November 29, 2021
Adult Fiction
A Darker Reality by Anne Perry.
On her first trip to
Washington, D.C., Elena Standish finally gets to visit her American mother's
wealthy parents and their magnificent home. Elena's grandparents are
marking a milestone anniversary by throwing an elaborate party with the
influential friends of her grandfather, a prominent political industrialist.
Even President and First Lady Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are there,
and Elena takes pride in capturing the illustrious guests on camera. But the
festivities come to a sudden and tragic end when one of the guests, Lila Worth,
is run over by a car in the driveway outside. Elena believes Lila was trying to
tell her something before her death, and when a call from her employer back
home, MI6, confirms that Lila was a British spy, Elena pairs with a fellow
agent to find out what vital information the young woman had in her possession.
Soon an arrest is made in Lila's murder, and to Elena's horror, the accused is
none other than her own grandfather, who claims his political enemies are
trying to frame him. But who are these enemies, and how can Elena defend this
man she barely knows? Nevertheless, determined to clear his name and save her
family from disgrace, she delves into the details of her grandfather's
investments and discovers that his business secrets run deep. As Elena begins to
question his loyalties, she wonders if she can trust anyone in this threatening
new world order.
The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi.
Grant McAllister, a
professor of mathematics, once sat down and worked all the rules out - and
wrote seven perfect detective stories to demonstrate. But that was thirty years
ago. Now Grant lives in seclusion on a remote Mediterranean island, counting
the rest of his days. Until Julia Hart, a brilliant, ambitious editor knocks on
his door. Julia wishes to republish his book, and together they must revisit
those old stories: an author hiding from his past and an editor keen to
understand it. But there are things in the stories that don't add up.
Inconsistencies left by Grant that a sharp-eyed editor begins to suspect are
more than mistakes. They may be clues, and Julia finds herself with a mystery
of her own to solve.
The Motion of the Body
Through Space by Lionel Shriver.
After an ignominious early
retirement, Remington announces to his wife Serenata that he's decided to run a
marathon. This from a sedentary man in his sixties who's never done a lick of
exercise in his life. His wife can't help but observe that his ambition is
"hopelessly trite." A loner, Serenata disdains mass group activities
of any sort. Besides, his timing is cruel. Serenata has long been the couple's
exercise freak, but by age sixty, her private fitness regimes have
destroyed her knees, and she'll soon face debilitating surgery. Yes, becoming
more active would be good for Remington's heart, but then why not just go for a
walk? Without several thousand of your closest friends? As Remington joins the
cult of fitness that increasingly consumes the Western world, her once-modest
husband burgeons into an unbearable narcissist. Ignoring all his other
obligations, he engages a saucy, sexy personal trainer named Bambi, who treats
Serenata with contempt. When Remington sets his sights on the legendarily
grueling triathlon, MettleMan, Serenata is sure he'll end up injured or dead.
And even if he does survive, their marriage may not.
Adult Non-Fiction
The Old Farmer’s
Almanac: 2022 by Robert B. Thomas.
“Happy New Almanac Year!
It’s time to celebrate the 230th edition of The Old Farmer’s
Almanac! Long recognized as North America’s most-beloved and best-selling
annual, this handy yellow book fulfills every need and expectation as a
calendar of the heavens, a time capsule of the year, an essential reference
that reads like a magazine. Always timely, topical, and distinctively “useful,
with a pleasant degree of humor,” the Almanac is consulted daily throughout the
year by users from all walks of life. The 2022 edition contains the fun facts,
predictions, and feature items that have made it a cultural icon: traditionally
80 percent–accurate weather forecasts; notable astronomical events and
time-honored astrological dates; horticultural, culinary, fashion, and other
trends; historical hallmarks; best fishing days; time- and money-saving garden
advice; recipes for delicious dishes; facts on folklore, farmers, home
remedies, and husbandry; amusements and contests; plus too much more to
mention—all in the inimitable Almanac style that has charmed and educated
readers since 1792.” – Amazon.com
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson.
Beyond race, class, or
other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people's lives
and behavior and the nation's fate. Linking the caste systems of America,
India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste
systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and
more. Using riveting stories about people--including Martin Luther King, Jr.,
baseball's Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson
herself, and many others--she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of
caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial
systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the
cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the
middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health
costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this
hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways
America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human
divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.
Easy/Juvenile/Young Adult/Graphic Novel
Night of the Spadefoot
Toads by Bill Harley. J
When his family moves from
Tucson, Arizona to Massachusetts, fifth-grader Ben has a hard time leaving the
desert he loves, but when he finds a kindred spirit in his science teacher and
ends up trying to help her with some of her problems, he finally begins to feel
at home.
Run, Book 1 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, & Nate
Powell. YA GN
To John Lewis, the civil
rights movement came to an end with the signing of the Voting Rights Act in
1965. But that was after more than five years as one of the preeminent figures
of the movement, leading sit-in protests and fighting segregation on interstate
busways as an original Freedom Rider. It was after becoming chairman of SNCC
(the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and being the youngest speaker
at the March on Washington. It was after helping organize the Mississippi
Freedom Summer and the ensuing delegate challenge at the 1964 Democratic
National Convention. And after co-leading the march from Selma to Montgomery on
what became known as "Bloody Sunday." All too often, the depiction of
history ends with a great victory. But John Lewis knew that victories are just
the beginning.
