Books, Movies, CDs

Elf

DVD MOVIE COMEDY Elf

A human that thinks he's an elf goes to New York to meet his biological father then saves Xmas.

Great performances by James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, and Will Ferrell. -Mykle

Die hard

DVD MOVIE ACTION Die

A team of terrorists has seized a building in L.A. and taken hostages. A New York cop, in town to spend Christmas with his estranged wife, is the only hope for the people held by the savage criminals.

The best Xmas movie ever made. -Mykle

Love actually

DVD MOVIE COMEDY Love

It's all about love and holiday cheer in London. The Prime Minister is smitten with his caterer; a widower's young son nurses the ultimate schoolboy crush; a writer falls for his Portuguese housekeeper; a devoted wife and mother copes with her potentially unfaithful husband; and a lovelorn American is desperately attracted to a colleague.

An amazing ensemble cast of interconnected characters experiencing love and Xmas. -Mykle

Lethal weapon

DVD MOVIE ACTION Lethal

Two Vietnam-vets-turned cops have only one thing in common : they both hate to work with partners, but when a routine murder investigation turns into a no holds barred war with an international heroin ring their partnership becomes the key to survival.

Classic. The older I get, the less I relate to Riggs and the more I relate to Murtaugh. -Mykle

Fuzz : when nature breaks the law

Mary Roach

591.5 /Roach

"Join "America's funniest science writer" (Peter Carlson, Washington Post) Mary Roach on an irresistible investigation into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet. What's to be done about a jaywalking moose? A grizzly bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? As New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology. Roach tags along with animal attack forensics investigators, human-elephant conflict specialists, bear managers, and "danger tree" faller-blasters. She travels from leopard-terrorized hamlets in the Indian Himalaya to St. Peter's Square in the early hours before the Pope arrives for Easter Mass, when vandal gulls swoop in to destroy the elaborate floral display. Along the way, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature's lawbreakers. Combining little- known forensic science and conservation genetics with a motley cast of laser scarecrows, langur impersonators, and mugging macaques, Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat"--

Witty, dry, and as thoroughly researched as anything Mary Roach ever delves into, Fuzz is a hoot! The author has a brilliant knack for roping you into subjects you never knew you wanted to learn about! Fans of Sarah Vowell and Bill Bryson will enjoy this read. -Victoria

Aristotle and Dante dive into the waters of the world

Benjamin Alire Sáenz

YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Saenz, Benjamin
Diverse Characters, Young Adult

High school seniors Aristotle and Dante find ways to spend time together despite being at different schools, having to keep their love secret, and nightly news of gay men dying from AIDS.

This second novel is equally as eloquent, captivating and heart-wrenching as the first. Characters are beautifully life-like, multi-faceted and layered and the story is realistic, thought-provoking and well worth waiting nine years for! -Victoria

Classified : the secret career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee aerospace engineer

Traci Sorell

j629.1092 Ross
Kids, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science

"Mary Golda Ross designed classified projects for Lockheed Air Corporation as the company's first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work"--

Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher to pursuing an engineering degree, joining the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and being a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. In addition, the narrative highlights Cherokee values including education, working cooperatively, remaining humble, and helping ensure equal opportunity and education for all. Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work. -Angie

The big, fun kids baking book

j641.815 Food
Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Kids

An ultimate baking primer for beginners, written by the editors of the top-selling food magazine, shares more than 100 photographed recipes for everyday and special-occasion cakes, brownies and other baked favorites while providing fun ideas for customizations and alternatives to cakes.

I recently took this kids cookbook home for my daughter and I to bake something together. We loved the pictures of each recipe, the tips and random facts. The spiral bound book made it easy for us to flip through to find all the delicious bake goods! -Angie

A morning with grandpa

Sylvia Liu

jE Liu

Curious and energetic Mei Mei attempts some tai chi forms as her grandfather demonstrates them, then tries to teach him basic yoga poses. Includes introductions to t'ai chi and yoga, as well as instructions for the exercises described in the text.

When yoga meets Taiji, when Meimei (the little sister) and Gonggong ( the grandpa) teach and learn from each other, it is fun, beautiful, and harmonious. -Fang

Like a dandelion

Huy Voun Lee

jE Lee

"Like feathery seeds, a young girl and her mother take flight, putting down roots in an adopted country. Soon they blossom in their new home, strong and beautiful among hundreds of others just like them. . . A poetic tribute to the bravery of immigrants and refugees, inspired by the author's childhood experience of moving to the United States from Cambodia"--Provided by publisher.

What a beautiful metaphor! Like feathery dandelion seeds, numerous immigrants and refugees fly far away and plant their roots into the welcoming ground of America. No matter how hard the journey is, we always raise our faces to the sun. Then we blossom in our new home with a strong will, a brave mind, and gratitude. Please listen to our hearts in this touching and poetic book: Like a Dandelion. -Fang

Fairytale blankets to crochet : 10 fantasy-themed children's blankets for storytime cuddles

Lynne Rowe

746.434 /Rowe
Crafts

Bedtime bookworms will love snuggling up and listening to their favourite story in a cosy hooded blanket. Bring storytime to life as they act out the characters - will they be a goodie or a baddie, Little Red Riding Hood or the wolf? Every blanket tells a story, with pockets on the sides for snuggly paws and different tails. Perfect for unwinding for a bedtime story and animating the oral tradition of storytelling - little listeners, as well as their parents, will find themselves enchanted.

Gifts you can make! These fairytale inspired blankets are adorable and cozy for the upcoming winter. -Casey

Rise of wolf 8 : witnessing the triumph of Yellowstone's underdog

Rick McIntyre

599.773 /McIntyre
Nonfiction, Animals

*Yellowstone National Park was once home to an abundance of wild wolves--but park rangers killed the last of their kind in the 1920s. Decades later, the rangers brought them back, with the first wolves arriving from Canada in 1995. This is the incredible true story of one of those wolves. Wolf 8 struggles at first--he is smaller than the other pups, and often bullied--but soon he bonds with an alpha female whose mate was shot. An unusually young alpha male, barely a teenager in human years, Wolf 8 rises to the occasion, hunting skillfully, and even defending his family from the wolf who killed his father. But soon he faces a new opponent: his adopted son, who mates with a violent alpha female. Can Wolf 8 protect his valley without harming his protégé? Authored by a renowned wolf researcher and gifted storyteller, The Rise of Wolf 8 marks the beginning of an original and bold new trilogy, which will transform our view of wolves forever.

