My non-fiction bookshelf

I have recently added a few books to my non-fiction, must-seriously-read bookshelf. I have been reading one chapter from each book per week, and hoping to continue to do so until I finish them all. These books have been interesting and challenging in various ways, and I want to share them with you now.

“The American Pageant” by Thomas Bailey
The first edition of this book was published in 1956. My copy is the second edition, published in 1961. It is an American history textbook, much like what we used in high school―some of you might have used it in high school. Because I didn't pay much attention in my history class, I have to spend the time now to catch up on what I've been missing. (I'm totally serious, up until now I knew next to nothing about the New World, and how this country came about. I really didn't pay any attention.) This book, though old, is very well written and enjoyable. Even though a lot of details are omitted, it is unbiased and doesn't embellish the dark side of the truth. I am convinced that even if you got an A in history, there is no way that you would have remembered everything you learned back then. So if you want to brush up on your history, this is a good one. There are newer editions in which other authors added chapters on the later eras that Bailey didn't cover, and they are expensive, but you might be able to grab an old edition for cheaper prizes. (Mine ends with the 60s.)

“A People's History of the United States: 1492 – Present” by Howard Zinn
This is a great supplementary text to Bailey's. I've been reading the two books side-by-side. Zinn's text omits the key facts and focuses more on the deeper context. The second chapter, for example, is about the nature slavery and racism as was apparent in the way black slaves were treated during the early years of the US. Zinn's writing is insightful, and he cold-heartedly captures the brutal truths. It is depressing to read but it will make you understand and remember the history.

“Social Theory” by Jonathan Joseph
Last year I took a course called “Modern Marxist Theory” out of which I didn't get much. The subject was too difficult―I was not well prepared for it―and the texts too far beyond my level. This book, however, discusses the works of the same theorists taught in the class, and explains a lot of the things I didn't understand before in a much clearer way than the stuff I read in class. Mind you it is still pretty challenging, but it is a fairly good introductory guide for those who are interested in theory/philosophy/sociology. It is really helping me to prepare for my future education. The eight chapters of the book discuss Marx, Engels, Gramsci, Durkheim, Weber, the Frankfurt school, and Foucault.