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.