History: British America Dictionary, America's First Prsidential Campaign, and American Indian Politics

A Dictionary of British America, 1584-1783 (BOOK): by Mary K. Geiter and W.A. Speck

Colonial America's key events and personalities - from the first expedition to Roanoke Island in 1584 to the conclusion of the War of Independence - are readily accessible in this invaluable dictionary. A Bibliography and full Chronology further aid students' learning. Wide-ranging, clear and authoritative, this is an essential reference for students, scholars and anyone with an interest in British America.

A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign (BOOK): by Edward J. Larson

In this absorbing, brisk account, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Larson recreates the dramatic presidential race of 1800, which, Larson says, stamped American democracy with its distinctive partisan character as Republicans and Federalists battled for the presidency. Larson explains how a race between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson actually ended in a tie between Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr. (The tie was resolved by Congress.) The bitter infighting and the sophisticated political jockeying of 1800 spelled the end of any idea that America would be governed by enlightened consensus, resulting instead in the two-party system we know today. Readers will find many similarities between the intense electioneering of Adams and Jefferson, and the heated political races of today. For instance, Larson delineates debates about security and the Alien and Sedition Acts, the complex calculus of the Electoral College and the ad hominem remarks of commentators.—American History magazine (Sept 18)

Archaic Societies: Diversity and Complexity Across the Midcontinent (BOOK): edited by Thomas E. Emerson, Dale L. McElrath, and Andrew C. Fortier

Sweeping and detailed, this long-awaited volume is an indispensable guide to the Archaic period across the midcontinent. Archaeologists throughout the region share the latest excavation results and analytical perspectives to reveal and reinterpret the worlds of those Native peoples who lived there for some 9,000 years (up to about 3,000 years ago). Of particular concern is the establishment of relative and absolute chronologies for the Archaic period, the relationships between the artifacts left behind and the peoples who made and used them, and the changing interactions between cultures, climate, and landscape. Archaeologists offer useful, up-to-date overviews of Archaic societies, assessment of stratigraphic sequences, and detailed discussions of finds and interpretations from the Mississippi and Ohio river regions and the Great Lakes. Comprehensive and accessible, this landmark book is a must for anyone wanting to understand a crucial but little-understood period in North America's prehistory.

Beyond Red Power: American Indian Politics and Activism Since 1900 (BOOK): edited by Daniel M. Cobb and Loretta Fowler

Beyond Red Power attempts to disrupt the equation between Native political activism and the Red Power movement. The editors argue that the manner in which the Red Power movement in general, and the American Indian Movement (AIM) in particular, has captured the political and scholarly imaginary within the United States has obscured the complexity and diversity of Native activism in the late 19th and 20th centuries. --Andrea Smith, American Ethnologist

Channels of Power: The UN Security Council and U.S. Statecraft in Iraq (BOOK): by Alexander Thompson

Channels of Power makes a major contribution by showing how international organizations provide informative signals to states with respect to coercive foreign policy actions. It deserves the attention of all students of world politics.—Robert O. Keohane, Professor of International Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs, Princeton University

Channels of Power addresses an important and fascinating issue using an innovative argument, careful theoretical reasoning, and sound empirical evidence. Alexander Thompson's book will stand out as a particularly valuable contribution to the literature on the Security Council, Iraq, and U.S. statecraft. Given the clarity and accessibility of Thompson's argument and evidence, Channels of Power should find its way into undergraduate classrooms.—Darren Hawkins, Brigham Young University

The Library Looking Glass

What will the library look like in ten years? Twenty? One thousand? This interview with Cory Doctorow at Internet Librarian International conference in London, on the future of libraries, access and technology gives us a glimpse into the library of tomorrow.

Cory Doctorow at Internet Librarian International 2009 from Jaap van de Geer on Vimeo.