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Write
it When I'm Gone
By:Thomas DeFrank
Recommended by: Mr. Nieskens
Plot:
The author’s 16 year off the record
conversations with Gerald Ford, the 38th president, are published here. Ford
provides his unguarded opinions on the stipulation that they not be
published until after his death. Funny and reflective, Ford does not
resemble the bumbling caricature portrayed by the media during his
presidency. And he gives insight into the decision that probably cost him
the ‘76 election.
Why read?
Gerald Ford came to office after the Vice President Agnew and
President Nixon resigned in a 10 month period. His views on Watergate and
the historic events and leaders that followed are treasured reading for any
lover of recent history.
The
Coldest Winter
By: David Halberstam
Recommended by:
Mr. Nieskens
Plot:
David
Halberstam makes his effort to ensure that the Korean War is not the
“forgotten war” that many assume. Detailing the military and political
events, he puts the war in the context of the early Cold War and explains
the miscalculations of all sides. Special attention is given to China’s role
in the conflict and the role of General MacArthur. But beyond the leaders,
Halberstam makes sure the reader does not forget the ordinary soldiers whose
fate played out in the winters of Korea. Individual narratives remind the
reader of the consequences of war.
Why read? Halberstam wrote extensively about post WWII America. With that expertise and his extensive research, explanations are provided for even the non student of post war American History. Beyond this, American troops remain in Korea over 50 years after the last battle and North Korea remains one of America’s thorniest foreign policy challenges. The story of America’s involvement in Korea is worth studying.
At
Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years 1965-68
By: Taylor Branch
Recommended by:
Mr. Nieskens
Plot:
Third and final volume of America in the King years takes the reader
from 1965-68. During these years, Dr. King challenged President Johnson on
Vietnam and had others challenge his non violent approach. King takes his
movement north with mixed results. His assassination in 1968 shocks the
nation, but his legacy of freedom, opportunity and nonviolence makes him a
towering figure in American History.
Why read?
Many Americans know the Civil Rights story from the Brown decision to
the Voting Rights Act 1965. But fewer know of Dr. King’s work the last three
years of his life. This book is not for the casual reader(771 pages), but
provides a wealth of stories and insights on the King
years that I did not know.
Nixon
and Kissinger- Partners in Power
By:
Robert Dallek
Recommended
by: Melissa M.
Plot: An insightful look
into the relationship between President Richard M. Nixon and his National
Security advisor Henry Kissinger. Two men both alike in ideology, challenge
the usual practices of standard Republican diplomacy by negotiating and
meeting with friend and foe alike, using the practices of Detente and
Realpolitik. This book reveals interesting and rare tidbits about not only
the symbiosis of the relationship but the secret struggle and conflict.
Why read?
Many people know the surface of foreign policy in the Nixon
Administration, but few know the immensely complicated and tumultuous
relationship which shaped it. A must read for any history fan.
Close
to Shore
By:
Michael Capuzzo
Recommended by:
Ms. Donahue
Plot:
The author recreates the summer of 1916, when a rogue great white shark
attached swimmers along the New Jersey shore.
Why
read?
Up until 1916, people thought that sharks were harmless. Even experts did
not believe that the first deaths that summer were due to shark attacks. The
author does a great job bringing both the time period and the shark itself
to life.
Reviewer’s
note: Many New Jersey beach communities are mentioned. Revisit Beach
Haven, Spring Lake and Matawan in this well researched account.
Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas
Jefferson and the Opening of the American West
By: Stephen E.
Ambrose
Recommended by:
Mr. Moran
Plot: In 1803, Thomas
Jefferson asked his personal assistant Meriwether Lewis (who was only 29
years old) to lead a team called the Corps of Discovery across North America
on a mission of exploration. Nobody—including Jefferson, Lewis or his
co-captain William Clark—predicted the incredible
adventures and brushes with death that would occur during the mission. If
half of the events that happened on this voyage were depicted in a movie,
one would roll his or her eyes and say, “Like that could really happen.”
Ambrose shows that they did.
Why read? If you have never read a non-fiction book—or a book about American history—you are in for a surprise. Ambrose is a terrific writer who helps readers appreciate just how tough, intelligent and sometimes flawed these explorers were. If Lewis and Clark have become one person (named “Lewisnclark”) in your imagination, Ambrose’s book will humanize them—right up to the disturbing scene of Lewis’s death.
The Feminine
Mystique
By: Betty Friedan
Recommended by:
Mr. Wildermuth
Plot:
In the early 1960s, Betty Friedan explores the “unspoken
problem” amongst her and her female friends. It
turns out that thousands of women are suffering from the same
“unspoken problem!” If
so many unhappy women are being called abnormal, could something be wrong
with their place in society?
Why read? This book is what got the modern feminist movement going and is why females today can look forward to graduating college and having a meaningful career outside the home. Without this book, challenging the status quo, I dare say the place for the modern woman would only be in the home.
The Great
Mortality By: John Kelly
Recommended by:
Ms. Donahue
Plot: This is an intimate story of the Black Death, the most devestating plague of all time.
Why read? You read the book and wonder, "What would this be like if it happened today?" With bird flu and AIDS and antibiotic resistant TB in the news, we might find out.
The Great Hurricane of 1938
By: Cherie Burns
Recommended by:
Ms. Donahue
Plot:
An account of one of the worst storms in this century. The hurricane
hit Long Island and New England but is almost forgotten about because of WW
II.
Why read? When this storm hit, few people lived on Long Island. What would happen if a similar beast blew ashore today?
