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Best Social History eBooks

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens , returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning his focus toward humanity’s future, and our quest to upgrade humans into gods. For the first time ever, more people die from eating too much than from eating too little; more people die from old age than from infectious diseases; and more people commit suicide than are killed by soldiers, terrorists and criminals put together. While Sapiens looked back at our evolutionary development, this new book examines where we might be headed ( Homo Deus is subtitled “A Brief History of Tomorrow”). His innovative new book blends science, history and philosophy to explore the future of humanity in the face of artificial intelligence and examine whether our species will be rendered completely redundant.” – Cambridge Network “Spellbinding. “ It’s a chilling prospect, but the AI we’ve created could transform human nature, argues this spellbinding new book by the author of Sapiens .” – The Guardian. “Nominally a historian, Harari is in fact an intellectual magpie who has plucked theories and data from many disciplines — including philosophy, theology, computer science and biology — to produce a brilliantly original, thought-provoking and important study of where mankind is heading.” – Evening Standard. He’s opened a portal for us to contemplate on what kind of relationships we are forming with our data-crunching machines and whether ‘right’ must be determined by empirical evidence or good old ‘gut instinct.’” – The Hindu “[Harari’s] propositions are well-developed, drawing upon a combination of science, philosophy and history. While the book offers a rather pessimistic and even nihilistic view of man’s future, it is written with wit and style and makes compelling reading.” – iNews.
Reviews
"Yuval Noah Harari's "Homo Deus" continues the tradition introduced in his previous book "Sapiens": clever, clear and humorous writing, intelligent analogies and a remarkable sweep through human history, culture, intellect and technology. He starts with exploring the three main causes of human misery through the ages - disease, starvation and war - and talks extensively about how improved technological development, liberal political and cultural institutions and economic freedom have led to very significant declines in each of these maladies. Continuing his theme from "Sapiens", a major part of the discussion is devoted to shared zeitgeists like religion and other forms of belief that, notwithstanding some of their pernicious effects, can unify a remarkably large number of people across the world in striving together for humanity's betterment. As in "Sapiens", Mr. Harari enlivens his discussion with popular analogies from current culture ranging from McDonald's and modern marriage to American politics and pop music. Mr. Harari's basic take is that science and technology combined with a shared sense of morality have created a solid liberal framework around the world that puts individual rights front and center. Ranging from dating to medical diagnosis, from the care of the elderly to household work, entire industries now stand to both benefit and be complemented or even superseded by the march of the machines. For reading more about these aspects, I would recommend books like Nick Bostrom's "Superintelligence", Pedro Domingos's "The Master Algorithm" and John Markoff's "Machines of Loving Grace". As a proficient prognosticator Mr. Harari's crystal ball remains murky, but as a surveyor of past human accomplishments his robust and unique abilities are still impressive and worth admiring."
"And he claims that humanism believes that individuals always know best about their own needs (when in fact, many have emphasized the importance of education in our development--he does not even reference John Dewey). For most of the book, Harari appears to be adopting a materialistic perspective, and one which is also extremely unsentimental and discounts the significance of human morale and character. He also discusses how animals and people have consciousness and subjective experiences, and presumes that artificial intelligence will remain unconscious (the "weak AI" hypothesis of John Searle). And on the very last page, he makes us wonder if his hardcore materialistic perspective has just been a long, extended ruse: he asks us to question a worldview that would deny the significance of consciousness. So it seems likely that in a future book he will focus on the nature of consciousness, and argue for non-theistic Buddhism (an understated agenda in Harari's writing--perhaps he thinks that this is the way for humanity to avoid the grim fate predicted here?). The comment begins with "Harari indeed believes that developing an understanding of consciousness, a science of mind, or however else one wishes to phrase it is the best and perhaps the only way to avert the grim fate that threatens humanity in this century."
