Books to look for in September (for those who love history and politics of the ‘good ole days’)
On August 27, 2020, the New York Times published a list of books to look for in September. The article was updated on Sepember 1. I have culled from that list several non-fiction books that seemed interesting, not only to me but possibly to those blog readers who like books that I might not be drawn to.
Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre–Sonya is her ‘spy’ name, and she lives in England and makes scones. Sure!! I asked Google if this upcoming book was a true story. It is!! Not that Sonya should be a considered a role model (she’s a Soviet spy), but this has got to be an interesting book.
If Then by Jill Lepore–The feeling that the internet knows more about us than we do is somewhat daunting, but few realize that the notion of gathering data on people and manipulating that data for all sorts of purposes was birthed in 1959 inside a company known as Simulmatics. The author came upon this information while digging in MIT’s archives. Lepore shows the reader that truth really is stranger than fiction in this book!!
JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956 by Fredrik Logevall–1917? JFK was born in 1917? It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. This book is the first of a two-volume project by a well-known Harvard professor. Put this book on your list if you wish to know more about a President who died far to young.
The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III, by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser–I don’t think I’d ever given much thought to the man named James Baker until I heard him speak at President George Bush’s funeral. Well, apparently he ran Washington!! For people who love political intricacies, this seems like a perfect read.
THE QUIET AMERICANS: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War–a Tragedy in Three Acts, by Scott Anderson–Scott Anderson wrote Lawrence of Arabia, published in 2013. In his latest book, which takes it’s title from a book by Graham Greene written in 1954, Anderson follows the story of four real life CIA operatives. This is another ‘stranger than fiction’ book that sounds as if it should be made into a movie!