I'm looking forward to more books in this series by Rick McIntyre. If you're interested in wolf restoration, I cannot recommend this title highly enough. -Casey

Ellie makes a friend

Mike Wu

jE Wu
Picture Books

"A panda has joined the animals, and she's a painter like Ellie! Is there room for two artists at the zoo?"--Page [2] of cover.

I love to read all about pandas! And this is one of the best! Both Ellie and Ping are so loving and smart when they find the beauty of friendship and new inspiration. -Fang

My Beijing : four stories of everyday wonder

Nie Jun

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Jun
Graphic Novels

"Four short stories set in a hutong, or residential alleyway, of Beijing, China. Yu'er, her grandfather, and their eccentric neighbors experience the magic of everyday life."--

With captivate illustration and inspiring stories, Nie’s graphic novel shows and tells those “Everyday Wonder” about Beijing in the good old days. Passion, imagination and love will always go beyond any physical limitation and down through generations. -Fang

Pig.

ON ORDER DVD
Drama

Though the description sounds like John Wick with a pig, the movie is more of a quiet meditation on love and what gives us purpose. -Brian

How the word is passed : a reckoning with the history of slavery across America

Clint Smith

973.00496 /Smith
History, Black Lives Matter

"'How the Word is Passed' is Clint Smith's revealing, contemporary portrait of America as a slave owning nation. Beginning in his own hometown of New Orleans, Smith leads the reader through an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks - those that are honest about the past and those that are not - that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nations collective history, and ourselves."--

A thoroughly researched exploration of the impact of slavery and how it's history has been recorded through various monuments and landmarks. You may never see the Statue of Liberty or Wall Street the same way again! -Victoria

Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe

Benjamin Alire Sáenz

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Saenz Benjamin
LGBTQ+, Young Adult

Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before.

I'm not sure how this book has escaped my clutches. It is a heart-warming, beautiful, soul-touching reminder that love is love! The sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World is released later this month so you have time for a re-read before it comes out! -Victoria

The women of Troy : a novel

Pat Barker

FICTION Barker Pat
Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction

"Troy has fallen and the victorious Greeks are eager to return home with the spoils of an endless war--including the women of Troy themselves. They await a fair wind for the Aegean; it does not come, because the gods are offended. The body of King Priam lies unburied and desecrated, and so the victors remain in suspension, camped in the shadows of the city they destroyed as the coalition that held them together begins to unravel. Old feuds resurface and new suspicions and rivalries begin to fester. Largely unnoticed by her captors, the one time Trojan queen Briseis, formerly Achilles's slave, now belonging to his companion Alcimus, quietly takes in these developments. She forges alliances when she can, with Priam's aged wife the defiant Hecuba and with the disgraced soothsayer Calchas, all the while shrewdly seeking her path to revenge."--Jacket flap.

There are so many books coming out right now reimagining the Greek myths, poetry, and plays that it definitely has become its own genre. I'm perfectly happy with this and have indulged in many over the last few years. But I am moved by Pat Barker's novels the most. Her fiction has a humanity about it: well written, focused on characters and their relationships to others, lush in description. The second novel following the character of Briseis, Barker often writes in trilogies. I hope this means there will be a third. -Anne M

The great mistake

Jonathan Lee

FICTION Lee Jonathan
Historical Fiction, Fiction

"From the acclaimed author of High Dive comes an enveloping, exultant novel of New York City at the turn of the twentieth century, a story of one man's rise to fame and fortune, and his murder in a case of mistaken identity. On Friday the 13th of November, 1903, a famous man was killed on Park Avenue in broad daylight by a stranger. It was neither a political act nor a crime of passion. It was a mistake. The victim was Andrew Haswell Green, the "Father of Greater New York," who shaped the city as we know it. Without him there would be no Central Park, no Metropolitan Museum of Art, no Museum of Natural History, no New York Public Library. His influence was everywhere, yet he died alone, misunderstood, feeling that his whole life might have been, after all, a great mistake. A work of tremendous depth and piercing emotion, The Great Mistake is a portrait of a self-made man--farm boy to urban visionary; the reimagining of a murder investigation that shook the city; and the moving story of a singular individual who found the world closed off to him, and, in spite of all odds, enlarged it"--

How does Andrew Haswell Green, such an important, consequential New York City figure find himself a murder victim due to mistaken identify at the age of 83? Jonathan Lee's fictional treatment of the life and times of Green explores how this puzzling, unfathomable murder takes place as well as Green's extraordinary rise to New York prominence from humble farm-boy roots. Green has a somewhat traditional American "pick yourself up from your bootstraps" life story, but it is much more complicated than that. And we know from the beginning where it ends.If you are looking for a book with a "sense of place," to be taken to the chaotic, hustle of the streets of late 19th Century New York, "The Great Mistake" will take you there. -Anne M

The snail with the right heart : a true story

Maria Popova

jE Popova
Science, Nature

This is the real-life story of Jeremy, a rare garden snail found in 2015 by a retired London scientist. Jeremy's shell spiraled to the left, indicating reversed internal anatomy--including a heart positioned on the right. As a result, a similarly rare mate was needed in order to procreate.

I've been waiting for the prolific blogger of Brain Pickings, Maria Popova to finally write a book and it's as delightful, observant, dry and fascinating as she is. This is a children's book but should be enjoyed by all ages. If you like this, check out You are Stardust by Elin Kelsey (a book Popova once recommended on her blog!). -Victoria

Home is Not a Country

Safia Elhillo

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Elhillo, Safia
Young Adult

"Nima doesn't feel understood. By her mother, who grew up far away in a different land. By her suburban town, which makes her feel too much like an outsider to fit in and not enough like an outsider to feel like that she belongs somewhere else. At least she has her childhood friend Haitham, with whom she can let her guard down and be herself. Until she doesn't. As the ground is pulled out from under her, Nima must grapple with the phantom of a life not chosen, the name her parents didn't give her at birth: Yasmeen. But that other name, that other girl, might just be more real than Nima knows. And more hungry. And the life Nima has, the one she keeps wishing were someone else's...she might have to fight for it with a fierceness she never knew she had."--

I absolutely loved the brutal honesty, the language and slight mysticism of this book. The author tackles the Islamophobia of a post 9/11 world in a delicately poetic and human way. This is a great read into the lives of those forced to flee their motherland for hopes of better opportunities only to find the grass is often anything but greener on the other side. -Victoria

Ariadne

Jennifer Saint

FICTION Saint Jennifer
Fiction

"Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid's stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice every year. When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne's decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind? Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint's Ariadne forges a new epic, outside the traditional narratives of heroism and glory that leave no room for women"--

Calling all fans of Circe and A Thousand Ships! Ariadne is another novel rooted in Greek mythology, told from the female perspective. It opens up the untold narrative of Ariadne, Princess of Crete, beginning with her role in the story of the Minotaur. Engaging tale, complex characters, all the things I like! -Becky

Ace of spades

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Abike-Iyimide, Faridah
Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, LGBTQ+

At Niveus Private Academy, Devon and Chiamaka are the only students chosen to be Senior Prefects who are also black, which makes them targets for a series of anonymous texts revealing their secrets to the entire student body. Both students were on track toward valedictorian and bright college futures, but this prank quickly turns into a very dangerous game and they are at more than one disadvantage as it looks like things could turn deadly.