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Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History
Called "disgraceful," "third-rate," and "not nice" by Donald Trump, NBC News correspondent Katy Tur reported on—and took flak from—the most captivating and volatile presidential candidate in American history. Katy Tur lived out of a suitcase for a year and a half, following Trump around the country, powered by packets of peanut butter and kept clean with dry shampoo. She visited forty states with the candidate, made more than 3,800 live television reports, and tried to endure a gazillion loops of Elton John’s "Tiny Dancer"—a Trump rally playlist staple. is her darkly comic, fascinatingly bizarre, and often scary story of how America sent a former reality show host to the White House. “A cross between The Boys on the Bus and Miss Lonelyhearts” ( New York Review of Books ). “By the end of ‘Unbelievable’ it’s clear how wrong they all were in thinking they could run over “little Katy” (Trump’s snide name for Tur.). The chapters switch between key points in the campaign and Election Day, enhancing the feel of chaos that must have been a big part of covering the Trump campaign.” ( Associated Press ). Called “Disgraceful,” “third-rate,” and “not nice” by Donald Trump, NBC News correspondent Katy Tur reported on—and took flak from—the most captivating and volatile presidential candidate in American history. Tur lived out of a suitcase for a year and a half, following Trump around the country, powered by packets of peanut butter and kept clean with dry shampoo. She visited forty states with the candidate, made more than 3,800 live television reports, and tried to endure a gazillion loops of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”—a Trump rally playlist staple. Through all the long nights, wild scoops, naked chauvinism, dodgy staffers, and fevered debates, no one had a better view than Tur. Unbelievable is her darkly comic, fascinatingly bizarre, and often scary story of how America sent a former reality show host to the White House.
Reviews
"I can't put this down and had to write a 5-star revuew before I was done, because I wanted to counter all the trolls who clearly haven't read it and are just trashing the author. Here it leavens the horror show of the Trump campaign which she is somewhat reluctantly drawn into covering when she has a good job in London and a charming boyfriend in Paris."
"I know I have wondered - what would it have been like to really see Trump on the campaign trail? Tur explains how she ended up covering Trump, and what it was like to follow him, day in and day out, for the length of his campaign."
"I liked many things about this book except the way it was organized."
"As an embedded reporter for NBC during the Trump campaign, Ms. Tur had a front row seat to the weirdest presidential election in the history of this country."
"This is a quick, funny, light read that gives you a great idea of what goes through a correspondent's mind, though the events that unfolded are hopefully a once-in-history thing."
"I'm so gad I read this rich, entertaining and detailed book about Katy Tur's 500 days on the road covering the Trump campaign."
"This felt like I was sitting down with an old friend over a bottle of wine while she told me about her amazing year on the road."
"I’ve followed Katy following TRump since day 1."
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The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. " Radium Girls spares us nothing of their suffering; though at times the foreshadowing reads more like a true-crime story, Moore is intent on making the reader viscerally understand the pain in which these young women were living, and through which they had to fight in order to get their problems recognized...The story of real women at the mercy of businesses who see them only as a potential risk to the bottom line is haunting precisely because of how little has changed; the glowing ghosts of the radium girls haunt us still." "Moore's well-researched narrative is written with clarity and a sympathetic voice that brings these figures and their struggles to life...a must-read for anyone interested in American and women's history, as well as topics of law, health, and industrial safety." "Carefully researched, the work will stun readers with its descriptions of the glittering artisans who, oblivious to health dangers, twirled camel-hair brushes to fine points using their mouths, a technique called lip-pointing...Moore details what was a 'ground-breaking, law-changing, and life-saving accomplishment' for worker's rights." "Like Da a Sobel's The Glass Universe and Margot Lee Shetterly's Hidden Figures, Kate Moore's The Radium Girls tells the story of a cohort of women who made history by entering the workforce at the dawn of a new scientific era. But the young women--many of them just teenagers--who learned the skill of painting glow-in-the-dark numbers on clock faces and aeronautical gauges early in the twentieth century paid a stiff price for their part in this breakthrough involving the deadly element, radium. "...[A] fascinating social history – one that significantly reflects on the class and gender of those involved – [is] Catherine Cookson meets Mad Men...The importance of the brave and blighted dial-painters cannot be overstated."
Reviews
"In The Radium Girls Kate Moore tells the story of these young women, seemingly so fortunate, who were poisoned by the jobs they felt so lucky to have. After some of the women died and more became ill the companies making large profits on radium rushed to dismiss any hint that the work was unsafe. Eventually publicity stemming from lawsuits filed by some of the victims (using their own scanty resources) focused enough attention on the problem that governments felt compelled to set safety standards and regulations. The safety regulations and restrictions which were finally put into place hardly seem adequate, and the Epilogue and Postscript giving details of the women's later lives, as well as an account of another industry that made careless use of radium as late as the 1970s, are especially harrowing."
