Lost Moon
Jim Lovell
Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger is the gripping true story behind one of NASA’s most dramatic space missions. Told by Apollo 13’s commander and a seasoned journalist, the book takes readers from the routine preparations for what should have been America’s third moon landing to the moment when an explosion aboard the spacecraft turned the mission into a desperate struggle for survival. Lovell and his crewmates—Jack Swigert and Fred Haise—were more than 200,000 miles from Earth when a critical failure crippled their oxygen and power systems. Stranded in space with dwindling resources, the astronauts and NASA’s ground team in Houston worked against the clock, improvising solutions to bring the crew safely home. Lost Moon combines technical insight with vivid firsthand narrative, offering both an insider’s view of life aboard a crippled spacecraft and the tension-filled efforts on Earth that made the mission’s safe return possible. The book inspired the acclaimed 1995 film Apollo 13 and stands as a testament to human ingenuity, courage, and teamwork under extreme pressure.
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Jack Weatherford
An epic narrative that unveils the profound influence of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire on the shaping of the modern world, challenging conventional perceptions and revealing their surprising contributions to global civilization.
Hidden Figures
Margot Lee Shetterly
During World War II, America’s aeronautics industry hired black female mathematicians to fill a labor shortage. These "human computers" stayed on to work for NASA and made sure America won the Space Race. They fought for their country’s future, and for their share of the American dream. This is their untold story.
Hiroshima
John Hersey
A harrowing account of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its aftermath, told through the stories of six survivors. This edition includes a new chapter written forty years after the event, revisiting their lives and destinies.
And the Band Played On
Randy Shilts
A gripping account of the early years of the AIDS epidemic in America, exposing the political indifference, scientific rivalries, and social prejudices that allowed the disease to spread unchecked. A story of courage and cowardice, compassion and bigotry, that changed the course of history.
The Devil in the White City
Erik Larson
The interwoven stories of the architect Daniel Burnham and the serial killer H.H. Holmes, set against the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. A gripping narrative of ambition, innovation, and unspeakable evil in a city on the cusp of greatness.
Midnight in Chernobyl
Adam Higginbotham
An in-depth account of the Chernobyl disaster, detailing the events leading up to the explosion, the immediate aftermath, and the long-term consequences for the people and the environment. It explores the political and social context of the Soviet Union at the time, and the human stories of those who were affected by the catastrophe.
Making Gay History
Eric Marcus
A compelling and often overlooked chapter of American history told through the stories and recollections of more than sixty people—from high-profile leaders to the little-known and largely forgotten men and women who contributed in ways big and small to the fight for lesbian and gay equal rights in the United States.