April’s Best History Books

The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For, by David McCullough
McCullough is one of the most celebrated historians in American history. He has written absorbing accounts of the Wright Brothers, John Adams, and the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge—winning two Pulitzer Prizes and National Book Awards along the way. A thinker like that naturally makes a lot of speeches in front of a lot of audiences, and he compiles here some of his best—speeches made before Congress, before academic audiences, before groups of fellow historians. This is stirring stuff, the sort of of clear-eyed, patriotic, smart rhetoric we need more of in these divisive and confusing times. McCullough brings a calm authority to his words, equal parts comforting and energizing. It is an ideal book to read if your faith in our institutions is fading.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, by David Grann
Considering how important they were in shaping the modern age, the Osage Indian murders of the 1920s are remarkably little-known today. When the Nation became incredibly wealthy after oil was discovered on their land, more than 20 of its members of were murdered between 1921 and 1926. As public outrage grew, the federal government was pressured into putting the obscure Bureau of Investigation, led by a young Herbert Hoover, in charge of the case. Hoover used the notoriety of these awful crimes to establish what would soon be known as the FBI as the nation’s preeminent investigative body, and himself as its all-powerful chief. Grann, of The Lost City of Z fame, does a marvelous job catching you up on vital history that’s been nearly forgotten.

Lincoln’s Lieutenants: The High Command of the Army of the Potomac, by Stephen W. Sears
One remarkable facet of the Civil War that often is overlooked is how long it took the technologically, economically, and militarily superior North to press all of its advantages. This is clearest in the confused state of the Army of the Potomac, which saw numerous generals assigned command before Ulysses S. Grant took the reigns and actually began winning battles. Before Grant, a series of high-profile leaders came and went while the Army remained toothless, from Winifield Scott, who was too fat to serve in the field; to George McClellan, perhaps the first military man to become enamored with his own public image, to the detriment of his duty. Sears offers an exhaustive look at a process that not only secured the union, but slowly transformed modern warfare, and shaped the U.S. Army into a modern fighting force.

Obama: The Historic Presidency of Barack Obama—2,920 Days, by Mark Greenberg
For anyone already nostalgic for the Obama years, this beautiful book offers a chronicle of a remarkable 2,920 days in office. Alongside photographs from the official White House photographer and other sources—many never before published—Greenberg layers in quotes from people who interacted with the president and his administration. The end result is a visually rich journey through eight years of the toughest job on earth, offering insight and perspective on everything from the domestic dramas common to any family, to the most serious and stressful moments, including the night Osama bin Laden was killed.

Last Hope Island: Britain, Occupied Europe, and the Brotherhood That Helped Turn the Tide of War, by Lynne Olson
When Hitler and the Nazis overran much of Europe, Great Britain was flooded with refugees from all nations and walks of life—including people who had implored the British to help them, to no avail, as the German army crashed over their borders. Olson chronicles story after story of heroism, betrayal, heartbreak, and triumph, from the Polish codebreakers who helped Bletchley Park decipher the Nazi codes, to the governments in exile that formed. The experiences and contributions of these dislocated people had a direct impact on the outcome of the war, and many of their stories will be inspirational, even seven decades later.

Richard Nixon: The Life, by John A. Farrell
There are few more complex figures in American political history than Richard Nixon. Brilliant, paranoid, both a failure and a great success—Nixon was a man who defied expectations throughout his career. Farrell smartly focuses on smaller moments in Nixon’s lengthy legacy, the sort of grace notes often overlooked in favor of grand achievements—or scandals—but which can offer insight into the thought process of a man who managed one of the greatest political comebacks ever, and then was brought low by perhaps the most unnecessary political scandal of all time.

The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple, by Jeff Guinn
The facts of Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple Church are well-known, as are many of the background moments in Jones’ life. What is less-understood is how, exactly, a man like him was able to form a cult of personality that eventually resulted in the suicides of nearly 900 people at Jonestown in Guyana. Guinn examines Jones the enigma—a man who combined sincere belief in equality and social justice, yet also forced his followers to sleep with him and often handed out brutal punishments. A man who could inspire hundreds to move away from their homes and families to try their hand at utopia—who also ordered children to be poisoned. And yet, Jones’ charisma and captivating presence somehow reach out from the page. It’s a fascinating glimpse into one of the most bizarre tragedies of the modern age.

The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, by Chris Whipple
With a confident, fly-on-the-wall tone, Whipple takes the unusual stance that the best way to analyze a presidency is to examine a president’s chief of staff, arguing that the weight of this incredibly influential position is often overlooked. From Nixon to Obama, Whipple considers each person who held the role, recounting telling anecdotes about their style, their personal politics, and their relationships with the one person even more powerful than themselves. As his timeline is relatively recent, the book benefits from commentary from people who were in the room where it all happened, lending it a crackling urgency that makes it as pleasurable to read as it is informative.

Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government’s Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis, by Annie Jacobsen
Jacobsen wants to believe, and after reading this book, you might too. Drawing on sources both public and formerly classified, she traces the interest in paranormal phenomena from the Third Reich to the present day, detailing various government-funded projects to explore the possibility of weaponizing ESP and other fringe areas of study. While you may not be as inclined to believe these phenomena are real, the work Jacobsen describes is real enough, ranging from CIA initiatives to study the effects of hallucinogenics on our ability to read minds or effect the physical world with mental energies, to a NASA experiment that saw astronauts attempting to communicate with psychics on Earth. Jacobsen makes her case with plenty of supporting data. It’s a fascinating read for anyone who thinks we might not have been told the whole story.