Book Nook Cafe discussion
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library book suggestion lists~ 2022
A few more new non fiction books coming out in February 2022
---- What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma
Foo, Stephanie
Memoir
A searing memoir of reckoning and healing by acclaimed journalist Stephanie Foo, investigating the little-understood science behind complex PTSD and how it has shaped her life.
----- Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
Williams, Florence
Science
Florence Williams explores the fascinating, cutting-edge science of heartbreak while seeking creative ways to mend her own.
----- Impact: How Rocks from Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong
Brennecka, Greg
Science
A Short History of Nearly Everything meets Astrophysics for People in a Hurry in this humorous, accessible exploration of how meteorites have helped not only build our planet but steered the evolution of life and human culture.
----- A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain
Peskin, Sara Manning
Science
Riveting stories of the brain on the brink, from an acclaimed cognitive neurologist.
----- Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas
Raff, Jennifer
Science
From celebrated anthropologist Jennifer Raff comes the untold story—and fascinating mystery—of how humans migrated to the Americas.
----- Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds
Halliday, Thomas
Science
A brilliant paleobiologist’s travel guide into deep time, from the Ice Age to the first appearance of microbial life 550 million years ago, that explores life’s adaptability and fragility
----- Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Human Senses
Higgins, Jackie
Science
Perfect for fans of The Soul of an Octopus and The Genius of Birds, this remarkable book explores how we process the world around us by analyzing the incredible sensory capabilities of thirteen animals and reveals that we are not limited to merely five senses.
----- The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth
Rawlence, Ben
Science
In the tradition of Elizabeth Kolbert and Barry Lopez, a powerful, poetic and deeply absorbing account of the “lung” at the top of the world.
----- The Vaccine: Inside the Race to Conquer the Covid-19 Pandemic
Miller, Joe
Science
The dramatic story of the married scientists who founded BioNTech and developed the first vaccine against the COVID-19 pandemic.
----- From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life
Brooks, Arthur C.
Self Help
The roadmap for finding purpose, meaning, and success as we age, from bestselling author, Harvard professor, and the Atlantic’s happiness columnist Arthur Brooks.
----- The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss
O'Connor, Mary-Frances
Self Help
From grief expert and neuroscientist Mary-Frances O'Connor PhD, The Grieving Brain utilizes cutting-edge research to guide us through how our brains process love and loss-and how we can learn to heal
----- Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully.
Ohno, Apolo
Self Help
When your life takes a sudden turn into unknown territory, what do you do? Apolo Ohno was faced with that challenge when his Olympic career ended. Here he shares the Five Golden Principles he developed for building resilience, overcoming self-doubt, reinventing ourselves, and pivoting gracefully into new opportunities for success.
----- Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits
Acho, Emmanuel
Self Help
From the New York Times bestselling author of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, a call to break through our limits and say yes to a life of infinite possibility.
----- My Money My Way: Taking Back Control of Your Financial Life
Love, Kumiko
Self Help
Does fear and insecurity keep you from looking at your bank account? Is your financial anxiety holding you captive?
You don’t have to stress about money anymore. YOU can take back control.
----- The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward
Pink, Daniel H.
Self Help
From Daniel H. Pink, the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of When and Drive, a new book about the transforming power of our most misunderstood yet potentially most valuable emotion: regret.
----- The Secret to Love, Health, and Money, 5: A Masterclass
Byrne, Rhonda
Self Help
This in-depth master class from the author of the groundbreaking bestseller The Secret illustrates how to apply the law of attraction to three of life’s most important areas: relationships, health, and money.
----- The Black Agenda: Bold Solutions for a Broken System
Opoku-Agyeman, Anna Gifty
Social Science
The first book of its kind, a collection bringing together leading Black scholars and experts for a policy-oriented approach to the fight for racial justice in America.
----- Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration
Lewis-Giggetts
Social Science
A timely collection of deeply personal, uplifting, and powerful essays that celebrate the redemptive strength of Black joy—in the vein of Black Girls Rock, You Are Your Best Thing, and I Really Needed This Today.
---- The Nineties: A Book
Klosterman, Chuck
Social Science
From the New York Times bestselling author of But What if We’re Wrong, a wise and funny reckoning with the decade that gave us slacker/grunge irony about the sin of trying too hard, during the greatest shift in human consciousness of any decade in American history.
---- Off the Edge: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe Anything
Weill, Kelly
Social Science
A history of the Flat Earth movement and a look at the recent boom in conspiratorial thinking in America"--
---- The Quiet Before: On the Unexpected Origins of Radical Ideas
Beckerman, Gal
Social Science
A provocative, incisive look at the building of social movements—from the 1600s to the present day—and how current technology is undermining them.
---- Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World
Reid, Eliza
Social Science
Michelle Obama's Becoming meets Hygge in this insightful exploration of gender equity, written by the sitting First Lady of Iceland.
---- There Are No Accidents: The Deadly Rise of Injury and Disaster--Who Profits and Who Pays the Price
Singer, Jessie
Social Science
A journalist recounts the surprising history of accidents and reveals how they’ve come to define all that’s wrong with America.
---- Catch the Sparrow: A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder
Rear, Rachel
True Crime
The gripping story of a young woman's murder, unsolved for over two decades, brilliantly investigated and reconstructed by her stepsister.
---- Scoundrel: How a Convicted Murderer Persuaded the Women Who Loved Him, the Conservative Establishment, and the Courts to Set Him
Weinman, Sarah
True Crime
From the author of The Real Lolita and editor of Unspeakable Acts, the astonishing story of a murderer who conned the people around him—including conservative thinker William F. Buckley—into helping set him free.
------ A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them
Bradbury, Neil
True Crime
A fascinating tale of poisons and poisonous deeds which both educates and entertains.
----- When a Killer Calls: A Haunting Story of Murder, Criminal Profiling, and Justice in a Small Town
Douglas, John E.
True Crime
From John Douglas—the legendary FBI criminal profiler, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and inspiration for the Netflix show Mindhunter—comes a chilling journey inside the mind and crimes of Larry Gene Bell, one of the most dangerous serial killers Douglas confronted, and the desperate effort to identify and catch him.
Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver--Jill Heinerth was a thrilling book, mostly about underwater cave diving. Heinerth shares about her personal life and how she became involved in cave diving. The places she's dived are varied, including the deepest, the longest and the coldest caves. She shares bits about what made each unique, as well as told about the preparation.Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness--Alexandra Fuller is all on land, mostly in Africa, where she was raised. I liked this, a follow up to her Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood, which was entertaining but less personal.
Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler's Journey Home--Matthew Kepnes sounds promising.
Nice list, Alias. Thanks.
What a long list of tempting nonfiction. The following are ones to which i'm particularly drawn.The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval World--Shelley Puhak. Two women who ruled, fought and bound their people together. Their long-forgotten names are Brunhild and Fredegund, who were Frankish queens during the 500s.
Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West--Anne F. Hyde. This is a new-to-me exploration of tribal members who made families with fur traders and others from many other nations. Following 5 families, we see how these developed and their history in the US.
The Founders' Fortunes: How Money Shaped the Birth of America--Willard Sterne Randall. This could cause controversy, as it appears to suggest that our Founders strove as much for personal gain as freedom from England.
I'm intrigued by Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age--Dennis Duncan but am not sure i want to read an entire book on Indexes, the back of books. Maybe if he's a good story teller.
Otherlands: Journeys in Earth's Extinct Ecosystems--Thomas Halliday. This is a look at sixteen fossil sites to inform readers of the past. That part sounds good, although i'm less interested in what he'll share about today's world. The cover looks neat, though. :-)
Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World--Eliza Reid. Written by the first lady of Iceland, this Canadian transplant explains why this tiny nation is leading the charge in gender equality.
ALIAS!!!! My GR TBR list has expanded dramatically, thanks to these three lists! I will not live this long!!!
madrano wrote: "ALIAS!!!! My GR TBR list has expanded dramatically, thanks to these three lists! I will not live this long!!!
deb, I enjoyed reading what drew you to the books your selected.
What a great quote, perfectly true for me.
Originally established as a week-long celebration in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.
I thought I would share some library suggestions to celebrate Black History Month.
-----Be Free or Die: The Amazing Story of Robert Small's Escape From Slavery to Union Hero
by Cate Lineberry
The true story of how a slave, Robert Smalls, led his family and other slaves on a daring escape by piloting a stolen Confederate ship toward Union waters. When Smalls surrendered the ship to the Union Navy, they found not only artillery, ammunition, but also a codebook with valuable intelligence about mines in Charleston Harbor.
----- Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies
by Dick Gregory
Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory reflects on what he considers 100 key events in the history of black America.
key events in the history of black America.
----- First Martyr of Liberty: Crispus Attucks in American Memory
by Mitchell A. Kachun
A through study of what is known about the life of Crispus Attucks. While other victims of the 1770 Boston Massacre have been ignored, Attucks is widely celebrated as the first to die in the cause of American Freedom.
----- The Lost Eleven: The Forgotten Story of Black Americans Brutally Massacred in World War II
by Denise George
Known as the Wereth 11, these survivors of the Nazi’s Ardennes offensive found refuge in a small village in Belgium. When the Nazi authorities learned of their location, they did not take them prisoner, but subjected them to torture and execution
----Unseen: Unpublished Black History From The New York Times Photo Archive
by Darcy Eveleigh
Hundreds of images, some from the February 2016 Unpublished Black History series in The New York Times and some seen here for the first time.
------ Weeping Time: Memory and the Largest Slave Auction in American History
by Anne C. Bailey
In two rainy days in March, 1857 the largest slave auction in U.S. history took place in Savannah, Georgia. Over 400 men, women, and children were bought, sold, or traded over the course of these two days. This detailed narrative tells their stories.
----Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires
by Shomari Wills
The untold history of America’s first black millionaires, former slaves who endured incredible challenges to amass and maintain their wealth for a century from the Jacksonian period to the Roaring Twenties, self-made entrepreneurs whose unknown success mirrored that of American business heroes. Between the years of 1830 and 1927, as the last generation of blacks born into slavery was reaching maturity, a small group of smart, tenacious, and daring men and women broke new ground to attain the highest levels of financial success.
---- Blessed Life: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears and Tales From Harlem to Hollywood
by Kim Fields
Actress, director, real housewife, Kim Fields reveals her journey of self-discovery.
---- Fire: The Zora Neale Hurston Story
by Peter Bagge
In this graphic novel Bagge reconstructs Harlem Renaissance author, folklorist, and intellectual Zora Neale Hurston’s life with vivid admiration.
-----A Good Cry: What We Learn From Tears and Laughter
by Nikki Giovanni
Poet Nikki Giovanni shares her candid memories of growing up and growing older.
---- Breaking White Supremacy: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black Social Gospel
by Gary J. Dorrien
The civil rights movement lead by Martin Luther King, Jr. and other black church leaders had a profound impact on U.S. society. Dorrien explores King’s forebears, their influence on his philosophy, and how King brought their intellectual thinking into the political sphere.
-----Operation Breadbasket: An Untold Story of Civil Rights in Chicago, 1966 – 1971
by Martin Deppe
When Martin Luther King, Jr. expanded Operation Breadbasket to Chicago he chose theological seminary student Jesse Jackson to lead the program. Under Jackson’s leadership Breadbasket brought thousands of new jobs and millions in income to the black community. Deppe, a member of Operation Breadbasket’s steering committee, details those years in this history/memoir.
---- The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Clayborne Carson
Drawing on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s unpublished writings and other materials housed in the archives of Stanford University, civil rights scholar Clayborne Carson assembles a continuous first-person narrative of King's life.
--- The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X
by Les Payne and Tamara Payne
This epic new biography, which won the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction, draws on hundreds of hours of interviews, rewriting much of the known narrative.
---- Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching
by Paula J. Giddings
Giddings traces the life and legacy of nineteenth-century activist and pioneer Ida B. Wells, documenting her birth into slavery, her career as a journalist and a pioneer for civil rights and suffrage, and her determination to counter lynching.
----- Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry
by Imani Perry
A revealing portrait of playwright and activist Lorraine Hansberry, best known for A Raisin in the Sun, focusing on how she used her prominence to support the civil rights movement and confront the romantic racism of the Beat generation.
---- Thurgood Marshall: A Life in American History
by Spencer R. Crew
Through a study of the career of attorney and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who believed in the power of the law to change society, Crew introduces readers to the constant and multifarious battles for equity faced by Black Americans.
---- Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"
by Zora Neale Hurston
Barracoon is a long unpublished work by Hurston that illuminates the horror and injustices of slavery through the true story of one of the last known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade, Cudjo Lewis, who was abducted from Africa on the last "Black Cargo" ship to arrive in the United States.
---- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
by Michelle Alexander
In a bestselling work of nonfiction, Alexander argues that the War on Drugs and policies that deny convicted felons equal access to employment, housing, education, and public benefits create a permanent under-caste based largely on race.
----Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
by Ibram X. Kendi
This history of anti-Black racism focuses on the lives of five major players in American history and highlights the debates that took place between assimilationists and segregationists, and between racists and anti-racists.
----- The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
by Isabel Wilkerson
An epic history covering the period from the end of World War I through the 1970s chronicles the decades-long migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West through the stories of three individuals and their families.
As it happened, i saved a short bio sent out by Mystic Stamp Company on Carter Woodson's birthday in December. Two paragraphs i noted were the following:Woodson also felt that black history had been ignored or incorrectly represented by scholars around the world. He made it his goal to research their history and established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History on September 9, 1915. His stated goal was “to treat the records scientifically and to publish the findings of the world” to avoid “the awful fate of becoming a negligible factor in the thought of the world.” Woodson published books on African American education, migration, religion, and history.
In 1926, Woodson staged Negro History during the second week in February, marking the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Woodson said “It is not so much a Negro History Week as it is a History Week. We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in History. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hatred and religious prejudice.”
Woodson published books on African American education, migration, religion, and history.
Great list! Alias, it would almost be easier to list the books which didn't appeal to me from the Black History books list. First i'll mention the one i've already read, Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"--Zora Neale Hurston. One reason it took so long for this book to be published is because Hurston wouldn't compromise on "translating" the former slave's words into standard English. The story is still instructive, nonetheless.Hurston wrote her own story in Dust tracks on the road, which wasn't as lively as her novels. The above-mentioned Fire!!: The Zora Neale Hurston Story sounds more vibrant, given it is a graphic novel from Peter Bagge.
I began but ran out of borrowing time, Michelle Alexander's The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. I meant to get back to it but have not yet. Perhaps i'll add it to my DL, since i never completed creating it, either. What i read by Alexander was informative and sad.
While i'm at it, i'm adding The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration to that list. It's another "i'm a'gonna" books, which i know Alias & others here read together some years ago. It is award winning & has been referenced in a number of books i've read.
Deb, from the list I've read, enjoyed and can recommend: The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X
Well researched book.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America This is around 600 pages
I read Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Which is the shorter version at around 300 pages. I gave it 4/5 stars. At the time I didn't realize there were two editions.
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Simply, this is a must read book by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Once you get the structure of the book, you won't be disappointed.
Thank you for the list of books you've read & recommend, Alias. I recalled the first & last one listed from comments you made about them at the time.
I read Barracoon. Very good and informative.
Barbara wrote: "I read Barracoon. Very good and informative."True. When it was published recently, i read some of the news about it. One thing i learned is that Cudjo Lewis was not actually the last cargo from the ship. After Hurston wrote the book, she learned there was a woman not far from Lewis, who also survived. It's a shame she didn't gt her story, too. I cannot recall if anyone else wrote that woman's story or not. Just thought i'd share that. :-)
------ The How: Notes on the Great Work of Meeting Yourself
by Yrsa Daley-Ward
What it's about: reacquainting yourself with your truest aspirations and desires to develop a stronger sense of who you are.
Read it for: the lyrical writing; accessible and engaging exercises to help filter out the external influences standing between you and your truest self.
About the author: PEN/Ackerley Prize-winning poet Yrsa Daley-Ward is best known for her poetry collection Bone, her memoir The Terrible, and her collaboration with Beyoncé on the album Black is King.
------ Surrounded by Setbacks: Turning Obstacles into Success (When Everything Goes to Hell)
by Thomas Erikson
What's inside: practical and approachable advice for how to be resilient when things go wrong, based in the DISC (dominance, inspiration, stability, compliance) behavior framework.
Don't miss: the discussion of discomfort as a motivating force rather than something to be avoided.
Reviewers say: "Readers will be drawn in by the conversational style and actionable measures for success" (Booklist).
----- On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times
by Michael Ignatieff
What it is: an inspiring and thought-provoking exploration of how notable people have found meaning and solace during times of hardship and what we can learn from their stories.
Featuring: Roman statesmen Cicero and Marcus Aurelius; philosphers David Hume and Michel de Montaigne; religious figures Job and the apostle Paul; sociologist Max Weber; Holocaust survivor Primo Levi; and hospice movement pioneer Cicely Saunders.
High praise: "An inspiration for those in need of words to carry on with life" (Kirkus Reviews).
------ Life, I Swear: Intimate Stories from Black Women on Identity, Healing, and Self-Trust
by Chloe Dulce Louvouezo; foreword by Elaine Welteroth
What it's about: Inspired by the podcast of the same name, this candid collection of essays and interviews relates the personal stories of Black women and reflects on the lessons in each that can move and inspire us all.
Topics include: divorce, mental illness, miscarriage, spiritual practices, and healing from trauma.
For fans of: Unashamed by Leah Vernon; More than Enough by Elaine Welteroth.
----- The Sleep Fix: Practical, Proven, and Surprising Solutions for Insomnia, Snoring, Shift Work...
by Diane Macedo
What it is: an informative guide to better sleep, full of science-based tips and relatable anecdotes about the struggles of sleep disruption.
Tips include: finding the right sheets, tricks for correcting sleeping positions, and ways to assess your sleep quality at home.
About the author: Diane Macedo is an ABC News correspondent and self-described former insomniac who co-hosts the shows World News Now and America This Morning.
----- The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again
by Catherine Price
What it's about: the importance of fun and play for everyone and how embracing fun can improve your relationships and emotional well-being.
Why you should read it: despite the seeming "lightness" of the topic, the observations within are based in thorough scientific research.
About the author: Journalist Catherine Price has appeared in The New York Times, The Best American Science Writing, and Popular Science. Her previous books include Vitamania and How to Break Up with Your Phone.
----- Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World
by Eve Rodsky
What it is: an engaging and inspiring guide to rediscovering your inner self and carving out time and space to be authentically you.
Wait, unicorns? "Unicorn space" is what author Eve Rodsky calls a block of time and dedicated place to foster your creativity and self-expression free from outside influences.
Who it's for: Although Rodsky makes a point to center the social demands placed on women, anyone who feels defined by external obligations and roles such as parent or partner will benefit from the reflections and advice here.
----- Stacked: Your Super-Serious Guide to Modern Money Management
by Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken
What it is: modern money management advice that anyone benefit from, inspired by the award-winning personal finance podcast Stacking Benjamins.
Is it for you? Stacked has an irreverent tone (including quirky chapter titles and jokey cartoons) and the lighthearted handling of a serious topic might not appeal to all readers.
Don't miss: the cheeky yet wise interjections from author Joe Saul-Sehy's mother sprinkled throughout.
------ Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life that Matters to You
by Terri Trespicio
What it is: an impassioned and enlightening call to reassess the influence of social forces on your ideas about the meaning of success and self-worth, inspired by author Terri Trespicio's TEDx Talk "Stop Searching for Your Passion."
Read it for: the warmth, candor, and relatability that TED Talks are known for, which makes for an engaging and inspiring read.
