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General Recommendations

Best Books of 2018

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ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

Staff-created list

Chicago Public Library recommends these titles as the best books published in 2018.

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

76-100 of 100 items

76-100 of 100 items

Severance

Severance

by Ma, Ling

Book - 2018

Capitalism and zombies have gone together like chocolate and peanut butter since George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, but in Severance, Ling Ma takes a commo...Show more Capitalism and zombies have gone together like chocolate and peanut butter since George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, but in Severance, Ling Ma takes a common conceit and turns it into something completely new. Candace Chen is 20-something, disaffected, underpaid, and living in Manhattan with a soul-crushing job in the publishing industry. Her life is about routine, which she continues no matter what else is happening in her life or in the world. When Shen Fever strikes, rendering its victims insensible, causing them to repeat routines over and over until their bodies literally rot, Candace just keeps going to work. The present-day zombie novel alternates with flashbacks to Candace’s life as the child of Chinese immigrant parents. Literary, darkly satirical, and often suspenseful, this smart commentary on life under late capitalism reads like a cross between World War Z and Station Eleven. Show less

Capitalism and zombies have gone together like chocolate and peanut butter since George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, but in Severance, Ling Ma takes a commo...Show more Capitalism and zombies have gone together like chocolate and peanut butter since George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, but in Severance, Ling Ma takes a common conceit and turns it into something completely new. Candace Chen is 20-something, disaffected, underpaid, and living in Manhattan with a soul-crushing job in the publishing industry. Her life is about routine, which she continues no matter what else is happening in her life or in the world. When Shen Fever strikes, rendering its victims insensible, causing them to repeat routines over and over until their bodies literally rot, Candace just keeps going to work. The present-day zombie novel alternates with flashbacks to Candace’s life as the child of Chinese immigrant parents. Literary, darkly satirical, and often suspenseful, this smart commentary on life under late capitalism reads like a cross between World War Z and Station Eleven. Show less

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She Has Her Mother's Laugh

She Has Her Mother's Laugh

The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity

by Zimmer, Carl

Book - 2018

In this lauded work of popular science, Zimmer explores the latest findings in the study of heredity, a subject impacting modern life across the board fro...Show more In this lauded work of popular science, Zimmer explores the latest findings in the study of heredity, a subject impacting modern life across the board from science & biotechnology to finance and politics. Looking at controversial subjects like intelligence and eugenics, Zimmer pushes back on the notion that our DNA determine human lives as simply as a computer's coding determines what it does. This comprehensive look at genetics is a standout among the year's science publications. Show less

In this lauded work of popular science, Zimmer explores the latest findings in the study of heredity, a subject impacting modern life across the board fro...Show more In this lauded work of popular science, Zimmer explores the latest findings in the study of heredity, a subject impacting modern life across the board from science & biotechnology to finance and politics. Looking at controversial subjects like intelligence and eugenics, Zimmer pushes back on the notion that our DNA determine human lives as simply as a computer's coding determines what it does. This comprehensive look at genetics is a standout among the year's science publications. Show less

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She Would Be King

She Would Be King

A Novel

by Moore, Wayétu

Book - 2018

Moore’s beautifully poetic debut novel is a magical realist take on the founding of her native Liberia, told by three characters who possess a supernatura...Show more Moore’s beautifully poetic debut novel is a magical realist take on the founding of her native Liberia, told by three characters who possess a supernatural gift and a unique origin story. Gbessa, from the Vai tribe in Liberia, is immortal. June Dey, an escaped slave from Virginia, has overpowering strength. Norman Aragon, son of a Jamaican Maroon slave and a British explorer, can become invisible at will. The three use these gifts to overcome obstacles thrown up by the cruelly indifferent slave trade as they journey toward Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. Moore’s descriptions are infused with traditional Vai legends, the story knitted together by the narration of the personification of the wind. Meditating on the complex African diaspora in Liberia, and how these cultures encountered indigenous tribes, Moore has spun the many unwieldy facets of Liberia’s history into a unique confection all her own. Show less

Moore’s beautifully poetic debut novel is a magical realist take on the founding of her native Liberia, told by three characters who possess a supernatura...Show more Moore’s beautifully poetic debut novel is a magical realist take on the founding of her native Liberia, told by three characters who possess a supernatural gift and a unique origin story. Gbessa, from the Vai tribe in Liberia, is immortal. June Dey, an escaped slave from Virginia, has overpowering strength. Norman Aragon, son of a Jamaican Maroon slave and a British explorer, can become invisible at will. The three use these gifts to overcome obstacles thrown up by the cruelly indifferent slave trade as they journey toward Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. Moore’s descriptions are infused with traditional Vai legends, the story knitted together by the narration of the personification of the wind. Meditating on the complex African diaspora in Liberia, and how these cultures encountered indigenous tribes, Moore has spun the many unwieldy facets of Liberia’s history into a unique confection all her own. Show less

