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General Recommendations

Best Books of 2021

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

Staff-created list

Chicago Public Library recommends these titles as the best books published in 2021.

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

76-100 of 100 items

76-100 of 100 items

The Secret to Superhuman Strength

The Secret to Superhuman Strength

by Bechdel, Alison

Book - 2021

In her third graphic memoir, Bechdel views her life through the lens of her fitness endeavors, and they are considerable. Although she set out to write a ...Show more In her third graphic memoir, Bechdel views her life through the lens of her fitness endeavors, and they are considerable. Although she set out to write a light "fitness book," what unfolds is something with the heft of previous Bechdel memoirs. As Bechdel attempts to reach transcendence through physical exertion, she learns something about body, self, interconnectedness and morality, and she connects her own journey to other historical figures, primarily American transcendentalist Margaret Fuller. With her signature self-deprecating humor, sharp intellect and wonderful illustration, Bechdel adds another remarkable memoir to her oeuvre. Show less

In her third graphic memoir, Bechdel views her life through the lens of her fitness endeavors, and they are considerable. Although she set out to write a ...Show more In her third graphic memoir, Bechdel views her life through the lens of her fitness endeavors, and they are considerable. Although she set out to write a light "fitness book," what unfolds is something with the heft of previous Bechdel memoirs. As Bechdel attempts to reach transcendence through physical exertion, she learns something about body, self, interconnectedness and morality, and she connects her own journey to other historical figures, primarily American transcendentalist Margaret Fuller. With her signature self-deprecating humor, sharp intellect and wonderful illustration, Bechdel adds another remarkable memoir to her oeuvre. Show less

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Seek You

Seek You

A Journey Through American Loneliness

by Radtke, Kristen

Book - 2021

This is a gorgeous exploration of the American experience of loneliness: how we think about it, how we see it, and why we seem so willing to continue to p...Show more This is a gorgeous exploration of the American experience of loneliness: how we think about it, how we see it, and why we seem so willing to continue to propagate lifestyles that guarantee it. This work of graphic nonfiction does not ignore what's been said on the topic before - it covers cowboys, Don Draper and Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone - but Radtke offers fresh insights and is very deft at balancing individual experiences with cultural touchstones and academic studies. For example, Harry Harlow's horrific study of rhesus monkeys is foundational, but Radtke's particular focus on Harlow's personal life makes it even more illuminating. Throughout, the illustrations are perfect complements to the text, emphasizing faces or illustrating lonely rooms. For many readers, it's a pretty tender time to be delving this deeply into loneliness (and although Radtke's book does include a brief authors' note addressing it, the book doesn't cover the acute situational isolation of the pandemic). But should you be up for the task, your reward is an especially valuable and particularly American read. Show less

This is a gorgeous exploration of the American experience of loneliness: how we think about it, how we see it, and why we seem so willing to continue to p...Show more This is a gorgeous exploration of the American experience of loneliness: how we think about it, how we see it, and why we seem so willing to continue to propagate lifestyles that guarantee it. This work of graphic nonfiction does not ignore what's been said on the topic before - it covers cowboys, Don Draper and Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone - but Radtke offers fresh insights and is very deft at balancing individual experiences with cultural touchstones and academic studies. For example, Harry Harlow's horrific study of rhesus monkeys is foundational, but Radtke's particular focus on Harlow's personal life makes it even more illuminating. Throughout, the illustrations are perfect complements to the text, emphasizing faces or illustrating lonely rooms. For many readers, it's a pretty tender time to be delving this deeply into loneliness (and although Radtke's book does include a brief authors' note addressing it, the book doesn't cover the acute situational isolation of the pandemic). But should you be up for the task, your reward is an especially valuable and particularly American read. Show less

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The Sentence

The Sentence

A Novel

by Erdrich, Louise

Book - 2021

Erdrich's The Sentence opens with a macabre scene. Tookie, an Ojibwe woman, is tricked into transporting a dead body and crack cocaine across state lines ...Show more Erdrich's The Sentence opens with a macabre scene. Tookie, an Ojibwe woman, is tricked into transporting a dead body and crack cocaine across state lines and sentenced to prison. When she's released, Tookie gets a job at a Minneapolis bookstore – she developed a reading habit in prison – and marries the tribal police officer, Pollux, who arrested her for the crime. The couple is living a quiet life when Tookie's place of work becomes haunted by her most annoying customer, Flora, an elderly white women and "wannabe" indigene. The bookstore ghost isn't the only haunting Tookie has to endure, however. She is also haunted by her own past and the past of Indigenous Americans. Set during the onset of the COVID pandemic and the killing of George Floyd, Erdrich's timely story is also a moving account of recent, difficult history and collective grief featuring a cast of captivating characters, including Louise Erdrich herself, and an empathetic and authentic protagonist. Show less

Erdrich's The Sentence opens with a macabre scene. Tookie, an Ojibwe woman, is tricked into transporting a dead body and crack cocaine across state lines ...Show more Erdrich's The Sentence opens with a macabre scene. Tookie, an Ojibwe woman, is tricked into transporting a dead body and crack cocaine across state lines and sentenced to prison. When she's released, Tookie gets a job at a Minneapolis bookstore – she developed a reading habit in prison – and marries the tribal police officer, Pollux, who arrested her for the crime. The couple is living a quiet life when Tookie's place of work becomes haunted by her most annoying customer, Flora, an elderly white women and "wannabe" indigene. The bookstore ghost isn't the only haunting Tookie has to endure, however. She is also haunted by her own past and the past of Indigenous Americans. Set during the onset of the COVID pandemic and the killing of George Floyd, Erdrich's timely story is also a moving account of recent, difficult history and collective grief featuring a cast of captivating characters, including Louise Erdrich herself, and an empathetic and authentic protagonist. Show less