Advice includes: disregard "bucket lists," learn to embrace the power of boredom, and don't be afraid to break commitments on your time and energy if they stop working for you.
----- Out of Office: The Big Problem and the Bigger Promise of Working from Home
by Charlie Warzel and Anne Helen Petersen
What it's about: the changing nature of remote work, with analysis of the new ways that workers and employers are looking at productivity, profitability, and career satisfaction.
About the authors: Charlie Warzel writes the "Galaxy Brain" column for The New York Times and Anne Helen Petersen, whose work has appeared in The Atlantic and Wired, writes a Substack newsletter called Culture Study.
Topics include: the increase in worker self-advocacy since the pandemic began; the importance of inclusivity and accessibility; concessions that employers should prepare themselves to make in the era of "The Great Resignation."
----- The Paris Apartment: A Novel
by Lucy Foley
“Foley hits it out of the ballpark with this solid thriller set in a Paris apartment building. Jess goes looking for her brother, but finds only the smell of bleach and a broken St. Christopher medal lodged in the floorboards. Written in short chapters with multiple points of view and delicious secrets dropped along the way, this gripping, wild ride is impossible to put down. If you like Liane Moriarty or Ruth Ware, pick this one up.”
Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, Baltimore, MD
NoveList read-alike: Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
------ Black Cake: A Novel
by Charmaine Wilkerson
“In this extraordinary debut, two estranged siblings must reunite on the occasion of their mother’s death, opening old wounds and exposing long held secrets. The novel is a rich, woven tapestry of cultures, characters, traditions, and social issues, with several “wow” moments along the way. For fans of The Vanishing Half and Ask Again, Yes.”
Ronni Krasnow, New York Public Library, New York, NY
NoveList read-alike: These Ghosts are Family by Maisy Card
------ The Christie Affair: A Novel
by Nina de Gramont
“An intriguing take on Agatha Christie’s famous 11-day disappearance. In a Christie-esque subplot, Nan manipulates Agatha’s husband to leave her so that Nan can step in, but her plans go further. Interspersed in the story is Nan’s retelling of her own tragic background, and as it unfolds, her true objective comes to light. For fans of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie and The Guest Book.”
Maribeth Fisher, Scotch Plains Public Library, Scotch Plains, NJ
NoveList read-alike: A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
------ Count Your Lucky Stars: A Novel
by Alexandria Bellefleur
“Two women get a second chance at romance. Margot and Liv shared a bond and one steamy week back in high school, and ten years later they become roommates by chance. This time, they're not letting one another go again. For fans of Honey Girl and Boyfriend Material.”
Danielle Hansard, Westland Public Library, Westland, MI
NoveList read-alike: The Shaadi Set-up by Lillie Vale
----- Delilah Green Doesn't Care
by Ashley Herring Blake
“As a teen, Delilah felt ostracized after her father died. When she reluctantly returns to her hometown for her stepsister’s wedding, she meets Claire, one of a group of girls who Mean Girled her in high school. An absolute delight of a queer romance, women’s fiction with insta-attraction, forced proximity, family drama, and cute kid moments. For fans of Something to Talk About and Red, White, & Royal Blue.”
Laura Eckert, Clermont County Public Library, Milford, OH
NoveList read-alike: Payback's a Witch by Lana Harper
----- Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead: A Mystery
by Elle Cosimano
“The second Finlay Donovan installment is just as funny, charming, and over-the-top as the first. Finlay is still a lovable hot mess and her love life hasn't gotten easier. While it's definitely a mystery with some dead bodies, the humor and giant heart of this series prevail. For fans of Janet Evanovich and Sarah Strohmeyer.”
Rebecca Swanson, Fitchburg Public Library, Fitchburg, WI
NoveList read-alike: Spellman Files series by Lisa Lutz
----- Good Girl Complex
by Elle Kennedy
“Mackenzie decamps to a coastal college to fulfill a promise to attend school, even though she’s a successful business owner. Little does she know her boyfriend has already ruffled feathers in town, and local bad boy Cooper plans to break Mac's heart in revenge. A perfect balance between steamy and adorable; give this new adult romance to readers of Anna Todd.”
Serita Patel, MCMLS-South Regional Library, The Woodlands, TX
NoveList read-alike: The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
----- Not the Witch You Wed
by April Asher
“Violet is perfectly happy being the triplet without magical powers. However, since reconnecting with high school heartbreaker and wolf shifter Lincoln Thorne, she suddenly has magic and is afraid she’ll be
forced into an arranged marriage. What’s a witch to do but to fake-date a
werewolf? A fun and light read for fans of The Ex Hex.”
Alicia Ahlvers, Henrico County Public Library, Henrico, VA
NoveList read-alike: Fairy Godmothers, Inc by Saranna DeWylde
----- The Verifiers
by Jane Pek
“Claudia Lin, a lifelong reader of mystery novels, may be getting in over her head when she decides to investigate a mysterious death connected to the online dating detective agency where she works. Well-developed characters and an engaging locked room plot make this a great pick for those who loved Arsenic and Adobo and Dial A For Aunties.”
Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign Public Library, Champaign, IL
NoveList read-alike: Skin Deep by Sung J. Woo
------ The Violin Conspiracy
by Brendan Slocumb
“The one bright spot in Ray’s rough life is his love of playing the violin that once belonged to his great-ancestor, a slave. The instrument turns out to be a Stradivarius, creating all sorts of problems. This first-rate story offers a probing look at the experience of being a Black musician in the classical music world. Great for book clubs that enjoyed Harlem Shuffle and The Queen’s Gambit.”
Joan Hipp, Florham Park Public Library, Florham Park, NJ
NoveList read-alike: Hell of a Book by Jason Mott
Alias Reader wrote: "----- Braiding sweetgrass : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants
Kimmerer, Robin Wall.."
I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of this book, narrated by the author. There's lot of elements in it: botany, myths, Life, serenity, community, responsibility, awareness, inclusion.
Alias Reader wrote: "------ Ghost map : the story of London's deadliest epidemic-- and how it changed the way we think about disease, cities, science, and the modern world
Johnson, Steven, 1968- ..."
I read this one a number of years ago. Lots of poop. LOL. Interesting, but the second half slowed down with repetitions and the final chapter was out of place, looking at the future of cities and not the history or past of an epidemic.
------ The emperor of all maladies : a biography of cancerMukherjee, Siddhartha.
I really enjoyed this book. It's easy enough to read and not depressing. Only one chapter gets technically scientific and takes awhile to get through. The author makes this journey readable and meaningful.
-------The gene : an intimate history
Mukherjee, Siddhartha, author.
I have this on my TBR list and look forward to reading it.
Alias Reader wrote: "----- Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath our Feet
by Will Hunt..."
Added! This one sounds really interesting.
I once read a book about the London Underground and is spurred my interest in the structures we build and maintain under our streets. They have a fascinating history.
Alias Reader wrote: "Advice includes: disregard "bucket lists," learn to embrace the power of boredom, and don't be afraid to break commitments on your time and energy if they stop working for you...."This is about the book Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life that Matters to You--Terri Trespicio. I used to be relieved when my husband got a job transfer because it meant i could quit volunteer work which had become a chore. I was afraid to break those commitments. This is the book i needed then!
Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead sounded only okay to me. However, when one recommending a book uses a "For Fans of..." comment, i reevaluate. I enjoyed the early Janet Evanovich book, so looked at this one again. No hesitation on reading The Verifiers--Jane Pek. It's the first in the series, too, which is fun.
Thanks for the lists, Alais. It's neat to keep up with offerings.
Petra wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "----- Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath our Feet
by Will Hunt..."
Added! This one sounds really interesting. ..."
I agree, Petra. There used to be a series, on which venue, i cannot recall, which offered looks underground major cities. I recall one from Rome, Italy, and another about Paris, France. Fascinating.
Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet--Will Hunt
Petra wrote: "Ghost map : the story of London's deadliest epidemic-- and how it changed the way we think about disease, cities, science, and the modern worldJohnson, Steven, 1968- ..."
I read this one a number of years ago. Lots of poop. LOL. ..."
Love it, Petra! I'm a fan of Things Scatalogical.
Thank you for the comments on the offerings, Petra and deb !
------ Around the World in 80 Books
by David Damrosch
What it is: a fascinating look at traveling via the written word.
What happened: With COVID-19 raging, Harvard comparative literature scholar David Damrosch took illuminating journeys through a wide variety of books, exploring their connections with each another and the world.
Books include: Marco Polo's The Travels; Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway; Orhan Pamuk’s My Name Is Red; Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart; Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis; J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings; Robert McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine.
----- A Thing of Beauty: Travels in Mythical & Modern Greece
by Peter Fiennes
What it's about: During a break in the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter Fiennes traveled around Greece, going to places related to mythology and pondering what the ancient stories and sights say to us today.
What happened: Visiting beaches, rural areas, and cities, Fiennes spoke with those he encountered (including the Oracle at Delphi) about hope, beauty, and more.
Don't miss: the evocative descriptions; myth retellings; details about Lord Byron's love of Greece (and a visit to his English home); Fiennes' thoughts about climate change; and the helpful glossary.
----- South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation
by Imani Perry
What it's about: Princeton professor Imani Perry, who was born in Alabama, traveled throughout the southern United States using the region's history and culture as a lens to view the country as a whole.
Why you might like it: Along with travel and history, South to America weaves together musings on race and place and details about Perry's family and life.
Reviewers say: a "saturated, gorgeously written, and keenly revelatory travelogue" (Booklist); "a rich and imaginative tour" (Publishers Weekly).
------ Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas
by Harley Rustad
What it's about: the life and unsolved disappearance of 35-year-old American backpacker and Instagrammer Justin Alexander Shetler, who'd traveled the world and ended up on a spiritual quest in India's remote Parvati Valley, where dozens of tourists have gone missing in recent decades.
Read this next: For another moving book that's part travelogue and part mystery, read The Adventurer's Son by Roman Dial, which details an Alaskan professor's search for his missing son in Costa Rica.
----- Every Day the River Changes: Four Weeks Down the Magdalena
by Jordan Salama
What it is: the engaging debut of Jordan Salama, who, as part of his college thesis, traveled the 950-mile Magdalena River in Colombia in 2018 and explored the river and the lives of its residents, including a canoe builder, fishermen, a traveling librarian and his donkeys, and biologists studying invasive hippopotamuses.
Reviewers say: "Both complex and achingly beautiful, this outstanding account brims with humanity" (Publishers Weekly).
For fans of: Wade Davis' Magdalena: River of Dreams, another elegant, evocative look at this fascinating river and the people who live around it.
------ Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration
by Sara Dykman
What happened: Outdoor educator and researcher Sara Dykman took a solo bicycle journey (on a bike made from old and recycled parts), from Central Mexico, through the U.S., into Canada, and back to Mexico, following the monarch butterflies on their amazing annual migration.
For fans of: butterflies; cycling; adventuresome travelogues that cover nature and science topics.
Awards buzz: Bicycling with Butterflies recently won a 2021 National Outdoor Book Award.
----- Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World
by Andrea Pitzer
The quest: In the 1590s, Dutch explorer Williams Barents attempted to find a northern route to China by sailing into uncharted Arctic waters.
The problem: The first two attempts didn't go well and the third was worse, leaving Barents and his crew icebound for months while fighting off scurvy, hunger, and polar bears.
Reviewers say: an "impressively researched history" (Publishers Weekly); "a masterful re-creation of a desperate fight for survival...a richly evocative story" (Booklist).
----- The Last Nomad: Coming of Age in the Somali Desert
by Shugri Said Salh
What it is: the evocative memoir of Shugri Said Salh, who was sent to live with her nomadic grandmother in the Somali desert for several years as a child, and who, after civil war broke out in her country, fled to Kenya as a refugee, before settling in Canada and later California.
Why you might like it: Salh movingly shares her memories of roaming the desert and acclimating to new places, and she looks at the power of poetry in nomadic culture and the treatment of girls and women in Somalia.
------ How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
by Clint Smith
What it is: an acclaimed, thoughtful travelogue detailing author Clint Smith's visits to places connected to slavery in the U.S. that includes discussions with tour guides and visitors as well as eye-opening history.
Locations include: Louisiana's Angola State Prison (including its gift shop), which is located on the site of a former plantation; Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in Virginia; Galveston, Texas, where Juneteenth began; various sites in New York City; the House of Slaves in Senegal.
About the author: Clint Smith, a staff writer for The Atlantic, is a New Orleans native, poet, and former high school teacher.
First, i address the last book listed. I read and liked Clint Smith's How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America. There were many new-to-me thoughts, as well as new information.Yet for some reason i never considered it a travelogue. Yes, he visited many places and even held interviews with guides at some of the plantations he visited. Still, it never struck me to look at the book in that way. Very Interesting that they listed it with the others.
Beyond that, oh, the temptations! The following caught my eyes:
Around the World in 80 Books--David Damrosch. While comparative literature isn't something i generally like, the span of this book intrigues me.
A Thing of Beauty: Travels in Mythical and Modern Greece--Peter Fiennes because i enjoy Greece very much and 'twas mythology that led me there in the first place.
Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World--Andrea Pitzer because i relish reading about extremely cold places from my living room. :-)
I hope you enjoy your arm chair travels, deb. :)
Cute graphic of the traveling armchair. 🙂
Thanks, Barbara. As soon as I saw it, I knew that was the one to select.
To Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World: I did a short google research and found out that the Barents sea is named after William Barents. I didn´t know that. But probably there are several explorers whose names live further in some places we don´t know.
True, Florian. As we travel, we've learned that, too. It's a neat way to learn history.
----- A Most Unusual Duke
by Susanna Allen
A royal decree: Beatrice, the very human Dowager Marchioness of Castleton, has no choice but to obey when the Prince Regent orders her to wed bear-shifter Arthur Humphries, Duke of Osborn.
Series alert: This witty paranormal Regency is the 2nd book in the Shapeshifters of the Beau Monde series, after A Wolf in Duke's Clothing.
You might also like: Kathryne Kennedy's Relics of Merlin series or Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate novels.
----- Girls Before Earls
by Anna Bennett
A mutually beneficial arrangement: Hazel Lively, headmistress of Bellehaven Academy, seeks wealthy pupils to subsidize her scholarship students, while Gabriel "Blade" Beckett, Earl of Bladenton, seeks a place for his niece, who has just been expelled from yet another school.
Or is it? Hazel's livelihood depends on maintaining a spotless reputation, which seems destined to be a casualty of Blade's charm.
Why you might like it: A slow-burn romance between sympathetic leads drives this moving Regency, which kicks off the Rogues to Lovers series.
----- Digging Up Love
by Chandra Blumberg
Starring: Alisha Blake, whose dreams of moving to Chicago and opening her own bakery are on the back burner due to family obligations; and unlucky-in-love paleontologist Quentin Harris, who visits Alisha's Illinois town after dinosaur bones are discovered in her grandparents' backyard.
Read it for: unabashedly nerdy leads, a quirky romance (with fade-to-black sex scenes), mouthwatering food descriptions, and dinosaurs.
----- Love at First Spite
by Anna E. Collins
The Plan: To punish her cheating ex-fiancé, interior designer Dani Porter purchases the vacant lot next to his home and prepares to build Spite House, the AirB&B from hell.
The Man: Dani's least favorite coworker, grumpy architect Wyatt Montego, agrees to draw up the house plans and supervise construction in exchange for her input on a project of his own.
For fans of: Emily Henry's Beach House, Sophie Sullivan's How to Love Your Neighbor.
----- How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale
by Elle Cruz
Starring: down-to-earth Filipina American cookie entrepreneur Claire Ventura and suave billionaire tech CEO Nate Noruta.
What happens: A meet-cute leads to a whirlwind romance, but can their relationship survive Nate's jet-setting lifestyle and Claire's meddling family?
For fans of: insta-love, family drama, and Cinderella stories.
----- The Love Con
by Seressia Glass
She didn't come here to make friends... As a finalist on the reality competition show Cosplay or No Way, single girl Kenya Davenport needs a partner for the couples' challenge.
She came here to win: Kenya's best shot at claiming the $100,000 prize is teaming up with her friend and business partner, Cameron Lassiter, who agrees to pose as her on-camera boyfriend.
For fans of: Olivia Dade's Spoiler Alert series, Jen DeLuca's Well Met novels.
----- The Siren of Sussex
by Mimi Matthews
What it's about: To make a splash in society, equestrienne Evelyn Maltravers needs a tailor. Enter half-Indian dressmaker Ahmad Malik, who specializes in bespoke riding habits -- and who proves to be a perfect fit for Evelyn.
Series alert: This intricately plotted Victorian romance is the 1st book in the Belles of London series.
You might also like: Evie Dunmore's League of Extraordinary Women novels, or Vanessa Riley's Rogues & Remarkable Women series.
----- Weather Girl
by Rachel Lynn Solomon
What it is: a "wildly appealing" (Booklist) rom com by the author of The Ex Talk.
What happens: TV meteorologist Ari Abrams and sports reporter Russell Barringer team up to fix their married bosses' stormy relationship, hoping that it will help their own careers.
For fans of: Christina Lauren's The Honey-Don't List, the film Set It Up.
----- The Rebel and the Rake
by Emily Sullivan
What it's about: Sylvia Sparrow's attempts to prevent an anonymous blackmailer from revealing her past are jeopardized by spy Rafe Davies, who's working undercover at the house party they're both attending.
Why you might like it: This 2nd book in the League of Scoundrels series, after A Rogue to Remember, boasts a pair of strong-willed leads with palpable chemistry, as well as a compelling mystery subplot.
Reviewers say: This debut Victorian romance "threads the needle between desire and danger without dropping a single stitch" (Booklist).
----- Fortune Favors the Duke
by Kristin Vayden
From spare to heir: After a tragic accident claims the life of his elder brother, historian Quinton "Quin" Errington becomes the new Duke of Wesley, and finds himself falling for Lady Catherine Greatheart, his late brother's betrothed.
Why you might like it: This moving 1st installment of the Cambridge Brotherhood series offers a chaste romance that unfolds at a gentle pace.
For fans of: Mary Balogh's Survivor's Club Septet.
So many books featuring royalty. Oh, my. Valentine's Day Dreams!?
Nature and Science
----- Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond
by Robin George Andrews
What it's about: A science journalist with a doctorate in volcanology explains volcanic processes while taking readers on a vividly descriptive tour of notable eruptions on Earth and elsewhere in the solar system.
You might also like: Natalie Starkey's Fire and Ice: The Volcanoes of the Solar System.
Did you know? In 2017, researchers attempted to determine how many volcano-related fatalities have occurred in the past 500 years and came up with a final tally of 278,368.
----- Atlas of the Invisible: Maps & Graphics That Will Change How You See the World
by James Cheshire
What it is: a thought-provoking and engaging atlas offering "an ode to the unseen, to a world of information that cannot be conveyed through text or numbers alone."
What's inside: colorful, eye-opening maps and infographics that chart everything from airplane turbulence and melting glaciers to happiness levels and use of bike share programs.
---- A Natural History of the Future: What the Laws of Biology Tell Us about the Destiny of the...
by Rob Dunn
The big idea: Despite our ongoing attempts to exert total control over the environment, we humans -- an unexceptional species -- are no match for the laws of nature.
Reviewers say: This "excellent primer" (Kirkus Reviews) on ecology "sketches an arresting vision of this relentless natural world" (New York Times).
About the author: Biologist Rob Dunn is the author of Never Home Alone and The Wild Life of Our Bodies.
----- Underwater Wild: My Octopus Teacher's Extraordinary World
by Craig Foster and Ross Frylinck
Welcome to: the Great African Sea Forest, a vast kelp forest located off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, whose depths filmmaker Craig Foster and diver Ross Frylink spent years exploring and documenting.