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Small Animals

Small Animals

Parenthood in the Age of Fear

by Brooks, Kim (Author and essayist)

Book - 2018

Brooks's decision to leave her child in the car while quickly running into a store, which led to criminal charges against her, provides the framework for ...Show more Brooks's decision to leave her child in the car while quickly running into a store, which led to criminal charges against her, provides the framework for her perceptive book on parenting in today's culture of fear. Brooks explores the culture of competition among mothers, how high-profile stories about kidnapping and hot car deaths have contributed to a culture of fear, and how mothers, particularly poor women of color, are policed and often criminalized for rational parenting decisions. Brooks also highlights negative consequences of these trends for parents, particularly mothers who are continuously subject to feelings of fear and shame, and children, who experience higher rates of depression and anxiety as a result of lack of agency, independence, and unsupervised play. The good news is that parents, including the author, are pushing back on the status quo. Part memoir and part social critique, Brooks's writing on the subject of modern-day parenting is affecting and wise. Show less

Brooks's decision to leave her child in the car while quickly running into a store, which led to criminal charges against her, provides the framework for ...Show more Brooks's decision to leave her child in the car while quickly running into a store, which led to criminal charges against her, provides the framework for her perceptive book on parenting in today's culture of fear. Brooks explores the culture of competition among mothers, how high-profile stories about kidnapping and hot car deaths have contributed to a culture of fear, and how mothers, particularly poor women of color, are policed and often criminalized for rational parenting decisions. Brooks also highlights negative consequences of these trends for parents, particularly mothers who are continuously subject to feelings of fear and shame, and children, who experience higher rates of depression and anxiety as a result of lack of agency, independence, and unsupervised play. The good news is that parents, including the author, are pushing back on the status quo. Part memoir and part social critique, Brooks's writing on the subject of modern-day parenting is affecting and wise. Show less

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The Sparsholt Affair

The Sparsholt Affair

by Hollinghurst, Alan

Book - 2018

This novel of fathers and children traces LGBT life from WWII to modern day England. The first part consists of a manuscript by a literary student at Oxfo...Show more This novel of fathers and children traces LGBT life from WWII to modern day England. The first part consists of a manuscript by a literary student at Oxford during the blitz concerning an infatuation a gay friend has with a handsome younger man named David Sparsholt. The next section jumps to the 60s and from there, including the next three sections, the book traces the life of Sparsholt’s son Johnny, a gay artist who lives in the shadow of a scandal involving his father, a controversy that the author leaves vague. This long, rich novel reads slowly and exquisitely, and it may frustrate expectations that it add up to something grander. But author Hollinghurst’s strength here is in the details, his incredibly vivid characters, his observations about gay life through the decades, the lives of writers and artists, and his precise use of language. Booker Prize winner Hollinghurst writes in the tradition of Henry James, and his novels are worth savoring. Show less

This novel of fathers and children traces LGBT life from WWII to modern day England. The first part consists of a manuscript by a literary student at Oxfo...Show more This novel of fathers and children traces LGBT life from WWII to modern day England. The first part consists of a manuscript by a literary student at Oxford during the blitz concerning an infatuation a gay friend has with a handsome younger man named David Sparsholt. The next section jumps to the 60s and from there, including the next three sections, the book traces the life of Sparsholt’s son Johnny, a gay artist who lives in the shadow of a scandal involving his father, a controversy that the author leaves vague. This long, rich novel reads slowly and exquisitely, and it may frustrate expectations that it add up to something grander. But author Hollinghurst’s strength here is in the details, his incredibly vivid characters, his observations about gay life through the decades, the lives of writers and artists, and his precise use of language. Booker Prize winner Hollinghurst writes in the tradition of Henry James, and his novels are worth savoring. Show less

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Spinning Silver

Spinning Silver

by Novik, Naomi

Book - 2018

Readers breathlessly awaiting the final novel of Arden’s Winternight Trilogy will want to grab Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik to help tide them over. Both...Show more Readers breathlessly awaiting the final novel of Arden’s Winternight Trilogy will want to grab Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik to help tide them over. Both stories take place in a frozen Russian countryside haunted by creatures from Russian folklore and both follow young women whose talents and independence put them at odds with the repressive patriarchal societies they live in. Miryem comes from a family of Jewish moneylenders, despised but necessary in their poverty-stricken village. When her father falls ill, she takes over the business, channeling her years of resentment into determination to make it a success. But when she becomes too good at making the silver and gold pile up, she catches the attention of a terrifying being who wants to use her talents to acquire a fortune of his own. Now Miryem must use her considerable wits to escape the Staryk’s clutches while securing a place for herself and her family in a world that is hostile to their very existence. Show less

