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General Recommendations

Best Books of 2020

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

Staff-created list

Chicago Public Library recommends these titles as the best books published in 2020.

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

1-25 of 100 items

1-25 of 100 items

Actress

Actress

A Novel

by Enright, Anne

Book - 2020

"What was she like before she went crazy," people ask Norah about her late mother, "as though their own mother might turn overnight, like a...Show more "What was she like before she went crazy," people ask Norah about her late mother, "as though their own mother might turn overnight, like a bottle of milk left out of the fridge." The narrator of this haunting novel attempts to answer that question and more as she pieces together the life of her enigmatic mother, Irish stage and screen actress Katherine O'Dell, who committed a violent crime at age 52. A product of Hollywood's studio system, which literally owns her image, Katherine is briefly married to a gay actor at the behest of the studio, and she's increasingly passed over for roles as she ages. As Katherine moves between Ireland and London and America, she blows in and out of her daughter's life, and the novel chronicles their relationship as well as the narrator's coming of age, and the abuse and exploitation that both endure. Though the chapters on Katherine's childhood move a bit slowly, the novel offers many rewards to the patient reader, including the Booker Prize-winner's sometimes surprising narrative choices and an exquisite final chapter about the daughter's present life. Show less

"What was she like before she went crazy," people ask Norah about her late mother, "as though their own mother might turn overnight, like a...Show more "What was she like before she went crazy," people ask Norah about her late mother, "as though their own mother might turn overnight, like a bottle of milk left out of the fridge." The narrator of this haunting novel attempts to answer that question and more as she pieces together the life of her enigmatic mother, Irish stage and screen actress Katherine O'Dell, who committed a violent crime at age 52. A product of Hollywood's studio system, which literally owns her image, Katherine is briefly married to a gay actor at the behest of the studio, and she's increasingly passed over for roles as she ages. As Katherine moves between Ireland and London and America, she blows in and out of her daughter's life, and the novel chronicles their relationship as well as the narrator's coming of age, and the abuse and exploitation that both endure. Though the chapters on Katherine's childhood move a bit slowly, the novel offers many rewards to the patient reader, including the Booker Prize-winner's sometimes surprising narrative choices and an exquisite final chapter about the daughter's present life. Show less

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The Address Book

The Address Book

What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power

by Mask, Deirdre

Book - 2020

Addresses empower and isolate, while street names often commemorate and describe. This remarkable and highly original book takes readers on an exciting jo...Show more Addresses empower and isolate, while street names often commemorate and describe. This remarkable and highly original book takes readers on an exciting journey covering historical events and fascinating people through this lens of street names and addresses. To give some examples: the use of addresses grew out of the Age of Enlightenment's desire for equality and order and made it easier to collect taxes. The French Revolution brought an end to naming roads after monarchs as buildings were turned over to the public. House numbers played a crucial role in tracing the origin of a cholera epidemic to a single water pump in Victorian London. Daniel Burnham wanted Chicago to look Roman, and Edward P. Brennan famously said, "All streets lead to State and Madison Streets" when discussing the organization of Chicago's addresses. Many buildings in Tokyo are numbered according to the date they were built, not in geographical order. Mask writes about a NGO called Addressing the Unaddressed whose goal is to provide addresses for all homes in slums in India to make healthcare and bank accounts more accessible for residents. Mask informs us that "In some years, more than 40 percent of all local laws passed by the New York City Council have been street name changes," yet "70 percent of the world is insufficiently mapped." This fascinating book has something for just about everyone, including readers of history and popular culture, those interested in sociology and social justice issues, and anyone who likes maps and geography. Show less

Addresses empower and isolate, while street names often commemorate and describe. This remarkable and highly original book takes readers on an exciting jo...Show more Addresses empower and isolate, while street names often commemorate and describe. This remarkable and highly original book takes readers on an exciting journey covering historical events and fascinating people through this lens of street names and addresses. To give some examples: the use of addresses grew out of the Age of Enlightenment's desire for equality and order and made it easier to collect taxes. The French Revolution brought an end to naming roads after monarchs as buildings were turned over to the public. House numbers played a crucial role in tracing the origin of a cholera epidemic to a single water pump in Victorian London. Daniel Burnham wanted Chicago to look Roman, and Edward P. Brennan famously said, "All streets lead to State and Madison Streets" when discussing the organization of Chicago's addresses. Many buildings in Tokyo are numbered according to the date they were built, not in geographical order. Mask writes about a NGO called Addressing the Unaddressed whose goal is to provide addresses for all homes in slums in India to make healthcare and bank accounts more accessible for residents. Mask informs us that "In some years, more than 40 percent of all local laws passed by the New York City Council have been street name changes," yet "70 percent of the world is insufficiently mapped." This fascinating book has something for just about everyone, including readers of history and popular culture, those interested in sociology and social justice issues, and anyone who likes maps and geography. Show less

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After the Last Border

After the Last Border

Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America

by Goudeau, Jessica

Book - 2020

Presenting the compelling stories of two women alongside the history of refugee resettlement in the United States, journalist Jessica Goudeau humanizes th...Show more Presenting the compelling stories of two women alongside the history of refugee resettlement in the United States, journalist Jessica Goudeau humanizes the discussion of immigration in this moving new book. Goudeau illustrates how the outcomes for displaced people seeking refuge depend upon ever-shifting policies, which are influenced by the sentiment of the American public. In a fascinating chronology, Goudeau explains how American attitudes towards refugees oscillated over time from 1939, when a ship of German Jews fleeing persecution by the Third Reich was denied entry, all the way up through Donald Trump's unprecedented executive order suspending immigration from several Muslim majority countries. This is an invaluable contribution to our national conversation about immigration. Through the lens of these women's lives - through their fears and aspirations, their heartbreaks and joys - Goudeau inspires us to confront the question of what role the U.S. should play in assisting those who have experienced unfathomable suffering and loss at the hands of oppressive regimes. Show less