"This is one these books that will stay with you long after you finished reading it."
"One of the best books I have read in a long time!"
"The job paid above average wages to women, and even when it was realized that coworkers were developing horrible health problems, some women continued to work because their families needed money the job provided."
"I just got through reading Radium Girls based the the true story of the girls and women employed to paint watch dials in the early twentieth century with an exciting and new product, radium. Every girl wanted in on the work as it was good pay and radium was said to be good for your health."
"I thank these women for eventually shutting the US Radium Corp down. Never forget these strong women that finally shook a nation off its lazy, corrupt ass to FINALLY be a beacon for for justice and Fairplay towards the working (WO) man."
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Best History eBooks of Gay & Gender Studies

Unbelievable: My Front-Row Seat to the Craziest Campaign in American History
Called "disgraceful," "third-rate," and "not nice" by Donald Trump, NBC News correspondent Katy Tur reported on—and took flak from—the most captivating and volatile presidential candidate in American history. Katy Tur lived out of a suitcase for a year and a half, following Trump around the country, powered by packets of peanut butter and kept clean with dry shampoo. She visited forty states with the candidate, made more than 3,800 live television reports, and tried to endure a gazillion loops of Elton John’s "Tiny Dancer"—a Trump rally playlist staple. is her darkly comic, fascinatingly bizarre, and often scary story of how America sent a former reality show host to the White House. “A cross between The Boys on the Bus and Miss Lonelyhearts” ( New York Review of Books ). “By the end of ‘Unbelievable’ it’s clear how wrong they all were in thinking they could run over “little Katy” (Trump’s snide name for Tur.). The chapters switch between key points in the campaign and Election Day, enhancing the feel of chaos that must have been a big part of covering the Trump campaign.” ( Associated Press ). Called “Disgraceful,” “third-rate,” and “not nice” by Donald Trump, NBC News correspondent Katy Tur reported on—and took flak from—the most captivating and volatile presidential candidate in American history. Tur lived out of a suitcase for a year and a half, following Trump around the country, powered by packets of peanut butter and kept clean with dry shampoo. She visited forty states with the candidate, made more than 3,800 live television reports, and tried to endure a gazillion loops of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”—a Trump rally playlist staple. Through all the long nights, wild scoops, naked chauvinism, dodgy staffers, and fevered debates, no one had a better view than Tur. Unbelievable is her darkly comic, fascinatingly bizarre, and often scary story of how America sent a former reality show host to the White House.
Reviews
"I can't put this down and had to write a 5-star revuew before I was done, because I wanted to counter all the trolls who clearly haven't read it and are just trashing the author. Here it leavens the horror show of the Trump campaign which she is somewhat reluctantly drawn into covering when she has a good job in London and a charming boyfriend in Paris."
"I know I have wondered - what would it have been like to really see Trump on the campaign trail? Tur explains how she ended up covering Trump, and what it was like to follow him, day in and day out, for the length of his campaign."
"I liked many things about this book except the way it was organized."
"As an embedded reporter for NBC during the Trump campaign, Ms. Tur had a front row seat to the weirdest presidential election in the history of this country."
"This is a quick, funny, light read that gives you a great idea of what goes through a correspondent's mind, though the events that unfolded are hopefully a once-in-history thing."
"I'm so gad I read this rich, entertaining and detailed book about Katy Tur's 500 days on the road covering the Trump campaign."
"This felt like I was sitting down with an old friend over a bottle of wine while she told me about her amazing year on the road."
"I’ve followed Katy following TRump since day 1."
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Best Social History eBooks of Labor & Workforce

The End of Jobs: Money, Meaning and Freedom Without the 9-to-5
#1 Bestseller in Business and Money, Small Business, Entrepreneurship and International Economics A Top 3 'Start Your Own Business' Book -Inc Magazine. — Why a 20th century world view to career search questions like “What career is right for me?” and “How do I find a career?” could be the source of your frustration (and a better way to think about it). — Taylor’s 67 must-read business books and the best entrepreneur books to fuel your entrepreneurial career. — Access to a private community to discuss the book and get support from a community of like-minded individuals to inspire, motivate, and assist each other in seeking out apprenticeships, your career search and other elements around “how to find a career” and other career guidance questions like “what career is right for me?”. Early Stage Entrepreneurs - If you’re already involved in small business entrepreneurship, but doubting yourself and wondering if you made a smart choice to abandon the traditional career path? Taylor spent the last three years meeting with hundreds of entrepreneurs from Los Angeles to Vietnam, Brazil to New York, and worked with dozens of them, in industries from cat furniture to dating, helping them to grow their businesses. Based on hundreds of interactions and and dozens of recent books and studies, he wrote The End of Jobs to show others how they could invest in entrepreneurship to create more freedom, meaning, and wealth in their lives.
