Author Archives: Saidah

Louise Glück wins the Nobel Prize in Literature 2020

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Louise Glück is today considered one of the most accomplished contemporary poets in the world. She is lauded for her ability to mold experiences of isolation and darkness into aesthetic gold. This year, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (2020) “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal.” She also won a Pulitzer Prize for her poem The Wild Iris; and has earned numerous other prizes and high praise for her poetry, short fiction, and essays. Glück is currently writer-in-residence at Yale University and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You can find some of her following poetry collections in BARD.

Poems 1962-2012 by Louise Glück. DB 79850
Compilation of collections of poetry previously published by a former Poet Laureate of the United States. Individual collections’ varied themes include nature, beginnings, and death. Contains Wild Iris, winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. 2012

The Wild Iris by Louise Glück. DB 37600
This collection contains a series of “Matins” and “Vespers,” in which the poet appears to address God directly in lines such as “You must see it is useless to us, this silence that promotes belief you must be all things.” Gluck uses another voice to communicate with her husband about the garden they tend together one summer. And in some poems, she questions human nature, including her own. 1992.

Meadowlands by Louise Glück. DB 43058
A collection of poems that interweaves vignettes from The Odyssey with the story of a dissolving modern marriage. Uses Homer’s characters metaphorically to portray aspects of contemporary family life. Meditates on compulsion and choice and on freedom and restraint.

The Triumph of Achilles by Louise Glück. BR 06473 (1 volume of hard-copy braille)
Collection of eloquent and fiercely honest poems that deal with death, life, loss, and the sense of doom at the borders of erotic experience.

Beloved African American Novelist Ernest J. Gaines dies at 86

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Author Earnest J. Gaines passed away on Tuesday, November 6th at his home in Louisiana. He was the author of many novels, the most famous being The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. He won the National Book Critics Award in 1993 for his novel A Lesson Before Dying.

Gaines’ work portrays the struggles and experiences of African Americans in the United States from slavery-times to the civil rights era. Gaines received many awards “including a Guggenheim Fellowship and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. He was named a MacArthur Fellow — the coveted ‘genius grant’– in 1993. President Bill Clinton awarded Gaines the National Humanities Medal in 2000. In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of Arts” reports NPR. Ernest J. Gaines work is available for download on BARD.

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN   DB 64730

A Louisiana ex-slave recounts her life from the end of the Civil War to the mid-twentieth-century civil rights movement. Also includes a speech by Sojourner Truth, a short story by Pearl S. Buck, and related memoirs, poems, and essays. Some strong language. 1971.

A GATHERING OF OLD MEN         DB 27290

When a black man kills and shoots a Cajun farmer in rural Louisiana, a young white woman rallies the other black men in the area to his defense. The “gathering of old men” face the local sheriff–each with an identical shotgun, each claiming to be guilty. Meanwhile, across town the youngest brother of the murdered man argues with his father against organizing a lynch mob to take revenge against the old men. Some strong language. For junior and senior high and older readers.

IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE                 DB 12116

In a small, rural, black community in the deep South, a confrontation occurs between the Reverend Phillip Martin, an important civil rights leader, and a callow, young, unkempt stranger, who brutally exposes the minister’s buried past. Some strong language.

A LESSON BEFORE DYING              DB 36694

Bayonne, Louisiana, 1948. A young, naive black man has been sentenced to death for the murder of a white man–a murder that he did not commit. His attorney argues that he is too stupid to plan a crime. “Why, I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair…” Galled by this defense, Jefferson’s godmother, Miss Emma, turns to Grant, the plantation schoolteacher, to teach Jefferson to die like a man. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.

THE TRAGEDY OF BRADY SIMS    DB 89128

Brady Sims pulls out a gun in a courtroom and shoots his own son, who has just been convicted of robbery and murder. A cub reporter learns that Sims had been tasked with keeping the black children of Bayonne, Louisiana, in line to protect them from the unjust world. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

After a year of suspense, the Swedish Academy announces Olga Tokarczuk is the 2018 Nobel Prize for Literature

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Olga Tokarczuk, the 57-year-old Polish writer had already received the 2017 Man Booker International prize for her collection of short stories Flights, and in a surprise announcement, on October 10th, 2019, The Swedish Academy reported it was awarding her with the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature. The 2018 Nobel Prize announcement was postponed by a year due to jury-related scandals, and now they have ended the delay by selecting an awardee that was unexpected to some and pleasing to others. Olga Tokarczuk is a feminist, wears dreadlocks, and is an engaged political activist “who does not shy away from criticizing Poland’s right-wing government” says the BBC in their profile of the author. We have two of Olga’s books available for download on BARD:

FLIGHTS by Olga Tokarczuk          DB 92242

An award-winning collection of short stories. A Dutch anatomist dissects himself. A woman returns home in order to poison her dying high school sweetheart. A man goes mad after his family disappears and reappears. Translated from the 2017 Polish edition. Some strong language, some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. Man Booker Prize. Bestseller. 2017.

DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD by Olga Tokarczuk    DB 96156

Living in a remote Polish village, Janina has developed a reputation as a crank and recluse. When a neighbor turns up dead and other bodies are discovered in strange circumstances, Janina inserts herself into the investigation. Translated from the 2009 Polish edition. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018. Translated to English by Antonia Lloyd-Jones

Get Spooky, the Texas Way!

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October is here! Halloween is right around the corner and this time of year we start getting calls from patrons asking for spooky tales, ghost stories, and witchy legends. In case you didn’t know, one great subcategory of these types of books is what we like to call ‘spooky tales of the Loan Star State’ and we have those available to borrow. So how about this year you get in the spooky spirit with one of these books about haunted Texas.

GHOSTS ALONG THE TEXAS COAST  by Docia Schultz Williams   DBC14328

Accounts of strange occurrences and unexplainable presences in the Texas coastal area. Violence.

SPIRITS OF SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH TEXAS WILLIAMS by Docia Schultz Williams DBC14314

Steeped in history and tradition, San Antonio has numerous buildings and locations that, many claim, are also home to ghosts. Accounts of these haunts are given here.

PHANTOMS OF THE PLAINS: TALES OF WEST TEXAS GHOSTS by Docia Schultz Williams.  DBC14342

Stories of ghostly encounters on the Texas plains, including accounts of early settlers and Indians and reports of ghosts and hauntings connected with the old West Texas forts.

HAUNTED TEXAS: FAMOUS PHANTOMS, SINISTER SITES, AND LINGERING LEGENDS by Scott Allen Williams  DT07757

Texas history buffs and travelers have an eerie need for this book, which offers an unusual twist to seeing the sights in the Lone Star state. Organized by region–Gulf Coast, Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, Central Texas, North Texas, and West Texas–this book is the complete guide for both hardcore ghost hunters and more earthly tourists seeking to add some spirited fun to their travels. 2017. (Book in process. Coming soon)

GHOST STORIES OF OLD TEXAS by Zinita Fowler    DBC12016  

The author, a longtime schoolteacher and librarian, has collected twenty-seven ghost stories for the young reader and the young at heart. Among the stories are “Revenge of the Ghost Buffalo,” “The Ghost Rider of Stampede Mesa,” and “The Mal Ojo” (or Evil Eye). For grades 6-9. 1983.


GHOST STORIES OF OLD TEXAS II  by Zinita Fowler  DBC14332

In 1983 when Zinita Fowler began telling the ghost stories from her first collection, her listeners would often relate tales that she had not previously heard. Those stories formed the core of this second volume of folktales that are genuinely part of the Texas heritage.


