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Biography and Memoir August 2019
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| Places and Names: Reflections on War, Revolution, and Returning by Elliot AckermanWhat it is: a reflective memoir in essays detailing former marine Elliot Ackerman's five tours of duty in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Don't miss: Ackerman's unlikely friendship with a former jihadi.
About the author: A National Book Award finalist for the novel Dark at the Crossing, Ackerman has also earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart for his military service. |
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| Formation: A Woman's Memoir of Stepping Out of Line by Ryan Leigh DostieWhat it is: a sobering account of army linguist Ryan Leigh Dostie's rape by a fellow soldier, and the isolation and PTSD she endured after her superior officers mishandled the case.
Why it matters: With more than 25% of women in the military reporting sexual assault (and with numbers on the rise), Dostie's resonant memoir illuminates the systemic bias and injustice women continue to face in the male-dominated military. |
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What it is: In this exhaustively researched and wonderfully novelistic look at Brooks' personal and professional life, McGilligan lays bare the strengths and drawbacks that shaped Brooks' psychology, his willpower, his persona, and his comedy. Did you know? The fourth and last child of Max and Kitty Kaminsky, Mel Brooks was born on his family's kitchen table in Brooklyn, New York, in 1926, and was not quite three-years-old when his father died of tuberculosis. Why you might like it: Engrossing, nuanced and ultimately poignant, Funny Man delivers a great man's unforgettable life story and an anatomy of the American dream of success.
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What it is: Cats, dogs, people - funny and heartbreaking stories from a pet veterinarian. With insight and humor, Dr. Philipp Schott shares tales from the unlikely path he took into his career of veterinary science and anecdotes from his successful small-animal clinic.
Why you might like it: Wisdom he imparts on readers includes the best way to give your cat a pill, how to prevent your very handy dog from opening a fridge, and how to handle your fish when it has half-swallowed another. About the author: Dr. Schott has learned that veterinary medicine is as much, if not more, about the people as it is the animals. And he will have you laughing and crying as you embark on this journey of discovery with him.
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| More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth; foreword by Ava DuVernayWhat it's about: Former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth's breakthrough in the predominantly white worlds of fashion and media, and the setbacks she endured on her path to success.
Did you know? Welteroth is the youngest person and the 2nd African American to be named editor-in-chief in magazine publisher Condé Nast's 110-year history.
Reviewers say: "The millennial Becoming...inspiring and empowering" (Entertainment Weekly). |
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Prairie fires : the American dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder
by Caroline Fraser
A comprehensive historical portrait of Laura Ingalls Wilder draws on unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and official records to fill in the gaps in Wilder's official story, sharing details about her pioneer experiences
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In a searing and moving memoir, King recounts her service in Iraq, her life after Iraq, and the war's lasting effects on her. Deploying in 2006 as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic in the U.S. Army, the 19-year-old King's duties included recovering vehicles hit by explosives and "bagging and tagging" the mangled corpses of those who died in them.As she reflects on the many ways she brought the war home with her, King reveals the unique burdens borne by female veterans as they reintegrate into a society that seems oblivious to all they've been through. This is a harrowing and powerful book.
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The spy and the traitor : the greatest espionage story of the Cold War by Ben MacintyreThe New York Times best-selling author of A Spy Among Friends and Rogue Heroes traces the story of Russian intelligence operative Oleg Gordievsky, revealing how his secret work as an undercover MI6 informant helped hasten the end of the Cold War. Writing with deep access to all of the key players in a drama that has never before been fully revealed, Ben Macintyre has produced a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, a thrilling tale of impossibly high stakes and one man's brave gamble on his belief in democracy and freedom.
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Zora and Langston : a story of friendship and betrayal
by Yuval Taylor
Traces the story of the literary friendship of Harlem Renaissance figures Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, tracing their folklore-collecting journeys through the 1920s South, their influential creative collaborations and their passionate but mysterious falling out.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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