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Biography and Memoir January 2020
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Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers : The Texas Victory that Changed American History by Brian KilmeadeIn March 1836, the Mexican army led by General Santa Anna massacred more than two hundred Texians who had been trapped in the Alamo. After thirteen days of fighting, American legends Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett died there, along with other Americans who had moved to Texas looking for a fresh start. It was a crushing blow to Texas’s fight for freedom. But the story doesn’t end there. The defeat galvanized the Texian settlers, and under General Sam Houston’s leadership they rallied. Six weeks after the Alamo, Houston and his band of settlers defeated Santa Anna’s army in a shocking victory, winning the independence for which so many had died. Sam Houston and the Alamo Avengers recaptures this pivotal war that changed America forever, and sheds light on the tightrope all war heroes walk between courage and calculation.
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Moving Forward : A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America by Karine Jean-PierreMost political origin stories have the same backbone. A bright young person starts reading the Washington Post in elementary school. She skips school to see a presidential candidate. In middle school she canvasses door-to-door. The story can be intimidating. It reinforces the feeling that politics is a closed system: if you weren’t participating in debate club, the Young Democrats and Model UN you have no chance. Karine Jean-Pierre’s story breaks the mold. In Moving Forward, she tells how she got involved, showing how politics can be accessible to anyone, no matter their background. In today’s political climate, the need for all of us to participate has never been more crucial. This book is her call to arms for those who know that now is the time for us to act.
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What We Will Become : A Mother, a Son, and a Journey of Transformation by Mimi LemayFrom the age of two-and-a-half, Jacob, born “Em,” adamantly told his family he was a boy. While his mother Mimi struggled to understand and come to terms with the fact that her child may be transgender, she experienced a sense of déjà vu—the journey to uncover the source of her child’s inner turmoil unearthed ghosts from Mimi’s past and her own struggle to live an authentic life. Mimi was raised in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, every aspect of her life dictated by ancient rules and her role as a woman largely preordained from cradle to grave. As a young woman, Mimi wrestled with the demands of her faith and eventually made the painful decision to leave her religious community and the strict gender roles it upheld. Dual narratives of faith and motherhood weave together to form a heartfelt portrait of an unforgettable family. Brimming with love and courage, What We Will Become is a powerful testament to how painful events from the past can be redeemed to give us hope for the future.
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The Boy Who Felt Too Much : How a Renowned Neuroscientist and His Son Changed Our View of Autism Forever by Lorenz WagnerRaising his autistic son Kai made Henry Markram (the "Elon Musk of neuroscience") question all that he thought he knew about neuroscience, and then inspired his groundbreaking research that would upend the conventional wisdom about autism, expressed in his now-famous theory of Intense World Syndrome. When Kai was first diagnosed, his father consulted studies and experts. He knew as much about the human brain as almost anyone but still felt as helpless as any parent confronted with this condition in his child. What’s more, the scientific consensus that autism was a deficit of empathy didn’t mesh with Markram’s experience of his son. He became convinced that the disorder, which has seen a 657 percent increase in diagnoses over the past decade, was fundamentally misunderstood. Bringing his world-class research to bear on the problem, he devised a radical new theory of the disorder: People like Kai don’t feel too little; they feel too much. Their senses are too delicate for this world.
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Tough Love : My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For by Susan E RiceRecalling pivotal moments from her dynamic career on the front lines of American diplomacy and foreign policy, Susan E. Rice—National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama and US Ambassador to the United Nations—reveals her surprising story with unflinching candor. Rice provides an insider’s account of some of the most complex issues confronting the United States over three decades. With unmatched insight and characteristic bluntness, she reveals previously untold stories behind recent national security challenges, including confrontations with Russia and China, the war against ISIS, the struggle to contain the fallout from Edward Snowden’s NSA leaks, the U.S. response to Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the surreal transition to the Trump administration. Intimate, sometimes humorous, but always candid, Tough Love makes an urgent appeal to the American public to bridge our dangerous domestic divides in order to preserve our democracy and sustain our global leadership.
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Mobituaries : Great Lives Worth Reliving by Mo RoccaMo Rocca has always loved obituaries—reading about the remarkable lives of global leaders, Hollywood heavyweights, and innovators who changed the world. But not every notable life has gotten the send-off it deserves. His quest to right that wrong inspired Mobituaries, his #1 hit podcast. Now with Mobituaries, the book, he has gone much further, with all new essays on artists, entertainers, sports stars, political pioneers, founding fathers, and more. Even if you know the names, you’ve never understood why they matter...until now. Rocca is an expert researcher and storyteller. He draws on these skills here. With his dogged reporting and trademark wit, Rocca brings these men and women back to life like no one else can. Mobituaries is an insightful and unconventional account of the people who made life worth living for the rest of us, one that asks us to think about who gets remembered, and why.
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Dear Girls : Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali WongIn her hit Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, an eight-month pregnant Ali Wong resonated so strongly that she even became a popular Halloween costume. Wong told the world her remarkably unfiltered thoughts on marriage, sex, Asian culture, working women, and why you never see new mom comics on stage but you sure see plenty of new dads. The sharp insights and humor are even more personal in this completely original collection. She shares the wisdom she’s learned from a life in comedy and reveals stories from her life off stage, including the brutal single life in New York (i.e. the inevitable confrontation with erectile dysfunction), reconnecting with her roots (and drinking snake blood) in Vietnam, tales of being a wild child growing up in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Though addressed to her daughters, Ali Wong’s letters are absurdly funny, surprisingly moving, and enlightening (and gross) for all.
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Saturday, January 25 Meditation for Health and Well-being3:00 p.m. Guided meditation followed by questions and answers. Presented by local resident and certified meditation teacher Anjali Joshi. Monday, January 27 Literary Conversation Cafe6:30 p.m. Talk about your favorite reads in 2019! Wednesday, January 30 Kick the Sugar Habit - 7 Simple Ways6:30 p.m. Start the year off on the right foot! Let Dom Campbell show you how to beat your sugar addiction. Mr. Campbell is a certified Master Health & Life coach specializing in Personal Development & Behavior Transformation. He strives to improve client health & overall well-being by helping clients smash through old, destructive habits and beliefs that are keeping them stuck. Thursday, February 6 Alice's Ordinary People6:30 p.m. View this documentary about Alice Tregay, a woman who refused to stand still in the face of injustice. Tuesday, February 11 Great Decisions Screening & Discussion6:30 p.m. Discuss the most critical foreign policy issues facing America today. Watch a half-hour documentary followed by a discussion of the topic. Briefing books will be available for checkout in January. The first topic is "Climate Change and the Global Order." Thursday, February 13 Craft a Special Valentine Card1:30 p.m. Craft a distinctive handmade card with Alicia Vincelette. Registration required. Monday, February 24 Literary Conversation Cafe6:30 p.m. What are you reading in 2020? Saturday, February 29 Voting Rights for African Americans: From the Civil War to the Present1:00 p.m. Learn the history of voting rights for African Americans and to what extent their rights are guaranteed and protected today. Presented by Frank Marlowe.
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Second Mondays of the Month, or By Appointment Tech Talk with Jay 11:30 a.m. Ask Jay your tech questions. Bring your tablet, smart phone, or laptop. First and Third Tuesdays of the Month Spinning Yarns Craft Circle6:30 p.m. Join us in the Gambino Room for an hour of knitting, crocheting, crafts and conversation. All levels welcome. Third Wednesdays (1:30 p.m.), Fourth Tuesdays (6:30 p.m.) Library Book Discussion Groups New members always welcome! See us on GoodReads at Cranbury Public Library Book Chat.
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