Don't miss: the many gorgeous photographs of this mysterious underwater world.
About the authors: Craig Foster is the filmmaker behind the Academy Award-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher; Ross Frylinck is a photographer and free-diver who started the Wavescape Ocean Festival.
---- The Last Winter: The Scientists, Adventurers, Journeymen, and Mavericks Trying to Save...
by Porter Fox
Contains: an immersive blend of travel writing, history, and climate science, and sobering reflections on the end of winter as we know it.
Featuring: a sprawling cast of "scientists, ranchers, adventurers, vagabonds, time travelers, hunters, and guides" who live and work in the coldest and most inhospitable places on Earth.
Further reading: Bjorn Vassnes' Kingdom of Frost; Dahr Jamail's The End of Ice.
----- The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything: Adventures in Math and Science
by Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry
What it's about: a geneticist and a mathematician explain everyday things, both big (what is time?) and small (do our dogs really love us?).
About the authors: Adam Rutherford (A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived) and Hannah Fry (Hello World) are the cohosts of the BBC Radio show The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry.
Includes: entertaining sidebars and conversational footnotes full of fascinating trivia.
----- The Everybody Ensemble: Donkeys, Essays, and Other Pandemoniums
by Amy Leach
What it is: an exuberant, wide-ranging miscellany of essays, poems, and other short pieces by Whiting Award-winning writer Amy Leach.
For fans of: Aimee Nezhukumatathil's World of Wonders, Annie Dillard's Teaching a Stone to Talk.
Want a taste? "But however current you feel, remember that everyone is as contemporary as everyone else, and as temporary."
----- A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis
by Vanessa Nakate
Introducing: Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate, one of the founders of the Rise Up Climate Movement.
The moment of truth: Getting cropped out of a photo taken at the World Economic Forum in Davos proved to be a turning point for Nakate, one of the few Black, non-European attendees.
The takeaway: Africans and other denizens of the Global South (who are disproportionally impacted by climate change) deserve to play a bigger role in shaping climate policy, which is currently dominated by white Western voices.
----- The Hunger of Crows
by Richard Chiappone
What it is: the fast-paced and action-packed story of a Phoenix waitress in hiding in small town Alaska after accidentally discovering proof of ties between an ambitious politician and a notorious billionaire.
Starring: Carla Merino, who never thought that taking a random photo from the apartment of a one-night stand would leave her running from hitmen; Gordon McKint, whose presidential aspirations could be destroyed by the photo, which shows him with a corporate criminal who stole millions in American aid money.
---- The Hidden
by Melanie Golding
How it starts: Gregor Franks is discovered in his bathtub, barely clinging to life after a traumatic head injury.
How we got here: Teacher Ruby Harper moves into the neighborhood and befriends Gregor and his partner Constance, setting off a chain of events that explore issues like mental illness, motherhood, and toxic family dynamics hiding in plain sight.
Is it for you? While full of the suspense that Melanie Golding fans have come to expect from her work, The Hidden was inspired by Celtic folklore, and features some paranormal elements that may not appeal to all thriller readers.
----- The Surrogate
by Toni Halleen
What it is: the dramatic, intricately plotted story of a Minneapolis couple who, increasingly desperate for a child, connect with a surrogate whose change of heart will change all three of their lives forever
Starring: journalist Ruth, the aspiring mother-to-be; her husband Hal, who already has children from his first marriage but will do anything to make Ruth happy; college student Cally, whose need for money keeps her from asking herself if she's really cut out to be a surrogate.
Who it's for: readers who like their suspense novels that examine personal flaws and the complexity of human relationships.
----- A Blizzard of Polar Bears
by Alice Henderson
What it's about: Scientists in the Canadian Arctic to study declining polar bear populations begin to notice increasingly suspicious acts of sabotage and theft at their research station. Forced to go deep into the wilderness to save the project, Dr. Alex Carter and her team are about to learn what lengths people will go to when motivated by greed.
Series alert: Blizzard is the second novel to feature wildlife biologist Dr. Carter, who last appeared in the Montana-set A Solitude of Wolverines.
----- A Little Bird
by Wendy James
The premise: Australian journalist Jo Sharpe is back in her small home town of Arthurville to care for her ailing (and increasingly irritable) father and start a job at the local newspaper.
The problem: Everywhere she turns, Jo sees reminders of the disappearance of her mother and sister, an unresolved mystery that some Arthurville citizens would prefer stay buried.
For fans of: slow-burning suspense, small town secrets, and stories told from multiple perspectives.
----- The Cottage
by Daniel Judson
Two years ago: Connecticut teacher Kate Burke's husband was killed in a seemingly random home invasion, something that left her with PTSD and twin daughters to raise alone.
The present: After hearing a sound outside her bedroom window one night, Kate discovers evidence of vandalism on her property the next morning. Next come the anonymous phone calls, threatening texts, and escalating signs of someone on her property who doesn't belong there.
About the author: Shamus Award-winner Daniel Judson is known for The Violet Hour, The Darkest Place, and his debut The Poisoned Rose, which kicked off the Gin Palace trilogy of novels.
----- Vanishing Edge
by Claire Kells
What it's about: green federal agent Felicity Harland must team up with prickly Navy SEAL-turned-park-ranger Rick Corrigan to discover the truth behind a camper's suspicious "accidental" death.
For fans of: dynamic duos, murder mysteries, and novels with a strong sense of place.
Reviewers say: Vanishing Edge effectively pairs "sharply drawn characters" with "striking descriptions of park scenery" (Publishers Weekly).
----- Watch Her Fall
by Erin Kelly
What it is: an intricately plotted work of psychological suspense about the elite world of professional ballet that delves into the sweat, tears, and (especially) blood behind the glamour.
Reviewers say: Watch Her Fall is a "daring" thriller featuring "an inventive ending that's both thematically and narratively satisfying" (Publishers Weekly).
You might also like: Layne Fargo's Temper, which examines similar issues in the world of theater.
----- The Hawthorne School
by Sylvie Perry
What it's about: At first, single mother Claudia is elated when her son Henry's quirky new preschool seems to improve the four-year-old's "behavioral issues". But when Henry's absent father resurfaces and begs Claudia to withdraw their son, she begins to see cracks in the school's perfect facade and must act quickly to save them both.
About the author: This is the first thriller from Sylvie Perry, whose previous work includes up-lit novels written under the pseudonym Keziah Frost.
Reviewers say: "psychological thriller fans will be curious to see what [Perry] does next" (Publishers Weekly).
----- Final Spin
by Jocko Willink
What it is: a fast-paced, gritty crime novel about life on the run and the American Dream deferred.
Starring: increasingly desperate twenty-three-year-old Johnny, who works a soul-crushing, dead-end job as a stock clerk; his disabled younger brother Arty, for whom Johnny is driven to commit a robbery; Goat, Johnny's best friend, partner in crime, and fellow fugitive.
Read it for: Johnny and Arty's unexpectedly tender relationship, which is "reminiscent of the George-and-Lenny moments in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men" (Booklist).
After that undersea volcano eruption last month, Robin George Andrews's Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond might be worth reading. I didn't realize they were as powerful as that one.Some good books listed above, Alias. Thank you.
madrano wrote: "After that undersea volcano eruption last month, Robin George Andrews's Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond might be worth reading...."Yes, that was amazing. There were shots of it from satellites !
CNN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLdZE...
Alias Reader wrote: "madrano wrote: "After that undersea volcano eruption last month, Robin George Andrews's Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Beyond might b..."Wow. Great shots of the ash cloud and tsunami.
Barbara wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "madrano wrote: "After that undersea volcano eruption last month, Robin George Andrews's Super Volcanoes: What They Reveal about Earth and the Worlds Bey..."</i>I read Greg Breining's [book:Super Volcano: The Ticking Time Bomb Beneath Yellowstone National Park about two years ago. It focused on Yellowstone and as terrifying as the past eruptions have been, I don't think it would keep me away from Yellowstone. Naples, Italy is a different matter and the recent volcanic activity there might me think twice about visiting the area. Okay for now ... but....
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/sc...
We are fortunate to live in an age where we can capture such activities from space. Wow!Interesting article, Larry. The dateline was 2018. We were there in '20 and heard nary a word about this. Now i'm curious about it. We drove around Naples both on our own and with a bus tour and nothing was mentioned.
Same European vacation, we were in Sicily. For three nights we stayed in the very hilly town of Taormina. Off season, we could afford a room which had a good but distant view of Mt. Etna. Two of the three nights, there were minor outbursts from the volcano. This had been happening the entire time we were on Sicily, about two weeks, so we weren't worried.
In my notes, i stated it was the "best TV ever!" The first night the event lasted 45 minutes and was mostly small fireballs. During the day, there was steam coming from more than one place on the top. Of course, i thought about it erupting several times but never felt fear of it. Famous last words, eh?
Incidentally, as i was in the rabbit hole of volcanos, i found this Wiki site- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decade_... . This was news to me.
------ Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom
by Carl Bernstein
What it's about: Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Carl Bernstein's experiences working as a teen copyboy and reporter for the Washington Star in the 1960s.
Read it for: an amusing and nostalgic look back at a bygone era of newspaper journalism; a clear-eyed portrait of Washington, D.C. during a time of social and political unrest.
Don't miss: Bernstein covering John F. Kennedy's inauguration and funeral; a run-in with the Beatles.
----- Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality
by Tomiko Brown-Nagin
Who it's about: trailblazing lawyer and activist Constance Baker Motley.
Why you should read it: This richly detailed biography pays insightful tribute to one of the most influential -- yet overlooked -- figures in the American civil rights movement.
Did you know? Among her many achievements, Baker Motley was the first Black woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court and the first Black woman to serve in the federal judiciary.
------ Manifesto: On Never Giving Up
by Bernardine Evaristo
What it is: Booker Prize-winning Girl, Woman, Other novelist Bernadine Evaristo's debut memoir chronicling her life and career.
