PEN America literary awards

 

PEN America has announced the Longlists for the 2023 Literary Awards. The Awards are juried by panels of esteemed, award-winning authors, editors, translators, and critics. These authors are committed to recognizing their contemporaries, from promising debut writers to those who have had a continuous, lasting impact on the literary landscape. Spanning fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography, essay, science writing, translation, and more, these Longlisted books are dynamic, diverse, and thought-provoking examples of literary excellence.

PEN/JEAN STEIN BOOK AWARD

To a book-length work of any genre for its originality, merit, and impact, which has broken new ground by reshaping the boundaries of its form and signaling strong potential for lasting influence.

Judges: Joan Naviyuk Kane, Lauren Groff, Madeleine Thien

My Pinup, Hilton Als 

Acting Class, Nick Drnaso 

If I Survive You, Jonathan Escoffery 

Dr. No, Percival Everett 

Very Cold People, Sarah Manguso 

Milkweed Smithereens, Bernadette Mayer 

If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English, Noor Naga 

The White Mosque, Sofia Samatar 

Customs, Solmaz Sharif 

Night of the Living Rez, Morgan Talty 

PEN OPEN BOOK AWARD

To an exceptional book-length work of any literary genre by an author of color.

Judges: Jenn Baker, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Nina McConigley, Erika L. Sanchez

Golden Ax, Rio Cortez 

Shutter, Ramona Emerson 

The Black Period, Hafizah Augustus Geter 

The Listening Skin: Poems, Glenis Redmond 

Gorgoneion, Casey Rocheteau 

All the Flowers Kneeling, Paul Tran 

The Town of Babylon, Alejandro Varela 

Making Love with the Land, Joshua Whitehead 

Last Summer on State Street, Toya Wolfe 

Solito, Javier Zamora 

PEN/ROBERT W. BINGHAM PRIZE FOR DEBUT SHORT STORY COLLECTION

To an author whose debut collection of short stories represents distinguished literary achievement and suggests great promise for future work.

Judges: Nafissa Thompson Spires, Chris Gonzalez, Susan Muaddi Darraj

Seeking Fortune Elsewhere, Sindya Bhanoo 

Rainbow Rainbow, Lydia Conklin 

Is This How You Eat a Watermelon?, Zein El-Amine 

If I Survive You, Jonathan Escoffery 

A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times, Meron Hadero 

A Calm & Normal Heart, Chelsea T. Hicks 

What We Fed to the Manticore, Talia Lakshmi Kolluri 

The Anchored World, Jasmine Sawers 

Night of the Living Rez, Morgan Talty 

Manywhere, Morgan Thomas 

PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD FOR DEBUT NOVEL

To a debut novel of exceptional literary merit by an American author.

Judges: Gina Apostol, Oscar Cásares, Matthew Salesses

A Tiny Upward Shove, Melissa Chadburn 

The School for Good Mothers, Jessamine Chan 

Activities of Daily Living, Lisa Hsiao Chen 

Shutter, Ramona Emerson 

Nuclear Family, Joseph Han

Calling For a Blanket Dance, Oscar Hokeah 

Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley 

How High We Go in the Dark, Sequoia Nagamatsu 

Little Rabbit, Alyssa Songsiridej 

Which Side Are You On, Ryan Lee Wong 

PEN/VOELCKER AWARD FOR POETRY COLLECTION

To a poet whose distinguished collection of poetry represents a notable and accomplished literary presence.

Judges: Kimiko Hahn, Molly McCully Brown, Allison Rollins, Willie Perdomo

Smoking the Bible, Chris Abani 

[To] The Last [Be] Human, Jorie Graham 

Maafa, Harmony Holiday 

The Hurting Kind, Ada Limon 

To The Realization of Perfect Helplessness, Robin Coste Lewis 

Cain Named The Animal, Shane Mcrae 

Pink Waves, Sawako Nakayasu 

blood snow, Dg Nanouk Okpik 

Then The War, Carl Phillips 

Best Barbarian, Roger Reeves 

PEN AWARD FOR POETRY IN TRANSLATION

For a book-length translation of poetry from any language into English.

Judges: Baba Badji, Mona Kareem, Julia Leverone

The Loose Pearl, Paula Ilabaca Nuñez, translated from Spanish by Daniel Borzutzky 

No Way in the Skin without This Bloody Embrace, Jean D’Amérique, translated from French by Conor Bracken 

The Threshold, Iman Mersal, translated from Arabic by Robyn Creswell

claus and the scorpion, Lara Dopazo Ruibal, translated from Galician by Laura Cesarco Eglin

Dolore Minimo, Giovanna Cristina Vivinetto, translated from Italian by Gabriella Fee and Dora Malech

Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season, Forough Farrokhzad, translated from Persian by Elizabeth T. Gray, Jr. 

distant transit, Maja Haderlap, translated from German by Tess Lewis

Motherfield, Julia Cimafiejeva, translated from Belarusian by Valzhyna Mort and Hanif Abdurraqib

The Rust of History, Sotero Rivera Avilés, translated from Spanish by Raquel Salas Rivera 

Adela Zamudio: Selected Poetry & Prose, Adela Zamudio, translated from Spanish by Lynette Yetter

PEN TRANSLATION PRIZE

For a book-length translation of prose from any language into English.

Judges: Layla Benitez-James, Slava Faybysh, Sora Kim-Russell, Elton Uliana

All Your Children, Scattered, Beata Umybyeyi Mairesse, translated from French by Alison Anderson

The Tatami Galaxy, Tomihiko Morimi, translated from Japanese by Emily Balistrieri

Jawbone, Mónica Ojeda, translated from Spanish by Sarah Booker

Call Me Cassandra, Marcial Gala, translated from Spanish by Anna Kushner

Moldy Strawberries, Caio Fernando Abreu, translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato

Toño the Infallible, Evelio Rosero, translated from Spanish by Victor Meadowcroft and Anne McLean

Ghost Town, Kevin Chen, translated from Taiwanese by Darryl Sterk

People from Bloomington, Budi Darma, translated from Indonesian by Tiffany Tsao

A Line in the World: A Year on the North Sea Coast, Dorthe Nors, translated from by Caroline Waight

Pina, Titaua Peu, translated from French by Jeffrey Zuckerman

PEN/DIAMONSTEIN-SPIELVOGEL AWARD FOR THE ART OF THE ESSAY

For a seasoned writer whose collection of essays is an expansion on their corpus of work and preserves the distinguished art form of the essay.