GHOST STORIES OF OLD TEXAS III by Zinita Fowler  DBC12058

A collection of eighteen ghostly tales illustrating the cultural heritage of Texas. Includes ‘The phantom light of Old Ford Stockton, ‘Uninvited guests at the Governor’s Mansion, and ‘Haunted bridges’.

New Braille Books Added in July 2019

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Adult Fiction

BT 3959                 ENDER’S GAME                 CARD, ORSON SCOTT     

In a future Earth engaged in an interstellar war against insectoid aliens. Ender Wiggins is chosen at the age of six to be trained as the military genius who will carry his people to victory. Along with his brother Peter and his sister Valentine, he not only brings the conflict to an end, but also affects the evolution of human society. Contracted UEB Braille.               

Juvenile Fiction

BT 3961                 GRAVE SECRETS                 MCNICOLL, SYLVIA          

Nicholas has just moved into a new home when strange things begin to happen. There’s the pungent smell of chlorine, the scribbled writing on the wall, the ghostly image of a little boy crying for help, and an old woman who calls him Sasha and seems pre-occupied with the graveyard that borders their home. Nicholas is drawn to this woman and becomes terribly concerned when he learns that the neighborhood bullies are planning to break into her house. Unrated. For grades 4-7. 1999. Contracted Braille in UEB.

BT 3965                 PRINCESS DIARIES            CABOT, MEG     

Fourteen-year-old Mia keeps a diary of her problems – she’s too tall and flat, she’s flunking algebra, and her mom is dating her teacher. But then her dad arrives from Europe to announce that Mia is really a princess and the heir to his throne. For junior and senior high readers. Contracted Braille in UEB.      

BT 3966                 LOVE LETTERS            CORET, HARRIETTE 

Alice has only met the sailor once, but he could be the love of her life. Now Randy is back at sea, and if Alice doesn’t answer his letters, she’ll risk losing him forever. But Alice can’t write back – except with the help of “another man”…For junior and senior high readers. Unrated.  Contracted Braille in UEB.   

BT 3973                 HUNGER GAMES              COLLINS, SUZANNE        

In a future North America, Panem’s rulers maintain control through a televised survival competition pitting teens from twelve districts in a fight to the death. Sixteen-year-olds Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are this year’s girl and boy contestants from District Twelve. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers.  Unified English Braille code. Contracted braille.          

Juvenile Non-Fiction

BT 3970                 TREASURY OF CHRISTMAS TALES                              

The spirit of Christmas in all its facets comes to life in this book, which contains old favorites and new ones, too. This is a book for the whole family, and it can be enjoyed every Christmas season for years to come. Just glance at the list of stories it contains, and you’ll know it’s the book for you! It’s bound to become a Christmas tradition for you, just as it has for us. Unrated. 1994. Contains: A Christmas carol — The wishing star — The little match girl — The Christmas mouse — Jingle bells — The magic toy shop — The littlest angel — The twelve days of Christmas — The Christmas bear — ‘Twas the night before Christmas — The nutcracker — Santa Claus is coming to town — The tiny elf — O Christmas tree — The elves and the shoemaker — The little drummer boy — Christmas carols — The happy snowman — Rudolph’s adventure. Contracted Braille in UEB.     

Young Adult Fiction

BT 3960                 ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS        ROGERSON, MARGARET

Isobel, a mortal prodigy artist, paints portraits for her dangerous clients, the immortal fair folk. When Rook, the autumn prince, comes to her to have his portrait done, she makes a terrible mistake and must stand on trial for her crime. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2017. Contracted Braille in UEB.           

BT 3964                 FAR FROM THE TREE       BENWAY, ROBIN              

While struggling with the emotional challenges of giving up her newborn for adoption, sixteen-year-old Grace begins her own search for her birth mother. Instead, she finds she has two siblings–Maya, her chatterbox younger sister, and Joaquin, her stoic older brother. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2017. Contracted Braille in UEB               

BT 3962                 DEAR MARTIN       STONE, NIC   

Top of his class at a prestigious school, seventeen-year-old Justyce encounters the harsh reality of racial profiling after a police officer puts him in handcuffs. Shaken and upset, Justyce starts a journal to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. searching for answers. Unrated. For senior high and older readers. 2017. Contracted Braille in UEB.              

BT 3963                 EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING          YOON, NICOLA 

Madeline has severe combined immunodeficiency and is literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she and neighbor Olly begin a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. For senior high and older readers. 2015. Contracted Braille in UEB.           

BT 3969                 SILVER SHADOWS            MEAD, RICHELLE              

In the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, alchemist Sydney and vampire Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. Sequel to The Fiery Heart (DB 77812). Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2014. Contracted Braille in UEB.      

BT 3967                 THIRTEEN REASONS WHY              ASHER, JAY         

**Alternative title: Th1rteen r3asons why**  Clay Jensen receives a box of audiocassettes in the mail with no return address. Hannah Baker–a girl he barely knew but secretly liked, who committed suicide–recorded a final message for thirteen people to listen to and then pass on to the next person. For senior high readers. 2007. Contracted Braille in UEB.     

BT 3971                 GENUINE FRAUD              LOCKHART, E.    

Imogen is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat. Jule is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete. Best friends Imogen and Jule will do almost anything to attain a happy, wealthy life. Violence and strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2017. Contracted Braille in UEB.  

BT 3968                 LOOKING FOR ALASKA   GREEN, JOHN   

Entering boarding school in Alabama, sixteen-year-old Miles “Pudge” Halter encounters new experiences: challenging classes, extreme pranks, and Alaska Young, a moody, sexy girl whose death in a car crash might be a suicide. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. For senior high readers. Printz Award. 2005. Contracted Braille in UEB. 

BT 3972                 INDIGO SPELL    MEAD, RICHELLE              

After Sydney tracks down former alchemist Marcus, she questions her own loyalty to the group and acknowledges her increasing powers. Meanwhile, an evil magic user is targeting young witches. Sequel to The Golden Lily (DB 76175). Some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2013. Unified English Braille code. Contracted braille.  

New Large Print Books Added in July 2019

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Adult Fiction

LB 11356    BEFORE WE WERE WICKED          DICKEY, ERIC JEROME    

While out on an enforcement job for his boss, Ken Swift meets Jimi Lee and falls immediately in lust. He hurts people to pay for college and she`s Harvard-bound, but they can`t resist the chemistry between them. When Jimi Lee becomes pregnant all bets are off. Unrated. 2019. 513 pages.     

LB 11353    ALICE NETWORK               QUINN, KATE

Pregnant and unmarried Charlotte St. Clair escapes the sharp eye of her mother in London to track down her cousin Rose, who went missing during the war. She finds Eve Gardiner, a former spy. A name Charlie utters resurrects Eve’s memories of the past. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2017. 703 pages.

LB 11354    ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN                SEE, LISA             

Mi-ja and Young-sook are best friends, even though their backgrounds are markedly different. When they come of age, they join their village`s all-female diving collective, which is run by Young-sook`s mother. However, Mi-ja`s parentage marks her for scorn and drives the friends apart as war looms. Unrated. Bestseller. 2019. 641 pages.  

LB 11380    LETTERS FROM PEACEFUL LANE DAILEY, JANET  

In the rugged Ozarks of Branson, Missouri, a woman struggles to save her marriage–and finds answers from an unexpected source. Unrated. 2019. 363 pages.  

LB 11379    CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS     GRAY, ANISSA  

Althea Butler, eldest of three girls, took care of her sisters Viola and Lillian after their mother died. When she and her husband Proctor are arrested, Althea will need to depend on Viola and Lillian for help, while they have troubles of their own to face. Unrated. 2019. 453 pages.      