Topics include: growing up working-class and mixed-race in 1960s South London; early career experiences as an actor and playwright; Evaristo's relationship with her sexuality; becoming the first Black woman and first Black Briton to win the Booker Prize.
Who it's for: readers who enjoy inspiring memoirs of finding resilience in the face of adversity.
----- Garbo
by Robert Gottlieb
What it is: a revealing and extensively researched biography of Greta Garbo, who rose above her impoverished Swedish origins to become one of Classic Hollywood's most enigmatic (and reclusive) stars.
Featuring: "A Garbo Reader," which compiles profiles, quotes, and articles about Garbo; hundreds of eye-catching photographs.
Reviewers say: "this comprehensive biography may be the final word" on Garbo (Library Journal).
------ The Death of My Father the Pope
by Obed Silva
What it's about: Mexican American immigrant Obed Silva's turbulent relationship with his abusive and alcoholic father, who died of liver failure at 48.
Is it for you? Heartwrenching yet darkly humorous, Silva's lyrical debut explores grief, generational trauma, and the complexity of familial bonds.
Try this next: For another candid look at the immigrant experience, read Children of the Land by Marcelo Castillo Hernandez.
_________ Black History Month ________
--- Madam C.J. Walker: The Making of an American Icon
by Erica L. Ball
What it is: the rags-to-riches story of beauty and hair care entrepreneur and philanthropist Madam C.J. Walker, who was born to formerly enslaved parents and became America's first self-made woman millionaire.
About the author: Historian Erica L. Ball is the Mary Jane Hewitt Department Chair in Black Studies at Occidental College.
Series alert: This concise and well-researched portrait is part of the Library of African American Biography; the most recent addition, Martin Luther King: A Religious Life, was published in November 2021.
----- King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King
by Daniel De Visé
What it is: the first full-length biography of legendary blues musician B.B. King, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel De Visé.
Why you might like it: Written in an engaging, fast-paced style, De Visé's nuanced account illuminates King's career trials and triumphs within the context of the civil rights movement.
Don't miss: interviews with King's surviving loved ones and colleagues.
----- Ida B. the Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells
by Michelle Duster
Who it's about: groundbreaking investigative journalist, activist, and NACCP co-founder Ida B. Wells.
Read it for: an accessible tribute to a civil rights icon penned by Wells' great-granddaughter, historian Michelle Duster.
For fans of: vividly illustrated biographies like Erica Armstrong Dunbar's She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman.
----- All Blood Runs Red: The Legendary Life of Eugene Bullard -- Boxer, Pilot, Soldier, Spy
by Phil Keith with Tom Clavin
Starring: the first African American fighter pilot, Eugene Bullard, a war hero whose remarkable life has been largely forgotten by history.
What he did: Bullard achieved fame as boxer "Black Sparrow," served in the French Foreign Legion during both world wars, ran a Paris nightclub during World War II that he used to spy on Germans, and much more.
Don't miss: the surprising connection Bullard's life had to Casablanca; a jaw-dropping who's who of famous figures.
----- Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest
by Ian Zack
Who it's about: influential folk musician Odetta Holmes, who became known as the "Voice of the Civil Rights Movement" after performing at the 1963 March on Washington.
Why you should read it: This thoughtful and well-researched chronicle draws from interviews and Holmes' personal papers to explore how she defied the era's racism through her music.
Reviewers say: "A much-needed biography of a crucial American artist and activist" (Booklist).
------ Cyber Mage
by Saad Z. Hossain
Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2089: Teenage hacker Marzuk Khan Rahman discovers a powerful new AI, while sword-slinging "slum sipahi" Akramon Djibrel seeks to learn the fate of the long-vanished djinn.
Crossover alert: Although this intricately plotted fusion of fantasy and cyberpunk stands on its own, it's set in the same dystopian world as the author's Djinn City and The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday.
For fans of: G. Willow Wilson's Alif the Unseen; Ernest Cline's Ready Player One.
----- Where the Drowned Girls Go
by Seanan McGuire
Welcome to: Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, an unorthodox boarding school for young people who’ve returned, often unwillingly, from journeys to fantasy realms.
Where you'll meet: Cora, who's so traumatized by her experiences that she'll do anything to forget them -- including transfer to the sinister Whitethorn Institute, the anti-magic antithesis of West's school.
Can you start here? Before embarking on this 7th book in the Wayward Children series, be sure to read Beneath the Sugar Sky (#3) and Come Tumbling Down (#5) for context.
----- Battle of the Linguist Mages
by Scotto Moore
Starring: Isobel Bailie, Queen of Sparkle Dungeon, a virtual reality MMORPG about medieval rave warriors facing off against aliens.
What happens: Selected to participate in usability testing for the game's latest installment, Isobel soon discovers that she's the one being tested, and that her success (or failure) has real-world consequences.
You might also like: Matt Ruff's 88 Names, Max Barry's Lexicon, or Catherynne M. Valente's Space Opera.
------ How High We Go in the Dark
by Sequoia Nagamatsu
What it is: an "epic and deeply intimate" (Booklist) mosaic novel that charts the devastating course of the Arctic Plague, an infectious disease that emerges from melting permafrost in 2030 and transforms society.
Read it for: realistically flawed characters, an intricate narrative structure, a bleak yet hopeful apocalyptic tale.
For fans of: David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas; Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven.
----- Daughter of the Moon Goddess
by Sue Lynn Tan
What it's about: Xingyin, daughter of the Moon Goddess and the archer Houyi, sets out on a quest to rescue her imprisoned mother that will take her to the Celestial Kingdom and into conflict with its Emperor.
Why you might like it: This coming-of-age story boasts a detailed and atmospheric setting, copious palace intrigue, action-packed battle scenes, and an angsty love triangle, all rendered in lyrical prose.
Series alert: This "luminous" (Booklist) debut is the 1st book in the Celestial Kingdom duology, which is inspired by the legend of Chang’e.
************ First Contact Stories ***********
----- Semiosis
by Sue Burke
What it is: a multigenerational saga about a group of colonists who settle on the planet Pax, which hosts a variety of sentient native flora.
Want a taste? "The war had begun long before we arrived because war was their way of life."
For fans of: episodic character-driven SF such as Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles or Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy.
------ The Three-Body Problem
by Cixin Liu; translated by Ken Liu
What it is: a sweeping, intricately plotted science fiction saga that follows the search for extraterrestrial life from China's Cultural Revolution to the present day.
Series alert: This 1st installment of the Remembrance of Earth's Past series continues with The Dark Forest and concludes with Death's End.
Did you know? This international bestseller by one of China's most acclaimed science fiction writers is the first book by an Asian author to win a Hugo Award for Best Novel.
------ Children of Time
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
What it's about: A highly evolved race of spiders clash with the last humans in the universe, who discover their planet after fleeing a dying Earth.
Sequel alert: This Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel is followed by Children of Ruin.
For fans of: Vernor Vinge's Zones of Thought series, David Brin's Uplift books.
------ Rosewater
by Tade Thompson
Welcome to: Rosewater, a doughnut-shaped Nigerian city that rings the mysterious alien biodome that has become an object of veneration since it first appeared back in 2055.
Where you'll meet: government agent Kaaro, who owes his psychic abilities to the biodome. When his fellow "sensitives" start dying, Kaaro investigates and makes some unsettling discoveries about his past -- and his future.
Book buzz: This 1st book in the Wormwood trilogy made the 2019 Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlist; check out sequels The Rosewater Insurrection and The Rosewater Redemption.
----- The Lesson
by Cadwell Turnbull
What happens: The alien Ynaa occupy St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, causing tension between the newcomers and the locals.
Why you might like it: This thought-provoking debut is at once an allegory for colonialism and a moving, character-driven first contact story.
For fans of: Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End and Tade Thompson's Rosewater.
Fascinating lists, Alias, illustrating what a wide variety of books on numerous topics are available.Elsewhere i mentioned having read Carl Bernstein's Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom, which i enjoyed very much. I'd also like to say Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest was an education about the woman, folk music and her career around the world. Ian Zack's work was a good introduction for me to the woman.
I read but still have yet to return to the Liu Cixin science fiction trilogy. It took some time for me to get in the groove of this book but i liked it quite a bit. So, what is holding me back from further reading is anyone's guess.
madrano wrote: "I read but still have yet to return to the Liu Cixin science fiction trilogy. It took some time for me to get in the groove of this book but i liked it quite a bit. So, what is holding me back from further reading is anyone's guess..."
Great trilogy. Really imaginative. 👍
When i read your comments about the trilogy, Barbara, i really thought i would get right on the rest of the series. *Alas*
----- Brown Girls
by Daphne Palasi Andreades
Starring: four young women of color identifying themselves and collectively narrating their stories as "we."
How it unfolds: in snapshots of their lives at key turning points, from their shared childhoods in the Bronx to old age.
Read it for: an intense depiction of brown girls going against the grain of stereotypes, including those within multi-racial communities. They emerge both gleaming and splintered.
For fans of: Gwendolyn Brooks' iconic poem about Black identity, We Real Cool.
------ The Fortune Men
by Nadifa Mohamed
What it is: a Booker Award shortlisted novel based on the real-life story of a Somali sailor wrongfully convicted of murder in 1950s Cardiff, Wales. Flimsy circumstantial evidence, hearsay, and racial bias combine to seal his fate as the last man hanged in Cardiff.
For readers tuned in to... current-day accounts of race-based violence perpetuated by law enforcement agencies charged with protecting and serving all -- not just some.
What to read next: The Three Death Sentences of Clarence Henderson: A Battle for Racial Justice at the Dawn of the Civil Rights Era (nonfiction).
------ Love in the Big City
by Sang Young Park
The party ends when... Young (a gay man in Seoul) must leave his 20-something club life behind after his college roomie and dedicated partner-in-crime, Jaehee (a straight woman) settles into married life.
