Winter Reading Challege: Last Chance for Submitting Reviews!

Here are a few more fiction book reviews by patrons who participated in our Winter Reading Challenge. Our Winter Reading Challenge will end on February 28 (so if you're going to participate, hurry up and read!). You may even win a Bundle of Books Basket! Want your book review to be featured on our social media? Take the challenge and write a review of the books you read! Sign up and log the books you read here! Good luck and happy reading!

Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of Baskervilles 

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

 We all know who the famous character Sherlock Holmes is, but I never actually read about him until now. I'm not a big fan of mystery novels in general, but I found this book very entertaining. I appreciate how wonderfully short and to the point it was since many Brit Lit novels are very verbose. This murder mystery involves a historically cursed family that is "hounded" by an evil dog-like creature. Is it a real dog? Is it a demon? Is it operating on its own? Why is the family being murdered? How can it be stopped? Holmes and Watson crack this multi-layered case in under 300 pages, and the ending will most likely surprise you. It is written from Dr. Watson's point of view, often through diary entries or letters. If you are a (murder) detective/mystery fan, this is definitely the godfather of all mystery books that you must read. Despite not being much of a mystery fan myself, I plan on reading all his Sherlock Holmes books.

Lex P.

Homegoing 

by Yaa Gayasi

Homegoing deserves the attention and best-seller status it has acquired -- riveting story by a first-time novelist of two sisters whose lives in 18th century Ghana go very different directions. Wonderfully depicts the different regions of Ghana and in turn, the U.S.

Highly recommended!

Allison H.

Coyote 

by Allen Steele

Alan Steele, Massachusetts resident and former writer for the weekly news journal Worcester Magazine, is the author of the science fiction novel "Coyote". Coyote is the story of why the first extrasolar human colony is founded and how the colonists are challenged by the alien ecology and their own human mistakes and frailties. The colony is on the moon of a ringed planet a few hundred light-years from Earth - the planet is named "Bear" and one of its moons is the titular "Coyote". During the 230 year-long voyage the humans are kept asleep - until one is "accidentally" awakened. The novel is divided into sections, with each section having its own protagonist. The first section takes place on Earth, where the crew and colonists are assembled. The next part is told from the point of view of the man who tries to remain sane after discovering he is the sole conscious person on board. There's a section told by Wendy, a teenager, who is one of the colonists, and another section which follows the misadventures of a teenage boy. Coyote will appeal to readers that enjoy grand adventure, hard science fiction, and the works of Robert Heinlein. But I think the first section, in particular, will draw the interest of politically-aware readers: How did this hugely expensive space mission come to be funded? Why is there only 1 star on the flag? How does ship's captain Robert E Lee modify his orders? And what secret is Wendy's father hiding from both her and Captain Lee?

Melody F.

The Hanging Tree 

by Ben Aaronovitch 

The Hanging Tree is a fun, fast-paced mystery that will remind you of Doctor Who and Percy Jackson for grown-ups. Peter Grant is a policeman in London who specializes in supernatural occurrences -- and London is full of them. This is the latest installment in the series "The Rivers of London". In the Hanging Tree the world of the super-rich collides with the "demi-monde" of fae, river goddesses and elves. The result is murder most foul.

Maryagnes R.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo’s name first broke the scene when Madonna heavily invested in her art. Kahlo was a Mexican painter whose art did not fit any convenient movement of the time; not even the current Surrealism.  No one was like Kahlo. She  had a sad story as a physically challenged woman. She broke her back and was confined to her bed for years. She continued to paint in her reclined position. Instead of the pitiful invalid, Kahlo’s self-portraits show her strength, her sense of humor and her pain. She was married to the famous muralist and philanderer, Diego Rivera, whose murals thematically included the power of the people and political uprisings.

Frida Kahlo: the painter and her work

Prignitz-Poda, Helga.

759.972 KAHLO, F. PRIGNITZ

Frida Kahlo: the paintings

Herrera, Hayden.

759.972 K12h 1993

The letters of Frida Kahlo: cartas apasionadas

Kahlo, Frida.

759.972 KAHLO

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection & 20th century Mexican art from the Stanley and Pearl Goodman Collection

759.972 KAHLO, F. PRIGNITZ

Winter Reading Challenge: Even More Book Reviews by You!

