To mark the centennial, library staff organized a birthday celebration with refreshments, entertainment and family-friendly activities for more than 1,000 attendees.
The library recently hosted its annual Volunteer Recognition Celebration, honoring 552 dedicated individuals who contributed 25,745 hours of service in the past year.
As the library celebrates its centennial, the milestone offers a chance to reflect and to look forward to what comes next.
Your Next Great Read
Double trouble
A double dose of gripping psychological suspense, pairing two complete novels and two rare short stories. Two serial killers -- one female, one male -- murder in the name of a higher cause. A female serial killer seeks refuge in her twin sister's home in STARR BRIGHT WILL BE WITH YOU SOON, while a male serial killer murders for the woman he craves in SOUL/MATE -- and the echoes continue in the rare short stories "The Murderess" and "An Unsolved Crime."
Anderson in bloom
"From the author of Love at First Set, a hilariously sexy enemies-to-lovers, second-chance rom-com about a reclusive former child star turned florist whose quiet life is turned upside down when her annoyingly hot ex (and former costar) shows up in town, with plans to write a tell-all memoir."--Amazon
Zimne wybrzeża
"Spitsbergen, czasy zimnej wojny. Na wyspę przybywa sześciu pasażerów, wśród nich John Smith -- młody mężczyzna z brytyjskim paszportem, który podaje się za naukowca i trafia do polskiej stacji polarnej. Wkrótce jeden z członków ekspedycji ginie zaatakowany przez niedźwiedzia polarnego. Czy to możliwe, że się nie bronił? W zamkniętej społeczności, odciętej od świata przez nadchodzącą noc polarną, napięcie i nieufność rosną. Smith, zgłębiając sprawę śmierci polarnika, wikła się w sieć intryg i podejrzeń, staje się też elementem niebezpiecznej rozgrywki, która może zmienić losy świata. Ale czy on sam jest tym, za kogo się podaje? I jaką rolę odgrywają w tej odległej, podbiegunowej osadzie Ojcowie Grzesznicy, starsi wioski spod Biełomorska? Twardoch -- po mistrzowsku łącząc elementy thrillera szpiegowskiego, kryminału i dramatu psychologicznego -- opowiada o samotności, zdradzie, pokłosiu wojny i cienkiej granicy między misją a obsesją oraz o tym, jak historia i polityka potrafią zdeterminować los zwykłych ludzi."
The beginner's quilt
Outdoorsy Emma Bontrager's forced lessons in the household duties of an Amish wife lead her to discover an unexpected new passion for quilting
Kissed by scandal
Georgina Williams prefers to remain in the background. She's more comfortable with books than a ballroom. In a last-ditch attempt to help her blossom, Georgina's father sends her to Havenwood Academy, a reformist school for young ladies that don't fit into the mold society has made for them. Adrian Carter is marked by scandal. With a reputation as a charming reprobate, he's never been one for convention. But when he meets Georgina evokes something in him that he can't explain. Can the unconventional lady and the rogue find romance in unexpected places?
Love and other brain experiments
Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has success on the brain. As a grad student, she was offered a job by her brilliant boyfriend, but determined to make it on her own, she turned it--and him--down. Now, stuck in postdoc purgatory with no job security and no personal life to speak of, Frances is desperate to make a breakthrough. Her best shot is a summer conference packed with her field's leading scientists. The only problem? It's organized by her ex, who has found the success that's eluded her. But backing out is not an option, because Frances desperately needs to network to save her career. Enter Dr. Lewis North: her perceptive, meticulous, and inconveniently attractive rival. When their academic sniping gets mistaken for flirtatious chemistry, Frances doesn't deny it--putting her integrity and career on the line. As soon as her prefrontal cortex is operational again, Frances realizes she needs to keep up the charade, or risk everything she's worked for. Faking data is out of the question, but fake dating? That might just be the solution she needs. But as Lewis starts to make her reward centers spark and a major setback has Frances questioning everything, she must confront what she's willing to chase--for love, for science, and for the future she thought she wanted.--Amazon
Rules of the heart
"England, 1794. Now in her thirties, Lady Harriet Bessborough, already the veteran of several liaisons, finds herself pursued by a much younger man. This isn't unusual in her circle, where married women often take younger lovers. No one minds much, provided they follow the rules of the game: Don't embarrass your husband, maintain complete discretion at all times , and never ever make the mistake of falling in love. So when Harriet meets Lord Granville--brilliantly handsome, insistently ardent, and twelve years younger than her--she's confident she can manage their affair. Until she finds herself falling uncontrollably under his spell. As she's plunged into an all-consuming passion, Harriet's worldliness and sophistication desert her. With each besotted step, she finds herself edging ever closer to exposure and ruin. She knows she should leave him but can't bring herself to do it--she loves him far too deeply now to escape the scandal that threatens to engulf her"-- Provided by publisher
Life: a love story
