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9-15-2016

Ancient worlds: a global history of antiquity, Michael Scott (book review)

Kathleen McCallister William & Mary, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation McCallister, Kathleen, Ancient worlds: a global history of antiquity, Michael Scott (book review) (2016). Library Journal, 141(5), 100-101. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/librariespubs/20

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the William & Mary Libraries at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in W&M Libraries Publications by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SOCIAL SCIENCES yet needed one another, offer a window crew members’ accounts are also included, as well as Spanish commander Bernardo into a complex early chapter of East-West though generally to a lesser extent. Reli- de Galvez. Ferreiro also discusses the intri- relations. VERDICT This microlevel history ance on a relatively small number of sources, cate Atlantic supply chains that fed the U.S. for nonhistorians is strong on realpolitik; not a sensationalist flair, and flaws in the cita- army, as well as critical naval technology a quick read but a rewarding one.—Lisa Peet, tion style hinder the book’s historical value. and tactics like copper plating. The text de- Library Journal VERDICT Despite minor concerns, this title scribes the motivations of numerous French is an entertaining popular history that will and Spanish ministers, traders, sailors, and Doran, Michael. Ike’s Gamble: America’s appeal to fans of adventure-style World War soldiers, unveiling many underappreciated Rise to Dominance in the Middle East. II stories.—Matthew Wayman, Pennsylvania State actions, including the Spanish seizure of Free Pr. Oct. 2016. 304p. notes. index. Univ. Lib., Schuylkill Haven British Pensacola, the chess match in the ISBN 9781451697759. $28; Caribbean islands, and the cat-and-mouse ebk. ISBN 9781451697858. HIST ૽Egerton, Douglas R. Thunder at the game between the French and British fleets. In 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Gates: The Black Civil War Regiments that VERDICT This work is scholarly and heavily Nasser, fresh from the revolution that ousted Redeemed America. Basic. Nov. 2016. 448p. researched, a denser read than David Mc- King Farouk, took possession of the Suez photos. notes. index. ISBN 9780465096640. Cullough’s 1776, providing much informa- Canal. Britain and France, heretofore oper- $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9780465096657. HIST tion from an often neglected perspective. ating the canal for their profit, objected and Egerton (Merrill Family Visiting Professor Even seasoned American history readers threatened to invade. U.S. President Dwight in History, Cornell Univ.; The Wars of Re- will likely find new content on a pivotal Eisenhower refused to agree to reasserting construction) presents a captivating narrative of era.—Jeffrey Meyer, Mt. Pleasant P.L., IA colonial control over Egypt, kicking off an 14 men who served with the 54th and 55th unbearably complicated series of events that Massachusetts infantry and the 5th Massa- Oneill, Therese. Unmentionable: The ultimately failed to halt Nasser’s Pan-Arabism chusetts cavalry. Four white officers com- Victorian Lady’s Guide to Sex, Marriage, or prevent Soviet inroads but led to decades manded the regiments, all wealthy and well- and Manners. Little, Brown. Oct. 2016. 352p. of American influence in the Middle East. educated men, including Robert Gould illus. bibliog. ISBN 9780316357913. $25; In the years since, various interpretations for Shaw and Charles Francis Adams Jr. At the ebk. ISBN 9780316358040. HIST Eisenhower’s actions and their consequences center of this volume’s biographical portrait Welcome to a highly irreverent tour of the have been offered. Doran, (senior fellow, are African Americans from a variety of darker sides of the Victorian age. Popular Hudson Inst., Washington, DC), offers a re- backgrounds who sought to end slavery: es- history writer and blogger Oneill points out appraisal of the diplomatic fencing among caped slave William Carney, former school- that although films and fiction set in this the major participants while largely eschew- teachers