Currently, I keep pretty update to date with world events. I read the paper every day and surf various news sites online. I like to know what’s going on so I can form informed opinions.
I’m realizing that my knowledge of world events past the Regan era (that’s where my high school US history class cuts off) is spotty at best. I was a kid, and not exactly paying attention to the news. I think that my understanding of current events would definitely be advanced if I became well versed in what has been happening recently.
I’m curious if you have any suggestions at how I might catch up on what’s been going on for the last ten years. Are there any books that neatly sum up the world political climate of the last ten years? Maybe a website that I could browse through. I’m just looking for something that will give me a general picture of the important events, because I know I can always find books on the more specific things.
I believe Peter Jennings has a book and video called something like “The Century.” Maybe check it out at a library or bookstore to see if that’s general enough. Google may have the info., too.
Wow! I am amazed you studied up to and including the Reagan Era! (Uh, Error, IMHO) That, in and of itself, is quite an accomplishment!
Even at the time living through those years, we never really learned much about the Korean War, Vietnam War, MacCarthyism (sp?), Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis, Watergate, etc., etc., etc.
In light of this, I have to wonder just how much will today’s kids be missing in History (Social Studies) class? It is often hard to find a modern-day history text. It is more like you’d have to find books specializing on such world events. Thank goodness for summaries of the past century…as Violet mentioned above. But, as a secondary suggestion (outside of surfing the Web), there are “Year Books” available for reference. Check the reference material at your local library.
Or, if you want a specific news magazine’s angle on a recent history event, there’s the Guide to Periodic Literature (assuming it still exists in this electronic age?) to help you locate an old Newsweek, for example, on a specific topic. Sometimes, this can become a tedious search for information on long-running news events. But, it is another option…especially if it’s somewhat of a hobby to seek out such info…
As a kid growing up in the 1970’s, it was a hobby of mine to read-up on as much old news articles as I could on NASA (from the Mercury missions to present) using microfilmed newspapers and back-issues of periodicals. Of course, we had no internet to surf, but we at least we knew the sources were legit. - Jinx
That, in and of itself, is quite an accomplishment!