A month to celebrate these books on history A special February
list of books give our history more depth. Seattle Times staff
columnist In February, someone always asks me to recommend a
good book on African-American history, and as I try to pick one
or two I’m always reminded how many good books there are, and
how little exposure most Americans have to the information in
them. I could say the same thing about Native-American history
or women’s history or the history of folks who weren’t
politicians or generals or industrialists. History is deeper and
wider than what most Americans get without a little
extracurricular reading. The thing about American history, or
any history, is that you can’t really understand the whole
without learning about the parts beyond the surface. And history
is essential for understanding the present and navigating toward
the future intelligently. At a Black History Month event
recently, someone suggested I just mention a few books in a
column, so I’ve made a list. It is not compreh