This is a fantastic page-turner with a delectable plot, well-developed characters and an overall killer debut! Fans of One of Us is Lying, Get Out and Gossip Girl will delight in this read. -Victoria

Of women and salt

Gabriela Garcia

FICTION Garcia Gabriela
Fiction, Literary Fiction

Present-day Miami. Jeanette is battling addiction. Daughter of Carmen, a Cuban immigrant, she is determined to learn more about her family history from her reticent mother and makes the snap decision to take in the daughter of a neighbor detained by ICE. Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, must process her difficult relationship with her own mother while trying to raise a wayward Jeanette. Steadfast in her quest for understanding, Jeanette travels to Cuba to see her grandmother and reckon with secrets from the past destined to erupt. -- adapted from jacket

I really enjoy novels that contain intricately interwoven stories. Gabriela Garcia's "Of Women and Salt" is a generational saga set in early 19th Century Cuba to present day Miami. And it is anything but straightforward. Garcia jumps through time from character to character and back again. If you pay attention, you find the anchors. Objects, words, fears, and feelings transcend the barriers of time and place. It is a lovely book. -Anne M

Lizzie & Dante : a novel

Mary Bly

FICTION Bly Mary
Romance, Fiction

"On the heels of a difficult break-up and a devastating diagnosis, Shakespearian scholar Lizzie Delford decides to take one last lavish vacation on Elba, the sun-kissed island off the Italian coast, with her best friend and his movie-star boyfriend. Once settled into a luxurious seaside resort, Lizzie has to make big decisions about her future, and she needs the one thing she may be running out of: time. She leaves the yacht-owners and celebrities behind and sneaks off to the public beach, where she meets a sardonic chef named Dante, his battered dog Lily, and his wry daughter Etta, a twelve-year-old desperate for a mother. While Dante shows Lizzie the island's secrets, and Etta dazzles with her irreverent humor, Lizzie is confronted with a dilemma. Is it right to fall in love if time is short? Is it better to find a mother briefly, or to have no mother at all? And the most difficult question of all: What if falling in love inevitably leads to broken hearts?"--

To wrap up my summer reading, I wanted an easy, breezy, escapist read. "Lizzie and Dante" seemed like a good candidate. The setting: Elba. The plot: vacation romance. The author: Mary Bly (bestselling romance writer with the nom de plume Eloisa James). But this book surprised me. This is a serious read about serious topics. Yes, there is love. Yes, there is a beach. But there is also heartache, fear, and uncertainty. This book is about finding happiness when you are given a time-limit on life. If you are looking for a deeply moving and complex contemporary romance, I recommend "Lizzie and Dante." Just be warned: you will need tissues. -Anne M

The paper palace

Miranda Cowley Heller

FICTION Cowley Heller, Miranda
Fiction

On a perfect July morning Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at "The Paper Palace"-- the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. This morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Over the next 24 hours Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn't forever changed the course of their lives. -- adapted from jacket

From the very first line, I was hooked. I felt like I was on the Cape, walking in the woods, taking a swim in the pond. Heartbreaking and heartwarming, all at the same time. It was exactly the right book at exactly the right time. -Angie

This is your mind on plants

Michael Pollan

581.6 /Pollan
Nature, Science

Of all the things humans rely on plants for-- sustenance, beauty, fragrance, flavor, fiber-- surely the most curious is our use of them is to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. Pollan dives deep into three plant drugs-- opium, caffeine, and mescaline-- and explores the cultures that have grown up around these drugs. He examines the powerful human attraction to psychoactive plants, and the equally powerful taboos with which we surround them. The result is a unique blend of history, science, memoir-- and participatory journalism. -- adapted from jacket

Absolutely fascinating read on the relationships and complications of how humans have defined, legitimized, legalized or criminalized our interactions with plants. For centuries we have relied on plants for, among other things their sustenance and nourishment. We've used them ceremoniously and of course for their mind-altering properties. In this book Pollan highlights the narrow lens and dogma of "The War on Drugs," and instead presents a more open discussion of the layered properties of plants (opium, caffeine, and mescaline) and their potential. -Victoria

Last best hope : America in crisis and renewal

George Packer

973.933 /Packer
Political, Nonfiction

2020: A ruthless pandemic, an inept and malign government response, polarizing protests, and an election marred by conspiracy theories left many citizens in despair about their country and its democratic experiment. Packer explores four narratives that now dominate American life: Free America, which imagines a nation of separate individuals and serves the interests of corporations and the wealthy; Smart America, the world view of Silicon Valley and the professional elite; Real America, the white Christian nationalism of the heartland; and Just America, which sees citizens as members of identity groups that inflict or suffer oppression. He shows that none of these narratives can sustain a democracy: we must look for a common American identity and find it in the passion for equality that Americans of diverse persuasions have held for centuries. -- adapted from jacket

If you are looking to understand the different narratives that currently make up American discourse, George Packer's "Last Best Hope" is a good primer. Although Packer boils things down to four different groups, generalizing many things, his overall point is that current divisions will not sustain our country and discusses ways to find a way forward. A short, compelling read. -Anne M

Star Wars: the Rising Storm (the High Republic).

Cavan Scott

Science Fiction

The High Republic continues, and, honestly, these books have no right being this good. They make my heart swell with their hope and purity, but the ending of this one is BRUTAL. It makes the wait for the next installment all the more difficult. -Brian

Black sun

Rebecca Roanhorse

SCIENCE FICTION Roanhorse, Rebecca
Fantasy

"A god will return when the earth and sky converge under the black sun in the holy city of Tova... The winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world. Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man's mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain. Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade"--Provided by publisher.

