“He suggested a new definition of the nerd: a person who knows his own mind well enough to mistrust it.” ~ From Michael Lewis' The Undoing Project
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Astrid recommends: Before the Fallby Noah HawleyA private corporate jet crashes into the ocean shortly after take-off from Martha’s Vineyard. The only two survivors are J.J., the 4-year old son of a media millionaire, and Scott, an artist who was an acquaintance of the boy’s mom and a last-minute passenger. Scott manages to swim to shore with the boy and is at first hailed as a hero, but then some in the media start hounding him and he comes under federal suspicion as the crash is being investigated. Each passenger’s back story is told in flashbacks as the investigation proceeds. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it “a gritty tale of a man overwhelmed by unwelcome notoriety, with a stunning, thoroughly satisfying conclusion.”
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Lee recommends: The Inheritanceby Charles FinchInvestigator Charles Lennox is surprised to get a plea for help from an old Harrow classmate he hasn’t seen in decades. He’s even more surprised to find that the poor student has turned into one of England’s most illustrious scientists. And that he’s disappeared. He soon tracks down his old friend, but figuring out who is trying to kill him is another story. And as he pursues miscreants through the snow-covered streets of Victorian London—and even through the Houses of Parliament—he begins to uncover a pair of interlocking conspiracies stretching much farther than he had imagined. The latest in a series which started with A Beautiful Blue Death. Good for fans of Anne Perry and Victoria Thompson.
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Stacey recommends: Lincoln in the Bardoby George SaundersIn this creative historical novel, acclaimed writer George Saunders explores the terrible sadness faced by Abraham Lincoln in the days immediately following his son’s death. Set in a cemetery, where the ghosts are important narrators of the story, this story addresses grief, denial, and regret—but in such an inventive way that the story doesn’t become bogged down in despair. Interweaving the voices of Lincoln, fictional ghosts, and writers of the period adds complexity to this melancholy but fascinating story. I highly recommend the audiobook, famed for its amazing array of 166 narrators, many of them well-known actors. The wide variety of voices add even more texture to an already rich narrative.
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Laura recommends: Recipes For Love and Murderby Sally AndrewThis engaging mystery is full of local flavor, steeped in the customs, food, and language of rural South Africa. Packed with humor, it also addresses serious issues like domestic violence and South Africa’s troubled racial history. Middle-age widow Tannie (which means “Auntie” in Afrikaans) Maria dishes out advice with a side of recipes for a small newspaper in Klein Karoo. When a woman Tannie Maria advised is murdered, Maria, investigative reporter Jessie, and editor Hattie set out to solve the crime despite discouragement from the handsome detective on the case. Tannie Maria is charming and sweet, but full of determination. Like the dead woman, Maria was abused by her husband; Maria’s affinity for the victim strengthens her resolve to nab the perpetrator. Sprinkled with red herrings, and likeable quirky characters, supplemented with tasty recipes and a handy glossary of Afrikaans and South African terms, this is a welcome start to a new series.
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Christi recommends: Medical Medium Life-Changing Foods: Save Yourself and the Ones You Love with the Hidden Healing Powers of Fruits & Vegetablesby Anthony WilliamThis book includes some recipes but mostly references to fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, and wild foods. Everything you ever wanted and much more about your favorite fruits and vegetables is in this book! No matter what symptom or illness you’re dealing with, if you look in the index of this book, you’ll be able to find an extensive list of foods to both avoid and eat for your condition. This is your go to reference book for which you are certain to find a food which might help with your healing journey.
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Christine recommends: The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Mindsby Michael LewisWhy do people make the decisions they do? What assumptions and biases in the human mind alter our responses? Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky explored these questions and many more. In the process, they changed the way we think and talk about questions from medicine, economics, military strategy and more. This book is about the intersecting lives of these two very different men and the partnership that changed our world. Sound dry? In the hands of Michael Lewis (author of Moneyball), it’s fascinating, funny, and terrific, especially on audio. If you want more about this topic, check out Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow for an even more in-depth look at decisions.
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Roseanne recommends: The Women of Duck Commander: Surprising Insights from the Women Behind the Beards About What Makes this Family Workby Kay RobertsonA biography written by the wives of the famous men of Duck Commander. Miss Kay, Korie, Missy, Jessica and Lisa all tell of their lives as wives and mothers in the Robertson family. The book starts out with a series of answers to questions about themselves such as how many days they each spent in a duck blind, what is their favorite duck dish, their favorite thing about being a Robertson and each list their favorite Bible verse. They share funny, candid and inspiring stories about their childhoods, how they met their husbands and how they are raising their children. They talk openly about their marriages, childbirth, and their faith and the values they hold most dear. The audiobook is wonderfully narrated by the Duck Commander women.
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Misty recommends: The Loss of a Petby Wallace SifeI found this book to be one of the best ones written on the loss of a pet. It covers every aspect of the grief process and also talks about the possibilities of getting another pet, how to decide whether or not you are ready for one, and things to consider moving forward. It helped me mentally grasp a lot of feelings I was going through that I didn't understand. One part of the grieving process for me that I never expected to have was the feeling of guilt. I felt guilty for so many things. I was so relieved to find an entire chapter dedicated to this subject. That helped immensely. I recommend this book for anyone having a challenging time with the loss of your best friend. It really helped to understand and process the feelings I was experiencing.
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For More Reading Pleasure...
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Check out our Readers' Corner:
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BPL Contemporary Literature Book Discussion:
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Come join us on the second Tuesday of the month. We meet in the Conference room at 7:30 pm. No registration required (and we serve cookies). Here are the next dates and titles: - 12/12/2017 Non-Discussion Book Discussion - Registration Required There are extra copies available behind the circulation desk that can be checked out by Batavia Public Library cardholders.
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