Puppet Master: the Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover
by Michael Hack
A figure of enormous scrutiny both before and after his death, J. Edgar Hoover held the office of FBI Chief from its inception in the 1930’s (himself the founder) until his death in 1972. Often deemed the most powerful lawman in America by enemies and contemporaries alike, his career spanned 6 presidential administrations and five decades. His legacy, however, has been continuously flogged by rumors concerning his somewhat bizarre private life.
The Warning: Accident at Three Mile Island
by Mike Gray
At a Nuclear Plant in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1979, several overlooked mechanical failures caused a reactor meltdown resulting in a severe radiation fallout. While the accident was, in actuality, only a near fatal catastrophe (the meltdown was stopped in time to prevent widespread damage) not equal to Russia’s Chernobyl disaster, the incident created a panic throughout the country and within the core of American industrial bureaucracy. How safe was nuclear power and to what extent were security measures side-stepped in place of higher production levels? A fascinating look at nuclear power and its potential for destruction.
The Great Monkey Trial
by L. Sprague De Camp
At the time it was the trial of the century. The Scopes Monkey Trial of Tennessee in the 1920’s pitted evolution against the religious right after a school teacher, John Scopes, was fired for teaching the theory of evolution contrary to overwhelming local convictions of Biblical creationism. Lawyer, statesman, and one-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan was selected as part of the litigation team while the case engaged a huge media frenzy that soon became popularized in book form. Later it formed the plot for the movie Inherit the Wind starring Gene Kelley and Spencer Tracy.
Teapot Dome: Oil and Politics In the 1920’s
by Burl Noggle
The secret sale of government owned oil-reserves in Wyoming by members of the Harding administration in the 1920’s created one of the largest political scandals of the day. Noggle’s book goes in depth to uncover the background and hidden secrets behind these covert operations even investigating as to whether Harding himself, who died in office prior to the scandal, had any direct knowledge about the sale.
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