This is an easy one to recommend to lovers of epic fantasy. The worst thing that I can say about it is that it ends abruptly, and now I have to wait for the sequel! -Brian

Hellboy

Mignola, Mike

COMIC/Hellboy/Library v. 1
Horror, Paranormal, Science Fiction

Mike Mignola, 2008. Presents the complete adventures of the demon-turned-paranormal-investigator, Hellboy, beginning with his attempts to discover his own origins.

The Hellboy Library Editions are a comprehensive collection of the main Hellboy stories. The artwork is amazing and Hellboy is one of the most interesting "super heroes." -Mykle

Ham Helsing

Rich Moyer

jGRAPHIC NOVEL Moyer Ham
Graphic Novels, Kids

Descended from a long line of adventurers and monster hunters, a gentle pig who prefers poetry writing to catching dangerous creatures reluctantly sets out on his first assignment, to hunt a dangerous vampire.

Added by Angie

The invisible boy

Trudy Ludwig

jE Ludwig
Kids, Picture Books

Brian has always felt invisible at school, but when a new student, Justin, arrives, everything changes.

A gentle story that teaches how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish. -Angie

The last letter from your lover

Jojo Moyes

FICTION Moyes, Jojo
Fiction

More than forty years after a car accident causes Jennifer Stirling to lose her memory on the day she planned to leave her husband for a mysterious lover, journalist Ellie becomes obsessed by the story and seeks the truth in the hopes of revitalizing her career.

Netflix recently released this book as a film adaptation. As in most cases, the book was far better than the movie! Read it first before you watch! -Angie

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team

Kids, Nonfiction

I couldn't put this book down! A very thorough and accessible to all ages account of the incredible cave rescue that the whole world was captivated by. I learned a lot more about how incredibly precarious the situation was, and how truly amazing the efforts of the global rescue team of military personnel, engineers, medics, cave divers, and other volunteers were...Not to mention thirteen children with incredible resiliency and perseverance to survive through so many days of complete darkness, with no food or clean water. -Mari

We are each other's harvest : celebrating African American farmers, land, and legacy

Natalie Baszile

630.973 /Baszile
Black History, Black Lives Matter, Nonfiction

"In this impressive anthology, Natalie Baszile brings together essays, poems, photographs, quotes, conversations, and first-person stories to examine black people's connection to the American land from Emancipation to today. In the 1920s, there were over one million black farmers; today there are just 45,000. Baszile explores this crisis, through the farmers' personal experiences. In their own words, middle aged and elderly black farmers explain why they continue to farm despite systemic discrimination and land loss. The Returning Generation--young farmers, who are building upon the legacy of their ancestors, talk about the challenges they face as they seek to redress issues of food justice, food sovereignty, and reparations."--

An absolutely fascinating exploration of African American connection to land past, present and future. I loved the acknowledgment of historical truths and hopes for restorative futures in this series of essays, poems and photography. -Victoria

Your mama

NoNieqa Ramos

jE Ramos
Picture Books, Read Woke

Illustrations and easy-to-read text twist classic "your mama" jokes into a celebration of the beauty, power, and love of motherhood.

Remember all of those "your mama" jokes in the '90s? Well, all joking aside, Your Mama is awesome! -Casey

Bodies are cool

Tyler Feder

jE Feder
Picture Books, Read Woke, Diverse Characters

Illustrations and easy-to-read, rhyming text celebrate bodies of all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors, with different kinds of hair, eyes, spots, scars, and more.

Bodies Are Cool! Unashamedly all bodies positive and I am definitely here for it. -Casey

High conflict : why we get trapped and how we get out

Amanda Ripley

303.6 /Ripley
Nonfiction, Political

High conflict is what happens when discord distills into a good-versus-evil kind of feud, the kind with an us and a them. The normal rules of engagement no longer apply: we feel increasingly certain of our own superiority and, at the same time, more and more mystified by the other side. Ripley investigates how good people get captured by high conflict-- and how they break free. She interviews people who were drawn into high conflict, and shows how they found ways to rehumanize and recategorize their opponents, even as they continued to fight for what they knew was right. -- adapted from jacket

I reserved this book based on a review I read in the New York Times. It promised to be a highly readable breakdown of the driving forces behind serious conflicts--how well-meaning people get into them and how they can get out. I am learning so much from this book. I may have picked it up while thinking of the politically charged times we live in, but it has shined the light on conflict-inducing traps I didn't even know had snared me. For people who want to be freed of these snares, this book is a must-read. -Melody

World travel : an irreverent guide

Anthony Bourdain

910.202 /Bourdain
Travel

"A guide to some of the world's most fascinating places, as seen and experienced by writer, television host, and relentlessly curious traveler Anthony Bourdain"--

If you're looking to fill the indelible void Anthony Bourdain left in our hearts, this book will not do that. It will offer glimmers of him via his insightful quotes sprinkled throughout and essays by those who were close to him. At the very least it will whet your whistle to delve back into Kitchen Confidential, Parts Unknown, No Reservations and your other favorites. -Victoria

You are your best thing : vulnerability, shame resilience, and the Black experience -- an anthology

152.44 /You
Black Lives Matter, Self Help

This stark, potent collection of essays on Black shame and healing present a space to be vulnerable and affirm the fullness of Black love and Black life. They allow readers to recognize and process the trauma of sexual assault, and white supremacy and sexual assault, in order to work toward healing. Through lived experiences, we can work to dismantle oppressive systems-- of all types-- in this country. -- adapted from jacket and Introduction.

I've read much of Brené Brown's work, but I think this one is my favorites so far because it builds on her framework in a different way. These essays lay out what vulnerability, shame resilience and determination can look like in BIPOC places and spaces. By cracking open who can authentically feel and more importantly learn to thrive by being vulnerable and succeeding despite what has happened to them in the past, her contributing authors offer insight and solace for the reader. The reader can feel more resonance with the authenticity of her work in a way they may never have been able to before. As we begin to see each other on a spectrum of cultural experiences, backgrounds, social statuses, mental health and gender, we have a greater capacity to learn, empathize, communicate and share in each other's vulnerabilities. I loved this book! -Victoria