Nicolas Said and James Trotter, and period have great appeal today, they omit ing historiography. He primarily references seamen Henry Jarvis and James Gooding. significant parts of the less-than-comfort- Foreign Relations of the United States, with Egerton details the regiments’ training and able aspects of the time, including bad hy- limited citations of British and Arab docu- their participation in battles at Fort Wagner, giene, poor medical knowledge resulting ments, although there are numerous second- SC, and their participation in the occupation in hack treatments, and restrictions on so- ary sources. VERDICT A well-documented of Charleston, SC, at the conclusion of the cial interactions. The author’s wicked sense narrative of complex diplomacy, with sup- Civil War. The men proved their worth as of humor saves the subject from devolving porting roles by Prime Ministers Winston disciplined soldiers and helped focus the na- into a dry tome, instead providing laugh- Churchill and Anthony Eden. Historians and tion’s attention on freedom and equal rights out-loud moments on the most unthinkable specialists in Middle East foreign affairs will for African Americans. VERDICT Egerton’s and unmentionable subjects. The brilliance be interested in Doran’s reinterpretation of study of the individuals and attention to of this study is Oneill’s ability to transport the crisis.—Edwin Burgess, Kansas City, KS their lives after the war is extremely well readers back in time and have them experi- researched and well documented. This is an ence the day-to-day life of women battling Drury, Bob & Tom Clavin. Lucky 666: important addition to the shelves of Civil the issues of the era. In doing so, this work The Impossible Mission. S. & S. War books.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with both educates and amuses in its historical ap- Oct. 2016. 368p. illus. maps. notes. Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mt. Carmel proach of the unseen and unseemly sides of bibliog. index. ISBN 9781476774855. $30; the time. VERDICT This fun romp of a book ebk. ISBN 9781476774879. HIST ૽Ferreiro, Larrie D. Brothers at Arms: will appeal to history aficionados and lovers Many readers will associate the B-17 Flying American Independence and the Men of of the Victorian age and its etiquette, as well Fortress with the European theater of World France and Spain Who Saved It. Knopf. as anyone who enjoys a good laugh at the War II. While most were employed with Nov. 2016. 464p. illus. maps. notes. bibliog. oddly absurd. [See “Editors’ Fall Picks,” LJ the 8th Air Force in Europe, some were index. ISBN 9781101875247. $30; ebk. ISBN 9/1/16, p. 27.]—Stacy Shaw, Orange, CA stationed with bombing groups in the Pa- 9781101875254. HIST cific. The crew of “Old 666” is the subject Ferreiro (history, George Mason Univ.; Scott, Michael. Ancient Worlds: A Global of this story, particularly pilot Jay Zeamer Measure of the Earth) presents the American History of Antiquity. Basic. Nov. 2016. Jr. Providing a mixture of Zeamer’s story Revolution in a global context, detailing the 448p. illus. maps. notes. bibliog. index. with background on World War II in the many Europeans who played critical roles ISBN 9780465094721. $29.99; Pacific theater, Drury and Clavin (coau- in American Independence, delving into ebk. ISBN 9780465094738. HIST thors, The Heart of Everything That Is) offer the histories of the players whose decisive Historical studies of the ancient world, posits more of a biography of Zeamer and a his- actions gave George Washington the men, Scott (Delphi: A History of the Center of the tory of bombing from the areas of Papua material, and ships necessary to wrestle the Ancient World), have the unfortunate habit and Northern Australia than an overview colonies from Britain. Readers will discover of letting disciplinary and geographical of this specific mission. Zeamer is painted important figures such as French minister boundaries limit their scope. The author as a persistent, rebellious soul who struggled Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, and seeks to provide a view of interconnected to find his place despite his abilities. Other admiral Charles Hector, Comte d’Estaing, ancient worlds, exploring how civilizations

