Library Resource Center
Mark Twain and the Colonel
Mark Twain and the Colonel tells the story of two dominant figures in American culture and politics at the turn of the twentieth century. Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt were often in New York City during this time period and their paths crossed often. In their many appearances before the public, neither was heard to speak ill of the other. But in private they unburdened their minds more candidly, Roosevelt on one occasion volunteering that he would like to skin Mark Twain alive, and Twain saying that he thought Roosevelt to be far and away the worst President we have ever had. Philip McFarland tells the story of the rich years of American history between 1890 and 1910 through the fully engaged involvement of two of its most vital participants. The story begins in 1900, with a welcome on the New York piers extended to one of the nation's best loved figures as he returns from nearly a decade of self-imposed exile. The narrative then unfolds in six sections, each focusing on a different aspect of the United States of the early twentieth century that continues to matter to this day: America as an imperialist nation, America as a continental nation, America as a racial nation, America as a corporate nation, America at home, and America striving for peace. The story nears its end ten years later, in 1910, with that same figure returning once more to Manhattan, beshawled, seated on a deckchair, derby on his head, carried down the gangway while reporters wait on the pier yet again to welcome him home a final time. In this short span of years, the America of the late nineteenth century will move substantially closer to the America we know today, thanks in part to the influence and actions of Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt, two of the most influential figures of the age.
Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country
"Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country" broadens the scope of conventional study of the Lewis and Clark expedition to include Native American perspectives. Frederick E. Hoxie and Jay T. Nelson present the expedition s long-term impact on the Indian Country and its residents through compelling interviews conducted with Native Americans over the past two centuries, secondary literature, Lewis and Clark travel journals, and other primary sources from the Newberry Library s exhibit Lewis and Clark and the Indian Country. Rich stories of Native Americans, travelers, ranchers, Columbia River fur traders, teachers, and missionaries often in conflict with each other--illustrate complex interactions between settlers and tribal people. Environmental protection issues and the preservation of Native language, education, and culture dominate late twentieth-century discussions, while early accounts document important Native American alliances with Lewis and Clark. In widening the reader s interpretive lens to include many perspectives, this collection reaches beyond individual achievement to appreciate America s plural past. "
The Great Depression and the New Deal
The New Deal shaped our nation's politics for decades, and was seen by many as tantamount to the "American Way" itself. Now, in this superb compact history, Eric Rauchway offers an informed account of the New Deal and the Great Depression, illuminating its successes and failures. Rauchway first describes how the roots of the Great Depression lay in America's post-war economic policies--described as "laissez-faire with a vengeance"--which in effect isolated our nation from the world economy just when the world needed the United States most. He shows how the magnitude of the resulting economic upheaval, and the ineffectiveness of the old ways of dealing with financial hardships, set the stage for Roosevelt's vigorous (and sometimes unconstitutional) Depression-fighting policies. Indeed, Rauchway stresses that the New Deal only makes sense as a response to this global economic disaster. The book examines a key sampling of New Deal programs, ranging from the National Recovery Agency and the Securities and Exchange Commission, to the Public Works Administration and Social Security, revealing why some worked and others did not. In the end, Rauchway concludes, it was the coming of World War II that finally generated the political will to spend the massive amounts of public money needed to put Americans back to work. And only the Cold War saw the full implementation of New Deal policies abroad--including the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Today we can look back at the New Deal and, for the first time, see its full complexity. Rauchway captures this complexity in a remarkably short space, making this book an ideal introduction to one of the great policy revolutions in history. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, and Literary Theory to History. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given topic. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how it has developed and influenced society. Whatever the area of study, whatever the topic that fascinates the reader, the series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
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How are books arranged?
LC is the Library of Congress Classification System used to organize library materials.
If you would like to browse the shelves, print and media sources related to US history, these LC areas are a starting point:
E America [pre-independence] and US [post-independence] history
F1-975 North America (US, Britain, Dutch, French, Spanish)
JK (Political Institutions and Public Administration)
KF (US Law).
Depending on your topic, information may be in other LC areas.
Search the catalog. Even better, ask a librarian!
Some internet sites contain classic books available online. Here are some examples:
See the Reference Librarian for other options. Items identified as being at non-SUNY Erie libraries can be requested via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). "Request an Item" will bring in an item from another SUNY Erie campus.
Pre-civil war
Code from these LibGuides pages are a derivative of LibGuides code by UC Santa Cruz University Library, used under CC BY.