Judges: Jill Lepore, John McWhorter, Simon Winchester

I’ll Show Myself Out, Jessi Klein 

Translating Myself and Others, Jhumpa Lahiri 

A Place in the World, Frances Mayes 

Still No Word From You, Peter Orner 

Animal Bodies: On Death, Desire, and Other Difficulties, Suzanne Roberts 

Happy-Go-Lucky, David Sedaris

Small Acreages: New and Selected Essays, Georgia Green Stamper 

Streaming Now: Postcards from the Thing That Is Happening, Laurie Stone 

A Left-Handed Woman, Judith Thurman 

The Green Hour: A Natural History of Home, Alison Townsend 

PEN/E.O. WILSON LITERARY SCIENCE WRITING AWARD

For a work that exemplifies literary excellence on the subject of the physical or biological sciences and communicates complex scientific concepts to a lay audience.

Judges: Tim Folger, David Hu, Emily Raboteau

Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, Frans de Waal 

Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage, Rachel E. Gross 

Orchid Muse: A History of Obsession in Fifteen Flowers, Erica Hannickel 

Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution's Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction, David George Haskell 

A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain, Sara Manning Peskin 

The Wine-Dark Sea Within: A Turbulent History of Blood, Dhun Sethna 

Big Bang of Numbers: How to Build the Universe Using Only Math, Manil Suri 

Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey, Florence Williams 

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, Ed Yong 

Dancing Cockatoos and the Dead Man Test: How Behavior Evolves and Why It Matters, Marlene Zuk

PEN/JACQUELINE BOGRAD WELD AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY

For a biography of exceptional literary, narrative, and artistic merit, based on scrupulous research.

Judges: Manu Bhagavan, Silvana Paternostro

An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Deathof Howard Baskerville, Reza Aslan 

Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Strugglefor Equality, Tomiko Brown-Nagin 

Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-HopProducer Who Reinvented Rhythm, Dan Charnas

The Adventures of Herbie Cohen: The World's Greatest Negotiator, Rich Cohen 

G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the AmericanCentury, Beverly Gage 

The Hyacinth Girl: T. S. Eliot’s Hidden Muse, Lyndall Gordon 

Guru to the World: The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda, Ruth Harris 

Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century, Jennifer Homans 

The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini,and Hitler, David I. Kertzer 

Saxophone Colossus: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins, Aidan Levy 

PEN/JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH AWARD FOR NONFICTION

For a distinguished book of general nonfiction possessing notable literary merit and critical perspective that illuminates important contemporary issues.

Judges: Sanjiv Bhattacharya, Geraldo Cadava, Sofija Stefanovic

The Naked Don’t Fear the Water: An Underground Journey withAfghan Refugees, Matthieu Aikins 

Tree Thieves: Crime and Survival in North America’s Woods, Lyndsie Bourgon 

After the Ivory Tower Falls: How College Broke the AmericanDream and Blew Up Our Politics–And How to Fix It, Will Bunch 

The Inheritors: An Intimate Portrait of South Africa’sRacial Reckoning, Eve Fairbanks 

Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire, and Revolution in theBorderlands, Kelly Lytle Hernandez 

South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon toUnderstand the Soul of a Nation, Imani Perry 

The War of Nerves: Inside the Cold War Mind, Martin Sixsmith 

The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality andDisease Collide, Steven W. Thrasher 

The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched aWorkplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet, Nell McShane Wulfhart 

Solito, Javier Zamora 

 

film and tv adaptations

 

Mark your calendar for the Short Story Matinee series coming this spring!

SATURDAY, March 4th at 11am
SUNDAY, April 2nd at 3pm
SUNDAY, May 7th at 3pm
SUNDAY, June 4th at 3pm

Get your popcorn ready for a wealth of exciting book-to-screen adaptations coming in 2023! From a highly anticipated film based on Suzanne Collins’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to a series based on Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry, BookBub lists 15 titles for readers and moviegoers of all kinds to look forward to this year. Here are the movies and TV shows based on books that we can’t wait to watch in 2023.

The Mayfair Witches series by Anne Rice

Calling all fantasy fans! Mayfair Witches, a series based on Anne Rice’s bestselling trilogy, will be streaming on AMC on January 5. Alexandra Daddario stars in the upcoming adaptation as a young neurosurgeon who learns she comes from a long line of witches — and must grapple with her newly discovered powers while fighting a sinister force that has long haunted her family. Watch the trailer here. The trilogy consists of The Witching Hour, Lasher, and Taltos.

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan is at the helm for Knock at the Cabin, a film adaptation of Paul Tremblay’s novel The Cabin at the End of the World. The novel centers around Eric and Andrew, a couple who travel to a forest retreat for vacation with their daughter, Wen. But the secluded cabin soon proves far from relaxing when four strangers break in and hold the family hostage. With a cast …

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates are set to star in the long-awaited film adaptation of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by the one and only Judy Blume! Though challenged and banned when it was first released in 1970 due to its mention of topics like sex and religion, this classic novel, named a Time Magazine Best Book of All Time, has earned modern acclaim and widespread adoration.

Text for You by Sofie Cramer

Rom-com fans have a lot to look forward to in 2023! After the death of her fiancé, Mira copes by sending romantic texts to what once was his phone number — and when journalist Rob begins receiving anonymous love messages, he becomes determined to meet the woman behind the beautiful words. Based on Sofie Cramer’s charming novel Text for You, Love Again stars Quantico actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Director Martin Scorsese dives into the world of westerns with his upcoming film adaptation of National Book Award finalist Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. The nonfiction book details a string of mysterious killings targeting members of the Osage tribe in 1920s Oklahoma — and recounts the newly formed FBI’s winding path toward exposing the chilling conspiracy.

American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin

Based on American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s Pulitzer Prize–winning biography, Oppenheimer details the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American theoretical physicist known for his involvement in World War II’s Manhattan Project, where he played a crucial role in developing the atomic bomb. Christopher Nolan serves as writer and director of the film.

