August 2018 list by Dan Berube City of Devils: The Two Men Who Ruled the Underworld of Old Shanghai by Paul French The best-selling author of Midnight in Peking traces the rags-to-riches story of self-made casino gangsters Jack Riley and Joe Farren, drawing on eyewitness accounts, letters and articles to trace their activities in the 1930s Shanghai underworld. Conan Doyle for the Defense: The True Story of a Sensational British Murder... by Margalit Fox A page-turning true crime account of the 1908 wrongful murder conviction of Jewish German immigrant Oscar Slater, featuring an unlikely hero at its center—Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle. Daughters of the Winter Queen by Nancy Goldstone Documents how a betrayed Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of James I, raised her four daughters amid the glorious art and culture of the Dutch Golden Age, tracing how their remarkable stories and dynastic ambitions shaped a three-decade war and fulfilled the promises of their great-grandmother, Mary Queen of Scots. Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence by James R. Clapper The former Director of National Intelligence's candid and compelling account of the intelligence community's successes—and failures—in facing some of the greatest threats to America. Furnishing Eternity: A Father, a Son, a Coffin, and a Measure of Life by David Giffels A vibrant, heartfelt memoir about confronting mortality, surviving loss, finding resilience in one's Midwest roots and seeking a father's wisdom through an unusual woodworking project—constructing his own coffin. Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History... by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic Two acclaimed authors deliver the riveting and emotionally wrenching full story of the worst sea disaster in United States naval history: the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II—and the fifty-year fight to exonerate the captain after a wrongful court martial. Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History by Yunte Huang A wryly whimsical dual portrait of famous 19th-century conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker shares an Asian-American perspective on their improbable lives, describing their rise from savvy side-show celebrities to wealthy Southern gentry, their large family and how their experiences reflected America's historical penchant for objectifying differences. The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler A sweeping account of America's oldest unsolved mystery, the people racing to unearth its answer, and the sobering truths—about race, gender, and immigration—exposed by the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America by Alissa Quart Outlines counter-intuitive recommendations for meeting the challenges of today's high parenting costs and unstable job markets that are imposing difficult hardships on the middle class.  Tesla: Inventor of the Modern by Richard Munson Describes how the formerly unappreciated scientist and inventor with the bizarre personal life and enigmatic behavior contributed so much to our modern world, including plans for cell phones, the internet, death-ray weapons and interstellar communications in the early 1900s. There Are No Grown-Ups: A Midlife Coming-of-Age Story by Pamela Druckerman The author confronts the realities of being forty, examining how the modern forties are less associated with midlife than in the past and discussing the disconnects of social media, the French perspectives about libido, and the challenges of raising kids while caring for aging parents. War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence by Ronan Farrow The journalist and former U.S. State Department official explores the decline of American diplomacy and traditional statecraft, the abdication of global leadership, and how the work of peacemaking has been taken over by the military-industrial complex. When the Center Held: Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the American Presidency by Donald Rumsfeld A revealing political memoir of the presidency of Gerald Ford as seen through the eyes of Donald Rumsfeld, Ford's former secretary of defense, chief of staff, and longtime personal confidant. The World's Most Travelled Man: A Twenty-three-year Odyssey to and Through Every Country on the Planet by Mike Spencer Bown Blending a romantic connection to nature through solitude and the social examination of culture, Bown fully immerses himself in each experience, however diverse, dangerous or dirty, veering way, way off the backpacker circuit to see the world through an unparalleled perspective. Young Washington: How Wilderness and War Forged America's Founding Father by Peter Stark By weaving together Washington's harrowing wilderness adventures and a broader historical context, this biography offers new insights into the dramatic years that shaped the man who became the first President of the United States. Contact your librarian for more great books!