As I mentioned in a previous post, I studied history when I was in college – and though these days I am not always buried in history books, I have never completely lost interest in the subject.
One of the problems with reading history, however, is that many of the books that get published can be a little… dry. Others who are not so polite (or who didn’t major in history) might say that many history books are as dull as dust.
Recent issues of The New Yorker, however, have contained some solid reviews of, or articles about, books that may not only be readable but also might be rather interesting. The first review concerns a book on the American Civil War by historian Drew Gilpin Faust, who discusses the impact that the war had on the country’s psyche, and on its relationship to the concepts of death and mourning. You’ll find the review here.
The second column concerns Ben Franklin and the creation of Poor Richard’s Almanac. You’ll find the column here.
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