Dinosaurs in the Attic
By: Douglas Preston
Recommended by:
Ms. Donahue
Plot:
Reading this book is like taking an excursion into the back rooms and
corridors of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Why read? You’ll want to visit the museum and this time you’ll notice all of those unmarked doors and wonder where they lead.
The Great Influenza
By: John Barry
Recommended by: Ms. Donahue
Plot: This book provides a historical account of the development of the medical profession, laboratory science and medical training as a result of the flu pandemic that occurred in the early 1900s. The role of the flu in the outcome of WW I is also explored.
Why read? By combining science and history, the book grabs your attention from two perspectives. Characters who make an appearance include John D. Rockefeller, Woodrow Wilson and William Welch, the founding head of Johns Hopkins Medical School. Their response to the crisis, which killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS has killed in 24 years, provides a model that can be used to confront new diseases. The final lesson of the pandemic has little to do with the disease itself and more to do with human nature and leadership. Fear, not disease, threatened to break society apart. Those in positions of authority must lessen panic and must listen to warnings from the scientific community.
The Devil in the White City
By: Erik Larson
Recommended by:
Ms. Donahue
Plot:
Murder, magic and madness at the World's Fair of 1893. Larson tells
the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the
fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a
charming doctor. Such notables as Buffalo Bill Cody, Susan B. Anthony, and
Thomas Edison make an appearance in the story.
Why read? Dr. Holmes devised and erected the World’s Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims. The magical appeal and horrifying dark side of 19th-century Chicago are both revealed.
Great Political Wit
By: Bob Dole
Recommended by:
Mr. Eitner
Plot:
This is a great collection of quotes from famous world and US leaders
along with mini-stories from former Senator and Presidential candidate Bob
Dole. There are many different focuses in the book that depict Dole’s
life along with the highs and lows of living the
political lifestyle.
Why read? This ‘compilation’ is good for the reader who can’t just sit and read; this book you can read as little or as much as you want and not be left in suspense. It’s also a nice, easily understood peek into the life of a politico. If you enjoy following politics or are looking to obtain a better understanding on what REALLY goes on behind the scenes of Capitol Hill, this surely is for you.
The Professor and the Madman
By: Simon Winchester
Recommended by: Ms. Donahue
Plot: The author chronicles the writing of the Oxford English Dictionary. This huge undertaking required many volunteers, one of whom, an American, contributes more than any other person. Who is he? Why the mystery?
Why read? The compilation of the Oxford English Dictionary began in 1857. In 1879, an open invitation calling for readers to assist in the collection of material for the dictionary was issued. The story examines the fine line between sanity and madness as two obsessive characters work to “save” the English language. (Today, the OED includes 500,000 words in 20 volumes!)
The
Children’s Blizzard
By:
David Laskin
Recommended by:
Mrs. Warren
Plot: This book, which takes place in 1888, is
about the brave immigrants who settled the American Midwest. When a vicious
blizzard hits unexpectedly, most of the children are in school. They are
forced to brave a storm that, for many, results in death. The story details
the effects the storm has on the immigrant families and ultimately causes
many of them to leave the prairie.
Why Read? Laskin makes the characters come to life. Just as you become involved in the lives of the characters, the storm of the century has a major impact on them all. This gripping tale will teach you about history, meteorology, and the human spirit. There are some graphic scenes, but if you like history, you may want to add The Children’s Blizzard to your summer reading list.
People’s
History of the United States: 1492 to Present
By: Howard Zinn
Recommended by:
Nicole M
Plot: Howard Zinn
infuses the often-ignored voices of historically oppressed groups into this
thorough narrative that spans American history from Christopher Columbus’s
arrival to an afterword on the Clinton presidency.
Why read? This turns history textbooks on their ends.
Reaching
for Glory: Lyndon Johnson’s
Secret White House Tapes 1964-65 By:
Michael Beschloss
Recommended by:
Mr. Nieskens
Plot:
This book is the second compilation of Johnson’s
white house tapes. I would also highly recommend the first,
“Taking Charge” which
starts on Nov. 22, 1963 with Johnson’s phone
conversation with FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. Lyndon Johnson is a
fascinating twentieth century political giant and to read his thoughts,
worries and calculations on civil rights and Vietnam stripped of the modern
“spin” is a welcome
relief.
Why read? I never fully understood America’s entrance into Vietnam until I read Johnson’s personal thoughts, pressures, and private frustrations. And the complexity of Johnson's character comes out on each page. I couldn’t put the book down. It’s also filled with conversations of the biggest political names of the time. Anyone interested in the 60’s politics and the social movements would like this book.
Manhunt: The 12-Day
Chase for Lincoln's Killer By: James
L. Swanson
Recommended by: Mr. Cibrian
Plot: This work chronicles John Wilkes Booth’s killing of Lincoln, his co-conspirators’ failures to kill members of Lincoln's Cabinet, and Booth's attempts to escape from federal forces.
Why read? You know the basic history, but you don’t know all of the details that make this an exciting tale. Swanson describes the routes, the major and minor players, and the various confrontations in an engaging, on the edge of your seat, fashion.
1776
By: David McCullough
Recommended by:
Monica P.
Plot:
A detailed following of the military triumphs and defeats of the year
1776. He also delves into the lives and conditions of Continental soldiers
and their leaders.
Why read? As an early American history enthusiast, I can say that this book is not only fantastic for learning about the events of 1776, but the people involved in shaping our country.
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