The lost soul

Olga Tokarczuk

jE Tokarczu
Picture Books

"'Once upon a time there was a man who worked very hard and very quickly, and who had left his soul far behind him long ago. In fact his life was all right without his soul--he slept, ate, worked, drove a car and even played tennis. But sometimes he felt as if the world around him were flat, as if he were moving across a smooth page in a math book that was covered in evenly spaced squares...' The Lost Soul is a deeply moving reflection on our capacity to live in peace with ourselves, to remain patient, attentive to the world. It is a story that beautifully weaves together the voice of the Nobel Prize-winning Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk and the finely detailed pen-and-ink drawings of illustrator Joanna Concejo, who together create a parallel narrative universe full of secrets, evocative of another time. Here a man has forgotten what makes his heart feel full. He moves to a house away from all that is familiar to him to wait for his soul to return. The Lost Soul is a sublime album, a rare delicacy that will delight readers young and old. 'You must find a place of your own, sit there quietly and wait for your soul.'"--

This is a stunning picture book I found in the Children's collection but this title will very possibly be enjoyed more by adults. The author reminds us that often, when we are hurrying around with our jobs, our families, and all of the countless other things on our to-do lists, our hearts move on from our souls and our souls get lost. In some ways the pandemic forced many of us to examine our priorities and what really matters in life. If there was ever a time to reconnect with our souls, that time is now! The illustrations are pensive and gorgeous and align perfectly with the moral of the story. If you like this, check out Cicada by Shaun Tan. -Victoria

We do this 'til we free us : abolitionist organizing and transforming justice

Mariame Kaba

303.372 /Kaba
Black Lives Matter, Political

"What if social transformation and liberation isn't about waiting for someone else to come along and save us? What if ordinary people have the power to collectively free ourselves? In this timely collection of essays and interviews, Mariame Kaba reflects on the deep work of abolition and transformative political struggle."--Page 4 of cover.

Seasoned activist, abolitionist, community organizer and Founder/Director of Project NIA (an organization that works to end the incarceration of children and young adults by promoting restorative and transformative justice practices,) Mariame Kaba's latest book is a collection of essays that have been described as a "pragmatic playbook" that reimagines institutionalized systems and how ordinary people can collectively implement change. In her essays she describes what it means to defund and abolish the police and how we as communities can contribute to making our spaces more equitable through strategic, collective action. In the beginning of her book she cites a quote from her father: "Everything worthwhile is done with other people". Everything she has done in her work has amplified this sentiment and I think is a truly beautiful mantra. Well worth reading! -Victoria

A little devil in America : notes in praise of Black performance

Hanif Abdurraqib

791.09 /Abdurraqib
Black Lives Matter, Black History, Music, Nonfiction

"A Little Devil in America is an urgent project that unravels all modes and methods of black performance, in this moment when black performers are coming to terms with their value, reception, and immense impact on America. With sharp insight, humor, and heart, Abdurraqib examines how black performance happens in specific moments in time and space--midcentury Paris, the moon, or a cramped living room in Columbus, Ohio. At the outset of this project, Abdurraqib became fascinated with clips of black minstrel entertainers like William Henry Lane, better known as Master Juba. Knowing there was something more complicated and deep-seated in the history and legacy of minstrelsy, Abdurraqib uncovered questions and tensions that help to reveal how black performance pervades all areas of American society. Abdurraqib's prose is entrancing and fluid as he leads us along the links in his remarkable trains of thought. A Little Devil in America considers, critiques, and praises performance in music, sports, writing, comedy, grief, games, and love"--

Looking forward to reading this one! He's a poet, essayist, and cultural critic that has been a Visiting Professor at the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program as well as taken part in past Mission Creek Festivals. -Jason

City of the plague god

Sarwat Chadda

jFICTION Chadda Sarwat
Diverse Characters, Read Woke, Fantasy

"Thirteen-year-old Sikander Aziz has to team up with the hero Gilgamesh in order to stop Nergal, the ancient god of plagues, from wiping out the population of Manhattan in this adventure based on Mesopotamian mythology"--

This is the first of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint that I have read, and I am impressed! Going back for round two with Sikander and Gilgamesh soon, as the first time around was a whirlwind. -Casey

Tom Waits

Matt Mahurin

779.2 /Mahurin
Nonfiction

"A collection of portraits of musician Tom Waits, the result of a 30-year collaboration with photographer and illustrator Matt Mahurin This book is a testament to the unique collaboration, going back three decades, between the photographer and illustrator Matt Mahurin and the musician Tom Waits. Having shot magazine portraits, album covers, and music videos of Waits, Mahurin was inspired to resurrect 100 dormant film negatives as a jumping off point to explore his own surreal, poetic, and occasionƯally dark vision. The images vary from traditional porƯtraits to ones that capture Waits in concert--but the majority are imagined scenes in which Waits is more muse than musician. In addition to the diverse images, the book includes a foreword by Waits, an essay by Mahurin on their longtime collaboration, and 20 original paintings, drawings, photographs, and digital images inspired by Waits's song titles."--Publisher's website.

An incredible illustrated foray into Wait's career. If you can't have this as a coffee table book at home, you should at least check it out and ogle it! -Victoria

Tom Waits

Matt Mahurin

779.2 /Mahurin
Black Lives Matter, Black History, Gardening, Political

"A collection of portraits of musician Tom Waits, the result of a 30-year collaboration with photographer and illustrator Matt Mahurin This book is a testament to the unique collaboration, going back three decades, between the photographer and illustrator Matt Mahurin and the musician Tom Waits. Having shot magazine portraits, album covers, and music videos of Waits, Mahurin was inspired to resurrect 100 dormant film negatives as a jumping off point to explore his own surreal, poetic, and occasionƯally dark vision. The images vary from traditional porƯtraits to ones that capture Waits in concert--but the majority are imagined scenes in which Waits is more muse than musician. In addition to the diverse images, the book includes a foreword by Waits, an essay by Mahurin on their longtime collaboration, and 20 original paintings, drawings, photographs, and digital images inspired by Waits's song titles."--Publisher's website.

