February 2021

Betsey M. recommends: Calypso by David Sedaris From amazon.com: If you've ever laughed your way through David Sedaris's cheer- fully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what you're getting with Calypso. You'd be wrong. When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, Sedaris envisions long, relax- ing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realization: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself. With Calypso, Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. Make no mistake: these stories are very, very funny--it's a book that can make you laugh 'til you snort, the way only family can. Sedaris's powers of observation have never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter unparalleled. But much of the comedy here is born out of that vertiginous mo- ment when your own body betrays you and you realize that the story of your life is made up of more past than future. This is beach reading for people who detest beaches, required reading for those who loathe small talk and love a good tumor joke. Calypso is simultaneously Se- daris's darkest and warmest book yet--and it just might be his very best. Memoir -and- One by One by Ruth Ware From amazon.com: Getting snowed in at a luxurious, rustic ski chalet high in the French Alps doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world. Especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a full-service chef and housekeeper, a cozy fire to keep you warm, and others to keep you company. Unless that company happens to be eight coworkers…each with something to gain, something to lose, and some- thing to hide. When the cofounder of Snoop, a trendy London-based tech startup, organizes a weeklong trip for the team in the French Alps, it starts out as a corporate retreat like any other: PowerPoint presentations and strategy sessions broken up by man- datory bonding on the slopes. But as soon as one shareholder upends the agenda by pushing a lucrative but contentious buyout offer, tensions simmer and loyalties are tested. The storm brewing inside the chalet is no match for the one outside, however, and a devastating avalanche leaves the group cut off from all access to the outside world. Even worse, one Snooper hadn’t made it back from the slopes when the avalanche hit. As each hour passes without any sign of rescue, panic mounts, the chalet grows colder, and the group dwindles further…one by one. Thriller

Cassie S. recommends: Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek From the publisher: For nearly two decades, Scott Jurek has been a dominant force—and darling—in the grueling and growing sport of ultrarunning. Until re- cently he held the American 24-hour record and he was one of the elite runners profiled in the runaway bestseller Born to Run.

In Eat and Run, Jurek opens up about his life and career as a champion athlete with a plant-based diet and inspires runners at every level. From his Midwestern child- hood hunting, fishing, and cooking for his meat-and-potatoes family to his slow transition to ultrarunning and veganism, Scott’s story shows the power of an iron will and blows apart the stereotypes of what athletes should eat to fuel optimal performance. Full of stories of competition as well as science and practical ad- vice—including his own recipes—Eat and Run will motivate readers and expand their food horizons. Health -and- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab From the publisher: France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by every- one she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. Fantasy

Caroline B. recommends: A Cat's Tale : A Journey Through Feline History by Baba the cat as dictated to Paul Koudounaris It's a fun book and you do actually learn something. But let's face it, I loved it for the pictures. I mean look at that cover! From the publisher: From the prehistoric Felis (a large mammal from which all do- mestic cats have descended) to ancient Egyptian cat goddess, key cats of the En- lightenment to swashbuckling pirate felines and infamous American tabbies, the story of catkind is told here in its totality. Nature

Sara C. recommends: The Girl Who Takes an Eye For An Eye by David Lagercrantz Lisbeth Salander - the girl with the dragon tattoo, the brilliant hacker, the obsti- nate outsider, the volatile seeker of justice for herself and others - has never been able to uncover the most telling facts of her traumatic childhood, the secrets that might finally, fully explain her to herself. Now, when she sees a chance to uncover them once and for all, she enlists the help of Mikael Blomkvist, the editor of the muckraking, investigative journal Millennium. And nothing will stop her - not the anti-Muslim gang she enrages by rescuing a young woman from their brutality; not the deadly reach from inside the Russian mafia of her long-lost twin sister, Camilla; and not the people who will do anything to keep buried knowledge of a sinister pseudo-scientific experiment known only as The Registry. Once again, Lisbeth Sa- lander and Mikael Blomkvist, together, are the fierce heart of a thrilling full-tilt novel that takes on some of the most insidious problems facing the world at this very moment. Thriller

Brigitte H. recommends: The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins From the publisher: Sarah Dove is no ordinary bookworm. To her, books have al- ways been more than just objects: they live, they breathe, and sometimes they even speak. When Sarah grows up to become the librarian in her quaint Southern town of Dove Pond, her gift helps place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Recently, however, the books have been whispering about something out of the ordinary: the arrival of a displaced city girl named Grace Wheeler. If the books are right, Grace could be the savior that Dove Pond desperately needs. The problem is, Grace wants little to do with the town or its quirky resi- dents—Sarah chief among them. It takes a bit of urging, and the help of an espe- cially wise book, but Grace ultimately embraces the challenge to rescue her new community. In her quest, she discovers the tantalizing promise of new love, the deep strength that comes from having a true friend, and the power of finding just the right book. Fiction

-and- 90 Seconds to a Life You Love by Joan I. Rosenberg, PhD From the publisher: Sadness, shame, helplessness, anger, embarrassment, disappointment, frustration, and vulnerability. In 30 years as a practicing psychologist, Dr. Joan Rosenberg has found that what most often blocks people from success and feeling capable in life is the inability to experience, move through, and handle these 8 unpleasant feel- ings. Knowing how to deal with intense, overwhelming, or uncomfortable feelings is essential to building confidence, emotional strength, and resilience. Yet when we distract or disconnect from these feelings, we move away from confidence, health, and our desired pursuits, ultimately undermining our ability to fully realize our ambitions. Psychology

