Crashed by Adam Tooze

CRASHED by Adam Tooze, an award winning Professor of History at Columba University, contains over 700 pages which explain “How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World.”  Tooze does indeed focus on the intertwined financial world: first, he reviews the immediate response to the 2008 crisis and then moves to a discussion of the impact on Europe, especially countries like Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain. Next, he looks at a shift to a more austere fiscal policy around the globe which when combined with earlier events contributed to the rise of populist politics, as evidenced by the Brexit vote and Trump election. Much more than a quick summary of a complex, challenging and continuing situation, Tooze’s detailed analysis raises numerous questions. For example, are we abandoning the view that global trade makes everyone better off in the longer term? Will governments be more willing to act in a bipartisan manner to combat market distortions? Or are we heading once again towards more deregulation? What has been the impact on Russia and China? What kind of global cooperation can we expect if a new crisis occurs? CRASHED, a fascinating and comprehensive history for students of economics and politics, includes extensive notes and received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Library Journal.

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

ILLEGAL by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin with illustrations by Giovanni Rigano is an extremely informative and moving graphic novel.  I am definitely recommending it to our Geography teachers, although it should have wide appeal to anyone interested in this crisis. This is a very quick but impactful read which will build empathy and prompt discussion. Following up with a role-playing and/or simulation involving refugees like the one from World Relief Seattle or using lesson plans from Teaching Tolerance would be very memorable.  The Refugee Project has a series of amazing interactive maps built on data from the UNHCR which could also be used. And, PBS POV in conjunction with its lesson plan for the documentary 4.1 Miles, suggests checking out The Refugee Center for volunteer opportunities. Our high school students have worked successfully with Chicago’s RefugeeOne. The list could go on and I hope that ILLEGAL’s publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, will add more to the UK based groups that appear in the text.  Colfer, Donkin and Rigano’s graphic novel received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and VOYA. Perhaps the authors and illustrator will collaborate further on telling the story of life in the camps or as a resettled immigrant?  

I was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon

I have been eagerly awaiting publication of I WAS ANASTASIA by Ariel Lawhon since I really enjoyed her earlier works (Flight of Dreams and The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress). Her newest work of historical fiction centers on Anna Anderson and her efforts to be recognized as Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. The story expertly moves between time periods and locations including 1917 Russia, 1920 Berlin, 1946 France, 1950s Germany, 1956 Hollywood, 1968 France and 1970 Charlottesville, Virginia with Anastasia’s story moving forward in time while Anna’s is told in reverse order, beginning with her last court case. That may add confusion for some younger readers, but to me, this choice merely reinforced the complex and sympathetic nature of the characters.

Once again, Lawhon has captured our attention by inviting her readers to join her in applying our imaginations to a fairly well-known historical events.  I wonder who she will be researching next?