Dune by Frank Herbert

Following Dune winning an astounding six Academy Award in 2021, the anticipated follow-up to the smash-hit is coming to the big screen next fall! Dune: Part Two is based on the second half of Frank Hebert’s sci-fi epic novel of the same name, which follows Paul Atreides as he joins forces with the Fremen to seek revenge for his family. Denis Villeneuve returns to direct.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Hunger Games fans have long awaited a new installment in the wildly popular film franchise, and it’s finally here! The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes comes to life in a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s prequel novel, which explores the life of young Coriolanus Snow before he becomes the oppressive president of Panem.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Nearly 40 years after Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning novel was adapted into a film directed by Steven Spielberg, the heartrending story of The Color Purple is returning to the big screen as a musical. Based on the 2005 Broadway show, the new film follows the struggles of Celie, a Black teenager in 20th-century rural Georgia, as she grapples with the oppression.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Dearest readers, the Bridgerton family’s return is sure to be the talk of the ton this London season, with season three of the hit Netflix series inspired by Julia Quinn’s Regency-era romance novels set to premiere this year! Fans have been swooning for the gorgeous visuals and romantic plots that have become Bridgerton staples, and the newest installment is sure to be no different.

The Three-Body Problem series by Cixin Liu

Sci-fi fans won’t want to miss The Three-Body Problem trilogy’s small-screen adaptation set to premiere in 2023! In the series’s first novel by Cixin Liu, an alien civilization on the brink of destruction during China’s Cultural Revolution plans to invade Earth after a secret military project makes contact. The books in the trilogy are The Three-Body Problem, The Dark Forest, and Death's End.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Based on Casey McQuiston’s heartwarming and hilarious New York Times bestseller, Red, White, & Royal Blue follows Alex, the First Son of the United States, who agrees to a fake friendship with British prince Henry to mend their public image — but their posed camaraderie soon develops into something more.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Lee Eisenberg serves as showrunner for Lessons in Chemistry, a series based on Bonnie Garmus’s acclaimed 2022 bestseller. Set in the early 1960s, the novel centers around Elizabeth Zott, a scientist who’s sick of being limited to the domestic sphere. After an unplanned pregnancy causes her to lose her job, Elizabeth accepts an offer to host a TV cooking show.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

The Last Thing He Told Me is sure to be a pulse-pounding new series based on Laura Dave’s #1 New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick. After her husband mysteriously disappears, Hannah sets out on a thrilling search for the truth with her stepdaughter, Bailey. The series stars Jennifer Garner as Hannah and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Owen. 

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

Shailene Woodley plays a grieving writer embarking on an unforgettable journey in Three Women, a series based on the #1 New York Times bestselling novel by Lisa Taddeo. The riveting true story follows three American women from different backgrounds as they navigate the boundaries of sex and relationships while trying to find their place in the world.

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/book-to-screen-2023

mysteries, thrillers, and glass onions

 

January features a great slate of mysteries to thrill and thrillers to chill!

EXILES BY JANE HARPER

Aaron Falk deals with financial investigations as a federal investigator but takes a very rare leave from work to visit friends and his godchild. There, he’s plunged into a small community and the case of a mother who went missing one year ago from a busy festival, seemingly in front of everyone.

EVERYBODY KNOWS BY JORDAN HARPER

Welcome to Mae Pruett’s Los Angeles, where “Nobody talks. But everybody whispers.” As a “black-bag” publicist tasked not with letting the good news out but keeping the bad news in, Mae works for one of LA’s most powerful and sought-after crisis PR firms, at the center of a sprawling web of lawyers, PR flaks, and private security firms she calls “The Beast.” They protect the rich and powerful and depraved by any means necessary. This is what the crime novel can achieve in the modern age: portray the human lives at the center of vast American landscapes, and make us thrill at their attempts to face impossible odds.

CITY UNDER ONE ROOF BY IRIS YAMASHITA

A stranded detective tries to solve a murder in a tiny Alaskan town where everyone lives in a single high-rise building, in this gripping debut by an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter.

THE BANDIT QUEENS BY PARINI SHROFF

A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful—until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands—in this razor-sharp debut.

WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS BY KATE ALICE MARSHALL

Naomi Shaw used to believe in magic. Twenty-two years ago, she and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent the summer roaming the woods, imagining a world of ceremony and wonder. They called it the Goddess Game. The summer ended suddenly when Naomi was attacked. Miraculously, she survived her seventeen stab wounds and lived to identify the man who had hurt her. The girls’ testimony put away a serial killer, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes. And they were liars. For decades, the friends have kept a secret worth killing for. But now Olivia wants to tell, and Naomi sets out to find out what really happened in the woods―no matter how dangerous the truth turns out to be.

JUST THE NICEST COUPLE BY MARY KUBICA

A husband’s disappearance links two couples in this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Mary Kubica.

AGAINST THE CURRANT BY OLIVIA MATTHEWS

Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New York: Lyndsay Murray is opening Spice Isle Bakery with her family, and it’s everything she’s ever wanted. The West Indian bakery is her way to give back to the community she loves, stay connected to her Grenadian roots, and work side-by-side with her family. The only thing getting a rise out of Lyndsay is Claudio Fabrizi, a disgruntled fellow bakery owner who does not want any competition. On opening day, he comes into the bakery threatening to shut them down. Fed up, Lyndsay takes him to task in front of what seems to be the whole neighborhood. So when Claudio turns up dead a day later―murdered―Lyndsay is unfortunately the prime suspect.

FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN BY ELLE COSIMANO

Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she's an author and single mom who's a pro at getting out bloodstains for rather unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. After she and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they may have "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband, the Russian mob got her out of debt. But now Finlay owes them…

THE TWYFORD CODE BY JANICE HALLETT

Forty years ago, Steven “Smithy” Smith found a copy of a famous children’s book by disgraced author Edith Twyford, its margins full of strange markings and annotations. When he showed it to his remedial English teacher Miss Iles, she believed that it was part of a secret code that ran through all of Twyford’s novels. And when she disappeared on a class field trip, Smithy became convinced that she had been right. Now, out of prison after a long stretch, Smithy decides to investigate the mystery that has haunted him for decades.

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE BY BENJAMIN STEVENSON

Knives Out and Clue meet Agatha Christie and The Thursday Murder Club in this “utterly original” (Jane Harper), “not to be missed” (Karin Slaughter), fiendishly clever blend of classic and modern murder mystery.

