Book Reviews
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History & Jim Murphy Current Events WINNER OF THE TULSA LIBRARY TRUST’S 2013 ANNE V. ZARROW AWARD FOR YOUNG READERS’ LITERATURE
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The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II By Denise Kiernan Touchstone, $27.00, 400 pages Check this out! You’ve likely heard of the Manhattan Project, America’s successful attempt to build a nuclear bomb during World War II. Perhaps you’ve heard of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where many of the atomic program’s processes were researched and perfected. But you probably don’t know the story of the thousands of women who worked in Oak Ridge during the war, serving in roles from secretary to nurse to engineer. These women, who came to Oak Ridge from all over the country, had to keep secrets from their families and neighbors; many didn’t even know what they were working on themselves until the war’s end. This book documents the important work that these “girls” did over seventy years ago. Although the progress of “The Project” and the war are ably related, Kiernan’s focus is on the intimate and often strange details of work and life at Oak Ridge. It’s told in a novelistic style and is an intimate look at the experiences of the young women who worked at Oak Ridge and the local residents whose lives were changed by the presence of the project. The result is a compelling retelling of the lives of the “girls of Atomic City.” Reviewed by Laura Tarwater Scharp The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe By Stephen Harding Da Capo Lifelong Books, $26.99, 256 pages Check this out! This book is a true account of a battle in the last days of WWII. Several VIP French prisoners being held in an Austrian prison are increasingly in danger of execution by
die-hard Nazis. A trusted prisoner manages to escape and alert the invading American forces about the situation. The Americans mount a rescue operation but soon find themselves outnumbered and outgunned. They join forces with Austrian partisans, disgruntled German army troops and even the French VIPs themselves to fight their last battle. The author writes a lot of background on all the individuals in the battle. Through their histories he details much of French politics and those who practiced it just before the German invasion; and also the political scene in Austria, with partisans and their divided loyalties. When the narrative of the battle itself started, I felt I already knew the soldiers and others fighting for their lives. Their bravery and courage is exemplary. Even men from different backgrounds, political persuasions and nationalities who are willing to work together, even die together, are heroic when fighting for what they believe in and the safety of others. Reviewed by Ralph Peterson The Village: 400 Years of Beats and Bohemians, Radicals and Rogues, a History of Greenwich Village By John Strausbaugh Ecco, $29.99, 640 pages In this book, journalist and former editor John Strausbaugh examines the cultural diversity and sociopolitical significance that emerged from New Y o r k ’ s infamous See The Village, cont’d on page 7
Tulsa Book Review • July 2013 • 2
Zarrow Award Presentation Friday, Aug. 23 • 7 p.m. Gilcrease Museum 1400 N. Gilcrease Museum Road
2013 Young People’s Creative Writing Contest Awards Presentation Saturday, Aug. 24 • 10 a.m. Hardesty Regional Library Connor’s Cove • 8316 E. 93rd St.
Jim Murphy masterfully makes history come alive in his more than 30 nonfiction books for children and young adults. During his prestigious career, he has received many awards and honors, including two Newbery Honor Book awards, a National Book Award finalist medal, three Jefferson Cup awards, two Golden Kite awards, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, as well as the 2010 Margaret A. Edwards Award, which is a lifetime achievement honor. Murphy will speak about his life and works, and sign books at both events. Copies of his books will be available for purchasing.
Jim Murphy’s “The Long Road to Gettysburg”
comes alive! Sunday Matinee Films
July 14 and Aug. 11 • 1:30 p.m. Gilcrease Museum, Auditorium • 1400 Gilcrease Museum Road July 14 • “Slavery by Another Name” Aug. 11 • “A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School” These documentaries address the aftermath of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Film showings are free with paid museum admission.
The Civil War Sesquicentennial
Saturday, Aug. 3 • 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Central Library • Fourth Street and Denver Avenue Relive history at this family-focused event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg.