Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies

Aronson, Marc. Master of Deceit: J. Edgar Hoover and America in the Age of Lies.  Candlewick Press, New York: 2012. 230 pages. Tr. $25.99 ISBN 9780763650254

Annotation

Master of Deceit is a biography of the first director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover and how he contributed to the emotional turmoil of the Cold War and the terror Communism might take root in America.

Review

Master of Deceit is an unbiased portrait of an incredibly smart, driven, and powerful man, J. Edgar Hoover.  Aronson explains how Hoover’s intelligence and ambition led him to become the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Hoover’s job was to protect America from Communism and in doing that Hoover had no qualms lying to supervisors or turning to blackmail.  Hoover did get results and helped keep America safe during the Cold War, but a part of how he did that was by creating a state of fear and paranoia.  One of America’s criticisms of Russia was that they forced their citizens to live in a state of fear, encouraging family and friend to report on one another.  Despite being completely anticommunist Hoover used some of the same tactics here in American in an effort to root out communist spies.  Hoover and the FBI were also behind much of Senator McCarthy’s crusade against Communism.  Eventually, the FBI came under fire for Hoover’s clandestine projects and files, but most of Hoover’s actions as head of the FBI were not revealed until after his retirement. 

Awards/Honors

Richie’s Picks

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Prologue, Epilogue, How I Researched and Wrote this Book, Notes, Bibliography, Image Credits, Acknowledgments

Author’s Website

http://www.marcaronson.com/

Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions, and Debates

Rubalcaba, Jill and Robertshaw, Peter. Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions, and Debaters.  Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA,: 2010. 186 pages. Tr. $18.95 ISBN 9781580891646

Annotation

In Every Bone Tells a Story Rubalaba and Robertshaw recount four pivotal hominin discoveries in their engaging narrative. 

Review

Rubalcaba and Robertshaw’s Every Bone Tells a Story is a fascinating and engaging book which reveals the stories of four pivotal archeological finds which reveal important information about our ancestors: the Turkana boy, the Lapedo child, the Kennewick man and the iceman.  Each of these discoveries led to fascinating and controversial theories.  The Turkana boy raised the question of whether homo erectus had language or not And the Lapedo child raised the issue of when Neandertals went extinct and if the interbred with humans.  Even with these and similar questions answered these prehistoric bodies still have much to tell us as science and scientists continue to advance and question. 

Awards/Honors

YALSA Finalist for Best Nonfiction for Young Adults 2011

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Introduction, Conclusion, Further Reading and Source Notes, Timeline, Glossary, Hominins and Friends, Bibliography, Index, Acknowledgments/Photo Credits

Author’s Website

http://www.jillrubalcaba.com/

The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure

Sandler, Martin W. The Impossible Rescue: an Amazing Arctic Adventure.  Candlewick Press, New York: 2012. 164 pages. Tr. $22.99 ISBN 9780763650803

Annotation

The Impossible Rescue is an exciting and dramatic real life adventure in which three men struggle against the elements in the attempt to rescue hundreds of sailors stranded in the Arctic. 

Review

In 1897 a fleet of whaling ships became trapped in the Arctic by sea ice.  Only one ship, the Alexander commanded by Captain Tilton, who steamed back to San Francisco to alert the nation to the whalers trapped in the Arctic.  Some of the ships were destroyed when they were crushed by the ice and the crewmen were forced to take refuge on other ships or on land at Point Barrow.  The accommodations at Point Barrow were basic at best and there was not enough food to feed all of the sailors through the long Arctic winter.  As soon as President McKinley heard about the stranded sailors he ordered the Bear of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service to sail as far north as possible and then launch an overland rescue effort.  The rescue would mean traversing over a thousand miles of Arctic tundra and herding reindeer to Point Barrow to feed the sailors, but first the rescue team would have to convince the reindeer herders to give up their herds.  Three men were assigned to the rescue team, David Jarvis, Dr. Samuel Call and Ellsworth Bertholf.  The three men had a near impossible task ahead of them: a 1,700 mile journey by dog sled, while herding hundreds of reindeer in a race against time for the starving whalers. 

Awards/Honors

Richie’s Picks

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Introduction, Epilogue, What Happened to Them, Timeline, Source Notes, Bibliography, Photography Credits, Index, Acknowledgments

Author’s Website

No website

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery

Sheinkin, Steve. The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism and Treachery.  Roaring Book Press, New York: 2010. 337 pages. Tr. $19.99 ISBN 9781596434868

Annotation

Sheinkin’s The Notorious Benedict Arnold presents another side to America’s first and most infamous traitor. 

Review

Benedict Arnold went from being one of America’s greatest heroes to being America’s greatest traitor.  Arnold was a fearless leader who never hesitated to engage in battle alongside his men.  Despite being a bold leader Arnold was quick to anger and impulsive, often disobeying orders from superiors.  While Arnold won many decisive battles for the patriots, he was not duly rewarded for these feats by the Continental Army.  He was passed over repeatedly for promotions, which led to Arnold being more difficult to get along with.  After a disastrous diplomatic post in Philadelphia, Arnold started plotting to turn against America.  He convinced General Washington to give him the appointment supervising West Point, which Arnold then plotted to hand over to the British.  Arnold’s plan was foiled however, when his British contact was captured.  Arnold managed to escape, but he never lived down the shame of turning on his countrymen. 

Awards/Honors

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults 2011

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Source Notes, Quotation Notes, Index, Various Maps

Author’s Website

http://stevesheinkin.com/

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird

Hoose, Phillip. The Race to Save the Lord God Bird.  Melanie Kroupa Books, New York: 2004. 200 pages. Tr. $20.00 ISBN 0374361738

Annotation

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird is an exciting ecological drama which unfolds around the quick endangerment and subsequent disappearance of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, once the largest woodpecker in the United States.

