughly.
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