“I love rules and I love following them, unless that rule is stupid.” ~ from Anna Kendrick's Scrappy Little Nobody
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Stacey recommends: The Nixby Nathan HillIf you like complex stories about complicated families, this big, sweeping literary novel is for you. The tale begins with professor Samuel Andresen-Anderson watching TV and seeing his estranged mother throw pebbles at a well-known politician. And the rest of the novel dives deep into the back stories of Samuel, his mother, his Norwegian grandfather, and his acquaintances. John Irving described this novel as “Dickensian,” but this is Dickens with a modern tone and contemporary sense of humor. With a wry tone and sharp eye, this novel takes a critical look at social media addiction, video games, the 1960s counter-culture, and publicity agents.
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Astrid recommends: The Passageby Justin CroninThings aren’t going so well for humanity at the beginning of this book. Swaths of land have become uninhabitable, the war against terror is a losing battle, and attempts to create a super-soldier by using a virus found in the jungle have gone awry. The twelve virus-infected human guinea pigs have escaped, killing everyone in their path and creating a horde of “virals.” Only one six-year old girl, who was infected to see if her age made a difference, has some characteristics of a “viral” but has retained her basic humanity. Fast forward almost 100 years, and a small band of the descendents of the original uninfected human survivors are looking for a way to keep the few remaining uninfected humans safe. This first in the trilogy is followed by The Twelve and the final The City of Mirrors.
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Laura recommends: The Photo Ark: One Man's Quest to Document the World's Animalsby Joel SartoreThis stunning collection of photos is Sartore’s attempt to document every species in human care, an archive representing the world’s biodiversity, compiled out of concern for rising rates of extinction. The pages explode with color, the animals displayed like jewels on black velvet or plain white backgrounds, allowing us to see each animal without distraction. The chapter “Mirrors” focuses on family groups, like the mama-baby portraits of the white-bellied pangolin and the Pygmy hippopotamus, or unlikely pairings such as the springbok mantis and the arctic fox, both shown with cocked heads, or the curved armored backs of the giant deep-sea roach and the southern three-banded armadillo. “Partners” portrays pairs or groups of animals in real or imagined partnerships--cat and mouse, birds and bees, males and females; or in groups or packs--a colony of Texas leaf cutter ants, or African wild dogs. “Opposites” includes what Sartore describes as “the other, the rival” and “Curiosities” are the outlier animals, the oddballs. The book closes with “Stories of Hope”, which features species that have rebounded from the brink of extinction through human intervention. Breathtaking, intriguing and inspiring, this is a book to savor.
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Christine recommends: Audubon, On the Wings of the Worldby Fabien GrolleauJohn James Audubon studied animal behavior and painted wildlife engaged in eating, nesting and other activities, bringing them to life on the page. Yet despite his love of nature, he killed many animals to use as models in his work. This poetic meditation on his life shows his obsession with nature and his struggle to provide for his family. (A note in the book addresses Audubon’s disconnect with how colonial expansion affected the wilderness he sought and the Native American tribes he visited.) The detailed illustrations capture Audubon’s wonder at his discoveries in the natural world. Although at the time his work was considered less than scientific, today Audubon’s paintings and prints are greatly prized by collectors. A quick and engrossing read.
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Roseanne recommends: Scrappy Little Nobodyby Anna KendrickA funny and candid biography by the star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect. In this collection of essays the author tells the story of her life growing up in Maine and her desire to act at a young age. When she was in middle school she acted on stage in New York City and drove back and forth with her Dad from Maine to the big city for auditions. At the age of 17 she moved to Los Angeles and recounts her start there not knowing anyone, working part time, dating and struggling to pay the bills even after she was nominated for an Oscar. This is a fun book to listen to on audio. Narrated by the author.
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Misty recommends: About Grief: Insights, Setbacks, Grace Notes, Taboosby Ron MarascoThis is not your usual psychologist version of defining grief nor does it attempt to stereotype feelings and emotions. I felt that this book gave me the most recent perspective on what grief is and how best to approach healing. I found it to be extremely helpful, a comfort, and could be a road map for anyone suffering with grief or in a caretaking situation. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with the loss of a loved one.
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Lee recommends: Gods, Wasps, and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Treesby Mike ShanahanOnly recently have scientists figured out the incredibly unlikely way in which a specific species of wasps manage to pollinate a waiting fig. But fig trees have claimed a special place in human imagination for thousands of years. Appearing in myth and religion around the world, fig trees were one of the first plants cultivated, and figs are still one of the most nutritious foods we eat. They fed our ancestors, and are a keystone species helping us to reforest lands which once were wild. They are also seriously weird. Ecologist Mike Shanahan begins this fascinating book dangling precariously from a rope in a forest canopy, and ends by guiding us through space and time in pursuit of the tree of knowledge.
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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: There are extra copies of American Dervish available behind the circulation desk. Those can be checked out by Batavia Public Library cardholders.The One Book, One Batavia title is available under call # 621.312136 KAM.
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