KNOW YOUR LIBRARY
July 2016. written for the Taos Public
Library by Joanne Forman
WE ARE ALL THEIR
CHILDREN!
THE STORY OF IMMIGRATION IN THE UNITED
STATES
Even Native Americans, “Indians” (Columbus was lost)—are
thought to have entered north America and what is now the United States via a
land bridge from Siberia to Alaska. Whether that is so or not, what is true is
that every other American is either an immigrant or the descendant of
immigrants. What could be a more apropos topic for July, when we celebrate the
independence of our nation from a powerful empire.
Yet, one of the
constant threads of American history is the fear of, the despising of, the looking
down upon, those whose ancestors arrived five minutes after ours. What’s going
on here?
As always (we keep saying it because it’s
true!) your Taos Public Library has some 161 books on immigrants and
immigration to help you understand this background, this history. Check things
out for yourself!
THOMAS PAINE AND THE
FIGHT FOR LIBERTY by Samuel Crompton (jBPai) is in the childrens’ room, but
even teens and grownups will enjoy this short succinct biography. After the
United States came into being, Paine went back to England and wrote THE RIGHTS
OF MAN, which got him into very hot water with the government of the day.
Common men to have rights? What a radical idea!!
He went on to France to their Revolution in 1789, wrote “THE AGE OF
REASON”—and was almost guillotined. Rescued, he returned to the USA and died in
New York City.
The words of Paine are collected in a book with a thorough and
interesting introduction by the major (and nowadays too much neglected)
American novelist John Dos Passos in THE ESSENTIAL TOM PAINE. (320.51Pai.) this
includes not only the major works, but many occasional pieces; Paine was
nothing if not prolific.
The above two books are quite short; a longer biography is
THOMAS PAINE AND THE PROMISE OF AMERICA by
Harvey J. Kaye. This is thorough not only on Paine’s life and work, but his
continued influence on American life, thought, and politics. It may not be
immediately evident, but it’s there!
Next month: HIROSHIMA. Joanne Forman, author
and composer of PIKADON, a radio docudrama, will give a talk—with some of her
music, performed by singer/harpist Julie Hawley and flutist Tina Hahn, at noon
on Saturday August 6 in the Taos Public Library meeting room. Free, of course.
Joanne Forman also writes a newsletter for
the Talpa Community Library!
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