Here are a selection of nonfiction book reviews by patrons who participated in our Winter Reading Challenge. Our Winter Reading Challenge will end on February 28 and all adults are welcome to participate. You may even win a Bundle of Books Basket! Want your book review to be featured on our social media? Take the challenge and write a review of the books you read! Sign up and log the books you read here! Good luck and happy reading!

The Perfect Horse: The Daring US Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts is a real life thriller about how the Nazis tried to apply their eugenics theories to horse breeding by using the Lipizzaners and other thoroughbred horses to breed the perfect war horse and how the Americans acted to save the horses trapped ahead of the advancing starving Russian army. Fascinating reading for horse fans and World War II fans.

Maryagnes R.

Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. I found it extremely interesting to read about the early years of this country in the context of current events. I didn't realize how divided and tumultuous things were back then, with frequent talk of civil war, fears about reverting back to monarchy, major personal animosity among the founding fathers. It's a long book, but written very engagingly so it goes quickly. Highly recommended.

Jeanne G.

Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay is sharp, introspective, and witty. She provides a much-needed intersectional discussion of race, gender, and sexuality.

Caitlin S.

Treasures from the Worcester Room--Worcester's MVP: Most Valuable Printer!

As Boston Celtics fans are well aware, Isaiah Thomas is having an MVP-caliber season.  What Celtics fans may not know however, is that the City of Worcester was home to another famous Isaiah Thomas who resided here in the 1700 and 1800s.  This Isaiah Thomas was a different kind of MVP: a Most Valuable Printer!

Isaiah Thomas first came to Worcester just before the start of the Revolutionary War, as the British authorities were suspicious of his newspaper, the Massachusetts Spy.  Shortly after, his paper was the first paper in New England to publish a copy of the Declaration of Independence.  After the war, his fortunes expanded.  As the book Forty Immortals of Worcester County states, "He printed the first folio Bible in America, and became the largest publisher in the country."  He would later pass his business off to his son and become a writer himself, writing the book A History of Printing in America.  He would also go on to become one of the founders of Worcester's American Antiquarian Society.

An example of the work that Isaiah Thomas's shop produced can be found in the book History of the Heathen Gods, which he printed in the early 1800s.  In fact, our library has a number of books published by Isaiah Thomas and his son Isaiah Thomas, Jr.  It is easy to see the quality of the printing and the detail of the illustration.  Just one more example of the kind of treasure that can be found in the library's Worcester Room Collection.

Winter Reading Challenge: More Reviews by You!

Here are a few more book reviews by WPL patrons who participated in our Winter Reading Challenge. Our Winter Reading Challenge will end on February 28 and all adults are welcome to participate. You may even win a Bundle of Books Basket! Want your book review to be featured on our social media? Take the challenge and write a review of the books you read! Sign up and log the books you read here! Good luck and happy reading!

The Bookshop on the Corner
by Jenny Colgan

If you're looking for a cozy and adorable novel to warm you up on a cold winter day, "The Bookshop on the Corner" by Jenny Colgan is the book for you. For fans of libraries, books, and rural Scotland. 

-Amy K.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand 

by Helen Simonson

The English village novel isn't necessarily my cup of tea (pun intended.) However, I picked this up based on a recommendation from the library's winter reading list and was pleasantly surprised. Author Helen Simonson had some interesting things to say about the role of tradition and the pervasiveness of xenophobia. Plus, it was nice to read something on the lighter and cozier side in the tail end of 2016. I would recommend this one. - Alex L.

Winter Reading Challege: Book Reviews by You!

Here are a few book reviews by WPL patrons who participated in our Winter Reading Challenge. Our Winter Reading Challenge will end on February 28 and all adults are welcome to participate. You may even win a Bundle of Books Basket! Want your book review to be featured on our social media? Take the challenge and write a review of the books you read! Sign up and log the books you read here! Good luck and happy reading!

The Opposite of Everyone 

by Joshilyn Jackson

I read Joshilyn Jackson's The Opposite of Everyone. I love everything Joshilyn Jackson writes, and this was no exception. Well written, loved the characters. The only hitch for me was the myths and stories interwoven within the story - for me, they broke up the narrative and I just skimmed over them. But overall, this was a great book.

Melissa C.

Forward: A Memoir 

by Abby Wambach

Abby Wambach's story is an incredible one for soccer fans or not. It tells the real story of a celebrity. It shows a side that is often hidden from the public eye. It reminds one that Famous People are human just like the rest of us. It inspires one to never give up. It reminds us to embrace our imperfections.