Reviews
"3 years ago I picked up Tim Ferriss' "4 Hour Work Week” - the bible of the first wave of nomadic online entrepreneurs. The End of Jobs presents an even more compelling argument on how the traditional education, career and asset accumulation script is failing. It's the necessary balance of age-old philosophical theories, real-world examples of successful entrepreneurs, and nitty-gritty strategies and tactics that can create a catalyst for change: not only the WHY, but the HOW and WHEN (i.e. right now)!"
"This book was suggested by a Facebook buddy."
"While we have largely accepted technological disruption of blue-collar work (albeit reluctantly), Pearson explains that many white collar careers are ripe for disruption by technology, global competition and other factors."
"I'd give 3 stars if you've already read a lot books on the subject, 4 stars if you're new to it."
"I really like Taylor's book I have listened to it four times now and I really think he is on to something."
"This book is uplifting and practical, providing templates from Taylor's website and strategies for you to employ today, in 2015, to bring yourself into the new world that we live in."
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Best History eBooks of Race & Ethnicity

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
With stunning historical detail, Wilkerson tells this story through the lives of three unique individuals: Ida Mae Gladney, who in 1937 left sharecropping and prejudice in Mississippi for Chicago, where she achieved quiet blue-collar success and, in old age, voted for Barack Obama when he ran for an Illinois Senate seat; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, where he endangered his job fighting for civil rights, saw his family fall, and finally found peace in God; and Robert Foster, who left Louisiana in 1953 to pursue a medical career, the personal physician to Ray Charles as part of a glitteringly successful medical career, which allowed him to purchase a grand home where he often threw exuberant parties. A Look Inside The Warmth of Other Suns The author's father as a Tuskegee Airman George Starling as a young manThe author's mother at Meridian Hill The author’s mother at Howard University with friends A migrant man studying a mapA migrant man packing his suitcaseIda Mae Brandon Gladney as a young womanRobert Joseph Pershing Foster as a young physician Starred Review.
Reviews
"Isabel Wilkerson, the Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper writer, has now come back to write a fascinating and sweeping book on what she calls ""the biggest underreported story of the twentieth century." Of course we all know the tale of the "Dust Bowl" and the "Okies", as captured by Steinbeck in words, by Dorothea Lange in photographs, and even in song by Woody Guthrie. The title of this book is taken from Richard Wright's "Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth": "I was taking a part of the South to transplant in alien soil, to see if it could grow differently, if it could drink of new and cool rains, bend in strange winds, respond to the warmth of other suns, and, perhaps, to bloom." Our families became friends, as also "Miz Edna's" husband had served in New Guinea with my father (as a cook, however, remember the WWII Army was still segregated) ."
"It does a commendable job of presenting the sweep of history while also telling individual stories of those who left brutal conditions for better lives elsewhere."
"I am awed by the sacrifice and courage displayed by my mother who made the decision to leave her family in Alabama to give us a chance to realize our greatest potential by driving north to start a new life."
"This collection of stories takes the reader through the history of the black migration from the South to the North and lays out in clear terms the challenges blacks faced and provides a foundational understanding of the challenges blacks continue to face in America today."
"This book was well articulated by a very pleasant-voice lady."
"I knew very little about this period in our history, and as a result of this book, I've sought out more information."
"This book, by focusing on the stories few individuals citizens, transcendentally captures both the unspeakable tragedy of Jim Crow, and the remarkable faith and sheer fortitude of those making the journey north (I'll never forget Ida Mae!!)."
