Smithsonian Books imprint: 162 books
by Donald S. Lopez, Sr.
Language: English
Release Date: January 11, 2012
Language: English
Release Date: January 11, 2012
Into the Teeth of the Tiger provides a vivid, pilot’s-eye view of one of the most extended projections of American air power in World War II Asia. Lopez chronicles every aspect of fighter combat in that theater: harrowing aerial battles, interludes of boredom and inactivity, instances of courage...
Museum Governance
Mission, Ethics, Policy
Language: English
Release Date: July 9, 2013
In Museum Governance, Marie Malaro addresses a range of issues facing museum administrators and trustees, arguing they can handle their duties intelligently only if they understand two points—why our country sustains a nonprofit sector and what constitutes trusteeship. Armed with this knowledge,...
The Simple Faith of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Religion's Role in the FDR Presidency
Language: English
Release Date: October 10, 2017
In The Simple Faith of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, religion journalist and author Christine Wicker establishes that faith was at the heart of everything Roosevelt wanted for the American people. This powerful book is the first in-depth look at how one of America's richest, most patrician presidents...
Why We Fought
Forging American Obligations in World War II
Language: English
Release Date: January 11, 2012
Why We Fought is a timely and provocative analysis that examines why Americans really chose to sacrifice and commit themselves to World War II. Unlike other depictions of the patriotic “greatest generation,” Westbrook argues that, strictly speaking, Americans in World War II were not instructed...
Cheating Death
Combat Air Rescues in Vietnam and Laos
Language: English
Release Date: December 6, 2016
They flew low and slow, at treetop level, at night, in monsoons, and in point-blank range of enemy guns and missiles. They were missions no one else wanted, but the ones all other pilots prayed for when shot down. Flying the World War II-vintage Douglas A-1 Skyraider, a single-engine, propeller-driven...
Cool Comfort
America's Romance with Air-Conditioning
Language: English
Release Date: August 6, 2013
The year 2002 marked the 100th anniversary of the first installation of air-conditioning. During the past century, it has become a staple of American life; 83% of US homes are now air-conditioned. In this engaging social history, Marsha Ackermann explores how the idea of “cooling” became firmly...
From Knowledge to Narrative
Educators and the Changing Museum
Language: English
Release Date: July 15, 2014
From Knowledge to Narrative shows that museum educators—professionals responsible for making collections intelligble to viewers—have become central figures in shaping exhibits. Challenging the traditional, scholarly presentation of objects, educators argue that, rather than transmitting knowledge,...
The Imperial Season
America's Capital in the Time of the First Ambassadors, 1893-1918
Language: English
Release Date: November 12, 2013
This story of the young city of Washington coming up in the international scene is populated with presidents, foreign diplomats, civil servants, architects, artists, and influential hosts and hostesses who were enamored of the idea of world power but had little idea of the responsibilities involved.
Between...
by Marie C. Malaro, Ildiko DeAngelis
Language: English
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Language: English
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Hailed when it was first published in 1985 as the bible of U.S. collections management, A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections offers the only comprehensive discussion of the legal questions faced by museums regarding collections. This revised and expanded third edition addresses the many legal...
Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen
A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and Times
Language: English
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen is a culinary biography unlike any before. The very assertion of the title--that Abraham Lincoln cooked--is fascinating and true. It's an insight into the everyday life of one of our nation's favorite and most esteemed presidents and a way to experience flavors and textures...
Domesticating History
The Political Origins of America's House Museums
Language: English
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Celebrating the lives of famous men and women, historic house museums showcase restored rooms and period furnishings, and portray in detail their former occupants' daily lives. But behind the gilded molding and curtain brocade lie the largely unknown, politically charged stories of how the homes were...
Queen Bess
Daredevil Aviator
Language: English
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Here is the brief but intense life of Bessie Coleman, America's first African American woman aviator. Born in 1892 in Atlanta, Texas, she became known as “Queen Bess,” a barnstormer and flying-circus performer who defied the strictures of race, sex, and society in pursuit of a dream.
Air Vagabonds
Oceans, Airmen, and a Quest for Adventure
Language: English
Release Date: May 26, 2015
Air Vagabonds is the story of the amazing, true (mis)adventures of a band of rogues piloting aircraft alone into exotic and deadly destinations.
In the late 1970s and through the 1980s the demand for light aircraft eclipsed anything seen before or since. This created the need for a small air...
The Museum in Transition
A Philosophical Perspective
Language: English
Release Date: July 15, 2014
During the past thirty years, museums of all kinds have tried to become more responsive to the interests of a diverse public. With exhibitions becoming people-centered, idea-oriented, and contextualized, the boundaries between museums and the “real” world are eroding. Setting the transition from...