Michelle B.

Books I *should* be reading

Everyone has that list of books you are going to get around to when you have the time and feel ambitious. Here are mine. 

• Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• The Golden Bough, by George Frazer James
• Ulysses, by James Joyce
• Anything by Dave Eggers
• The Complete Works of Shakespeare
• Foucault’s pendulum, by Umberto Eco
• Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
• Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid 1st Editionby Douglas R. Hofstadter 

Reminder: Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Ends January 31st

Open Enrollment for Health Insurance 

Ends January 31, 2017 

• Visit the Health Connector website to buy a commercial health plan and receive financial assistance if you qualify
• Information you will need before you start your application:
• Social Security numbers for all people who are applying (if they have one).
• Immigration documents for all non-U.S. citizens who are applying (if they have one).
• A copy of your federal tax return from last year. If you did not file taxes last year, or your income has changed since last year, have information about your current income ready (such as recent pay stubs or an unemployment award letter).
• Home address or mailing address (if applicable) for everyone in your household who needs insurance, unless they are homeless.
• If you are found eligible for coverage through the Health Connector and you plan to make a payment online, you will need your banking institution routing number and account number for either your checking or savings account (if you have a premium).
• If you are found eligible for coverage through the Health Connector and you plan to make a payment by mail or in-person, you will need a personal check or money order to make a payment for your first month’s premium (if you have one).
• If your employer offers health insurance, ask your employer these questions:
• Do any of the health plans that the employer offers meet the “minimum value” standard?
• What is the employee contribution to the lowest-cost health plan offered by your employer for an individual?
• How often?
• Weekly
• Every 2 weeks
• Twice a month
• Monthly

___________________________________________

Below is a list of trained and certified Enrollment Assisters in Worcester who can help you from the application through the enrollment into a new health insurance plan. Call ahead to make an appointment.

Health Connector Walk-in Center 146 Main Street Worcester, MA 01608 Family Health Center of Worcester 26 Queens Street Worcester, MA 01610 508-860-7700 Spectrum Health Systems 10 Mechanic Street, Suite 302 Worcester, MA 01608 Margaret Milani 508-752-2590 ext. 5341 Rebecca B. Asare, Independent Broker 340 Main Street Suite 511-512 Worcester, MA 01608 508-981-3318 Saint Vincent Hospital 123 Summer Street Worcester, MA 01608 508-363-5000 Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center 631 Lincoln Street Worcester, MA 01605 508-854-3260 Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center 19 Tacoma Street Worcester, MA 01605 1-800-853-2288 Trang Pharmacy Inc. 456 Park Avenue Worcester, MA 01610 508-799-7979

Community Healthlink 72 Jacques Avenue Worcester, MA 01610 508-373-7818 Community Healthlink Outpatient Clinic Thayer Building 12 Queen Street Worcester, MA 01610 508-860-1260 Community Healthlink 162 Chandler Street Worcester, MA 016107 74-312-2727 UMass Memorial Medical Center Memorial Campus 119 Belmont Street Worcester, MA 01605 508-334-1000 UMass Memorial Medical Center Hahnemann Campus 281 Lincoln Street Worcester, MA 01605 508-334-1000 UMass Memorial Medical Center 55 Lake Avenue North Worcester, MA 01605 508-334-1000

* information adapted from https://www.mahealthconnector.org/

January 2017 Staff Book Recommendations

American Girls
By Alison Umminger

Alison Umminger’s debut YA novel American Girls, begins with a fantasy of many 15-year-olds: stealing your stepmother’s credit card. Anna is fed up with her self-centered, borderline insane mother, who recently left her dad for another woman (a woman whose snobby attitude and insistence on organic-only products eases any guilt about “borrowing” her credit card). Anna joins her older sister Delia in L.A., who begrudgingly puts her up in her lavish apartment that she can’t afford as a beautiful but struggling actress. Anna splits her time between mildly flirting with teen heartthrobs (if she can’t be as beautiful as her sister, she can make up for it with banter and brains) on the set of a ridiculously unfunny kid’s sitcom, and working for Delia’s ex-boyfriend Roger. 