Readers breathlessly awaiting the final novel of Arden’s Winternight Trilogy will want to grab Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik to help tide them over. Both...Show more Readers breathlessly awaiting the final novel of Arden’s Winternight Trilogy will want to grab Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik to help tide them over. Both stories take place in a frozen Russian countryside haunted by creatures from Russian folklore and both follow young women whose talents and independence put them at odds with the repressive patriarchal societies they live in. Miryem comes from a family of Jewish moneylenders, despised but necessary in their poverty-stricken village. When her father falls ill, she takes over the business, channeling her years of resentment into determination to make it a success. But when she becomes too good at making the silver and gold pile up, she catches the attention of a terrifying being who wants to use her talents to acquire a fortune of his own. Now Miryem must use her considerable wits to escape the Staryk’s clutches while securing a place for herself and her family in a world that is hostile to their very existence. Show less

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The Spy and the Traitor

The Spy and the Traitor

The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War

by Macintyre, Ben

Book - 2018

Master of true spy history Ben Macintyre is back with a tale of classic cold-war espionage involving America, Britain, and the Soviet Union. This history ...Show more Master of true spy history Ben Macintyre is back with a tale of classic cold-war espionage involving America, Britain, and the Soviet Union. This history of Oleg Gordievsky, KGB agent turned British spy, is brimming with the kind of action usually reserved for thriller novels. Fascinating stuff, and - with espionage in the news now as much as ever - it's also timely and relevant. Show less

Master of true spy history Ben Macintyre is back with a tale of classic cold-war espionage involving America, Britain, and the Soviet Union. This history ...Show more Master of true spy history Ben Macintyre is back with a tale of classic cold-war espionage involving America, Britain, and the Soviet Union. This history of Oleg Gordievsky, KGB agent turned British spy, is brimming with the kind of action usually reserved for thriller novels. Fascinating stuff, and - with espionage in the news now as much as ever - it's also timely and relevant. Show less

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The Sun Does Shine

The Sun Does Shine

How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

by Hinton, Anthony Ray

Book - 2018

Anthony Ray Hinton, who was wrongly convicted of two 1985 murders in Alabama, spent his first three years on death row isolating himself in a stew of ange...Show more Anthony Ray Hinton, who was wrongly convicted of two 1985 murders in Alabama, spent his first three years on death row isolating himself in a stew of anger and hatred. But, as he describes in this book subtitled How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, he realized he could make a different choice. He chose to spend the next 27 years as a source of compassion and hope on death row. Nurtured by his faith in God and the unconditional love of his mother and his best friend, Hinton makes a family where he lives, transforming his own life and those he touches. The book also details Hinton’s grossly unjust trial and follows his lengthy, frustrating appeals process, including attorney letters and excerpts from newspaper articles to add immediacy. This moving, healing story of the power of love earned its place as a 2018 selection for Oprah's Book Club and is recommended for fans of the play The Exonerated and Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy. Show less

Anthony Ray Hinton, who was wrongly convicted of two 1985 murders in Alabama, spent his first three years on death row isolating himself in a stew of ange...Show more Anthony Ray Hinton, who was wrongly convicted of two 1985 murders in Alabama, spent his first three years on death row isolating himself in a stew of anger and hatred. But, as he describes in this book subtitled How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, he realized he could make a different choice. He chose to spend the next 27 years as a source of compassion and hope on death row. Nurtured by his faith in God and the unconditional love of his mother and his best friend, Hinton makes a family where he lives, transforming his own life and those he touches. The book also details Hinton’s grossly unjust trial and follows his lengthy, frustrating appeals process, including attorney letters and excerpts from newspaper articles to add immediacy. This moving, healing story of the power of love earned its place as a 2018 selection for Oprah's Book Club and is recommended for fans of the play The Exonerated and Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy. Show less

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Sunburn

Sunburn

A Novel

by Lippman, Laura

Book - 2018

In her new novel, Laura Lippman serves up a classic noir novel with a feminist twist. Polly is the dangerous red-head with a dark past and Adam, the drift...Show more In her new novel, Laura Lippman serves up a classic noir novel with a feminist twist. Polly is the dangerous red-head with a dark past and Adam, the drifter who comes into her life with his own secrets. They fall in love over a steamy summer in a dead-end town, but their pasts are closing in on them and it’s a race to find out whether they wind up together or in jail. Why did Polly abandon her family and change her name? As her story unwinds and Polly’s violent past is revealed, her actions become more understandable. Featuring a strong female character with her own moral code, this story will appeal to fans of The Informationist by Taylor Stevens. Want more noir? Try James Cain, the inspiration for Lippman's homage to the hard-boiled crime novel. Show less