This is a riveting read; with essays that document black legacies to American land linking past, present African American stewards and hopes for the future -Victoria

Whereabouts

Jhumpa Lahiri

FICTION Lahiri Jhumpa
Fiction

"A marvelous new novel from the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Lowland and Interpreter of Maladies--her first in nearly a decade. Exuberance and dread, attachment and estrangement: in this novel, Jhumpa Lahiri stretches her themes to the limit. The woman at the center wavers between stasis and movement, between the need to belong and the refusal to form lasting ties. The city she calls home, an engaging backdrop to her days, acts as a confidant: the sidewalks around her house, parks, bridges, piazzas, streets, stores, coffee bars. We follow her to the pool she frequents and to the train station that sometimes leads her to her mother, mired in a desperate solitude after her father's untimely death. In addition to colleagues at work, where she never quite feels at ease, she has girl friends, guy friends, and "him," a shadow who both consoles and unsettles her. But in the arc of a year, as one season gives way to the next, transformation awaits. One day at the sea, both overwhelmed and replenished by the sun's vital heat, her perspective will change. This is Jhumpa Lahiri's first novel she wrote in Italian and translated into English. It brims with the impulse to cross barriers. By grafting herself onto a new literary language, Lahiri has pushed herself to a new level of artistic achievement"--

It's always fascinating to me when authors learn a language and create new literary works in their new tongue. In this book Lahiri, born to Bengali parents and immersed in English as a child, moved to Italy as an adult to learn yet a third language. Whereabouts; a frameless, semi-plotless novel written in Italian and translated back to English by Lahiri is a story that follows a woman in the middle of her life's journey and, in succinct chapters describes among other things a year of her living, loving and losing. The author's language is sparse, pared down and distilled completely to only what is necessary. Her observational insights and metaphors are astute and deep. I listened to the audiobook while meandering around and while unlike anything she's written before, this is an introspective and contemplative read I would recommend. -Victoria

Watercress

Andrea Wang

jE Wang
Picture Books, Read Woke, Memoir

Embarrassed about gathering watercress from a roadside ditch, a girl learns to appreciate her Chinese heritage after learning why the plant is so important to her parents.

Inspired by Andrea Wang's upbringing in rural Ohio and illustrated by Jason Chin, Watercress is pertinent reading for all ages. Text and illustrations pair perfectly, elevating this story of hope shining through grief, and love overcoming loss, beyond solely a childhood audience. Great for sharing as a family or reading on your own. -Casey

Fugitive telemetry

Martha Wells

SCIENCE FICTION Wells Martha
Science Fiction

"When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people-who knew?) Yes, the unthinkable is about to happen: Murderbot must voluntarily speak to humans! Again! A new standalone adventure in the New York Times-bestselling, Hugo and Nebula Award winning series!"--

Yes, another Muderbot book for me to rave about! Am I ever going to be quiet about these? No. Only when all of you have given it a try! Seriously, if you're a Sci-Fi fan, you should be reading these. -Brian

Into the dark

Claudia Gray

YOUNG ADULT FICTION Star Wars
Science Fiction

"Long before the First Order, before the Empire, before even The Phantom Menace...Jedi lit the way for the galaxy in The High Republic. Padawan Reath Silas is being sent from the cosmopolitan galactic capital of Coruscant to the undeveloped frontier and he couldn't be less happy about it. He'd rather stay at the Jedi Temple, studying the archives. But when the ship he's traveling on is knocked out of hyperspace in a galactic-wide disaster, Reath finds himself at the center of the action. The Jedi and their traveling companions find refuge on what appears to be an abandoned space station. But then strange things start happening, leading the Jedi to investigate the truth behind the mysterious station, a truth that could end in tragedy..."--Amazon.com.

I have drank deep from The High Republic Kool-Aid! I liked this YA outing even more than the Adult "Light of the Jedi." I loved each and every character that was introduced. Especially Geode! Oh, my heart belongs to Geode. If the entire The High Republic initiative is going to be like this, I might not be able to handle it! There's a middle-grade novel as well, and it's calling my name... -Brian

A memory called empire

Arkady Martine

SCIENCE FICTION Martine Arkady
Science Fiction

"During a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court, Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident--or that Mahit might be next to die. Now Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion--all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret--one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life--or rescue it from annihilation"--From publisher.

I loved this engrossing and ridiculously smart science fiction novel! I was blown away by the worldbuilding! The thought and care that went into brewing up this galaxy is staggering. On top of all of that, it's a complex mystery and political thriller. I was very pleased to learn that there's a sequel for me to read. -Brian

The Tree in Me

Corinna Luyken

jE Luyken
Picture Books

Through text and illustrations of children reveling in nature, explores the various ways we as human beings are strong, creative, and connected to others. Each of us is like a tree, with roots and fruit, and an enduring link to everything else in nature.

Corinna Luyken has done it again! Author of The Book of Mistakes and My Heart, The Tree in Me is an ode to the connection and bond that inextricably links us to the natural world: how we are in nature and nature is in us. The illustrations are absolutely delightful and this is an ode to that feeling you get when you're admiring everything that is blooming around you right now. Perfect for ages 4-8, though adults will appreciate this little treasure as well! -Victoria

I sang you down from the stars

Tasha Spillett-Sumner

jE Spillett
Picture Books, Read Woke, Diverse Characters

A Native American woman describes how she loved her child before it was born and, throughout her pregnancy, gathered a bundle of gifts to welcome the newborn.

Tasha Spillet-Sumner's poetry and Michaela Goade's illustrations are a beautiful pairing not to be missed. -Casey

Broken: (in the best possible way)

Jenny Lawson

2nd Floor Shelf BIOGRAPHY/Lawson, Jenny
Humor, Self Help

As Jenny Lawson's hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken (in the best possible way), she explores her experimental treatment of transcranial magnetic stimulation with brutal honesty. But also with brutal humor: "People do different things to distract themselves during each treatment. I embroider. It feels fitting. I'm being magnetically stabbed in the head thousands of times as I'm stabbing the embroidery myself. I don't embroider the same patterns my grandmother did. I embroider girls with octopus faces, David Bowie, a flowery bouquet with FUCK YES written in the middle. They let you do anything as long as it's 'positive.'" Jenny discusses the frustration of dealing with her insurance company in "An Open Letter to My Insurance Company," which should be an anthem for anyone who has ever had to call their insurance company to try and get a claim covered. On the lighter side, she tackles such timelessly debated questions as "How do dogs know they have penises?" We see how her vacuum cleaner almost set her house on fire, how she was attacked by three bears, business ideas she wants to pitch to Shark Tank, and why she can never go back to the post office. Of course, Jenny's long-suffering husband Victor-the Ricky to Jenny's Lucille Ball-is present throughout. A treat for Jenny Lawson's already existing fans, and destined to convert new ones, Broken is a beacon of hope and a wellspring of laughter.

