Category Archives: Books into Film

Bibliography of American Scientists

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Did you know that the recent Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer was based on a book? Well, it was! It was based on AMERICAN PROMETHEUS by Kai Bird. It even won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2006. This made us wonder, what other great biographies and autobiographies on great American scientists do we have in the TBP collection? So we decided to search the catalog. We even found the autobiography of a scientist who is blind! Here are some of the titles we discovered:

AMERICAN PROMETHEUS: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER by Kai Bird (DB 61087)
ARBORNAUT: A LIFE DISCOVERING THE EIGHTH CONTINENT IN THE TREES ABOVE US by Margaret Lowman (DB 104556, LB 13833)
ATOMIC WOMEN: THE UNTOLD STORIES OF THE SCIENTISTS WHO HELPED CREATE THE NUCLEAR BOMB by Roseanne Montillo (DB 105401)
AVOID BORING PEOPLE: LESSONS FROM A LIFE IN SCIENCE by James Watson (DB 66912)
FROM IMMIGRANT TO INVENTOR: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE SERBIAN-AMERICAN PHYSICIST, CHEMIST AND PIONEER OF ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION AND THE LONG-DISTANCE TELEPHONE LINE by Michael Pupin (DB 98555)
GIRL DECODED: A SCIENTIST’S QUEST TO RECLAIM OUR HUMANITY BY BRINGING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO TECHNOLOGY by Rana El Kaliouby (DB 99895)
HIDDEN FROM HISTORY: THE LIVES OF EIGHT AMERICAN WOMEN SCIENTISTS by Kim K. Zach (DB 58587)
LAB GIRL by Hope Jahren (DB 84436; LB 08952)
POISON SQUAD: ONE CHEMIST’S SINGLE-MINDED CRUSADE FOR FOOD SAFETY AT THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY by Deborah Blum (DB 92502)
PRIVILEGED HANDS: A SCIENTIFIC LIFE by Geerat J. Vermeij (DB 42911, BR 10669)
PROVING GROUND: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE SIX WOMEN WHO PROGRAMED THE WORLD’S FIRST MODERN COMPUTER by Kathy Kleiman (DB 115112)
RISE OF THE ROCKET GIRLS: THE WOMEN WHO PROPELLED US, FROM MISSILES TO THE MOON TO MARS by Nathalia Holt (DB 84440; LB 08653)

Juvenile Nonfiction

ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT: A STORY ABOUT ELLEN SWALLOW RICHARDS by Ethlie Ann Vare (DB 36589)
Grades 2-4.

Watched It on Netflix? Read the Book!

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You’ve heard about the Netflix Series or maybe you’ve already watched it, but you want to see how the book differs from the show? Did you finish Season 4 of Stranger Things and need something to tide you over until Season 5 is released? Maybe you watched that documentary and want to see if there is more information to be had on the topic. Here are some books that either inspired or were based on Netflix shows.

DANCING ON THE EDGE OF THE ROOF by Sheila Williams DBC 15917

Based on the Netflix movie, Juanita, forty-two-year-old Juanita Lewis leaves her dead-end life with her grown, deadbeat children in the Columbus, Ohio projects. Buying a one-way bus ticket to Montana, she finds a fulfilling life as a down-home cook in the Paper Moon diner.

DIAGNOSIS: SOLVING THE MOST BAFFLING MEDICAL MYSTERIES by Lisa Sanders DB 96900

Collection of more than fifty hard-to-crack medical quandaries from the physician-author’s “Diagnosis” column in the New York Times Magazine and now a Netflix series. In each case, the winding path to diagnosis and treatment shows how making the right diagnosis requires expertise, painstaking procedure, and sometimes a little luck. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

DUKE AND I: A BRIDGERTON NOVEL by Julia Quinn DB 60504, BR 21413

Simon Basset, the new duke of Hastings, and Daphne Bridgerton stage a courtship to keep society matchmakers at bay. But when the charade becomes all too real for Daphne, Simon must either marry her or risk ruining her reputation and breaking her heart. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Inspiration for the Netflix series, Bridgerton. 2000.