In her new novel, Laura Lippman serves up a classic noir novel with a feminist twist. Polly is the dangerous red-head with a dark past and Adam, the drift...Show more In her new novel, Laura Lippman serves up a classic noir novel with a feminist twist. Polly is the dangerous red-head with a dark past and Adam, the drifter who comes into her life with his own secrets. They fall in love over a steamy summer in a dead-end town, but their pasts are closing in on them and it’s a race to find out whether they wind up together or in jail. Why did Polly abandon her family and change her name? As her story unwinds and Polly’s violent past is revealed, her actions become more understandable. Featuring a strong female character with her own moral code, this story will appeal to fans of The Informationist by Taylor Stevens. Want more noir? Try James Cain, the inspiration for Lippman's homage to the hard-boiled crime novel. Show less

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Temper

Temper

by Drayden, Nicky

Paperback - 2018

In fiction, there's always a bad twin for every good twin. But in this book, being the bad twin means living an inferior life. If you've ever had to live ...Show more In fiction, there's always a bad twin for every good twin. But in this book, being the bad twin means living an inferior life. If you've ever had to live up to an impossible sibling, you'll understand the struggle of the main character Auben, who literally wears his vices on his skin. Set in a future version of South Africa, Temper is filled with demons both real and imaginary, and it's full of twists and turns. Its play with gender norms also makes it a good bet for fans of Ann Leicke's Imperial Radch trilogy. Show less

In fiction, there's always a bad twin for every good twin. But in this book, being the bad twin means living an inferior life. If you've ever had to live ...Show more In fiction, there's always a bad twin for every good twin. But in this book, being the bad twin means living an inferior life. If you've ever had to live up to an impossible sibling, you'll understand the struggle of the main character Auben, who literally wears his vices on his skin. Set in a future version of South Africa, Temper is filled with demons both real and imaginary, and it's full of twists and turns. Its play with gender norms also makes it a good bet for fans of Ann Leicke's Imperial Radch trilogy. Show less

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That Kind of Mother

That Kind of Mother

by Alam, Rumaan

Book - 2018

Alam's sophomore novel is a piercing narrative of motherhood. Rebecca Stone is a fledgling writer and wife living in affluence in late 1980s Washington, D...Show more Alam's sophomore novel is a piercing narrative of motherhood. Rebecca Stone is a fledgling writer and wife living in affluence in late 1980s Washington, DC when she gives birth to her son. Unprepared for the emotional and physical toll she endures in caring for a newborn, Rebecca enlists her lactation consultant Priscilla, who is black, to be her nanny. After Priscilla becomes an indispensable part of the family's life, she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant and dies in childbirth. When Cheryl, Priscilla's adult daughter, decides she cannot care for her mother’s newborn son, Rebecca takes the baby in and eventually dives headlong into interracial adoption with a sort of naive goodness. Alam's sensitive portrait of motherhood and family grapples with uneasy issues with grace. Show less

Alam's sophomore novel is a piercing narrative of motherhood. Rebecca Stone is a fledgling writer and wife living in affluence in late 1980s Washington, D...Show more Alam's sophomore novel is a piercing narrative of motherhood. Rebecca Stone is a fledgling writer and wife living in affluence in late 1980s Washington, DC when she gives birth to her son. Unprepared for the emotional and physical toll she endures in caring for a newborn, Rebecca enlists her lactation consultant Priscilla, who is black, to be her nanny. After Priscilla becomes an indispensable part of the family's life, she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant and dies in childbirth. When Cheryl, Priscilla's adult daughter, decides she cannot care for her mother’s newborn son, Rebecca takes the baby in and eventually dives headlong into interracial adoption with a sort of naive goodness. Alam's sensitive portrait of motherhood and family grapples with uneasy issues with grace. Show less

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There There

There There

by Orange, Tommy

Paperback - 2018

Tommy Orange (Cheyenne, Arapaho) wastes no time and goes right for the gut in his debut novel. The prologue opens with the description of the Indian Head ...Show more Tommy Orange (Cheyenne, Arapaho) wastes no time and goes right for the gut in his debut novel. The prologue opens with the description of the Indian Head test pattern on TV screens until the late seventies. He then follows with the various ways the Indian head has been used by colonizers: paraded on a pike in 1621; kicked around like soccer balls after a massacre in 1637 in which the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony declared a day of Thanksgiving and so on. Orange then moves forward in time to the natives of today, specifically the urban Indian. "They used to call us sidewalk Indians. Called us citified, superficial, inauthentic, cultureless refugees, apples. An apple is red on the outside and white on the inside." Each chapter alternates among characters who are coming to terms with what it means to be a Native American in today's society. As the novel progresses toward it's climactic ending at an Oakland Pow Wow, each character realizes that there is no easy answer. Show less