LB 11413    WILD CARD         WOODS, STUART             

Stone Barrington`s enjoyment of a peaceful country retreat with his latest paramour is interrupted by an unwelcome stranger sent by someone who wants to silence Stone and his collaborators for good. With boundless resources and a thirst for vengeance, this foe will not be deterred. Unrated. 2019. 401 pages.      

LB 11414    MEOW MAYHEM             LICKEL, LISA J.   

“After being left at the altar, Ivy Amanda McTeague Preston uproots herself and her cat, an Egyptian Mau named Memnet, from her boring and lonely life to start over at the urging of Mayor Conklin, a fellow pedigreed Mau owner. Truesdale Thompson is ready to move in a fresh direction with his life. A private man whose physical wounds are the only outward sign of a tragic accident in his past, True and his cat, Isis, open a branch of his trendy little bookstore and coffee shop in Apple Grove. When Ivy takes a mysterious message while the mayor is away on business, only Ivy’s criminology professor mom and True believe there’s something rotten in Apple Grove. Can Ivy carry on her romance with True while saving the town from further Mayhem?”-From the back cover. Unrated. 2019. 459 pages.           

LB 11416    TORTURE OF THE MOUNTAIN MAN         JOHNSTONE, WILLIAM W.           

When Smoke Jensen is summoned to a small Texas town under siege by a scourge of kill-crazy bandits, volunteers line up to take out the Mountain Man. Being Smoke Jensen, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Unrated. 2018. 447 pages. Donated to TSLAC TBP in FY2018               

LB 11415    IF SHE WAKES    KORYTA, MICHAEL          

“Tara Beckley, a senior at Hammel College in Maine, is driving a visiting professor to a conference when a horrific car accident kills the professor and leaves Tara a prisoner of locked-in syndrome. She is fully alert, but unable to move a muscle. Trapped in her body, she learns that someone powerful wants her dead — but why? Abby Kaplan, an insurance investigator, is hired by the college to look in to Tara’s case. A former stunt driver, she can tell that Tara’s car crash was no accident. She starts asking questions and is soon on the run — with a young hit man named Dax Blackwell hard on her heels.”–Provided by publisher. Unrated. 2019. 551 pages.

LB 11418    DEEP HARBOR   MICHAELS, FERN             

When Carol Ann “CJ” Jansen lost her beloved older brother, Kick, in a boating accident, she came adrift. Kick had taken on the role of caring for his little sister after their parents were killed in a car crash. Inheriting half his fortune has left CJ financially secure–yet needing a purpose. As administrative assistant to powerful congressman Snapper Lewis, she’s immersed herself in the exciting and often tumultuous world of politics. But suddenly, the career that anchors her life is threatened. CJ stumbles upon information that could implicate her boss in corruption. When the congressman goes missing, the closer CJ gets to uncovering the truth, exposing one shocking secret after another, the more she wonders if she’s also in jeopardy. Moving to a small New England town for her own protection, CJ gradually begins to engage with her new surroundings. Her blossoming friendship with the owner of a charter fishing boat offers the promise of much more. But before she can claim happiness, CJ must navigate a course through all her doubts and fears, and trust that this time, the water that took so much from her might just lead her safely home. Unrated. 2019. 517 pages.          

LB 11117    DEPARTMENT OF SENSITIVE CRIMES     MCCALL SMITH, ALEXANDER      

The detectives who work in Malmo Police’s Department of Sensitive Crimes take their job very seriously. The lead detective, Ulf Varg, prioritizes his cases above even his dog’s mental health. Then there are detectives Anna Bengsdotter, who keeps her relationship with Varg professional even as she realizes she’s developing feelings for him … or at least for his car, and Carl Holgersson, first to arrive in the morning and last to leave, who would never read his colleagues’ personal correspondence–unless it could help solve a crime, of course. Finally, there’s Erik Nykvist, who peppers conversations with anecdotes about fly fishing. Along with an opinionated local police officer named Blomquist, the Department of Sensitive Crimes takes on three extremely strange cases. First, the detectives investigate how and why a local business owner was stabbed … in the back of the knee. Next, a young woman’s imaginary boyfriend goes missing. And, in the final investigation, Varg must determine whether nocturnal visitations at a local spa have a supernatural element. Unrated. 308 pages.

LB 11115    DIE BY THE GUN               JOHNSTONE, WILLIAM W.           

Dewey ‘Mac’ McKenzie is wanted for a killing he didn’t commit. He saved his hide once by signing on as a cattle drive chuckwagon cook and bolting the territories. Turned out Mac was as good at fixing vittles as he was at dodging bullets. But Mac’s enemies are hungry for more, and they’ve hired a gang of ruthless killers to turn up the heat. Mac’s only hope is to join another cattle drive on the Goodnight-Loving Trail, deep in New Mexico Territory. The journey ahead is even deadlier than the hired guns behind him. His trail boss is an ornery cuss. His crew mate is the owner’s spoiled son. And the route is overrun with kill-crazy rustlers and bloodthirsty Comanche. Worse, Mac’s would-be killers are closing in fast. But when the cattle owner’s son is kidnapped, the courageous young cook has no choice but to jump out of the frying pan, and into the fire. Unrated. 443 pages. Related names: Johnstone, J. A., author.       

LB 11109    FOOL’S MOON   STUCKART, DIANE A.S.  

Two tarot-savvy cats and their tenderhearted human outwit a cruel criminal in this animal-centric whodunit. Most days, Ruby Sparks feels like the sign that says “Tarot Card Reader Extraordinaire” should say “Tarot Card Reader Fairly Competent.” But as challenging as it is to take care of her half-sister’s New Age shop, and her growing menagerie of enchanted pets, Ruby never worries that she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Unrated. 475 pages.  

LB 11102    SABRINA KANE COOK, WILL       

The death of Sabrina’s husband en route to Illinois leaves her alone in an untamed land. But the widow proves more than a match for the world of the frontier. Unrated. 2019. 258 pages.     

LB 11104    TINDERBOX        LEWIS, BEVERLY 

The day before her parents’ twentieth wedding anniversary Sylvia Miller stumbles across the key to the old brass tinderbox her father, Earnest, keeps in his Lancaster County watch repair shop. Inside is a secret from his life as an Englisher. When she confronts him, Earnest admits that he is not fit to be a member of the Hickory Hollow Amish church. He confesses his secret to Rhoda, his wife, and Sylvia, but when word of Earnest’s deceit reaches others in the community the truth pits Amish neighbors against one another, threatens to dry up Earnest’s livelihood–and to break up Sylvia’s engagement to the preacher’s grandson. Unrated. 397 pages.

LB 11100    UNDER THE TABLE: A NOVEL       EVANOVICH, STEPHANIE              

Suffocating in her dead-end marriage, Zoey Sullivan moves in with her sister in New York and starts taking catering jobs. She meets shy computer programmer and millionaire Tristan Malloy and offers to give him a makeover, only to fall for him as he gains confidence. Unrated. 2019. Related names: Adaptation of (work): Loewe, Frederick, 1901-1988. My fair lady.      

LB 11096    BETTER SISTER: A NOVEL               BURKE, ALAFAIR              

When a prominent Manhattan lawyer is murdered, two estranged sisters–one the dead man’s widow, the other his ex–must set aside mistrust and old resentments. but can they escape their past? Unrated. 2019. 428 pages.        

LB 11114    LOST ROSES: A NOVEL    KELLY, MARTHA HALL    

It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many times, many New Yorkers treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanovs. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia. But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia’s Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller’s daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household. On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya’s letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend. From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian emigres who live there, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history. Unrated. Bestseller.  629 pages.         