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She Who Became the Sun

She Who Became the Sun

by Parker-Chan, Shelley

Book - 2021

During the famine of the 1340s in China's Hunan province, an impoverished family visits their village's fortune teller and learns that favored son, Zhu Ch...Show more During the famine of the 1340s in China's Hunan province, an impoverished family visits their village's fortune teller and learns that favored son, Zhu Chongba, is destined for greatness and will be revered throughout history. The family's only surviving daughter is given a fate of nothingness, much to her dismay. Soon after, bandits strike and both Zhu Chongba and his father die, leaving the daughter orphaned and alone. She decides she only has one real option: she claims her brother's identity and fate as her own. She enters the nearby monastery as a novice, revealing her true gender to no one. Will she be able to evade detection? Meanwhile, eunuch Ouyang, general of the Prince of Hunan's Mongol Army, has his own terrible destiny to fulfill, one that directly impacts Zhu's own and puts them at great odds. This first book of a new series is a bold, feminist reimagining of the founding of China's Ming dynasty. Show less

During the famine of the 1340s in China's Hunan province, an impoverished family visits their village's fortune teller and learns that favored son, Zhu Ch...Show more During the famine of the 1340s in China's Hunan province, an impoverished family visits their village's fortune teller and learns that favored son, Zhu Chongba, is destined for greatness and will be revered throughout history. The family's only surviving daughter is given a fate of nothingness, much to her dismay. Soon after, bandits strike and both Zhu Chongba and his father die, leaving the daughter orphaned and alone. She decides she only has one real option: she claims her brother's identity and fate as her own. She enters the nearby monastery as a novice, revealing her true gender to no one. Will she be able to evade detection? Meanwhile, eunuch Ouyang, general of the Prince of Hunan's Mongol Army, has his own terrible destiny to fulfill, one that directly impacts Zhu's own and puts them at great odds. This first book of a new series is a bold, feminist reimagining of the founding of China's Ming dynasty. Show less

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The 1619 Project

The 1619 Project

A New Origin Story

Book - 2021

Revised from its original publication in magazine form, and expanded with new contributions, the much-lauded and much-debated writing anthologized here ex...Show more Revised from its original publication in magazine form, and expanded with new contributions, the much-lauded and much-debated writing anthologized here explores the impact of hundreds of years of slavery and Jim Crow law upon the history and society of the United States. It's a well-worn subject (Lerone Bennett Jr.'s 1962 classic Before the Mayflower is cited as just one inspiration), but it's reinvigorated by fresh contributions from project creator Hannah-Jones and a host of the finest writers at work today including Michelle Alexander, Carol Anderson, Matthew Desmond, Wesley Morris and Bryan Stevenson. Essays are interspersed with poems and fiction from equally acclaimed authors such as Kiese Laymon and (Chicago's own) Eve L. Ewing. Covering an array of subjects including voting rights, music, law and much more, the result is a feast of an anthology that offers a boldly Black-centered perspective of U.S. history sure to continue resonating with readers. It's teeming with information and perspective that will be eye-opening to most readers. Show less

Revised from its original publication in magazine form, and expanded with new contributions, the much-lauded and much-debated writing anthologized here ex...Show more Revised from its original publication in magazine form, and expanded with new contributions, the much-lauded and much-debated writing anthologized here explores the impact of hundreds of years of slavery and Jim Crow law upon the history and society of the United States. It's a well-worn subject (Lerone Bennett Jr.'s 1962 classic Before the Mayflower is cited as just one inspiration), but it's reinvigorated by fresh contributions from project creator Hannah-Jones and a host of the finest writers at work today including Michelle Alexander, Carol Anderson, Matthew Desmond, Wesley Morris and Bryan Stevenson. Essays are interspersed with poems and fiction from equally acclaimed authors such as Kiese Laymon and (Chicago's own) Eve L. Ewing. Covering an array of subjects including voting rights, music, law and much more, the result is a feast of an anthology that offers a boldly Black-centered perspective of U.S. history sure to continue resonating with readers. It's teeming with information and perspective that will be eye-opening to most readers. Show less

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The Sleeping Beauties

The Sleeping Beauties

And Other Stories of Mystery Illness

by O'Sullivan, Suzanne

Book - 2021

In this fascinating read, O'Sullivan, an Irish neurologist and prize-winning author travels the world to meet with communities and individuals who've suff...Show more In this fascinating read, O'Sullivan, an Irish neurologist and prize-winning author travels the world to meet with communities and individuals who've suffered through mysterious so-called psychosomatic illnesses and mass hysteria events. This group of illnesses is still very misunderstood both in the medical community and in the broader public. Delving deeply into each case in an attempt to fully understand and de-stigmatize these conditions, O'Sullivan deftly explores the mind-body connection and how culture can influence ideas of health, illness and ultimately, our ability to heal. Each chapter focuses on a different intriguing narrative case, making this an accessible read that will make readers rethink their fundamental medical beliefs and how they relate to their own bodies. Recommended for fans of popular science, travelogues and books about mental illness. Show less

In this fascinating read, O'Sullivan, an Irish neurologist and prize-winning author travels the world to meet with communities and individuals who've suff...Show more In this fascinating read, O'Sullivan, an Irish neurologist and prize-winning author travels the world to meet with communities and individuals who've suffered through mysterious so-called psychosomatic illnesses and mass hysteria events. This group of illnesses is still very misunderstood both in the medical community and in the broader public. Delving deeply into each case in an attempt to fully understand and de-stigmatize these conditions, O'Sullivan deftly explores the mind-body connection and how culture can influence ideas of health, illness and ultimately, our ability to heal. Each chapter focuses on a different intriguing narrative case, making this an accessible read that will make readers rethink their fundamental medical beliefs and how they relate to their own bodies. Recommended for fans of popular science, travelogues and books about mental illness. Show less

