The Early Word - Nonfiction: New Books For The Week Of October 28, 2007

Part of: The Early Word

American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic by Joseph J. Ellis

American Revolution or Evolution? In American Creation, Joseph J. Ellis, the prizewinning author of the best-selling Founding Brothers and American Sphinx, contends that, among other issues discussed, what made the founding of the United States so remarkable was the gradual pace by which it was overseen by men revealed as fully human, rather than by those depicted stereotypically as demigods or demons. He shows us why the fact that it was brought about by a group, rather than by a single individual, distinguished it from the more violent revolutions of other countries, and eventually played a major role in determining its success.

Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition by The Onion

Let’s just say the amusement is not to scale, but it’s all over the map.

Conquests of Alexander the Great by Waldemar Heckel

Waldemar Heckel provides a revisionist overview of the conquests of Alexander the Great, but we’re hoping it’s not in the cinematic Oliver Stone sense: Alexander the Great? More like Alexander the Fabulous!

The Beatles' Second Album (Rock of Ages Series) by Dave Marsh

…And Go tell Tchaikowsky the news. A better example of Capitol’s vinyl connivance, The Beatles' Second Album, in addition to serving up a few original Lennon & McCartney grabbers such as the hook ‘n’ harmony-fortified "You Can’t Do That" and the Lennon-spiked powerhouse "I Call Your Name," is mostly chock full of melodic yet raucous and harmony-driven rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and Motown, served up American style — often breathtakingly so. And so The Beatles' Second Album, as an album, deserves an entry in the well-regarded Rock of Ages book series, so we expect that Mr. Marsh’s clinging wife does understand.


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Article Author: Gordon Hauptfleisch

Gordon Hauptfleisch is a Blogcritics Books Editor, freelance writer, and book reviewer for San Diego Union Tribune Books (R.I.P.). For many years he worked in and managed bookstores and record stores, and most recently was purchasing manager for San Diego Technical Books. …

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