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Biography and Memoir August 2019
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The matriarch : Barbara Bush and the making of an American dynasty
by Susan Page
What it's about: a vibrant portrait of the former first lady which includes coverage of Barbara Bush's private struggles and remarkable political achievements.
Why you might like it: "By giving Page access to her diaries and agreeing to long interviews, Barbara Bush finally reveals the person behind the pearls. And she turns out to be one of the most interesting and influential women of the twentieth century." -Cokie Roberts,
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| Places and Names: Reflections on War, Revolution, and Returning by Elliot AckermanWhat it is: a reflective memoir in essays detailing former marine Elliot Ackerman's five tours of duty in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Don't miss: Ackerman's unlikely friendship with a former jihadi.
About the author: A National Book Award finalist for the novel Dark at the Crossing, Ackerman has also earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart for his military service. |
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Never play dead : how the truth makes you unstoppable
by Tomi Lahren
The Fox Nation host and social-media personality challenges convention wisdom about women keeping their heads down, citing the lessons of her own difficult setbacks to challenge readers to become empowered self-advocates. 200,000 first printing.
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| Formation: A Woman's Memoir of Stepping Out of Line by Ryan Leigh DostieWhat it is: a sobering account of army linguist Ryan Leigh Dostie's rape by a fellow soldier, and the isolation and PTSD she endured after her superior officers mishandled the case.
Why it matters: With more than 25% of women in the military reporting sexual assault (and with numbers on the rise), Dostie's resonant memoir illuminates the systemic bias and injustice women continue to face in the male-dominated military. |
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| Grinnell: America's Environmental Pioneer and His Restless Drive to Save the West by John TaliaferroWhat it is: an absorbing biography of conservationist George Bird Grinnell (1849-1938).
Notable accomplishments: Grinnell formed the Audubon Society, spearheaded efforts to establish national parks, lobbied for Native American rights, and saved Yosemite and Yellowstone from developers.
Why you might like it: John Taliaferro draws on Grinnell's correspondence and diaries to present an engaging portrait of an advocate who fought tirelessly to preserve America's natural beauty. |
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A life beyond reason : a father's memoir
by Chris Gabbard
What it's about: Explores a father’s philosophical transformation when he must reconsider the questions “what makes us human?” and “whose life is worth living?” when his son August is born with severe brain damage as a likely result of a medical error.
Why you might like it: A Life Beyond Reason will challenge readers to reexamine their beliefs about who is deserving of humanity.
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| Essays After Eighty by Donald HallWhat it is: a witty and reflective collection from America's 14th Poet Laureate and National Medal of Arts recipient Donald Hall.
Essays include: "Garlic with Everything," a passionate ode to Hall's favorite food; "Rejection and Resurrection," which tackles professional ambition and legacy.
Further reading: Hall's posthumous follow-up, Carnival of Losses: Notes Nearing Ninety, was published only two weeks after his death. |
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| Maeve in America: Essays by a Girl from Somewhere Else by Maeve HigginsStarring: Maeve Higgins, an Irish comedian and podcaster living in New York.
What it is: a collection of funny yet thoughtful essays about Higgins' time in the United States that discusses everything from the Irish immigrant experience in America to renting expensive clothing for formal affairs.
Don't miss: "Pen as Gun," describing a comedy workshop in Iraq. |
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| A Field Guide to Awkward Silences by Alexandra PetriWhat it's about: 20-something Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri's comic misadventures in young adulthood, including a disastrous speed-dating event at a Star Wars convention and a failed audition for America's Next Top Model.
Why you might like it: Petri's breezy witticisms will make you feel like you're chatting with your best friend.
Want a taste? "I could hold a tune, but only the way you hold a stranger's cat: not closely and not long." |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Anne Arundel County Public Library 5 Harry S. Truman Pkwy. Annapolis, Maryland 21401 410-222-7371https://www.aacpl.net |
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