New on the Shelves at Albert Wisner Public Library: Non-Fiction & Biography

The purpose of U.S. foreign policy has, at least theoretically, been to keep Americans safe. Yet as we confront a radically changed world, it has become indisputably clear that the terms of that policy have failed. Washington's insistence that a market economy is compatible with the common good, its faith in the idea of the "West" and its "special relationships," its conviction that global military primacy is the key to a stable and sustainable world order--these have brought endless wars and a succession of moral and material disasters. In a bold reconception of America's place in the world, Andrew J. Bacevich--founder and president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a bipartisan Washington think tank dedicated to foreign policy--lays down a new approach--one that is based on moral pragmatism, mutual coexistence, and war as a last resort. Confronting the threats of the future--accelerating climate change, a shift in the international balance of power, and the ascendance of information technology over brute weapons of war--his vision calls for nothing less than a profound overhaul of our understanding of national security. Crucial and provocative, After the Apocalypse sets out new principles to guide the once-but-no-longer sole superpower as it navigates a transformed world.

Three noted Texan writers combine forces to tell the real story of the Alamo - when Davy Crockett and a band of rebels went down in a blaze of glory fighting for independence from Mexico, losing the battle but setting Texas up to win the war. However, that version of events owes more to fantasy than reality. Just as Alamo site was left in ruins for decades, its story was forgotten and twisted over time, with the contributions of Tejanos--Texans of Mexican origin, who fought alongside the Anglo rebels--scrubbed from the record, and the origin of the conflict over Mexico's push to abolish slavery papered over. This book provocatively explains the true story of the battle against the backdrop of Texas's struggle for independence. As uncomfortable as it may be to hear for some, celebrating the Alamo has long had an echo of celebrating whiteness. In the past forty-some years, waves of revisionists have come at this topic, and at times have made real progress toward a more nuanced and inclusive story.. But we are not living in one of those times; the fight over the Alamo's meaning has become more pitched than ever in the past few years, even violent, as Texas's future begins to look more and more different from its past.

Drawing on her background as a sociologist and over 25 years working as an anti-racist educator, DiAngelo identifies many common white racial patterns and breaks down how well-intentioned white people unknowingly perpetuate racial harm. DiAngelo explains how spiritual white progressives seeking community by co-opting Indigenous and other groups' rituals create separation, not connection. She challenges the ideology of individualism and explains why it is OK to generalize about white people, and she demonstrates how white people who experience other oppressions still benefit from systemic racism. Writing candidly about her own missteps and struggles, she models a path forward, encouraging white readers to continually face their complicity and embrace courage, lifelong commitment, and accountability; an essential work for any white person who recognizes the existence of systemic racism and white supremacy and wants to take steps to align their values with their actual practice. BIPOC readers may also find the "insiders" perspective useful for navigating whiteness. Includes a study guide.

For anyone in search of hope, looking for a path to a more meaningful life, or in need of a little encouragement -- "It is a strange paradox, that many of the clearest, most comforting life lessons are learnt while we are at our lowest. But then we never think about food more than when we are hungry and we never think about life rafts more than when we are thrown overboard." The Comfort Book is Haig's life raft: it's a collection of notes, lists, and stories written over a span of several years that originally served as gentle reminders to Haig's future self that things are not always as dark as they may seem; Incorporating a diverse array of sources from across the world, history, science, and his own experiences, Haig offers warmth and reassurance, reminding us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and unpredictability of existence.

In 2015, at the age of 97, Katherine Johnson became a global celebrity. President Barack Obama awarded her the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom for her pioneering work as a mathematician on NASA's first flights into space. In this memoir, Katherine shares her personal journey from child prodigy in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia to NASA human computer. In her life after retirement, she served as a beacon of light for her family and community alike. The memoir captures the many facets of this unique woman: the curious "daddy's girl," pioneering professional, and sage elder; This multidimensional portrait is also the record of a century of racial history that reveals the influential role educators at segregated schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities played in nurturing the dreams of trailblazers like Katherine. The author pays homage to her mentor--the African American professor who inspired her to become a research mathematician despite having his own dream crushed by racism. My Remarkable Journey ultimately brings into focus a determined woman who navigated tough racial terrain with soft-spoken grace--and the unrelenting grit required to make history and inspire future generations.

From the longtime host of the New York Yankees' television broadcasts, ESPN Radio's The Michael Kay Show, and YES Network's Emmy Award-winning CenterStage comes a selection of his most memorable interviews. Michael Kay's eighteen years as host of CenterStage have given him access to many remarkable figures in sports and entertainment. Now, this absorbing selection of the best, most revealing--and often surprising--interviews are available in one amazing collection, including some of the behind-the-scenes stories that didn't appear on camera. From Kay's very first CenterStage interview in 2001 with quarterback Steve Young, the show's creators knew they had something special. Kay's ability to get celebrities and otherwise private personalities to open up and share candid insights has become his trademark. Among the interviews featured in the book are those with Red Auerbach, Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson, Bobby Orr, Sly Stallone, Jay-Z, Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon, John McEnroe, Rob Reiner, Seth Meyers, Serena Williams, Alan Alda, David Halberstam, Larry David, Bob Costas, Billy Crystal, Lindsey Vonn, Chris Evert, and Quentin Tarantino. For any pop culture fan or sports enthusiast, this prized collection is one to cherish for generations.