Presenting the compelling stories of two women alongside the history of refugee resettlement in the United States, journalist Jessica Goudeau humanizes th...Show more Presenting the compelling stories of two women alongside the history of refugee resettlement in the United States, journalist Jessica Goudeau humanizes the discussion of immigration in this moving new book. Goudeau illustrates how the outcomes for displaced people seeking refuge depend upon ever-shifting policies, which are influenced by the sentiment of the American public. In a fascinating chronology, Goudeau explains how American attitudes towards refugees oscillated over time from 1939, when a ship of German Jews fleeing persecution by the Third Reich was denied entry, all the way up through Donald Trump's unprecedented executive order suspending immigration from several Muslim majority countries. This is an invaluable contribution to our national conversation about immigration. Through the lens of these women's lives - through their fears and aspirations, their heartbreaks and joys - Goudeau inspires us to confront the question of what role the U.S. should play in assisting those who have experienced unfathomable suffering and loss at the hands of oppressive regimes. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 24 on 23 copies

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Afterlife

Afterlife

A Novel

by Alvarez, Julia

Book - 2020

Alvarez's first book for adults in 15 years is a multifaceted work, an ode to Latina sisterhood and a reflection on loss layered onto a novel about battli...Show more Alvarez's first book for adults in 15 years is a multifaceted work, an ode to Latina sisterhood and a reflection on loss layered onto a novel about battling compassion fatigue in a post-2016 world. Antonia is a retired English professor who's recently lost her husband. As she is still grieving, her sister mysteriously goes missing, pulling her into a desperate search to find her. In the midst of this, she comes home to find an undocumented pregnant teenager with nowhere else to go on her doorstep. Overwhelmed with trying to help everyone at once while still healing herself, Antonia grapples with the central questions of the novel - what do we owe others? And how do we find meaning and love in a world full of despair? An Own Voices novel written from an immigrant Latina perspective, this book is full of questions that are as thoughtful as they are relevant to the present day. Alvarez's lyricism, humor and hope shine through the sometimes tough themes, making this a nourishing read from a masterful and wise storyteller. Show less

Alvarez's first book for adults in 15 years is a multifaceted work, an ode to Latina sisterhood and a reflection on loss layered onto a novel about battli...Show more Alvarez's first book for adults in 15 years is a multifaceted work, an ode to Latina sisterhood and a reflection on loss layered onto a novel about battling compassion fatigue in a post-2016 world. Antonia is a retired English professor who's recently lost her husband. As she is still grieving, her sister mysteriously goes missing, pulling her into a desperate search to find her. In the midst of this, she comes home to find an undocumented pregnant teenager with nowhere else to go on her doorstep. Overwhelmed with trying to help everyone at once while still healing herself, Antonia grapples with the central questions of the novel - what do we owe others? And how do we find meaning and love in a world full of despair? An Own Voices novel written from an immigrant Latina perspective, this book is full of questions that are as thoughtful as they are relevant to the present day. Alvarez's lyricism, humor and hope shine through the sometimes tough themes, making this a nourishing read from a masterful and wise storyteller. Show less

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The Awkward Black Man

The Awkward Black Man

Stories

by Mosley, Walter

Book - 2020

Perhaps best known for his Easy Rawlins mysteries, Mosley is a versatile writer who excels in many genres, as demonstrated in his latest masterful collect...Show more Perhaps best known for his Easy Rawlins mysteries, Mosley is a versatile writer who excels in many genres, as demonstrated in his latest masterful collection of short stories, which showcase the experiences of a diverse cast of man facing a range of challenges from the more familiar, domestic realm of love and everyday life to surviving natural disasters. The collection finds a leading author at the height of his powers. Show less

Perhaps best known for his Easy Rawlins mysteries, Mosley is a versatile writer who excels in many genres, as demonstrated in his latest masterful collect...Show more Perhaps best known for his Easy Rawlins mysteries, Mosley is a versatile writer who excels in many genres, as demonstrated in his latest masterful collection of short stories, which showcase the experiences of a diverse cast of man facing a range of challenges from the more familiar, domestic realm of love and everyday life to surviving natural disasters. The collection finds a leading author at the height of his powers. Show less

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Begin Again

Begin Again

James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own

by Glaude, Eddie S.

Book - 2020

Disturbed by the turmoil of our current era and the setbacks it has presented to American civil rights, a noted scholar returns to the wisdom of James Bal...Show more Disturbed by the turmoil of our current era and the setbacks it has presented to American civil rights, a noted scholar returns to the wisdom of James Baldwin's post-1968 writings for inspiration and clarity in forging a path forward in this incisive reckoning. Show less

Disturbed by the turmoil of our current era and the setbacks it has presented to American civil rights, a noted scholar returns to the wisdom of James Bal...Show more Disturbed by the turmoil of our current era and the setbacks it has presented to American civil rights, a noted scholar returns to the wisdom of James Baldwin's post-1968 writings for inspiration and clarity in forging a path forward in this incisive reckoning. Show less

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Blacktop Wasteland

Blacktop Wasteland

by Cosby, S. A.

