October 2024 Staff Picks

A Novel

by Butler, Halle

Book - 2024

Moddie has spent the last ten years of her life in Chicago with her long-term partner, Nick, with a stable career and a home of her own when she realizes ...Show more Moddie has spent the last ten years of her life in Chicago with her long-term partner, Nick, with a stable career and a home of her own when she realizes that she cannot go on the way she is anymore. In a self-destructive whirlwind, and with little explanation to the reader, Moddie breaks up with Nick, leaves her job and moves to the small Midwestern college town she grew up in to reset her life in her thirties. With everything happening so fast, the fallout of Moddie's decisions takes months to register and unfold while she pushes her misgivings down and allows her emotional turmoil to fester. While reintegrating herself into old friendships and surroundings, details emerge about the darker parts of Moddie's past and her relationship with Nick to contextualize her seemingly dramatic decisions. Meandering between characters' points of view, the reader is brought to understand the deeper mind and motivations of Moddie and the people surrounding her only incrementally. Rather than relying on a fast-paced narrative with clean plot points, the author leans hard into the dark parts of humanity revealed by her characters' inner worlds, splaying out their flaws in graphic detail. Butler attempts to lay bare the ways we tend either to fixate on the worst parts of ourselves or to see our worst parts reflected in others. Fans of Halle Butler's other works or of Emily Austin will be thrilled to dig into Butler’s most recent novel. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 60 on 15 copies

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The Book Swap

A Novel

by Bickers, Tessa

Book - 2024

Erin knows that she's letting life happen to her. Determined to take charge, she starts by cleaning her apartment. Unfortunately, she accidentally puts he...Show more Erin knows that she's letting life happen to her. Determined to take charge, she starts by cleaning her apartment. Unfortunately, she accidentally puts her most treasured book, a heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird, into a little free library along with her discards. Heartbroken, she checks back, hoping to find it again. Fortunately, it comes back with new notes and an invitation to read another book together. Meanwhile, James has to admit he's intrigued by his new pen pal. As they help each other step out of their comfort zones and make changes in their lives, their relationship deepens. But once shared history comes to light, this relationship might be in trouble. Show less

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Colored Television

by Senna, Danzy

Book - 2024

In Senna's uproariously funny novel, Jane, a struggling mixed-race writer, her artist husband, and her two young kids are encamped at a swanky LA residenc...Show more In Senna's uproariously funny novel, Jane, a struggling mixed-race writer, her artist husband, and her two young kids are encamped at a swanky LA residence that belongs to a friend who is temporarily abroad for work. On sabbatical from her teaching job, she has plans to finish up a novel she's been writing for a decade, "her mulatto War and Peace," her husband jokes. When she passes along the finished novel to her editor, things don't unfold as she had imagined. Visions of leaving her "janky" life behind for something a bit more affluent in "Multicultural Mayberry" send Jane on a surreptitious mission to use her writing chops to enter the world of prestige television. Senna offers up shrewd and hilarious cultural critiques that are very of the moment on race, class, parenting, creatives, designer dogs and the Hanna Anderson catalog in this provocative novel about making art and selling out that will appeal to fans of Paul Beatty and Percival Everett. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 200 on 42 copies

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Creation Lake

A Novel

by Kushner, Rachel

Book - 2024

In this irresistible noir novel (Booker-shortlisted), mercenary agent "Sadie" is hired to infiltrate Le Moulin, a group of back-to-the-land acti...Show more In this irresistible noir novel (Booker-shortlisted), mercenary agent "Sadie" is hired to infiltrate Le Moulin, a group of back-to-the-land activists living on a commune in the French countryside. Group founder Bruno Lacombe, who lives in a cave on the grounds of his property, advocates for a return to pre-history, expressing admiration for the Neanderthals. Bruno's emails to the Moulinards are intercepted and fed to Sadie by her employer, whose motives and identity are unknown. While Sadie disdains dogma, zeroing in on the hypocrisies of the privileged Moulinards, she finds Bruno's theories captivating. Examining what progressive ideas look like when pushed to their logical extreme, Kushner simultaneously offers a wry meditation on the current moment, and a plea to touch grass. Fans of Eleanor Catton will enjoy Sadie's withering observations and Kushner's ability to pull the rug out from underneath their feet. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 431 on 78 copies

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The Full Moon Coffee Shop

A Novel

by Mochizuki, Mai

Book - 2024

A quirky little novel at the intersection of romance, fantasy, and astrological primer, where talking cats ("though this isn't our real form, either,...Show more A quirky little novel at the intersection of romance, fantasy, and astrological primer, where talking cats ("though this isn't our real form, either," hints one) serve up celestial treats and starry guidance. The pop-up café appears - on the bank of a river, in an empty shopping mall, in a dream - to a series of people at a crossroads in their lives. While a bit dryly explanatory at moments, Mochizuki's disarmingly plain and meditative writing invites readers to reflect on their own lives, desires, and connections with others. For readers of Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, Strange Weather in Tokyo and What You Are Looking for Is in the Library. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 21 on 17 copies