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Small Things Like These

Small Things Like These

by Keegan, Claire

Book - 2021

In mid-80s rural Ireland, a coal merchant begins to notice some troubling behavior at the local convent while making deliveries in the weeks before Christ...Show more In mid-80s rural Ireland, a coal merchant begins to notice some troubling behavior at the local convent while making deliveries in the weeks before Christmas, but his wife and friends brush off his concerns. Bill and his family struggle to keep up with the bills, and as a struggling independent businessman he can ill afford to anger the local authorities. Keegan, a brilliant writer of moral clarity and spare, crystalline prose portrays a haunting crisis of conscience and delivers a beautiful story. This haunting gem of a novella belongs on the shortlist of holiday classics but can and should be read at any time of year and by a broad audience. Show less

In mid-80s rural Ireland, a coal merchant begins to notice some troubling behavior at the local convent while making deliveries in the weeks before Christ...Show more In mid-80s rural Ireland, a coal merchant begins to notice some troubling behavior at the local convent while making deliveries in the weeks before Christmas, but his wife and friends brush off his concerns. Bill and his family struggle to keep up with the bills, and as a struggling independent businessman he can ill afford to anger the local authorities. Keegan, a brilliant writer of moral clarity and spare, crystalline prose portrays a haunting crisis of conscience and delivers a beautiful story. This haunting gem of a novella belongs on the shortlist of holiday classics but can and should be read at any time of year and by a broad audience. Show less

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Smile

Smile

The Story of A Face

by Ruhl, Sarah

Book - 2021

Bell's palsy is a condition that weakens facial muscles so that half of your face can become frozen and appear to droop. For most people, it's a temporary...Show more Bell's palsy is a condition that weakens facial muscles so that half of your face can become frozen and appear to droop. For most people, it's a temporary condition, but playwright Sarah Ruhl was one of the unlucky ones whose case did not clear up soon after onset, which occurred shortly after she gave birth to twins. In this compact, eloquent memoir, she describes the strange and unexpected impact on her social life of being unable to smile, not to mention being unable to close one of her eyes or seal her mouth around a spoon. Ruhl waxes philosophical and deploys a sense of humor - as well as flashes of understandable anger and frustration - as she writes about the experts she consulted for help, and the friends and family who helped as she simultaneously dealt with the demands of young twins. Weaving in reflections on her writing career and family, she also cites great thinkers (like Susan Sontag) for wisdom but wears her erudition lightly. This moving, graceful memoir is an inspiring account of everyday courage and human resilience. Show less

Bell's palsy is a condition that weakens facial muscles so that half of your face can become frozen and appear to droop. For most people, it's a temporary...Show more Bell's palsy is a condition that weakens facial muscles so that half of your face can become frozen and appear to droop. For most people, it's a temporary condition, but playwright Sarah Ruhl was one of the unlucky ones whose case did not clear up soon after onset, which occurred shortly after she gave birth to twins. In this compact, eloquent memoir, she describes the strange and unexpected impact on her social life of being unable to smile, not to mention being unable to close one of her eyes or seal her mouth around a spoon. Ruhl waxes philosophical and deploys a sense of humor - as well as flashes of understandable anger and frustration - as she writes about the experts she consulted for help, and the friends and family who helped as she simultaneously dealt with the demands of young twins. Weaving in reflections on her writing career and family, she also cites great thinkers (like Susan Sontag) for wisdom but wears her erudition lightly. This moving, graceful memoir is an inspiring account of everyday courage and human resilience. Show less

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Somebody's Daughter

Somebody's Daughter

A Memoir

by Ford, Ashley C.

Book - 2021

Memoirist Ashley C. Ford recounts a painful life history growing up the child of an incarcerated father and a troubled mother. Ford skillfully enables the...Show more Memoirist Ashley C. Ford recounts a painful life history growing up the child of an incarcerated father and a troubled mother. Ford skillfully enables the reader to sympathize not only with her experiences of disassociation and emptiness, but also her growth and success. Her grief is excruciating to read at times, but her honest reflections about childhood and maturity are invaluable. Watching Ford grow from being intimated by adulthood due to her family's history to finding strength through giving voice to her past is one of the most powerful aspects of the book. If you're a fan of memoirs or interested in contemporary coming of age narratives, this memoir about a young woman learning to accept her personal history is for you. Show less

Memoirist Ashley C. Ford recounts a painful life history growing up the child of an incarcerated father and a troubled mother. Ford skillfully enables the...Show more Memoirist Ashley C. Ford recounts a painful life history growing up the child of an incarcerated father and a troubled mother. Ford skillfully enables the reader to sympathize not only with her experiences of disassociation and emptiness, but also her growth and success. Her grief is excruciating to read at times, but her honest reflections about childhood and maturity are invaluable. Watching Ford grow from being intimated by adulthood due to her family's history to finding strength through giving voice to her past is one of the most powerful aspects of the book. If you're a fan of memoirs or interested in contemporary coming of age narratives, this memoir about a young woman learning to accept her personal history is for you. Show less

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Sorrowland

Sorrowland

by Solomon, Rivers

Book - 2021

It's a rare book that manages to be both viscerally horrifying and extremely moving, but Solomon has managed it. Vern is pregnant, alone in the woods, and...Show more It's a rare book that manages to be both viscerally horrifying and extremely moving, but Solomon has managed it. Vern is pregnant, alone in the woods, and on the run from the hyper-religious cult that raised her. Her world is harsh and deadly, but Vern refuses to succumb. As the story progresses, and she must defend her newborn twins, impossible changes begin to transform her into something powerful and bizarre. This is not a book for the faint of heart, but it is an immensely rewarding and powerful experience for those who are willing to try. Show less