INDEFENSIBLE by Michael Griesbach DBC 08252

A legal insider’s examination of the Steven Avery murder case in Wisconsin and response to Making a Murderer, the Netflix series about the trial. Some strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 2016.

MEATEATER GUIDE TO WILDERNESS SKILLS AND SURVIVAL by Steven Rinella DB 102863

Outdoors expert and host of the Netflix show MeatEater provides advice on surviving in the wilderness. Includes tried-and-true tips, techniques, and gear recommendations from Rinella and his trusted crew of expert hunters, anglers, emergency room doctors, climbers, paddlers, and wilderness guides. Strong language. 2020.

NADIYA BAKES by Nadiya Hussain DB 104614; BR 23906

Host of the beloved Netflix series Time to Eat and Nadiya Bakes and 2015 winner of The Great British Baking Show presents a collection of recipes for baked goods. Categories include cakes, one-pan bakes, no-bake bakes, tarts and pies, desserts, celebration bakes, cookies and bites, breads and buns, and savory bakes. 2020.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK: MY YEAR IN A WOMEN’S PRISON by Piper Kerman DB 77538; LB 09162

Upper-middle-class author chronicles her conviction and incarceration in 2003 for drug smuggling and money laundering—crimes she committed ten years earlier after graduating from Smith College. Kerman relates her immersion into prison culture at a minimum-security facility in Connecticut. Basis for the Netflix original series. Strong language. Bestseller. 2010.

QUEEN’S GAMBIT by Walter S. Tevis DBC 17656, En español: DB 105896

Shy, plain Beth Harmon loses her mother at age eight in Lexington, KY and is sent to an orphanage. Beth is lonely and unhappy, despite the medications given to the children to keep them manageable. One day she discovers the janitor playing a strange game in the basement and they gradually become friends as he teaches her the game of chess. Beth becomes obsessed with the game and at age 16 is competing in national chess competitions. But while she rises in the ranks of the professional circuit, her personal and emotional life suffer. Basis for the 2020 Netflix series. 1983.

STRANGER THINGS: SUSPICIOUS MINDS by Gwenda Bond DB 94103

In this novel based on the Netflix show Stranger Things, it is the summer of 1969 and Indiana college student Terry Ives wants to make a difference in the world. She volunteers to be a test subject for a secret government project, only to uncover a conspiracy. Some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2019. Prequel to DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (DB 105858)

WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?: A BIOGRAPHY by Alan Light DB 83699

Inspired by the critically acclaimed Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone, is an in-depth portrait from a music journalist of the singer and activist Nina Simone (1933-2003). Using archival footage, interviews, and Simone’s diaries, the author examines Simone’s youth in the Jim Crow South, her musical career and civil rights activism, and her reclusive later years in Liberia and Paris. Some strong language. Commercial audiobook 2016.

WHITE NOISE by Don DeLillo DB 23512

This black comedy zeroes in on the absurdities of life and the fear of death in contemporary America. Jack Gladney, professor at a small Midwestern college, created the discipline of “Hitler studies” despite the fact that he knows no German. He lives happily with his wife Babette and their assorted children from former marriages. Both share a pervasive dread of death that is justified when a cloud of lethal fumes threatens to engulf their quiet college town. Some strong language. National Book Award for Fiction. 1985.

YOU by Caroline Kepnes DB 80055

Clerk Joe Goldberg is immediately drawn to aspiring writer Beck when she enters his bookstore. He describes the increasingly dangerous steps he takes to get to know her, and to make her his own. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 2014.

Staff Pick – WHITE NOISE by Don DeLillo, DB 23512

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The recent adaptation of WHITE NOISE to the small screen via Netflix has brought renewed interested in this 1985 National Book Award-winning novel. Stylistically complex, Don DeLillo expertly lampoons modern American late 20th century life in this offbeat comedic masterpiece. Talking Book Collection DB 23512.