To put it bluntly, Roger’s a real weirdo. He’s clearly still infatuated with Delia (and may very well be stalking her) and his obsession with the Manson murders is disconcerting, even if he claims he’s doing it all for a film. At least it’s lucrative for Anna – by researching the Manson girls, she’s able to reimburse her stepmom for the flight. But she gets more than she bargains for when she realizes she’s got more in common with Manson girls than she once thought… 

Emma Cline’s recent NYT bestseller The Girls was released during the same week as Umminger’s American Girls. Both forgo analyzing Charles Manson, whose manipulative tactics, “charming” personality (*eye roll*), misinterpretations of Beatles lyrics, and unconventional ideas (read: entirely racist rhetoric disguised as soulful musings) have always given him more credit than he truly deserved. What’s more fascinating is understanding why adolescent girls would succumb to actually murdering innocent (and pregnant!) victims. And why would they gravitate toward a cult like the Manson family ranch in the first place? Were they brainwashed? Totally smitten? Or simply confused, lost, trying to escape their realities…? 

These are the questions Anna tries to answer for herself – at first, just to pass the time in a long, sticky, grimy L.A. summer with tantalizing narratives of the twisted and the macabre. But eventually it's because she sees a little bit of herself in those girls. And who wouldn’t lean toward an opportunity to feel beautiful, loved, or just noticed? The difference between Anna and The Girls protagonist Evie is that Anna’s snarky, deadpan sense of humor makes her a lot more likeable. The following excerpt is somewhat of a non-sequitur, but it had your reader actually laugh out loud (and as a fellow former snarky teenager, this is definitely an accomplishment):

Trying to assassinate the president should not be funny. It really shouldn’t. It’s not like I was cracking up when we read about Lincoln or JFK. But let’s face it, they were real presidents. Gerald Ford ranks right up there with Millard Fillmore and Bush the First on the list of unexciting white men who have run this country, made their way into history books, and otherwise been human sleeping pills. If all the presidents had been television shows, Gerald Ford would probably have been a PBS fund drive. So I’d bet the fact that anyone would try to kill Gerald Ford, Gerald Rudolph Ford, was kind of hard to get excited about, even back in the day. And Fromme sounded like something out of Monty Python, dressed all in red with a sawed-off shotgun under her sister-wife dress and fake-nun robe, muttering “He is not a public servant” before not firing her gigantic gun at the president. “It didn’t go off” was her great defense as the Secret Service took her out of commission in Sacramento. Sic semper tyrannis it was not. 

Umminger doesn’t disappoint. If you were captivated by Emma Cline’s The Girls, this is certainly also worth your time. But at its core, American Girls is a reflection on the delectable travesty of being young, American, and female. Highly recommended for ages 13+.

--Helen

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Circling the Sun
By Paula McLain

“I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills.”—Isak Dinesen, Out of Africa 

This first line of Karen Blixen’s memoir of colonial life in Kenya near the end of the British Empire could also begin Circling the Sun, a fictionalized account of the childhood and early adulthood of Beryl Markham neé Clutterbuck, the famed female aviator and author of West With the Night. 

Like Blixen, Markham was born into an upper-middle class European family, but when her family of origin fulfills her father’s dream of owning and training horses on a farm in Kenya, the trajectory of her life is changed irrevocably. It doesn’t take too long before Beryl’s mother abandons her and her father on the farm to return to a more sedate life in England, and henceforth Beryl is more or less raised by the neighboring Kipsigis tribe, resulting in a free-spirited, precocious child who loves animals, nature and all things wild. What she doesn’t love is conformity, which becomes problematic as she matures and is expected to enter into “society,” such as it is, in 1920s Kenya Colony. After a few bumps in the road, including a disastrous first marriage and a couple of other scandalous relationships, Markham emerges as an esteemed horse trainer in her own right. Eventually, her love of adventure leads her to embrace flying and she becomes one of the first women to make a living as a professional pilot. 

McLain’s prose is eminently readable and she is expert at describing the emotional timbre that Markham was likely experiencing at a time and place in history in which her progressive choices were almost uniformly discouraged. Also, for those of us familiar with love affair of Karen Blixen and fellow expatriate Denys Finch-Hatton, let’s just say there’s a lot more to the story than was portrayed either on film or in Blixen’s memoir. 

A must-read for Out of Africa fans, and a solid choice for readers who enjoy historical novels with strong characters. Armchair travelers, buckle up, you’re going to Kenya in a biplane! 

--Christina

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The Paper Magician
By Charlie N. Holmberg

The Paper Magician is a spell-binding, quirky, and beautifully written genre bender that includes elements of fantasy and mystery with a touch of romance. In The Paper Magician, author Charlie Holmberg creates a world in which select humans (magicians) can learn how to master man-made materials such as metal, glass, paper, or rubber, and, with them, create extraordinary magic.

