New Books 12/26/16
All the Gallant Men by Donald Stratton
A memoir by a USS Arizona survivor describes his experience of the attacks that left him with burns over more than sixty-five percent of his body, his resolve to reenter service after a grueling recovery, and his contributions to some of the Pacific’s most violent battles.
America’s War for the Greater Middle East by Andrew Bacevich
A critical assessment of America’s foreign policy in the Middle East throughout the past four decades, written by a retired Army Colonel and the best-selling author of Breach of Trust, evaluates and connects regional engagements since 1990 while revealing their massive costs.
Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson
An account of the infamous 1971 Attica prison uprising, the state’s violent response, and the victims’ decades-long quest for justice draws on previously unreleased information while detailing how the event has influenced civil rights practices in the criminal justice system.
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
The host of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah traces his wild coming of age during the twilight of apartheid in South Africa and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed, offering insight into the farcical aspects of the political and social systems of today’s world.
The Firebrand and the First Lady by Patricia Bell-Scott
Bell-Scott tells the story of how a brilliant writer-turned-activist, granddaughter of a mulatto slave, and the first lady of the United States, whose ancestry gave her membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution, forged and enduring friendship that changed each of their lives and helped to alter the course of race and racism in America.
Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck
by Adam Cohen
Cohen describes a dark moment in American history, when the Supreme Court agreed, in 1927, to support eugenic sterilization for “undesirables,” including epileptics and the “feebleminded,” resulting in the sterilization of seventy thousand Americans.
Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art by Virginia Heffernan
A digital-culture expert discusses the logic, aesthetics, cultural potential, and societal impact of the Internet, a medium that favors speed, accuracy, wit, prolificacy, and versatility.
Outline by Rachel Cusk
An innovative novel captures ten conversations involving the narrator, a novelist teaching a course in creative writing during one oppressively hot summer in Athens, gradually revealing a portrait of a woman dealing with a great loss.
The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders
A debut entry in a new series by the award-winning author of Five Children on the Western Front introduces archdeacon’s widow and private investigator Laetitia Rodd, who goes undercover to assist her barrister brother during a case involving the illicit affairs of a nobleman’s son.
The Seventh Plague by James Rollins
When a British archaeologist who had been missing for two years reappears, frantic and delirious, but dies before he can tell his story, Sigma Force must stop an ancient plague with ties to some of history’s most innovative minds.
The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolition by Manisha Sinha
Sinha presents a history of the abolitionist movement, arguing that the history begins with those who resisted slavery at the beginning, discussing the resistance of African slaves, and highlighting notable African American abolitionists.
The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
Bernstein aims to help readers transform their fear into faith by relinquishing the need to control so they can relax into a sense of certainty and freedom.
When She’s Gone by Jane Palmer
Ara Zuyev, a highly discreet bodyguard to a powerful billionaire’s family, falls under suspicion when the sixteen-year-old in her care is kidnapped, a situation that forces her to team up with savvy FBI agent Luke Patrick, who believes she knows more than she is admitting.
The Whole Town’s Talking by Fannie Flagg
The late citizens of a small Missouri community wake up underground after death and reconnect with loved ones over the course of 150 years before some of them begin to actually disappear, prompting a town-wide investigation.
Wonderland: How Play Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson
A history of popular entertainment explores the world-changing innovations humans have made while keeping themselves entertained and introduces the explorers, proprietors, showmen, and artists who became the innovators of leisure.
