Testament of Youth (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

By Vera Brittain, Mark Bostridge (Introduction by), Shirley Williams (Preface by)

$21.00

ISBN: 9780143039235

Availability: On Our Shelves Now

Published: Penguin Books - May 31st, 2005

One of the most heartrending and “romantic” memoirs of World War I. Testament of Youth is a classic, first published in 1933, among the literature of  the Great War, in its description of the impact of the war on women and the middle class. The unimaginable loss and sacrifice of a generation is rendered  beautifully through Brittain’s words. Her experiences as a volunteer nurse (VAD) in the armed services, a university student before and after the war, and a  tireless advocate for peace and feminist causes make this a defining and timeless work. A film version of Brittain’s work releases in the UK  in 2015.

Ellen

Nightingales: The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence Nightingale (Paperback)

By Gillian Gill

$18.00

ISBN: 9780345451880

Availability: Available at Warehouse

Published: Random House Trade - September 13th, 2005

Gill goes beyond a simple biography of Florence Nightingale to take in the whole extended family, part of the wealthy community of reformers that drove England in the 19th century. The story itself is great, but if you're a fan of detail, read to the end: the notes are almost better than the narrative.

Sarah

Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II (Hardcover)

By Vicki Croke

$28.00

ISBN: 9781400069330

Availability: Available at Warehouse

Published: Random House - July 15th, 2014

‘Somewhere on the border of Burma and India...carved on a giant teak tree, are the words BANDOOLA BORN 1897, KILLED IN ACTION 1944.’ Billy Williams, the war hero known as Elephant Bill, said elephants  made him a better man. He loved and trained  them, worked beside them as they carried supplies, built bridges, and transported the sick through WW1 in Burma, and especially mourned Bandoola’s death as an old friend. ELEPHANT COMPANY  is an inspirational war epic; part history, part wildlife adventure, and part biography – all of it poignant and fascinating.

Megan

The Zhivago Affair: The Kremlin, the CIA, and the Battle Over a Forbidden Book (Hardcover)

By Peter Finn, Petra Couvee

$26.95

ISBN: 9780307908001

Availability: It's Complicated--Contact Us for More Info

Published: Pantheon Books - June 17th, 2014

The Zhivago Affair brings to light the involvement of the CIA in the distribution of Pasternak’s epic novel in the USSR which had banned its publication, an involvement which would likely have profoundly disturbed Pasternak had he known about it. But this book tells us much more than just that episode of Doctor Zhivago’s history. It’s really a fuller biographical portrait of the Nobel Prize winning author and a fascinating history of the writing and publication of this his most renowned work undertaken during Stalin’s repressive regime.

Dale

The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish (Hardcover)

By Linda Przybyszewski

$28.99

ISBN: 9780465036714

Availability: Available at Warehouse

Published: Basic Books (AZ) - April 29th, 2014

Even if you've never touched a sewing machine, you'll be planning a trip to the fabric store by the time you finish this history of American clothing. Dress isn't just a matter of fashion here: it's politics, domestic science, economics, and a barometer of women's roles in an evolving world.

Sarah

The Heir Apparent: A Life of Edward VII, the Playboy Prince (Hardcover)

By Jane Ridley

$35.00

ISBN: 9781400062553

Availability: It's Complicated--Contact Us for More Info

Published: Random House - December 3rd, 2013

Given unprecedented access to the royal archives at Windsor Castle, author Jane Ridley paints a fascinating and nuanced picture of King Edward VII, also known as Bertie. Beginning with his early life strictly controlled by his parents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, through his marriage, fatherhood, relationships with other women and then ascension to the throne in 1901, Edward VII is seen to be a far more intriguing, complex and gifted man than history has previous portrayed him.

Nathan

The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce's Ulysses (Hardcover)

By Kevin Birmingham

$29.95

ISBN: 9781594203367

Availability: It's Complicated--Contact Us for More Info

Published: Penguin Press - June 12th, 2014

The story of the transformation of Ulysses by James Joyce from contraband to classic is absolutely fascinating. Vice squads. Book piracy. Smuggling. Courtroom drama. Heroes of art and expression. Villains of prudishness and fear. More than just a book about a book, Birmingham’s work explores all aspects of culture and highlights just how close we were to a world in which literature was controlled by the fearful instead of driven by the brave.   

Josh

The Mantle of Command: FDR at War, 1941-1942 (Hardcover)

By Nigel Hamilton

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ISBN: 9780547775241

Availability: Out of Print

Published: Houghton Mifflin - May 13th, 2014

Mantle of Command is a masterful re-examination of the under appreciated but pivotal role played by FDR in all the Allied strategic decisions in World War II. With fascinating detail Hamilton compelling narrates how FDR, often at odds with Churchill and his own generals, skillfully maneuvers the Allies to yield to his vision of the best way to achieve victory, a victory that was by no means assured in the early days of the war. Dale

All the Time in the World: A Book of Hours (Hardcover)

By Jessica Kerwin Jenkins

$28.95

ISBN: 9780385535410

Availability: Available at Warehouse

Published: Nan A. Talese - October 29th, 2013

Such a fascinating book: this contemporary Book of Hours feeds the mind and heart. Topics range from Casanova's famous late-night card match, to the love of roses in ancient Persia, to the confusing evolution of star naming. Minka Sicklinger's illustrations are a perfect companion. I loved basking in it by reading only an entry a day...

Jennifer

The Year Without Summer: 1816 and the Volcano That Darkened the World and Changed History (Paperback)

By William K. Klingaman, Nicholas P. Klingaman

$17.99

ISBN: 9781250042750

Availability: Available at Warehouse

Published: St. Martin's Griffin - March 11th, 2014

An astounding study in climate change in the aftermath of a monster volcanic eruption (10 times the force of Krakatoa). This single natural event had world-wide consequences: New England blizzards in June; European food riots; panicking establishment of fringe religious sects; mass population shifts; even the composition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  What a year!

Gary