Polorica, a popular history of the fads, mavericks, inventions, and lore that shaped modern America by Martin J. Smith & Patrick J. Kiger; 2004; HarperResource, New York; 284 pages; 306.0973 S655p/0-06-053531-8; 8/29-8/31

Poplorica 1. Strange and amusing stories of the unlikely people, inventions, and events that shaped modern American life. 2. Rational explanations for frequently irrational cultural phenomena.

The stories behind some things that you probably never gave a second thought to, but they somehow changed our culture. Everything from absorbent diapers to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead to blaming ET for the proliferation of product placement. The authors give the back story to each innovation, how it came to be and how it has affected the culture. The more I read the more I realize how little I actually know. RRR

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going; 2003; G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York; 182 pages; y Going/0-399-23990-1; 8/27-8/29

Troy Billings, 6′1″, 296 pounds, 15 years old is standing on a subway platform contemplating what would happen if he jumped in front of the train. Then he meets Curt McRae, guitar playing, high school dropout who is a guitar legend. Troy at first has very low self esteem but as his friendship with Curt deepens, and he learns from Curt, his relationships at home with his Dad and little brother improve. I could relate to the way Going writes the thought life of Troy. RRR

American Gunfight, The Plot to Kill Harry Truman and the Shoot Out that Stopped it by Stephen Hunter and John Bainbridge, Jr.; 2005; Simon & Schuster, New York; 368 pages; 364.1524 H947a/978-0-7432-6068-8; 8/22-8/27

November 1, 1950 could have really changed the country and did in some ways. On that date two Puerto Rican men who believed strongly that Puerto Rico should be an independent nation attempted to assassinate Harry Truman at Blair House. Blair House is across the street from the White House, Truman was staying there while the White House was being renovated. Several Secret Service agents and White House were involved in a gunfight with the nationalist. Hunter and Bainbridge do a great job relating the background of the plot and of each participant. The do a great job of painting a vivid picture of the action. This is what narrative nonfiction should be like. RRR

Making Waves by Cassandra King; 2004; Hyperion Books, New York; 285 pages; Fiction King/0-7868-8793-1; 8/19-8/22

I picked this up because Cassandra King is the husband of Pat Conroy. In reading this I realized that she is quiet a good author in her own right. I will be reading more of her books in the future.

In the small town of Clarksville, Donnette and Tim have a life together. In small towns there are no secrets and news travels at the speed of light. This story of the town is told from multiple points of view and is a love story between several different people in several different ways. RRR

Brothers in Arms, The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII’s Forgotten Heroes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony Walton; 2004; Broadway Books, New York; 301 pages; 940.5412 A136b/0-385-50388-5; 8/19-8/19

A history of an African American Tank Battalion that performed heroically in the waning days of WWII. Originally intended to be a unit that would simply look good to the African American community and insure that community’s commitment to the Democratic party, they were needed in Europe because of the heavy losses suffered by the tank corps. As part of Pattons’ Third Army the 761st was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and subsequent battles until they met up with Russians at the Rhine River.

Abdul-Jabbar and Walton trace the unit through three of the soldier’s lives from their enlistment through basic training and their schooling in the tanks and then as they go from naive soldiers in the rear to battle hardened veterans. A very good history lesson that has either through corruption or indifference had been hidden from the general public. Kareem is becoming a historian of hidden African-American history, spotlighting critical people and episodes that have been hidden too long. RRRR