Suggestions for Collections Based on a Historical Figure or Event
by
Roger Gozdecki | Amelia Earhart | Aside from authoring her own interesting books concerning her exploits as an aviator, Amelia Earhart has literally come to symbolize the soaring achievements of modern women. Combined with the spate of recent biographies, fictional works, and the legion of subsequent books that speculate on the still unsolved mystery of her 1937 disappearance in the South Pacific while on a round-the-world flight, you have all the ingredients for building a terrific and compelling book collection based on a truly inspiring person. | | Albert Einstein | In addition to presiding over the greatest scientific revolution since the apple dropped on Isaac Newton, Einstein was a great humanist who used his scientific preeminence to address major issues in world affairs. His writings on physics and mathematics, together with his more philosophical works, form a diverse and multi-dimensional core of a durable book collection. The collection can also include numerous biographies, critical assessments, and fictional works as well, which document the manner in which Einstein has come to symbolize human genius and inspired eccentricity. | | The Women's Movement During the 1960s | The third great flowering of feminism, following the birth of the women's movement during the 19th century, and the international women's suffrage crusade in the early 20th century, encompasses a remarkable array of political, social, sexual, and family issues. Very few Americans have been left untouched by the dramatic changes that were wrought by the modern women's movement. Aside from the wealth of political and philosophical writings that emanated from this revolutionary era, a good collection focusing on feminism in the 1960s could also document how fictional depictions of women in novels changed and evolved during this period. | | Y2K | The biggest non-event of the millennium holds enormous potential for a book collection that reveals a tremendous amount about the history of computers and our reliance upon technology, not to mention some fascinating social revelations concerning religious millenary movements and extreme political cults. Although the real significance of these recent events is not yet fully understood, some of the most interesting material is probably being thrown away at this very minute because it seems hopelessly and irrevocably out of date. Grab this stuff while you can, because someday some university library is likely to want to pay you a lot of money for it! |
See the Glossary of Book Terms for more information on book anatomy.
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