"As 92-year-old 'Flo' Green writes a long letter to Ruthie, the woman who, as a little girl, lived next door to Flo, she thinks, 'This is an autobiography in things.' And this letter will transform her--and those around her--in ways she couldn't even imagine. Flo is nearing the end of her life, and she wants to leave her house and all of her belongings to Ruthie, with whom she still enjoys a close relationship. Through Flo's stories about the possessions in her home, we see the life she has lived, and are reminded of the surprising value of 'little' things. (What could possibly be the worth of a rubber band kept in a matchbox tied up in red ribbon?) Flo also encourages Ruthie to reconsider her impending divorce by sharing a startling, long-buried secret about Flo's own perfect-seeming marriage. As Flo reflects on her life, she takes herself up on tiny dares: she's never had a mani-pedi, for example, and as long as she's going to the beauty parlor, she might as well get a blue streak put in her hair. She makes new friends and tries to help them find the fulfillment that only a full life has led her to understand. Full of Elizabeth Berg's characteristic mix of warmth, humor, and poignancy, Life: a Love Story is a reminder that whatever your circumstances, as long as you're alive, you can keep on investing in life. The joy will inevitably follow"-- Provided by publisher
Kokuhō.
This house will feed
"County Clare, 1848: In the scant few years since the potato blight first cast its foul shadow over Ireland, Maggie O'Shaughnessy has lost everything--her entire family and the man she trusted with her heart. Toiling in the Ennis Workhouse for paltry rations, she can see no future either within or outside its walls--until the mysterious Lady Catherine arrives to whisk her away to an old mansion in the stark limestone landscape of the Burren. Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina, and hoodwink solicitors into releasing Wilhelmina's widow pension so that Lady Catherine can continue to provide for the villagers in her care. In exchange, Maggie will receive freedom from the workhouse, land of her own, and the one thing she wants more than either: a chance to fulfill the promise she made to her brother on his deathbed--to live to spite them all. Launching herself into the daunting task, Maggie plays the role of Wilhelmina as best she can while ignoring the villagers' tales of ghostly figures and curses. But more worrying are the whispers that come from within. Something in Lady Catherine's house is reawakening long-buried memories in Maggie--of a foe more terrifying than hunger or greed, of a power that calls for blood and vengeance, and of her own role in a nightmare that demands the darkest sacrifice . . ."--Amazon
The swamps
A group of paranormal-investigating influencers travel to the Louisiana bayou to investigate the disappearance of two women. What begins as a routine missing-persons inquiry escalates into a deadly situation as the team uncovers hidden truths and realizes they may have been deliberately drawn into danger. The novel blends psychological tension, mystery, and escalating suspense
Half his age
Waldo is ravenous. Horny. Blunt. Naive. Wise. Impulsive. Lonely. Angry. Forceful. Hurting. Perceptive. Endlessly wanting. And the thing she wants most of all: Mr. Korgy, her creative writing teacher with the wife and the kid and the mortgage and the bills, with the dead dreams and the atrophied looks and the growing paunch. She doesn't know why she wants him. Is it his passion? His life experience? The fact that he knows books and films and things that she doesn't? Or is it purer than that, rooted in their unlikely connection, their kindred spirits, the similar filter with which they each take in the world around them? Or, perhaps, it's just enough that he sees her when no one else does. Startlingly perceptive, mordantly funny, and keenly poignant, Half His Age is a rich character study of a yearning seventeen-year-old who disregards all obstacles--or attempts to overcome them--in her effort to be seen, to be desired, to be loved
Big nobody
"I think it's safe to say that my father was probably always an abomination of nature. It's 1974 in London and Connie Costa's already pitiful life has gone off the rails. She's spiraling from the loss of her mother and younger brothers in a tragic accident. And the man responsible is her Dad-otherwise known as "The Fat Murderer." Kept at home under his increasingly tyrannical rule, Connie is an outcast who spends her nights conversing with the David Bowie poster on her wall and raiding her stash of whiskey and chocolate. Her only social outlet is the weekly gatherings with her father and their immigrant community of Greek "Freaks." There she finds her life's one bright spot: sneaking off with her friend Vas to smoke cigarettes, debate literature, and joke about whether it is finally time to run away together. But when Connie sees an opportunity to get out from under her father's thumb for good, she must make a perilous decision that will change her forever. Devastatingly tender and riotously funny, Alex Kadis' Big Nobody tells a warmhearted story about the rocky path to finding ourselves and the people who keep us afloat"-- Provided by publisher
Dead first
