The source text refers to slavery, racism, rape, death, death of a child and an infant, suicidal ideation, and the detainment of Japanese Americans
In The Small and the Mighty, Sharon McMahon proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn’t make it into the textbooks. Not the presidents, but the telephone operators. Not the aristocrats, but the schoolteachers. Through meticulous research, she discovers history’s unsung characters and brings their rich, riveting stories to light for the first time.
You’ll meet a woman astride a white horse riding down Pennsylvania Ave, a young boy detained at a Japanese incarceration camp, a formerly enslaved woman on a mission to reunite with her daughter, a poet on a train, and a teacher who learns to work with her enemies. More than one thing is bombed, and multiple people surprisingly become rich. Some rich with money, and some wealthy with things that matter more.
This is a book about what really made America – and Americans – great. McMahon’s cast of improbable champions will become familiar friends, lighting the path we journey in our quest to make the world more just, peaceful, good, and free.
McMahon hosts one of the largest online book clubs and private groups, which includes so much more than reading books. Join the Governerds™ Insider community to get:
Sharon McMahon is a former high school government and law teacher who earned a reputation as “America’s Government Teacher” amidst the historic 2020 election proceedings for her viral efforts on Instagram to educate the general public on political misinformation. Through a simple mission to share non-partisan information about democracy, Sharon has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers online, affectionately called the “Governerds,” who look to her for truth and logic in a society plagued by bias and conspiracy.
- Penguin Random House: Author Bio
Reviewed by Michele Livingood - Academic Advisor, SocialWork@Simmons
What genre is the book, and how does it compare to others in that genre?: Biography, or Historical Non-Fiction - tells much more like a story vs a "textbook" nonfiction
What’s the main storyline or premise of the book?: Twelve unsung Americans who changed the course of history, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement.
What type of mood or mindset is best for reading this book?: Anyone who is looking for hope during this difficult political season.
Who would you recommend this book to, and why?: Anyone ages 14+ who is interested in people who made a big difference just by having the courage to do the next right thing. I also highly recommend the audiobook!
What was your biggest takeaway or favorite moment from the book?: My first favorite moment was the section on Katharine Lee Bates, and my second favorite moment was learning how Septima Clark said "I continue to work with my enemies because they could have a change of heart at any time"