Thank you Jenny Lawson for another hilarious, mortifying and insightful sojourn into your wacky and entirely relatable world. Lawson hits all of the important things you may have thought about yourself but have never admitted out loud. I definitely received some suspicious looks on the bus ride home for giggling to myself- not sorry! Fallible is the new flawless y'all! Fans of David Sedaris, Allie Brosh and Samantha Irby will appreciate this one. -Victoria

A thousand ships

Natalie Haynes

eAUDIO
Literary Fiction

"This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them. In the middle of the night, Creusa wakes to find her beloved Troy engulfed in flames. Ten seemingly endless years of brutal conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans are over, and the Greeks are victorious. Over the next few hours, the only life she has ever known will turn to ash. The devastating consequences of the fall of Troy stretch from Mount Olympus to Mount Ida, from the citadel of Troy to the distant Greek islands, and across oceans and sky in between. These are the stories of the women embroiled in that legendary war and its terrible aftermath, as well as the feud and the fatal decisions that started it all"--

With the success of Madeline Miller's "Circe" and "The Song of Achilles", publishers have embraced the "reimaging ancient Greek plots" trend and I'm perfectly happy with that. I loved Natalie Haynes' "A Thousand Ships," which retells the Trojan War from the perspectives of individual female characters. Familiar personalities from Homer's epics to Aeschylus' plays appear throughout to tell their stories. From Cassandra to Clytemnestra to Penelope to the goddess Eris, "A Thousand Ships" is a rich tapestry of the war's impact on women. Haynes (podcaster for the BBC) is also a gifted narrator, so do check out the audiobook. -Anne M

Batman

DVD MOVIE SF/HORROR Batman
Action

Batman begins his protection of Gotham City. He battles against a corrupt police force, mob gangsters and the worst villain of all ... The Joker.

Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson are amazing as Batman and the Joker. Classic Danny Elfman on the music score. The perfect balance of action and comedy. -Mykle

The ethical assassin : a novel

David Liss

FICTION Liss, David
Suspense

A 2006 novel written by David Liss that revolves around Lem Atlick, a door to door encyclopedia salesman who is caught in the middle of an assassination and becomes a sole witness.

A compelling story that dives into the ethics of activism and murder after a young man meets a surprisingly pleasant assassin. -Mykle

Office space

DVD MOVIE COMEDY Office
Comedy

When white-collar peon Peter Gibbons decides he's had enough and neglects his job, he is quickly promoted to upper management.

If you've ever worked in an office, you will relate to Peter. Ron Livingston has the performance of a lifetime with help from Diedrich Bader and Jennifer Aniston. -Mykle

The promised Neverland

Kaiu Shirai

MANGA Shirai Promised
Graphic Novels

The orphans at Grace Field House lead a comfortable life under the care of "Mom," but Emma and Norman uncover a dark truth that is going to change their lives completely.

This Manga series is dark and compelling. Some brilliant orphans find out what really happens to those who get adopted and begin an escape plan. Not for the squeamish. -Mykle

Zero belly cookbook : 150+ delicious recipes to flatten your belly, turn off your fat genes, and help keep you lean for life!

David Zinczenko

641.5635 /Zinczenko
Cookbooks

Based on Zero Belly Diet, the revolutionary bestselling weight-loss plan from NBC News health and wellness contributor David Zinczenko, creator of Eat This, Not That!, Zero Belly Cookbook is a groundbreaking collection of recipes that will teach anyone how to cook beautifully, lose weight fast, and get healthier in just minutes a day.

The Asian Spring Rolls are one of the best things I've ever made. Many other good meals and delicious treats in this one. -Mykle

The silmarillion

J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien

SCIENCE FICTION Tolkien, J. R. R.
Fantasy

A number-one New York Times bestseller when it was originally published, The Silmarillion is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginative writing, a work whose origins stretch back to a time long before The Hobbit. Tolkien considered The Silmarillion his most important work, and, though it was published last and posthumously, this great collection of tales and legends clearly sets the stage for all his other writing. The story of the creation of the world and of the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels created by Feanor, most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by Morgoth, the first Dark Lord. Thereafter, the unsullied Light of Valinor lived on only in the Silmarils, but they were seized by Morgoth and set in his crown, which was guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth. The Silmarillion is the history of the rebellion of Feanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all their heroism, against the great Enemy. This second edition features a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien describing his intentions for the book, which serves as a brilliant exposition of his conception of the earlier Ages of Middle-earth.

A bit of a heavy read because it almost like a history book. However, it sets up the world of Middle Earth from its conception until the end of the third age. So many good characters and stories jammed into one book. All of the magic and intrigue that makes Lord of the Rings great with a mix of love, loss and history. -Mykle

The Mandalorian armor

K. W. Jeter

SCIENCE FICTION Star Wars Bounty
Science Fiction

He's the most feared and successful bounty hunter in the galaxy. He is Boba Fett, and even the most hardened criminals tremble at his name. Now he faces the deadliest challenge of his infamous career—an all-out war against his most dangerous enemies. As the Rebellion gathers force, Prince Xizor proposes a cunning plan to the Emperor and Darth Vader: smash the power of the Bounty Hunters Guild by turning its members against each other. Only the strongest and most ruthless will survive, and they can be used against the Rebellion. It's a job for the fiercely independent Boba Fett, who jumps at the chance to destroy his rivals. But Fett soon realizes the game is rigged, as he finds himself the target of murderous factions, criminal conspiracies, and the evil at the Empire's dark heart. Boba Fett has always finished first. And in this game, anything less is death.

This book is the first in a trilogy that explores the life of Boba Fett as he miraculously escapes his apparent demise in the film, Return of the Jedi. One of my all time favorite stories in the Star Wars universe. -Mykle

Choke

DVD MOVIE COMEDY Choke
Comedy

Sex addict Victor Mancini works at a colonial reenactment theme park. He tries to hook up with everything on two legs. He courts the love and money of complete strangers via a demented con that might just kill him. But first, Victor must save his dying, delusional mother by seducing and impregnating her comely physician, a task easier said than done. A twisted tale of dysfunction, salvation, love and libido.

From the creator of Fight Club, This movie is a wild ride. It's about a sexual addict trying to save his mother's life. Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston give great performances. -Mykle

Altered Carbon

Richard K. Morgan

SCIENCE FICTION Morgan, Richard K.
Science Fiction

Four hundred years from now mankind is strung out across a region of interstellar space inherited from an ancient civilization discovered on Mars. The colonies are linked together by the occasional sublight colony ship voyages and hyperspatial data-casting. Human consciousness is digitally freighted between the stars and downloaded into bodies as a matter of course. But some things never change. So when ex-envoy, now-convict Takeshi Kovacs has his consciousness and skills downloaded into the body of a nicotine-addicted ex-thug and presented with a catch-22 offer, he really shouldn't be surprised. Contracted by a billionaire to discover who murdered his last body, Kovacs is drawn into a terrifying conspiracy that stretches across known space and to the very top of society.