Chris Matthews offers a panoramic portrait of post-World War II America through the story of his remarkable life and career. As a young Peace Corps graduate, Chris moved to DC and began knocking on doors on Capitol Hill and landed as a staffer to Utah Senator Frank Moss, where his eyes were opened to the game of big-league politics. As a speechwriter for President Carter, Matthews witnessed the triumphs and tragedies of that administration; from the diplomatic brilliance of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty to the disaster of the Iran hostage crisis. After Carter's defeat, Chris became chief of staff to legendary Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, a perch that gave him an on-the-job PhD in American politics during the Reagan years. Chris then leapt to the other side of the political matrix as a columnist and reporter.for the San Francisco Examiner and then would go on to pioneer cable news with a fast-paced, no-nonsense television program. His show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, would become a political institution for twenty years. As Chris charts his political odyssey, he paints an energetic picture of a nation searching for its soul. He reflects with grace and wisdom, showcasing the grand arc of the American story through one life dedicated to its politics.

The irresistibly charming memoir of a young woman who started her own business as a dog walker for London's busy, well-heeled dog lovers; in 2006, Kate MacDougall was working a safe but dull job at the venerable auction house Sotheby's in London. After a clumsy accident nearly destroyed a precious piece of art, she quit Sotheby's and set up her own dog-walking company, yet knew little about dogs and nothing about business; she embarked upon an entirely new and very much improvised career walking some of the city's many pampered pooches, branding her company "London's Number One Dog Walking Agency." With sharp wit, delightful observations, and plenty of canine affection, Kate reveals her unique and unconventional coming-of-age story, as told through the dogs, and the London homes and neighborhoods they inhabit. One walk at a time, she journeys from a haphazard twentysomething to a happily--and surprisingly--settled adult, with love, relationships, drama, and home ownership along the way. But, as Kate says, "It's all down to the dogs" and what they taught her about London--and life.

In 2008, In the Heights electrified Broadway. The show's vibrant mix of Latin music and hip-hop captured life in Washington Heights, the Latino neighborhood in upper Manhattan. It won four Tony Awards and became an international hit. For the film version, director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) brought the story home, filming its spectacular dance numbers on location in Washington Heights. That's where Usnavi, Nina, and their neighbors chase their dreams and ask a universal question: Where do I belong? This book reunites Miranda with Jeremy McCarter, co-author of Hamilton:and Quiara Alegría Hudes, the Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist. They do more than trace the making of an unlikely Broadway smash and a major motion picture: They give readers an intimate look at the decades-long creative life of In the Heights. The book offers untold stories, perceptive essays, and the lyrics to Miranda's songs--complete with his funny, heartfelt annotations. It also features newly commissioned portraits and never-before-seen photos from backstage, the movie set, and productions around the world.

1860: Elizabeth Packard, housewife and mother of six, is facing her own battle. Her husband of twenty-one years is plotting against her because he feels increasingly threatened by Elizabeth's intellect and independence. So he makes a plan to put his wife back in her place. One summer morning, he has her committed to an insane asylum. The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her traitorous husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed to be kept them in line. No one is willing to fight for their freedom and, disenfranchised both by gender and the stigma of their supposed madness, they cannot possibly fight for themselves. But Elizabeth is about to discover that the merit of losing everything is that you then have nothing to lose. Elizabeth's refusal to be silenced and her ceaseless quest for justice not only challenged the medical science of the day, and led to a giant leap forward in human rights, it also showcased the most salutary lesson: sometimes, the greatest heroes we have are those inside ourselves.

George Packer diagnoses America's descent into a failed state. In 2020, Americans suffered one rude blow after another: a ruthless pandemic, an inept and malign government response, polarizing protests, and an election marred by conspiracy theories left many citizens in despair about their country and democracy. With pitiless precision, the year exposed the nation's underlying conditions--discredited elites, weakened institutions, blatant inequalities-- and how difficult they are to remedy. In Last Best Hope, Packer traces the shocks back to their sources. He explores the four narratives that now dominate American life: Free America, which imagines a nation of separate individuals and serves the interests of corporations and the wealthy; Smart America, the world view of Silicon Valley and the professional elite; Real America, the white Christian nationalism of the heartland; and Just America, which sees citizens as members of identity groups that inflict or suffer oppression. In lively and biting prose, Packer shows that none of these narratives can sustain a democracy. To point a more hopeful way forward, he looks for a common American identity and finds it in the passion for equality--the "hidden code"--that Americans of diverse persuasions have held for centuries.

