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Nonfiction Roundup: August 2023

Posted on Monday, August 7, 2023 by Liz

Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in August. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.

Top Picks

Valiant Women by Lena Andrews book cover “Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II” by Lena S. Andrews (Aug 1)
“Valiant Women” is the story of the 350,000 American women who served in uniform during World War II. These incredible women served in every service branch, in every combat theater, and in nearly two-thirds of the available military occupations at the time. They were pilots, codebreakers, ordnance experts, gunnery instructors, metalsmiths, chemists, translators, parachute riggers, truck drivers, radarmen, pigeon trainers and much more. They were directly involved in some of the most important moments of the war, from the D-Day landings to the peace negotiations in Paris. These women — who hailed from every race, creed, and walk of life — died for their country and received the nation’s highest honors. Their work, both individually and in total, was at the heart of the Allied strategy that won World War II. Yet, until now, their stories have been relegated to the dusty shelves of military archives or a passing mention in the local paper. Often the women themselves kept their stories private, even from their own families. Now, military analyst Lena Andrews corrects the record with the definitive and comprehensive historical account of American servicewomen during World War II, based on new archival research, firsthand interviews with surviving veterans, and a deep professional understanding of military history and strategy. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: August 2023”

Creative Is an Adjective

Posted on Friday, August 4, 2023 by The Biblio-Buckaroo

Do you ever feel stuck in the middle of a creative project or, arguably worse, even before you have started on a project? Does your creativity sometimes feel stunted or dried up? Do you struggle to get your creative juices flowing because you are afraid you aren’t talented enough? Perhaps we have a book that can help you. The library has a collection of books on the topic of creativity such as pep talk books to help give you a boost, books about being creative at work, and books to help you think differently.

There are some repeating themes in many of the creativity books. When you are a child, it is easy to be creative. You have time to play and are encouraged to use your imagination. You are less afraid of making mistakes or having everything be perfect. You rest and daydream. These are all tools for freeing up creativity. Continue reading “Creative Is an Adjective”

Fourth Wing: Staff Review and Read Alikes

Posted on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 by Dana

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros book coverEven if you aren’t interested in dragons or dark academia, chances are you’ve heard about “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros. It is all over social media and the holds list is quite long. There are read alikes at the bottom of this blog to check out in the meantime, but first I’m going to give a mostly spoiler-free review, so skip ahead if you want to go in knowing nothing.

Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, but the commanding general (her mother) has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is weak, death is only a heartbeat away because if the training doesn’t kill you, the dragons will. And the other candidates would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise.

I really didn’t love this book. Continue reading “Fourth Wing: Staff Review and Read Alikes”

Staff Review: Life on Delay by John Hendrickson

Posted on Monday, July 10, 2023 by Karena

In 2019, a reporter interviewed a notable presidential candidate on a well-kept secret. The reporter? John Hendrickson, just a few months into his new job at The Atlantic. The candidate? Former vice president of the United States, Joe Biden. And the secret: his stutter.

At that point, we didn’t know much about Biden’s speech disorder — he’d become an expert at hiding it, working around his stutter with word substitutions, and maneuvering strategically out of difficult moments. But Hendrickson saw through the maneuvers, noticed the thoughtful pauses that were really the “blocks” characteristic of stuttering. He identified the coping mechanisms because he’d used similar ones his entire life. In January 2023, four years after writing an acclaimed, vibrantly human story on the potential president-elect’s lingering stutter, Hendrickson published a book detailing his own experience with the disorder. Continue reading “Staff Review: Life on Delay by John Hendrickson”

Literary Links: How to Survive Seven Very Specific Calamities

Posted on Sunday, July 9, 2023 by Chris

Whether you’re seeking hard-earned wisdom from those persevering through harrowing situations, or to experience an adventure vicariously through literature, there is a veritable forest of options available for the literary thrill-seeker. Below are a few recent favorites.

Aurora book cover

David Koepp has spent most of his career writing thrilling screenplays (“Jurassic Park”) but has spent the last few years writing thrilling novels. His most recent, “Aurora”  begins by informing the reader that a solar flare strong enough to fry the earth’s electrical infrastructure is expected roughly every 150 years, and that the last one happened in 1859. With that terrifying knowledge in tow, the reader accompanies a few characters through the process and aftermath of the world losing power. This page-turner primarily follows partially estranged siblings: a sister and her neighbors trying to survive a world without electricity and her billionaire prepper brother discovering that his super fancy apocalypse bunker is not all he needs to survive. Continue reading “Literary Links: How to Survive Seven Very Specific Calamities”

Nonfiction Roundup: July 2023

Posted on Monday, July 3, 2023 by Liz

Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in July. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.

