│By Clem Delany, Associate Acquisitions Editor, Gale Primary Sources│ The twentieth century was an era of global conflict and careful diplomacy, of the rise and fall of political extremes, of great strides in technology, and vast change in the everyday lives of people around the world. Britain began the century with an empire that straddled … Read more
| By Traci Cothran | Most people live happy, fulfilled lives, providing love and meaning to those around them, but rarely make the history books. Others have colorful lives that play out amidst major historical events. The latter describes a former Gale colleague of ours, Motoko Fujishiro Huthwaite. Huthwaite worked at Gale from 1986 to … Read more
| By Debra Kirby |
What does the release of the movie Dunkirk this weekend have to do with seeing my oldest daughter off to college? See below for the answer.
In the meantime, why not check out a few Gale eBooks on GVRL to bone up on this history changing event?
This brief overview is a good start:
| By Traci Cothran |
Throughout 2017, Canada is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the WWI Battle at Vimy Ridge (France). It was a seminal event in Canadian history—a fierce battle against the German forces, which resulted in heavy casualties, including the loss of 3,598 Canadian soldiers and some 20,000 Germans, with tens of thousands more wounded. Remarkable as it was, this victory against the Germans wasn’t solely a battlefield feat; because the Canadians prevailed where French had failed many times (at an enormous loss of life) and paved the way to Allied victory, the event helped unify Canada, and solidify its independence in the international community. Commemorative events are planned throughout Canada, as well as in France.
| By Debra Kirby |
While a history major in college, one of my classes was a one-on-one tutorial on the history of science. During one session my patient professor was able to explain Einstein’s special relativity theory so that I was truly able to understand it—for one bright shining moment. I could almost feel my brain working! It was beautiful! Sorry to say, I was never again able to recapture that moment in quite the same way, despite later taking a “Physics for Poets” class and going through quite the hero worship phase, which included reading every book on Einstein I was able to purchase or borrow. I even hung a poster of him in my bedroom. Because my history focus was on World War II, I found Einstein biographies especially fascinating, since much of his life was intertwined with and influenced by that war. In honor of Einstein’s birthday today, March 14, I recently visited Gale’s Science In Context to reacquaint myself with the great physicist. Here are just a few of the interesting facts I found:
Forget the “Columbus sailed the ocean blue” mnemonic devices and dusty history books. If you want to experience history with dimension and humanity, turn to historical fiction.
Read moreHistorical Fiction Recommendations from Joyce Saricks: New and Popular in Large Print
A look at a current news item through the lens of different titles available on GVRL.
By Michelle Eickmeyer
True story: I saw “Saving Private Ryan” in the theater twice because the fist time I couldn’t bear to watch the 27 minute opening scene — reputedly known for being one of the most accurate (read: horrifying) recreations of nearly 10,000 men injured or killed on a beach. (I also passed out while holding my breath during the final scene of “Black Hawk Down”; my fear and knowing the truth behind the real-life version of what happened next getting the better of me. But that is neither here nor there.)