LB 11105    BOOK OF DREAMS           GEORGE, NINA

On the way to see his son Sam for the first time in years, Henri is involved in an accident and winds up in a coma. Thirteen-year-old Sam and Henri`s former lover, Eddie, wait by his bedside while Henri floats in dreams. Translated from the 2016 original German. Unrated. 2019. 466 pages. Related names: Pare, Simon, translator.          

LB 11111    COLLUSION: A NOVEL     GINGRICH, NEWT            

Valerie Mayberry comes from the kind of wealthy family that would be royalty in any other country. Obsessive and compulsive, she’s also the FBI’s counter-intelligence expert on domestic terrorism. Brett Garrett is a dishonorably discharged ex-Navy SEAL coming off a secret opioid addiction. A brusque, fiercely independent operative who refuses to play by the rules, the seasoned pro is now a gun for hire, working as a security contractor in Eastern Europe. When a high ranking Kremlin official with knowledge of a plan to attack the US must be smuggled out under the nose of a kleptocratic Putin-like Russian president and a ruthless general, Mayberry and Garret are thrown together to exfiltrate him and preempt a deadly poisonous strike. As these unlikely partners work to protect their human asset, their mission is threatened by domestic politics: leftist protests, Congressional infighting, and a culture riven by hatred. Unrated. 515 pages. Related names: Earley, Pete, author.             

LB 11106    DEATH BAKES A PECAN PIE           WASHBURN, L.J.              

Hollywood comes to Weatherford, Texas, as a movie company arrives to shoot scenes for a film based on the novel by Phyllis Newsom’s friend Eve. But movie fantasy turns to deadly reality as a murder recreated for film turns out to be the genuine article, and once more Phyllis has to track down a cunning killer to see that justice is done. Unrated. 323 pages.  

LB 11110    MACHINES LIKE ME: AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU          MCEWAN, IAN 

Machines Like Me occurs in an alternative 1980s London. Britain has lost the Falklands War, Margaret Thatcher battles Tony Benn for power, and Alan Turing achieves a breakthrough in artificial intelligence. In a world not quite like this one, two lovers will be tested beyond their understanding. Charlie, drifting through life and dodging full-time employment, is in love with Miranda, a bright student who lives with a terrible secret. When Charlie comes into money, he buys Adam, one of the first batch of synthetic humans. With Miranda’s assistance, he co-designs Adam’s personality. This near-perfect human is beautiful, strong, and clever–a love triangle soon forms. These three beings will confront a profound moral dilemma. Unrated. Bestseller. 380 pages.              

LB 11101    NEON PREY         SANDFORD, JOHN 

Clayton Deese skips bail after a job that went south. The US Marshals come after him and find a jungle full of graves behind Deese`s rural Louisiana cabin. Now Lucas Davenport is on the trail of a serial killer who has been operating for years without notice. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2019. 461 pages.          

LB 11103    POISON LESCROART, JOHN T.      

Attorney Dismas Hardy`s plans to ease into retirement and reconnect with his family after recovering from two glancing gunshot wounds are cut short when–against his wife`s wishes–he is pulled back into the courtroom by the murder of Grant Wagner, the steely owner of a successful family business. Unrated.  505 pages.

LB 11107  GUARDING GABY: SECOND CHANCES, BOOK 1  BRASHEAR, JEAN             

Gabriela Navarro believed she and Eli Wolverton would always be together…until he abandoned her. Years later, Gaby has made a new life in the big city. Her future is bright, and Eli is her past. When she returns to bury her father and learns that Eli is accused of his murder, she is stunned, but she no longer knows the man who’s replaced the boy she loved. Then their paths cross again, and though the longing between them is more powerful than ever, Eli refuses to defend himself and pushes her to go. Does Gaby believe the charges against him, or the urgings of her heart? There is so much more at stake than Gaby can imagine. With his freedom and his life on the line, only one thing would draw Eli away from his search for the truth: Gaby’s safety. Even if that means he’ll lose her forever. Unrated. 2019. 341 pages.

LB 11108    IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK      CROWNOVER, JAMES D.

Can the walls of an abandoned house absolve a man accused of a thirty-year-old murder? Not before Silent Cooper and Dempsy Nealy battle Apache thieves, Pancho’s Villistas, marauding outlaws, and El Tigre of the Playas Valley. The loss of a letter beneath the ruins of a famous Arizona ranch house thirty years ago led to an untimely marriage for Dempsy’s Aunt Cindy, who now runs three ranches with an iron will and a shotgun loaded with buckshot. No man stands in her way–for long. Dempsy dreams of a ghostly visitor in the desert, or was it a dream? The rock house of the Smuggler Hills seems to be an impregnable fortress until a small creature descends the chimney. A cemetery reveals a scandalous secret. Unrated. 473 pages. 

LB 11116    INVITED               MCMAHON, JENNIFER     

In 1924, a young mother, Hattie Breckenridge, is hanged from a tree in her yard by the town mob, accused of a crime that was actually committed by her daughter. Nearly a century later, a young married couple, Helen and Nate abandon the comforts of suburbia to begin the ultimate, aspirational do-it-yourself project: building the house of their dreams on the same forty-four acres of rural land where Hattie once lived. When they discover that this charming property has a dark and violent past, Helen, a former history teacher, becomes consumed by Hattie’s story and the tragic legend of her descendants, three generations of “Breckenridge women,” each of whom died amid suspicion, and who seem to still be seeking something elusive and dangerous in the present day. Unrated. 556 pages.          

LB 11112    18TH ABDUCTION           PATTERSON, JAMES      

Detective Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe Molinari team up to protect San Francisco from an international war criminal in the newest Women’s Murder Club thriller. For a trio of colleagues, an innocent night out after class ends in a deadly torture session. They vanish without a clue–until a body turns up. With the safety of San Francisco’s entire school system as stake, Lindsay Boxer has never been under more pressure. To solve the School Night case, Lindsay turns to her best friend, investigative journalist Cindy Thomas, as the chief of police and the press clamor for an arrest. Together, Lindsay and Cindy take new approaches, and unexpected facts about the victims leave them stunned. Unrated. 438 pages. Related names: Paetro, Maxine, author.      

LB 11425    CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE MURDER             FLUKE, JOANNE  

When her bakery becomes the setting of a star-studded TV special, Hannah hopes to hide the unsavory scandal in her personal life. But that`s practically impossible with a disturbing visit from a shifty character she once loved and a murder victim in her bedroom. Unrated. 2019. 509 pages.           

LB 11427    FALL OF GONDOLIN        TOLKIEN, J.R.R.

Tuor is sent to Gondolin by the god Ulmo, only to fall in love with the elf king`s daughter, Idril. Their bliss is shattered when the evil Morgoth sends an army to destroy Gondolin. This previously unpublished Middle-earth tale was edited by the author`s son Christopher. Bestseller. 2018. 425 pages.     

LB 11429    LAST SECOND     COULTER, CATHERINE   

When NASA didn`t believe she spoke with aliens, astronaut Nevaeh Patel quit the program. Now working for a French company, she launches a satellite to do the aliens` bidding. It`s up to special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine to stop the earth-altering mission. Some violence and some strong language.  575 pages. Related names: Ellison, J. T., author.      

LB 11443    STONE BRIDGES NEGGERS, CARLA            

Adrienne Portale has never settled in one place for long, but takes a job as innkeeper in tiny Knights Bridge, Massachusetts, to spend some time getting to know the father she only recently found. When three small boys get lost in the wilderness that borders the inn, Adam Sloan leads the search. His family ties to the town go back generations. Adrienne sees the bond that people in a small town have as they band together to find the missing children. Adam is impressed with her calm strength, but he’s sure she won’t find what she’s looking for in his quiet hometown. Despite their differences, Adam and Adrienne discover they have more in common than they’d expected. They love to explore old stone walls and bridges, and she adores his dog. As summer bleeds into the gorgeous New England fall, the attraction between them grows, and they must decide where–and who–makes a place home. Unrated. 467 pages.      