Tommy Orange (Cheyenne, Arapaho) wastes no time and goes right for the gut in his debut novel. The prologue opens with the description of the Indian Head ...Show more Tommy Orange (Cheyenne, Arapaho) wastes no time and goes right for the gut in his debut novel. The prologue opens with the description of the Indian Head test pattern on TV screens until the late seventies. He then follows with the various ways the Indian head has been used by colonizers: paraded on a pike in 1621; kicked around like soccer balls after a massacre in 1637 in which the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony declared a day of Thanksgiving and so on. Orange then moves forward in time to the natives of today, specifically the urban Indian. "They used to call us sidewalk Indians. Called us citified, superficial, inauthentic, cultureless refugees, apples. An apple is red on the outside and white on the inside." Each chapter alternates among characters who are coming to terms with what it means to be a Native American in today's society. As the novel progresses toward it's climactic ending at an Oakland Pow Wow, each character realizes that there is no easy answer. Show less

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These Truths

These Truths

A History of the United States

by Lepore, Jill

Book - 2018

One of the most ambitious projects in recent history-writing, this massive one-volume treatment of American history is a new classic. One of the most ambitious projects in recent history-writing, this massive one-volume treatment of American history is a new classic. Show less

One of the most ambitious projects in recent history-writing, this massive one-volume treatment of American history is a new classic. One of the most ambitious projects in recent history-writing, this massive one-volume treatment of American history is a new classic. Show less

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This Will Be My Undoing

This Will Be My Undoing

Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (white) America

by Jerkins, Morgan

Paperback - 2018

Even if your life has been greatly different from Jerkins's, you may occasionally need to put This Will Be My Undoing down and think about the life lesson...Show more Even if your life has been greatly different from Jerkins's, you may occasionally need to put This Will Be My Undoing down and think about the life lessons that she explores. Jerkins deftly examines the intersectionality of what it means to be black and a woman in a society that doesn't always support the combination of these two identities. For her, a large part of the answer to this question is finding a nurturing and diverse community where she can be herself. This is a powerful memoir for fans of Ijeoma Oluo or Brittney Cooper. Show less

Even if your life has been greatly different from Jerkins's, you may occasionally need to put This Will Be My Undoing down and think about the life lesson...Show more Even if your life has been greatly different from Jerkins's, you may occasionally need to put This Will Be My Undoing down and think about the life lessons that she explores. Jerkins deftly examines the intersectionality of what it means to be black and a woman in a society that doesn't always support the combination of these two identities. For her, a large part of the answer to this question is finding a nurturing and diverse community where she can be herself. This is a powerful memoir for fans of Ijeoma Oluo or Brittney Cooper. Show less

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Tin Man

Tin Man

by Winman, Sarah

Book - 2018

Shifting between the 1960s and the 90s, this short novel explores the life of an intense friendship that crosses over into first love. Ellis and Michael m...Show more Shifting between the 1960s and the 90s, this short novel explores the life of an intense friendship that crosses over into first love. Ellis and Michael meet when they are twelve years old. They become fast and inseparable friends, bonding over their overbearing fathers, art, poetry, and bicycling through the streets of Oxford. The story then skips ahead and Ellis is married to Annie, but what happened to Michael? As Michael and Ellis drift in and out of each other's lives, both must come to terms with life turning out differently than they had planned. Fans of Ian McEwan and Michael Cunningham will appreciate the rich, introspective prose and quiet descriptions of the English countryside, while also recognizing the complex themes of friendship, love, and loss. Show less

Shifting between the 1960s and the 90s, this short novel explores the life of an intense friendship that crosses over into first love. Ellis and Michael m...Show more Shifting between the 1960s and the 90s, this short novel explores the life of an intense friendship that crosses over into first love. Ellis and Michael meet when they are twelve years old. They become fast and inseparable friends, bonding over their overbearing fathers, art, poetry, and bicycling through the streets of Oxford. The story then skips ahead and Ellis is married to Annie, but what happened to Michael? As Michael and Ellis drift in and out of each other's lives, both must come to terms with life turning out differently than they had planned. Fans of Ian McEwan and Michael Cunningham will appreciate the rich, introspective prose and quiet descriptions of the English countryside, while also recognizing the complex themes of friendship, love, and loss. Show less

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Virgil Wander

Virgil Wander

by Enger, Leif

Book - 2018

This folksy Midwestern tale set in a small Minnesota town called Greenstone concerns the title character's recovery after an accident that sent his car in...Show more This folksy Midwestern tale set in a small Minnesota town called Greenstone concerns the title character's recovery after an accident that sent his car into icy Lake Superior. This warm and charming novel also concerns a Norweigian man named Rune, who's hunting for his minor-league baseball player son who took off in an airplane never to be seen again. Fans of stories about small-town America will enjoy this, as will fans of Elizabeth Berg and Chad Harbach. Show less

