Our review of : The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer draws on her life as a scientist and a member of the Potawatomi Nation to explore the connections between traditional indigenous teachings and modern scientific knowledge. She demonstrates that both systems are based on observation, rationality, and respect for the land-and that by integrating these two ways of knowing [...]

Catherine Belton’s “Putin’s People” is an insightful look at the resurgence of the Russian KGB under Vladimir Putin and their subsequent efforts to rebuild Russia’s relationship with the West. Drawing on interviews with key insiders, Belton provides a unique perspective on how Putin has successfully brought back much of the KGB mentality into modern-day Russia [...]

Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands is a disturbing and brilliantly executed study of the area between Hitler and Stalin that accounted for upwards of 14 million deaths. Snyder examines the policies and politics behind this staggering figure, as well as the personal experiences of those who lived through it. The result is both comprehensive and harrowing, painting [...]

The Man Without a Face is a riveting and alarming account of the rise to power of Vladimir Putin, one of the most enigmatic and powerful leaders in recent history. Journalist Masha Gessen traces Putin’s trajectory from rural obscurity to president of Russia, uncovering along the way his dark secrets and mysterious past. This richly [...]

The Warmth of Other Suns is a historical account of the great migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North and West between 1915 and 1970. Isabel Wilkerson meticulously researched and documented this little-known chapter in American history, amassing over 3000 interviews with former migrants. The result is a gripping, eye-opening [...]

The Nine tells the remarkable story of nine women who banded together to survive Nazi Germany. Faced with incredible danger and hardship, these brave women helped one another through desperate times and ultimately emerged stronger than ever. From imprisonment in concentration camps to the struggle for basic necessities like food and clothing, their tenacity is [...]

In The Bomber Mafia, Malcolm Gladwell tells the story of a group of Canadian airmen who became obsessed with bombing Germany during World War II. These men were determined to take down as many enemy targets as possible, and they were willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. The bomber mafia was [...]

The Road to Unfreedom is a comprehensive and alarming look at the current state of Russia, Europe, and America. Timothy Snyder provides readers with an in-depth analysis of how democracies can succumb to authoritarianism, detailing the warning signs that we should all be aware of. The book is essential reading for anyone who wants to [...]

This book is about the Endurance expedition, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton, which set out to cross Antarctica in 1914. The ship was eventually crushed by ice pack and the crew had to abandon it, trekking across miles of frozen wasteland to find safety. Despite numerous hardships – including being stranded on an ice floe [...]

Nikole Hannah-Jones, award-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times Magazine, presents a radical new take on America’s history in “The 1619 Project.” Arguing that the year 1619 is when American slavery began rather than when it ended, she posits that racism and white supremacy are not traditional fixtures of our society but instead were [...]

This book tells the story of Winston Churchill’s experience during World War II, as well as his family life. It is a compelling account of the Blitz bombings in London and the challenges that both he and his loved ones faced. For who is this book for ? The Splendid and the Vile is a [...]

The Woman Who Smashed Codes tells the extraordinary story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, a codebreaking genius whose work helped win World War II. Friedman was born in Chicago in 1892 and came from a family of accomplished women. She originally wanted to be an actress, but she eventually pursued cryptography instead, learning how to break [...]