LB 11445    MEMORY HOUSE              HAUCK, RACHEL

Eighteen years after losing her father on 9/11, Beck Holiday is a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Then a mysterious letter arrives informing her she`s inherited a house along Florida`s northern coast. Unrated.  585 pages.

LB 11447    MISS JULIA TAKES THE WHEEL    ROSS, ANN B.    

Miss Julia invites the charming visiting doctor and his painfully shy wife to dinner. While Miss Julia and Sam both note the wife`s obvious lack of social skills, it`s Julia`s friends Hazel Marie and Binkie that pick up on some of the doctor`s less palatable qualities. Unrated.  495 pages.      

LB 11448    A LIST    JANCE, JUDITH A.            

The last story of Ali Reynolds`s broadcasting career was a piece about a young man in need of a kidney, which spiraled into a medical mismanagement scandal that landed a prestigious local doctor in prison for murder. A decade later, the doctor is plotting revenge. Unrated.  545 pages.

LB 11449    ORPHAN OF SALT WINDS              BROOKS, ELIZABETH     

England, 1939. Ten-year-old Virginia Wrathmell arrives at Salt Winds, a secluded house on the edge of a marsh, to meet her adoptive parents: practical, dependable Clem and glamorous, mercurial Lorna. The marsh, with its deceptive tides, is a beautiful but threatening place. Virginia’s new parents’ marriage is full of secrets and tensions she doesn’t quite understand, and their wealthy neighbor, Max Deering, drops by too often, taking an unwholesome interest in the family’s affairs. Only Clem offers a true sense of home. War feels far away among the birds and shifting sands, until the day a German fighter plane crashes into the marsh, and Clem ventures out to rescue the airman. What happens next sets into motion a crime so devastating it will haunt Virginia for the rest of her life. Seventy-five years later, she finds herself drawn back to the marsh, and to a teenage girl who appears there, nearly frozen and burdened by her own secrets. In her, Virginia might have a chance at retribution and a way to right a grave mistake she made as a child. Unrated. 397 pages.       

Adult Non-Fiction

LB 11357    ACCESSORY TO WAR: THE UNSPOKEN ALLIANCE BETWEEN ASTROPHYSICS AND THE MILITARY                 TYSON, NEIL DEGRASSE

Author of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (DB 89846) explores the ways astronomers and astrophysicists have contributed to warfare and military action throughout history. Topics include multi-spectral detection, ranging, tracking, imaging, high ground, nuclear fusion, and access to space. Unrated. Bestseller. 2018. 993 pages.             

LB 11355    HOW TO BE A PATIENT: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO NAVIGATING THE WORLD OF MODERN MEDICINE                GOLDBERG, SANA           

“From registered nurse and public health advocate Sana Goldberg, a timely, accessible, and comprehensive guide to the medical industrial complex that teaches readers how to be their own best advocate and get the care they deserve”– Provided by publisher. Unrated. 2019. 597 pages.      

LB 11381    MAID: HARD WORK, LOW PAY, AND A MOTHER’S WILL TO SURVIVE          LAND, STEPHANIE           

Recounts years working in the domestic service industry, struggling in poverty as a single mother. Examines the difficulties and misleading rhetoric surrounding poverty as well as the realities of life in service work. Unrated. Bestseller. 2019. Land, Stephanie. 441 pages.     

LB 11378    CRUSHING: GOD TURNS PRESSURE INTO POWER        JAKES, T.D.         

Author of Instinct (DB 79599) and Destiny (DB 82330) presents a guide to learning from life`s challenges and trusting in God`s love. Uses personal experiences, including his teenage daughter`s pregnancy, his mother`s death from Alzheimer`s, and his son`s heart attack, to illustrate lessons learned. Unrated. Bestseller. 2019. Jakes, T. D. –Anecdotes. 327 pages.  

LB 11417    SHOUT: A POETRY MEMOIR         ANDERSON, LAURIE HALSE          

A memoir in verse shares the author`s life, covering her difficult early childhood, her rape at thirteen, and her experiences surrounding the publication of her 1999 novel Speak (DB 49958). Unrated. For senior high and older readers. 2019. 285 pages.           

LB 11113    FINDING MY VOICE: MY JOURNEY TO THE WEST WING AND THE PATH FORWARD               JARRETT, VALERIE

“The ultimate Obama insider” (The New York Times) and longest-serving senior advisor in the Obama White House shares her journey as a daughter, mother, lawyer, business leader, public servant, and leader in government at a historic moment in American history. Unrated. Bestseller. 2019. Jarrett, Valerie, 1956-  Obama, Barack — Friends and associates.  Obama, Michelle, 1964- — Friends and associates.  460 pages.            

LB 11098    K: A HISTORY OF BASEBALL IN TEN PITCHES   KEPNER, TYLER (BASEBALL WRITER)

The baseball columnist for the New York Times presents a history of the sport, told through the ten major pitches of the game. Includes commentary from some of the best pitchers in baseball history, such as Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Bob Gibson, and Mariano Rivera. Unrated. 2019. 472 pages.       

LB 11099  AMERICAN MOONSHOT: JOHN F. KENNEDY AND THE GREAT SPACE RACE               BRINKLEY, DOUGLAS               

On May 25, 1961, JFK made an astonishing announcement: his goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In this engrossing, fast-paced epic, Douglas Brinkley returns to the 1960s to recreate one of the most exciting and ambitious achievements in the history of humankind. American Moonshot brings together the extraordinary political, cultural, and scientific factors that fueled the birth and development of NASA and the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects, which shot the United States to victory in the space race against the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. Drawing on new primary source material and major interviews with many of the surviving figures who were key to America’s success, Brinkley brings this fascinating history to life as never before. Unrated. 2019. 898 pages. Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 — Influence.          

LB 11097    AMERICAN SPIRIT: PROFILES IN RESILIENCE, COURAGE, AND FAITH            KYLE, TAYA          

Life leads us through difficult terrain. But what happens if you use challenge as an opportunity to discover your purpose? These Americans did and are changing the world. After losing her husband, “American Sniper” Chris Kyle, Taya Kyle entered a period of deep grief. And yet the experience served as a catalyst for profound growth. Taya found her own reserve of strength with the help of the generous love and support of family and friends–and also many strangers across America, who selflessly shared their own stories of suffering, survival, and triumph. Inspired by her experience, Taya discovered her calling: spreading a message of how love, passion, and service can combine to help us persevere over personal pain and heal our communities. American Spirit profiles more than 30 individuals, young and old, rich and not-so-rich, famous and unknown, who have overcome hardship and done extraordinary things for their communities and for the nation at large. Unrated. 2019. 446 pages. Related names: DeFelice, Jim, 1956-, author.

LB 11428    INHERITANCE: A MEMOIR OF GENEALOGY, PATERNITY, AND LOVE             SHAPIRO, DANI

The author of Family History (DB 63237) describes how, after submitting her DNA for analysis, she discovered that she was not actually related to her father. Discusses her struggle to piece together the story of her life and uncover her own identity. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2019. Shapiro, Dani. 359 pages.           

LB 11432    LIBRARY BOOK  ORLEAN, SUSAN              

The author re-opens the unsolved mystery of the most catastrophic library fire in US history. On April 29, 1986, fire broke out at the Los Angeles Public Library and destroyed or damaged more than a million books. Examines the evolution of public libraries while celebrating their value in society. Bestseller. 2018. 539 pages.

