What We're Reading: Jan

They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine: Two Centuries of Innovators by Harold Evans

If you are intrigued by entrepreneurship, rags-to-riches stories or "how did they think of that?," this book is for you. Sir Harold Evans, the famed British journalist, has always been in awe of American innovation - from the first steps of the settlers dealing with the tribulations of the new world to today's Internet whizzes dealing with the world of computer technology. He believes new ideas have furthered equality in our society: Singer's sewing machine was welcomed in affluent parlors and tenement kitchens, Ford put much of the country on wheels, and Google heads Page and Brin improved access to information for everyone. It's an enjoyable read, and exciting too, as you see how these innovations changed lives. Business people and historians might particularly like it but all of us have benefited from these ideas at one point or another. They Made America is also a PBS program on DVD. It would make a great holiday gift!

A Short History of Film by Wheeler Winston Dixon and Gwendolyn Audrey Foster

Have you ever wondered how and where movie making got its start? This title is an enjoyable and readable trip through American and foreign film history for "movie-lovers" and "movie-learners" alike. Directors, actors, genres and more are covered from the 1880s to the present. A timeline is included that puts filmmaking in a historical context and the essays show how social events influenced the movies and how the movies influenced society. More than 240 photos and illustrations highlight the text. There is an extensive bibliography in case you'd like to read more about film noir or Frankenstein or other topics. Overall, the book is a concise and entertaining history of the movies that delight and enlighten us all.