"From the Bram Stoker award-nominated author of The Spite House comes a bone-chilling new novel about a private investigator hired by a mysterious billionaire to discover why he can't die. When private investigator Shyla Sinclair is invited to the looming mansion of mysterious Texan tycoon Saxton Braith, she's more than a little suspicious. The last thing she expects to see that night is Braith's assistant driving an iron rod straight through the back of his skull. Scratch that--the last thing she expects to see is Braith's resurrection afterward. Braith can't die, it turns out, but he has no explanation for his immortality, and very few intact memories of his past. Which is why he wants to pay Shyla millions to investigate him, and bring his long-buried history to light. Shyla can't help but be intrigued, but she's also trapped by the offer. Braith has made it clear that he knows she's the only person he can trust with his secret, because he knows all about hers. Bold, atmospheric, and utterly frightening, Johnny Compton's Dead First is spine-chilling supernatural horror about the pursuit of power and the undying need for reckoning"-- Provided by publisher
I love you don't die
"For as far back as she can remember, Vicky has been fascinated and obsessed with death as the only inevitable thing in life. From living above a Chinatown funeral parlor to working at a celebrity start-up for bespoke urns, she has surrounded herself with death--in her home, in her work, and in her ever-growing collection of zhizha, paper creations meant to be burned for the dead, adorning the walls of her apartment. Yet, though living in Manhattan and working her dream job is all she ever wanted, she still struggles to have meaningful connections--or find any meaning at all--in her life. Too often she spends the day in bed, only drawn out from time to time by her best (and only) friend, Jen. That changes when a dating app leads her into a throuple with an artist and a labor organizer, who offer exactly the kind of love she needs. For some time, it's perfect, but no one understands better than Vicky that all things must end. As doubts grow over the love in her life, her friendship with Jen, and her professional success, the oddly comforting abstraction of death starts becoming something else altogether. With everything beginning to feel hollow and temporary, Vicky must decide how to keep moving forward. To try and hold on to what she has, or to once again do what she does best: destroy."--
The oak and the larch : a forest history of Russia and its empires
"Russia has three times as many trees as there are stars in our galaxy. From the Baltic to the Pacific, from the Arctic to the steppes of Central Asia, Russia's forests account for nearly one-fifth of the world's wooded lands. In this astonishing work of cultural and environmental history, award-winning journalist, critic, and scholar Sophie Pinkham presents the first-ever English-language exploration of this vast expanse, offering an eloquent and absorbing account of how forests have shaped Russia. Written from the ground up, The Oak and the Larch spans centuries, from medieval times to the present, and draws on literature, art, music, and original reportage. Pinkham describes the varied forests and trees that grow within Russia's borders, from the hardy Siberian larch to the majestic oaks of central Russia, and the diverse peoples who live deep in the Russian wilderness and make their living there. She analyzes the forest's role in Russia's long history of imperial conquest-including its attacks on Ukraine today-and discusses the ways the mythologies of the forest shaped Russian culture, from pre-Christian forest spirits to the great works of Russian literature, from Turgenev to Tolstoy, from Chekhov to Nabokov and beyond. By examining Russia from the forest's perspective, The Oak and the Larch offers an urgent new understanding of the nature of Russian power, and of Russia's ideas of itself"--
The weekend gardener : weekend projects & everyday inspiration for the busy gardener
From laying a paved terrace to creating plant supports, this illustrated guide explores ideas for creating your dream space while balancing a busy schedule
Tiny gardens everywhere : the past, present, and future of the self-provisioning city
"Rooted in a fruitful history, this manifesto for the next food revolution by acclaimed environmental historian Kate Brown speaks to nature lovers, food activists, social justice warriors, urban planners, WOOFers, and Idealists of all varieties. Is a trip to the farmer's market nearly a religious ritual for you? Do you love composting? This rich and fascinating history justifies your passions. Beginning in the 17th century, British peasants lost the commons from which they had fed themselves for generations when capitalists frowned on self-provisioning in order to encourage wage labor. But small-scale gardeners in Paris, Berlin, London and elsewhere fought back, building topsoil in the city with composted garbage and other animal and human waste. They created the most productive, sustainable agriculture in recorded human history, growing local, diverse, organic food on marginal land without burning fossil fuels, creating ecologically and socially diverse networks of flora, fauna, and people. In Nazi Berlin, working-class gardeners harbored dissidents ands Jews throughout the war. On the fringes of Washington, DC, Black Southern migrants built communities around gardens and orchards, the produce funding home-ownership. Behind the Iron Curtain, Soviet and post-Soviet garden allotments prevented a recurrence of mass famine. In post-war America, suburban lawns took on a totalitarian character: gardeners, particularly gardeners of color, fined and harangued for defying the flat green conformity of turf. Yet the creativity of gardeners inspires