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Books in the National Media December, 2020 Books People Are Talking About!
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The orchard : a novel by David HopenReinventing himself upon moving to a glitzy Miami suburb, a student at an Orthodox Jewish academy is welcomed into a circle of popular students whose faith is unconventionally tested by their charismatic rabbi. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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Ordesa by Manuel VilasAn English-language release of a best-seller from Spain follows a divorced man’s midlife return to the Pyrenees mountain community of his childhood, where he navigates addiction, solitude and the ghosts of his late parents. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 5
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Ready Player Two by Ernest ClineA 1980s cultural assessment of the fantastical future of online behavior continues the story that began in the internationally best-selling futuristic novel, Ready Player One, that inspired a blockbuster Steven Spielberg film. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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Days of distraction : a novel by Alexandra ChangA marginalized Silicon Valley staff writer moves with her boyfriend to a quiet upstate New York town where she confronts the challenges of their interracial relationship and the questions it raises about her heritage. A first novel. Featured on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, December 14
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The searcher by Tana FrenchLooking to start a new life in a small Irish village, former Chicago police officer Cal Hooper comes out of retirement to help find a missing kid and uncovers layers of darkness beneath his picturesque retreat. Featured on Today Show, December 2
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The ministry for the future by Kim Stanley RobinsonTold entirely through fictional eye-witness accounts of living creatures both past and present, this brilliant novel is one of the most powerful and original books on climate change ever written. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 15
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D : (a tale of two worlds) : a novel by Michel FaberBaffled by the sudden disappearance of the letter D, a young woman is summoned to the home of a former history teacher before arriving in an enslaved, wintry land where free thinking is under threat. Featured on NPR's Weekend Edition, December 5
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This time next year by Sophie CousensBorn in the shadow of a boy who was born moments earlier and heralded as 1990 London’s first baby, Minnie encounters her more fortunate rival on various disastrous birthdays before making unexpected discoveries when they both turn 30. Featured on Good Morning America, December 16
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Perestroika In Paris : a novel by Jane SmileyCoexisting in the lush hidden spaces of Paris until cold weather arrives, an escaped racehorse and her companion, a German shorthaired pointer, forge a bond with a boy living in seclusion with his nonagenarian grandmother in an ivy-covered house. Maps. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 2
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The cold millions : a novel by Jess WalterEnduring the corruption of their union employment, two young day laborers are respectively drawn to a feminist activist and a vaudeville singer whose experiences reflect an unjust world on the brink of upheaval. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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If I had your face : a novel by Frances ChaIn Seoul, South Korea, four young women make their way in a world defined by impossibly high standards of beauty, secret salons catering to wealthy men, strict social hierarchies and K-pop fan mania. Featured on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, December 14
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The blade between : a novel by Sam J. MillerReluctantly visiting his upstate New York hometown when his father falls ill, a restless gay photographer reconnects with two high-school friends who become his allies in a plan to expose the corrupt motives of invasive corporate gentrifiers. Featured on NPR Book Review, December 6
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The law of innocence by Michael ConnellyDefense attorney Mickey Haller utilizes his legal team’s resources from behind bars to organize his own defense when he is framed for murder by an unknown adversary. By the best-selling author of the Harry Bosch series. Featured on Today Show, December 2
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I want to be where the normal people are by Rachel BloomA laugh-out-loud anthology by the star of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend collects essays, poems and other personal creations to explore such subjects as her perceptions of “normal,” struggles with depression and life-shaping female friendships. Featured in Entertainment Weekly, December issue
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Dolly Parton, songteller : my life in lyrics by Dolly Parton"For the first time ever, legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton brings you behind the lyrics of 175 of her songs to reveal the personal stories and vibrant memories that have inspired sixty years of songwriting. Lushly illustrated and told in Dolly's inimitable voice, this rich collection offers an intimate, exclusive look at the colorful life, prolific career, and rags-to-rhinestones journey of one of the most revered entertainers of our time". Featured on Tonight Show, December 7
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Dessert Person : Recipes and Guidance for Baking With Confidence by Claire SaffitzA first cookbook by the host of Bon Appétit’s Baking School shares professional tips and troubleshooting strategies for more than 100 recipes that feature Saffitz’s signature twists, including Babkallah, Crispy Mushroom Galette and Malted Forever Brownies. Illustrations. Featured on Good Morning America, December 17
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Featured on Today Show, December 2
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Featured on Today Show, December 8
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Featured on Drew Barrymore, December 8
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Featured on Drew Barrymore, December 14
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Wintering : the power of rest and retreat in difficult times by Katherine May"An intimate, revelatory book exploring the ways we can care for and repair ourselves when life knocks us down. Sometimes you slip through the cracks: unforeseen circumstances like an abrupt illness, the death of a loved one, a break up, or a job loss can derail a life. These periods of dislocation can be lonely and unexpected. For May, her husband fell ill, her son stopped attending school, and her own medical issues led her to leave a demanding job. Wintering explores how she not only endured this painful time, but embraced the singular opportunities it offered. A moving personal narrative shot through with lessons from literature, mythology, and the natural world, May's story offers instruction on the transformative power of rest and retreat. Illumination emerges from many sources: solstice celebrations and dormice hibernation, C.S. Lewis and Sylvia Plath, swimming in icy waters and sailing Arctic seas. Ultimately Wintering invites us to change how we relate to our own fallow times. May models an active acceptance of sadness and finds nourishment in deep retreat, joy in the hushed beauty of winter, and encouragement in understanding life as cyclical, not linear. A secular mystic, May forms a guiding philosophy for transforming the hardships that arisebefore the ushering in of a new season". Featured on NPR's Morning Edition, December 2
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The last days of John Lennon by James PattersonPublished to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Lennon’s assassination and based on insider interviews, a chronicle of the iconic music artist’s final days includes coverage of his last album and the life of Mark David Chapman. Featured on Good Morning America, December 11
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Featured on Late Show, December 9, NPR's Fresh Air, December 11
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Featured on Today Show, December 1
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Featured on The View, December 1, Late Show, December 2, Today Show, December 3, Late Late Show, December 9, NPR Book Review, December 10
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Featured on Tamron Hall, December 8
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Featured on Tonight Show, December 1
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I came as a shadow : an autobiography by John Thompson"The autobiography of the legendary coach of the Georgetown Hoyas, whose achievements on and off the basketball court reflect America's unresolved struggle with racial justice". Featured on NPR Book Review, December 15
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The hardest job in the world : the American presidency by John DickersonThe award-winning 60 Minutes correspondent and former anchor of Face the Nation explains how the branches of government differ from founder intentions and how presidential leadership has become more about campaigns and unrealistic expectations than job suitability. Featured on the Late Show, December 8
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Right place, right time : the life of a rock & roll photographer by Bob GruenThe veteran rock-and-roll photographer and author of John Lennon: The New York Years shares anecdotes from nearly half a century in the industry, from his cross-country trip with the Ike and Tina Turner band to his backstage encounters with KISS. Featured on NPR's Fresh Air, December 8
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Featured on Late Late Show, December 4
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A knock at midnight by Brittany K. BarnettAn award-winning attorney presents an urgent call for justice-system reform in the story of a disadvantaged, African-American single mother from the rural South who was separated from her young daughter and sentenced to life in prison for a first-time offense. Featured on NPR's Fresh Air, December 9
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The book on pie : everything you need to know to bake perfect pies by Erin Jeanne McDowellThe award-winning New York Times food stylist and author of The Fearless Baker presents a comprehensive, single-volume resource on the secrets to making great pie that provides coverage of everything from flaky crusts to special-occasion classics. Featured on Good Morning America, December 18
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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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