In the high school category:

PROMISE BOYS BY NICK BROOKS

For dark academia fans! J.B., Ramón, and Trey must adhere to the Urban Promise Prep School’s strict rules, which relies on extreme discipline to turn boys into men. When Principal Moore is murdered, the three boys end up at the top of the suspect list and realize coming together to solve the murder is their only hope of not being arrested.

THE BLACK QUEEN BY JUMATA EMILL

Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller.

If viewing is more your style (and, like me, you’re obsessed with Glass Onion!), some of these may fit the bill.  From brooding classics to hilarious ensemble casts, you may have to put everything on the backburner to make it through your watchlists with these!

The Lady Vanishes

On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel in a fictional European country, young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) befriends elderly Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty). When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler (Michael Redgrave) and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly.

Gosford Park

Robert Altman, one of America's most distinctive filmmakers, journeys to England for the first time to create a unique film mosaic with an outstanding ensemble cast. Set in the 1930's, "Gosford Park" brings a group of pretentious rich and famous together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.

Memories of Murder

In 1986, Park (Song Kang-ho) and Cho (Kim Roi-ha) are two simple-minded detectives assigned to a double murder investigation in a South Korean province. But when the murderer strikes several more times with the same pattern, the detectives realize that they are chasing the country's first documented serial killer. Relying on only their basic skills and tools, Park and Jo attempt to piece together the clues and solve the case in this thriller based on true events.

Brick

After receiving a frantic phone call from his ex-girlfriend, teenage loner Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) learns that her dead body has been found. Vowing to solve her murder himself, he must infiltrate high-school cliques that he previously avoided. His search for the truth places him before some of the school's roughest characters, leading to a confrontation with a drug dealer known as "the Pin (Lukas Haas)."

Clue

Based on the popular board game, this comedy begins at a dinner party hosted by Mr. Boddy, where he admits to blackmailing his visitors. These guests, who have been given aliases, are Mrs. Peacock, Miss Scarlet, Mr. Green, Professor Plum, Mrs. White and Col. Mustard. When Boddy turns up murdered, all are suspects, and together they try to figure out who is the killer

Game Night

Max and Annie's weekly game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party -- complete with fake thugs and federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it's all supposed to be part of the game. As the competitors set out to solve the case, they start to learn that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem to be. The friends soon find themselves in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn over the course of one chaotic night.

The Thin Man

The sparkling start of the series features the irresistible William Powell and Myrna Loy chemistry as husband and wife sleuths who solve murders with the aid of their wire-haired terrier, Asta. Set in the glamorous world of 1930s upper-class Manhattan, The Thin Man and its sequels established the standard for witty comedy, clever dialogue and urbane one upmanship. 

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

Two-bit crook Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr.) stumbles into an audition for a mystery film while on the run from the cops. Winning the part, he lands in Hollywood, where he's flung into a tangled, murderous conspiracy with his childhood sweetheart, Harmony Lane (Michelle Monaghan), and hard-boiled private eye Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer).

Murder on the Orient Express (1974) (more adaptations were done in 2001, starring Alfred Molina, and 2017, starring Kenneth Branagh)

Having concluded a case, detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) settles into what he expects will be a relaxing journey home aboard the Orient Express. But when an unpopular billionaire is murdered en route, Poirot takes up the case, and everyone on board the famous train is a suspect. Using an avalanche blocking the tracks to his advantage, Poirot gradually realizes that many of the passengers have revenge as a motive, and he begins to home in on the culprit.

Rear Window (1954) (another adaptation from 1998 starred Christopher Reeve)

A newspaper photographer with a broken leg passes time recuperating by observing his neighbors through his window. He sees what he believes to be a murder and decides to solve the crime himself. With the help of his nurse and wife, he tries to catch the murderer without being killed himself.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the original Swedish adaptation premiered in 2010)

Disgraced financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) finds a chance to redeem his honor after being hired by wealthy Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to solve the 40-year-old murder of Vanger's niece, Harriet. Vanger believes that Harriet was killed by a member of his own family. Eventually joining Blomkvist on his dangerous quest for the truth is Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an unusual but ingenious investigator whose fragile trust is not easily won.

The Maltese Falcon

In this noir classic, detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) gets more than he bargained for when he takes a case brought to him by a beautiful but secretive woman (Mary Astor). As soon as Miss Wonderly shows up, trouble follows as Sam's partner is murdered and Sam is accosted by a man (Peter Lorre) demanding he locate a valuable statuette. Sam, entangled in a dangerous web of crime and intrigue, soon realizes he must find the one thing they all seem to want: the bejeweled Maltese falcon.

Evil Under the Sun

Agatha Christie's Belgian sleuth, Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov), solves the murder of an actress at a Balkan resort.

Death on the Nile (2004) (more adaptations came out in 1978, starring Peter Ustinov, Bette Davis, and David Niven, and in 2022, starring Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, and Armie Hammer)

While on a holiday cruise in Egypt, the Belgian sleuth (David Suchet) investigates the murder of a rich heiress who had many enemies.

To Catch a Thief

Notorious cat burglar John Robie (Cary Grant) has long since retired to tend vineyards on the French Riviera. When a series of robberies is committed in his style, John must clear his name. Armed with a list of people who own the most expensive jewels currently in the area, John begins following the first owner, young Francie (Grace Kelly). When her jewels are stolen, Francie suspects John, destroying their tentative romance. John goes on the lam to catch the thief and clear his own name.

The Long Goodbye

Private detective Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) is asked by his old buddy Terry Lennox (Jim Bouton) for a ride to Mexico. He obliges, and when he gets back to Los Angeles is questioned by police about the death of Terry's wife. Marlowe remains a suspect until it's reported that Terry has committed suicide in Mexico. Marlowe doesn't buy it but takes a new case from a beautiful blond, Eileen Wade (Nina van Pallandt), who coincidentally has a past with Terry.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

To be young and carefree amid the blue waters and idyllic landscape of sun-drenched Italy in the late 1950s; that's la dolce vita Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) craves- and Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) leads. When Dickie's father asks Tom to bring his errant playboy son back home to America, Dickie and his beautiful expatriate girlfriend, Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow), never suspect the dangerous extremes to which Ripley will go to make their lifestyle his own.

