New Materials: History :: November 23rd, 2009
- One morning in 1961, the residents of East Berlin found themselves cut off from family, friends and jobs in the West by a tangle of barbed wire that ruthlessly cut a city of four million in two. Within days the barbed wire became a 103-mile-long wall guarded by three hundred watchtowers. A physical manifestation of the Cold War that would stand for nearly thirty years, the Berlin Wall was the fault line between East and West on which rested the fate of all humanity. Historian Taylor weaves together official history, archival materials and personal accounts to tell the complete story of the Wall's rise and fall, from the postwar political tensions that created a divided Berlin to the internal and external pressures that led to the Wall's demise. He also explores the geopolitical ramifications, as well as the impact the Wall had on ordinary lives, still felt today.--From publisher description
- Based on Spanish and Maya language documents from the 16th through 19th centuries, examines the lives of black African slaves and others of African descent, exploring topics such as slavery and freedom, militia service, family life, witchcraft, and other ways in which Afro-Yucantecans interacted with Mayas and Spaniards
- Uses graphic novel format to depict the events of Hurricane Katrina though six true stories of New Orleanians who survived the storm, including Denise, who experienced the chaos of the Superdome, and a doctor whose French Quarter home was unscathed