LB 11435    MATRIARCH: BARBARA BUSH AND THE MAKING OF AN AMERICAN DYNASTY        PAGE, SUSAN   

A biography of former First Lady Barbara Bush. Discusses her childhood in New York, loss of a daughter to leukemia, battle with depression, and role as wife and mother of two American presidents. Draws on interviews with friends and family, conversations with Bush, and diary entries. Unrated. Bestseller. 2019. 582 pages.

LB 11446    SHIP OF FOOLS: HOW A SELFISH RULING CLASS IS BRINGING AMERICA TO THE BRINK OF REVOLUTION                 CARLSON, TUCKER          

Political pundit discusses class dynamics in early twenty-first-century America. Focuses on an elite class of the wealthy and powerful, positing that they hide their agendas behind identity politics, strip political parties of meaning, and will drive America towards ruin. Some strong language. Bestseller.  349 pages.           

Juvenile Fiction

LB 11352    PAY ATTENTION, CARTER JONES                SCHMIDT, GARY D.          

Carter must adjust to the unwelcome presence of a know-it-all butler who is determined to help him become a gentleman and deal with burdens from the past. For grades 4-7. 2019. 303 pages.            

LB 11350    FLUSH   HIAASEN, CARL

The Florida Keys. With their father jailed for sinking a gambling boat, Noah Underwood and his sister Abbey gather evidence that casino owner Dusty Muleman is illegally emptying sewage tanks into coastal waters. They receive help from a former card dealer, a pirate, and Dusty’s ex-girlfriend. For grades 5-8. 2005. 323 pages.    

LB 11351    SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS             CHENG, JACK

Eleven-year-old Alex Petroski, along with his dog, Carl Sagan, makes big discoveries about his family on a road trip, and he records everything on a golden iPod he intends to launch into space. For grades 4-7. 2017. 411 pages.      

LB 11423    MERCI SUAREZ CHANGES GEARS               MEDINA, MEG  

Merci Suarez relies on her close extended family as she goes through many changes during her sixth-grade year at Florida`s Seaward Pines Academy. For grades 4-7. 2018. 383 pages.         

LB 11424    DRAGON PEARL LEE, YOON HA

Min, a girl with fox magic, stows away on a battle cruiser and impersonates a cadet to find out what happened to her older brother in the Thousand World Space Forces. Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7. 2019. 515 pages.       

LB 11420    WILD ROBOT      BROWN, PETER

Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island, with no memory of where she is from or why she is there. Her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island’s hostile inhabitants. For grades 3-6. 2016. 286 pages.      

LB 11422    WILD ROBOT ESCAPES   BROWN, PETER

After being captured by the Recons and returned to civilization for reprogramming, Roz is sent to Hilltop Farm. She befriends her owner’s family and animals, but pines for her son, Brightbill. Sequel to The Wild Robot (DB 84426). For grades 3-6. 2018. 284 pages.      

LB 11436    IF I STAY               FORMAN, GAYLE             

Cellist and Juilliard hopeful Mia clings to life after a car accident kills her family. While observing herself during an out-of-body experience, Mia flashes through her past to determine whether to fight for survival or die. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 2009. 481 pages.   

LB 11437    DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL               KINNEY, JEFF     

The Heffley family road trip starts off full of promise, then quickly takes several wrong turns, from a fender bender to crazed seagulls. But even the worst road trip can turn into an adventure! For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2014. 229 pages.  

LB 11438    DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: OLD SCHOOL     KINNEY, JEFF     

When his town organizes an electronics-free event, a disgusted Greg Heffley struggles to survive life in a community without modern conveniences. Meanwhile, tension builds among kids struggling to enjoy the activities of past generations. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2015. 229 pages.

LB 11439    DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE GETAWAY  KINNEY, JEFF     

With the cold weather and the stress of the approaching holiday season, the Heffley family decides to escape to a tropical island resort for some much-needed rest and relaxation–but sun poisoning, stomach troubles, and venomous creatures all threaten their vacation. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2017.        Juvenile Fiction

LB 11440    DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE MELTDOWN              KINNEY, JEFF     

When snow closes Greg Heffley`s middle school, he and his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, face a fight for survival as warring gangs turn the neighborhood into a wintry battlefield. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2018. 229 pages.               

Juvenile Non-Fiction

LB 11419    ENDURANCE: MY YEAR IN SPACE AND HOW I GOT THERE               KELLY, SCOTT

Younger readers` edition adapted from the memoir Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery (DB 89525) by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent a record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station. Also recounts his early years in school and as a test pilot. For grades 6-9. 2018. 496 pages.        

LB 11421    APOLLO 8: THE MISSION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING    SANDLER, MARTIN W.

Explores the space race during a time when Americans desperately needed something to believe in. Covers the history of the Apollo 8 mission, the technical challenges, and the key players involved in launching three astronauts into space to orbit the Earth`s moon in 1968. For grades 5-8. 2018. 237 pages.         

LB 11426    TO THE MOON!: THE TRUE STORY OF THE AMERICAN HEROES ON THE APOLLO 8 SPACESHIP                KLUGER, JEFFREY             

Recounts the exciting and inspiring true story of Apollo 8, the first manned American spaceship to break free of the Earth’s orbit and reach the moon. For grades 5-8. 2018. Related names: Shamir, Ruby, author. 439 pages.             

Young Adult Fiction

LB 11430    ON THE COME UP            THOMAS, ANGIE             

When teenaged Bri, an aspiring rapper, pours her anger and frustration into her first hit song, she finds herself at the center of a controversy. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2019. 613 pages.     

LB 11431    LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ          ITURBE, ANTONIO         

Fourteen-year-old Dita and her family are imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. When a Jewish leader asks Dita to risk her life and take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. Violence. For senior high and older readers. 2017. 637 pages.     

LB 11433    OF JENNY AND THE ALIENS          GEBHART, RYAN              

Eighteen-year-old Derek ignores the anticipated alien invasion that could mean the end of the world until he imagines a future with Jenny–a future for which she has other plans. For young adult readers. Unrated. 2019. 475 pages. 

LB 11441    WHERE SHE WENT           FORMAN, GAYLE             

Rising rock star Adam and successful cellist Mia, from If I Stay (LB 11436), reunite in New York and reconnect after the horrific events that tore them apart years earlier. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2011. 285 pages.       

LB 11442 THREE SIDES OF A HEART: STORIES ABOUT LOVE TRIANGLES                        

Collection of sixteen short stories featuring love triangles, by young-adult authors such as Rae Carson, Veronica Roth, Sabaa Tahir, and more. In Garth Nix’s “Triangle Solo,” two band friends compete for a returning student’s affections. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2017. 577 pages. Related names: Parker, Natalie C., editor.             

LB 11444    ON THE EDGE OF GONE DUYVIS, CORINNE           

In 2035, a comet hits Earth, and life on our planet struggles to survive the event. Sixteen-year-old Denise, who is autistic, tries to find her missing sister and also help her neglectful, undependable mother as the disasters begin. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2016. 627 pages.          

LB 11450    LONELIEST GIRL IN THE UNIVERSE             JAMES, LAUREN

Romy, the only surviving crew member of a spaceship traveling to a new planet, is on a mission to establish a second home for humanity. Alone in space, Romy communicates with a lone passenger from a new ship, a boy called J. Unrated. For senior high and older readers. 2017. 421 pages.      

Young Adult Non-Fiction

LB 11434    WE ARE DISPLACED: MY JOURNEY AND STORIES FROM REFUGEE GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD                 YOUSAFZAI, MALALA   

Nobel Peace Prize winner explores her own experience as a displaced person, and shares the personal stories of the incredible girls she has met on her journeys–girls who have lost their community, relatives, and often the only world they`ve ever known. Unrated. For senior high and older readers. 2019. 240 pages.            

