JAMESTOWN, THE BURIED TRUTH by William M. Kelso
Date: September 21, 2007
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Having used modern archaeological techniques to unearth a variety of artifacts and skeletal remains, the author unlocked the mystery of Jamestown’s tumultuous beginnings.
Reviewed by Hugh Gildea, Educator at James Madison's Montpelier.
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THE SUPREMES' GREATEST HITS: THE 34 SUPREME COURT CASES THAT MOST DIRECTLY AFFECT YOUR LIFE by Michael G. Trachtman
Date: October 19, 2007
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
An entertaining yet informative crash course in the origins of various rights and freedoms that make up the 'rulebook' of our lives.
Reviewed by Henry J. Abraham, James Hart Professor of Politics Emeritus, UVA.
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POLIO: AN AMERICAN STORY by David M. Oshinsky Date: November 16, 2007
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
The fight against polio was a landmark in American medicine, and the author presents an objective and highly readable history of the major players in the search for a vaccine.
Reviewed by Barbara Brodie, Madge M. Jones Professor of Nursing Emerita, UVA.
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ARCHIE AND AMELIE: LOVE AND MADNESS IN THE GILDED AGE by Donna M. Lucey Date: January 18, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
The author skillfully weaves an intriguing portrait of eccentric Archie (an Astor family heir) and mesmerizing Amelie (a Virginia author and literary sensation) and their doomed marriage.
Reviewed by Rives Barclay, local free-lance writer.
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SEE YOU IN A HUNDRED YEARS: FOUR SEASONS IN FORGOTTEN AMERICA by Logan Ward Date: February 15, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
To save their marriage and their sanity, the author and his wife sold their belongings, packed up their two-year-old son, and moved to a rundown farmhouse in the country without any plans past surviving the year. Living as though it were the year 1900, they struggled with recalcitrant livestock, Garden-destroying bugs, rain that would not come, and their own insecurities, to ultimately discover a sense of community and a sense of themselves that changed not only their marriage, but the entire Swoope, Virginia community. Lyrically told and powerfully evocative, this memoir for the modern age deals with the growing sense of disassociation and yearning to escape the frenetic pace of daily life in today’s society.
Reviewed by Ray Wright, curator, Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia.
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LEGACY OF ASHES: THE HISTORY OF THE CIA by Tim Weiner Date: March 21, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
A New York Times reporter offers a powerful indictment of the CIA and its intelligence-gathering capabilities as he traces the history of the organization from the end of World War II to Iraq, in a study that condemns the CIA for its record, its inability to understand world affairs, the violence it has unleashed, and its undermining of American politics.
Reviewed by Frederick Hitz, lecturer, UVa School of Law.
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BETTER: A SURGEON'S NOTES ON PERFORMANCE by Atul Gawande
Date: April 18, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Engagingly written and rich in fascinating detail, the author (a surgeon) weaves a discerning, humanizing portrait of doctors and the challenges they face.
Reviewed by Dr. Don Detmer, retired Vice President of Health Sciences, UVa
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DEMOCRACY REBORN: THE 14th AMENDMENT AND THE FIGHT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS IN POST-CIVIL WAR AMERICA by Garrett Epps Date: May 16, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
The author of this passionate history of Reconstruction politics argues that "the source of our rights is not Philadelphia 1787 but Washington 1866."
Reviewed by Dr. Rick Potter, Adjunct Professor of History, Mary Baldwin College
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PLACE TO BE: WASHINGTON, CBS, AND THE GLORY DAYS OF TELEVISION NEWS by Roger Mudd Date: September 19, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Mudd's memoir is a classic of Washington journalism; wry and probing, bolstered by extensive interviews and livened with more than a touch of score-settling relish. Reviewer: Jane S Foy, Co-Host, Morning News with Rick and Jane, WINA-1070 AM.
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THREE CUPS OF TEA by Greg Mortenson Date: October 17, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Traces how the author, having been rescued and resuscitated by Himalayan villagers after a failed attempt to climb K2, worked to build schools that would benefit the young girls who were forbidden an education by Taliban restrictions. Reviewer: Zahir Mahmoud, Director, Waynesboro Public Library.