Book - 2020

Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a small-business owner (mechanic) raising kids with his wife and believing his past criminal life as a getaway drive...Show more Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a small-business owner (mechanic) raising kids with his wife and believing his past criminal life as a getaway driver is well behind him, but his debts are mounting, and his efforts to make some fast cash by street racing on the back roads of Virginia aren't enough to save him. And when he gets a lucrative offer from former associates to participate in a heist, he has no choice but to consider it in this excellent debut thriller. Show less

Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a small-business owner (mechanic) raising kids with his wife and believing his past criminal life as a getaway drive...Show more Beauregard "Bug" Montage is a small-business owner (mechanic) raising kids with his wife and believing his past criminal life as a getaway driver is well behind him, but his debts are mounting, and his efforts to make some fast cash by street racing on the back roads of Virginia aren't enough to save him. And when he gets a lucrative offer from former associates to participate in a heist, he has no choice but to consider it in this excellent debut thriller. Show less

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The Book of Rosy

The Book of Rosy

A Mother's Story of Separation at the Border

by Pablo Cruz, Rosayra

Book - 2020

In this powerful page-turner, we hear the story of the crisis on the border directly from two mothers: Rosy, a Guatemalan refugee separated from her young...Show more In this powerful page-turner, we hear the story of the crisis on the border directly from two mothers: Rosy, a Guatemalan refugee separated from her young children and placed in ICE detention, and Julie, an American mother who, like many, was horrified by the policy and responded by finding a way to reunite families. In an unflinching and captivating way, Rosy tells her personal experience about the dire situation she so desperately needed to escape. She also skillfully walks us through the context of how Guatemala became a place where corruption, impunity, violence and deep poverty force people to flee. From Julie we get the inspiring and astounding first-hand account of how she started Immigrant Families Together, a grass-roots organization dedicated to reuniting families separated at the border. A humble effort that began in her living room with the goal of reuniting one woman with her children, it quickly grew, gathering support from countless volunteers, reuniting more than 88 families to date. In this rare dual memoir, each woman has a compelling voice and critical part of the story to tell, their individual stories creating a whole narrative. Uplifting and gripping, this book recounts a moment in time that riveted the nation, giving us a fuller understanding of what happened. Recommended for fans of memoir, current affairs, and an interest in immigration and Latin America. Show less

In this powerful page-turner, we hear the story of the crisis on the border directly from two mothers: Rosy, a Guatemalan refugee separated from her young...Show more In this powerful page-turner, we hear the story of the crisis on the border directly from two mothers: Rosy, a Guatemalan refugee separated from her young children and placed in ICE detention, and Julie, an American mother who, like many, was horrified by the policy and responded by finding a way to reunite families. In an unflinching and captivating way, Rosy tells her personal experience about the dire situation she so desperately needed to escape. She also skillfully walks us through the context of how Guatemala became a place where corruption, impunity, violence and deep poverty force people to flee. From Julie we get the inspiring and astounding first-hand account of how she started Immigrant Families Together, a grass-roots organization dedicated to reuniting families separated at the border. A humble effort that began in her living room with the goal of reuniting one woman with her children, it quickly grew, gathering support from countless volunteers, reuniting more than 88 families to date. In this rare dual memoir, each woman has a compelling voice and critical part of the story to tell, their individual stories creating a whole narrative. Uplifting and gripping, this book recounts a moment in time that riveted the nation, giving us a fuller understanding of what happened. Recommended for fans of memoir, current affairs, and an interest in immigration and Latin America. Show less

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A Burning

A Burning

by Majumdar, Megha

Book - 2020

Majumdar's searing, timely debut tells the story of Jivan, a Muslim shop-girl who lives with her parents in Kolabagan, a slum of Kolkata, India. When Jiva...Show more Majumdar's searing, timely debut tells the story of Jivan, a Muslim shop-girl who lives with her parents in Kolabagan, a slum of Kolkata, India. When Jivan witnesses a train being set on fire at the railway station near her home, and then criticizes the police about the incident on Facebook, she is charged with the attack and thrown in jail. Jivan's backstory, told to a reporter she hopes will generate sympathy for her cause, illustrates the extent to which government corruption and an ingrained caste-system make life miserable for India's poor. When Jivan tells the reporter that she and her neighbors were evicted from their village by a coal company with the help of local police, and that teachers in her village would take tests for children in exchange for bribes, he simply replies "such is our country." The reporter's twisted version of the story becomes national news, and Jivan is smeared as a terrorist by the local Hindu-Nationalist party. Jivan's chances of receiving a fair trial are slim, but two acquaintances, whose stories are told alongside Jivan's, could testify on her behalf. The spirited Lovely, a hijra (Indian transgender woman) and aspiring actress who Jivan was on her way to tutor in English when the train incident occurred, could testify. PT Sir, a former P.E. teacher of Jivan's, could be a character witness for her, if not for his gradual corruption by a local right-wing party. Majumdar deftly illustrates the ease with which populist political parties come to power by preying on the disenfranchised and spreading racist ideologies, and how the media exacerbates the spread. Fans of Aravind Adiga and Kiran Desai will appreciate this powerful testament to the fragility of democracy. Show less

