Read about the past and find comparisons with the issues of today. Borrow a history book from the Lititz Public Library.
Energy: A Human History by Richard Rhodes
People have lived and died, businesses have prospered and failed and nations have risen to world power and declined, over energy challenges.
Ruthless Tide: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America’s Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster by Al Roker
The 1889 Johnstown Flood was one of America’s worst disasters and a pivotal moment for key figures such as dam engineer John Parke and American Red Cross founder Clara Barton.
The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler
In 1587, one hundred and fifteen colonists arrived at Roanoke Island on the coast of North Carolina to establish England’s first foothold in the New World, but three years later the settlement had mysteriously vanished.
Blood Moon: An American Epic of War and Splendor in the Cherokee Nation by John Sedgwick
A century-long blood feud between two rival Cherokee chiefs led to war, forced removal from their homeland and the devastation of a once-proud nation.
The Feminist Revolution by Bonnie J. Morris
An overview of the feminist movement in the 20th century begins with the founding of the National Organization for Women in 1966, and traces its path through political campaigns, protests, the formation of publishing houses and other events.
The Infernal Library: On Dictators, the Books they Wrote and Other Catastrophes of Literacy by Daniel Kalder
Convinced of the significance of their own thoughts, Stalin, Mussolini, Khomeini and other dictators produced theoretical works, spiritual manifestos, poetry and memoirs that led to the suffering of millions.
When Montezuma Met Cortes: The True Story of the Meeting that Changed History by Matthew Restall
A rethinking of the 1519 encounter between Spanish conquistador Cortes and Aztec emperor Montezuma explores their posthumous reputations, achievements and failures.
Berlin 1936: Sixteen Days in August by Oliver Hilmes
The XI Olympiad is described through the eyes of contemporaries, including Nazi leaders, foreign diplomats, athletes, journalists, tourists, socialites, musicians and others.
Revolution Song: a Story of American Freedom by Russell Shorto
Drawing on diaries, letters and autobiographies to flesh out the lives of six people, the author shows the American Revolution was fought over the meaning of individual freedom.
A Time Traveler’s Guide to Restoration Britain: A Handbook for Visitors to the Seventeenth Century: 1660-1700 by Ian Mortimer
The author provides an up-close-and-personal look at Britain between the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 and the end of the 17th century, a time when medievalism was swept away and replaced by a cultural reawakening.
The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam by Max Boot
The pioneer of “hearts and mind” diplomacy in Vietnam proposed an alternative vision that was ultimately crushed by America’s giant military bureaucracy that favored troop buildups over winning the trust of the people.
Enemies and Neighbors: Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel, 1917-2017 by Ian Black
Balanced account of the history of the region was published on the 100th anniversary of the British pledge of sympathy for a national Jewish home in Palestine and the 50th anniversary of 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and its neighboring states.
The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic by Mike Duncan
Emerging as the strongest power in the Mediterranean in 146 BC, Rome was unable to cope when rising economic inequality disrupted traditional ways of life, prejudice led to confrontations and rampant corruption and ambition sparked violent political clashes.
Pennsylvania Stories – Well Told by William Ecenbarger
A former journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine shares a collection of his articles featuring subjects like the history of the pencil, the internationally renowned pyrotechnic king, the electric chair and the Pennsylvania turnpike.
June 29, 2018