Siperstein Library

"In his... book, Russell Shorto takes us back to the founding of the American nation, drawing on diaries, letters and autobiographies to flesh out six lives that cast the era in a fresh new light. They include an African man who freed himself and his family from slavery, a rebellious young woman who abandoned her abusive husband to chart her own course, and a certain Mr. Washington, who was admired for his social graces but harshly criticized for his often-disastrous military strategy. Through these lives we understand that the revolution was fought over the meaning of individual freedom, a philosophical idea that became a force for violent change"--Jacket flap.

Presents a biography of Alexander Hamilton, one of the most important figures in the history of American politics never elected to the presidency, discussing his childhood as an orphan in the Caribbean, his marriage and family, and his death in a duel, and examining his multifaceted role in the formation of U.S. government.

An examination of the life of George Washington that discusses his boyhood, his experiences during the French and Indian War, relationship with his mother, adopted children, work during the Constitutional Convention, marriage to Martha, presidency, and more.

Chronicles the life of the second president, John Adams, describing the many conflicts--including international exploits--he faced during his long political career and exploring the love story that was his marriage to Abigail and the complexity of his friendship with Thomas Jefferson.

"... a dual biography of two of America's most enduringly fascinating figures, whose partnership helped birth a nation, and whose subsequent falling out did much to fix its course, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams."--Provided by publisher.

A "fresh and layered analysis" of our third president.

Discusses the story of the Hemingses, an American slave family that had blood ties to Thomas Jefferson, who had an intimate relationship with Sally Hemings, his slave, and covers how the family of Elizabeth Hemings and John Wayles came under ownership to Jefferson through his marriage to Martha Wayles.

Examines the conflict that took place in the South in the years following the end of the Civil War over the rights of African-Americans, recounting key events of that civil rights battle and profiling men and women who worked to promote those rights.

"The never-before-told story of four real-life women who risked everything to take on a life of espionage during the Civil War"--Provided by publisher.

A history of the role women played during the United States Civil War in Washington, D.C.

Examines the issues that plagued the South as a new social order came to power in the region after the Civil War ended and slavery was outlawed.

Discusses the dispirate social and economic aspects of the period between 1870 and 1900 in the U.S., covering topics such as material culture, social attitudes, technological advancements, crime and violence, migration, and public health.

Examines the history of American foreign relations, beginning in 1776 through the twenty-first century; and describes how Benjamin Franklin, Woodrow Wilson, and other statesmen have played key roles in propelling the United States into a position of power.

Examines the life and presidency of William McKinley, arguing that his diplomatic and military achievements, as well as the lack of major scandal during his administration, make him worthy of admission to the ranks of the near-great chief executives.

Re-creates Leon Czolgosz's hastily conducted trial for the assassination of President McKinley in 1901 and describes how Theodore Roosevelt reacted to his unexpected inauguration as the President of the United States.

A narrative account of the Spanish American War, covering the origins of dispute between the United States and Spain over Cuba, profiles of the key figures, and descriptions of major battles.

A political and military history of the Spanish-American War of 1898.

Details the significance of the sinking of the "U.S.S. Maine," on February 15th, 1898, while it was docked in Havana, Cuba, which became the catalyst for the Spanish-American war; and includes a time line, chronology, and resources.

Describes the darker side of the history of Las Vegas and Black Mesa, Arizona, including the relocation of fifteen thousand Navajo to mine coal for cheap electricity for the Vegas Strip and the precipitous drop in the water level of Lake Mead.

Tells the story of the soldiers of the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Air Forces in the European Theater of Operations in World War II, following their activities from D-Day on June 7, 1944 to Germany's surrender eleven months later on May 7, 1945.

A history of the Cold War, beginning in 1945 with the Yalta conference that heralded a new world order, and continuing through 1992 when the election of President Bill Clinton signaled a change in the national direction toward domestic issues.

Contains twenty-two essays in which scholars from different fields of study discuss the meaning and implications of the end of the Cold War.

Discusses the history of the Soviet Union, from the revolution of 1917, through the Lenin and Stalin eras and the rule of such leaders as Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev, up to the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Looks at the life of former Soviet statesman and the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev.

translated from the Russian

Discusses the life of Mikhail Gorbachev from his formative years to the present, and examines the reforms he has introduced to the Soviet Union.

Scope and content: "A highly original narrative history by The Economist's Moscow bureau chief that does for modern Russia what Evan Osnos did for China in The Age of Ambition. The end of communism and breakup of the Soviet Union was a time of euphoria around the world, but Russia today is violently anti-American and dangerously nationalistic. So how did we go from the promise of those heady days to the autocratic police state of Putin's new Russia? The Invention of Russia is a breathtakingly ambitious book that reaches back to the darkest days of the Cold War to tell the story of the fight for the soul of a nation. With the deep insight only possible of a native son, Arkady Ostrovsky introduces us to the propagandists, oligarchs and fixers who have set Russia's course since the collapse of the Soviet Union, inventing a new and more ominous identity for a country where ideas are all too often wielded like a cudgel"--Provided by publisher.