hope in the 21st century; in rust-belt Mansfield, OH, helping prisoners to imagine fruitful lives. in the sinking, nitrogen-soaked Netherlands, dependent on industrial food, a progressive movement for community gardens and food forests provide an inspiring vision of a vastly more sustainable future. Down to earth gardeners, working with each other and with nature, have reaped abundant harvests while fostering mutual aid and political engagement. Grafting contemporary experience and concerns onto every historical chapter, Kate Brown creates a mesmerizing hybrid of archival historical research (about half or two-thirds of the book) and contemporary personal interviews and experience, resulting in an eloquent narrative deeply rooted in history, full of colorful stories delivering eye-opening information. The food-industrial complex is the primary contributor to climate change. Call it a utopian dream, but urban gardening offers much-needed hope"-- Provided by publisher
The Ultimate guide to red light therapy : the breakthrough solution for anti-aging, weight loss, muscle gain, inflammation reduction, and peak performance
This guide examines red and near-infrared light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, and its proposed applications in health and wellness. The author reviews scientific research related to light-based therapies and discusses their potential use for skin health, pain management, wound healing, physical performance, metabolic function, and overall well-being. The book also provides practical information on treatment parameters, dosing considerations, and evaluation of consumer devices. Intended for a general audience, the work focuses on understanding light therapy and its role within personal health practices
Guide to hydroponic gardening : how to grow food in any space without soil or sunlight
"Guide to Hydroponic Gardening is your all-in-one manual for growing your own food--without dirt, and without limits. Hydroponics offers a clean, efficient, and highly adaptable way to garden indoors using water-based systems that thrive in small spaces and low-light environments. This comprehensive guide walks you through everything you need to know to get started and succeed. From choosing between a store-bought setup or DIY build to understanding essential tools, avoiding common pitfalls, and keeping your plants pest-free, Martin answers the questions every new hydroponic gardener asks--before you even think to ask them. Whether you're growing for flavor, fun, or food security, Guide to Hydroponic Gardening gives you the tools to harvest success--right from your kitchen counter." -- Provided by publisher
The atlas of world embroidery : a global exploration of heritage and styles
"A richly illustrated history of embroidery and needlework, showcasing the glorious range of styles, motifs, and materials used around the world. Embroidery is one of the world's most popular and diverse forms of creative expression. It can be found in every region, yet its visual languages, themes, and techniques vary greatly. The Atlas of World Embroidery examines many distinctive embroidery styles and traditions found across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. From the quillwork and birch boxes of Indigenous North America to the decorative matyo style of Hungary, the zardozi embroiderers of India, and the satin stitches of Han Dynasty China, Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood provides a comprehensive history of embroidery, describing its materials and tools, its designs and symbols, and its uses and makers. Organized geographically by region and country, and focusing on hand needlework with relevant examples of machine forms, The Atlas of World Embroidery is a beautiful and authoritative exploration of this ancient craft" -- Page 4 of cover
Street smarts : trust your instincts, outsmart danger, and stay safe in a world that isn't
"Dannah Eve has always been street smart, and for the past several years, she has been sharing her advice, self-defense strategies, and safety tips with millions of engaged social media followers. With the encouraging tone of a savvy older sister, she has built a platform that teaches women how to think like a threat--mastering situational awareness, calculated deception, and the art of always being ready. This is survival on your terms."--Amazon
You're in good company : the art of friendship, motherhood, and showing up
Mothers are hungry for friendship, and You're in Good Company will nourish and inspire them to fling open their doors and hearts to rediscover hospitality, companionship, and true connection
Slip : life in the middle of eating-disorder recovery
"Written by journalist and professor at the University of Texas-Austin Mallary Tenore Tarpley, Slip offers a groundbreaking framework for understanding eating disorder recovery and interweaves poignant personal stories, immersive reporting, and cutting-edge science. When Mallary Tenore Tarpley lost her mother at eleven years old, she wanted to stop time. If growing up meant living without her mother, then she wanted to stay little forever. What started as small acts of food restriction soon turned into a full-blown eating disorder, and a year later, Tarpley was admitted to Boston's Children's Hospital. With honesty and grace, Slip chronicles Tarpley's childhood struggles with anorexia to her present-day experiences grappling with recovery. This book tells Tarpley's story, but it also transcends her personal narrative. A