It's a rare book that manages to be both viscerally horrifying and extremely moving, but Solomon has managed it. Vern is pregnant, alone in the woods, and...Show more It's a rare book that manages to be both viscerally horrifying and extremely moving, but Solomon has managed it. Vern is pregnant, alone in the woods, and on the run from the hyper-religious cult that raised her. Her world is harsh and deadly, but Vern refuses to succumb. As the story progresses, and she must defend her newborn twins, impossible changes begin to transform her into something powerful and bizarre. This is not a book for the faint of heart, but it is an immensely rewarding and powerful experience for those who are willing to try. Show less

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Stone Fruit

Stone Fruit

by Lai, Lee

Book - 2021

In their debut graphic novel Stone Fruit, illustrator and author Lee Lai explores queer love, growth, and the complexity of relationships through expressi...Show more In their debut graphic novel Stone Fruit, illustrator and author Lee Lai explores queer love, growth, and the complexity of relationships through expressive illustrations and deep dialogue. Beginning with a wild jaunt in the woods shared between Aunties Ray and Bron with their lively young niece Nessie, Stone Fruit digs into the meaning of closeness to both self and others in a way that is feels natural and untamed. Relationship strain is at the forefront and is portrayed in dynamic ways between lovers, siblings, parents and young ones as Ray and Bron try to understand themselves, each other, and their families. Lai doesn't shy away from all the uncomfortable bits of relationships that are often glazed over or unmentioned. Even more nuanced parts of life, like growing into oneself as a queer person within a socially-conservative Christian community or divorce and single-parenthood are expressed with such realness and vulnerability that connection with the characters is effortless. No matter who you are or where you have been in life, you will likely see parts of yourself in Stone Fruit. Readers of graphic novels with slice-of-life storylines and family dynamics like Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine or The Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis will enjoy Stone Fruit. Show less

In their debut graphic novel Stone Fruit, illustrator and author Lee Lai explores queer love, growth, and the complexity of relationships through expressi...Show more In their debut graphic novel Stone Fruit, illustrator and author Lee Lai explores queer love, growth, and the complexity of relationships through expressive illustrations and deep dialogue. Beginning with a wild jaunt in the woods shared between Aunties Ray and Bron with their lively young niece Nessie, Stone Fruit digs into the meaning of closeness to both self and others in a way that is feels natural and untamed. Relationship strain is at the forefront and is portrayed in dynamic ways between lovers, siblings, parents and young ones as Ray and Bron try to understand themselves, each other, and their families. Lai doesn't shy away from all the uncomfortable bits of relationships that are often glazed over or unmentioned. Even more nuanced parts of life, like growing into oneself as a queer person within a socially-conservative Christian community or divorce and single-parenthood are expressed with such realness and vulnerability that connection with the characters is effortless. No matter who you are or where you have been in life, you will likely see parts of yourself in Stone Fruit. Readers of graphic novels with slice-of-life storylines and family dynamics like Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine or The Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis will enjoy Stone Fruit. Show less

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Stranger Care

Stranger Care

A Memoir of Loving What Isn't Ours

by Sentilles, Sarah

Book - 2021

Writer Sarah Sentilles describes with remarkable intimacy her experience of becoming a foster parent to a baby named Coco. She captures every aspect of th...Show more Writer Sarah Sentilles describes with remarkable intimacy her experience of becoming a foster parent to a baby named Coco. She captures every aspect of the fraught and heart-breaking journey, from her husband's reservations about bringing more children into a troubled world, to her own conflicting feelings around motherhood, to their maddening frustrations with the foster care bureaucracy. To read Sentilles's story is to be struck by the intensity of the love she feels for Coco. Her dedication to Coco's development and well-being is profoundly moving. At its heart, this is a poignant account of the experience of unconditional love. Yet it never feels self-centered or narrow in scope. Sentilles explores every aspect of caring for our young, from assumptions parents make about their childless friends, to the countless ways we collectively fail children in need, to contemplating the meaning of kinship, to our reprehensible practice of separating indigenous, Black, and immigrant children from their parents throughout history. Sentilles considers every nuance of this profound relationship, framing her personal story within a larger context, which adds much to the overall work. This thought-provoking and haunting memoir is not to be missed. Show less

Writer Sarah Sentilles describes with remarkable intimacy her experience of becoming a foster parent to a baby named Coco. She captures every aspect of th...Show more Writer Sarah Sentilles describes with remarkable intimacy her experience of becoming a foster parent to a baby named Coco. She captures every aspect of the fraught and heart-breaking journey, from her husband's reservations about bringing more children into a troubled world, to her own conflicting feelings around motherhood, to their maddening frustrations with the foster care bureaucracy. To read Sentilles's story is to be struck by the intensity of the love she feels for Coco. Her dedication to Coco's development and well-being is profoundly moving. At its heart, this is a poignant account of the experience of unconditional love. Yet it never feels self-centered or narrow in scope. Sentilles explores every aspect of caring for our young, from assumptions parents make about their childless friends, to the countless ways we collectively fail children in need, to contemplating the meaning of kinship, to our reprehensible practice of separating indigenous, Black, and immigrant children from their parents throughout history. Sentilles considers every nuance of this profound relationship, framing her personal story within a larger context, which adds much to the overall work. This thought-provoking and haunting memoir is not to be missed. Show less

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The Sum of Us

The Sum of Us

What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together

by McGhee, Heather

Book - 2021

In this persuasive and well-researched work, political commentator McGhee argues that the pervasive idea of the zero-sum game and the false assumption tha...Show more In this persuasive and well-researched work, political commentator McGhee argues that the pervasive idea of the zero-sum game and the false assumption that social and economic gains for some will come at a cost for others not only hurts people of color but everyone. McGhee demonstrates, through a series of historical examples, that structural racism negatively impacts everyone and offers readers a roadmap forward. Show less