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Best 20th Century American Depression History

The Greatest Generation
The instant classic and runaway bestseller that changed the way we saw World War II and an entire generation of Americans, from the beloved journalist whose own iconic career has lasted more than fifty years. From military heroes to community leaders to ordinary citizens, he profiles men and women who served their country with valor, then came home and transformed it: Senator Daniel Inouye, decorated at the front, fighting prejudice at home; Martha Settle Putney, one of the first black women to serve in the newly formed WACs; Charles Van Gorder, a doctor who set up a MASH-like medical facility in the middle of battle, then opened a small clinic in his hometown; Navy pilot and future president George H. W. Bush, assigned to read the mail of the enlisted men under him, who says that in doing so he “learned about life”; and many other laudable Americans. However, this collection is more than a mere chronicle of a tumultuous time, it's history made personal by a cast of everyday people transformed by extraordinary circumstances: the first women to break the homemaker mold, minorities suffering countless indignities to boldly fight for their country, infantrymen who went on to become some of the most distinguished leaders in the world, small-town kids who became corporate magnates. From the reminiscences of George Bush and Julia Child to the astonishing heroism and moving love stories of everyday people, The Greatest Generation salutes those whose sacrifices changed the course of American history.
Reviews
"The Greatest Generation by Tom Browkaw ; intriguing to the last word."
"This is an excellent work by Tom Brokow."
"If I compare this book to another WWII volume; "Alan Turing: The Enigma" these stories are much less in depth."
"I would highly recommend that any citizen of the USA read the book entitled, "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw."
"Terrific content and style."
"Tom Brokaw, always the exacting reporter, did an amazing job bringing the heart of these heroes to his readers."
"Lots of interesting information."
"Enjoyed reading about a time when I was only slightly younger than the author."
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Best Etiquette

The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man
Man Up! Kate McKay has taught history and humanities at Tulsa Community College and is one of the main content creators on the popular Web site ArtofManliness.com.
Reviews
"I got this book for my son, but my older, teenage daughter liked it too."
"I first got this book about five years ago from my uncle and the book definitely has taught me a lot and has shaped me to the person I am today."
"Neat information on tying a tie, I only knew of one way while the book describes multiple."
"The perfect groomsmen gifts!"
"Great book for any man or advice to pass onto a man-in-progress."
"My husband seemed to really like the book...so win!"
"The pages of this book are like rain in a desert when it comes to teaching young men the do's and don't's, and helpful hints for every day and special occasions."
"My son loved it."
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Best Intelligence & Espionage

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
" Code Girls reveals a hidden army of female cryptographers, whose work played a crucial role in ending World War II.... Mundy has rescued a piece of forgotten history, and given these American heroes the recognition they deserve." A strict vow of secrecy nearly erased their efforts from history; now, through dazzling research and interviews with surviving code girls, bestselling author Liza Mundy brings to life this riveting and vital story of American courage, service, and scientific accomplishment. But it's also a superbly researched and stirringly written social history of a pivotal chapter in the struggle for women's rights, told through the powerful and poignant stories of the individuals involved. In exploring the vast, obscure, and makeshift offices of wartime Washington where these women performed seemingly impossible deeds, Mundy has discovered a birthplace of modern America. " Code Girls is a riveting account of the thousands of young coeds who flooded into Washington to help America win World War II. Liza Mundy's portraits of World War II codebreakers are so skillfully and vividly drawn that I felt as if I were right there with them--mastering ciphers, outwitting the Japanese army, sinking ships, breaking hearts, and even accidentally insulting Eleanor Roosevelt. " Code Girls reveals a hidden army of female cryptographers, whose work played a crucial role in ending World War II. " Code Girls is not just a great slice of history--one that would have been lost to us without Liza's storytelling and the work of some heroic archivists--but a story relevant to every discussion we have now about America's security agencies and how they came to be. "― Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and New York Times bestselling author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana and Ashley's War.
Reviews
"The author incorporates personal information from a number of the "code girls" and factual information on many others. The technical information relating to the strategy and tactics of code breaking was quite detailed, but somewhat inscrutable to me so I skimmed quickly some of those sections; suffice it to say that it required an extreme amount of organization, attention to detail, a mathematical orientation, razor sharp memories and ability to see patterns, both small and large. I found the book quite riveting, with enough personal detail to enliven the story, and enough technical detail to establish just how serious and demanding their work was."
"And they kept the secret for years. This is a must read because the history of these women and the war and the aftermath should not be forgotten any longer."