Only available streaming:

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living among them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it's too late.          

Three Pines (Amazon)

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache (Alfred Molina) investigates murders in Three Pines.  He sees things that others do not: the light between the cracks, the mythic in the mundane, long-buried secrets.  Along the way he faces a few of his own ghosts.

Item descriptions from Amazon and Rotten Tomatoes. Item lists from the following articles:
https://time.com/6240295/mysteries-watch-after-glass-onion/
https://www.vulture.com/article/warm-weather-murder-mysteries.html
https://bookriot.com/new-mystery-thrillers-january-2023/

season's readings

 

The next Books & Beyond (BAB) meeting will be on Tuesday, January 31st at 6:30pm and the topic up for discussion is trains & train travel.  If you’re stumped for a title, peruse the BAB section of the Shelf Care page: https://oneallibrary.org/adults---reading-recommendations

This week, BAB met for a reader’s choice meeting, where there is no assigned topic, so group members shared what they've really been enjoying this year and recently.

The Omega Factor by Steve Berry

The Ghent Altarpiece is the most violated work of art in the world. Thirteen times it has been vandalized, dismantled, or stolen. Why? What secrets does it hold? From the tranquil canals of Ghent, to the towering bastions of Carcassonne, and finally into an ancient abbey high in the French Pyrenees, Nick Lee must confront a modern-day religious crusade intent on eliminating a shocking truth from humanity’s past. Success or failure—life and death—all turn on the Omega Factor. 

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Reborn in the USA: An Englishman’s Love Letter to His Chosen Home by Roger Bennett

One-half of the celebrated Men in Blazers duo, longtime culture and soccer commentator Roger Bennett traces the origins of his love affair with America, and how he went from a depraved, pimply faced Jewish boy in 1980’s Liverpool to become the quintessential Englishman in New York. A memoir for fans of Jon Ronson and Chuck Klosterman, but with Roger Bennett’s signature pop culture flair and humor.

Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang

A reimagining of Joan of Arc’s story given a space opera, giant robot twist, the Nullvoid Chronicles is a story about the nature of truth, the power of belief, and the interplay of both in the stories we tell ourselves.

Cat Sebastian’s Seducing the Sedgwicks trilogy
The Sedgwick Series is about the sons of a radical, slightly unhinged poet. Each book is a standalone, but this is the chronological order:
It Takes Two to Tumble
A Gentleman Never Keeps Score
Two Rogues Make a Right

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.

Silenced No More: Surviving My Journey to Hell and Back by Sarah Ransome

For the first time ever, a survivor tells the shocking inside story of her time trapped in Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking ring.

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history. Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism.

The Widow’s War by Sally Gunning

When Lyddie Berry’s husband is lost in a storm at sea, she finds that her status as a widow is vastly changed from that of respectable married woman. Now she is the “dependent” of her nearest male relative—her son-in-law. Refusing to bow to societal pressure that demands she cede everything that she and her husband worked for, Lyddie becomes an outcast from family, friends, and neighbors—yet ultimately discovers a deeper sense of self and, unexpectedly, love. Evocative and stunningly assured, The Widow’s War is an unforgettable work of literary magic, a spellbinding tale from a gifted talent.

Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series

This 18 book (and counting!) series is set around the life of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Surete du Quebec, the provincial police force for Quebec, Canada.  The first in the series is Still Life. 

Janet Langhart Cohen's Anne & Emmett 

This play was recently produced at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Anne & Emmett is an imaginary conversation between Anne Frank and Emmett Till, both victims of racial intolerance and hatred. Frank is the 13-year-old Jewish girl whose Diary provided a gripping perspective of the Holocaust. Till is the 14-year old African-American boy whose brutal murder in Mississippi sparked the Modern American Civil Rights Movement.

Till (this DVD is on order in the library system)

In 1955, after Emmett Till is murdered in a brutal lynching, his mother vows to expose the racism behind the attack while working to have those involved brought to justice.

Babylon (this film is currently in theaters)

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.

William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series

This 19 book (and counting!) series features a former Chicago cop of mixed Irish and Ojibwe nation heritage living and working near an Ojibwe reservation in the north Minnesota woods. This first title in the series is Iron Lake.

The Hours

The story of how the novel "Mrs. Dalloway" affects three generations of women, all of whom, in one way or another, have had to deal with suicide in their lives.

The Hours by Michael Cunningham

In The Hours, Michael Cunningham, widely praised as one of the most gifted writers of his generation, draws inventively on the life and work of Virginia Woolf to tell the story of a group of contemporary characters struggling with the conflicting claims of love and inheritance, hope and despair. The narrative of Woolf's last days before her suicide early in World War II counterpoints the fictional stories of Samuel, a famous poet whose life has been shadowed by his talented and troubled mother, and his lifelong friend Clarissa, who strives to forge a balanced and rewarding life in spite of the demands of friends, lovers, and family. Passionate, profound, and deeply moving, this is Cunningham's most remarkable achievement to date.

must-reads for 2023

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year….when we get started on building those TBR lists for Winter 2023! (For the unknowing, that’s “to be read" 😊)

Our friends over at Town & Country magazine have crafted this list of books they are looking forward to this winter, have a look! Keep in mind, most of these titles haven't been published yet, but you can click the "Place Hold" button to get on the waitlist!

Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon

In this first-ever authorized biography of Elizabeth Taylor, journalist and author Kate Andersen Brower (First Women, The Residence) tells the story of one of Hollywood's greatest stars through extensive interviews as well as previously unpublished letters, personal writing, and rare interview transcripts. From Taylor's earliest roles through her work as an international superstar and philanthropist, her story is told with style and great detail, making this a must read for new fans and longtime admirers alike.

Young Bloomsbury: The Generation That Redefined Love, Freedom, and Self-Expression in 1920s England

Once, the members of the so-called Bloomsbury Group (like Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster) were the enfants terribles of the literary world, but that wouldn't last forever. After them came another group, made up of the likes of Stephen Tomlin and Julia Strachey, whose bold and subversive ideas and ways of living would upend not only the establishment but also the older Bloomsbury set, setting a new course for the creative world that still resonates nearly 100 years later. In this sharp, thoughtful look at the group, their work, and its impact, Nino Strachey shines a light on cultural masterminds whose lives and work would change the world forever.