journalist by trade, Tarpley interviewed and surveyed hundreds of patients, doctors, and researchers to provide a deeper understanding of eating disorder treatment. She draws on this original reporting, as well as cutting-edge science, to illuminate what has changed in the years since she was first diagnosed. As Tarpley came to learn, "full recovery" from an eating disorder is complicated. And that idea provides the basis for the groundbreaking new framework explored in this book: that there is a "middle place" between sickness and full recovery, a place where slips are accepted as part of the process but progress is always possible. With new insights and an uplifting message, Slip brings much-needed attention to an issue that affects many. It offers a beacon of hope with its revolutionary perspective on recovery. This inspiring and life-affirming book is a must-read for individuals with eating disorders, their loved ones, educators, medical professionals, and anyone seeking to understand eating disorders and the path to recovery"--
Viennese bakery : classic desserts from Vienna's café culture
"More than 75 recipes for finest cakes, tortes, and slices from Old Vienna. Take home a slice of Vienna's cafe culture, with delectable recipes for classic cakes and confectionery. From traditional Viennese desserts like Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescent cookies) and Sachertorte (rich chocolate cake) to nostalgic delicacies like Marmalade Roulade or a Strawberry Cream Torte. With a mix of atmospheric recipe pictures, step-by-step guides to traditional baking techniques, and sumptuous photographs of Vienna - discover a treasure trove of enticing and authentic recipes, all brought to life from the archives of a 20th-century Viennese coffee house. Take a delicious culinary flight of fancy and recreate the flavours of Vienna with 75 unmissable bakes from the unofficial cake capital of the world"--Publisher's description
Paving the road to college through an Orthodox Christian perspective
Paving the road to college through an Orthodox Christian perspective offers teens and parents practical guidance for planning the high school and college journey, creating a framework of the spiritual principles Orthodox Christians should consider when making such significant life decisions
Passport to flavor : 100 global dishes you can make anywhere
"Journey alongside private yacht chef and social media influencer Abby Cheshire to fourteen port cities to bring recipes from all over the globe to the comfort of your home."--Page 4 of cover
Life is lifey : the A to Z's of navigating life's messy middle
"Equal parts pep talk, reality check, and cocktail party confessional, Life is Lifey is a humorous and inspirational guide to unapologetically and authentically figuring out life's messy middle. Join Sarah Shahi as she cannonballs into the magical chaos of life--marriage, divorce, kids, career pivots, and everything in between. Like your brutally honest big sister (with a glass of wine in hand, wearing yesterday's eye liner), Life is Lifey is an encyclopedia on "how to adult," filled with personal stories that will have you lol-ing and advice that's like a warm hug followed by a swift kick in the pants. This isn't about living your "best life" (so 2015). This is about shutting out the noise--self-doubt, partners, or that one mom from the PTA--and tapping into the voice within that's 100 percent, unapologetically you. Whether you're limping out of a messy breakup or just trying to survive Mondays, Life is Lifey is the permission slip you didn't know you needed to start making choices that scream your truth"--
The mattering instinct : how our deepest longing drives us and divides us
"Offering a new framework for understanding what can go tragically wrong in our lives and in society and how progress in each can be enhanced, best-selling author and MacArthur Fellow Rebecca Newberger Goldstein returns with a book about the primal, biological drive in every living thing that, in our species alone, is transformed into one of the most persistent forces in human motivation and a force essential to human flourishing: the longing to matter. Mattering, Goldstein posits, is lodged deep in the core of humanity - it is our most profound longing, and our most opaque. It is the source of endless frustration, division, and tribalism (if this matters, how can this matter too; if we matter, how can you matter too?). And yet, this desire to matter can also save us. In a world where many of us are experiencing what Goldstein calls a crisis of mattering, perhaps we are finally poised to accept that this insatiable longing that drives humans to such different ends may also be the key to truly understanding each other. Goldstein first described "the mattering map"-a central idea in this book-in her 1983 novel, The Mind-Body Problem, and she has written many articles and given many talks on the subject for years. No surprise, then, that talk of 'mattering' has started to crop up in the mainstream conversation, especially in positive psychology and business circles. But Goldstein's decades-long obsession with the idea means that no one else can write the book Goldstein is writing: The Mattering Instinct is a major intellectual contribution, decades in the making, unfolded for a wide audience by a superb writer and storyteller"--
Boss Lincoln : the partisan life of Abraham Lincoln
