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On September 25, 2008 at the Central Library, Jennet Conant discussed her new book, titled The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington. Explore Conant’s earlier books surrounding American involvement in World War II, learn more about author and spy Roald Dahl through his own memoirs, or pick up a title about British intelligence during wartime.
Books by Jennet Conant | About Roald Dahl | British Intelligence during World War II
Books by Jennet Conant
The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring in Wartime Washington
By Jennet Conant
Prior to the U.S. entering World War II, a small coterie of British spies in Washington, D.C., was formed. Richly detailed and carefully researched, Conant creates a fascinating, lively account of deceit, double dealing, and moral ambiguity – all in the name of victory.
It was a hard weekend in the book world. Two of its most respected and revered authors turned the last page.
A couple of Sundays ago the New York Times Book Review devoted their front page to Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt. This scholarly and intriguing work of nonfiction explores the history of traffic patterns and driver culture, particularly in America. It was a glowing review of a book that deserves to be read by anyone holding a drivers’ license.
Have a bike-a-thon at home with these movies available from your Kansas City Public Library.
September marks the 100th birthday of influential African-American author Richard Wright. Born on September 4, 1908, Wright revolutionized the literary landscape with his depictions of African American culture, paving the way for future writers.
By Richard Wright
Richard Wright’s most well-known book, Native Son, was published in 1940 to great success, becoming the first novel written by an African American selected for the Book-of-the-Month Club. It tells the story of Bigger Thomas, a young African American living in Chicago’s ghetto in the 1930s who accidentally kills a white woman and depicts the racism and social injustice of the time.
A collection of short stories, Uncle Tom's Children, contains some of Richard Wright’s earlier writing. The stories highlight the complicated interaction between blacks and whites in the post-slavery South, depicting racism and how African Americans responded to it.