Finale: Late Conversations with Stephen Sondheim

Before he died in 2021, Stephen Sondheim sat for a series of interviews for a profile in The New Yorker. Then he walked away from the story. And then he changed his mind. In this collection of those interviews, D.T. Max shares an intimate look at the titan in his final years and discusses a wide range of subjects from the profound to the mundane that, when put together, paint a vivid picture and serve as a touching, thorough, and appropriately offbeat tribute to a man whose contributions to our culture are still impossible to comprehend.

Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D'

Michael Cecchi-Azzolina has worked for decades as a maître d' at some of New York City's best loved and most exclusive restaurants, including The River Cafe, Raoul's, and Le Coucou. In this book, he pulls back the curtain on what really happens behind the scenes at high-end eateries—including memorable antics from volatile chefs and badly behaved patrons—and shows readers the funny, frantic side of hospitality that regular diners might never see.

Another Dimension of Us

 This new novel from T&C contributor Mike Albo is about young love, time travel, and what it means to be truly devoted to someone else. Following two sets of teenagers—originally based in 1986 and 2044, but that gets complicated—Albo's charming, big-hearted story will appeal to fans of John Hughes and the Duffer Brothers equally, and makes the case that true love is, in fact, timeless.

A Small Affair

Money, romance, and murder are always key ingredients for a delicious thriller. And in the latest from Flora Collins, they're used expertly. This novel follows Vera, whose social ambition and membership to an exclusive dating service, find her cavorting with an older and much richer man. But when her paramour and his (oops) wife turn up dead, Vera ends up at the center of a murder investigation and eventually something far more sinister. Collins's book is a skillful look at the high price of looking for love and the curse of getting exactly what it is we think we want.

Life on Delay: Making Peace with a Stutter

When John Hendrickson wrote for The Atlantic about the experience Joe Biden, then a candidate for President, had with stuttering, his story went viral. Now, Hendrickson tackles the topic of stuttering—his own experiences, those of others, the thoughts of experts and charlatans alike—in this book about what it's like to live with a stutter, and how the world reacts.

8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go

Award-winning storyteller and podcaster Jay Shetty is set to deliver his second book 8 Rules of Love, and seeing as how his first landed in the number one slot on Amazon’s best seller list, we’re looking forward to this subsequent project. Shetty’s 8 Rules of Love combines ancient wisdom and modern science to offer tangible tools that will help you navigate relationships through every stage— and not just relationships with others, but also with ourselves and the world.

The New Life

In 1800s England, two men whose marriages aren't quite as traditional as they appear to be find themselves planning to publish a book taking a radical-for-the-time stance on same-sex relationships. But when public opinion becomes obviously swayed prior to the book's release, the question of whether they want their work out in the world becomes urgent. Tom Crewe's book is a beautiful, haunting portrait of love in a time that didn't understand it, and a reminder of how close we are to the past.

The Shards

A sort of prequel to the author's legendary debut novel, Less Than Zero, The Shards follows a young man (named Bret Easton Ellis) through the smoggy world of early 1980s Los Angeles, where he attends private school, experiments with drugs and sex, and casually glides through life—until a string of murders gets too close for comfort. It's a thrilling page turner from Ellis, who revisits the world that made him a literary star with a stylish, scary new story that doesn't disappoint.

When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical that Changed the World 

In 1921, composers Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake shook up New York City’s musical theater scene by producing the first all-Black musical on Broadway. The production, called Shuffle Along, brought vibrant jazz tunes to the Broadway stage and gave Black performers an opportunity to shine in the process. Peruse the pages of When Broadway Was Black to explore the history of Shuffle Along and the creators behind this iconic work of art.

The Faraway World

Patricia Engel returns with 10 linked short stories, mainly centered on the experience of Colombians and Colombian Americans. In "Aida," 16-year-old Aida tries to understand the disappearance of her twin sister, Salma; in "Campoamor," a novelist in Havana juggles two girlfriends; in "The Book of Saints," a Colombian woman marries a New Yorker she meets online. Engel's in fine form in all the short stories, as she examines the intersections of class, immigration, and families.

Spare

Prince Harry's highly anticipated memoir is finally hitting bookshelves in January. First announced in summer 2021, Harry said at the time, "I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become. I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story—the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned—I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think."

Age of Vice

Deepti Kapoor's sprawling novel, Age of Vice, centers on the wealthy Wadia family. There's the playboy heir, Sunny; his servant, Ajay, who was born in poverty; and a journalist, Neda, who falls into Sunny's orbit. Kapoor takes the readers through each of their stories, and what results is a fast-paced, compelling novel that is part thriller, part family drama, and part look at modern Indian politics.

Blood, Fire & Gold

Historian Estelle Paranque looks at the relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe. She draws on their private letters to craft portraits of these famous women. As Paranque writes in the start of Blood, Fire & Gold, "They might have been rivals, but they were also united in their power, each admiring the force of the other. Both of them brave and intelligent women, they were unlike any other rulers of the age, and while this might divide them, it would also bring them closer together. But ultimately Elizabeth and Catherine would never let themselves forget that they were, first and foremost, each other's true rival."A must-read for history lovers.

Maame: A Novel

Jessica George's Maame follows the story of Londoner Maddie, called "Maame" by her Ghanian family, as she cares for her father, who has advanced stage Parkinson’s. When her mother returns from Ghana, she tries to begin her life outside of the family home. Soon, however, tragedy strikes and Maddie loses her job at a publishing house. In this coming-of-age novel, Maddie navigates grief, familial duty, workplace racism, and being torn between two cultures. An unforgettable, funny debut.

The Survivalists

Aretha, a successful Black woman who works as a corporate attorney, begins dating a coffee entrepreneur named Aaron. When she moves in with him and his roommates in Brooklyn, Aretha learns the household are survivalists, and constantly prepping for the end times. Per the publisher, Kashana Cauley's The Survivalists centers on questions such as "Does it make sense to climb the corporate ladder? What exactly are the politics of gun ownership? And in a world where it’s nearly impossible for young people to earn enough money to afford stable housing, what does it take in order to survive?"

Hell Bent

Leigh Bardugo returns to the dark magic of Yale's secret societies in this sequel to the bestselling Ninth House. Protagonist Alex "Galaxy" Stern is set on breaking her mentor, Darlington, out of purgatory. The dark academia fantasy novel is rooted in the very real nature of wealth, power, and murder, and Hell Bent is just as twisty and good as Ninth House.