Now what? Young, now slightly more grown up, gains acclaim as a writer, even as his loneliness and longing for love intensify.
Read it for: the English-language debut of Sang Young Park, one of Korea’s most exciting young writers, in an inspired translation by Anton Hur.
------ Tell Me How to Be
by Neel Patel
What it's about: the dilemmas of an Indian American family, told primarily from the perspective of Akasha, a gay (very closeted) son, his older brother Bijal (who has secrets of his own), and their mother Renu (now widowed, and longing for the man she loved prior to marriage).
Whose secrets will explode first? See for yourself, as this own-voices novel steers through the challenges of dreams deferred, keeping up appearances, and family dynamics -- ultimately leading to catharsis for all concerned. Critics proclaim the result as "noteworthy and memorable" (Publishers Weekly).
Spotlight on: Asian American Authors
----- The School for Good Mothers
by Jessamine Chan
What it's about: A single (typically very loving) mother falls under scrutiny by child protective services, who place her in a heartless authoritarian institution. She is assigned a robot child stand-in, whom she must care for faultlessly, while constantly repeating the mantra "I am a bad mother, but I am learning to be good."
For fans of: dystopian fiction in the vein of The Handmaid's Tale, Minority Report, and exhausted parents everywhere.
Critics say: "Chan's imaginative flourishes render the mothers' vulnerability to societal pressures and governmental whims nightmarish and palpable" (Publishers Weekly).
----- Light Years from Home
by Mike Chen
Reviewers say: "noteworthy and memorable" (Publishers Weekly).The good news: Missing for years, Jakob, finally returns to the delight of his sisters, who have become estranged in his absence. Kassie has coped by being ever-responsible and pragmatic. Evie has turned to wildly speculative alien-abduction conspiracy groups.
The bad news: Jakob is definitely... different -- and Evie might be right.
Read it for: a "vivid, strong novel" heavy on family dynamics, and "emotional consequences" (Booklist) and light on SF elements.
----- Fiona and Jane
by Jean Chen Ho
What it's about: Two Taiwanese American women, best friends since childhood, take divergent paths as time, distance, and betrayal test their once-close relationship.
Read it for: dry wit, understated prose, and a bittersweet story with central characters that defy stereotypes about successful Asian American women.
What to read next: Joan is Okay by Weike Wang, another own voices novel examining similar topics (with a dash of romantic comedy).
------ Beasts of a Little Land
by Juhea Kim
What it is: a sweeping novel encompassing 20th-century Korea, with narrative strands ranging from Japanese occupation of 1917 through WWII and the subsequent, shifting nature of colonialism.
Starring: Central female characters Jade, Luna, and Lotus who navigate turbulent waters of political unrest and love, in a novel that "shows clearly how patriarchy harms these resourceful women" (Kirkus Reviews).
For fans of: Panchinko by Min Jin Lee.
------ The Cat Who Saved Books
by Sōsuke Natsukawa
What it's about: Reclusive high-schooler Rintaro Natsuk inherits a failing family bookstore. Just as he's packing it in, an imperious talking ginger cat named Tiger demands they go on a mission to save books from unappreciative owners.
Who it's for: bibliophiles with a soft spot for tubby, bossy tabby cats, unlikely heroes, and stories that will leave you rooting for the lead characters from page one.
What to read next: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa.
I hope i don't sneeze through my reading of The Cat Who Saved Books, allergic as i am to the critter's spit, etc.. But how can i deny myself the pleasure of this Sōsuke Natsukawa novel about a used bookstore owner?Nice list, Alias, to share with us.
madrano wrote: "I hope i don't sneeze through my reading of The Cat Who Saved Books, allergic as i am to the critter's spit, etc.. But how can i deny myself the pleasure of this [author:Sōsuke Nats..."I also shared this one with my cat loving neighbor.
------ Honey Roasted
by Cleo Coyle
The buzzzz: Manhattan coffee shop manager Clare Cosi, who's started offering honey-roasted coffee and honey bakery items, investigates after she finds her elderly honey supplier in a coma after a suspicious fall from the bees' rooftop home.
Make a beeline for: honey-inspired recipes; details on honeybees and urban beekeeping; intriguing facts about New York City.
A full hive: This is the entertaining 19th entry in the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries. Fans will be happy to see Clare again (and learn how her love life is going), and newcomers will have fun too.
----- Observations by Gaslight: Stories From the World of Sherlock Holmes
by Lyndsay Faye
What it is: an entertaining collection of Sherlock Holmes stories told in epistolary form by a variety of people who encountered the great detective and Dr. Watson over the years.
Narrators include: Irene Adler, Geoffrey Lestrade, Martha Hudson, Henry Wiggins, Stanley Hopkins, and A. Davenport Lomax.
Read it for: the smart plotting, the atmospheric Victorian settings, and the Sherlockian knowledge on display.
------ The Goodbye Coast
by Joe Ide
What it is: a contemporary take on Raymond Chandler's hardboiled detective Philip Marlowe, by the award-winning author of the compelling IQ mystery novels.
What it's about: In a vividly described present-day Los Angeles, PI Marlowe takes on two missing persons cases -- but to solve them, he's going to need the help of his ex-LAPD detective dad, with whom he has a tense relationship.
Reviewers say: "the bantering father-son interplay...really gives the book its zip" (Booklist); "worthy of the great Raymond Chandler" (Kirkus Reviews).
------ The Shadows of Men
by Abir Mukherjee
India 1923: Calcutta is on the brink of a religious war between Hindus and Muslims. Tensions have Imperial Police Sergeant Suren "Surrender-Not" Banerjee on a secret assignment, one that ends with his arrest after a Hindu leader is murdered. But his British boss Captain Sam Wyndham believes in his innocence, and helps him when he escapes.
Series alert: This smartly plotted, action-packed 5th Wyndham and Banerjee book has the duo sharing narration duty for the first time. If you want to read the men's acclaimed 1st outing, pick up A Rising Man.
Want a taste? "If absolute power corrupts absolutely, then Shambu was proof that even a minor dose can prove corrosive."
------ The Maid
by Nita Prose
What happens: Though her Gran's death has left her alone in the world, socially awkward Molly Gray still has her beloved job as a maid at a posh boutique hotel. But when she finds a wealthy guest dead in his suite, it upends her orderly life and makes her the cops' prime suspect.
Reviewers say: "Captivating, charming, and heart-warming (Booklist); "Fans of fresh takes on traditional mysteries will be delighted" (Publishers Weekly).
Read this next: Audrey Keown's Murder at Hotel 1911; Elizabeth Little's Pretty as a Picture; Anne Holt's 1222.
------ Family Business
by S.J. Rozan
What it's about: Private eyes Lydia Chin and Bill Smith investigate after the death of a Chinatown tong leader leaves a power vacuum, which leads to murders, rumors of hidden treasure, and questions of whether the tong's historic building will be demolished to make way for luxury apartments.
Why you might like it: This "absolutely brilliant" (Booklist) 14th novel in an award-winning series has witty main characters, romance, and an atmospheric Chinatown setting.
For fans of: well-wrought mysteries set in New York City; Henry Chang's Detective Jack Yu mysteries.
************ Hooray for Hollywood ***********
---- Windhall
by Ava Barry
Starring: Max Hailey, an investigative journalist who's obsessed with both the 1940s murder of Hollywood starlet Eleanor Hayes and the director, Theo Langley, who Max thinks got away with the crime.
What happens: Six decades after Eleanor's murder, a young woman is found dead in similar circumstances near Windhall, Theo's abandoned Los Angeles mansion that Max has snuck into more than once. Even more obsessed now, Max digs into the past and the present to uncover the truth.
Reviewers say: a "corker of a debut" (Publishers Weekly); features "noir shadings and a haunted-house atmosphere" (Booklist).
----- Indigo: A Valentino Mystery
by Loren D. Estleman
What it's about: UCLA archivist/film detective Valentino is given a rare copy of a 1957 noir film, a movie that was never released due to the lead actor's sudden disappearance (he was presumably killed by the mob). In order to build enthusiasm for a screening, Valentino sets out to uncover what happened to the actor way back when, and runs into snags aplenty.
Series alert: This is the 6th mystery featuring the likeable detective, but newcomers, especially cinephiles, can jump right in.
Don't miss: the fascinating annotated list of books and movies that appends the novel.
------ Hollywood Homicide
by Kellye Garrett
Introducing: broke actress Dayna Anderson, who, with help from her wannabe reality star friend, decides to earn the $15,000 in reward money offered in the case of a hit-and-run death that Dayna witnessed.
For fans of: amusing mysteries and those who appreciate insider peeks at Hollywood.
Author alert: This is the award-winning debut novel by Kellye Garrett, who was a TV writer for almost a decade, including for Cold Case. Her newest book, the suspenseful Like a Sister, arrives next month.
------ Poppy Harmon and the Pillow Talk Killer
by Lee Hollis
The cast: former actress-turned-PI Poppy Harmon; her friends and business partners Iris and Violet; and Matt Flowers, an actor pretending to be the real detective since no one would hire the 60-something ladies.
The plot: A young actress receiving threats hires the team to protect her while she's shooting her latest movie in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. When a murder occurs, the method reminds Poppy of unsolved serial killings from her time as a young actress.
Series alert: This is the lighthearted 3rd entry in the cozy Desert Flowers mysteries.
------ Pretty as a Picture
by Elizabeth Little
Starring: Marissa Dahl, a talented film editor who often thinks in movie clips and needs a job after parting ways with her director best friend.
On location: Hired to work on a famous filmmaker's secretive project, Marissa leaves sunny California for a hotel on a remote island off the coast of Delaware. There, she teams up with two teen true-crime podcasters and an ex-Navy SEAL to investigate odd accidents on set, the real-life 25-year-old murder at the film's core...and a new murder.
Read it for: the character-driven story; observant, neurodivergent Marissa; and an intriguing look at filmmaking.
