I just got this in my mailbox today. Enjoy! Amber New and Recently Released! How the South Could Have Won the Civil War: The Fatal Errors That Led to Confederate Defeat - by Bevin Alexander Publisher: Crown Publishers Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/31/2007 ISBN: 9780307345998 ISBN-10: 0307345998 This is not military historian Bevin Alexander's first attempt to visualize how a war could have ended otherwise--in 2000 he published How Hitler Could Have Won World War II. Here, he looks at the errors that cost the South a Civil War victory, and outlines the tactical and strategic approaches the Confederacy could have used to change the course of the war. If you're interested in the military aspects of the Civil War--or are intrigued by the idea of how a different outcome could have come about--you'll appreciate Alexander's analyses of the battles and the conclusions that he draws from them. The Fighting 69th: One Remarkable National Guard Unit's Journey From Ground Zero to Baghdad - by Sean Michael Flynn Publisher: Viking Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/27/2007 ISBN: 9780670018437 ISBN-10: 0670018430 Before 9/11, the New York Army National Guard's 69th infantry regiment was a poorly trained, poorly led, and ineffective group of fairly inept individuals. After the attacks, members nevertheless came together voluntarily, but their posting to Iraq in 2004 showed all too clearly their unreadiness for battle. Written by one of the regiment's commanders, The Fighting 69th shows precisely how the unit learned--on the job--to work effectively and well in one of Baghdad's most dangerous regions, and in the process brought distinction back to a once-well-respected National Guard unit. Come to Think of It: Notes on the End of the Millennium - by Daniel Schorr Publisher: Viking Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/27/2007 ISBN: 9780670018734 ISBN-10: 0670018732 Journalist Daniel Schorr's distinctive voice is probably familiar to anyone who tunes into NPR's All Things Considered and Weekend Edition (as well as to its live coverage of breaking news). In Come to Think of It, Schorr has collected some of the many political observations and commentaries he has aired during his 17-year tenure at NPR. Arranged chronologically, they cover such topics as the Middle East of the early 90s, Bill Clinton's presidency, O.J. Simpson's trial, and health care. If you enjoyed his 2001 memoir, Staying Tuned, or are simply looking for more of Schorr's thoughts, don't miss this compilation. Table of Contents A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win - by Shelby Steele Publisher: Free Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 12/4/2007 ISBN: 9781416559177 ISBN-10: 1416559175 The U.S. presidential election may not be until November, but that doesn't mean that the issue's on the back burner. With both a woman and an African-American vying for the Democratic nomination, history is definitely in the making, no matter the outcome. In A Bound Man, author Shelby Steele offers an analysis of the complex racial issues that U.S. Senator Barack Obama has confronted in his quest for the presidency. In addition, Steele assesses the challenges that threaten Obama's support in both the white and the black communities. Whether you agree with his points or not, his argument is sure to be thought-provoking. Lies my teacher told me : everything your American history textbook got wrong - James W. Loewen Publisher: Simon & Schuster Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/16/2007 ISBN: 9780743296281 ISBN-10: 0743296281 Loewen (sociology, Univ. of Vermont; "Mississippi: Conflict and Change"), whose interest lies in looking for "weapons of mass instruction" in American history textbooks, first shared his findings over ten years ago in the best-selling first edition of this book. Here he presents his updated assessments, starting with an introduction that "re-caps" and "pre-caps" what the book covers, and explains his concept of the failings of 12 American history textbooks. The first edition of the books was the winner of the 1996 American Book Award and the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award for Distinguished Anti-Racist Scholarship. Table of Contents Focus on: Cities & Places London: The Biography - by Peter Ackroyd Publisher: Anchor Books Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/1/2003 ISBN: 9780385497718 ISBN-10: 0385497717 Using sources that include ballads and folk tales as well as court records and newspaper accounts, author Peter Ackroyd has created a book as diverse and enthralling as London and its inhabitants have been over the years. No traditional historian, Ackroyd makes the point that the city is a living entity, and writes of such subjects as London's smells, ghosts, and waste disposal practices over time. If you're looking for a sweeping chronicle of London from the time of the Druids to the end of the 20th century, this 800+ page "biography" of the city should do the trick. First Chapter The City of Falling Angels - by John Berendt Publisher: Penguin Books Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 9/26/2006 ISBN: 9780143036937 ISBN-10: 0143036939 John Berendt, bestselling author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, leaves steamy Savannah, Georgia and her eccentrics, secrets, and scandals to travel to watery Venice, Italy...land of eccentrics, secrets, and scandals--and possibly arson. Just days before Berendt's arrival, Venice's historic Fenice Opera House went up in flames, so he takes it upon himself to examine the possibility that the fire was intentional. Readers with a love for Venice or an interest in armchair travel will be drawn to the intriguing mix of fascinating people, politics, and city lore found in this engaging book. Table of Contents Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 - by Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace Publisher: Oxford University Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 11/1/1998 ISBN: 9780195116342 ISBN-10: 0195116348 Near the beginning of this comprehensive, Pulitzer Prize-winning history of New York City, you'll learn that the nickname Gotham actually means "Goats' Town." This is just one of the many tidbits you'll come across as history professors Edwin Burrows and Mike Wallace lead you on an enticing journey from the region's first arrivals to Dutch and British settlement to the birth of the skyscraper. At more than 1,000 pages, Gotham matches the size of its subject, and is as vivid and magisterial as the city itself. Coauthor Wallace is currently at work on the sequel, which will continue NYC's history through 2008. First Chapter Table of Contents Europe: A History - by Norman Davies Publisher: HarperPerennial Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 1/1/1998 ISBN: 9780060974688 ISBN-10: 0060974680 Looking at Europe as a single entity rather than as a composition of discrete nations (though the nations get their fair share of attention too), well-known historian Norman Davies covers the continent's history from prehistoric times up to the end of the 20th century. Praised for his writing style, Davies also has a strong background and interest in Eastern Europe, so this book is sure to be a treat for those seeking an expansive history of Europe. Beginning historians wanting a shorter review of Europe's past might want to try J.M. Roberts' A History of Europe. First Chapter India: A History - by John Keay; maps and tables by Jillian Luff Publisher: Grove Press Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 5/1/2001 ISBN: 9780802137975 ISBN-10: 0802137970 This in-depth history of India offers a chronological review of the major events that transformed its diverse cultures and traditions, but devotes the bulk of its pages to both the many cultures themselves and to the subcontinent's thousands of years of civilization before Europeans arrived. Complex and titanic though his topic may be, author John Keay has created an "evenhanded, informed, and enthusiastic illumination of the vastness of Indian history" (Booklist). His history ends in 1998; for more recent developments in India, there are plenty of options: try Ramachandra Guha's India After Gandhi, published in 2007, which focuses on India's 60 years of independence. First Chapter Table of Contents City of the Century: The Epic of Chicago and the Making of America - by Donald Miller Publisher: Simon & Schuster Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 4/1/1997 ISBN: 9780684831381 ISBN-10: 0684831384 Beginning with an exploration of the site in 1673, this history of the city of Chicago follows its growth from a small fur-trading outpost to the giant, influential hub it is today, focusing especially on the 19th century. Featuring events like the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) and peopled by such five-star names as Frank Lloyd Wright and the founders of Sears & Roebuck, City of the Century chronicles explosive entrepreneurial, technological, and artistic growth. Author Donald Miller also argues that Chicago's expansion parallels America's; the result is "wonderfully readable" (The New York Times). First Chapter