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Books in the National Media December 2019 Books People are Talking About!
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Girl, woman, other by Bernardine Evaristo"Girl, Woman, Other is a celebration of the diversity of Black British experience. Moving, hopeful, and inventive, this extraordinary novel is a vivid portrait of the state of contemporary Britain and the legacy of Britain's colonial history in Africa and the Caribbean. The twelve central characters of this multi-voiced novel lead vastly different lives: Amma is a newly acclaimed playwright whose work often explores her black lesbian identity; her old friend Shirley is a teacher, jaded after decades of work in London's funding-deprived schools; Carole, one of Shirley's former students, works hard to earn a degree from Oxford and becomes an investment banker; Carole's mother Bummi works as a cleaner and worries about her daughter's lack of rootedness despite her obvious achievements. From a nonbinary social media influencer to a 93-year-old woman living on a farm in Northern England, these unforgettable characters also intersect in shared aspects of their identities, from age to race to sexuality to class. Sparklingly witty and filled with emotion, centering voices we often see othered, and written in an innovative and fast-moving form that borrows from poetry, Girl, Woman, Other is a polyphonic and richly textured social novel that reminds us of everything that connects us to our neighbors, even in times when we are encouraged to be split apart". Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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The revisionaries by A. R. MoxonWhen a nearby mental hospital releases its patients to run amok throughout his neighborhood, a man pretending to be a street preacher to hide his dark past struggles to protect his followers from otherworldly forces. Featured on NPR's Weekend Edition, December 8
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The sacrament : a novel by Ólafur Jóhann ÓlafssonTells the haunting, vivid story of a nun whose past returns to her in unexpected ways, all while investigating a mysterious death and a series of harrowing abuse claims. By the author of One Station Away. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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The beast of Beswick by Amalie HowardScorned by society and scarred by war, Lord Thane Harte is made an offer he cannot refuse by Lady Astrid Everleigh whose bold proposal of her body in exchange for saving her sister changes his life forever. Original. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 10
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Dead astronauts : a novel by Jeff VanderMeerLives human and otherwise, from a demon-haunted homeless woman to a messianic blue fox, converge in terrifying and miraculous ways in a nameless city that is overshadowed by a brutally powerful company. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 7
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On swift horses : a novel by Shannon PufahlA lonely newlywed immerses herself in postwar Los Angeles’ horseracing circuit to navigate her mother’s loss, while her Las Vegas casino worker brother searches for a beloved young card cheat who has been run out of town. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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Spy : a novel by Danielle SteelRecruited as a spy during World War II, a stunningly beautiful young woman hides her dangerous double life from her foreign-service husband throughout the decades of the Cold War. By the best-selling author of Accidental Heroes. Featured on Good Morning America, December 3
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Dead astronauts : a novel by Jeff VanderMeerLives human and otherwise, from a demon-haunted homeless woman to a messianic blue fox, converge in terrifying and miraculous ways in a nameless city that is overshadowed by a brutally powerful company. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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Nietzsche and the Burbs : a novel by Lars IyerDubbed “Nietzsche” by his classmates at a posh private school, a musical newcomer becomes the frontman of a metal band before a first gig and imminent graduation leads him into philosophical experiments with sex and drugs. Original. Featured on NPR Book Reviews, December 14
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Nothing fancy : unfussy food for having people over by Alison RomanBringing her signature laid-back, approachable style to the table, a social media superstar and newly minted New York Times columnist presents 150 recipes that are high on “wow” factors and low on effort. Featured on Today Show, December 16
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Late migrations : a natural history of love and loss by Margaret RenklThe widely followed New York Times opinion writer presents a collection of brief essays on the natural world, her Alabama childhood, her complicated parents and her transition to the role of a caregiver. Featured on Today Show-Jenna's Book Club, December 2
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The fall of Richard Nixon : a reporter remembers Watergate by Tom BrokawThe Presidential Medal of Freedom-winning former NBC host and author of the best-selling The Greatest Generation draws on his experiences as a young White House correspondent to recount the endgames of the Watergate scandal and the Nixon presidency. Illustrations Featured on Late Show, December 9
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Featured on Jimmy Kimmel, December 19
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The Blue Zones kitchen : 100 recipes to live to 100 by Dan BuettnerA debut cookbook by the best-selling author of The Blue Zones Solution draws on the culinary traditions of world regions associated with longevity to offer such recipes as Sardinian Herbed Lentil Minestrone, Cornmeal Waffles and Okinawan Sweet Potatoes. Illustrations. Featured on Today Show, December 4
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Trump and his generals : the cost of chaos by Peter L. BergenThe preeminent journalist and best-selling author of United States of Jihad presents a critical assessment of the Trump administration’s handling of American national security that examines the particular contributions of Jim Mattis, HR McMaster and John Kelly. Featured on NPR's Fresh Air, December 10
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The adventures of Alexander Von Humboldt by Andrea Wulf"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Invention of Nature, comes a breathtakingly illustrated and brilliantly evocative recounting of Alexander Von Humboldt's five year expedition in South America. Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was an intrepid explorer and the most famous scientist of his age. His restless life was packed with adventure and discovery, but his most revolutionary idea was a radical vision of nature as a complex and interconnected global force that does not exist for the use of humankind alone. His theories and ideas were profoundly influenced by a five-year exploration of South America. Now Andrea Wulf partners with artist Lillian Melcher to bring this daring expedition to life, complete with excerpts from Humboldt's own diaries, atlases, and publications. She gives us an intimate portrait of the man who predicted human-induced climate change, fashioned poetic narrative out of scientific observation, and influenced iconic figures such as Simón Bolívar, Thomas Jefferson,Charles Darwin, and John Muir. This gorgeous account of the expedition not only shows how Humboldt honed his groundbreaking understanding of the natural world but also illuminates the man and his passions" Featured on NPR's Morning Edition, December 11
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Featured on Late Show, December 18
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In the Country of Women : A Memoir by Susan StraightThe award-winning author of Highwire Moon presents a narrative social history and tribute to the indomitable women ancestors of husband Dwayne Sims’ family, whose resilient spirits were shaped by slavery, Jim Crow racism and abusive relationships. Featured on NPR's All Things Considered, December 20
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Featured on Today Show, December 2
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Featured on NPR's Weekend Edition, December 14
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The fifth risk : Undoing Democracy by Michael LewisPresents a narrative account of the post-2016 election chaos that took over Washington to reveal how a small number of uninformed Trump appointees are triggering devastating world consequences. Featured on Late Night with Seth Myers, December 9
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1973 : rock at the crossroads by Andrew Grant JacksonA fascinating account of the music and epic social change of 1973, the year rock hit its peak while splintering—just like the rest of the world. Illustrations. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 5
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Featured on NPR Book Reviews, December 4
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Featured on Late Late Show with James Corden, December 9
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Harford County Public Library
1221-A Brass Mill Rd Belcamp, Maryland 21017 410-273-5600 hcplonline.org
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