The Half Known Life

Prolific travel author Pico Iyer turns his attention to the question of paradise in his latest book, The Half Known Life. "I’d begun to wonder what kind of paradise can ever be found in a world of unceasing conflict—and whether the very search for it might not simply aggravate our differences," he writes. Iyer travels to Iran, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Israel, Tibet, and elsewhere to uncover what paradise looks like on earth.

The End of Drum-Time

This epic novel is set in 1851 in a remote village in the Arctic circle, where a Lutheran minister's daughter, Willa, falls for a native Sámi reindeer herder, Ivvar. It's a fascinating work of historical fiction, with romance at its heart, that dramatizes two real historical events: the growth of the teachings of minister Lars Levi Læstadius, and the Kautokeino Rebellion of 1852. "The book starts with a repentance and ends with a rebellion," Pylväinen says of the story.

The following titles will be ordered soon, but are not on the system yet.  If you're interested, pin a note to your fridge to ask about them later! They all publish in February.

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me

It’s customary to depend on a sanctuary when life gets overwhelming, and for Patrick Bringley, his personal oasis became the Metropolitan Museum of Art after learning that his brother had been diagnosed with fatal cancer. But Patrick did more than visit this art haven every once in a while— he quit his job at the New Yorker and decided to work as a full-time museum guard. In All The Beauty in the World, Patrick Bringley depicts the treasures of the Metropolitan Museum of Art through his own intimate and fascinating perspective.

Big Swiss

Jen Beagin's novel is, in the simplest terms, about the transcriptionist for a sex therapist who falls for one of his clients after transcribing her sessions. Really, though, the funny, offbeat story (which is already in the works to become an HBO series) asks questions about telling the truth, falling in love, and who we really are when no one else is looking—or so we think.

I Have Some Questions for You

This new novel from the author of The Great Believers follows a boarding school alum as she returns to her New England alma mater to teach a course and winds up opening old wounds—for herself as well as a number of figures from her past. When a decades-old murder, which has been mostly relegated to the dark world of internet sleuths, becomes a hot topic once again, everything Bodie Kane thinks she knows about the world she lives in and the memories she's made come into question—and the picturesque campus where she's living becomes perhaps the most dangerous place of all.

The Urgent Life: My Story of Love, Loss, and Survival

Grief is an inevitable part of life, and if there’s anyone who knows this firsthand, it's Bozoma Saint John. While in college, Bozoma’s boyfriend committed suicide. In her first moments of motherhood, Bozoma’s baby was born prematurely. And in the midst of a separation from her husband, Bozoma discovered that he had terminal cancer. Through unveiling her profound stories of love and loss, Bozoma encourages others to persevere through tumultuous times in the face of adversity.

Whatever Next?: Lessons from an Unexpected Life

Princess Margaret's close confidant, Anne Glenconner, is back with her second memoir. Glenconner was Margaret's lady-in-waiting for over three decades, and her first memoir, Lady in Waiting, was full of interesting revelations about the royal family. "While I was writing it, I realized I had led a very interesting life. The sort of life I led doesn't really exist anymore," she told Town & Country.

What Napoleon Could Not Do

DK Nnuro's newest book What Napoleon Could Not Do illustrates the story of two siblings, Jacob and Belinda Nti, all of whom share a common goal of moving from their hometown in Ghana to America. When Belinda realizes the American dream, or in her father’s words, achieves “what Napoleon couldn’t do,” Jacob grows bitter. Through their separate paths toward success, the siblings embark on journeys of promise and disappointment, each navigating in their own way.

My Last Innocent Year

"It's hard to say how I ended up in Zev Neman's dorm room the night before winter break..." our narrator, Isabel Rosen, begins My Last Innocent Year. Daisy Alpert Florin's debut novel is set during one young Jewish woman's senior year at a fictional New Hampshire college in 1998, as she grapples with the sexual politics of her campus, and embarks on a confusing affair with a married professor. Though it's set nearly 25 years ago, My Last Innocent Year is a deeply timely and relevant campus novel.

The Sun Walks Down

It's September 1883 in the South Australian outback, and six-year-old Denny has gone missing in a dust storm. Over the next seven days, the community begins searching for Denny. Fiona McFarlane populates her story with a wide range of characters—from Denny's sisters and parents, to Aboriginal tracker Jimmy—and expertly captures the tensions in colonial Australia between the European and Indigenous populations.

VenCo

Cherie Dimaline's second novel, VenCo, is the story of a Métis millennial, Lucky, who lives with her grandmother, Stella. When she discovers a silver spoon in their walls, Lucky is soon tapped into a network of witches across America (VenCo being an anagram for coven). "This is a book about how we all have a wardrobe leading to Narnia — we just need to find it," Dimaline says. A fun, feminist, witchy read.

lives lived

 

Upcoming programs:

Sun, Dec 4th 7-9pm Ghost Stories for Christmas

Thu, Dec 8th 6-8pm  PENAmerica community discussion of South to America by Imani Perry 

Wed, Dec 21st 11am-noon Samford String Quartet holiday concert 

Tue, Dec 27 6:30-8pm It’s the last meeting of the year for Books & Beyond and it is Reader’s Choice so there’s no assigned topic. For the 2023 BAB topic selections, click here.

Books & Beyond met this week to discuss biographies, autobiographies, and memoir.

You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of GeorgeWashington by Alexis Coe

With irresistible style and warm humor, You Never Forget Your First combines rigorous research and lively storytelling that will have readers--including those who thought presidential biographies were just for dads--inhaling every page.

Monarchy by David Starkey (eaudio on Hoopla)

The crown of England is the oldest surviving political institution in Europe. Throughout this book Dr. David Starkey emphasizes the Crown's endless capacity to adapt to circumstances and reshape national policy, whilst he unmasks the personalities and achievements, the defeats and victories, which lie behind the kings and queens of British history. 

Monarchy by David Starkey (tv show)

Hosted by the erudite, energetic Dr. David Starkey (The Six Wives of Henry VIII), this series tells the epic and bloody stories of Britain's kings and queens from the Saxon era (Alfred the Great) to the early 20th century (Victoria).