Describes the events that led to the 1956 Suez Canal crisis involving Egypt and Israel, the military action on the part of Israel, French, and British forces to invade Egypt and take control of the Suez, and U.N. intervention which forced a complete withdrawl from the region.

Examines the history of American foreign relations, beginning in 1776 through the twenty-first century; and describes how Benjamin Franklin, Woodrow Wilson, and other statesmen have played key roles in propelling the United States into a position of power.

Relates the true account of the 1979 rescue of six American hostages from Iran. On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages, sparking a 444 day ordeal and a quake in global politics still reverberating today. But there is a little-known footnote to the crisis: six Americans escaped, and a midlevel agent named Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them.

Provides a social history of how the CIA used the psychedelic drug LSD as a tool of espionage during the early 1950s and tested it on U.S. citizens before it spread into popular culture, in particular the counterculture as represented by Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey, and others who helped spawn political and social upheaval.

A portrait of the novelist Ken Kesey and the West Coast "Merry Pranksters" during a several year pursuit of the LSD experience and development of psychedelia.

Looks at the possible therapeutic uses of psychedelic drugs, particularly in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

For over thirty years, photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952) traveled the length and breadth of North America, seeking to record in words and images the traditional life of its vanishing indigenous inhabitants. Like a man possessed, he strove to realise his life's work, which culminated in the publication of his encyclopedia The North American Indian. In the end, this monumental work comprised twenty textual volumes and twenty portfolios with over 2000 illustrations.

Tells of the Indian's relationship with the earth, nature and their unity with the elements, and their encounters with the white man.

Traces the history of the cinema as an industry and as popular art, chronicling over 100 years of achievement, and looking at all aspects of its development, stars, studios, and cultural impact throughout the world.

Lost generation.

Epic life and immortal photographs of Edward Curtis.

From the emergence of life, to Leewenhoek's microscopic world, to GMO crops, The Biology Book presents 250 landmarks in the most widely studied scientific field. Brief, engaging, and colorfully illustrated synopses introduce readers to every major subdiscipline, including cell theory, genetics, evolution, physiology, thermodynamics, molecular biology, and ecology. With information on such varied topics as paleontology, pheromones, nature vs. nurture, DNA fingerprinting, bioenergetics, and so much more, this lively collection will engage everyone who studies and appreciates the life sciences. --

Traces the history of tobacco, focusing on humanity's fascination with its use as a recreational drug and providing information on its origins, its use in ancient civilizations, its role in the development of global trade, and other related topics.

Explores the history of the city of Detroit, Michigan during the 1960s, discussing the impact of the Ford empire, labor leader Walter Reuther, car salesman Lee Iacocca, Mayor Jerome Cavenagh and more.

Follows the building of the Union Pacific Railroad in the 1860s and the towns that built up around it.

Chronicles the events that took place in the thirty years it took to complete the first transcontinental railroad, profiling the key players in its development, the major setbacks the workers faced, and the public objections to the railroad's completion.

"Karabell tells the story of a crucial development in the history of the modern world with economy and lively grace." - LA Times

Profiles the men who built the transcontinental railroad, the investors who risked their businesses to fund it, the politicians who understood its importance, the Irish and Chinese immigrants who worked on it, and the other laborers who did the dangerous work of laying the track.

Explores the history of the assembly-line in the U.S.

A comprehensive history of American foreign policy from colonial days to the present, and reviews policy decisions within the context of international and domestic situations.

Contains over 350 alphabetically arranged entries that provide information about topics related to propaganda created primarily by the U.S. government.

Examines the historical patterns which have shaped American foreign policy; studies the conduct of those policies during the turbulent period since World War II; and considers the extent to which the international problems of the 1990s are legacies of the Cold War.

Abbie Hoffman provides a first-hand account of his adventures in activism, describing his involvement with the antiwar demonstration in which fifty thousand people attempted to levitate the Pentagon with psychic energy to end the war in Vietnam, the incident in which he dropped dollar bills onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, and other experiences; and includes a review and facsimile of George Metesky's 1967 pamphlet.

This collection of collective actions, theories, and critical reflections on education explores the relationship between education and anarchists.

Contains a reprint of the classic 60s text that called for social change and revolution in America, helping spawn the anti-war and hippie movements, while exhorting common people to question the status quo.

An intellectual history of anarchism in the United States.

Explores the secret history of the behavioral sciences.

Discusses anarchism and education in the United States.

Contents: Introduction: "A chance for learning" -- For the wounded and the worthy: veterans' benefits from the early Republic to the Vietnam Era -- The clash of the Texans: the making of the 1966 Cold War G.I. Bill -- A peacetime bill for the warrior: shortchanging the Vietnam vets -- Mr. President (have pity on the fighting man): Nixon's right turn for America, wrong result for the veterans -- On the streets and in the schools: The veterans come home -- Denouement: Ford's war on inflation and Teague's last stand -- Conclusion: "A chance for learning" missed.

"Frydl's persuasive book provides a more scholarly account that should substantially enhance future research on postwar politics..." -- Scott Gelber, Journal of American History

The G.I. Bill and the Making of the Greatest Generation