Apprentice and magician-in-training Ceony Twill has long coveted the opportunity to become a Smelter Magician in which she would be able to bend and manipulate metal to her will. All students, especially those who graduate at the top of their class can choose any material they want to master, so Ceony is convinced she will get her first choice. However, instead of continuing her daydreams to fashion guns with the flick of her finger, Ceony is blindsided by the news that she has to be a Folder where she will be bonded for life to the most lackluster, uninspiring, “How in the world can this even have magical properties?” material: paper.

Throughout the story we meet a charming cast of characters, including Ceony’s kind and mysterious teacher Folder Magician Emery Thane, Jonto, the skeleton butler, and Fennel, the paper dog who helps to teach Ceony all about the beauty of paper. When an evil Magician threatens to destroy Ceony and her loved ones, Ceony discovers that paper is not only way cooler than metal, but it is also more powerful than she could have ever imagined. In this turning point of the story, Ceony must gather all of her courage to face her own self-doubt, and recognize that within the layers of humanity’s darkness resides points of light are as numerous as the stars. 

Check out the Paper Magician trilogy at WPL today!

Book 1: The Paper Magician

Book 2: The Glass Magician

Book 3: The Master Magician

--Cara

Madame X

This painting, Madame X, has always appealed to me. John Singer Sargent has simultaneously captured studied elegance and privileged disdain. The model, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, was a notorious socialite, known for her indiscretions. She was part of a new generation of sophisticates. Her beauty was intense, and there were many artists wanting to paint her. She and Sargent had a bond, both ex-patriots looking to augment their reputations by painting and posing.  

Sargent captured her singularity by contrasting her stunning alabaster skin against a dark background and black dress. He was able to articulate her hourglass figure. The essence of her snobisme is the tip of her perfectly pointed nose. 

While French society was shocked at the married woman who encouraged the gaze of men, I find her bold, unapologetic; an "in your face" beauty. The poor girl married into the French upper class by wedding a man twice her age. She managed to keep her independence and even her bravado in a claustrophobic situation.

Madame X elicits debate and heated argument to this day. Sargent found the image he knew was in her and that image made his reputation.

Strapless : John Singer Sargent and the fall of Madame X

Davis, Deborah, 1952-

759.1 SARGENT DAVIS 2004

Icons of beauty : art, culture, and the image of women

Mancoff, Debra N., 1950-

704.942409 MANCOFF V.1

John Singer Sargent

Sargent, John Singer, 1856-1925.

759.1 SARGENT, J.

John Singer Sargent: paintings, drawings, watercolors.

Ormond, Richard. 

759.1 S245o

John Singer Sargent and his muse: painting love and loss

Corsano, Karen.

759.1 SARGENT, J. CORSANO

Rothko Forever

Collage of works by Mark Rothko

As a kid, I spent long hours in the museum of the Harry Ransom Center staring at their Rothko; part of their permanent collection. My mom worked as a librarian at the University of Texas, and I often roamed the 40 acres, finding myself drawn to the Rothko over and over. I found peace there; and transcendence.

Many years later, as an Art History student, I participated in a field trip: we were off to see the holdings of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. As  part of our journey, we were shown the Rothko Chapel. The architecture is  based on a church, and there are fourteen floor to ceiling dark to black Rothko paintings. The space is open to worship of any denominations, or just to peaceful contemplation. You can definitely feel the spiritual charge by entering the place.  

Mark Rothko's designs are deceptively simple, but convey a depth of emotion and philosophical thought behind his rich colors. If you have the opportunity, take the time to get lost in a painting. It will change your life forever. 

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Visit the works of Mark Rothko on the third floor of the library by enjoying these books: 

Ashton, D. (2003). About Rothko. Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo.

759.1 ROTHKO, M. ASHTON 2003

Baal-Teshuva, J. (2015). Mark Rothko, 1903-1970: Pictures as drama. Koln: Taschen

709.0404 BAAL-TESHUVA

Breslin, J. E. (1993). Mark Rothko: a biography. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

759.1 R846b

Treasures from the Worcester Room: A Historical Feud!