Majumdar's searing, timely debut tells the story of Jivan, a Muslim shop-girl who lives with her parents in Kolabagan, a slum of Kolkata, India. When Jiva...Show more Majumdar's searing, timely debut tells the story of Jivan, a Muslim shop-girl who lives with her parents in Kolabagan, a slum of Kolkata, India. When Jivan witnesses a train being set on fire at the railway station near her home, and then criticizes the police about the incident on Facebook, she is charged with the attack and thrown in jail. Jivan's backstory, told to a reporter she hopes will generate sympathy for her cause, illustrates the extent to which government corruption and an ingrained caste-system make life miserable for India's poor. When Jivan tells the reporter that she and her neighbors were evicted from their village by a coal company with the help of local police, and that teachers in her village would take tests for children in exchange for bribes, he simply replies "such is our country." The reporter's twisted version of the story becomes national news, and Jivan is smeared as a terrorist by the local Hindu-Nationalist party. Jivan's chances of receiving a fair trial are slim, but two acquaintances, whose stories are told alongside Jivan's, could testify on her behalf. The spirited Lovely, a hijra (Indian transgender woman) and aspiring actress who Jivan was on her way to tutor in English when the train incident occurred, could testify. PT Sir, a former P.E. teacher of Jivan's, could be a character witness for her, if not for his gradual corruption by a local right-wing party. Majumdar deftly illustrates the ease with which populist political parties come to power by preying on the disenfranchised and spreading racist ideologies, and how the media exacerbates the spread. Fans of Aravind Adiga and Kiran Desai will appreciate this powerful testament to the fragility of democracy. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 130 on 41 copies

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Caste

Caste

The Origins of Our Discontents

by Wilkerson, Isabel

Book - 2020

Isabel Wilkerson's latest (after the One Book One Chicago selection The Warmth of Other Suns) blends research, hard-won insight, and the kind of first-han...Show more Isabel Wilkerson's latest (after the One Book One Chicago selection The Warmth of Other Suns) blends research, hard-won insight, and the kind of first-hand anecdotal evidence that makes big ideas relatable into a work of rare acuity. Her bold thesis is that in order to truly perceive the function of race in America, one must understand the concept of caste, and she draws parallels to the caste systems of India and Nazi Germany, outlining eight pillars that all three systems have in common. One of the most disturbing sections of the book is an account of Nazis in the 1930s who reviewed American Jim Crow laws as a model for what they hoped to achieve with the Jews - and initially rejected some of these laws as simply going too far. Wilkerson offers nothing less than a fresh lens with which to understand American history and society, weaving scholarship into an eloquently-written and accessible reckoning that's sure to be a book club staple for years. Admirers of her previous work and of other powerful works of systemic analysis like Ibram X Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning will want to read what is sure to be one of the most-discussed books of the year. Show less

Isabel Wilkerson's latest (after the One Book One Chicago selection The Warmth of Other Suns) blends research, hard-won insight, and the kind of first-han...Show more Isabel Wilkerson's latest (after the One Book One Chicago selection The Warmth of Other Suns) blends research, hard-won insight, and the kind of first-hand anecdotal evidence that makes big ideas relatable into a work of rare acuity. Her bold thesis is that in order to truly perceive the function of race in America, one must understand the concept of caste, and she draws parallels to the caste systems of India and Nazi Germany, outlining eight pillars that all three systems have in common. One of the most disturbing sections of the book is an account of Nazis in the 1930s who reviewed American Jim Crow laws as a model for what they hoped to achieve with the Jews - and initially rejected some of these laws as simply going too far. Wilkerson offers nothing less than a fresh lens with which to understand American history and society, weaving scholarship into an eloquently-written and accessible reckoning that's sure to be a book club staple for years. Admirers of her previous work and of other powerful works of systemic analysis like Ibram X Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning will want to read what is sure to be one of the most-discussed books of the year. Show less

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Children of the Land

Children of the Land

by Hernandez Castillo, Marcelo

Book - 2020

Award-winning poet Hernandez Castillo uses his singular and powerful voice to tell the story of his crossing into the U.S. as a child with his family. Tho...Show more Award-winning poet Hernandez Castillo uses his singular and powerful voice to tell the story of his crossing into the U.S. as a child with his family. Those who have traversed the Kafaesque American immigration system will recognize their own experiences in his words in a way they never have before, while those who haven't will come away with a better understanding of the dehumanizing and precarious experience of being undocumented. Expertly blending memoir, geography, culture, and history, he proves himself to be a forceful advocate for Chicanx, Latinx, brown, queer, undocumented lives at the border. Reminiscent of Gloria Anzaldua's work, Castllo's lyrical and masterful writing will endure in your memory. Show less

Award-winning poet Hernandez Castillo uses his singular and powerful voice to tell the story of his crossing into the U.S. as a child with his family. Tho...Show more Award-winning poet Hernandez Castillo uses his singular and powerful voice to tell the story of his crossing into the U.S. as a child with his family. Those who have traversed the Kafaesque American immigration system will recognize their own experiences in his words in a way they never have before, while those who haven't will come away with a better understanding of the dehumanizing and precarious experience of being undocumented. Expertly blending memoir, geography, culture, and history, he proves himself to be a forceful advocate for Chicanx, Latinx, brown, queer, undocumented lives at the border. Reminiscent of Gloria Anzaldua's work, Castllo's lyrical and masterful writing will endure in your memory. Show less

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A Children's Bible

A Children's Bible

A Novel

by Millet, Lydia

Book - 2020

A group of disaffected children, brought together when their parents jointly rent a swanky East Coast manor for vacation, spend their days doing their bes...Show more A group of disaffected children, brought together when their parents jointly rent a swanky East Coast manor for vacation, spend their days doing their best to ignore their parents who are busy embarrassing and disgusting their offspring through their boozy, immature behavior. When a terrible storm intrudes, the kids give up on their useless parents and seek higher ground. Teenager Evie takes younger brother Jack under her wings as he and a friend, who've just been given a children's bible, turn to the stories to interpret the wild and chaotic events that follow. This zippy little end-times satire, shortlisted for the National Book Award for fiction, captures the zeitgeist of our era in smart and amusing fashion. Show less

