Yes, the KGB was operating in America back in the 30s and 40s. Hot off the press – and taking up lots of space on Rentschler Library’s New Book shelves – is the book “Spies: the Rise and Fall of the KGB in America” by John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr, and Alexander Vassiliev. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008.
The book details KGB operations in the U.S. back in the 30s and 40s and is based on the notebooks of Alexander Vassiliev, a former KGB officer who spent 2 years combing through part of that Russian spy organization’s archives. The Vassiliev notebooks, as they came to be called, “offer the most complete look at Soviet espionage in America” says the co-authors Haynes and Klehr (Library of Congress Manuscript Division, and Emory University respectively).
Among the revelations in this book: Robert Oppenheimer (he of the Manhattan Project) was not recruited by Soviet intelligence; Alger Hiss DID cooperate with Soviet Intelligence; and American journalist I.F. Stone at one time worked for the KGB. As a reviewer in Library Journal says “This work does more than just finger KGB operatives; it offers insight into the spies’ personalities and motives.”
Historian David Murphy, author of What Stalin Knew said “This work should serve as the final salvo in the long battle between those who are still in denial regarding KGB espionage in America in the 1930s and 40s, and those who assert that this story must be told.”
Whether you braved the craze of Black Friday or divided your online time between facebook, studying, and Cyber Monday shopping…chances are you’ve got a wee bit of shopping left to do in the next few weeks. And you’re not alone.
“Trade group National Retail Federation said Sunday that while 195 million shoppers–13% more than last year–visited stores and Web sites over the Black Friday weekend, the average spending over the weekend declined 7.9% to $343.31.” (Wall Street Journal Business) It’s assumed that many of those missing dollars will be made up in the online shopping market, as many retailers are luring customers to their websites with hard to beat deals.
So, what’s popular this year? According to a survey from the Consumer Electronics Association, “notebooks, portable mp3 players and flat-panel TVs would be the most purchased CE products this holiday and new and emerging product categories, such as eBook readers, Blu-ray players and smartphones, would also be popular” (WSJ).
Of course, topping the wish list for many MUH students may be TIME. More time for writing final papers and studying for finals. The good news is that in just a few more weeks you can cross THOSE off your list for good, leaving you with a wee bit more time to attend to your holiday plans.
If you were in Bella’s shoes, who would YOU pick? You may find it a bit odd for Rentschler Library to be talking about the movie New Moon, but we actually carry Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series right here. The BOOK version, that is! So maybe you don’t have time to read (or reread) right now some of the most talked-about fiction, but keep in mind that the holidays are coming up & you may find yourself with a wee bit of spare time. If you’ve only seen the movies, you’ll love being ahead of your friends by reading the last two novels! Warning–these are pretty popular so they may be checked out already, but be sure that YOU check out Rentschler Library’s other Popular Fiction.
Human Rights & Social Justice–the words can be a bit overwhelming when you think about all of the sadness in the world today. Poverty. Slavery. Abuse. Discrimination. Malnourishment. Genocide. Civil War. We see so much of this on the news & on TV that we seem to only have 2 choices–become immune to it all or just be depressed about the situation.
Well, there are more options. You can get INVOLVED and spread HOPE not just to others, but to also empower yourself. You can learn more by participating in a variety of events around campus this week–see our Human Rights & Social Justicepage for a full calendar. You can even join your peers in a discussion group on Friday, November 20th at Miami Hamilton Downtown, as MU student Rachael Herrle leads a discussion on Somaly Mam’s book, The Road of Lost Innocence .
Warning–this youtube video may have content that some find offensive and others find outrageously funny. Our apologies to anyone offended! OK, so the college tips from “Ask a Ninja” are really just for a fun little break from studying, but if you need some REAL help–try “Ask a Librarian“!
Whether you’re trying to figure out what a scholarly article is (hey, you have to figure out WHAT it is before you figure out WHERE to find them!), how to find a variety or resources on that topic that seemed like such a great idea when you committed to it (now that you’re doubting your choice), or just wondering how you can get a book from Ohio State without driving to Columbus, we’re here to help.
You can instant message us (IM) from our library’s website or right from this page, email usyour research question, or call us at 785-3235. You can also just stop by and we’ll find time to help you get what you need–just check ourHours before you drive all the way here. We really want to help!
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Yes, the KGB was operating in America back in the 30s and 40s. Hot off the press – and taking up lots of space on Rentschler Library’s New Book shelves – is the book “Spies: the Rise and Fall of the KGB in America” by John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr, and Alexander Vassiliev. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008. 