This folksy Midwestern tale set in a small Minnesota town called Greenstone concerns the title character's recovery after an accident that sent his car in...Show more This folksy Midwestern tale set in a small Minnesota town called Greenstone concerns the title character's recovery after an accident that sent his car into icy Lake Superior. This warm and charming novel also concerns a Norweigian man named Rune, who's hunting for his minor-league baseball player son who took off in an airplane never to be seen again. Fans of stories about small-town America will enjoy this, as will fans of Elizabeth Berg and Chad Harbach. Show less

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Washington Black

Washington Black

by Edugyan, Esi

Book - 2018

Born a slave on a Barbados plantation, George Washington Black (known as Wash) is about 12 years old when he is assigned to be the manservant and assistan...Show more Born a slave on a Barbados plantation, George Washington Black (known as Wash) is about 12 years old when he is assigned to be the manservant and assistant to the plantation owner's brother, Titch. Titch is a scientist, inventor and explorer who recognizes a talent for drawing in Wash and takes him along on his nature explorations, and encourages him to draw what he sees, not what he thinks he should see. After tragedy strikes on the plantation, Wash and Titch flee the island in a hot air balloon, eventually traveling to Hudson Bay in upper Canada. Wash's journeys take him from Canada to Europe and Africa as he searches for an identity that slavery stole from him and a place of his own in the world. Part slave narrative, part Victorian adventure story with a splash of steampunk, Washington Black is an engaging novel that explores the meaning of freedom, race, and friendship. Show less

Born a slave on a Barbados plantation, George Washington Black (known as Wash) is about 12 years old when he is assigned to be the manservant and assistan...Show more Born a slave on a Barbados plantation, George Washington Black (known as Wash) is about 12 years old when he is assigned to be the manservant and assistant to the plantation owner's brother, Titch. Titch is a scientist, inventor and explorer who recognizes a talent for drawing in Wash and takes him along on his nature explorations, and encourages him to draw what he sees, not what he thinks he should see. After tragedy strikes on the plantation, Wash and Titch flee the island in a hot air balloon, eventually traveling to Hudson Bay in upper Canada. Wash's journeys take him from Canada to Europe and Africa as he searches for an identity that slavery stole from him and a place of his own in the world. Part slave narrative, part Victorian adventure story with a splash of steampunk, Washington Black is an engaging novel that explores the meaning of freedom, race, and friendship. Show less

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We Sold Our Souls

We Sold Our Souls

by Hendrix, Grady

Book - 2018

Kris Pulaski is the jaded, burnt-out guitarist of the defunct metal band Dürt Würk. Terry, the former lead singer, has achieved solo superstardom and left...Show more Kris Pulaski is the jaded, burnt-out guitarist of the defunct metal band Dürt Würk. Terry, the former lead singer, has achieved solo superstardom and left Kris and the rest of his old bandmates to wallow in obscurity. Kris's determination to confront Terry over his betrayal spirals into a conspiracy-filled quest to save her soul and achieve musical redemption. It's a real love letter to 80s heavy metal and the (faux?) satanism surrounding it. Plenty of horror tropes are freshened up and woven into a plot littered with pop culture references, nostalgia for heavy metal before it was polluted by soulless corporatism, and some disturbingly gory scares. Show less

Kris Pulaski is the jaded, burnt-out guitarist of the defunct metal band Dürt Würk. Terry, the former lead singer, has achieved solo superstardom and left...Show more Kris Pulaski is the jaded, burnt-out guitarist of the defunct metal band Dürt Würk. Terry, the former lead singer, has achieved solo superstardom and left Kris and the rest of his old bandmates to wallow in obscurity. Kris's determination to confront Terry over his betrayal spirals into a conspiracy-filled quest to save her soul and achieve musical redemption. It's a real love letter to 80s heavy metal and the (faux?) satanism surrounding it. Plenty of horror tropes are freshened up and woven into a plot littered with pop culture references, nostalgia for heavy metal before it was polluted by soulless corporatism, and some disturbingly gory scares. Show less

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When Einstein Walked With Gödel

When Einstein Walked With Gödel

Excursions to the Edge of Thought

by Holt, Jim

Book - 2018

This career-spanning collection of Holt's essays on mathematics, philosophy and science is a treasure trove made up of explainers on modern concepts and p...Show more This career-spanning collection of Holt's essays on mathematics, philosophy and science is a treasure trove made up of explainers on modern concepts and portraits of key thinkers. It serves as a useful introduction for readers interested in these more abstract fields of study, but fans of biography, whether mathematically-minded or not, will also find plenty to enjoy in these tales of oddballs and eccentrics who revolutionized their fields. Show less