A group of disaffected children, brought together when their parents jointly rent a swanky East Coast manor for vacation, spend their days doing their bes...Show more A group of disaffected children, brought together when their parents jointly rent a swanky East Coast manor for vacation, spend their days doing their best to ignore their parents who are busy embarrassing and disgusting their offspring through their boozy, immature behavior. When a terrible storm intrudes, the kids give up on their useless parents and seek higher ground. Teenager Evie takes younger brother Jack under her wings as he and a friend, who've just been given a children's bible, turn to the stories to interpret the wild and chaotic events that follow. This zippy little end-times satire, shortlisted for the National Book Award for fiction, captures the zeitgeist of our era in smart and amusing fashion. Show less

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The City We Became

The City We Became

by Jemisin, N. K.

Book - 2020

Every city in the world has a heartbeat, a pulse, a rhythm all its own. But what keeps that city moving and breathing? What protects it from threats, both...Show more Every city in the world has a heartbeat, a pulse, a rhythm all its own. But what keeps that city moving and breathing? What protects it from threats, both existential and physical? In NK Jemisin's latest, New York City is finally taking its first steps to become alive. But there are forces, both inside and outside the city, that want to stop this new awakening. Each borough has its own unique avatar to represent and protect it. Will they be able to join together and help the city realize its potential? Urban fantasy has rarely felt so urgent or so diverse and vibrant. Recommended for fans of Daniel Jose Older's Half-Resurrection Blues, LA Banks's Minion, and Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London. Show less

Every city in the world has a heartbeat, a pulse, a rhythm all its own. But what keeps that city moving and breathing? What protects it from threats, both...Show more Every city in the world has a heartbeat, a pulse, a rhythm all its own. But what keeps that city moving and breathing? What protects it from threats, both existential and physical? In NK Jemisin's latest, New York City is finally taking its first steps to become alive. But there are forces, both inside and outside the city, that want to stop this new awakening. Each borough has its own unique avatar to represent and protect it. Will they be able to join together and help the city realize its potential? Urban fantasy has rarely felt so urgent or so diverse and vibrant. Recommended for fans of Daniel Jose Older's Half-Resurrection Blues, LA Banks's Minion, and Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London. Show less

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Cleanness

Cleanness

by Greenwell, Garth

Book - 2020

In this strong new collection from rising literary talent Greenwell (What Belongs to You), the author explores the life of a young American teacher workin...Show more In this strong new collection from rising literary talent Greenwell (What Belongs to You), the author explores the life of a young American teacher working abroad in Sofia, Bulgaria, and his students, friends and lovers. A few stories deal with the narrator's romance with another young man, a love tested by the challenges of making a relationship work across borders in a foreign country whose best and brightest are striving to leave. These touching stories form the emotional core of the collection. A few other stories deal with sexual encounters with other men, stories that explore sadomasochism in frank but insightful prose that captures sex as a mode of self-discovery, if a sometimes a dangerous one. Yet another story captures the scene as peaceful protesters fill the capital of the former Eastern Bloc nation. This reflective, lyrical collection movingly speaks to the experience of being gay as well as life as an expatriate and will appeal to fans of Caleb Crain, Pajtim Statovci, and Ocean Vuong. Show less

In this strong new collection from rising literary talent Greenwell (What Belongs to You), the author explores the life of a young American teacher workin...Show more In this strong new collection from rising literary talent Greenwell (What Belongs to You), the author explores the life of a young American teacher working abroad in Sofia, Bulgaria, and his students, friends and lovers. A few stories deal with the narrator's romance with another young man, a love tested by the challenges of making a relationship work across borders in a foreign country whose best and brightest are striving to leave. These touching stories form the emotional core of the collection. A few other stories deal with sexual encounters with other men, stories that explore sadomasochism in frank but insightful prose that captures sex as a mode of self-discovery, if a sometimes a dangerous one. Yet another story captures the scene as peaceful protesters fill the capital of the former Eastern Bloc nation. This reflective, lyrical collection movingly speaks to the experience of being gay as well as life as an expatriate and will appeal to fans of Caleb Crain, Pajtim Statovci, and Ocean Vuong. Show less

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The Cold Millions

The Cold Millions

A Novel

by Walter, Jess

Book - 2020

After the death of his mother, teenager Rye Dolan heads west to tramp along the rails and find work with his older brother Gig, an idealistic and well-rea...Show more After the death of his mother, teenager Rye Dolan heads west to tramp along the rails and find work with his older brother Gig, an idealistic and well-read committeeman in the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World). Rye is swept up into Gig’s world of unionizers and radicals after a rally in Spokane, Washington turns violent and both end up in jail. While the brothers are the heart of the story, Walter presents a large cast of dazzling characters who zigzag through this tale of hobos, cops, suffragists, mining magnates and vaudevillians. The free speech fights of 1909 are brought to life through action-packed storytelling and vivid descriptions (you can almost smell the whiskey and smoke). Many real-life figures make appearances such as labor organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and defense attorney Fred Moore (of Sacco and Vanzetti fame). Family and loyalty are tested through the social and political unrest of the time, struggles that still echo today. Ultimately though, the story is Rye's as he navigates his independence and discovers the consequences of his decisions and, perhaps worse, what happens when the few with power make all the decisions for you. Show less

