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Biography and Memoir December 2020 |
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| Where I Come From: Stories from the Deep South by Rick BraggWhat it is: a collection of previously published pieces written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and memoirist Rick Bragg that celebrates his relationship to the American South's "gentler, easier nature."
Who it's for: Fans of Bragg and lovers of witty repartee will enjoy this breezy collection that feels like having a chat with an old friend.
Topics include: Southern music and cuisine; encounters with Southern celebrities Pat Conroy, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Harper Lee; the wonders of Tupperware. |
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What it's about: Brokaw draws on his experiences as a young White House correspondent to recount the endgames of the Watergate scandal. What reviewers say: Brokaw's deep experience, keen perspective, and warm and lucid writing make him a trusted and adored author, while the relevance of this impeachment chronicle will stoke added interest.- Booklist |
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Is it for you?: Fox's story is a moving account of resilience, hope, fear and mortality, and how these things resonate in our lives. Reviewers say: Thoughtful and moving, but with Fox’s trademark sense of humor, his book provides a vehicle for reflection about our lives, our loves, and our losses.--Amazon |
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| Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie TateWhat it's about: After years spent battling suicidal ideation and bulimia, lawyer Christie Tate entered group therapy, where she found a renewed sense of self-worth.
Why you might like it: Tate's candid and hopeful account "empowers readers to better understand their own lives" (Booklist).
Book buzz: This New York Times bestselling debut was named a Reese's Book Club pick in November. |
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| This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing by Jacqueline WinspearWhat it is: an evocative and richly detailed memoir of novelist Jacqueline Winspear's childhood in post-World War II Kent.
Want a taste? "Mist hangs across the land like a silk scarf -- not quite touching the earth, but not rising high enough to join a cloud."
Who it's for: Fans of Winspear's Maisie Dobbs mysteries will enjoy spotting real-life inspirations for the series; readers who appreciate family histories will also find much to savor in this reflective coming-of-age tale. |
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| Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land by Noé ÁlvarezWhat it is: a lyrical memoir by the son of Mexican immigrants that chronicles his working-class Washington State upbringing and his 2004 participation in the four-month, 6,000-mile Indigenous people's Peace and Dignity Journey, a relay-style run from Canada to South America.
What's inside: dangers (a mountain lion, unfriendly motorists, injuries); tensions between the runners; gatherings with Native American and First Nation groups; thoughtful musings about running and place. |
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Gods of the Upper Air: How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented...
by Charles King
What it is: a sweeping group biography of the women who studied cultural anthropology under Franz Boas in the early 20th century.
Why you might like it: This engaging history explores how these trailblazing scientists challenged notions of Western cultural superiority.
On the roster: Ruth Benedict, Ella Cara Deloria, Margaret Mead, and Zora Neale Hurston.
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One life by Megan RapinoeWho it's about: The Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women’s World Cup champion. What's in it: Rapinoe describes her childhood in a conservative California town, her athletic achievements and her public advocacy of civil rights and urgently needed social change. Reviewers say: A compelling testimony for equality in sports with a resounding message of hope.-Booklist |
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| The Art of Resistance: My Four Years in the French Underground by Justus RosenbergWhat it is: a riveting account of Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient Justus Rosenberg's time spent fighting in the French Resistance, which he joined after fleeing his native Poland as a teen.
About the author: As of this writing, the 99-year-old Rosenberg is the Professor Emeritus of Languages and Literature at Bard College.
Reviewers say: "has all the suspense of a tense spy thriller" (Publishers Weekly); "a welcome addition to the World War II memoir shelf" (Kirkus). |
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| The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President by Jill Wine-BanksWhat it's about: While serving as the only female prosecutor during the Watergate trial, Jill Wine-Banks navigated sexism (including the press-appointed nickname "the mini-skirted lawyer"), burglary attempts, wire-tapping, and combative encounters with FBI agents and Nixon acolytes.
Read it for: a juicy behind-the-scenes account of a career-defining case.
Don't miss: the epilogue, which Wine-Banks uses to draw comparisons between the Nixon and Trump administrations. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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