bookshelf

TELL THEM WE REMEMBER

Name: TELL THEM WE REMEMBER
Author: Susan D. Bachrach
ISBN: 0-316-69264-6

THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST

by Susan D. Bachrach ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1994

bookshelf

If you can't get to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., you must read this book. Set up very much like the museum itself, with the same subject divisions, Tell Them We Remember is an armchair tour. It covers ``Jewish Life in Europe Before the Holocaust,'' ``The Survivors,'' and the horrifying steps in between. Brief chapters concisely describe some aspect of the rise of Hitler in Germany, the so-called ``Final Solution,'' and the attempts to rescue Jews, resist the Nazis, and finally liberate the victims. Although well- written and organized, this history stands out because of its generous use of the museum's large collection of photographs. In them Jewish families are not just shown as victims but also in the fullness of their lives before the Third Reich. Pictures of emaciated survivors of death camps are juxtaposed with photographs of those same people smiling and playing, showing that the skeletal, sexless beings were once beautiful men and women. These are perhaps the most poignant images portrayed to personalize an event so terrible that it can be difficult to grasp. Holocaust Museum staff member Bachrach also follows individual stories throughout the book in the margins. Young people's lives are traced from before Hitler to after the war, although some of their stories end abruptly in the camps and elsewhere. Even if you can get to the museum, this history is an invaluable addition to any library. (Chronology; glossary; suggestions for further reading; 80 b&w, 10 color photos) (Nonfiction. 10+)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1994

ISBN: 0-316-69264-6

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1994

Categories:

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT HISTORY

A QUEER HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

bookshelf

A QUEER HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

by Michael Bronski ; adapted by Richie Chevat ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2019

Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.

bookshelf

An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).

Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.

Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: June 11, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Beacon Press

Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019

Categories:

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT HISTORY | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION

bookshelf

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, REVOLUTIONARY

by Martha Brockenbrough ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017

With the demand for all things Hamilton still strong, this will resonate with many teen readers.

bookshelf

Over 200 years after his death in a duel with former Vice President Aaron Burr, founding father Alexander Hamilton’s story is a major player in popular culture.

Brockenbrough begins her narrative with a list of the contradictions of Hamilton’s life and then sets out to describe many of them in detail. Hamilton’s wretched childhood and struggles for survival and an education set a tone that depicts him as the consummate self-made man whose flaws damaged both his political career and personal life. Hamilton’s courtship and marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler, a daughter of one of the country’s most influential families, is a key part, along with prominent figures from American history. Sometimes the intricacies of Revolutionary War strategy and Constitutional Convention maneuvering slow things down, making the pace uneven. However, tidbits about Hamilton’s role in the episode with Benedict Arnold and his close relationships with fellow soldier John Laurens and his sister-in-law Angelica Church are intriguing. The story is targeted to an older audience than Teri Kanefield’s Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America (2017), so the sex scandal that derailed Hamilton’s political career is part of the story, as is, of course, the duel that ended his life. After the epilogue, the volume includes information on 18th-century medicine, attire, and warfare among other contextualizing topics ; the volume will be illustrated with archival material (not seen).

With the demand for all things Hamilton still strong, this will resonate with many teen readers. (timeline, source notes, bibliography, index) (Biography. 12-18)