Assassinations that Changed the World by Nigel Cawthorne (eaudio on Hoopla)

We live in an age of asymmetric warfare. Huge armies no longer face each other on the battlefield. Instead heads of major powers and lone assassins (or martyrs) target each other to pursue their agendas. There are forty-eight assassinations that changed the world in this book. Rest assured that in the coming years we will see many more.

And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham

Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer Jon Meacham chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln, charting how—and why—he confronted secession, threats to democracy, and the tragedy of slavery to expand the possibilities of America.

Crowned in a Far Country: Portraits of Eight Royal Brides by Princess Michael of Kent

More than just a window into the politics and power brokering of royal marriage, Crowned in a Far Country charts the transformations of privileged princesses into women of power and historical importance.

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson

The #1 New York Times bestseller from Walter Isaacson brings Leonardo da Vinci to life in this exciting new biography that is “a study in creativity: how to define it, how to achieve it…Most important, it is a powerful story of an exhilarating mind and life” (The New Yorker).

Da Vinci’s Demons (tv show)

A tortured genius defies authority and throws himself into the future, forever changing the fate of mankind.

Sleepwalk With Me: And Other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia

I’m Mike Birbiglia and I’m a comedian. You may know me from Comedy Central or This American Life or The Bob & Tom Show, but you’ve never seen me like this before. This is my first book. It’s difficult to describe. It’s a comedic memoir, but I’m only 32 years old so I’d hate for you to think I’m “wrapping it up,” so to speak. But I tell some personal stories. Some REALLY personal stories. Some of the stories are about my childhood, some are about girls I made out with when I was thirteen, some are about my parents, and some are, of course, about my bouts with sleepwalking. Bring this book to bed. And sleepwalk with me.

New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad by Mike Birbiglia

With laugh-out-loud funny parenting observations, the New York Times bestselling author and award-winning comedian delivers a book that is perfect for anyone who has ever raised a child, been a child, or refuses to stop acting like one.

A Strong and Steady Pulse: Stories from a Cardiologist by Greg Chapman

A Strong and Steady Pulse: Stories from a Cardiologist provides an insider’s perspective on the field of cardiovascular medicine told through vignettes and insights drawn from Gregory D. Chapman’s three decades as a cardiologist and professor of medicine. In twenty-six bite-sized chapters based on real-life patients and experiences, Chapman provides an overview of contemporary cardiovascular diseases and treatments, illuminating the art and science of medical practice for lay audiences and professionals alike.

All that Moves Us: A Pediatric Neurosurgeon, His YoungPatients, and Their Stories of Grace and Resilience by Jay Wellons

In All That Moves Us, Dr. Jay Wellons pulls back the curtain to reveal the profoundly moving triumphs, haunting complications, and harrowing close calls that characterize the life of a pediatric neurosurgeon, bringing the high-stakes drama of the operating room to life with astonishing candor and honest compassion. 

Noble Blood  (podcast)

Author Dana Schwartz explores the stories of some of history’s most fascinating royals: the tyrants and the tragic, the murderers and the murdered, and everyone in between. Because when you’re wearing a crown, mistakes often mean blood.

Slow Burn (podcast)

A narrative podcast produced by Slate that is in it’s 7th season (discussing Roe v. Wade), Slow Burn tackles big topics in politics and popular culture.

Edith Wharton by Hermione Lee

From Hermione Lee, the internationally acclaimed, award-winning biographer of Virginia Woolf and Willa Cather, comes a superb reexamination of one of the most famous American women of letters. Delving into heretofore untapped sources, Lee does away with the image of the snobbish bluestocking and gives us a new Edith Wharton-tough, startlingly modern, as brilliant and complex as her fiction. 

Initiated: Memoir of a Witch by Amanda Yates Garcia

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes meets Women Who Run With The Wolves in this "gorgeously written, fierce, political, personal, and deeply inspiring" (Michelle Tea) memoir about finding meaning, beauty, and power through a life in witchcraft.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Don’t Blow Yourself Up: The Further True Adventures andTravails of the Rocket Boy of October Sky by Homer Hickam

From Homer Hickam, the author of the #1 bestselling Rocket Boys adapted into the beloved film October Sky, comes this astonishing memoir of high adventure, war, love, NASA, and his struggle for literary success.

Just Kids by Patti Smith

“Reading rocker Smith’s account of her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, it’s hard not to believe in fate. How else to explain the chance encounter that threw them together, allowing both to blossom? Quirky and spellbinding.” -- People

The Automat (film)

A charming, fascinating look at one of the first and most unique restaurant chains in America with Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Colin Powell.

Thomas Paine: A Lifetime of Radicalism by David Benner (not in the library system, selling on Amazon)

As an unremarkable English commoner, former tax collector, and one-time privateer, Thomas Paine was the most unlikely person to carry the torch of American independence. Nevertheless, his succinct and wildly-popular argument in favor of the idea, Common Sense, proved to be the exact catalyst to bring such a provocative cause to fruition. Benner's work pays particular focus on to the polemicist's great successes in transforming his day's political landscape.

Clockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers of Elisha Collier & Artemas Wheeler by Ben E. Nicholson (not available in the library system, currently in funding mode on Kickstarter)

Clockwork Basilisk: The Early Revolvers of Elisha Collier & Artemas Wheeler reveals the first attempt to put a multi-shot firearm in the hands of the common soldier and sportsman. This novel device—patented in America in 1818 by Artemas Wheeler—was taken to England by his partner, Elisha Collier, to be trialed by the military shortly after the Napoleonic wars. Rejected by both the British and French militaries, the Collier revolver with its clockwork-advanced cylinder eventually found its place as a bespoke self-defense and hunting weapon.

Mimosa: Memories of Marilyn & the Making of “The Misfits” by Ralph L. Roberts (not in the library system, selling on Amazon)

Ralph Roberts, actor, masseur, and former Pentagon liaison, could frequently be found in the kitchen of Lee Strasberg’s NYC apartment on Central Park West. One pleasant spring morning he by chance met Marilyn. Not the turned-on public persona of Marilyn Monroe he had crossed paths with in the past, but the honest, casual Marilyn who existed outside the public eye. Thus set in motion the beginnings of a deep friendship that forever changed Ralph, and unquestionably altered the course of his life.