Some of my favorite books in our Worcester Room collection are books that have to do with Worcester's most influential citizens throughout its long, proud history.  Unquestionably, any list of famous Worcesterites would have to include renowned historian and politician George Bancroft. Bancroft is the namesake of both the prestigious Bancroft Prize for history, as well as Worcester's Bancroft Tower.  However, you don't get to that level of influence without making a few enemies along the way, which is why our Worcester Room collection includes the 1867 title Correspondence and Remarks Upon Bancroft's History of the Northern Campaign of 1777, and the Character of Major-Gen. Philip Schuyler by George L Schuyler.

For fans of Hamilton, yes this is the same Philip Schuyler who was Alexander Hamilton’s father-in-law.  The book features George Schuyler’s long and increasingly angry letters to George Bancroft regarding what he felt were slanderous criticisms of General Schuyler’s commanding ability in Bancroft’s account of the Revolutionary War.  A descendant of Philip, George also considered himself a historian, and wrote the book to feature a point-by-point defense of  Philip Schuyler’s conduct during the war, also including all of George and Bancroft's testy correspondence with each other.

In one exchange, George Schuyler writes that “I have no alternative but to deny publicly the correctness of your account of General Schuyler’s character for courage, which I can view in no other light than a gratuitous insult,” whereby Bancroft responds with “the tone of your note today shows conclusively how proper it was for me to decline entering into a correspondence with you, on a subject which you can hardly be expected to consider with the critical calmness of a disinterested inquirer.” I can’t help but feel that if this dialogue were to take place today, it would be delivered through a series of angry tweets.

While most of the books regarding influential Worcester residents tend to be respectful biographies, it is occasionally refreshing to read about a historical argument like this.  It is nice to know that those from the 1800's could be just as preoccupied with petty feuds as we can be today.  Just another example of the fascinating items that can be found in the library's Worcester Room collection.

December 2016 Staff Book Recommendations

Under the Udala Trees
By Chinelo Okparanta

Under the Udala Trees is a coming-of age tale about an eleven year-old Nigerian girl named Ijeoma. Her story begins on June 23, 1968, on the day of her beloved father’s death. His untimely passing occurs during and as a result of the Biafran War, a civil war in which the Igbo people attempted secession from Nigeria and lost to disastrous effect. Although Ijeoma’s mother lives on, grief has rendered her incapable of parenting Ijeoma and protecting her from imminent danger. She sends her to live with a local teacher’s family and there, she befriends Amina. Because Amina is not Igbo but instead Hausa, few approve. When it is discovered that the two girls’ friendship has evolved into a romantic relationship, Ijeoma is abruptly packed up and sent back to her mother. 

What proceeds is a story of hidden love and attempting to bridge the gap between the expectations of the family one is born into and the possibilities of the family one desires to manifest. Believing she can cure Ijeoma of homosexuality through biblical force, Ijeoma’s mother sets out to eradicate her daughter’s most tender feelings order to meet the socio-politico-religious beliefs of Igbo life in the 1970s. 

Okparanta excels at evoking empathy from the reader through her lyrical language, imagery and detail. As Edwidge Danticat says, this is a book “that demands not just to be read, but felt.” If you like the work of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ishmael Beah, or Edwidge Danticat herself, put this on your list. 

--Christina

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Before Jamaica Lane
By Samantha Lane

There are some books you read that just fit you. You find them at the right time in your life and they fill up a need you didn’t know you had. In contrast, there are books that emotionally drain you and make you feel things you don’t want to feel…Samantha Young’s Before Jamaica Lane was one of these books for me. 

Before Jamaica Lane takes place in Scotland where we meet best friends Olivia and Nate who bond over their shared love of geek culture, “Would You Rather?” questions, and the hardship of losing a loved one to cancer. Even though Olivia and Nate share many things in common with each other, their love lives are drastically different. Nate brings home a different woman every night without ever returning her phone calls, while Olivia can barely speak with a man she finds attractive without stuttering or turning bright red. Furthermore, in addition to Olivia’s shyness, she loathes her body and thinks that no “hot” guy will ever find her attractive. 

One night after striking out one too many times with her crush Benjamin, Olivia drunkenly and tearfully confesses to Nate that she hates her body. Nate, being her friend, as well as confident in his own experience with other women, offers to help boost Olivia’s confidence and brings Olivia to a mirror in her bedroom. Nate instantly refutes every criticism Olivia has about her body (such as her belief that she has: flabby thighs, a huge butt, and average looking features), and assures her that he, as well as any man would want to sleep with her (actual language more colorful) because she essentially has the body of a Kardashian and “great hair”. The story of course goes on to track the complexities of Nate and Olivia’s relationship (from friends to friends with benefits) and is chock full of all kinds of emotional upheaval. 