In this persuasive and well-researched work, political commentator McGhee argues that the pervasive idea of the zero-sum game and the false assumption tha...Show more In this persuasive and well-researched work, political commentator McGhee argues that the pervasive idea of the zero-sum game and the false assumption that social and economic gains for some will come at a cost for others not only hurts people of color but everyone. McGhee demonstrates, through a series of historical examples, that structural racism negatively impacts everyone and offers readers a roadmap forward. Show less

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The Sweetness of Water

The Sweetness of Water

by Harris, Nathan, Sgt

Book - 2021

Set just after the American Civil War and focusing on the efforts of several characters to rebuild their lives, Harris's debut tells the story of two eman...Show more Set just after the American Civil War and focusing on the efforts of several characters to rebuild their lives, Harris's debut tells the story of two emancipated brothers who go to work for a white married couple in rural Georgia who are grieving their son. Meanwhile, two Confederate soldiers embark on a forbidden romance. A novel of tragedy and uncommon grace, this Oprah Book Club selection and Booker Prize longlist title announces the arrival of a major new talent. Show less

Set just after the American Civil War and focusing on the efforts of several characters to rebuild their lives, Harris's debut tells the story of two eman...Show more Set just after the American Civil War and focusing on the efforts of several characters to rebuild their lives, Harris's debut tells the story of two emancipated brothers who go to work for a white married couple in rural Georgia who are grieving their son. Meanwhile, two Confederate soldiers embark on a forbidden romance. A novel of tragedy and uncommon grace, this Oprah Book Club selection and Booker Prize longlist title announces the arrival of a major new talent. Show less

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Things We Lost to the Water

Things We Lost to the Water

A Novel

by Nguyen, Eric

Book - 2021

In this beautifully written debut novel, Nguyen tells the journey of a refugee family who flees Vietnam and settles in the United States. Along the way, t...Show more In this beautifully written debut novel, Nguyen tells the journey of a refugee family who flees Vietnam and settles in the United States. Along the way, they tragically get separated from each other, with the father staying behind and the mother, Huong, pregnant and with a young son, having to start a new life in New Orleans. As Huong and her two sons grow up and apart, they each struggle with belonging, trauma, and identity in their own way. This sweeping multi-generational family saga will appeal to book clubs, fans of historical fiction, character-driven novels, and books with immigration and LGBTQIA themes. Recommended for fans of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, After the Last Border by Jessica Goudeau and Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. Show less

In this beautifully written debut novel, Nguyen tells the journey of a refugee family who flees Vietnam and settles in the United States. Along the way, t...Show more In this beautifully written debut novel, Nguyen tells the journey of a refugee family who flees Vietnam and settles in the United States. Along the way, they tragically get separated from each other, with the father staying behind and the mother, Huong, pregnant and with a young son, having to start a new life in New Orleans. As Huong and her two sons grow up and apart, they each struggle with belonging, trauma, and identity in their own way. This sweeping multi-generational family saga will appeal to book clubs, fans of historical fiction, character-driven novels, and books with immigration and LGBTQIA themes. Recommended for fans of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, After the Last Border by Jessica Goudeau and Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. Show less

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Three Girls From Bronzeville

Three Girls From Bronzeville

A Uniquely American Memoir of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood

by Turner, Dawn

Book - 2021

Dawn Turner, her sister Kim and her best friend Debra were once children together in the same apartment building in 1970s Bronzeville but had wildly diver...Show more Dawn Turner, her sister Kim and her best friend Debra were once children together in the same apartment building in 1970s Bronzeville but had wildly divergent fates in life. Turner, a novelist, journalist and commentator (well-known in Chicago for her work at the Tribune), plumbs the depths of her memories for clues that can explain why one would die young, another would go to prison on a charge of murder while another would thrive and find professional success. Turner evokes the details of the time and place, the dreams and ambitions of the generations that followed the Great Migration, who populated new homes, attended the schools and joined the workforce. There have been several stories about growing up in public housing in Chicago, but Turner's family was working class, a South Side perspective too rare in Chicago literature. Turner's story begins with the girls giggling together, dreaming, and hunting for treasure, and it follows Turner as she navigates school and career, dealing with life's surprises and challenges while gradually drifting from her friend and sister, only to learn later what different paths they were secretly on. Yes, there is sorrow in the story, but there is redemption, too, and reasons for celebration. Likely to appeal to fans of writers like Sarah Broom, Alex Kotlowitz and Jeff Hobbs, this story of three girls from Chicago's South Side is a moving meditation on the influences of fate and society that brims with love and hope. Show less

Dawn Turner, her sister Kim and her best friend Debra were once children together in the same apartment building in 1970s Bronzeville but had wildly diver...Show more Dawn Turner, her sister Kim and her best friend Debra were once children together in the same apartment building in 1970s Bronzeville but had wildly divergent fates in life. Turner, a novelist, journalist and commentator (well-known in Chicago for her work at the Tribune), plumbs the depths of her memories for clues that can explain why one would die young, another would go to prison on a charge of murder while another would thrive and find professional success. Turner evokes the details of the time and place, the dreams and ambitions of the generations that followed the Great Migration, who populated new homes, attended the schools and joined the workforce. There have been several stories about growing up in public housing in Chicago, but Turner's family was working class, a South Side perspective too rare in Chicago literature. Turner's story begins with the girls giggling together, dreaming, and hunting for treasure, and it follows Turner as she navigates school and career, dealing with life's surprises and challenges while gradually drifting from her friend and sister, only to learn later what different paths they were secretly on. Yes, there is sorrow in the story, but there is redemption, too, and reasons for celebration. Likely to appeal to fans of writers like Sarah Broom, Alex Kotlowitz and Jeff Hobbs, this story of three girls from Chicago's South Side is a moving meditation on the influences of fate and society that brims with love and hope. Show less