Review

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird is an exciting ecological drama that chronicles the work of a handful of scientists’ devotion to preserving on of American’s most magnificent birds, the Ivory­-billed Woodpecker.  The Ivory-bill used to be common throughout the forests and swamps of the Southern United States.  Nearly two feet long and with a three foot wingspan, the Ivory-bill was the largest woodpecker, and was doubly easy to spot with their distinctive black and white markings.  Sadly their size and distinctive markings made the woodpeckers easy prey for hunters until the once common bird became more and more rare.  Eventually the Ivory-bill became so rare that the bird was restricted to remote swampland in Louisiana.  Today there are still reported sightings of the bird, though nothing official, scientists still devote time to searching the swamps of Louisiana in hopes that this magnificent bird has somehow survived the harsh loss of habitat.

Awards/Honors

ALA Notable Book 2005

Orbis Pictus Honor Book 2005

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults 2005

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Introduction, Prologue, Maps, Epilogue, Important Dates for the Protection of Birds, Especially the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Glossary, Sources, Acknowledgments, Picture Credits, Index

Author’s Website

http://philliphoose.com/

Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life

Adler, David A. Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life.  Holiday House, New York: 2010. 144 pages. Tr. $18.95 ISBN 9780823420568

Annotation

Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life is a stunning biography of a national hero, Frederick Douglass who despite being born into slavery grew up to be an eloquent speaker, writer, abolitionist, and women’s rights and civil rights activist.

Review

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 on the plantation of Col. Lloyd, and was shuffled among his various family members and estates throughout Douglass’s life, though Douglass spent most of his life as a slave in the home of Hugh Auld in Baltimore.  Douglass learned to read in the Auld’s home, a skill which would greatly affect his life.  At age 20 Douglass ran away and lived as a freeman in Massachusetts, though if he were to be caught by slave catchers he could be returned to his former master.  In Massachusetts Douglass met abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, who helped Douglass get started lecturing and encouraged him to write his memoir.  Douglass continued to lecture throughout his career, as well as running an abolitionist newspaper, and working for the government. 

Awards/Honors

Richie’s Picks

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Preface, Important Dates in the Life of Frederick Douglass, Notes, Illustration Credits, Selected Bibliography, Index

Author’s Website

http://www.davidaadler.com/

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Nelson, Kadir. We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball.  Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, New York: 2008. 88 pages. Tr. $18.99 ISBN 978078680832

Annotation

Author and illustrator Kadir Nelson’s book We Are the Ship is a boldly illustrated tale of the phenomenal athletes who played in Negro League baseball.

Review

Kadir Nelson’s We Are the Ship is a beautifully illustrated tale of baseball’s Negro League which was formed when baseball was still racially segregated.  Nelson’s bold and original paintings bring to life the story of these amazing athletes.  The Negro League was poorer than the Major Leagues, but the players were just as good, if not better than Major league players and their games were often just as well attended.  The Negro League played fast-paced, rougher games that the spectators found wildly entertaining.  The Negro League players would also often play 3 to 4 games a day and travel all night while Major League players would play 3 to 4 games a week.  All Star games were especially popular.  In these games the greatest athletes of the Negro League faced off against the greatest player from the Major Leagues.  That is how the African American players knew they were just as good as the Major League players.  Even though the Negro League players were just as good, it was not until the 1940’s that Major League baseball finally saw integration was Jackie Robinson started playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  This was not an easy position to be in, Robinson faced discrimination everyday from fans and other players.  Eventually other Negro League players were hired by the Major Leagues until the Negro League could no longer compete and was eventually dissolved in 1948. 

Awards/Honors

ALSC Notable Book 2009

Orbis Pictus Honor Book 2009
Sibert Award 2009

Front and Back Matter

Foreword, Original illustrations by Kadir Nelson, Author’s Note, Acknowledgements, Negro Leagues who made it to the Major Leagues, Negro Leaguers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Bibliography, Filmography, Endnotes, Index

Author’s Website

http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry

Nelson, Scott Reynolds & Aronson, Marc. Ain’t Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry.  National Geographic, Washington D.C.: 2008. 64 pages. Tr. $ ISBN 9781426300011

Annotation

Ain’t Nothing but a Man traces author Scott Nelson’s search to uncover the real man behind the American legend of John Henry.

Review

Ain’t Nothing But a Man catalogs Nelson’s quest to discover the man behind the American legend of John Henry.  Nelson goes beyond just telling the story of John Henry; he details the experience of his research.  Nelson begins by deconstructing the various different versions of songs about John Henry, but his research takes him much further than just song lyrics.  Nelson’s quest is demonstrative of the fact that not all research takes place in the library or archive.  Nelson goes out into the field visiting parts of the railroad that Henry possibly could have worked on.  These field trips provided invaluable clues to discovering the real John Henry’s identity.  In the end not only did Nelson uncover the likely identity of John Henry and the truth behind the legend, he uncovered the truth behind 300 unmarked graves found around the Virginia Penitentiary.  Like John Henry, these prisoners were loaned out to work on the railroad and died working on the railroad, probably from inhaling dust and developing the lung disease silicosis.  Nelson found these men’s voices in the lyrics of John Henry and the true meaning behind the legendary railroad worker. 

Awards/Honors

ALSC Notable Book 2009

YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults 2009

Front and Back Matter

TOC, Appendices (The Search Goes on, Many John Henrys, Map of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in 1873), How to Be a Historian by Marc Aronson, suggestions for further reading, a note about my sources, index

Author’s Website

http://srnels.people.wm.edu/

http://www.marcaronson.com/