A biography of Abraham Lincoln that examines his career-long political strategies and coalition-building skills. Drawing extensively on Lincoln's private correspondence and historical records, the book emphasizes his mastery of party politics, from his early career as a Whig in Illinois to his leadership of the Republican Party during the Civil War. It explores Lincoln's decision-making style, relationships with aides and political allies, and efforts to secure reelection while navigating the challenges of wartime leadership and emancipation. Includes illustrations and contextual analysis of Lincoln's political influence and strategies
Big Ben strikes eleven : a London mystery
"Sir Robert Boniface, the industrial and financial tycoon-and stalwart of the British Cabinet-has been found shot dead in his blue limousine on a warm Friday evening in the Vale of Health, Hampstead Heath. Nearby, a rejected portrait of Sir Robert is found riddled with bullets in the studio of the now-missing artist Matt Caldwell. Called to the scene, Inspector Beckett of Scotland Yard suspects murder. By the time Superintendent Mooney joins the case, the suspects have tripled and the mystery continues to spiral. Delving into the psychology of murder, Magarshack's novel explores the struggle between immense power and corruption, and what it means to be crooked"--
An extravagant death
"In what promises to be a breakout in Charles Finch's bestselling series, Charles Lenox travels to the New York and Newport of the dawning Gilded Age to investigate the death of a beautiful socialite. London, 1878. With faith in Scotland Yard shattered after a damning corruption investigation, Charles Lenox's detective agency is rapidly expanding. The gentleman sleuth has all the work he can handle, two children, and an intriguing new murder case. But when Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli offers him the opportunity to undertake a diplomatic mission for the Queen, Lenox welcomes the chance to satisfy an unfulfilled yearning: to travel to America. Arriving in New York, he begins to receive introductions into both its old Knickerbocker society and its new robber baron splendor. Then, a shock: the death of the season's most beautiful debutante, who appears to have thrown herself from a cliff. Or was it a suicide? Lenox's reputation has preceded him to the States, and he is summoned to a magnificent Newport mansion to investigate the mysterious death. What ensues is a fiendish game of cat and mouse. Witty, complex, and tender, An Extravagant Death is Charles Finch's triumphant return to the main storyline of his beloved Charles Lenox series-a devilish mystery, a social drama, and an unforgettable first trip for an Englishman coming to America"--
Home at night
"Beware the blackbirds... It's Halloween in Vermont, winter is coming, and five humans, two dogs, and a cat are a crowd in Mercy Carr's small cabin. She needs more room--and she knows just the place: Grackle Tree Farm, with thirty acres of woods and wetlands and a Victorian manor to die for. They say it's haunted by the ghosts of missing children and lost poets and a murderer or two, but Mercy loves it anyway. Even when Elvis finds a dead body in the library. There's something about Grackle Tree Farm that people are willing to kill for--and Mercy needs to figure out what before they move in. A coded letter found on the victim points to a hidden treasure that may be worth a fortune--if it's real. She and Captain Thrasher conduct a search of the old place--and end up at the wrong end of a Glock. A masked man shoots Thrasher, and she and Elvis must take him down before he murders them all. Under fire, she and Elvis manage to run the guy off, but not before they are wounded, leaving Thrasher fighting for his life in the hospital, Mercy on crutches, and Elvis on the mend. Now it's up to Mercy and Troy and the dogs to track down the masked murderer in a county overflowing with leaf peepers, Halloween revelers, and treasure hunters and bring him to justice before he strikes again and the treasure is lost forever, along with the good name of Grackle Tree Farm..."--
Crossed bones
Witch is when it all began
"Private investigator, Jill Gooder, has been hired to find a serial killer because, as usual, the police can't buy a clue. Jill, the not so proud owner of a psycho, one-eyed cat, probably can't expect too much help from her PA/secretary, who spends all day knitting. And just in case all of that wasn't enough, Jill's just about to discover she's a witch."--back cover
Doors open
Envisioning a half-serious art-theft scheme after a chance encounter with a crime boss, divorced banker Allan and frustrated art professor Robert share their idea with fellow art enthusiast Mike, who encourages them to carry out their plan
Murder on the Orient Espresso
How the light gets in
In Three Pines Chief Inspector Armand Gamache investigates the disappearance of a woman who was once one of the most famous people in the world and now goes unrecognized by virtually everyone except the mad, brilliant poet Ruth Zardo
A wee Christmas homicide
Find me
Convicted serial killer Benjamin Fisher has offered to lead San Bernardino detective Daniel Ellis to the isolated graves of his victims. One catch: he'll only do it if FBI profiler Reni Fisher, his estranged daughter, accompanies them. She still feels complicit in her father's crimes: Reni was the bait to lure unsuspecting women to their deaths. Ellis shares her obsession with the past: he is convinced that his mother was one of Fisher's victims. As thirty years of bad memories flood back, it's only the beginning of a nightmare. -- adapted from back cover
