Blake Scott Ball charts the impact of the classic comic strip Peanuts on American culture, and vice versa, in Charlie Brown’s America. Peanuts is a cultural icon, but even with its sly humor inspired by changes in society, such as... Read More
Ira Nadel’s Philip Roth: A Counterlife is an intense and illuminating study of the life, times, and work of the Jewish man from Newark who became one of America’s most original and provocative writers. Nadel brings meticulous... Read More
Thomas C. Holt’s civil rights history text, "The Movement", takes care to include Black women leaders alongside its more familiar names. Beginning with 1930s and 1940s political strategizing, this book covers familiar civil rights... Read More
Discussing both problems with American health care and potential solutions, Abdul El-Sayed and Micah Johnson’s "Medicare for All" acknowledges that “health insurance doesn’t make health care affordable, and it doesn’t protect you... Read More
Of the many positive things to say about Buddhism, the most meaningful may be that Buddhists readily admit that life is very, very hard. By facing that fact head on, rather than denying or ignoring it, Buddhists can quickly get on with... Read More
Over a dozen historians contributed to James Raven’s "The Oxford Illustrated History of the Book", an essay collection about the long history of reading, publishing, and information dissemination. From the earliest writings on clay... Read More
Thorough research is apparent in Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman’s "The Religion Clauses", a deep monograph about the correctness of the separation of church and state. Both a history of the US Constitution and Supreme Court... Read More
"The Hardhat Riot" moves, moment by tense moment, through May 8, 1970, a day known as Bloody Friday, which led to the fracturing of the Democratic Party and an opportunity for Richard Nixon. Starting with a glimpse of the fateful hour... Read More