The White Queen

What will you learn about history?

This book tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, a queen of England during the 15th century. She was considered one of England's most beautiful queens and ruled during a brief period of peace during a century of civil war. Gregory provides readers with a narrative history of the War of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. Although everything is based on historical fact that has been meticulously researched, the facts do not get in the way of the story. Elizabeth's story shows how warfare and political maneuvering were used by nobles to attain and retain power. Gregory's academic work is in Women's History and she uses the story of a powerful woman to show how women attained power in a world where they were socially oppressed. She also shows that women who gained influence and status in medieval Europe were often accused of witchcraft.

Why should you read it?

Rather than providing a dry narrative of facts, Gregory has spun a tale of suspense. It is a story of ascent to power but also a love story about a king who falls in love with a lesser noble. Elements of witchcraft and attitudes towards women in power are laced throughout the story. The author takes a character who has gained a bad reputation for using her influence over her husband to control the throne and portrays her as a woman using what little power she has to secure her and her family's futures. But it is not all romance, there are also a lot of descriptions of the battles that secured the throne for the House of York.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

What will you learn about history?

The book is set during the Depression era in the United States. Circuses not only provided employment for those willing to hit the road but also entertainment for the masses and a break from the dire financial woes of the country. As one of the many people who found himself homeless and penniless in 1931, the main character provides readers with a tale of survival.

Why should you read this book?
This book reads like a summer romance novel you can pack along to the beach. But its depth and well-researched content give readers insight into one way that humans endured hard times. If you love animals this is going to be a hard book to read because the book accurately portrays the mistreatment of animals by circuses during the beginning of the last century. The show always goes on....and must be profitable, at the expensive of the animals and the humans who are expendable. The use of the vernacular of circus folk allows readers to experience circus life in the Great Depression. It also provides with a eclectic cast of characters.

The Help by Katheryn Stockett

What will you learn about history?
A great look at the Civil Rights Movement told from the perspective of women in Jackson, Mississippi. This perspective shows many different views on race relations in the South during this time. It also explains the attitudes and the actions of those who were involved. Stockett's story of the maids of Jackson includes information about how black employees were expected to behave around their white employers, how white children were reared by black maids, the different forms of activism in the black community in the 1960's, and the entire social structure of the South. The impact of the Jim Crow Laws plays out in this book. The heroism of activists such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Medger Evans is seen through the eyes of the average black woman.Other cultural references are blended into a great story of women overcoming social obstacles.

Why should you read this book?
This book is an easy read about a hard time in U.S. history. The well-developed characters are given dimension and agency. The author does an admirable job shifting the narrative so that readers can view the story from the perspectives of the three main characters who have different personalities but the same goal. It a simple story about a young white female aspiring to be a writer and two black maids who want to tell their story, Stockett explores issues of power in our society. The main way in which the theme of power is addressed is through the oppression of blacks in the South during the 1960's. This is also a story about female social hierarchies and how bullies retain their social power. Readers see a young woman who finishes college instead of finding a husband, who wants to be a writer instead of a wife. We also see young people rebelling against the traditions of their parents.

Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge by Joe Starita

What will you learn about history?
This book is broad sweeping family history of four generations that will teach you as much about Lakota culture as it does about U.S. History. It describes how members of the tribe, such as George Dull Knife, assimilated over time. George takes a job working for the tribal police force but still teaches his children Lakota language and cultural traditions. The family makes choice about what they are willing to give up in order to accept a new culture. They are willing to die in American wars and make other sacrifices to retain the right to choose where they would live. The book gives readers a glimpse into the struggle to find balance between two worlds. It also provides insight into how tribes identify themselves more with their environment and lifestyle than with their ethnic group.
The family's history includes personal recollections of the story of Chief Dull Knife who led his people in the 1870s to their northern homeland when they were forced to move from Fort Robinson. This includes a picture of reservation life at Pine Ridge before the last Indian Wars in 1890. George Dull Knife traveled with world with Buffalo Bill Cody and performed traditional dances for his audiences. Guy Dull Knife was sent to Haskell Indian School as part of the government policy in the 1920s to separate and educate. He enlisted in World War I to escape the unlivable conditions at the school.


Why should you read this book?
This story of four generations of one family shows the persistence over time of a family and a fight against the dominance of another culture. Joe Starita presents the experiences of a Lakota family and gives readers a personalized history of over a century of events through the experiences of the Dull Knife family and their tribe. Their story includes Guy Dull Knife Sr., who shares an oral history of Chief Dull Knife. He was responsible for leading his people to their northern homeland when they were forced to move from Forth Robinson. Rather than portray the chief as a tragic here, Starita shows how his sacrifices and those made by some of his people gave his band the right to choose where they would live. Starita adds to the family's history by describing how the life and culture of the Lakota on the Pine Ridge Agency changed and how those who survived adapted to their new circumstances. He includes a tale of those who tribe to revive their traditions and spirtual beliefs at the turn of the century. He uses the stories of George Dull Knife and Guy Dull Knife to illustrate how this family was able to balance between two cultures. George traveled the world and provided for his family by performing traditionsal dances for the audiences of Buffalo Bill cody. This enabled him to gain an understanding of other cultures.
Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge is a well-written historical account. Starita brings the mane and women of the Dull Knife family to life. He has given them strength and integrity, which helps readers identify with them as real people who solved challenging problems. Their story is criftily interwoven with a broader Native American and United States history. He creates images for the events often discussed in dry textbook accounts. His words flow and make his book an easy, relaxing read. One drawback to Starita's portrayal of the Dull Knife family is the tendency to support the stereotype of the Indian warrior. While giving agency to his male characters, Starita shows a fascination with the wars and battles that were fought by the Lakota from the Battle of Little Bighorn to their stand-off with the BIA at Wounded Knee. The men of the family seem to be entranced with the symbolism of the Lakota warrior. It also favors those who identify as full-blooded Lakota. Those of mixed heritage are vilified, such as the "goons" who supported Dickie Wilson in the 1970s. Students who wish to learn more about American history will appreciate the alternative perspective to events of modern history.