Altered Carbon is a cyber-punk murder/mystery. Set in a world where people's consciousness is stored in a removable container, it makes you question immortality and who can afford it. Filled with social commentary on sexuality, endgame capitalism, human rights, and political corruption. A++ -Mykle

Sleeping Giants

Sylvain Neuvel

SCIENCE FICTION Neuvel Sylvain
Science Fiction

"17 years ago: A girl in South Dakota falls through the earth, then wakes up dozens of feet below ground on the palm of what seems to be a giant metal hand. Today: She is a top-level physicist leading a team of people to understand exactly what that hand is, where it came from, and what it portends for humanity. A swift and spellbinding tale told almost exclusively through transcriptions of interviews conducted by a mysterious and unnamed character, this is a unique debut that describes a hunt for truth, power, and giant body parts"--

Sylvain's first book in this series is an addictive and easy read. It is written more like a journal than a traditional novel and I find it fascinating how well it works. The book makes you question humanity, society, war, and ethics. -Mykle

The Thursday murder club

Richard Osman

MYSTERY Osman Richard
Mystery

"In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. There's Red Ron, the infamous former socialist firebrand, still causing trouble; gentle Joyce, widowed, pining for another resident, but surely not as innocent as she seems; Ibrahim, a former therapist who undersands the darker side of human nature; and Elizabeth? Well, no one is quite sure who she really is, but she's definitely not a woman to underestimate. When a local developer is found dead, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. The friends might be septuagenarians, but they are cleverer than most. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before its too late?

Looking for a fun, quick read? Look no further than Richard Osman's "The Thursday Murder Club." -Anne M

The Barbizon : the hotel that set women free

Paulina Bren

305.409 /Bren
Nonfiction, History

World War I had liberated women from home and hearth, setting them on the path to political enfranchisement and gainful employment. Arriving in New York to work in the dazzling new skyscrapers, they did not want to stay in uncomfortable boarding houses; they wanted what men already had: exclusive residential hotels that catered to their needs, with daily maid service, cultural programs, workout rooms, and private dining. The Barbizon would become the most famous residential hotel of them all. Bren shows how young women arrived at the Barbizon with a suitcase, and hope, and found a chance to remake themselves however they pleased. -- adapted from jacket

What a fun book. I’ve always been fascinated by the Barbizon, and it was wonderful to read a book on its history that also is a marvelous history lesson in mid-century New York for women. The author details so many interesting women who lived in the Barbizon, most particularly the guest editors of Mademoiselle magazine over the years (like Sylvia Plath and Joan Didion). I could barely keep up with the wealth of information and all the intriguing characters and stories over the many decades of the Barbizon, and kept pausing to look more into many of them. This is as much of a page-turner as a non-fiction book can be! -Amanda

Cross of snow : a life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Nicholas A. Basbanes

BIOGRAPHY Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth
Biographies

"A biography of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his wife, Fanny Appleton Longfellow"--

Longfellow lived a life of contradictions. In some ways, he has this incredibly charmed life--graduated top of his class at Bowdoin, hired to teach languages as a college professor immediately after graduation on the condition he travel through Europe and learn those languages, and gained the position of college librarian as long as he devoted one hour a day to the library. Of course, he was an internationally beloved poet, able to retire as a professor and devote his time to his literary craft. But he also lived a life of tragedy. His first wife passed away within four years of their marriage while traveling through Europe. He recovered the loss and married the delightful Fanny Appleton, an individual in her own right that deserves a full biography. She passed away prematurely as well (in a terrifying way!). I quietly moved through this book. It was a wonderfully, calming read (aside from poor Fanny's demise). Overall, Basbanes made me appreciate how much Longfellow influenced America's literary culture in ways we can still see today. -Anne M

The four winds

Kristin Hannah

FICTION Hannah Kristin
Fiction, Historical Fiction

"Texas, 1921. A time of abundance. The Great War is over, the bounty of the land is plentiful, and America is on the brink of a new and optimistic era. But for Elsa Wolcott, deemed too old to marry in a time when marriage is a woman's only option, the future seems bleak. Until the night she meets Rafe Martinelli and decides to change the direction of her life. With her reputation in ruin, there is only one respectable choice: marriage to a man she barely knows. By 1934, the world has changed; millions are out of work and drought has devastated the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as crops fail and water dries up and the earth cracks open. Dust storms roll relentlessly across the plains. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying, including Elsa's tenuous marriage; each day is a desperate battle against nature and a fight to keep her children alive. In this uncertain and perilous time, Elsa - like so many of her neighbors - must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or leave it behind and go west, to California, in search of a better life for her family."--Provided by publisher.

An intriguing historical fiction that demonstrates the total devastation of farmland in the dust bowl, the hardships suffered by the people of the Great Plains, the poverty and disadvantages endured by migrant workers escaping the dust bowl and heading to California in the depression era of the 1930s. A lot of the political unrest and action may resonate for readers of this time as we see some parallels between the depression and our current challenges during a pandemic. -Mari

Successful aging : a neuroscientist explores the power and potential of our lives

Daniel J. Levitin

612.82 /Levitin
Health, Science

Recent studies show that our decision-making skills improve as we age, and that our happiness levels peak at age eighty-two. Levitin examines the neuroscientific evidence to challenge many of the beliefs that surround aging. He provides realistic plans for how you can make the most of your seventies, eighties, and nineties today-- no matter how old you are now. -- adapted from jacket

Even though I am physically a couple decades away from the 60+ years developmental stage this book is most applicable to, I found the research done and compiled in this book to be both fascinating and enlightening. For me some key takeaways were; 1. Always try new things for neuroplasticity, for example, new hobbies, travel to new places, try new technologies. 2. Be social, particularly intergenerational, every generation has different qualities to offer. 3 Move your bodies, preferably outside. Survival skills are engaged even on a walk around the neighborhood because of the potential for unknown variables, and it keeps your body and mind sharp. This book is full of resilience strategies and practical, cognitive enhancing tricks everyone should do as they age as well as an appreciation for what we can learn from the wisdom of older generations. -Mari

I love you, baby burrito

Angela Dominguez

jE Domingue
Picture Books, Read Woke

"From Pura Belpre honoree Angela Dominguez, Love You Baby Burrito is a modern classic picture book celebrating the act of swaddling a newborn into a baby burrito." -- Provided by publisher.

Angela Dominguez's latest book is beyond adorable. Karen G. and I were "oohing" over it when it first came in. I can't wait to share it in Book Babies soon! Anyone who's ever burritoed a baby owes this one a read. -Casey