November was a buzz with insect news and discoveries read about how the Insect of the year was named; invasive species spread across America; researchers connect climate change to insect behavior and scientists make headway in the fight against Malaria. Here are some titles that focus on Insects and their role in the natural world:
Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon’s Army and Other Diabolical Insects, By: Amy Stewart; link
The Sting of the Wild, by Justin O. Schmidt; link
Honeybee Democracy, by Thomas D. Seeley, link
Mosquito: The Story of Man’s Deadliest Foe, by Michael D’Antonio, Andrew Spielman, link
Nature Underfoot: Living with Beetles, Crabgrass, Fruit Flies, and Other Tiny Life Around Us, by John Hainze, link
Geopolitical tensions are on the rise in Europe as Brexit looms, COVID cases continue to rise, the E.U. struggles as Poland considers Polexit and Hungary plays hardball with the budget vote. There have been protests to migration policies and practices and France’s growing civil unrest highlight a region in distress. Learn more about Modern Europe and its global influence with these Tantor titles:
EuroTragedy: A Drama in Nine Acts, by Ashoka Mody, link
Schaum’s Outline of Modern European History, by Birdsall S. Viault, link
The Shortest History of Europe, by John Hirst, link
The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age, by James Kirchick, link
Europe Since 1989: A History, by Philipp Ther, link
Fractured Continent: Europe’s Crises and the Fate of the West, by William Drozdiak, link
As World Water Week comes to an end this key building block of life becomes the focus of governing policies, scientific research, climate change and agricultural demands. Learn more about the science and influence of water with one of these:
The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water, by Charles Fishman, link
Water for Any Farm: Applying Restoration Agriculture Water Management Methods on Your Farm, by Mark Shepard, link
The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor, by Gerald H. Pollack, link
Your Body’s Many Cries For Water, by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D., link
Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind, by Brian Fagan, link
With Netflix’s release of the newest season of “The Crown”, the Royal Family is once again drawn into the spotlight as they become the focus of global speculation, rumor and gossip. Learn more about the House of Windsor with these royal titles:
King Charles: The Man, The Monarch, and The Future of Britain, by Robert Jobson, link
Matriarch: Queen Mary and the House of Windsor, by Anne Edwards, link
Royal Sisters: Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, by Anne Edwards, link
William and Harry, by Katie Nicholl, link
The Making of a Royal Romance: William, Kate, and Harry–A Look Behind the Palace Walls, by Katie Nicholl, link
The Queen Mother: The Untold Story of Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, Who Became Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, by Lady Colin Campbell, link
December Awareness Month and Historical Anniversaries:
AIDS Awareness Month
We Are All the Same: A Boy’s Courage and a Mother’s Love, By: Jim Wooten, link
National Write A Business Plan Month
Creating a Business Plan For Dummies, by Veechi Curtis, link
Spiritual Literacy Month
How to be Spiritual Without Being Religious, by D. Patrick Miller, link
Wildlife Conservation Day (Dec. 4th)
The Father of American Conservation: George Bird Grinnell Adventurer, Activist, and Author, by Thom Hatch, link
Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day (Dec. 8th)
Back from the Future: A Celebration of the Greatest Time Travel Story Ever Told, By: Brad Gilmore, link
Bill of Rights Day (Dec. 15th)
The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America’s Liberties, by Carol Berkin, link
December 1, 1955 – The birth of the modern American civil rights movement occurred as Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back section of a municipal bus.
Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965, by Juan Williams, link
December 5, 1933 – The 18th Amendment (Prohibition Amendment) to the U.S. Constitution was repealed. For nearly 14 years, since January 29, 1920, it had outlawed the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages in the U.S.
Prohibition: A Very Short Introduction, by W. J. Rorabaugh, link
December 7, 1941 – The U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by nearly 200 Japanese aircraft in a raid that lasted just over one hour and left nearly 3,000 Americans dead.
Pearl Harbor: FDR Leads the Nation into War, by Steven M. Gillon, link
December 14, 1799 – George Washington died at Mount Vernon.
The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon, by John Ferling, link
December 16, 1773 – The Boston Tea Party occurred as colonial activists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded British ships anchored in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 containers of expensive tea into the water.
Defiance of the Patriots: The Boston Tea Party and the Making of America, by Benjamin L. Carp, link
December 20, 1606 – The Virginia Company expedition to America began as three small ships departed London under the command of Captain Christopher Newport. In May of 1607, the royally chartered company established the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown (Virginia).
Savage Kingdom: The True Story of Jamestown, 1607, and the Settlement of America, by Benjamin Woolley, link
December 24, 1814 – The Treaty of Ghent between America and Britain was signed, officially ending the War of 1812.
Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence, by A. J. Langguth, link
December 25, 1066 – William the Conqueror was crowned King of England after he had invaded England from France, defeated and killed King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, then marched on London
A Needle in the Right Hand of God: The Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Making and Meaning of the Bayeux Tapestry, by R. Howard Bloch, link
December 31, 1879 – Thomas Edison provided the first public demonstration of his electric incandescent lamp at his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World, by Jill Jonnes, link
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