LB 11451    57 BUS  SLATER, DASHKA

Recounts the true story of Sasha, a white, middle-class, agender teen, who was set on fire by Richard, a black teen from a crime-plagued neighborhood, while riding the 57 bus in Oakland, California. Strong language and some violence. Stonewall Book Award. For senior high and older readers. 2017.  379 pages.     

Cinco de Mayo

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Cinco de Mayo is coming and many people in the US like to celebrate by having a get together with plenty of guacamole and beer. That’s great! It would also be good if people knew a little bit more about what they are celebrating. If you ask around, the most frequent answer is “Mexican independence?” Nope. Actually, May 5th celebrates the Battle of Puebla. A historical episode in which the Mexican army (headed by liberal President Benito Juárez) squashed the French army’s attempts (under Napoleon III) to occupy Mexico. So there. Now you can eat guacamole to your heart’s content and also sound super-smart when asked “What are we celebrating again?”.

CINCO DE MAYO: A MEXICAN HOLIDAY ABOUT UNITY AND PRIDE BY JAMES GARCIA. DB 61994

Discusses the historical events of May 5, 1862, when Mexico defeated the powerful French at the Battle of Puebla and the growing popularity of celebrating this date. Includes suggestions for planning a Cinco de Mayo fiesta. For grades 3-6. 2003.

FIESTA!: CINCO DE MAYO BY JUNE BEHRENS. DB 36792

Cinco de Mayo is a very important holiday for Mexican-Americans. On May 5, 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French army. This victory ended the efforts of foreign powers to invade North America. The author describes the Cinco de Mayo holiday and its celebration.

MEXICO: A HISTORY by ROBERT RYAL MILLER. DB 34427

Beginning with a description of the early Indian cultures, Miller, a scholar of Mexican and Latin American history, outlines the Spanish takeover, the various rulers over the centuries, the war with the United States, the Revolution, and the birth of modern Mexico. He highlights the accompanying changes in the shape of the country and the makeup of the population.

OXFORD HISTORY OF MEXICO EDITED BY WILLIAM H. BEEZLEY & MICHAEL C. MEYER. DB 90978

A narrative history of Mexico, beginning with the empire of the Aztecs and carrying through to the early twenty-first century. Includes discussions of religion, technology, ethnicity, ecology, and the many events, institutions, and individuals that have shaped the modern nation. 2010.

Latin American Fiction on BARD

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Gabriel García Marquez and Isabel Allende are not the only major fiction authors Latin America has produced by far, but they are, for the most part, the only ones widely known in the English-speaking world. There are many interesting Latin American authors out there that you can explore and enjoy, and in many cases, the English translation of their work is on BARD.  Want to expand your horizons? Check these Latin American classics out:

INVENTION OF MOREL AND OTHER STORIES by Adolfo Bioy Cásares. DB 50167

In the title novella, first published in 1940, a fugitive from justice escapes to a remote island, where he enters into a dreamlike existence along with other “intruders.” He falls in love and gradually uncovers the eerie secret of his strange new world. Also includes six short stories first published in 1948.

FICCIONES by Jorge Luis Borges. DB 14683

English translation of seventeen brief, carefully wrought fantasies in which the Argentine Nobel Prize winner creates a terrifying and bizarre world.   The collection’s first part, called “The Garden of Forking Paths,” contains eight short stories published in Spanish in 1941. Part two, entitled “Artifices,” has nine stories published in 1944. [BR 11366, 1993]: The introduction by John Sturrock provides background information on Borges and on the stories.

HAPPY FAMILIES: STORIES by Carlos Fuentes. DB 68321

Sixteen stories set in modern-day Mexico. Vignettes depict relationships between spouses, lovers–including a homosexual couple–and parents and children while invoking Tolstoy’s observation about happy and unhappy families. In “Sweethearts” former lovers cross paths unexpectedly on a cruise ship. Translation from Spanish by Edith Grossman. Some strong language. 2008.

BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS by Rosario Castellanos. DB 45081

A tale of social and racial conflict set in the Mexican state of Chiapas in 1930. Describes events that precipitate a Mayan Indian rebellion against the dominant Ladino class. Culminates in a harrowing, redemptive crucifixion of a child. Originally published in 1962. Violence and descriptions of sex.

FEAST OF THE GOAT by Mario Vargas Llosa. DB 56801

Urania Cabral, returning to the Dominican Republic where her father is terminally ill, recalls her youth during the brutal dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Called “the Goat” for his depravity with women, Trujillo was the reason for her forty-year estrangement from her father. Strong language and some violence. 2000. Vargas Llosa won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010.

EDGE OF THE STORM by Agustín Yañez. DB 24909

In a remote Mexican village in the early part of the twentieth century, a puritanical priest and his curate project their own fear of life onto their flock. The clerics ignore the affectionate warnings of another priest and close their eyes to the rumbling of revolution and change.

FAREWELL TO THE SEA: A NOVEL OF CUBA by Reinaldo Arenas. DB 24304

Psychological portrait of contemporary life in Castro’s Cuba, full of shattered hopes and agonizing realities generated by the revolution. A disillusioned young poet retreats to a beach resort with his family to ponder both his country’s future and his own sexual ambiguity. Includes considerable poetry. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1985.

PARADISO by José Lezama Lima. DB 08039

Highly praised, panoramic novel of a man’s search for his dead father and for an understanding of love and the powers of the mind, psychological and philosophical themes are intricately interwoven. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1974.

WE LOVE GLENDA SO MUCH AND OTHER TALES by Julio Cortázar DB 20793

Ten intriguing stories from the apocalyptic world of the Argentine writer. In the title story, a group of fans of the legendary movie star Glenda Garson, meet at showings of her films and eventually become a fanatically devoted group. In all these tales a violent and unsettling suspense prevails. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.  1983.

SUN, STONE, AND SHADOWS: TWENTY GREAT MEXICAN SHORT STORIES. DB 68735

Mexican authors born in the first half of the twentieth century write tales that reveal a panorama of Mexican culture and society–past and present, urban and rural, real and unreal. In “What Became of Pampa Hash?” an impoverished Mexican has a torrid love affair. The Big Read selection NEA. 2008.

David Bowie’s Must-Read Books

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David Bowie was an original. The world will never see another musician like him. On January 2019 it will be two years since he passed, and the world will continue to remember him by listening to the music he left behind. It’s no surprise that in addition to being an ultra-original musician he was also an avid reader, and left behind an extensive reading list. A year ago, Bowie’s son and film director Duncan Jones, launched the “David Bowie Book Club” through his Twitter feed. He invited folks to visit one of his dad’s favorite books each month. He chose the titles from the official list of Bowie’s Top 100 Must-Read Books, curated by Bowie’s official archivists. You’ll be glad to know that many of Bowie’s recommended books are available on BARD. They are listed below, sorted by publication date from newest to oldest.