NLS Annotation This black comedy zeroes in on the absurdities of life and the fear of death in contemporary America. Jack Gladney, professor at a small Midwestern college, created the discipline of “Hitler studies” even though he knows no German. He lives happily with his wife, Babette, and their children from former marriages. Both share a pervasive dread of death that is justified when a cloud of lethal fumes threatens to engulf their quiet college town. Some strong language. National Book Award for Fiction.1985.

If you enjoy satire of American life and the human condition, you might also like Jonathan Franzen’s book FREEDOM (DB 71329).

Watched the Hallmark Holiday Movie? Now Read the Book!

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Tis the season for holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel! Maybe you’ve heard about the movie from a friend or maybe you’ve already watched it, but you want to see how the book differs from the show? Here are some books that inspired Hallmark Channel holiday movies.

ANGEL TREE by Daphne Benedis-Grab (DB 80225)

Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square and people tie wishes to it; but nobody knows where the tree comes from. This year, four children are determined to solve the mystery of the Angel Tree. For grades 4-7. 2014.

CALL ME MRS. MIRACLE by Debbie Macomber (DB 73685, LB 06530)

While working in the toy department of a New York City store, Mrs. Miracle meets Holly, who is searching for a robot for her nephew. Mrs. Miracle plays matchmaker for Holly and the store owner’s son Jake. Includes recipes. Sequel to MRS. MIRACLE (DB 70101). Commercial audiobook. A Hallmark Channel Original Movie. 2010.

CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR by Lisa Kleypas (DB 72388, DBC 16819)

San Juan Island, Washington. Bachelor Mark Nolan has custody of his late sister’s six-year-old daughter Holly, who hasn’t spoken since her mother’s death. But Holly opens up for toy-store owner Maggie Conroy, a young widow who yearns for companionship, and the three slowly bond. Some descriptions of sex. 2010.

CHRISTMAS TOWN by Donna Vanliere (DB 86731)

Former foster child Lauren Gabriel is not a fan of the Christmas season, but when she witnesses a car accident, she is drawn into the small town of Grandon. She is recruited to help raise money for Glory’s Place—a center for single mothers and families in need. Commercial audiobook. 2016.

CHRISTMAS TRAIN by David Baldacci (DB 55045, BR 14463, LB 10834)

Journalist Tom Langdon takes a cross-country train from the East Coast to Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his girlfriend. On the trip he meets a host of zany characters, including one who happens to be his former lover. Sparks fly until Tom’s girlfriend shows up in Chicago. Bestseller. 2002.

DOG NAMED CHRISTMAS by Gregory D. Kincaid (DBC 01593)

Discovering that a local shelter is looking for temporary homes for their dogs over the Christmas holidays, Todd, a developmentally challenged young man, persuades his reluctant family to take in a special canine named Christmas, who teaches an entire community a lesson in the transforming power of love and goodwill. First book in the Christmas Dogs series. Followed by “Christmas with Tucker.” Unrated. 2008.

MARRY ME AT CHRISTMAS by Susan Mallery (DB 83806)

Bridal boutique owner Madeline Krug agrees to plan the Christmas wedding for a local groom whose bride is out of town. The bride’s brother, movie star Jonny Blaze, steps in to help, with romantic results. Some descriptions of sex. 2015.

MISTLETOE PROMISE by Richard Paul Evans (DB 80430, BR 20624, LB 08564)

Three years after Elise divorced her husband for cheating, another holiday season rolls around, sending her into a funk. Then Nicholas Derr approaches her in the food court where they both eat and offers a contract in which they pretend to be in a relationship. Neither expects the consequences. Bestseller. A Hallmark Original Movie. 2014.

SILVER BELLS: A HOLIDAY TALE by Luanne Rice (DB 59402, BR 15767)

Widowed Canadian farmer Christopher Byrne journeys to New York City every December to sell Christmas trees. Last year his teenaged son stayed on to pursue a photography career. Manhattan librarian Catherine Tierney buys her trees from Chris and looks out for the boy. Love is soon in the air. 2004.

