Nonfiction
By John Ellis
Professor John Ellis aims to show our world is moving beyond tribal and racial prejudices to become “gens una sumus,” Latin for “we are one people.” He begins in 1500, when the printing press and the age of exploration first heralded the coming demise of the tribalism that had always gripped humankind. Overturning many current beliefs about race, Ellis argues that the world has grown smaller and culturally and racially less bigoted. An excellent look at a profound and positive global change.
History
By Dan Slater
As the 20th century dawned, a crime wave swept New York City’s largely Jewish Lower East Side. City officials were complicit, taking bribes to turn a blind eye to crime. A group of established, uptown Jews, worried about the crime wave, decided to act. They funded an independent vice squad within the city police run by an ambitious reformer. These “Incorruptibles” fought an underground war with the city’s criminals. Moves and countermoves by both sides led to unintended consequences for both.
Short Stories
By Theodore Dalrymple
In 10 short stories, Dalrymple takes readers through the Byzantine labyrinths of government-provided social services. It is a world populated by working class individuals who suffer the indignities thrust upon them by indifferent low-level bureaucrats. His stories are set in modern Britain. In most, protagonists face some trial with the United Kingdom’s suffocating welfare state. They reveal what happens when someone becomes dependent—willingly or unwillingly—on an uncaring government.
European History
By Catherine Hanley
When Americans learn about the Magna Carta, it is typically viewed as a seed that ultimately led to the United States Constitution. There is some truth to that. But what happened immediately after the creation of the Great Charter in 1215? Hanley guides the reader through the turmoil of monarchical resistance, powerful barons politically split, a French invasion, the death of King John, the installation of a boy king, and most importantly the men and women who fought for law, order, and England.
Classics
By Niccolò Machiavelli
In this early work of political science is a good deal of history from Italy’s tumultuous 16th century, but most academics and general readers come for the book’s crafty, practical, and often unethical take on politics. The primary focus is on power: how to obtain, wield, and keep it—as immediate a topic now as it was then. Some also find advice here for managing businesses and personnel. “The Prince” signals a profound shift from a world governed by providence to one ruled by politics.
For Kids
By Lauren Thompson and Jonathan Bean
Perfect for apple picking season, this delightful book begins with a steamy, delicious apple pie baked, of course, by Papa. The story then digresses to the apples that grew, the tree they grew on, and so on. Coupled with humorous illustrations and an appreciation for nature’s bounty, you might line up your apple pie ingredients before diving in.
