All Book Reviews
The popular books that brought Americans together in a common cultureThe canon of popular American literature not only unified the culture, it helped create the national narrative of individualism and self-reliance.聽聽
鈥楩acing the Mountain鈥� tells of heroic Japanese Americans who fought for the USDespite discrimination and internment, Japanese Americans joined the U.S. military during World War II and fought with honor and distinction.
鈥楾he Holly鈥� digs deep into one man鈥檚 complicated efforts to end gang violence鈥淭he Holly鈥� shows how, faced with a system stacked against him, Terrance Roberts tried to stop gang violence in Denver.聽聽
鈥楤lack Snake鈥� tells the saga of Dakota Access Pipeline protests鈥淏lack Snake: Standing Rock, the Dakota Access Pipeline, and Environmental Justice鈥� goes to the heart of the fight for Indigenous rights.聽
It鈥檚 the little things that make this family story come to lifeIn 鈥淢argreete鈥檚 Harbor,鈥� Eleanor Morse shows a Maine family in the 1950s and 鈥�60s navigating the joys and struggles of everyday life.
Two books to make you think differently about the ocean and the beach鈥淭he Brilliant Abyss鈥� and 鈥淭he Lure of the Beach鈥� urge action to safeguard the world鈥檚 oceans and coastlines 鈥� along with the animal life found there.聽聽
Isaac Newton鈥檚 forgotten years as a cosmopolitan LondonerNewton is often remembered as an isolated thinker. But in actuality, he lived a larger life in the heart of Britain鈥檚 biggest city.
鈥楾he Other Black Girl鈥� picks apart tokenism in white work spacesNella is delighted when another Black woman is hired in her office. But things go downhill, and she must confront a very particular kind of racism.
鈥楢merica on Fire鈥�: How police oppression fuels protests by Black citizensHistorian Elizabeth Hinton analyzes the cycle of police aggression and Black community protests since the 1960s in "America on Fire."
J.P. Morgan鈥檚 librarian hid her race. A novel imagines the toll on her.鈥淭he Personal Librarian,鈥� based on a true story, explores the life of a Black collector who hid her race while amassing rare books for J.P. Morgan.
There鈥檚 no place like home 鈥� if you can afford Bay Area pricesA woman leaves her philandering husband in France and returns to San Francisco to relaunch her career in 鈥楲orna Mott Comes Home鈥� by Diane Johnson.
Worse than Hitler? How Stalin orchestrated World War II.Adolf Hitler is seen as the primary agent of terror in World War II. 鈥淪talin鈥檚 War鈥� argues that his crimes were dwarfed by those of Joseph Stalin.聽
Women on a mission: Life-changing adventures by horse and bicycleA pair of appealing books chronicles the life-changing odysseys of two women, one by horseback in 1954, the other by bicycle in 2017.
Romantic entanglements bring humor and heartache to small townKatherine Heiny鈥檚 novel transplants readers to Boyne City, Michigan, through the keen eyes of the town鈥檚 new schoolteacher.
鈥極n Juneteenth鈥�: A Black historian reflects on Texas and emancipationAnnette Gordon-Reed鈥檚 鈥淥n Juneteenth鈥� combines history, analysis, and memoir to explore the significance of the holiday and its Texas roots.
Capitalism American-style: A financial history of the United States鈥淎ges of American Capitalism" by Jonathan Levy sheds light on U.S. history as seen through a financial lens.聽
Benedict Arnold鈥檚 image as arch-traitor gets a makeoverBefore he joined the British, Benedict Arnold was a staunch, dependable patriot. A new history explores his leadership during a critical battle.
The US Supreme Court鈥檚 鈥楪reat Dissenter鈥� repudiated 鈥榮eparate but equal鈥�Justice John Marshall Harlan鈥檚 dissents, like the one in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, earned him a reputation as a progressive force in his day.
Romance, identity, and murder combine in this culinary mysteryWhen Lila Macapagal moves back to her small hometown, she has no idea she鈥檒l have to solve a murder mystery in order to save her aunt鈥檚 restaurant.聽
Slave traders may not have been social outcasts after allHistorian Joshua Rothman uses the lives of three prosperous slave traders to explode myths about pre-Civil War American society.聽