There goes the bride : an Agatha Raisin mystery
Bossy, impulsive, yet hopelessly romantic, Agatha is dreading the upcoming marriage of her ex-husband, James Lacey. Her best intentions to move on with her life are put on hold when James's young bride is shot to death just minutes before saying I do, and Agatha is named the prime suspect
The Tuscan child
Robert B. Parker's Slow burn
"Boston PI Spenser faces a hot case and a personal crisis in the latest adventure in the iconic New York Times-bestselling series from author Ace Atkins. The fire at a boarded-up Catholic church raged hot and fast, lighting up Boston's South End and killing three firefighters who were trapped in the inferno. A year later, as the city prepares to honor their sacrifice, there are still no answers about how the deadly fire started. Most at the department believe it was just a simple accident: faulty wiring in a century-old building. But Boston firefighter Jack McGee, who lost his best friend in the blaze, suspects arson. McGee is convinced department investigators aren't sufficiently connected to the city's lowlifes to get a handle on who's behind the blaze--so he takes the case to Spenser. Spenser quickly learns not only that McGee might be right, but that the fire might be linked to a rash of new arsons, spreading through the city, burning faster and hotter every night. Spenser follows the trail of fires to Boston's underworld, bringing him, his trusted ally Hawk, and his apprentice Sixkill toe-to-toe with a dangerous new enemy who wants Spenser dead, and doesn't play by the city's old rules. Spenser has to find the firebug before he kills again - and stay alive himself"--
Act like a lady, think like a lord
"London, 1815. Lady Petra Forsyth, daughter of the Earl of Holbrook, has made a shocking proclamation. After losing her beloved fiancé in an accident three years earlier, she announces in front of London's loosest lips that she will never marry. A woman of independent means--and rather independent ways--Petra sees no reason to cede her wealth and freedom to any man now that the love of her life is gone. Instead, she plans to continue enjoying the best of society without any expectations. But when ballroom gossip suggests that a longtime friend has died of a fit due to her "melancholia" while in the care of a questionable physician, Petra vows to use her status to dig deeper--uncovering a private asylum where men pay to have their wives and daughters locked away, or worse. Just as Petra has reason to believe her friend is alive, a shocking murder proves more danger is afoot than she thought. And the more determined Lady Petra becomes in uncovering the truth, the more her own headstrong actions and desire for independence are used against her, putting her own freedom--and possibly her life--in jeopardy"--
Aunt Dimity and the Summer King
Overseeing her baby, a family wedding and her own approaching 40th birthday celebration amid rumors that a developer has unwanted plans for Finch village, Lori bonds with a warmhearted inventor only to discover his true intentions
Steps in ballet : basic exercises at the barre, basic center exercises, basic allegro steps
Instructive techniques for practicing ballet away from class are presented in this compilation of three previously published volumes. Elementary barre exercises, basic arm movements and positions of the body, and elevation and connecting steps are detailed with illustrations and helpful pointers that complement the guidance of a ballet instructor. Correct ballet terms are defined and listed in French with phonetic pronunciations. Parents, teachers, and students of ballet will find expert advice in this classic of ballet instruction
Evening in the palace of reason : Bach meets Frederick the Great in the Age of Enlightenment
The actor's business plan : a career guide for the acting life
The Actor's Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors, using the familiar language of actor training. It employs a unique five-year life/career plan, giving positive steps to a happy life as an actor and as a human. It answers the common complaint by students that they were not prepared for "showbiz" after graduation, and can be used by teachers as well as actors to solve this problem. It is a must-have book for actors who are determined to be a part of the professional world .Aimed at actors looking to work in the USA, and surveying NYC and LA among other cities, the book discusses not only the "biz," but also issues that can destroy many actors' careers prematurely. It provides in-depth knowledge of casting directors, agents, managers, unions, auditions, branding, marketing strategies, and much more.--Adapted from back cover
Ukulele method. [Book 1]
Stranger things : worlds turned upside down
The art of Mad Max : fury road
Max Rockatansky returns. Haunted by his turbulent past, the wandering Road Warrior becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. Seeking escape from the tyranny of Immortan Joe, what follows is a high-octane Road War - and a chance for redemption. The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road is the official companion to the highly anticipated movie
Shit, actually : the definitive, 100% objective guide to modern cinema
Reexamines iconic movies from the past forty years to identify laugh-worthy plot holes and fictional misrepresentations in such esteemed blockbusters as "Forrest Gump," "The Lion King," and "Top Gun."