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Grown Women

A Novel

by Johnson, Sarai

Book - 2024

Johnson's debut novel dives into the complicated relationships between four generations of mothers and their daughters. The effects of generational trauma...Show more Johnson's debut novel dives into the complicated relationships between four generations of mothers and their daughters. The effects of generational trauma are explored through a timeline that shifts between characters – Evelyn, Charlotte, Corinna and Camille - spanning several decades. As the characters develop and the narrator reveals more and more about the trauma of the characters' mothers' mother, readers will find themselves wondering who or what they live for and also who they're afraid to disappoint. In Grown Women, Johnson's characters seem to subconsciously think that they've each disappointed or embarrassed their mothers. There is so much to unpack in this family saga of generational woes and the difficulty of letting go and forgiving of past harm. This book would be an excellent choice for book clubs, not only for its exploration of the complex dynamics between mothers and daughters but also for its in-depth discussion of themes such as forgiveness, grief and disappointment. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 18 on 29 copies

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Intermezzo

A Novel

by Rooney, Sally

Book - 2024

Peter, a Dublin lawyer in his early 30s, is still hung up on his ex, Sylvia, and can't quite commit to the college student he's been hanging out with, Nao...Show more Peter, a Dublin lawyer in his early 30s, is still hung up on his ex, Sylvia, and can't quite commit to the college student he's been hanging out with, Naomi, who makes extra money as a cam girl. Peter's brother, Ivan, is already, in his early twenties, a fading chess prodigy when he meets and falls for Margaret, a community arts center worker in her mid-30s. After the death of their father, the brothers are in danger of becoming estranged, and they tend to judge each other harshly. With a shift of focus to family relationships in balance with romantic relationships, Rooney has made an artistic breakthrough in the exploration of her established themes. This longer novel moves a touch slowly at first, but gradually becomes a page-turner that earns its resolution through careful plotting, rising tension and insightful character development. It's an intense and moving experience that feels fully engaged with life. Fans are sure to appreciate this mature and powerful new novel from the popular author. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 901 on 162 copies

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Nicked

by Anderson, M. T.

Book - 2024

In the middle of the Middle Ages, the Italian city of Bari is plague-ridden. Brother Nicephorus, a monk, dreams one night about St. Nicholas. Soon after l...Show more In the middle of the Middle Ages, the Italian city of Bari is plague-ridden. Brother Nicephorus, a monk, dreams one night about St. Nicholas. Soon after learning of this dream, the archbishop orders Nicephorus to join a mission that is being organized by the city elders to voyage to the Byzantine Empire and acquire (ahem, steal) St. Nicholas's bones and bring them back as holy relics to cure the sick and establish Bari as a pilgrimage destination. Tyun, an experienced relic hunter (a kind of medieval Indiana Jones), is enlisted as guide, and seemingly takes an unlikely shine (of the romantic kind) to the idealistic Nicephorus. Meanwhile, a rival team of Venetians is also in search of St. Nick's remains. It's hard to assert definitively whether this is a good book or not, but it's certainly a fun one. It breaks storytelling conventions with abandon. It features anachronistic attitudes and dialogue, and it thumbs its nose at realism (a little like weird medieval art). It's brief and zesty and queer and sweet and, apparently, based loosely on actual history. If you're looking for something a bit off the wall, acclaimed YA author M T Anderson's adult debut does the trick. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 10 on 32 copies

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Playground

A Novel

by Powers, Richard

Book - 2024

Powers is well-known for marrying exciting science and technology topics with memorable characters and plotting on a grand canvas. His books always seem t...Show more Powers is well-known for marrying exciting science and technology topics with memorable characters and plotting on a grand canvas. His books always seem to land with perfect timing, exploring ideas that his readers are most excited and curious about. His latest is no exception in that regard, as he turns his attention to Earth's oceans and artificial intelligence, two topics that could not be hotter. Meet Todd, a privileged Evanston kid and Rafi, an underprivileged Chicago South Sider, two geniuses who become unlikely best friends and rivals at an elite Jesuit high school. They battle over chess games until they discover the even more challenging game of Go. Todd gets into videogame development just as the field takes off in the 80s while the proud and principled Rafi devotes himself to literature and writing. Rafi falls for Ina, a brilliant artist who is eager to return to the Pacific where she grew up, and soon the trio of close friends has a fallout. In parallel, we also follow the story of Evelyne, a French-Canadian marine biologist who only feels alive while scuba diving the remote oceans. A pioneer in her field, she becomes something of a glamorous celebrity scientist (think Jane Goodall meets Jacques Cousteau) and publishes a popular book for kids. Their lives collide decades later in the story when a grand neocolonial high-tech project is proposed for a humble and ravaged island in French Polynesia. Powers's great gift is his ability to weave in such grand ideas in the most relatable human terms, and a daring narrative design will have book clubs debating the novel passionately. Recommended for fans of books such as The Underworld by Susan Casey, Sharks Don't Sink by Jasmin Graham and Amphibious Soul by Craig Foster. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 143 on 85 copies

