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Biography and Memoir June 2018
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| Pops: Fatherhood in Pieces by Michael ChabonWhat it's about: In his signature stylish prose, Pulitzer Prize winner (and father of four) Michael Chabon reflects on parenting and his relationship with his own father in this breezy collection of essays.
Don't miss: "Adventures in Euphemism," about how Chabon grappled with racial epithets during bedtime readings of Mark Twain.
Want a taste? "You are born into a family and those are your people, and they know you and they love you, and if you are lucky, they even on occasion manage to understand you." |
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| Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History by Yunte HuangWhat it's about: In 1829, conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker immigrated from Thailand to America, making careers as "human oddities" in sideshow attractions around the world. Their lives offstage were just as sensational: they married white sisters (inciting racist tabloid gossip) and fathered 21 children between the two of them.
Read it for: Yunte Huang's timely examination of "otherness" as inseparable from American identity and history -- much like the Bunkers' own conjoined existence. |
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The Girl Who Smiled Beads : A Story of War and What Comes After
by Clemantine Wamariya
This memoir traces the author's harrowing experiences as a young child during the Rwanda massacres and displacements, which separated her from her parents and forced the author and her older sister to endure six years as refugees in seven countries, foraging for survival and encountering unexpected acts of cruelty and kindness before she was granted asylum in a profoundly different America.
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| Eunice: The Kennedy Who Changed the World by Eileen McNamaraWhat it is: an insightful portrait of the Stanford-educated Kennedy -- the 5th of Joseph and Rose's nine children -- whose efforts helped advance the disability rights movement.
About the author: Eileen McNamara is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and director of the Journalism Program at Brandeis University.
Why it's significant: Shining a light on an overlooked member of the Kennedy dynasty, McNamara argues that Eunice's political legacy rivals that of her more famous brothers. |
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| Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold SchechterWhat it's about: In early 1900s Indiana, Norwegian American widow Belle Gunness lured as many as 40 men to their deaths at her "murder farm," becoming one of the most prolific female serial killers in history.
What's in a name? Newspapers at the time described Gunness as "a modern Lady Macbeth," "Lady Bluebeard," and "Indiana Ogress."
Reviewers say: "A fascinating and dramatic page-turner that will be a new favorite among true-crime fans" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage... by Debbie Cenziper and Jim ObergefellWhat it is: a moving, suspenseful account of the plaintiffs and legal teams involved in the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
About the authors: Debbie Cenziper is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist; Jim Obergefell was the plaintiff in the landmark case.
Why you might like it: Love Wins' timely, empowering narrative makes it an ideal book club selection. |
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| Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage by Barney FrankWhat it's about: In this sharp and engaging memoir, former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank candidly reflects on his four-decade political career, including his decision in 1987 to come out as gay (becoming the first member of Congress to do so).
Topics include: Frank's role in voting rights campaigns in the 1960s and the 2010 repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell;" his reflections on the Iraq War and the fight for marriage equality. |
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| Logical Family: A Memoir by Armistead MaupinWhat it's about: After brief stints in law school and the military, beloved author Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City) eschewed his conservative Southern upbringing for the freewheeling San Francisco of the 1970s, finding a community in the burgeoning LGBTQ rights movement.
Is it for you? With a nonlinear yet nuanced narrative, Logical Family will appeal to Maupin's fans and general readers alike.
Want a taste? "Sooner or later, we have to venture beyond our biological family to find our logical one, the one that actually makes sense for us." |
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| Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet MockWhat it is: a courageous memoir from trans activist Janet Mock, foregrounding her transition and coming-of-age against the larger societal plight of trans women of color.
Reviewers say: "An enlightening, much-needed perspective on transgender identity" (Kirkus Reviews).
Further reading: Mock published a follow-up memoir, Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me, in 2017. |
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Boy erased : a memoir
by Garrard Conley
The son of a Baptist pastor and deeply embedded in church life in small town Arkansas, as a young man Garrard Conley was terrified and conflicted about his sexuality. When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed to his parents, and was forced to make a life-changing decision: either agree to attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to "cure" him of homosexuality; or risk losing family, friends, and the God he had prayed to every day of his life. Amidst these challenges, Garrard found the strength and understanding to break out in search of his true self and forgiveness.
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Upcoming Library Events Central Library Tuesday, June 19. 3 p.m. Genealogy 404 - Creating Family Oral Histories. Join North Carolina Collection staff in the Computer Learning Center for a workshop on how to collect and preserve family oral histories. Summer family reunions are a great time to collect family stories! Thursday, July 12. 10 a.m. Genealogy 505 - Genealogy and Your DNA. Join North Carolina Collections staff in the Computer Learning Center for a workshop that breaks down different types of genealogy DNA tests and what genetic information they provide for genealogy research. Kernersville Branch Wednesday, July 11. 4 p.m. Traditional Japanese music program. Join Nana Watanobe of the Japan Outreach Initiative through Wake Forest University's Museum of Anthropology to learn about Japanese instruments, Enka music and music and songs relating to Kabuki and Noh performances. Malloy Jordan East Winston Heritage Center Black rock documentary film series: Monday, June 18. 3 p.m. Tear the Roof Off the Sucker:The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic. Monday, June 25. 3 p.m. Everyday Sunshine - The Story of Fishbone. Monday, July 2. 3 p.m. A Band Called Death. Monday, July 9. 3 p.m. Afropunk: The Movie that Sparked the Movement. Walkertown Branch Saturday, June 30. 1 p.m. Piano Music Concert. Pianist Pamela Howland will play "American Music: a 400-year Adventure." The history of our nation’s music unfolds through her unique storytelling and her sometimes joyful, sometimes melancholic, but always soulful playing. Click here for more info about this concert. All events at the library are free! |
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Forsyth County Public Library 660 West Fifth Street Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-2665www.forsythlibrary.org |
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