A collection of library staff recommendations. See what we're reading, and maybe find a new favorite book!
An epic standalone fantasy of an ancient evil returning to threaten the world as the royal house holding it at bay falters in power. Shannon's worldbuilding is intricate and the multiple perspectives the novel is told from are beautifully interlaced, building from a slow burn to an explosive finish.
Recommended by Nicole K.
Bradbury’s writing is full of whimsy, transporting you to another planet that is eerily similar to our own, touching on what it means to be human through the lens of a martian colony, in true sci-fi fashion.
Recommended by Alexis F.
Well, my good friend and classmate from grad school wrote it--and would probably be willing to stop in if I asked her to for a book talk. But, regardless of this shameless plug--this book was such a page turner! I couldn't put it down and needed to know what would happen next. It navigates racial issues in the workplace as well as internalized racism, but has a incredible twist you won't realize is coming.
Recommended by Sabrina G.
The plot is simple. A young Algerian, Meursault, afflicted with a sort of aimless inertia, and amorality becomes embroiled in the petty intrigues of a local criminal and ultimately ends up caught in an act of extreme violence. Once imprisoned and eventually brought to trial, his crime, it becomes apparent, is not so much the violent crime committed as it is his deficient character in the eye's of society. The trial's proceedings are absurd, a parsing of incidental trivialities, so that the eventual sentence the jury issues is both ridiculous and inevitable. A true comedy of tragedies.
Recommended by Jason H.
This book tells the story of Shakespeare's wife. It's ultimately a story about loss and it richly details those parts of Shakespeare's life that we either forget and do not know much about at all. It is beautifully written, heartbreaking, and yet also joyful. If you're into Shakespeare in the slightest (and even if you're not), this book might be for you.
Recommended by Leea S.
This book was a hauntingly beautiful exploration of love and grief that I still find myself thinking about months after I first read it. What really stood out to me was the way that love is depicted as the small details you catalog about someone, the creeping sense of horror as things keep getting steadily worse, and the close narrative that doesn't solve any mysteries but instead allows the characters' feelings to take center stage. This book devastated me and I loved it.
Recommended by Hilary C.
Emphasizes and proves how we are truly all connected, beautifully written and shockingly human and raw. Anyone going through anything can find at least something they relate to within the book. It is extremely dynamic and very grounding.
Recommended by Julia C.
Delightful, creative, unexpected and beautiful!
Recommended by Sarah B.
A very imaginative children's book. It introduces the language of feelings through whimsical little characters. Recommended for kids or adults.
Recommended by Amy H.
A truly unique and compelling story, Cemetery Boys explores questions of identity, the oft complicated relationships between individuals and their communities, and the supernatural. A great read for anyone interested in books that strike a balance between spooky and cozy.
Recommended by Clark G.
This is not a happy book. The prose is bleak and the dialogue terse. It explores the horror and charisma of evil. I didn't know how to feel after reading it and I still don't, so I think that a sign of a good book.
Recommended by Eric S.
It is set in the Freedom Tunnel of West Side Manhattan and is a sympathetic portrayal of the homeless population that lived there and turned it into a work of art.
Recommended by Karen B.
Recommended for all plant-lovers! It contains all the information about how forests grow and communicate that you never learned in biology class while being a quick, easy read.
Recommended by Madeline D.
That is a short but very gripping read! The book tells the story of fraudulent creation or silent alteration of photographs in Stalin's Soviet Union via airbrushing and other techniques.
Recommended by Katya V.
The author is known for his historical fiction, so he knows how to tell a story. A meticulously researched account of Waterloo that unfolds with the pace and suspense of a good novel.
Recommended by Noah
Schulman uses first-hand accounts to paint an extremely close-up, human picture of the ACT UP movement, and offers in-depth analysis of how the organization achieved what it did in so little time.
Recommended by Avi B.
A wide ranging review of the social and political movements operating in Los Angeles during the sixties. Essential reading, if you are curious about an L.A.beyond the latest hit single emerging from 1750 Vine Street.
Recommended by Paul B.
This is a really great history of Indigenous comedy and how it has developed over the years. It jumps back and forth in time between older comedians and performers and people currently doing stand-up. While the book's author is not Indigenous, most of the book is told through interviews. You can find a lot of the comedians mentioned in the book on YouTube, which I totally recommend doing while you read.
Recommended by Cat
This book is a great combination of humorous sketches and witty asides, and as a bonus, you get to sneakily learn a bit of science. Sometimes, it is nice to have a book that just makes you laugh a little and that you can enjoy without parsing hundreds of footnotes or having to keep track of fifty different characters with similar names. This is by the creator of the great XKCD comic, which I also recommend.
Recommended by Elliott H.
The author's family background in being the daughter of Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan has influenced her viewpoint on the world and how she decided to raise her own child. I think she provides a really inspirational insight into the important aspects of life, family, and community while also having a deep respect for spiritualisms and philosophies that she doesn't align with or didn't grow up with. Despite your faith or point of view, there are a lot of profound nuggets of wisdom that I have incorporated into my life recently.
Recommended by Ali S.
