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This month in history
Iconic and world-changing events that happened in Aprils throughout history.
Publicat la 01 Aprilie 2024
April 1865: The Month That Saved America
Jay WinikThe end of the Civil War signaled the abolition of slavery and the reunification of America (albeit slowly). But few realize how close the nation was to fracturing indefinitely during the final months of the war. In an engaging narrative style, Winik explores what he considers the most pivotal month of the conflict — April 1865 — and the people who were instrumental in turning the tides of injustice.
The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America's Most Notorious Mobster
John GleesonMobster John Gotti ruled the notorious Gambino crime family in New York City until his murder conviction on April 2, 1992. But this trial wasn’t the first — nor was it seamless. Hear the story straight from the prosecutor that went head-to-head with Gotti multiple times before finally securing his conviction. Part memoir, part courtroom drama, “The Gotti Wars” is an insider’s look at the criminal justice system during the mafia’s glory days.
West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express
Jim DeFeliceToday we think little of sending and receiving mail across long distances, but there was a time when ferrying letters from one side of the country to the other was a huge endeavor. “West Like Lightning” is a historical account of the Pony Express, which began operating on April 3, 1860 and lasted only 18 months. DeFelice (“American Sniper”) uses vivid, energetic prose to describe the thrills and danger of this time in history.
The Plot to Kill King: The Truth Behind the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Plot to Kill King: The Truth Behind the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
William F. PepperMartin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968 was perhaps the darkest hour of the civil rights movement. Many people believe James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin, was simply the fall guy for a deeper and more sinister plot to kill an American icon. Pepper, Ray’s lawyer, digs into this theory in “The Plot to Kill King,” exploring why the widely accepted truth is so unlikely.
Opening NATO's Door: How the Alliance Remade Itself for a New Era
Ronald D. AsmusRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a renewed interest in NATO. This book digs into the Cold War military alliance that was created April 4, 1949 to act as a safeguard against Stalin’s USSR and how it has evolved to mitigate present-day conflicts.
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda
Philip GourevitchPerhaps you watched “Hotel Rwanda,” an award-winning film about the Rwandan genocide of the Tutsi people in the spring of 1994. But if you’re like us, you didn’t have the proper context for this horrific disaster (which lasted from April 7 to July 15). Gourevitch’s account is well-documented and historically accurate, and it humanizes a tragedy that stole nearly a million lives.
The Great Gatsby: The Only Authorized Edition
F. Scott FitzgeraldThough it flopped when it was published in April of 1925, Fitzgerald’s masterwork is now regarded as a prime example of “The Great American Novel.” Whether you’re comforted by a reread or you’ve never had the chance to dive into this classic, take a trip back to the Roaring Twenties with Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and Nick Carraway.
American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race
Douglas BrinkleyOn April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin successfully entered space, becoming the first human to do so. This achievement furthered the already competitive Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Less than a decade later, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the lunar surface. “Moonshot” is the fascinating story of the people and technologies that collectively won the Space Race as well as the political tensions that triggered the race in the first place.
Apollo 13
James LovellAmerica’s love affair with space didn’t end with Armstrong’s groundbreaking lunar walk. On April 11, 1970, three astronauts embarked on the country’s fifth trip to the moon. When an explosion disabled oxygen and power, the mission took a different course before beating the odds and safely splashing down on Earth. Astronaut Lovell shares his account of that harrowing mission while giving insight to this country’s fascination with space travel.
Tiger Woods
Jeff BenedictWoods’ life and career has seen its fair share of highs and lows, from becoming the youngest golfer in history to win the Masters on April 14, 1997, to his national fall from grace due to rampant infidelity in 2009. Drawing on interviews with many of Woods’ associates and loved ones, authors Benedict and Keteyian paint an honest picture of a multi-layered man who happens to be among the world’s best athletes.
Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer: An Edgar Award Winner
James L. SwansonOf America’s 46 presidents, four have been assassinated in office, the first being Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. His death sparked a 12-day manhunt in pursuit of the shooter, John Wilkes Booth. This is a detailed and thrilling hour-by-hour account of the search, told through the eyes of both the hunted and the hunters.
The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs
The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs
Jim RasenbergerThe Bay of Pigs invasion (April 17 – 20, 1961) is still widely considered one of the biggest blunders in American military history. How did Washington’s best and brightest develop this plan? Exactly how involved was JFK and to what extent was he manipulated by the CIA? Rasenberger explores these questions and more in this gripping account of the ill-fated Cuban invasion.
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
Adam HigginbothamEven if you already know the basics about the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown on April 26, 1986 — or you watched HBO’s 2019 miniseries — journalist Higginbotham takes the story to a more gripping and horrifying level. Gain new insight on the large-scale disaster, the effects of which still reverberate in the present day.