The Untold History of the United States, Volume 2

June 15, 2018
Stone and Kuznick's mordant take on this country's history continues--here spanning the period from the beginning of the Cold War to the Cuban missile crisis.Reworking two chapters and most of a third from the adult-directed print companion to the lead author's 2012 documentary film, Singer creates a patchwork narrative that begins with John Hersey's Hiroshima (1946: "the twentieth century's most important work of journalism") and ends with Nikita Khrushchev's decision that "it was not worth killing hundreds of millions of people or more just to prove he was tough." In between, the authors portray Truman as incompetent, trace Eisenhower's passage from pacifism to unbridled militarism, and, for JFK, quote Eleanor Roosevelt's pithy wish that he had "a little less profile and a little more courage." Along with chronicling rising Cold War "hysteria" and the "cockamamie" schemes of Washington's rabidly militaristic "lunatics," they also point to the first stirrings of an anti-war movement, mock the era's disingenuous civil defense drills, and detail some of the CIA's various enterprises in meddling. There is much that is elided, but introductions to more than one historical moment when all-out nuclear war was just a button push away will leave readers with considerably more nuanced views of this country's past...and present. Finished photos not seen.Scary, sobering stuff. (timeline, source notes and lists, index) (Nonfiction. 13-16)

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July 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Filmmaker Stone and American University history professor Kuznick cover the Cold War with a critical perspective in this fascinating look at the years 1945-62. The tone is set immediately in the opening chapters, as the effects of the atomic bomb are explored from a variety of angles. From the devastating and lingering effects on the people of Hiroshima and Bikini Atoll to the odd mix of reactions in the United States, teens are treated to a unique narrative. Riveting and inspiring portrayals of people who took a stand are featured to highlight lesser-known aspects of the established history. For instance, a group of U.S. mothers who refused to participate in mandatory atomic bomb drills in New York City and led protests, often accompanied by their children, which helped change the conversation around civil defense initiatives. Stone and Kuznick cover a wide variety of other topics: the Korean War, unrest in Iran, and the tumultuous relationship between Cuba, the United States, and the Soviet Union. VERDICT Detailed, ambitious, and opinionated, this engaging narrative lays out a view of U.S. history often overlooked in standard texts and deserves a place on most library shelves.-Kristy Pasquariello, Westwood Public Library, MA

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