Adult Summer Reading Patron Reviews: Nonfiction Mix

Happy Saturday Worcester Adult Readers, a.k.a. WooReaders! Whether you're soaking up some sun or chilling with your air conditioner, take a few minutes to read this mix of nonfiction patron reviews. This week's topics include space travel and exploration, tales of a medic, a WWII spy, the opioid crisis, and last but not least The Pats. When you're done reading, make sure you're registered for our Summer Reading program. Remember if you've participated in any of our other programs, such as the WooReads Adult Reading Challenge, just use your previous login and password.

Did you hear we're giving away 2 Kindle PaperWhites as a Grand Prize to two summer readers? The more you participate, the more chance you have of winning. If you've already read nine books and won the three levels of Adult Prizes, keep reading and keep logging, write some book reviews, or learn (and log) something new at one of our summer programs.


Until next time, happy reading!

American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race 
By Douglas Brinkley 
It is a completely riveting story about the Space Age. In an age when so little seems possible. Very good read.😃

~Valdajean J.

A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back 
By Kevin Hazzard 
Fast-paced account of an Atlanta medic’s experience treating an assortment of patients. Not for the squeamish.

~Amy K.

Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy 
By Larry Loftis 
Odette Samson was a British spy during World War II, living in France during the Occupation, and helping to coordinate the Resistance. Odette found herself falling in love with her commanding officer, Peter Churchill. Tricked and captured by a German secret policeman, Odette and Peter were placed in prison and interrogated. Without Peter's knowledge, Odette told the Germans that she, not Peter, was the circuit leader, thus saving his life. This is a fascinating true life story about a brave and intelligent woman who, even from Nazi prison, was able to save many lives.

~Mary R.

American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts 
By Chris McGreal 
This is an exceptionally well written book chronicling the story of Oxycontin coming on to the market in the 1990s through the crisis and fight to curb the over-prescription of such a harmful drug. This book can be read in addition to Dopesick as it goes deeper into the court proceedings while still mentioning some of the key players Dopesick followed in West Virginia.

~Raffaela F.

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void 
By Mary Roach
An interesting exploration about the considerations for surviving in space. Many aspects were points I hadn't thought of, such as procreation and the engineering of bathroom facilities that function at zero gravity with limited resources.

~ Caitlin K.

If These Walls Could Talk
By Scott Zolak
Former QB Scott Zolak gives a "behind the scenes" look at Coach Belichick, Tom Brady, and Robert Kraft coming from a team that was usually in the cellar to a winning dynasty in not-too-many years. It was a very interesting book with lots of details about individual games and players.

~Terry D.