Tag Archives: social history

A People’s History of the Civil War

Posted on July 23, 2012 by smellincoffee

A People’s History of the Civil War: Struggles for the Meaning of Freedom594 pages© 2005 David Williams No war has left such an impression on the American character as its civil war. That conflict (1861-1865) claimed more American lives than … Continue reading →

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Something from the Oven

Posted on June 24, 2012 by smellincoffee

Something from the Oven: Reinventing Dinner in 1950s America 306 pages © 2004 Laura Shaprio      The latter half of the 20th century saw the United States convulsed with social change. Millions of women and blacks who found their … Continue reading →

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Suburban Nation

Posted on June 2, 2012 by smellincoffee

Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream© 2000, 2010 Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and Jeff Speck294 pages Compare a modern American city to its European counterparts, or even an older American city, and the … Continue reading →

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A History of the World in Six Glasses

Posted on May 24, 2012 by smellincoffee

A History of the World in Six Glasses© 2006 Tom Standage311 pages A toast to human enterprise! Pick your poison — beer, wine, rum, tea, coffee, or Coca-Cola. Three are alcoholic, three are caffienated: all were the stuff of empires, … Continue reading →

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At Home

Posted on January 21, 2012 by smellincoffee

At Home: A Short History of Private Life© 2011 Bill Bryson512 pages How much history and how many laughs can you put under one roof? Take a tour of Bill Bryson’s old English home with him and find out.  At … Continue reading →

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