Freedom Summer (Viking), by Bruce Watson

Idealism hasn’t fared well in the age of irony, but ideals are sometimes the signposts to a better world. Freedom Summer is a lyrical account of the often-naive Northern white college students who went to Mississippi in the summer of 1964 to fight for an idealto help blacks register to vote. They faced mob violence, murder and police brutality at every turn, yet they held true and helped shame America into pressing for reform. Although racism remains a factor in American life, Freedom Summer is an inspiring reminder of how far we have traveled in 46 years.