This career-spanning collection of Holt's essays on mathematics, philosophy and science is a treasure trove made up of explainers on modern concepts and p...Show more This career-spanning collection of Holt's essays on mathematics, philosophy and science is a treasure trove made up of explainers on modern concepts and portraits of key thinkers. It serves as a useful introduction for readers interested in these more abstract fields of study, but fans of biography, whether mathematically-minded or not, will also find plenty to enjoy in these tales of oddballs and eccentrics who revolutionized their fields. Show less

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White Chrysanthemum

White Chrysanthemum

by Bracht, Mary Lynn

Book - 2018

Two separated sisters long for each other over 50 years of Korean history after Hana, a sixteen year-old girl working as a diver, is captured by Japanese ...Show more Two separated sisters long for each other over 50 years of Korean history after Hana, a sixteen year-old girl working as a diver, is captured by Japanese soldiers while hiding her younger sister Emi. The novel alternates between the storylines of the two sisters, Hana's in 1943 and Emi's in 2011, exposing their experience as women during the war and demonstrating the inner strength of haenyeo, women divers, and representing the triumph of hope. Exposing the shameful Japanese practice of Korean sexual slavery during WWII, a dark and little-known aspect of modern Korean history, White Chrysanthemum is devastating with historical detail, heartbreaking with beautiful writing, and ultimately redemptive. Show less

Two separated sisters long for each other over 50 years of Korean history after Hana, a sixteen year-old girl working as a diver, is captured by Japanese ...Show more Two separated sisters long for each other over 50 years of Korean history after Hana, a sixteen year-old girl working as a diver, is captured by Japanese soldiers while hiding her younger sister Emi. The novel alternates between the storylines of the two sisters, Hana's in 1943 and Emi's in 2011, exposing their experience as women during the war and demonstrating the inner strength of haenyeo, women divers, and representing the triumph of hope. Exposing the shameful Japanese practice of Korean sexual slavery during WWII, a dark and little-known aspect of modern Korean history, White Chrysanthemum is devastating with historical detail, heartbreaking with beautiful writing, and ultimately redemptive. Show less

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The Widows of Malabar Hill

The Widows of Malabar Hill

by Massey, Sujata

Paperback - 2018

Sujata Massey deftly weaves together the cultures of Hindu, Parsi, Muslim, and English Bombay in her debut. When a man is killed in the secluded home of t...Show more Sujata Massey deftly weaves together the cultures of Hindu, Parsi, Muslim, and English Bombay in her debut. When a man is killed in the secluded home of three Muslim widows, their lawyer, the first female barrister in Bombay, must investigate a world she does not fully understand. The protagonist, Perveen, is a joy to follow as she navigates the complicated paths of love, law, and murder. Show less

Sujata Massey deftly weaves together the cultures of Hindu, Parsi, Muslim, and English Bombay in her debut. When a man is killed in the secluded home of t...Show more Sujata Massey deftly weaves together the cultures of Hindu, Parsi, Muslim, and English Bombay in her debut. When a man is killed in the secluded home of three Muslim widows, their lawyer, the first female barrister in Bombay, must investigate a world she does not fully understand. The protagonist, Perveen, is a joy to follow as she navigates the complicated paths of love, law, and murder. Show less

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The Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window

by Finn, A. J.

Book - 2018

In this page-turning new domestic suspense thriller from debut author AJ Finn, an agoraphobic recluse in New York City spends her days drinking too much w...Show more In this page-turning new domestic suspense thriller from debut author AJ Finn, an agoraphobic recluse in New York City spends her days drinking too much wine and overindulging in her prescriptions, amusing herself by spying on her neighbors using a camera with a good zoom lens and some basic online search engine sleuthing. She’s also a cinephile who loves film noir and old Hitchcock movies. One day she sees what appears to be a murder at a neighbor’s house, a plot twist right out of Hitch’s greatest stories, but can Anna trust her own senses? You may predict some of the plot twists in advance, but probably not all of them. This one’s an entertaining thriller with a classic feel for psychological suspense fans of all generations. Show less

In this page-turning new domestic suspense thriller from debut author AJ Finn, an agoraphobic recluse in New York City spends her days drinking too much w...Show more In this page-turning new domestic suspense thriller from debut author AJ Finn, an agoraphobic recluse in New York City spends her days drinking too much wine and overindulging in her prescriptions, amusing herself by spying on her neighbors using a camera with a good zoom lens and some basic online search engine sleuthing. She’s also a cinephile who loves film noir and old Hitchcock movies. One day she sees what appears to be a murder at a neighbor’s house, a plot twist right out of Hitch’s greatest stories, but can Anna trust her own senses? You may predict some of the plot twists in advance, but probably not all of them. This one’s an entertaining thriller with a classic feel for psychological suspense fans of all generations. Show less

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The Woman's Hour

The Woman's Hour

The Last Furious Fight to Win the Vote

by Weiss, Elaine F.