  • The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby, 2008. DB 66150
  • The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, 2007. DB 67964
  • Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, 2002. DB 56184
  • Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder by Lawrence Weschler, 1997. DB 41918
  • A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1890-1924 by Orlando Figes, 1997. DB45238
  • The Insult by Rupert Thomson, 1996. DB 43935
  • Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon, 1995. DB 42023
  • The Bird Artist by Howard Norman, 1994. DB 38663
  • Kafka Was The Rage: A Greenwich Village Memoir by Anatole Broyard, 1993.       DB 37861
  • Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson by Camille Paglia. DB 34102
  • Sweet Soul Music: Rhythm and Blues and the Southern Dream of Freedom by Peter Guralnick, 1986. DB 73053
  • The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin, 1986. DB 26608
  • Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd, 1985. DB 24458
  • Nowhere To Run: The Story of Soul Music, by Gerri Hirshey, 1984. DB 23848
  • Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter, 1984. DB 23564
  • Money: A Suicide Note by Martin Amis, 1984. DB 22896
  • White Noise by Don DeLillo, 1984. DB 23512
  • The Life and Times of Little Richard by Charles White, 1984. DB 22861
  • A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, 1980. DB 76953
  • A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, 1980. DB 50482
  • Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler, 1980.  DB 16347
  • Earthly Powers by Anthony Burgess, 1980. DB 16527
  • The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, 1979. DB 60458
  • Metropolitan Life by Fran Lebowitz, 1978. DB 11794
  • Writers at Work: The Paris Review Interviews, ed. Malcolm Cowley, 1977. DB 09853
  • The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, 1967. DB 37107
  • In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, 1965.  DB 22726
  • Herzog by Saul Bellow, 1964. DB 22553
  • The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford, 1963. DB 36324
  • The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, 1963.  DB 12439
  • A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, 1962.  DB 15213
  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark, 1961.  DB 69464
  • The Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, 1958.  DB 18177
  • On The Road by Jack Kerouac, 1957.  DB 31675
  • Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, 1955.  DB 67388
  • Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, 1948. DB 73474
  • Black Boy by Richard Wright, 1945. DB 20415
  • The Portable Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker, 1944. DB 17658
  • The Stranger by Albert Camus, 1942.  DB 40902
  • The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West, 1939. DB 12925
  • Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood, 1935.  DB 54128
  • The Bridge by Hart Crane, 1930. DB 10148
  • Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh, 1930. DB 12881
  • As I lay Dying by William Faulkner by 1930. DB 11553
  • The 42nd Parallel (Book #1 of U.S.A Trilogy) by John Dos Passos, 1930. DB 42698
  • Berlin Alexanderplatz by Alfred Döblin, 1929.  DB 91015
  • Passing by Nella Larsen, 1929.   DB 40702
  • Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence, 1928.  DB 44295
  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925. DB 55714
  • The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot, 1922.  DB 19566
  • McTeague by Frank Norris, 1899. DB 12689
  • Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert, 1856. DB 13249
  • Inferno, from the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, circa 1308-1321. DB 76353
  • The Iliad by Homer, circa 800. DB 6635

Straight Outta BARD: Rap and Hip-Hop Reads

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Did you know we have a large collection of biographies on BARD? Many of those biographies are about people from the entertainment industry, musicians included. And if you like Rap and Hip-Hop, and want to know about the struggles, challenges and triumphs of these awesome and sometimes controversial music legends, BARD is on it. Download these titles or order them on cartridge.

RAW: MY JOURNEY INTO THE WU-TANG by U-GOD  DB 90516

Memoir of one of the founding members of the hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He was raised in New York by a single mother and was arrested for dealing drugs in his youth. He relates the story of the formation of the group and their rise to fame. Narrated by the author. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

DRE: THE BIOGRAPHY by RONIN RO  DB 66387

Music journalist traces the rise of Andre Young, a.k.a. Dr. Dre, of Compton, California, who in 1989 created one of the first “gangsta” rap albums. Details the development of the genre. Discusses the East Coast-West Coast feud and the gangland-style murders of rival rappers. Strong language and some violence. 2007.

DOGGFATHER; THE TIMES, TRIALS, AND HARDCORE TRUTHS OF SNOOP DOGG by SNOOP DOGGY DOGG  DB 50580

Autobiography by rap star Snoop Dogg, describing his youth in a Los Angeles ghetto and his strong belief in God. Recounts his success in the music field during the early 1990s, the murder of his friend Tupac Shakur, and his own trouble with the law. Strong language and some violence. 1999

HIP-HOP DIVAS by TRACY MICKENS-HUNDLEY  DB 56526

Chronicles the struggles and triumphs of women performers in the world of hip-hop music. Includes essays on the lives and careers of fifteen stars, such as Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Lil’ Kim, and TLC. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2001.

HEY YA! THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF OUTKAST by CHRIS  NICKSON        DB 59691

Journalist details the performing career of the award-winning Atlanta rap group OutKast, describing the team created in 1994 by Antwan “Big Boi” Patton and Andre “Dre” Benjamin. Delves into the singers’ personal lives, their business interests, and the evolution of their music. For senior high and older readers. 2004.

REBEL FOR THE HELL OF IT: THE LIFE OF TUPAC SHAKUR by ARMOND WHITE     DB 59848

Journalist chronicles the life of rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), from his childhood to his unsolved murder in Las Vegas. Describes Shakur’s musical legacy, his brief acting career, and his legal entanglements. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 1997.

TUPAC SHAKUR: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AN AMERICAN ICON by TAYANNAH LEE MCQUILLAR     DB 71978

Biography of rap-music star Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) examines the artist’s unstable childhood as the son of a former Black Panther militant. Chronicles Shakur’s rise to fame, the rivalry between East-and West-coast rappers, and Shakur’s unsolved murder in Las Vegas. Strong language. 2010.

FROM PIECES TO WEIGHT: ONCE UPON A TIME IN SOUTHSIDE QUEENS by 50 CENT    DB 61202

Rap star describes the ghetto environment he was brought up in and his experience of dealing drugs when he was eleven. Details his life on the streets of 1980s Queens before hard work and determination helped him achieve fame and money. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2005.

WU-TANG MANUAL by RZA   DB 61481

Members of the Brooklyn rap group the Wu-Tang Clan explain their philosophy of life, much of which comes from watching kung fu movies. Introduces the nine members of the band and discusses martial arts, capitalism, and comics. Includes song lyrics. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2005.

SKILLS TO PAY THE BILLS: THE STORY OF THE BEASTIE BOYS by ALAN LIGHT     DB 62931

Follows the career of New York rap musicians the Beastie Boys–white, Jewish teenagers who formed their band in 1981. Interviews Adam Yauch, Adam Horovitz, Mike Diamond, and colleagues to explain how they made rap popular on the mainstream music charts. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2005.

WAY I AM by EMINEM  DB 67868

Autobiography of the controversial rapper. Detroit native Eminem, born Marshall B. Mathers III, describes his private life and the development of his Grammy Award-winning hip-hop career. Discusses the lyrics of his greatest hits, the Oscar-winning movie based on his life, and his work as a record producer. Strong language. 2008.

ICE: A MEMOIR OF GANGSTER LIFE AND REDEMPTION–FROM SOUTH CENTRAL TO HOLLYWOOD by ICE-T   DB 73836

Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor on television drama Law & Order: SVU Ice-T, born Tracy Marrow, describes becoming an orphan at age twelve and moving from New Jersey to live with relatives in Los Angeles. Details his life of crime before beginning his music career. Violence and strong language. 2011.

DIRTY VERSION: ON STAGE, IN THE STUDIO, AND IN THE STREETS WITH OL’ DIRTY BASTARD by BUDDHA MONK    DB 80367

Musician and friend of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Monk–with English professor Hess–details the life of the cofounder of the Wu-Tang Clan. Details ODB’s childhood in Brooklyn, his work with Wu-Tang Clan, his solo musical efforts, and the challenges he faced before his early death by drug overdose. Some strong language. 2014.

HIP-HOP SPEAKS TO CHILDREN: A CELEBRATION OF POETRY WITH A BEAT        DB 69380

Fifty-one rhythmic poetry selections from forty-two poets and performers representing a wide range of styles and eras. Highlights works from Paul Laurence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, Queen Latifah, and Kanye West. Includes part of Aesop Rock’s “No Regrets”—a ditty about little Lucy’s yellow-chalk drawings on the sidewalk. 2008.