Staff Recommendations
Insider picks from Revolutionary Spaces experts
At Revolutionary Spaces, we are committed to the past, present, and future: to a living, unfolding, and ever-evolving democracy. Behind-the-scenes, this means that all of us here are constantly learning and sharing to keep up with dialogue in public history. Check out this month’s staff recommendations:
August 2023
For anyone interested in the intersection of music, performance, and protest, Lester Wong and Mandy Tuttle on our Retail Team recommend two books that explore this history and connection (both available at our Museum Stores!):
- Legends Icons and Rebels: Music that Changed the World by Jared Levine, Jim Guerinot, Sebastian Robertson and Robbie Robertson
- Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw
For anyone interested in the history of protest in Boston, Director of Interpretation & Education Matt Wilding recommends two books which go beyond the typical narrative of protest in our city:
- Fences and Windows by Naomi Klein
- Boston Riots by Jack Tager
Education Coordinator Carina Ohlen has some great suggestions for younger readers and students interested in learning more about protest, protest music, and the fight for change:
- Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Powell
- Who Was the Voice of the People? Cesar Chavez by Terry Blas
- Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle
- Speak Up! by Miranda Paul
May 2023
Outside Lies Magic: Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday Places by Daniel Carpenter - by John R. Stilgoe - Places can be so captivating that they often guide us as we move through life and learn more about ourselves and our communities. John Stilgoe speaks of this experience, when he urges readers to get out and explore so that our landscapes can “become the theater that intrigues, relaxes, fascinates, seduces, and above all expands any mind focused on it.” His message is a reminder to public historians to spend time looking closely at and considering the places we live.
Recommended by Lo Sottile, Director of Development and Philanthropic Partnerships
Why Preservation Matters by Max Page - A fascinating exploration of the modern preservation movement that explores historic preservation all over the world. Page argues that preservation can be a useful tool for not only historic or aesthetic reasons but also as a way to combat climate change, preserve neighborhoods and promote equity. Boston gets several mentions, it's a must read!
Recommended by Ben Federlin, Development Manager
The Complete Guide to Boston's Freedom Trail by Charles Bahne (available in our Museum Stores!) - It’s a classic for a reason! In just under a hundred pages this book is a great introduction to Boston’s urban history and can even give longtime residents new spots to explore.
Recommended by Lester Wong, Director of Retail Operations
March 2023
Democracy by Petition: Popular Politics in Transformation, 1790-1870 by Daniel Carpenter - An essential text for understanding the history and use of petitions in America with significant focus on the lives of Black and Indigenous people.
Recommended by Lucy Pollock, Exhibits & Interpretation Coordinator
Revolutions (Season 2) by Mike Duncan- A 15 episode run, originally aired in 2014, this podcast provides a fascinating history and analysis of the events of the American Revolution.
Recommended by Jake Ambrosio, Assistant Retail Operations Manager
The Boston Massacre, a Family History by Serena Zabin (available in our Museum Stores!) A thoughtful and colorfully told history of one of the most famous events in the history of Boston, Zabin invites the reader to enter the world in which the massacre occurred and consider the complicated ways it impacted everyday people.
Samuel Adams: The Revolutionary by Stacy Schiff (available in our Museum Stores!) In The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, Schiff brings her masterful skills to Adams’ improbable life, illuminating his transformation from aimless son of a well-off family to tireless, beguiling radical who mobilized the colonies.
December 2023
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith offers a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in making sense of our country and how it has come to be.
The 1619 Project and Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones. The 1619 Project and its companion children's book Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, and Nikkolas Smith speak directly to our current moment, contextualizing the systems of race and caste that still define so much of American life.
The Boston Massacre, a Family History by Serena Zabin (available in our Museum Stores!) A thoughtful and colorfully told history of one of the most famous events in the history of Boston, Zabin invites the reader to enter the world in which the massacre occurred and consider the complicated ways it impacted everyday people.
A New Space for our Ideals is Revolutionary Spaces panel discussion originally recorded in spring 2021 that considers the role Revolutionary-Era sites play as monuments in our society and how they can lead to conversation about our national values.
November 2023
First Nations Recommendations is a list of essential reading for anyone interested in learning about the Native American experience.
All My Relations, hosted by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee), explores what it means to be a Native person today.
Members' View with David Silverman: This Land is Their Land. In October 2020, David Silverman sat down with Revolutionary Spaces CEO Nat Sheidley to grapple with the historical realities of the first Thanksgiving.
This Land is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving by David Silverman
If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell
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