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The Trees

The Trees

A Novel

by Everett, Percival

Paperback - 2021

Someone is killing off the racists in Money, Mississippi and leaving behind a gruesome calling card. Follow the hijinks of detectives Ed Morgan and Jim Da...Show more Someone is killing off the racists in Money, Mississippi and leaving behind a gruesome calling card. Follow the hijinks of detectives Ed Morgan and Jim Davis as they navigate an incompetent police force, and a killer who defies rational thought. Only Percival Everett could pull off this ever-so-dark satire on race relations and violence in America. Show less

Someone is killing off the racists in Money, Mississippi and leaving behind a gruesome calling card. Follow the hijinks of detectives Ed Morgan and Jim Da...Show more Someone is killing off the racists in Money, Mississippi and leaving behind a gruesome calling card. Follow the hijinks of detectives Ed Morgan and Jim Davis as they navigate an incompetent police force, and a killer who defies rational thought. Only Percival Everett could pull off this ever-so-dark satire on race relations and violence in America. Show less

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The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

A Novel

by Fernández, Nona

Paperback - 2021

The subject of the dictatorship of Chile under Pinochet and the people who were "disappeared" during that era has been written about before, esp...Show more The subject of the dictatorship of Chile under Pinochet and the people who were "disappeared" during that era has been written about before, especially by literary figures who were adults at the time. Fernández writes about the experience from the point of view of someone who was a child at the time. Her narrator is haunted by the memory of a magazine cover from her childhood, featuring a man with a moustache who had worked for the Pinochet regime but who crossed over to bear witness to what he had seen to some brave journalists. He then disappeared, in a sense, himself, fleeing the country to remain alive in exile as a witness whose work continued. Unpacking this generational trauma, Fernandez draws on pop culture references that would be familiar to fellow Gen X readers like Kurt Cobain, Billy Joel and Atari-era video games like Space Invaders - the title of one of her previous novels - as well as the reruns of the TV show that inspired the title of this novel and captures some of the eeriness of living through history so wrong that it feels like it belongs to another timeline. (Sometimes when we read literature in translation from other regions of the globe, it seems, we learn the ways that American pop culture echoes back to us, changed and new.) Though it explores a very dark time, this short novel has a spirit of peace that expresses the clear-eyed patience of rebuilding and recovery after evil has been done. Show less

The subject of the dictatorship of Chile under Pinochet and the people who were "disappeared" during that era has been written about before, esp...Show more The subject of the dictatorship of Chile under Pinochet and the people who were "disappeared" during that era has been written about before, especially by literary figures who were adults at the time. Fernández writes about the experience from the point of view of someone who was a child at the time. Her narrator is haunted by the memory of a magazine cover from her childhood, featuring a man with a moustache who had worked for the Pinochet regime but who crossed over to bear witness to what he had seen to some brave journalists. He then disappeared, in a sense, himself, fleeing the country to remain alive in exile as a witness whose work continued. Unpacking this generational trauma, Fernandez draws on pop culture references that would be familiar to fellow Gen X readers like Kurt Cobain, Billy Joel and Atari-era video games like Space Invaders - the title of one of her previous novels - as well as the reruns of the TV show that inspired the title of this novel and captures some of the eeriness of living through history so wrong that it feels like it belongs to another timeline. (Sometimes when we read literature in translation from other regions of the globe, it seems, we learn the ways that American pop culture echoes back to us, changed and new.) Though it explores a very dark time, this short novel has a spirit of peace that expresses the clear-eyed patience of rebuilding and recovery after evil has been done. Show less

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The Ugly Cry

The Ugly Cry

A Memoir

by Henderson, Danielle

Book - 2021

Comedian, writer, and podcaster Danielle Henderson uses her talented and original voice to tell the story of being abandoned by her mother at the tender a...Show more Comedian, writer, and podcaster Danielle Henderson uses her talented and original voice to tell the story of being abandoned by her mother at the tender age of 10 and subsequently being raised by her grandparents. In a series of intimate and highly entertaining stories, she shares her outrageous childhood adventures growing up as a latchkey child of the 80s, skewering the overly-permissive parenting style of the time as well as recounting her experiences being a Black girl in a mostly white town. Her search for stability and love against the backdrop of a turbulent childhood is at once deeply personal and universal. Honest and full of larger than life characters and anecdotes that'll either break your heart or make you laugh out loud, this unputdownable book is recommended for fans of books set in the 80s & 90s, those who enjoy memoirs, and anyone who needs a good cry or a good laugh - or both. Show less

Comedian, writer, and podcaster Danielle Henderson uses her talented and original voice to tell the story of being abandoned by her mother at the tender a...Show more Comedian, writer, and podcaster Danielle Henderson uses her talented and original voice to tell the story of being abandoned by her mother at the tender age of 10 and subsequently being raised by her grandparents. In a series of intimate and highly entertaining stories, she shares her outrageous childhood adventures growing up as a latchkey child of the 80s, skewering the overly-permissive parenting style of the time as well as recounting her experiences being a Black girl in a mostly white town. Her search for stability and love against the backdrop of a turbulent childhood is at once deeply personal and universal. Honest and full of larger than life characters and anecdotes that'll either break your heart or make you laugh out loud, this unputdownable book is recommended for fans of books set in the 80s & 90s, those who enjoy memoirs, and anyone who needs a good cry or a good laugh - or both. Show less