After the death of his mother, teenager Rye Dolan heads west to tramp along the rails and find work with his older brother Gig, an idealistic and well-rea...Show more After the death of his mother, teenager Rye Dolan heads west to tramp along the rails and find work with his older brother Gig, an idealistic and well-read committeeman in the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World). Rye is swept up into Gig’s world of unionizers and radicals after a rally in Spokane, Washington turns violent and both end up in jail. While the brothers are the heart of the story, Walter presents a large cast of dazzling characters who zigzag through this tale of hobos, cops, suffragists, mining magnates and vaudevillians. The free speech fights of 1909 are brought to life through action-packed storytelling and vivid descriptions (you can almost smell the whiskey and smoke). Many real-life figures make appearances such as labor organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and defense attorney Fred Moore (of Sacco and Vanzetti fame). Family and loyalty are tested through the social and political unrest of the time, struggles that still echo today. Ultimately though, the story is Rye's as he navigates his independence and discovers the consequences of his decisions and, perhaps worse, what happens when the few with power make all the decisions for you. Show less

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Come Home, Indio

Come Home, Indio

A Memoir

by Terry, Jim

Paperback - 2020

Terry's gripping graphic memoir describes a loner's childhood that develops into a young adulthood filled with loss and alcohol abuse and the redemption t...Show more Terry's gripping graphic memoir describes a loner's childhood that develops into a young adulthood filled with loss and alcohol abuse and the redemption that follows, first through sobriety, and then through activism against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock Reservation. Fans of An Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will find that Come Home, Indio shares with it a major theme: a young Native American struggling at once to fit into Anglo society while at the same time seeking a place amongst people who share his heritage. There's a local connection, too, as much of the story is set in Chicago, in Hinsdale and neighboring suburbs, and in the Wisconsin Dells. Show less

Terry's gripping graphic memoir describes a loner's childhood that develops into a young adulthood filled with loss and alcohol abuse and the redemption t...Show more Terry's gripping graphic memoir describes a loner's childhood that develops into a young adulthood filled with loss and alcohol abuse and the redemption that follows, first through sobriety, and then through activism against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock Reservation. Fans of An Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will find that Come Home, Indio shares with it a major theme: a young Native American struggling at once to fit into Anglo society while at the same time seeking a place amongst people who share his heritage. There's a local connection, too, as much of the story is set in Chicago, in Hinsdale and neighboring suburbs, and in the Wisconsin Dells. Show less

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Conjure Women

Conjure Women

A Novel

by Atakora, Afia

Book - 2020

Atakora's debut novel takes the reader on a back-and-forth journey in time to tell a story of how three women's escapades are intertwined through secrets,...Show more Atakora's debut novel takes the reader on a back-and-forth journey in time to tell a story of how three women's escapades are intertwined through secrets, transgressions, and lies. This generational saga, set on a slave plantation in the South, follows Miss May Belle, the wise midwife and conjurer; her protégé daughter, Rue; and Varina, the slave owner's daughter and Rue's childhood playmate. Each woman's acts of conjuring set in motion a turn of events that lead to happiness, deception, or death. This well-developed plot captivates readers with a colorful cast of characters and tales about the horrors of slavery, the matters of motherhood, heartache, and intimacy between lovers, and a slave community torn between the Christian faith and Hoodoo practices. Atakora has a stunning writing style. Readers who enjoy historical fiction with strong, female-driven characters will appreciate the novel's puzzle-piecing plot that's inspired slave narratives recorded by the WPA. Show less

Atakora's debut novel takes the reader on a back-and-forth journey in time to tell a story of how three women's escapades are intertwined through secrets,...Show more Atakora's debut novel takes the reader on a back-and-forth journey in time to tell a story of how three women's escapades are intertwined through secrets, transgressions, and lies. This generational saga, set on a slave plantation in the South, follows Miss May Belle, the wise midwife and conjurer; her protégé daughter, Rue; and Varina, the slave owner's daughter and Rue's childhood playmate. Each woman's acts of conjuring set in motion a turn of events that lead to happiness, deception, or death. This well-developed plot captivates readers with a colorful cast of characters and tales about the horrors of slavery, the matters of motherhood, heartache, and intimacy between lovers, and a slave community torn between the Christian faith and Hoodoo practices. Atakora has a stunning writing style. Readers who enjoy historical fiction with strong, female-driven characters will appreciate the novel's puzzle-piecing plot that's inspired slave narratives recorded by the WPA. Show less

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Crooked Hallelujah

Crooked Hallelujah

by Ford, Kelli Jo

Book - 2020

The bonds of mothers and daughters across four generations of Cherokee women are put to the test in this lyrical debut that focuses on Justine, who become...Show more The bonds of mothers and daughters across four generations of Cherokee women are put to the test in this lyrical debut that focuses on Justine, who becomes pregnant at age 15 and flees her religiously conservative family, determined to break a cycle of abandonment and neglect as she raises daughter Reney. Readers will relish the exploration of character, which is beautifully three-dimensional and complex. Show less

The bonds of mothers and daughters across four generations of Cherokee women are put to the test in this lyrical debut that focuses on Justine, who become...Show more The bonds of mothers and daughters across four generations of Cherokee women are put to the test in this lyrical debut that focuses on Justine, who becomes pregnant at age 15 and flees her religiously conservative family, determined to break a cycle of abandonment and neglect as she raises daughter Reney. Readers will relish the exploration of character, which is beautifully three-dimensional and complex. Show less