Keara B. recommends: Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters I found it most delightful! I also want to say that this is the first book in the 20-part Amelia Peabody series, so if anyone is looking for a new series to begin, this one is fantastic! From FantasticFiction: Amelia Peabody is Elizabeth Peters' best loved and brilliant creation, a thoroughly Victorian feminist who takes the stuffy world of archaeolo- gy by storm with her shocking men's pants and no-nonsense attitude! In this first Egyptian mystery, our headstrong heroine decides to use her substan- tial inheritance to see the world. On her travel, she rescues a gentlewoman in dis- tress—Evelyn Barton-Forbes—and the two become friends. The two companions continue to Egypt where they face mysteries, mummies and the redoubtable Rad- cliffe Emerson, an outspoken archaeologist, who doesn't need women to help him solve mysteries—at least that's what he thinks! Mystery

Hannah B. recommends: The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway Jill Ker Conway was born and grew up in the Australian outback on her family's thirty thousand acre sheep ranch. Published in 1989, The Road from Coorain is the first book of her autobiographic trilogy. I read this book years ago and it made a lasting impression. I imagine the other two books of the trilogy are equally as well written. From amazon.com: In a memoir that pierces and delights us, Jill Ker Conway tells the story of her astonishing journey into adulthood—a journey that would ulti- mately span immense distances and encompass worlds, ideas, and ways of life that seem a century apart. ... Worlds away from Coorain in America, Jill Conway became a historian and the first woman president of Smith College. Her story of Coorain and the road from Coorain startles by its passion and evocative power, by its understanding of the ways in which a total, deep-rooted commitment to place—or to a dream—can at once liberate and imprison. It is a story of childhood as both Eden and anguish, and of growing up as a journey toward the difficult life of the free. Memoir

Kendra S. recommends: Sookie Stackhouse series by I recommend the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, or as you may know them: the books that inspired HBO's 2008 hit series . There are 13 official novels in this series, plus some assorted short stories sprin- kled throughout. If you like fantasy, romance, and mystery, these books may be for you. The show diverges from the books pretty early, but they both have their strengths. I found these books to be quick reads mostly because I couldn't put them down! I'd finish a chapter and say "Oh just one more chapter I HAVE to know what's happening!" And though I've read the first 5 of them before, the mysteries were just as engaging this time around. Harris has created a fascinating world where fantasy intersects with reality in a way I haven't seen done before. Fantasy

Stacy C. recommends: World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whalesharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil From amazon.com: From beloved, award-winning poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil comes a debut work of nonfiction—a collection of essays about the natural world, and the way its inhabitants can teach, support, and inspire us. As a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplant- ed—no matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscape—she was able to turn to our world's fierce and funny creatures for guidance. "What the peacock can do," she tells us, "is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life." The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off un- wanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environ- ments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the world's gifts. Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy. Nature

Morgan C. recommends: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon From amazon.com: The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction--but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in- waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sa- bran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. Fantasy

Meagan L. recommends: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins From the publisher: Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates––a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well- heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name. But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie––not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for. Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the leg- end of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past––or his––catches up to her? With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Up- stairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of litera- ture’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy end- ing? Thriller

Sandra K. recommends: The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple by Jeff Guinn By the New York Times bestselling author of Manson, the comprehensive, authori- tative, and tragic story of preacher Jim Jones, who was responsible for the Jonestown Massacre—the largest murder-suicide in American history. In the 1950s, a young Indianapolis minister named Jim Jones preached a curious blend of the gospel and Marxism. His congregation was racially integrated, and he was a much-lauded leader in the contemporary civil rights movement. Eventually, Jones moved his church, Peoples Temple, to northern California. He became in- volved in electoral politics, and soon was a prominent Bay Area leader. In this riveting narrative, Jeff Guinn examines Jones’s life, from his extramarital affairs, drug use, and fraudulent faith healing to the fraught decision to move al- most a thousand of his followers to a settlement in the jungles of Guyana in South America. Guinn provides stunning new details of the events leading to the fatal day in November, 1978 when more than nine hundred people died—including al- most three hundred infants and children—after being ordered to swallow a cya- nide-laced drink. Guinn examined thousands of pages of FBI files on the case, including material re- leased during the course of his research. He traveled to Jones’s Indiana hometown, where he spoke to people never previously interviewed, and uncov- ered fresh information from Jonestown survivors. He even visited the Jonestown site with the same pilot who flew there the day that Congressman Leo Ryan was murdered on Jones’s orders. The Road to Jonestown is the definitive book about Jim Jones and the events that led to the tragedy at Jonestown. True crime -and- Amphigorey by Edward Gorey The title of this deliciously creepy collection of Gorey's work stems from the word amphigory, meaning a nonsense verse or composition. As always, Gorey's painstakingly cross-hatched pen and ink drawings are perfectly suited to his odd- ball verse and prose. The first book of 15, "The Unstrung Harp," describes the writing process of novelist Mr. Clavius Frederick Earbrass: "He must be mad to go on enduring the unexquisite agony of writing when it all turns out drivel." In "The Listing Attic," you'll find a set of quirky limericks such as "A certain young man, it was noted, / Went about in the heat thickly coated; / He said, 'You may scoff, / But I shan't take it off; / Underneath I am horribly bloated.' "

Many of Gorey's tales involve untimely deaths and dreadful mishaps, but much like tragic Irish ballads with their perky rhythms and melodies, they come off as strangely lighthearted. "The Gashlycrumb Tinies," for example, begins like this: "A is for AMY who fell down the stairs, B is for BASIL assaulted by bears," and so on. An eccentric, funny book for either the uninitiated or diehard Gorey fans. Fiction