I’m no stranger to romance books and I count myself a big fan of the genre because I adore love stories and happy endings. However, part of the fantasy in reading a romance novel is that you can put yourself in the story-warts and all. Yet, the constant focus on the characters’ level of attractiveness (both with main and secondary characters) puts this story in a completely different category. Instead of escaping into a fun story I noticed myself judging what I saw when I looked in the mirror a little more harshly than usual. 

It’s important to note that I’m in the minority in terms of my review (Before Jamaica Lane received a 4.5 out of 5 on Goodreads because of its friends-to-lovers theme, emotional depth, and heaps of sexytime scenes), but in my opinion, when only certain types of physical appearances overtly meet the criteria for what is considered beautiful (whether in fiction or in real life), this is never something to ignore. 

Before Jamaica Lane is #3 in the On Dublin Street series:

1. On Dublin Street
2. Down London Road
3. Before Jamaica Lane
4. Fall From India Place
5. Echoes of Scotland Street
6. Moonlight on Nightingale Way

--Cara

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American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750-1804
By Alan Taylor 

When someone mentions the American Revolution, most people probably get a few well-known images in their heads. They might think of George Washington crossing the Delaware, or Minutemen fighting Redcoats, or the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The book American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750-1804 by Alan Taylor argues that the truth is quite a bit more complicated and interesting. In fact, Taylor makes a compelling argument that the American Revolution could easily be referred to as the 1st American Civil War. 

What Taylor does amazingly is really drive home the idea that there were a large number of loyalists who did not favor independence. Taylor points out that the tactics used by the pro-independence groups included the wholesale destruction of homes and property, and tarring and feathering anyone who was considered a collaborator. Taylor also describes how many Native Americans and African Americans resisted independence, believing that continued rule by the Crown offered them the best chances for survival and freedom. Moreover, Taylor makes a compelling argument that much of the American Revolution was caused by the colonists’ fears that England would abolish slavery and prevent the westward expansion that worsened conflict with the French and Natives and sparked the costly French and Indian War. These arguments aren’t all new; however, Taylor collates the arguments in a very convincing manner and makes the case to think of the Revolution as a civil war. 

Taylor, a historian who has twice won the Pulitzer Prize, has a great writing style. American Revolutions is written in a compelling fashion, and is not dryly written as you might expect from a book of its size and scope. A basic knowledge of American history would be helpful to readers, as the book is not really written for the layperson. However, I found Taylor’s writing and arguments to be highly accessible and easy to follow. You don’t need to be an expert in history to appreciate Taylor’s book. I would highly recommend this one.

--Alex

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Loving What Is : Four Questions that Can Change Your Life

By Byron Katie

“I am an old man who has known many troubles, but most of them never happened.”  This quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, tells a simple truth: most of our troubles are in our heads. These words also hint at a path to freedom from those very same troubles, a freedom Bryon Katie aims to help you find. 

In Loving What Is, Byron Katie details this path to freedom in what she calls “The Work,” a method of self-inquiry which centers on asking simple questions about the thoughts we have regarding difficult people, events, and life circumstances.  The method itself is simple and to the point – simple to the point that it may be difficult to swallow. 

While Katie does explain her method, much of “The Work” is illustrated by dialogues between Katie and a series of participants.  The themes of the dialogues vary, ranging from common issues such as shyness and infidelity to difficult topics like rape and death of loved ones.  The plausibility of the transformation found in the dialogues varies, but more than anything, the dialogues show that “The Work” can be done on anything, even the most difficult people and circumstances. 

Katie’s self-inquiry work consists of asking half a dozen questions which always have similar answers.  The uniformity of the answers may be off-putting for some, but the questions are not about getting into the details of our anxious narratives.  Indeed, the point of the questions is to break through the details, to drive home the understanding that most of our pain is caused by thought. This lesson is easily lost when we get caught up in the details of the stories we tell ourselves, but the plot-holes in our narratives are easily torn apart by the inquiries Katie provides.

Loving What Is is a beguilingly easy read with a simple teaching that is more than meets the eye.  This is a book of tough love which is not for everyone, but the opportunity for radical transformation awaits anyone willing to undertake this difficult Work.  

--Ben