Book - 2018

Nearly 100 years ago, women won the right to vote, and while it seems settled now, it was no sure thing at the time. The battle for the 19th amendment cam...Show more Nearly 100 years ago, women won the right to vote, and while it seems settled now, it was no sure thing at the time. The battle for the 19th amendment came down to Tennessee, and that is where Weiss's book opens, with smart, tough, dedicated women on both sides descending on Nashville to either win or defeat the fight for women's suffrage once and for all. Weiss covers a lot of ground (sketching some of the history between the Seneca Falls Convention and 1918), but she keeps things moving, and there are plenty of connections to our own time: venal, spineless politicians, moral crusaders, and ideas whose moment has arrived. Definitely worth picking up, and a valuable reminder not to take our Constitutional rights for granted. Show less

Nearly 100 years ago, women won the right to vote, and while it seems settled now, it was no sure thing at the time. The battle for the 19th amendment cam...Show more Nearly 100 years ago, women won the right to vote, and while it seems settled now, it was no sure thing at the time. The battle for the 19th amendment came down to Tennessee, and that is where Weiss's book opens, with smart, tough, dedicated women on both sides descending on Nashville to either win or defeat the fight for women's suffrage once and for all. Weiss covers a lot of ground (sketching some of the history between the Seneca Falls Convention and 1918), but she keeps things moving, and there are plenty of connections to our own time: venal, spineless politicians, moral crusaders, and ideas whose moment has arrived. Definitely worth picking up, and a valuable reminder not to take our Constitutional rights for granted. Show less

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The Word Is Murder

The Word Is Murder

A Novel

by Horowitz, Anthony

Paperback - 2018

Like he did in The Magpie Murders, with a mystery novel inside a mystery novel, Anthony Horowitz has once again written a mystery novel that turns the gen...Show more Like he did in The Magpie Murders, with a mystery novel inside a mystery novel, Anthony Horowitz has once again written a mystery novel that turns the genre a bit on its head. This time, the author is both a character in the story and the narrator, hired by the detective, Daniel Hawthorne, to write a book about him. In the process, he gets sucked into the murder investigation himself. That mystery, about a wealthy woman who is murdered just hours after planning her funeral, has plenty of twists, turns and dead ends to keep fans of the genre satisfied. Show less

Like he did in The Magpie Murders, with a mystery novel inside a mystery novel, Anthony Horowitz has once again written a mystery novel that turns the gen...Show more Like he did in The Magpie Murders, with a mystery novel inside a mystery novel, Anthony Horowitz has once again written a mystery novel that turns the genre a bit on its head. This time, the author is both a character in the story and the narrator, hired by the detective, Daniel Hawthorne, to write a book about him. In the process, he gets sucked into the murder investigation himself. That mystery, about a wealthy woman who is murdered just hours after planning her funeral, has plenty of twists, turns and dead ends to keep fans of the genre satisfied. Show less

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You Think It, I'll Say It

You Think It, I'll Say It

Stories

by Sittenfeld, Curtis

Book - 2018

Sittenfeld's story collection simmers with unrest with ten stories set mostly in a middle-class milieu and featuring primarily female protagonists. In the...Show more Sittenfeld's story collection simmers with unrest with ten stories set mostly in a middle-class milieu and featuring primarily female protagonists. In the biting "The World Has Butterflies," a woman has misjudged the feelings of a male friend she has been playing a secret game with. A stay-at-home mom is fixated on a former friend and lesbian who has become a sort of celebrity evangelical domestic goddess in "The Prairie Wife." In "Volunteers Are Shining Stars," a woman grapples with her static point of view. There are emotional affairs, disappointing sexual encounters, characters who have settled for something less than they had hoped, and the complicated private selves we all carry. Sittenfeld is an observant, accessible writer, and this collection shines. Show less

Sittenfeld's story collection simmers with unrest with ten stories set mostly in a middle-class milieu and featuring primarily female protagonists. In the...Show more Sittenfeld's story collection simmers with unrest with ten stories set mostly in a middle-class milieu and featuring primarily female protagonists. In the biting "The World Has Butterflies," a woman has misjudged the feelings of a male friend she has been playing a secret game with. A stay-at-home mom is fixated on a former friend and lesbian who has become a sort of celebrity evangelical domestic goddess in "The Prairie Wife." In "Volunteers Are Shining Stars," a woman grapples with her static point of view. There are emotional affairs, disappointing sexual encounters, characters who have settled for something less than they had hoped, and the complicated private selves we all carry. Sittenfeld is an observant, accessible writer, and this collection shines. Show less

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