Top Picks

Lexington by Kim Wickens book cover“Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America’s Legendary Racehorse” by Kim Wickens (Jul 11)
The early days of American horse racing were grueling. Four-mile races, run two or three times in succession, were the norm, rewarding horses who brandished the ideal combination of stamina and speed. The stallion Lexington, named after the city in Kentucky where he was born, possessed these winning qualities, which pioneering Americans prized. Lexington shattered the world speed record for a four-mile race, showing a war-torn nation that the extraordinary was possible even in those perilous times. He would continue his winning career until deteriorating eyesight forced his retirement in 1855. But once his groundbreaking achievements as a racehorse ended, his role as a sire began. Horses from his bloodline won more money than the offspring of any other Thoroughbred — an annual success that led Lexington to be named America’s leading sire an unprecedented 16 times. Yet with the Civil War raging, Lexington’s years at a Kentucky stud farm were far from idyllic. Confederate soldiers ran amok, looting freely and kidnapping horses from the top stables. They soon focused on the prized Lexington and his valuable progeny. Kim Wickens, a lawyer and dressage rider, became fascinated by this legendary horse when she learned that twelve of Thoroughbred racing’s thirteen Triple Crown winners descended from Lexington. Wickens spent years meticulously researching the horse and his legacy — and with Lexington, she presents an absorbing, exciting account that transports readers back to the raucous beginning of American horse racing and introduces them to the stallion at its heart. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: July 2023”

Reader Review: Masters of Death

Posted on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 by patron reviewer

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake book coverWhen real estate agent & newly turned vampire, Viola Marek, is unable to sell a house due to a ghost with unfinished business, she seeks out local medium, Fox D’Mora (who also happens to be the godson of Death) to help the ghost solve his murder and “pass on.” This unlikely group of allies find their fates linked when Death goes missing and the only way to solve all their problems and set thing right is to win an immortal gambling tournament, where the stakes are impossibly high.

The book “Masters of Death” is deliciously blasphemous. Sharp, witty, and full of irreverent humor, it’s perfect for anyone with a dry, dark sense of humor. It’s also a great novel for LGBTQIA+ representation (no queerbaiting! Huzzah!). Despite all of the characters being drawn from mythology, various religions, and folklore, it’s first and foremost, a story about humanity. It was really refreshing to read a novel that does something different with its supernatural characters, as opposed to just giving everyone super powers (because being “super” is the only way to be interesting in a fantasy novel, it would seem). Although many of the characters are supernatural, they’re all longing for that lost bit of mortality: the ability to feel, the impermanence of time, human connection, etc. It’s a really beautiful book, although some of the dialogue can feel a bit frenetic at times, but ultimately, I felt it really easy to relate to and found myself laughing out loud at times.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun summer read. It’s definitely going to be one of those that I learn something new every time I read it.

Three words that describe this book: Supernatural, irreverent, humanity

You might want to pick this book up if: You have a dark sense of humor and enjoy a bit of blasphemy. If you’ve read Olivie Blake’s “The Atlas Six” & “The Atlas Paradox” and enjoyed those, you’ll definitely like this. If you’re looking for LGBTQIA+ representation or you’re looking for a sharp, well-written novel that’s both clever and “laugh out loud” funny, this one’s for you.

-Olivia

This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. Submit your own book review here for a chance to have it featured on the Adults Blog. 

Know Your Dystopias: Artificial Intelligence

Posted on Monday, June 26, 2023 by Eric

Bionic Hand and Human Hand Finger PointingArtificial Intelligence (AI) has been a popular topic in science fiction for decades, with countless novels and films exploring the possibilities and pitfalls of intelligent machines. But what is it about AI that captures our imagination and continues to inspire new stories?

Book cover for "The Lifecycle of Software Objects"One reason for the popularity of AI stories is the fascination with the idea of creating machines that can learn, adapt, and surpass human cognitive ability. The potential of AI to revolutionize human technology is both fascinating and daunting, and science fiction allows us to explore the implications of this evolution. From benevolent to malevolent, AI can be depicted in countless ways, and its unique capabilities and limitations can create compelling conflict and tension in a story. Continue reading “Know Your Dystopias: Artificial Intelligence”

New Classics

Posted on Friday, June 23, 2023 by Ida

The title above may look like an oxymoron since classic literature is by definition not new. But the passage of time guarantees an ever-growing number of books qualify for the designation. With such a richness of titles, no recommended reading list can be considered comprehensive. Once we realized it had been nearly a decade since our last update, DBRL has now revamped our classics lists. Following are some of the “new” titles we’ve added.

U.S. Fiction, Drama and Verse:

Book cover: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan“The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan. First published in 1989, this book explores multi-generational relationships through the stories of four San Francisco women — all Chinese immigrants — and their daughters. When one of the women dies, her adult daughter takes her place at the weekly mah-jongg gatherings, learning new information about her mother’s life in the process.

Continue reading “New Classics”

Q&A With Donna Kozloskie, Author of “Moon Pix”

Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 by Decimal Diver

Donna Kozloskie is a Columbia, MO author whose debut book is “Moon Pix.” The book is an exploration of the 1998 musical album “Moon Pix” by Chan Marshall, better known as Cat Power. The album was conceived during a hallucinatory waking nightmare in Marshall’s South Carolina farmhouse with nearly the entire album rushing forth onto a tape recorder in one night. Through interviews with key players, audience member accounts, fictional narrative imaginings, a collection of record reviews and other explorations of truth, this book, like the album itself, is an ode to the myth within the music and the music within the myth. Kozloskie is a media curator, writer, and creative producer with a focus on nonfiction storytelling. She was kind enough to take the time to be interviewed via email.

Continue reading “Q&A With Donna Kozloskie, Author of “Moon Pix””