Scranton Library: 'Chris Picks' For July Focus On U.S. History

Press release from E.C. Scranton Memorial Library:

MADISON, CT — [Here are this month’s great recommendations from staff member Christopher Jennings Penders. Click on a title to place a hold. You can find previous Chris Picks through the “What to read” link at the bottom of this page or type “Chris Picks” into the search bar on our homepage.]

To celebrate Independence Day in the United States, I’m highlighting three of my favorite history writers still writing today. You can’t go wrong reading a book from one of these authors:

David McCulloughStephen AmbroseNathaniel PhilbrickDel Quinton Wilber My favorites from McCullough are: Path Between the Seas This book is about the construction of The Panama Canal.

The Great Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is another feat of mankind. One of the things I like so much about McCullough’s style is the research he puts into each book he writes. He writes for the layperson without sacrificing knowledge. You can pick up any of his books and not be disappointed.

My favorites from Ambrose are: Nothing Like It in the World This is about the construction of the Trans-Continental Railroad. You’d think I had a building fetish what with the three books I’ve spoken of thus far. I don’t know. Maybe I do. Ambrose is another writer like McCullough who writes for the layperson.

Undaunted Courage This is my favorite book by Ambrose. It details Lewis & Clark’s trek across the country and the opening of the American West. For a similar tale, McCullough’s Brave Companions tells the story from McCullough’s point of view. It might be interesting to read them back to back. Honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve read these books that I don’t recall the similarities and differences. However, I can say that they were both well-written and well-researched.

My favorite from Philbrick is: In the Heart of the Sea This book put Philbrick on the map and still resonates deeply with me after several years. The incident discussed in the book laid the groundwork for Melville’s quintessential novel Moby Dick. I highly recommend scoping out Philbrick’s other books, including Mayflower and The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn. While as well-written and researched as In the Heart of the Sea, the latter two books don’t pack as big a punch for me as did In the Heart… I think it’s because In the Heart… is the first book I read by Philbrick and it made such a huge impression on me because I’m a big Moby Dick fan. Not to take anything away from Philbrick’s other books, because he is a fabulous writer and you certainly can’t go wrong in choosing to read any of his books.

My favorite from Del Quentin Wilber: Rawhide Down Del Quentin Wilber wrote an amazing book about the near assassination of President Reagan. I read Rawhide Down several years ago and recently picked it up again and the book still resonates with me. I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, and that’s one of the reasons these histories still connect with me: I lived through the same time.

This press release was produced by E.C. Scranton Memorial Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.