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Days of Distraction

Days of Distraction

A Novel

by Chang, Alexandra

Book - 2020

An enterprising young writer, the unnamed narrator of Chang's smart debut is a first generation Chinese-American woman who reviews gadgets for a tech maga...Show more An enterprising young writer, the unnamed narrator of Chang's smart debut is a first generation Chinese-American woman who reviews gadgets for a tech magazine in the bay area. In a wry, frustrated voice, the narrator muses on our hyper-saturated media culture and the profound difference between grappling with one's identity in a real way versus the self-curation presented on social media. Sometimes overtly and often subtly discriminated against and underestimated by her peers, the narrator struggles to assert herself in the homogeneous, mostly male world of tech journalism. Unappreciated by her bosses, she is repeatedly passed over for raises and promotions. When her boyfriend is accepted to graduate school on the east coast, she seizes the opportunity to move across the country with him. The interstate drive quickly opens her eyes to the insularity of small-town America. Settling into a New England college town, she struggles to build a new life in the face of racism and ignorance. A trip to visit her father in China helps her to fill out her family history and find her voice. Show less

An enterprising young writer, the unnamed narrator of Chang's smart debut is a first generation Chinese-American woman who reviews gadgets for a tech maga...Show more An enterprising young writer, the unnamed narrator of Chang's smart debut is a first generation Chinese-American woman who reviews gadgets for a tech magazine in the bay area. In a wry, frustrated voice, the narrator muses on our hyper-saturated media culture and the profound difference between grappling with one's identity in a real way versus the self-curation presented on social media. Sometimes overtly and often subtly discriminated against and underestimated by her peers, the narrator struggles to assert herself in the homogeneous, mostly male world of tech journalism. Unappreciated by her bosses, she is repeatedly passed over for raises and promotions. When her boyfriend is accepted to graduate school on the east coast, she seizes the opportunity to move across the country with him. The interstate drive quickly opens her eyes to the insularity of small-town America. Settling into a New England college town, she struggles to build a new life in the face of racism and ignorance. A trip to visit her father in China helps her to fill out her family history and find her voice. Show less

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Deacon King Kong

Deacon King Kong

by McBride, James

Book - 2020

James McBride (author of the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird) has hit it out of the park with this multi-layered novel centered on a housin...Show more James McBride (author of the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird) has hit it out of the park with this multi-layered novel centered on a housing project in Brooklyn as the 60s wind down. A neighborhood rummy shoots a drug dealer in front of just about everybody, and the aftermath of the shooting takes the reader into the wild and wonderful lives of multiple characters: the black and Latino residents, the Italians around the corner, the drunks, the dealers, the church folk, the cops, and more. Essential reading in these troubled times, this nuanced book humanizes the residents of the Cause Houses and their surrounding neighbors. Show less

James McBride (author of the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird) has hit it out of the park with this multi-layered novel centered on a housin...Show more James McBride (author of the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird) has hit it out of the park with this multi-layered novel centered on a housing project in Brooklyn as the 60s wind down. A neighborhood rummy shoots a drug dealer in front of just about everybody, and the aftermath of the shooting takes the reader into the wild and wonderful lives of multiple characters: the black and Latino residents, the Italians around the corner, the drunks, the dealers, the church folk, the cops, and more. Essential reading in these troubled times, this nuanced book humanizes the residents of the Cause Houses and their surrounding neighbors. Show less

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The Dead Are Arising

The Dead Are Arising

The Life of Malcolm X

by Payne, Les

Book - 2020

In this masterful companion piece to The Autobiography of Malcolm X by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne and his daughter Tamara Payne (who ...Show more In this masterful companion piece to The Autobiography of Malcolm X by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne and his daughter Tamara Payne (who brought this masterful three-decades-in-the-making project to a conclusion after her father's death in 2018), the Paynes explore Malcolm X's youth, his evolving political and religious beliefs (including his relationship to the Nation of Islam), and his assassination. The resulting tome adds a wealth of nuance and complexity to the legend of Malcolm X, one of the iconic figures of modern American history. Show less

In this masterful companion piece to The Autobiography of Malcolm X by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne and his daughter Tamara Payne (who ...Show more In this masterful companion piece to The Autobiography of Malcolm X by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne and his daughter Tamara Payne (who brought this masterful three-decades-in-the-making project to a conclusion after her father's death in 2018), the Paynes explore Malcolm X's youth, his evolving political and religious beliefs (including his relationship to the Nation of Islam), and his assassination. The resulting tome adds a wealth of nuance and complexity to the legend of Malcolm X, one of the iconic figures of modern American history. Show less

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Dear Child

Dear Child

by Hausmann, Romy

Book - 2020

A man has abducted a young woman and is holding her captive in a remote cabin in the woods. During an escape attempt, the woman is injured and brought to ...Show more A man has abducted a young woman and is holding her captive in a remote cabin in the woods. During an escape attempt, the woman is injured and brought to the hospital, where the authorities try to determine her identity. Matthias, a man in a nearby town whose daughter, Lena has been missing for years, hopes that the unknown woman may be his daughter. She is not, though he notices a scar on her forehead that is identical to one Lena has. After being released from the hospital, confusion and anxiety haunt the traumatized woman, preventing her from resuming a normal life. When mysterious letters arrive and unexpected visitors begin to appear at her door, her paranoia escalates to an unbearable degree. Meanwhile, Matthias grapples with questions of his own: why can't the detectives locate his daughter after all these years? and why does one of the children who had been held captive with this stranger so closely resemble his daughter? In this work of psychological suspense, the author carefully allows bits of information to surface intermittently, which shed light on some questions while provoking new ones, resulting in a tantalizing reading experience. Fans of The Girl on the Train, Room, and Gone Girl will find this page-turner irresistible. Show less