TRADING CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber (DB 73827, BT 13340)

Widowed Emily Spring of Leavenworth, Washington, swaps houses with Charles Brewster of Boston for Christmas. Meanwhile, Emily’s friend Faith travels to Leavenworth to visit her and Charles’s brother Ray shows up at the house in Boston. Unexpected romances ensue in both locations. Commercial audiobook. A Hallmark Channel Original Movie. 2011.

Staff Pick — John — A WALK IN THE WOODS: REDISCOVERING AMERICA ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, by Bill Bryson, DB 46519

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I recently spent a week in northern Minnesota.  When I wasn’t not-catching fish, listening to loons, or feeding the mosquitoes, I spent quite a bit of time walking in the woods.  It was wonderful.  Breathing air that didn’t taste like car exhaust was different, but I got used to it.

Spending time in nature—whether walking in the woods, puttering in the backyard, or strolling in a park—is good for the body.  And the mind.  And the soul.  Being outdoors activates what’s known as the “happiness effect.”

Even a 15-minute walk in the woods—or on the prairie—helps you relax and offers a much-needed break from the chaos and noise of the “real” world.  John Muir got it right when he said, “of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

Travel writer Bill Bryson takes Muir at his word.  Having hiked a good bit of England, Bryson stumbles upon an outcropping of the Appalachian Trail (AT) near his home in New Hampshire and decides to tackle “the granddaddy of long hikes.”

Stephen Katz, a ne’er-do-well friend from Des Moines, volunteers to accompany Bryson, and the “waddlesome” duo hit the trail at Springer Mountain, Georgia, intent on hiking the Trail’s rugged 2,190 miles to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

it’s immediately clear that they have no business on the AT.  Woefully unprepared for its rigors, they come to their senses in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and abandon the lunacy of hiking the entire Trail.  They hopscotch their way via cab and rental car to Virginia, where they hike a more agreeable stretch of the Trail in the Blue Ridge Mountains, before suspending their odyssey.

Smitten with the AT, Bryson continues hiking abbreviated stretches of it on his own.  He samples the Trail in Pennsylvania (home of the meanest rattlesnakes on the AT), climbs Kittatinny Mountain, and survives the deceptively deadly slopes of Mount Washington.

Months later, Bryson and Katz resume hiking the AT in the notorious Hundred-Mile Wilderness of Maine.  Katz gets hopelessly lost, and they mercifully decide to call it a hike.  Later, mellowed by cream soda, they conclude that although they didn’t hike the Appalachian Trail, they DID hike the Appalachian Trail.

By turns whimsical, scholarly, cantankerous, and philosophical, Bryson paints a thoughtful portrait of the Appalachian Trail, recounting its curious history and uncertain future.  He mourns the passing of the “massively graceful” American chestnut and marvels at the astounding biological richness of the Great Smoky Mountains.  Bryson even knits together earthquakes, Alaskan glaciers, and swimming pools in Texas.

Like the best guides, Bryson leads us on surprising and offbeat detours.  We glimpse Stonewall Jackson, meet house proud loons, and explore the strange, sad town of Centralia, PA.  We also meet some of the Trail’s abundant wildlife, from hellbender salamanders to “dopily unassuming” moose.

Zoologist Desmond Morris observed that “the city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.”  A WALK IN THE WOODS is an invitation to escape that zoo, and Bryson is a worthy companion.  Just don’t get him started on cabbies in Gatlinburg, TN.

 

NLS Annotation: Bryson relates the adventures and misadventures of two totally unfit hikers as he and longtime friend Stephen Katz traverse the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail.  Returning from more than twenty years in Britain, he set out to rediscover his homeland, but the two men find themselves awed by the terrain and stymied by the unfamiliar local culture.  Bestseller.  Some strong language.  1998.