An exploration into Italy's past and present--following in the footsteps of Garibaldi's famed 250-mile journey across the Apennines. In the summer of 1849, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italy's legendary revolutionary, was finally forced to abandon his defense of Rome. He and his men had held the besieged city for four long months, but now it was clear that only surrender would prevent slaughter and destruction at the hands of a huge French army. Against all odds, Garibaldi was determined to turn defeat into moral victory. On the evening of July 2, riding alongside his pregnant wife, Anita, he led 4,000 hastily assembled men to continue the struggle for national independence elsewhere. Hounded by both French and Austrian armies, the garibaldini marched hundreds of miles across the Appenines, Italy's mountainous spine, and after two months of skirmishes and adventures arrived in Ravenna with just 250 survivors. Best-selling author Tim Parks, together with his partner Eleonora, set out in the blazing summer of 2019 to follow Garibaldi and Anita's arduous journey -- a superb travelogue that captures Garibaldi's determination, creativity, reckless courage, and profound belief.

New York Times bestselling author Michael Pollan, dives deep into three plant drugs--opium, caffeine, and mescaline--and throws the fundamental strangeness, and arbitrariness, of our thinking about them into sharp relief. Exploring and participating in the cultures that have grown up around these drugs while consuming (or, in the case of caffeine, trying not to consume) them, Pollan reckons with the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants. In this unique blend of history, science, and memoir, as well as participatory journalism, Pollan examines and experiences these plants from several very different angles and contexts, and shines a fresh light on a subject that is all too often treated reductively--as a drug, whether licit or illicit. But that is one of the least interesting things you can say about these plants, Pollan shows, for when we take them into our bodies and let them change our minds, we are engaging with nature in one of the most profound ways we can. Based in part on an essay published almost twenty-five years ago, this groundbreaking and singular consideration of psychoactive plants, and our attraction to them through time, holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world.

The dramatic, untold story of the brilliant team whose feats of innovation and engineering created the world's first digital electronic computer--decrypting the Nazis' toughest code, helping bring an end to WWII, and ushering in the information age. Planning the invasion of Normandy, the Allies knew that decoding the communications of the Nazi high command was imperative for its success. But standing in their way was an encryption machine they called Tunny (British English for "tuna"), which was vastly more difficult to crack than the infamous Enigma cipher. To surmount this seemingly impossible challenge, Alan Turing, the Enigma codebreaker, brought in a maverick English working-class engineer named Tommy Flowers who devised the ingenious, daring, and controversial plan to build a machine that would calculate at breathtaking speed and break the code in nearly real time. Together with the pioneering mathematician Max Newman, Flowers and his team produced--against the odds, the clock, and a resistant leadership--Colossus, the world's first digital electronic computer.

In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the Belgica; his destination - the uncharted icy continent of Antarctica. But de Gerlache's plans would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters. De Gerlache sailed on, and soon the Belgica was stuck fast in the icy hold of the Bellingshausen Sea. The ship's occupants were condemned to months of endless night. In the darkness, plagued by a mysterious illness and besieged by monotony, they descended into madness. As the Belgica's men teetered on the brink, de Gerlache relied increasingly on two young officers: the expedition's lone American, Dr. Frederick Cook (half genius, half con man) and the ship's first mate, soon-to-be legendary Roald Amundsen. Together, they would plan a last-ditch, escape from the ice--one that would either etch their names in history or doom them to a terrible fate at the ocean's bottom. Drawing on the diaries and journals of the Belgica's crew and with exclusive access to the ship's logbook, Sancton brings novelistic flair to a story of human extremes.

In his empowering book, Dan Schilling shares how to identify and avoid threats using situational awareness and intuition just like the pros. Told with wit and wisdom, this compelling guide uses harrowing stories from Dan's special operations career and those of other experts to outline six easily implemented rules you can apply anywhere to improve your personal safety. It incorporates exercises to understand how situational awareness works in real life, how to better listen to your intuition, and when confronted by a criminal how to make a plan and take action with confidence--so you can escape the threat before it's too late. He also includes tools on how to secure your home or hotel room, use public transportation, plan international travel, and reduce your criminal target appeal and exposure, in addition to how to escape an active shooter situation. As a bonus, you'll even learn how to survive a date without getting murdered. By the last page you'll know that your own Power of Awareness can save your life.

A path-breaking journey into the brain, showing how perception, thought, and action are products of maps etched into your;gray matter--and how technology can use them to read;your;mind. Your brain is a collection of maps: detailed representations, scrawled across your brain's surfaces, of the sights, sounds, and actions that hold the key to your survival. Although scientists began discovering these maps over a century ago, we are only now beginning to unlock their secrets--and comprehend their profound impact on our lives. Brain maps distort and shape our experience of the world, support complex thought, and make technology-enabled mind reading a modern-day reality. They shine a light on our past and our possible futures. In the process, they invite us to view ourselves from a startling new perspective. In Brainscapes, Rebecca Schwarzlose combines unforgettable real-life stories, cutting-edge research, and vivid illustrations to reveal brain maps' surprising lessons about our place in the world--and about the world's place within us.