"So-called "code breaking" is really a complex of multiple networks and societal systems - one must consider dozens of nations, maybe 5,000 key people, and 50,000 other players. When one realizes that in pre-computer WWII thousands of the eponymous "code girls," worked in secret for a years, in dozens of locations and many different languages, Mundy's enjoyable book begins to resemble an accomplishment."
"KNEW ABOUT THE LADIES OF BLENCHLEY PARK AND ONLY BECAUSE OF REFERENCES TO THE MEN WORKING THERE.....THESE LADIES HAVE BEEN KEPT UNDER WRAPS LONG ENOUGH.....GIRLS NEED TO KNOW THAT THESE LADIES PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HELPING TO WIN A WORLD WAR...CREATIVE JOBS FOR FEMALES ARE OUT THERE...PLEASE LET OUR YOUNG KNOW WHAT CHOICES THEY CAN MAKE...BRAVO LADIES..AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE."
"It is an accurate reflection of the gender prejudices of the times and the lives of the young women who answered the call to Washington early in WWII."
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Best Historical Essays

The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For
A New York Times Bestseller A timely collection of speeches by David McCullough, the most honored historian in the United States—winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among many others—that reminds us of fundamental American principles. Insightful and inspirational, it summons a vexed and divided nation to remember - and cherish - our unifying ideas and ideals.” (Jay Strafford Richmond Times Dispatch). "McCullough's passion for history and his profound belief in America, or at least his vision of America . He is, whether at his desk or a lectern, a consummate storyteller.”. (Danny Heitman Christian Science Monitor). “Very few among us possess the encompassing and informed perspective on America’s past and present that historian and best-selling author McCullough has gained over decades of research. McCullough’s legions of fans will flock to this edifying collection.” (Booklist). “A carefully crafted, well-reasoned, heartfelt testament to what this nation can be — past, present, and we must believe — future.”. (Barbara Hall The Providence Journal). “Acclaimed historian David McCullough’s The American Spirit is as inspirational as it is brilliant, as simple as it is sophisticated. He sees his nation with all its warts, beginning with its indelible birthmark of slavery and continuing through to today’s government dysfunction and political polarization. Yet he remains confident and upbeat.” (Edward Cuddihy Buffalo News) David McCullough has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback . His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood , TheGreat Bridge , Brave Companions , 1776,The Greater Journey , and The Wright Brothers .
Reviews
"Most of them are college commencement addresses - in Boston, Ohio, Missouri and Pittsburgh - and a few mark the anniversary of important monuments (the White House) or events (the Kennedy assassination). He is not bashful about taking this 'Great Man' view of history, since many of the characters he picks exemplify well the essential qualities of this country. In speeches intended to commemorate buildings, McCullough also lovingly describes the rich history of monuments like the White House and Capitol Hill and cities like Pittsburgh and Boston. Throughout the book, McCullough emphasizes many of the qualities that exemplified this country's history: "the fundamental decency, the tolerance and insistence on truth and the good-heartedness of the American people". There is also bravery here, exemplified by the Founding Fathers' decision to defy the King of England under threat of execution, by abolitionists' denunciation of slavery and by the ceaseless optimism of scores of politicians and common Americans who wanted to change the direction of this country for the better. There was Margaret Smith who stood up against Joseph McCarthy and said that she did not want "to see the Republican Party ride to political victory on the four horsemen of calumny - fear, ignorance, bigotry and smear". There was physician Benjamin Rush who emphasized "candor, gentleness, and a disposition to speak with civility and to listen with attention to everybody". McCullough tells us how many of the most important Founding Fathers and presidents put learning and books front and center, not just in their own evolution but in their vision for America."
", "The American Spirit" which is a compilation of 18 or so speeches written & delivered by this excellent author at a variety of special occasions (e.g university commencement addresses, naturalization of U.S. citizens at Monticello, joint session of Congress, etc.). M's message was tailored to his specific audience with engaging histories of key people who exemplify certain characteristics that ring true of the American Experience and how we came to be the country we are today."
"I love Mr. McCullogh's works and I found it fascinating to read what synopsis of history he would choose to share in his speeches."
"The voice of David McCullough is familiar to all Americans."
"His love of our country shines through on every word of his speeches."
"A great book very enlightening!"
"David McCullough does it again."