For information about the 2015 movie adaptation, “A Walk in the Woods,” starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178665/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3

Hike back in time and enjoy a June 1998 book talk by Bill Bryson at Olsson’s Books and Records in Washington, DC: https://www.c-span.org/video/?105484-1/walk-woods

An amazing and altogether different real-life tale of hiking the Appalachian Trail is GRANDMA GATEWOOD’S WALK: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL, by Ben Montgomery:

Biography of Emma Gatewood (1887-1973), who left her family in Ohio in May 1955, saying only that she was going for a walk.  Four months later she completed a solo hike of the Appalachian Trail, from south to north—the first woman to do so.  Details her trip and subsequent celebrity.  2014.  BR 21504 / DB 80502

Tom Ryan covers heartwarming New England terrain in FOLLOWING ATTICUS: FORTY-EIGHT HIGH PEAKS, ONE LITTLE DOG, AND AN EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDSHIP (DB 74367).

The Appalachian Trail’s treacherous West Coast cousin is the star of WILD: FROM LOST TO FOUND ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL, by Cheryl Strayed.  (DB 80502).

 

Staff Pick — John — JUNCTION BOYS: HOW TEN DAYS IN HELL WITH BEAR BRYANT FORGED A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, by Jim Dent, DT 07156

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Are you ready for some Football?

Of course, you are.  The only thing bigger than Football in Texas is Texas itself.

Football season is finally here.  Fans have lots of options when it comes to reading about gridiron glory.  A hard-nosed, old-school book about Football and Texas is JUNCTION BOYS: HOW TEN DAYS IN HELL WITH BEAR BRYANT FORGED A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, by Jim Dent.

Hired in 1954 to revive Texas A&M’s moribund football program, Paul “Bear” Bryant decided to “separate the quitters from the keepers.”  In the midst of an historic drought, Bryant took 115 Aggie football players to the Hill Country town of Junction for preseason training camp.  10 days later, only 35 players remained.

Brutal doesn’t being to describe what the players endured.  The practice “field” was a rock-strewn, goathead-encrusted patch of sunbaked dirt.  Temperatures soared well beyond 100°, but Bryant forbade water breaks.  One player nearly died of heatstroke.

After returning to College Station, the survivors battled through a 1-9 season. Two years later, they were undefeated Southwest Conference champions.  Bryant not only revived the football program, he may have saved the University itself.

After the 1957 season, Bryant left Texas A&M and returned to his alma mater, the University of Alabama.  The rest is history.  Bryant won six National Championships at Alabama and is considered the greatest college football coach of all time.

But despite all those glorious Crimson Tide championship teams, that gritty 1954 Texas A&M squad was his favorite.  Bear loved the “Junction Boys.”

With cameo appearances by Bonnie & Clyde,the Chicken Ranch, Elvis Presley, and a hay bale stuffed with $10,000 in hundred-dollar bills, JUNCTION BOYS: HOW TEN DAYS IN HELL WITH BEAR BRYANT FORGED A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM is a treasure for college football fans and Texas History buffs alike.

NLS Annotation: The story of Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s legendary training camp in 1954 in the small town of Junction, Texas. In a move that many consider the salvation of the Texas A&M football program, Coach Bryant put 115 players through the most grueling practices ever imagined. Only a handful of players survived the entire ten days, but they turned a floundering football team into one of the nation’s best. Strong language.  1999.

If you view football through burnt orange glasses and prefer a 24-letter alphabet (no A&M, please), turn your Eyes of Texas toward THE DARRELL ROYAL STORY (DT 02830) by Jimmy Banks; or BLEEDING ORANGE: TROOULBE AND TRIUMOH DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS (DT  5515), by John Maher.  Another amazing story of Texans and football is TWELVE MIGHTY ORPHANS: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football (DT 07025), also by Jim Dent.

Elmer Kelton’s novel, THE TIME IT NEVER RAINED (DB 49217; LB 03803), is a superb account of the of the 1950s drought that ravaged west Texas.

