The Small and the Mighty
Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement
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From America’s favorite government teacher, a “fascinating and fun” (Adam Grant) portrait of twelve ordinary Americans whose courage formed the character of our country.
In The Small and the Mighty, Sharon McMahon proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn’t make it into the textbooks. Not the presidents, but the telephone operators. Not the aristocrats, but the schoolteachers. Through meticulous research, she discovers history’s unsung characters and brings their rich, riveting stories to light for the first time.
You’ll meet a woman astride a white horse riding down Pennsylvania Ave, a young boy detained at a Japanese incarceration camp, a formerly enslaved woman on a mission to reunite with her daughter, a poet on a train, and a teacher who learns to work with her enemies. More than one thing is bombed, and multiple people surprisingly become rich. Some rich with money, and some wealthy with things that matter more.
This is a book about what really made America – and Americans – great. McMahon’s cast of improbable champions will become familiar friends, lighting the path we journey in our quest to make the world more just, peaceful, good, and free.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
September 24, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593829752
- File size: 294669 KB
- Duration: 10:13:53
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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This audiobook profiles unsung heroes of American history, most of whom you wouldn't recognize. Author Sharon McMahon offers a narration that is almost loving in tone as she tells their stories. Her voice is gentle on the ears and easy to follow. Yet she also captures the drama and significance of each life. McMahon primarily uses declarative sentences, which translate well to audio. In addition, she utilizes her background as a teacher to construct the chapters in a logical order. Each story includes historical context that adds meaning to the narrative. For example, in the story about a former enslaved woman who travels to the American West to find the daughter who was taken from her, the author explores the realities of slavery and the Civil War. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
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