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Small Rain

A Novel

by Greenwell, Garth

Book - 2024

An unnamed poet struggles with intense pains, resisting his partner's urgings to go to the hospital, preferring to wait it out. But when the situation wor...Show more An unnamed poet struggles with intense pains, resisting his partner's urgings to go to the hospital, preferring to wait it out. But when the situation worsens, he relents. It's the early pandemic, and going to the hospital is a more daunting prospect even than it is even normally. The doctors and the patient both hope and assume at first that there will be a ready explanation, but a diagnosis is slow in coming, a course of treatment deferred. As he settles in for a longer-than-expected stay, the poet's mind wanders in between visits from staff. He reflects on the ordinary wonder of a common bird that perches at the window. Through his vignettes and ruminations, we get a portrait of the man's whole life: his tender relationship with another man, his work (both teaching and writing), his upbringing in Kentucky, his reckless youth, his struggles with a money pit of a house in Iowa. And in Greenwell's intelligent prose, the man's experience becomes portrait, or maybe indictment, of a whole society. It's a bit like seeing the world reflected in a water drop. It's easy to imagine Virginia Woolf admiring the novel. A work of autofiction that reads like an ultra-realistic memoir (and was reportedly inspired by the author's own experiences), Small Rain is not what we'd prescribe for an escapist mood, but there's something beautiful and fascinating about this deeply honest story of a man coming face to face with mortality. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 23 on 28 copies

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A Sunny Place for Shady People

Stories

by Enriquez, Mariana

Book - 2024

Enriquez's latest book of short stories is horror at its finest. Each story in this collection takes place in Buenos Aires, which is described in a gritty...Show more Enriquez's latest book of short stories is horror at its finest. Each story in this collection takes place in Buenos Aires, which is described in a gritty realistic way. These stories follow people experiencing addiction, disability and poverty, but Enriquez never exploits her characters' struggles. The collection opens with a story about a nurse who can see dead people ("My Sad Dead"). Other stories include "A Sunny Place for Shady People" about the Cecil Hotel's infamous true crime case, "Refrigerator Graveyard" about kids fooling around in the town dump (which feels very Stephen King), and "Black Eyes" about an encounter with the strange phenomenon featuring menacing children with black eyes. Fans of the literary horror of Stephen Graham Jones and the noir-inspired horror of Gabino Iglesias will find a lot to love (and to fear) in Enriquez's newest collection. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 48 on 19 copies

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This Cursed House

by Sandeen, Del

Book - 2024

Jemma is plagued by restless spirits. Since childhood she's carried the burden of being able to see those who have died and been unable to pass on. And th...Show more Jemma is plagued by restless spirits. Since childhood she's carried the burden of being able to see those who have died and been unable to pass on. And the place she's headed is a hotbed of spiritual activity. She's on her way to New Orleans to take up a tutoring position with a wealthy family. The hot weather is not the only thing that intensifies as she travels further south: she thought being a black woman in 1962 Chicago was hard, but in The South, the racist treatment she gets is on another level. Dazzled by the pay she's been promised, and fleeing a toxic relationship back home, Jemma's determined to make this new life work. Although she is surprised to learn that the wealthy family that hired her is African American, their antiquated ways of talking about race are no less hard to deal with. The work they have in mind for her is nothing like what she thought. This family has been bound with a terrible curse which has been hanging over them for decades, and they have brought in Jemma to break the spell. This southern gothic is as much a mystery as it is a dark tale of the horrors of slavery. The reader accompanies Jemma as she digs into a family history full of drama, racism, colorism, violence and murder. The author chooses the darkest of settings for this horror story to great effect. This novel is rich and atmospheric, full of horror and steeped in historic prejudice. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 25 on 33 copies

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Why Animals Talk

The New Science of Animal Communication

by Kershenbaum, Arik

Book - 2024

Kershenbaum, a distinguished zoologist, explores the fascinating wild world of animal communication, dedicating each chapter to one of six extraordinary a...Show more Kershenbaum, a distinguished zoologist, explores the fascinating wild world of animal communication, dedicating each chapter to one of six extraordinary animals: wolves, dolphins, parrots, hyraxes, gibbons and chimpanzees. Each one provides a unique perspective into their biology, habitat and communication. In attempting to answer the titular question - why animals talk - Kershenbaum delves deeply into questions of animal intelligence, evolution, and the very concept and origin of language itself. This well-researched and passionate book is for readers who are curious about animals and enjoy reading about the natural world in a manner that does not prioritize human experience nor assert human superiority. Rather, it situates humanity within the broader context of the Animal Kingdom. Fans of Temple Grandin and Ed Yong will want to pick this one up. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 6 on 11 copies

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