Catch a peek of the 2002 television movie, “The Junction Boys,” starring Tom Berenger as Bear Bryant, here: http://www.espn.com/eoe/junctionboys/index.html.

 

Staff Pick – John – IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS: LOVE, TERROR, AND AN AMERICAN FAMILY IN HITLER’S BERLIN, DB 73470

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The Talking Book Program’s Phone-in Book Club recently discussed THE BOYS IN THE BOAT: NINE AMERICANS AND THEIR EPIC QUEST FOR GOLD AT THE 1936 BERLIN OLYMPICS (DB 77138).  While the focus of the book was on the University of Washington crew that rowed its way to a Gold Medal, it also provides glimpses of life in Nazi Germany under Adolph Hitler.

Not for the first time, I asked myself how good, decent people could fall under the influence of the likes of Hitler, Göring, and Goebbels.  While there are no truly “good” answers to that question, Erik Larson’s IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS: LOVE, TERROR, AND AN AMERICAN FAMILY IN HITLER’S BERLIN offers a compelling and unique account of Germany’s descent into “savage darkness.”

A master of narrative nonfiction, Larson is the author of ISAAC’S STORM: A MAN, A TIME, AND THE DEADLIEST HURRICANE IN HISTORY (DB/DX 48811), DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY DB/DX 55748), and DEAD WAKE: THE LAST CROSSING OF THE LUSITANIA (DB 80936).

Larson spotlights William Dodd, the U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 1933-1937.  Dodd is a modest History professor and native Virginian who courageously confronted Confederate Civil War veterans early in his academic career.  Dodd’s adult daughter, Martha, is an intriguing complementary figure.  At first enamored by the energy of the Nazi revolution, Martha is soon gripped by “deepening revulsion” at its brutality.

Dodd was one of the few diplomats or politicians who had both the foresight to recognize what Hitler would become and the courage to speak about the evils of Nazi Germany.  However, his superiors in the State Department ridiculed Dodd at every turn as a crude maverick, and he was eventually replaced by a career diplomat who stressed the “positive aspects of Nazi Germany.”

From the “Night of Long Knives” to Kristallnacht, IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS casts Dodd as a “lone beacon of American freedom and hope in a land of gathering darkness.”

NLS Annotation: Follows the lives of U.S. ambassador William E. Dodd and his family, who moved to Berlin, Germany, in 1933. Discusses their attitudes toward the Nazi Party, obliviousness to Hitler’s true character, and naive reactions to the persecution of Jews and Americans and the enforcement of stringent laws. Bestseller. 2011.

Movie buffs should note that a film adaptation of IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS is in the works, with Tom Hanks rumored to play the role of Ambassador Dodd.

To learn more about IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS, and Hitler’s rise to power, listen to a 2012 interview with Larson on NPR’s “Fresh Air”: http://www.npr.org/2012/05/04/151378813/the-u-s-ambassador-inside-hitlers-berlin

A master of narrative nonfiction, Larson is also the author of ISAAC’S STORM: A MAN, A TIME, AND THE DEADLIEST HURRICANE IN HISTORY (DB/DX 48811); DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY (DB/DX 55748); and DEAD WAKE: THE LAST CROSSING OF THE LUSITANIA (DB 80936).

Staff Pick – Laura Jean– THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher, DB 70544

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The recent release on March 31st of Netflix’s series 13 Reasons, has generated new interest in the book on which it is based. THIRTEEN REASONS WHY. Character-driven with an emotionally intense tone, this book tells the story of Hannah Baker, through a series of audio cassettes recorded for the 13 different people who impacted her life…and in her opinion…precipitated her death.

Cover of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Winner of multiple state book awards for young adults as well as a recipient of a coveted five stars from Teen Book Review, this book is author Jay Asher’s debut novel.

NLS Annotation 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.