"This collection beautifully ties together the theme of The American Spirit and brilliantly touches on all his major works."
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Best Historiography

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
A completely revised edition of James W. Loewen’s classic retelling of American history, based on six new textbooks and including an all-new chapter on the recent past Since its first publication in 1995, Lies My Teacher Told Me has gone on to win an American Book Award and the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award for Distinguished Anti-Racist Scholarship, and has sold over a million copies in its various editions. To make learning more compelling, Loewen urges authors, publishers and teachers to highlight the drama inherent in history by presenting students with different viewpoints and stressing that history is an ongoing process, not merely a collection of—often misleading—factoids. To account for the deplorable situation, he offers this quasi-Marxist explanation: "Perhaps we are all dupes, manipulated by elite white male capitalists who orchestrate how history is written as part of their scheme to perpetuate their own power and privilege at the expense of the rest of us." Certainly students' appalling ignorance of history is troublesome, and broken families and excessive TV viewing are at least the equals of white male conspirators as the cause.
Reviews
"More to history than school books."
"If there's one book you read as a teenager... this should be it."
"just an all around great read."
"Interesting and refreshing read."
"So informative and unbiased."
"Great read!"
"This is an excellent reading of what is very wrong about the text books used in all public schools across America!"
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Best Study & Teaching of History

Truman
The Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Harry S. Truman, whose presidency included momentous events from the atomic bombing of Japan to the outbreak of the Cold War and the Korean War, told by America’s beloved and distinguished historian. His presidency was dominated by enormously controversial issues: he dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, established anti-Communism as the bedrock of American foreign policy, and sent U.S. troops into the Korean War. It was Harry S. Truman who ordered the atomic bomb dropped, halted Communists in Turkey and Greece, initiated the Marshall Plan, NATO and the Berlin Airlift, ordered desegregation of the armed forces, established the CIA and the Defense Department, committed U.S. forces to Korea and upheld the principle of civilian control over the military by firing Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The book's re-creation of the 1948 presidential campaign, during which Newsweek 's poll of 50 political writers predicted that the incumbent would lose the election to Thomas Dewey, is the most complete account of that surprise victory to date.
Reviews
"If you have a love of history you will enjoy this book from beginning to end and don't let the length of it discourage you from starting it because it just flies by."
"Compared to his daughter's adoring biography of HST, David McCullough has really unearthed some remarkable stories and anecdotes about the KC Pendergast machine, the reformer Lloyd Stark of apple growing fame, and the generally honorable way HST conducted himself as a county commissioner, supervisor and senator."
"His description of Joseph McCarthy and the "fake news" is very similar to what is happening today ("I have a list of 81 members of the Communist Party that are working in the State Department!"
"As a child born during his last year in office I only knew of him as a former president with no real experience to understand who and what he was."
"As always David McCullough comes trough with a great story about a fascinating man."
"The life of Truman is especially pertinent given today's rancorous politics - and Trump could learn a lot from this president who had extremely low ratings as president but has left a lasting legacy for the US and the world."
"This book is fascinating - full of details about this extraordinary president and his life."
"One reason why I purchased David McCullough's biography "TRUMAN" is to find out some of the things he said over his life. He takes you into their own thoughts and feelings and allows you to view the individual as if you were right there with them, living out the actual experiences; because McCullough goes back to their own personal diary notes, letters, quotations recorded by others; woven in a context of actual life, as recorded by the person themselves and other relatives, friends, business associates, and here, political connections. I'd like to write more, but the house is quiet now and I am drawn to my lazy boy recliner where I can pick up and read more of David McCullough's TRUMAN."