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THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS: ONE GRUMP'S SEARCH FOR THE HAPPIEST PLACES IN THE WORLD by Eric Weiner.
Date: November 21, 2008
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Draws on the author's experiences as a foreign correspondent and reporter to evaluate more than three dozen countries for their happiness potential, in a lighthearted survey that includes profiles of such locales as the American shores, glacial Iceland, and the Bhutan jungles. Reviewer: Tony W. Poehailos, M.D., psychiatrist with Poehailos, Dupont & Associates.
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TWILIGHT AT MONTICELLO: THE FINAL YEARS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON by Alan Pell Crawford
Date: January 16, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
A portrait of Thomas Jefferson's retirement years at Monticello captures a turbulent period in the former president's life marked by personal and financial problems, depression, the disintegration of his family, and the founding of the University of Virginia. Reviewer: Lisa Francavilla, Managing Editor, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Retirement Series.
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THE MAN WHO MADE LISTS: love, death, madness, and the creation of Roget's Thesaurus by Joshua Kendall Date: February 20, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
A profile of the creator of the legendary thesaurus named for him describes his childhood fascination with list-making, a practice that was shaped by family tragedies, his run-in with Napoleon's authorities, and a productive relationship with famed physician Thomas Beddoes. Reviewed by Tony W. Poehailos, M.D.
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PRESIDENTIAL COURAGE: BRAVE LEADERS AND HOW THEY CHANGED AMERICA, 1789-1989 by Michael Beschloss Date: March 13, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Documents crucial historical moments in each of the first forty presidencies during which the future of the United States has been dramatically affected by a bold executive decision, and offers insight into the factors that influenced the choices made byeach president. Reviewed by Ralph Bledsoe, Special Assistant to President Reagan.
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THE FORGER'S SPELL: A TRUE STORY OF VERMEER, NAZIS, AND THE GREATEST HOAX OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Edward Dolnick Date: April 17, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Profiles the dramatic art hoax through which a small-time Dutch painter conned a reviled Nazi leader by creating works that impersonated those of famed artist Jan Vermeer, a seven-year deception during which the forger hid his mediocre artistic abilities through psychologically manipulative practices. Reviewed by Lawrence Goedde, UVA Prof of Art History. Check the catalog
HOW DOCTORS THINK by Jerome Groopman Date: May 15, 2009
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Using revealing case histories, interviews and clinical research, the author offers a riveting and cautionary view of how doctors assess and diagnose patients. Reviewed by Dr. Raymond Ford, retired pediatrician. Check the catalog
THE WORLD WITHOUT US by Alan Weisman Date: September 18, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
What would happen to the Earth if humans suddenly disappeared? The author's answer is a fascinating yet cautionary tale: nature would thrive and plastic would survive. Reviewed by Ralph Allen, Professor of Chemistry, UVa.
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THE HEMINGSES OF MONTICELLO: AN AMERICAN FAMILY by Annette Gordon-Reed
Date: October 16, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
The author combed through 200 years of myths, secrets and lies to craft a portrait of the enslaved family whose destiny was shaped by Jefferson's family. Reviewed by Peter S. Onuf, Professor of History, UVa. Check the Catalog
AMERICAN LION: ANDREW JACKSON IN THE WHITE HOUSE by Jon Meacham Date: November 20, 2009
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
The author creates a detailed yet engaging portrait of the scrappy frontier lawyer who expanded the power of the executive branch while defending the rights of the common man. Reviewed by Rick Potter, Adjunct Professor of History, Mary Baldwin College.
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THE NINE: INSIDE THE SECRET WORLD OF THE SUPREME COURT by Jeffrey Toobin
Date: January 15, 2010
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
A smart and accessible account that taps into the human element behind the legal and political dynamics of the Court. Reviewed by Henry J. Abraham, James Hart Professor of Politics Emeritus, UVa Check the Catalog