Alias, those are some very interesting entries to the mystery genre. I mentioned that i read The Maid--Nita Prose, which i liked. Therefore, i can endorse that suggestion.I'm not familiar with the "Desert Flower mysteries but they sound good. Rather than start with the above-listed Poppy Harmon and the Pillow Talk Killer, i'll begin with Poppy Harmon Investigates, following with Poppy Harmon and the Hung Jury, the circling around for Pillow Talk. If, that is, i enjoy the series from Lee Hollis.
Fun list.
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Here are some new non fiction books coming out in February 2022
-------- Lincoln and the Fight for Peace
Avlon, John
Biography
A groundbreaking, revelatory history of Abraham Lincoln’s plan to secure a just and lasting peace after the Civil War—a vision that inspired future presidents as well as the world’s most famous peacemakers, including Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a story of war and peace, race and reconciliation.
----- White Lies: The Double Life of Walter F. White and America's Darkest Secret
Baime, A. J.
Biography
A riveting biography of Walter White, a little-known Black civil rights leader who passed for white in order to investigate racist murders, help put the NAACP on the map, and change the racial identity of America forever.
----- The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, and What We Can Do about It
Sieghart, Mary Ann
Business
An incisive, intersectional look at the mother of all gender biases: a resistance to women's authority and power.
----- Dignity in a Digital Age: Making Tech Work for All of Us
Khanna, Ro
Business
Congressman Ro Khanna offers a revolutionary roadmap to facing America’s digital divide, offering greater economic prosperity to all. In Khanna’s vision, “just as people can move to technology, technology can move to people. People need not be compelled to move from one place to another to reap the benefits offered by technological progress” (from the foreword by Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics).
----- Price Wars: How the Commodities Markets Made Our Chaotic World
Russell, Rupert
Business
A shattering account of the destabilizing power of price, and a powerful critique of the free market philosophy that leaves the most vulnerable at the mercy of the commodities markets
----- Half Baked Harvest Every Day: Recipes for Balanced, Flexible, Feel-Good Meals
Gerard, Tieghan
Cooking
125 all-new, soul-satisfying, easy recipes with a healthy spin from the New York Times bestselling author of Half Baked Harvest Super Simple.
----- Cost of Living: Essays
Maloney, Emily
Essays
The searing intimacy of Girl, Interrupted combined with the uncomfortable truths of The Empathy Exams in a collection of essays chronicling one woman’s experiences as both patient and caregiver, giving a unique perspective from both sides of the hospital bed.
----- Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road
Buchanan, Kyle
Film
A full-speed-ahead oral history of the nearly two-decade making of the cultural phenomenon Mad Max: Fury Road—with more than 130 new interviews with key members of the cast and crew, including Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, and director George Miller, from the pop culture reporter for The New York Times, Kyle Buchanan.
----- Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy
Schwartzel, Erich
Film
An eye-opening and deeply reported narrative that details the surprising role of the movie business in the high-stakes contest between the U.S. and China
------ 52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time
Streets, Annabel
Health
52 Ways to Walk is a short, user-friendly guide to attaining the full range of benefits that walking has to offer—physical, spiritual, and emotional—backed by the latest scientific research to inspire readers to develop a fulfilling walking lifestyle.
------ Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care and How We Can Repair It
Abramson, John
Health
The inside story of how Big Pharma's relentless pursuit of ever-higher profits corrupts medical knowledge--misleading doctors, misdirecting American health care, and harming our health
----- Born of Lakes and Plains: Mixed-Descent Peoples and the Making of the American West
Hyde, Anne F.
History
A fresh history of the West grounded in the lives of mixed-descent Native families who first bridged and then collided with racial boundaries.
----- The Color of Abolition: How a Printer, a Prophet, and a Contessa Moved a Nation
Hirshman, Linda
History
The story of the fascinating, fraught alliance among Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Maria Weston Chapman--and how its breakup led to the success of America's most important social movement
----- Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy, from Willam the Conqueror to Elizabeth II
Borman, Tracy
History
On the eve of Queen Elizabeth II's historic 70th anniversary on the throne, Tracy Borman's sweeping narrative of the British monarchy illuminates one of history's most iconic and enduring legacies.
----- The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval World
Puhak, Shelley
History
The remarkable, little-known story of two trailblazing women in the Early Middle Ages who wielded immense power, only to be vilified for daring to rule.
----- The Founders' Fortunes: How Money Shaped the Birth of America
Randall, Willard Sterne
History
An illuminating financial history of the Founding Fathers, revealing how their personal finances shaped the Constitution and the new nation.
----- Index, a History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age
Duncan, Dennis
History
A playful history of the humble index and its outsized effect on our reading lives.
----- Insurgency: How Republicans Lost Their Party and Got Everything They Ever Wanted
Peters, Jeremy W.
History
How did the party of Lincoln become the party of Trump? From a Washington reporter for The New York Times comes the definitive story of the mutiny that shattered American politics.
----- Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments
Thompson, Erin L.
History
A leading expert's exploration of the past, present, and future of public monuments in America.
-----Watergate: A New History
Graff, Garrett M.
History
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Plane in the Sky, the first definitive narrative history of Watergate, exploring the full scope of the scandal through the politicians, investigators, journalists, and informants who made it the most influential political event of our modern era.
----- Eating Salad Drunk: Haikus for the Burnout Age by Comedy Greats
Henry, Gabe
Humor
A collection of hilarious haikus about modern life from comedy's biggest names, with illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Emily Flake and a foreword by Aparna Nancherla.
----- Rhyme's Rooms: The Architecture of Poetry
Leithauser, Brad
Language
From the widely acclaimed poet, novelist, critic, and scholar, a lucid and edifying exploration of the building blocks of poetry and how they’ve been used over the centuries to assemble the most imperishable poems • “Anyone wanting to learn how to remodel, restore, or build a poem from the foundation up, will find this room-by-room guide on the architecture of poetry a warm companion.” —Tomás Q. Morín, author of Machete
---- Healing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health
Insel, Thomas
Mental Health
A bold, expert, and actionable map for the re-invention of America’s broken mental health care system
----- America Second: How America's Elites Are Making China Stronger
Stone Fish, Isaac
Politics
A timely, provocative expose of our political and business leadership's deep ties to China: a network of people who believe they are doing the right thing-at a great often hidden cost to our society
----- Black American Refugee: Escaping the Narcissism of the American Dream
Drayton, Tiffanie
Memoir
After following her mother to the US at a young age to pursue economic opportunities, one woman must come to terms with the ways in which systematic racism and resultant trauma keep the American Dream inaccessible to Black people.
----- Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story, in Music Lessons
Denk, Jeremy
Memoir
A memoir that is also an immersive exploration of classical music—its power, its meaning, and what it can teach us about ourselves—from the MacArthur “Genius” Grant-winning pianist
----- Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescue Animals
Zaleski, Laurie
Memoir
An inspiring and moving memoir of the author's turbulent life with 600 rescue animals.
---- God Is a Black Woman
Cleveland, Christena
Memoir
In this timely, much-needed book, theologian, social psychologist, and activist Christena Cleveland recounts her personal journey to dismantle the cultural “whitemalegod” and uncover the Sacred Black Feminine, introducing a Black Female God who imbues us with hope, healing, and liberating presence.
----- Home/Land: A Memoir of Departure and Return
Mead, Rebecca
Memoir
A moving reflection on the complicated nature of home and homeland, and the heartache and adventure of leaving an adopted country in order to return to your native land—this is a “winsome memoir of departure and reversal…about the way a series of unknowns accrue into a life” (Jia Tolentino, author of Trick Mirror).
----- The Impossible City: A Hong Kong Memoir
Cheung, Karen
Memoir
An insider’s account of Hong Kong—from its tenacious counterculture and robust underground music scene, to its unique history of youth-led protest—that explores what it means to survive in a city of broken promises.
----- In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage
Vasquez-Lavado, Silvia
Memoir
“In climbing the Seven Summits, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado did nothing less than take back her own life—one brave step at a time. She will inspire untold numbers of souls with this story, for her victory is a win on behalf of all of us.” —Elizabeth Gilbert
----- The Last Enforcer: Outrageous Stories from the Life and Times of One of the Nba's Fiercest Competitors
Oakley, Charles
Memoir
A memoir from Charles Oakley—one of the toughest and most loyal players in NBA history—featuring unfiltered stories about the journey that basketball has taken him on and his relationships with Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, James Dolan, Donald Trump, George Floyd, and so many others.
----- Lift Your Voice: How My Nephew George Floyd's Murder Changed the World
Harrelson, Angela
Memoir
Angela Harrelson, George Floyd’s aunt and closest relative, tells the behind-the-scenes story of George’s family—how he lived and why he died—and how the world can find a solution to racism through his death.
---- My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety
Pritchett, Georgia
Memoir
Jenny Lawson meets Nora Ephron in this joyful memoir-in-vignettes on living—and thriving—with anxiety from a multiple Emmy Award-winning comedy writer whose credits include Succession and Veep.
----- The Other Side of Yet: Finding Light in the Midst of Darkness
Hord, Michelle D.
Memoir
A raw and powerful memoir about how resilience, hope, and defiant faith can lead to powerful transformation even in the midst of our darkest hours.
---- The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo
Hongo, Garrett
Memoir
A poet’s audio obsession, from collecting his earliest vinyl to his quest for the ideal vacuum tubes. A captivating book that “ingeniously mixes personal memoir with cultural history and offers us an indispensable guide for the search of acoustic truth” (Yunte Huang, author of Charlie Chan).
---- The President's Man: The Memoirs of Nixon's Trusted Aide
Chapin, Dwight
Memoir
In time for the 50th anniversary of President Nixon’s epic trips to China and Russia, as well as his incredible Watergate downfall, the man who was at his side for a decade as his aide and White House Deputy takes readers inside the life and administration of Richard Nixon.
----- Sentence: Ten Years and a Thousand Books in Prison
Genis, Daniel
Memoir
A memoir of a decade in prison by a well-educated young addict known as the “Apologetic Bandit”