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Best Historical Study Reference

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
“This is history on a grand scale, with a sweep and ambition that is rare… A proper historical epic of dazzling range and achievement.” —William Dalrymple, The Guardian The epic history of the crossroads of the world—the meeting place of East and West and the birthplace of civilization It was on the Silk Roads that East and West first encountered each other through trade and conquest, leading to the spread of ideas, cultures and religions. For Frankopan, the brutish West owes its more enlightened traditions to the lands east of Italy and west of China, which were, for centuries, 'the centre of the world'… Frankopan marshals diverse examples to demonstrate the interconnectedness of cultures, showing in vivid detail the economic and social impact of the silk and the slave trades, the Black Death, and the Buddhist influence on Christianity.”. — The New Yorker “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR “This is deeply researched popular history at its most invigorating, primed to dislodge routine preconceptions and to pour in other light. “One of Mr. Frankopan’s gifts as a storyteller is his ability to draw unusual connections across his vast canvas… [he] packs his tale with fascinating trivia… Frankopan has written a rare book that makes you question your assumptions about the world.”. —Sadanand Dhume, The Wall Street Journal “Frankopan casts his net widely in this work of dizzying breadth and ambition… Those opening to any page will find fascinating insights that illuminate elusive connections across time and place… Frankopan approaches his craft with an acerbic wit, and his epochal perspective throws the foibles of the modern age into sharp relief”. — Publishers Weekly (starred review). “A glorious read. “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR. “Superb… Peter Frankopan is an exceptional storyteller… The lands of the Silk Roads are of renewed importance, and Frankopan’s book will be indispensable to anyone who wants to make sense of this union of past and present.”. —Philip Seib, The Dallas Morning News. “This is, to put it mildly, an ambitious book… By spinning all these stories into a single thread, Peter Frankopan attempts something bold: A history of the world that shunts the centre of gravity eastward… Mr. Frankopan writes with clarity and memorable detail… Where other histories put the Mediterranean at the centre of the story, under Mr. Frankopan it is important as the western end of a transcontinental trade with Asia in silks, spices, slaves—and ideas.”. — The Economist. “It’s time we recognized the importance of the East to our history, insists this magnificent study… The breadth and ambition of this swashbuckling history by Peter Frankopan should come as no surprise… A book that roves as widely as the geography it describes, encompassing worlds as far removed as those of Herodotus and Saddam Hussein, Hammurabi and Hitler… It is a tribute to Frankopan’s scholarship and mastery of sources in multiple languages that he is as sure-footed on the ancient world as he is on the medieval and modern… Deftly constructed… The Silk Roads is a powerful corrective to parochialism.”. —Justin Marozzi, The Sunday Times (U.K.). Frankopan upends the usual world-history narrative oriented around ancient Rome and Greece and the irrepressible rise of Europe… In a series of brisk chapters—The Road of Faiths, The Road of Furs and so on—studded with state-of-the-art research that is sourced from at least a dozen languages, the author brings wondrous history to vivid life… In The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan has provided a bracing wake up call.”. —Matthew Price, The National (AE).
Reviews
"Schools teach its students of the Roman Empire, the subsequent Dark Ages, the Norman conquest in 1066, Henry VIII and the Tudors, the American War of Independence, the Industrial Revolution and the First and Second World Wars. As the author states: “For centuries before the early modern era, the intellectual centres of excellence of the world, the Oxfords ad Cambridges, the Harvards and Yales, were not located in Europe or the west, but in Baghdad, and Balkh, Bukhara and Samarkand”. We are seeing the signs of the world’s centre of gravity shifting – back to where it lay for millennia”."
"The author's depth of knowledge and resource access, coupled with his polyglot skills, weave a centuries long tale of intrigue across a region of the world little known or travelled today. The story of the European debacle of the same time is repeatedly narrated, engrossing the reader in its internecine religious wars. Piles of skulls and cities entirely wiped off the face of the earth are ignored in favor of the administrative advantages of Mongol rule. Information is 'quickly transmitted' across the sands, mountains and rivers - this when 30 miles a day was the fastest a horse or man could travel. Other books in the vein of Central Asia would include The Poison King, Balthazar's Odyssey, The Ornament of the World, The Emergence of Modern Islam, Chasing the Sea, The Shied of Achilles and best, Millennium by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. The ridicule of Western advances coupled to dictatorial domination and horrific tortures could just as easily describe Islamic, Indian, Chinese or Russian worlds. As for his Palestinian views, well, they are biased, leave it at that... Can't wait to enjoy My Fair Lady, his Mediterranean yacht for charter..."
"I had assumed we would be learning about the history of the silk roads and the many dynasties that rose and fell along the route - the Songdians, the cities of the Tamir Basin for example. I thought this would be an Asian centric book showing the silk roads impact on Han Dynasty China and the steps that had to be taken to keep the route secure. Or perhaps how the silk road brought Buddhism to the west and mixed the artistic sense of the descendants of Alexander's army with the Central Asian Buddhist cave dwellers."
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