A man has abducted a young woman and is holding her captive in a remote cabin in the woods. During an escape attempt, the woman is injured and brought to ...Show more A man has abducted a young woman and is holding her captive in a remote cabin in the woods. During an escape attempt, the woman is injured and brought to the hospital, where the authorities try to determine her identity. Matthias, a man in a nearby town whose daughter, Lena has been missing for years, hopes that the unknown woman may be his daughter. She is not, though he notices a scar on her forehead that is identical to one Lena has. After being released from the hospital, confusion and anxiety haunt the traumatized woman, preventing her from resuming a normal life. When mysterious letters arrive and unexpected visitors begin to appear at her door, her paranoia escalates to an unbearable degree. Meanwhile, Matthias grapples with questions of his own: why can't the detectives locate his daughter after all these years? and why does one of the children who had been held captive with this stranger so closely resemble his daughter? In this work of psychological suspense, the author carefully allows bits of information to surface intermittently, which shed light on some questions while provoking new ones, resulting in a tantalizing reading experience. Fans of The Girl on the Train, Room, and Gone Girl will find this page-turner irresistible. Show less

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The Death of Vivek Oji

The Death of Vivek Oji

by Emezi, Akwaeke

Book - 2020

We first meet Vivek Oji after his death. The novel opens with Vivek's mother, Kavita, discovering his dead body wrapped in colorful fabric at her doorstep...Show more We first meet Vivek Oji after his death. The novel opens with Vivek's mother, Kavita, discovering his dead body wrapped in colorful fabric at her doorstep. Through snapshots of the past and present, we piece together Vivek's story by following Vivek's family, such as his cousin and closest friend Osita, and Vivek's friends, young women connected to the Nigerwives (a group of foreign-born wives of Nigerian men). This novel by Akwaeke Emezi, author of the acclaimed book Freshwater, explores the complex emotion of loving someone deeply while simultaneously not fully understanding them. Anyone game for a bittersweet family drama and a bit of mystery will enjoy this book. Show less

We first meet Vivek Oji after his death. The novel opens with Vivek's mother, Kavita, discovering his dead body wrapped in colorful fabric at her doorstep...Show more We first meet Vivek Oji after his death. The novel opens with Vivek's mother, Kavita, discovering his dead body wrapped in colorful fabric at her doorstep. Through snapshots of the past and present, we piece together Vivek's story by following Vivek's family, such as his cousin and closest friend Osita, and Vivek's friends, young women connected to the Nigerwives (a group of foreign-born wives of Nigerian men). This novel by Akwaeke Emezi, author of the acclaimed book Freshwater, explores the complex emotion of loving someone deeply while simultaneously not fully understanding them. Anyone game for a bittersweet family drama and a bit of mystery will enjoy this book. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 28 on 58 copies

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The Dragons, the Giant, the Women

The Dragons, the Giant, the Women

A Memoir

by Moore, Wayétu

Book - 2020

In a page-turning memoir, Moore challenges familiar tropes of the immigration narrative in this story of her journey from war-torn Liberia to America, whe...Show more In a page-turning memoir, Moore challenges familiar tropes of the immigration narrative in this story of her journey from war-torn Liberia to America, where she spent part of her youth growing up in Texas before moving to Brooklyn. In a section that reads like fiction, she reconstructs her mother's experience as a student in America who returned to Africa to rescue her family when war broke out. Moore also shares her observations as an African immigrant in the American context. This engaging memoir offers a potent mix of inspiration and perspective. Show less

In a page-turning memoir, Moore challenges familiar tropes of the immigration narrative in this story of her journey from war-torn Liberia to America, whe...Show more In a page-turning memoir, Moore challenges familiar tropes of the immigration narrative in this story of her journey from war-torn Liberia to America, where she spent part of her youth growing up in Texas before moving to Brooklyn. In a section that reads like fiction, she reconstructs her mother's experience as a student in America who returned to Africa to rescue her family when war broke out. Moore also shares her observations as an African immigrant in the American context. This engaging memoir offers a potent mix of inspiration and perspective. Show less

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Eat the Buddha

Eat the Buddha

Life and Death in A Tibetan Town

by Demick, Barbara

Book - 2020

Centering on the town of Ngaba, journalst Barbara Demick's sweeping history of Tibet's long struggle for freedom is grounded in the perspectives of variou...Show more Centering on the town of Ngaba, journalst Barbara Demick's sweeping history of Tibet's long struggle for freedom is grounded in the perspectives of various individuals: a monk, a scholar, a local historian and the daughter of a local king. Long protected from outside forces by their unique adaptation to the high elevation of the "rooftop of the world," the locals found their way of life uprooted by the encoachment of the Chinese government, especially under the Cultural Revolution. This accessible account, which masterfully blends the sweepingly historical with the reltably individual, is another major accomplishment from Demick (whose award-winning 2009 book Nothing to Envy peeled back the curtain on life in North Korea). Show less

Centering on the town of Ngaba, journalst Barbara Demick's sweeping history of Tibet's long struggle for freedom is grounded in the perspectives of variou...Show more Centering on the town of Ngaba, journalst Barbara Demick's sweeping history of Tibet's long struggle for freedom is grounded in the perspectives of various individuals: a monk, a scholar, a local historian and the daughter of a local king. Long protected from outside forces by their unique adaptation to the high elevation of the "rooftop of the world," the locals found their way of life uprooted by the encoachment of the Chinese government, especially under the Cultural Revolution. This accessible account, which masterfully blends the sweepingly historical with the reltably individual, is another major accomplishment from Demick (whose award-winning 2009 book Nothing to Envy peeled back the curtain on life in North Korea). Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 7 on 38 copies

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