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Under A White Sky

Under A White Sky

The Nature of the Future

by Kolbert, Elizabeth

Paperback - 2021

In Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction, she wrote about the massive effects that humanity is having on the natural world through climate change, pollution, def...Show more In Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction, she wrote about the massive effects that humanity is having on the natural world through climate change, pollution, deforestation and other widely-discussed trends. In her long-anticipated latest, she investigates some of the efforts that people around the world are undertaking in order to deal with the fallout from these changes. In eight compelling chapters, each a kind of case study (though such an academic term may be misleading to use to describe such grippingly fascinating writing), she finds humanity in a bind: our interventions into nature have led to huge problems that threaten the survival of so much life on the planet. Now we seem to have no choice but to intervene further if we're to survive. The solutions people are dreaming up and testing are so bonkers that they make for exhilarating reading. It's a strange mix of terrifying and marvelous. She begins with the impact of the reversal of the Chicago River and covers the threats of invasive species, the erosion of the Gulf coast, efforts to save the Great Barrier Reef, and much more. There's plenty here for both pessimists and optimists to mull over. For fans of nature writing and popular science and anyone curious about environmental issues, this is essential reading. Show less

In Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction, she wrote about the massive effects that humanity is having on the natural world through climate change, pollution, def...Show more In Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction, she wrote about the massive effects that humanity is having on the natural world through climate change, pollution, deforestation and other widely-discussed trends. In her long-anticipated latest, she investigates some of the efforts that people around the world are undertaking in order to deal with the fallout from these changes. In eight compelling chapters, each a kind of case study (though such an academic term may be misleading to use to describe such grippingly fascinating writing), she finds humanity in a bind: our interventions into nature have led to huge problems that threaten the survival of so much life on the planet. Now we seem to have no choice but to intervene further if we're to survive. The solutions people are dreaming up and testing are so bonkers that they make for exhilarating reading. It's a strange mix of terrifying and marvelous. She begins with the impact of the reversal of the Chicago River and covers the threats of invasive species, the erosion of the Gulf coast, efforts to save the Great Barrier Reef, and much more. There's plenty here for both pessimists and optimists to mull over. For fans of nature writing and popular science and anyone curious about environmental issues, this is essential reading. Show less

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Velvet Was the Night

Velvet Was the Night

by Moreno-Garcia, Silvia

Book - 2021

Velvet Was The Night is a noir set in 1970s Mexico, during a time of student protest and echoes of the Cold War. Maite is a dreamy secretary who listens t...Show more Velvet Was The Night is a noir set in 1970s Mexico, during a time of student protest and echoes of the Cold War. Maite is a dreamy secretary who listens to old records and reads romantic comics. When a fashionable neighbor asks Maite to watch her cat and then disappears, Maite is quickly swept up in the ongoing political fervor. Meanwhile, Elvis is a criminal who helps to keep the peace and fight against leftist rebellion. He also worships the King of Rock and Roll, down to his clothing and hair. Silvia Moreno-Garcia mixes meticulously researched historical events with multiple compelling viewpoints. Though both characters seem too different to ever find common ground, part of the joy of this novel is seeing how they grow to fit their circumstances and surroundings. Lots of tense fun for fans of historical novels and noir. Show less

Velvet Was The Night is a noir set in 1970s Mexico, during a time of student protest and echoes of the Cold War. Maite is a dreamy secretary who listens t...Show more Velvet Was The Night is a noir set in 1970s Mexico, during a time of student protest and echoes of the Cold War. Maite is a dreamy secretary who listens to old records and reads romantic comics. When a fashionable neighbor asks Maite to watch her cat and then disappears, Maite is quickly swept up in the ongoing political fervor. Meanwhile, Elvis is a criminal who helps to keep the peace and fight against leftist rebellion. He also worships the King of Rock and Roll, down to his clothing and hair. Silvia Moreno-Garcia mixes meticulously researched historical events with multiple compelling viewpoints. Though both characters seem too different to ever find common ground, part of the joy of this novel is seeing how they grow to fit their circumstances and surroundings. Lots of tense fun for fans of historical novels and noir. Show less

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The Waiting

The Waiting

by Gendry-Kim, Keum Suk

Paperback - 2021

Inspired by author/illustrator Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's own family history and stories of separation she gathered from interviews, The Waiting sheds light on...Show more Inspired by author/illustrator Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's own family history and stories of separation she gathered from interviews, The Waiting sheds light on the traumas that countless Korean families endured during the Korean War, the lasting effects of separation, and the enduring hope of someday being reunited with loved ones remaining in what is now North Korea. Translated by Janet Hong, The Waiting follows one such family history through the creative lens of Jina, a fictional character who is a freelance writer by profession. Jina pieces together her mother Gwija's experiences during the onset of the Korean war and the subsequent years she spends permanently separated from her first husband, infant son, and so many other family members. This semi-autobiographical story is gut-wrenching and much as with her acclaimed book Grass, Gendry-Kim's contrast-heavy illustration style immerses readers with depth and emotion. In her afterword, Gendry-Kim notes that the generation that experienced the Korean War is aging and as they leave us their memories will be lost. The Waiting gives voice and perspective to a time in Korean history that needs to be known and that so many can relate to in one sense or another. Show less

Inspired by author/illustrator Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's own family history and stories of separation she gathered from interviews, The Waiting sheds light on...Show more Inspired by author/illustrator Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's own family history and stories of separation she gathered from interviews, The Waiting sheds light on the traumas that countless Korean families endured during the Korean War, the lasting effects of separation, and the enduring hope of someday being reunited with loved ones remaining in what is now North Korea. Translated by Janet Hong, The Waiting follows one such family history through the creative lens of Jina, a fictional character who is a freelance writer by profession. Jina pieces together her mother Gwija's experiences during the onset of the Korean war and the subsequent years she spends permanently separated from her first husband, infant son, and so many other family members. This semi-autobiographical story is gut-wrenching and much as with her acclaimed book Grass, Gendry-Kim's contrast-heavy illustration style immerses readers with depth and emotion. In her afterword, Gendry-Kim notes that the generation that experienced the Korean War is aging and as they leave us their memories will be lost. The Waiting gives voice and perspective to a time in Korean history that needs to be known and that so many can relate to in one sense or another. Show less

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What Storm, What Thunder

What Storm, What Thunder

by Chancy, Myriam J. A.