If you have already read this book and enjoy realistic young adult fiction that deals with coping with the suicide of an acquaintance try LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green, DB 61873. Or if you’d prefer the point of view be from the person contemplating suicide, try FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick, DB 77255.

Staff Pick – Laura Jean– IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot, DB 70661

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The imminent release of HBOs The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, featuring Oprah Winfrey on Saturday April 22nd has generated new interest in the book on which it is based. THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS explains the origins of HeLa cells, which were ultimately used in developing vaccines, medical treatments, and many other scientific breakthroughs. These cells were harvested from a young African American woman in Baltimore, Maryland, Henrietta Lacks, who was suffering from a particularly virulent form of cervical cancer. This book not only explains the impact HeLa cells have had on the evolution of medical research, it also delves into the way that the medical establishment treated Mrs. Lacks and her family and their fight for compensation and acknowledgement.

Written in a thought-provoking and journalistic manner, Ms. Skloot, does a brilliant job of explaining fairly complex scientific processes and medical procedures in a way that anyone can understand. In addition, she interviews Mrs. Lack’s family with compassion, yet maintains her journalistic neutrality. She skillfully sets their personal story against the backdrop of the racial and medical culture of the latter half of the 20th century. Winning best book awards from organizations such as The National Academies of Science and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks remained on the New York Times Bestseller List for over two years.

NLS Annotation: Science journalist chronicles the life of African American Henrietta Lacks, who in 1951 had cervical tissue removed and grown in culture–without her permission–producing the first continuously replicating human-cell samples for research. Discusses subsequent medical breakthroughs, including the polio vaccine and AIDS treatment. Explores bioethical concerns involving tissue ownership. Bestseller. 2010.

If you have already read this book or would prefer a book that looks at the broader issue of medical ethics and race, try MEDICAL APARTHEID: THE DARK HISTORY OF MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION ON BLACK AMERICANS FROM COLONIAL TIMES TO THE PRESENT by Harriet A. Washington, DB 66297.

Staff Pick – John – THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE by David Finkel, DB 77869

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Texas Center for the Book, via Read Across Texas, is encouraging Texans to use books to engage in tough but important conversations about what happens when veterans come home. More information about Read Across Texas is at https://www.tsl.texas.gov/readacrosstexas.

To help launch Read Across Texas, the Texas State Library hosted best-selling author Ben Fountain for a discussion on his critically acclaimed work, BILLY LYNN’S LONG HALFTIME WALK. (https://www.tsl.texas.gov/readacrosstexasresources.)

In addition, the Talking Book Program’s Phone-in Book Club tackled YOU KNOW WHEN THE MEN ARE GONE, by Siobhan Fallon (DT 07103).

Fountain and Fallon use fiction to explore what happens when soldiers return stateside. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Finkel offers an intense but moving nonfiction account of veterans coming home in THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE (DB 77869).

Finkel chronicles the lives of soldiers from the 2-16 Infantry Battalion readjusting to civilian life—and families readjusting to soldiers. As the soldiers battle the physical and emotional aftereffects of war, we develop a deeper understanding of the price soldiers pay for serving their country—and a fuller accounting of the debt we owe.

Discover why Ben Fountain calls THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE “one of the best and truest books I have ever read.”

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE by David Finkel (DB 77869):

NLS Annotation: Journalist who was embedded with the U.S. Army in Iraq describes what life was like for some of the veterans from THE GOOD SOLDIERS (DB 70623) after they returned stateside. Portrays issues the men and their families dealt with, including suicide, PTSD, and financial strains.  Violence and strong language.  2013.

Listen to an October 2013 NPR interview with author David Finkel:

http://www.npr.org/2013/10/01/224493078/thank-you-for-your-service-follows-americas-soldiers-home

Dream Works Pictures is currently producing a movie adaption of THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Jason Hall, who wrote the screenplay for “American Sniper,” is both its screenwriter and director.  Due for release in 2017, information about the movie version of THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE is here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2776878/?ref_=nv_sr_1