100 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 AUTHOR VOICES DAVIS ERIN ANDERSON & RAYMOND PUN Future Career Moves Davis Erin Anderson and Raymond Pun are coeditors of Career Transitions for Librarians (Rowman & Littlefield; LJ 9/1/16). Anderson, a 2012 Special Libraries Association (SLA) Rising Star and 2012 LJ Mover & Shaker (M&S), is the community engagement manager at Metropolitan New York Library Council. Pun is the First Year Student Success librarian at California State University, Fresno, as well as a 2012 LJ M&S, 2014 American Library Association (ALA) Emerging Leader, and a 2016 SLA Rising Star. [See the online version for the full Q&A.]

What inspired you to narrative, and many job ads Many of the book’s on professional compile this book? request a certain amount of contributors titles. What are RP: The idea came from my experience in a similar setting. are accidental your thoughts? own experience transitioning It’s easy to feel as though a librarians. Why is EA: It comes down from a public library to an life-defining decision needs to librarianship often to clearly sharing academic library in 2013. Many be made early on, although a second career? the story of your of my public library colleagues this isn’t necessarily true. RP: Those of us career in a way that asked how I’d made the jump who enter the field maps to what your and if I could offer some tips Contributor Sarah Jewell as a second career next employer has in or advice. I couldn’t find any shares qualities to may have realized mind. It’s important literature in this area so cultivate a career: humility, that we enjoy to be able to I decided to create a volume to confidence, etc. What supporting communities demonstrate that you have capture the voices of librarians would you add to that list? through information services. the skills necessary for the who have successfully made RP: We should be honest with Librarians are passionate job, if not the title itself. similar moves. ourselves when assessing our about finding ways to strengths and weaknesses. strengthen and engage What advice would you Is it difficult to move All skills are transferable, but we with their communities. offer those interested among libraries? have to ask if the organizational Libraries are not simply in a career move? EA: We found that there is no culture or institutional context spaces with books but RP: All of the book’s universal opinion, that once fit within our own professional rather places [where people contributors took on some you embark on a certain path, interests and needs. For foster the] intellect, vibrant level of risk when changing you are expected to stay there. example, do you really enjoy environments of creativity and direction. Their risks paid off But I do think there’s a sense publishing, presenting, or engagement [available] to all because they were willing that when you enter a degree serving on committees? When types of users. to step out of their comfort program of any type, you you’ve identified weaknesses, zones, learn something new, should choose courses that you have also identified Librarian Jan Chindlund and embrace change.— fit some sort of overarching opportunities. suggests not fixating Stephanie Sendaula

responded to similar pressures, and how Snow, Richard. Iron Dawn: The Monitor, down by mind-numbing details. VERDICT they influenced one another once the bor- the Merrimack, and the Civil War Sea Not always easy to read, this overview of ders of their worlds began to meet. Scott Battle That Changed History. Scribner. an important confrontation doesn’t advance divides his work into three major sections Nov. 2016. 416p. illus. maps. notes. understanding of the battle beyond other focusing on government, warfare, and re- bibliog. ISBN 9781476794181. $30; recent contributions but offers an adequate ligion: the emergence of the political theo- ebk. ISBN 9781476794204. HIST introduction for general readers and may be ries behind the Athenian democracy, the In this history of the 1862 confrontation of useful for libraries adding works on the Bat- Roman republic, and Confucian thought; the ironclads USS Monitor and USS Merri- tle of Hampton Roads to their collections. the struggles of several nascent empires to mack, a pivotal naval battle of the Civil War, [See Prepub Alert, 5/2/16.]—Charles K. Piehl, retain their security through military might; Snow (I Invented the Modern Age) attempts to Minnesota State Univ., Mankato and the rise of Christianity, Hinduism, and present a synthesis without shorting details Buddhism. Rome and China remain the about the battle, ships, and crews. The result Wilson, Jon. The Chaos of Empire: mainstay subjects of each segment, while is a parallel examination of the two vessels, The British Raj and the Conquest of India. others—Greece, Macedonia, India, and from their conception in the early 19th cen- PublicAffairs. Oct. 2016. 584p. illus. maps. so on—cycle in and out for observation tury to their demise after the fatal encoun- notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781610392938. as their borders expand and their actions ter. The author brings his paired narratives $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9781610392945. HIST become intertwined. VERDICT Much of together in the famous Battle of Hampton Most histories of the Raj emphasize ei- the historical material has been well-trod Roads, VA. With sometimes florid and in- ther Britain’s ruthlessness in ruling India or in other accounts, but the presentation of tricate narrative, Snow incorporates stories its economic exploitation of the subconti- events revealing unfamiliar connections of heartbreak and humor, especially as the nent. According to Wilson (history, King’s and comparisons, as well as the inclusion vessels are hurried toward combat. Snow Coll. London), Britain didn’t realize much of less-familiar topics such as the Seleucid devotes more than half of his book to the economic benefit out of India, its oppres- Empire and Armenia, provides a fascinating development and building of the ships, in- sive policies born out of the fear that they perspective that many readers should find cluding engineering, business, and political would lose power. Britain didn’t rule India intriguing.—Kathleen McCallister, Tulane Univ., interests as well as military exigencies. In the because the colony made Britain wealthy or New Orleans process, the account is occasionally bogged was important for the maintenance of British

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