Book - 2021

In 2010, an earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, killing an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 people. This vivid novel explores this time period through vario...Show more In 2010, an earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, killing an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 people. This vivid novel explores this time period through various characters' stories, which intersect with one another and together tell a larger tale of the human struggle to survive amidst unimaginable tragedy. There is the elegant and mysterious Sonia, who is determined to avoid the humiliations her mother faced working as a housecleaner for wealthy families; Richard, an expatriate bottled water executive living in France who sends money home for his daughter's education; Sara, who struggles to hold onto her sanity after her young children are buried under fallen buildings; Taffia, who was raped in the displaced persons' camp that sprung up after the earthquake rendered so many homes uninhabitable; and Ma Lou, the market woman who witnesses everything. Masterfully written and unforgettable, this nuanced work brings to light the complexities of this tragedy specifically, while offering much insight into the more longstanding challenges that Haiti has faced throughout history. Show less

In 2010, an earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, killing an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 people. This vivid novel explores this time period through vario...Show more In 2010, an earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, killing an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 people. This vivid novel explores this time period through various characters' stories, which intersect with one another and together tell a larger tale of the human struggle to survive amidst unimaginable tragedy. There is the elegant and mysterious Sonia, who is determined to avoid the humiliations her mother faced working as a housecleaner for wealthy families; Richard, an expatriate bottled water executive living in France who sends money home for his daughter's education; Sara, who struggles to hold onto her sanity after her young children are buried under fallen buildings; Taffia, who was raped in the displaced persons' camp that sprung up after the earthquake rendered so many homes uninhabitable; and Ma Lou, the market woman who witnesses everything. Masterfully written and unforgettable, this nuanced work brings to light the complexities of this tragedy specifically, while offering much insight into the more longstanding challenges that Haiti has faced throughout history. Show less

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What Strange Paradise

What Strange Paradise

by El Akkad, Omar

Book - 2021

A migrant boy wakes up on the beach of the Greek Island of Kos, surrounded by the bodies of his fellow migrants. He is the sole survivor. As soldiers appr...Show more A migrant boy wakes up on the beach of the Greek Island of Kos, surrounded by the bodies of his fellow migrants. He is the sole survivor. As soldiers approach, he flees into the nearby forest. From here, the story bifurcates into two storylines in alternating chapters that tell the story before and after. Journalist and novelist (of the dystopian American War) Omar El Akkad builds both storylines to a suspenseful, page-turning boil. Along the way, his characters demonstrate the indifference, naiveté, hope and cynicism typical of migrants and those who encounter them: the local residents, the military authorities, aid workers, the migrant smugglers and the island's foreign vacationers. Thoughtful readers will find themselves, too, implicated in this story that has parallels to the shameful real-world case of Alan Kurdi. This prize-winning novel cries out for book club discussion and reflection. Show less

A migrant boy wakes up on the beach of the Greek Island of Kos, surrounded by the bodies of his fellow migrants. He is the sole survivor. As soldiers appr...Show more A migrant boy wakes up on the beach of the Greek Island of Kos, surrounded by the bodies of his fellow migrants. He is the sole survivor. As soldiers approach, he flees into the nearby forest. From here, the story bifurcates into two storylines in alternating chapters that tell the story before and after. Journalist and novelist (of the dystopian American War) Omar El Akkad builds both storylines to a suspenseful, page-turning boil. Along the way, his characters demonstrate the indifference, naiveté, hope and cynicism typical of migrants and those who encounter them: the local residents, the military authorities, aid workers, the migrant smugglers and the island's foreign vacationers. Thoughtful readers will find themselves, too, implicated in this story that has parallels to the shameful real-world case of Alan Kurdi. This prize-winning novel cries out for book club discussion and reflection. Show less

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The Witch's Heart

The Witch's Heart

by Gornichec, Genevieve

Book - 2021

This enchanting historical fantasy tells the story of Angrboda, an ancient witch who is both valuable to and reviled by the gods in Asgard. A minor figure...Show more This enchanting historical fantasy tells the story of Angrboda, an ancient witch who is both valuable to and reviled by the gods in Asgard. A minor figure in Norse mythology, little is known about Angrboda beyond being the trickster god Loki's wife and the mother to their three children. Gornichec fills in Angrobodas story with empathy and vibrancy, weaving an exceptional story of love, betrayal, fate, and resilience against the backdrop of epic Norse legends. Encompassing vast swaths of time, and stretching through multiple worlds, this absorbing and heartfelt novel is a must-read for fans of retellings (especially feminist reinterpretations) of classic myths and legends. Readers who enjoyed Madeline Miller's Circe, Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale will adore this book. Show less

This enchanting historical fantasy tells the story of Angrboda, an ancient witch who is both valuable to and reviled by the gods in Asgard. A minor figure...Show more This enchanting historical fantasy tells the story of Angrboda, an ancient witch who is both valuable to and reviled by the gods in Asgard. A minor figure in Norse mythology, little is known about Angrboda beyond being the trickster god Loki's wife and the mother to their three children. Gornichec fills in Angrobodas story with empathy and vibrancy, weaving an exceptional story of love, betrayal, fate, and resilience against the backdrop of epic Norse legends. Encompassing vast swaths of time, and stretching through multiple worlds, this absorbing and heartfelt novel is a must-read for fans of retellings (especially feminist reinterpretations) of classic myths and legends. Readers who enjoyed Madeline Miller's Circe, Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology and Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale will adore this book. Show less

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