I like to watch : arguing my way through the TV revolution
"From her creation of the first 'Approval Matrix' in New York magazine in 2004 to her Pulitzer Prize-winning columns for The New Yorker, Emily Nussbaum has known all along that what we watch is who we are. In this collection, including several substantive, never-before-published essays, Nussbaum writes about her passion for television beginning with Buffy--as she writes, a show that was so much more than its critical assessment--the evolution of female protagonists over the last decade, the complex role of sexual violence on TV, and what to do about art when the artist is revealed to be a monster. And, she also explores the links between the television antihero and the rise of Trump. The book is an argument, not a collection of reviews. Through it all, Nussbaum recounts her fervent search, over fifteen years, for a new kind of criticism that resists the false hierarchy that places one kind of culture over another. It traces her own development as she has struggled to punch through stifling notions of 'prestige television,' searching for a wilder and freer and more varied idea of artistic ambition--one that acknowledges many types of beauty and complexity, and that opens to more varied voices. It's a book that celebrates television as television, even as each year warps the definition of just what that might mean"--
Basics of game design
Musicophilia : tales of music and the brain
"Oliver Sacks explores the place music occupies in the brain and how it affects the human condition. In Musicophilia, he shows us a variety of what he calls "musical misalignments." Among them: a man struck by lightning who suddenly desires to become a pianist at the age of forty-two; an entire group of children with Williams syndrome, who are hypermusical from birth; people with "amusia," to whom a symphony sounds like the clattering of pots and pans; and a man whose memory spans only seven seconds - for everything but music. Dr. Sacks describes how music can animate people with Parkinson's disease who cannot otherwise move, give words to stroke patients who cannot otherwise speak, and calm and organize people who are deeply disoriented by Alzheimer's or schizophrenia." - Back cover
Star Wars the Old Republic encyclopedia : the definitive guide to the epic conflict
"This book is the essential in-depth guide to the characters, weapons, vehicles, events, and planets of the "Star Wars" galaxy during the turbulent times of the Old Republic. Featuring stunning artwork from the groundbreaking video game and amazing in-game images, this comprehensive encyclopedia contains knowledge and "Star Wars" lore that go far beyond the realm of the game."--Jacket flap
Ukulele method. Book 2
Follow-up to Book 1 emphasizing both melody playing and related right-hand techniques
Chess strategy in action
The Rolling Stones all the songs : the story behind every track
"Comprehensive visual history of the 'World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band' as told through the recording of their monumental catalog, including 29 studio and 24 compilation albums, and more than a hundred singles. Since 1963, The Rolling Stones have been recording and touring, selling more than 200 million records worldwide. While much is known about this iconic group, few books provide a comprehensive history of their time in the studio. In The Rolling Stones All the Songs, authors Margotin and Guesdon describe the origin of their 340 released songs, details from the recording studio, what instruments were used, and behind-the-scenes stories of the great artists who contributed to their tracks. Organized chronologically by album, this massive, 704-page hardcover begins with their 1963 eponymous debut album recorded over five days at the Regent Studio in London; through their collaboration with legendary producer Jimmy Miller in the ground-breaking albums from 1968 to 1973; to their later work with Don Was, who has produced every album since Voodoo Lounge. Packed with more than 500 photos, All the Songs is also filled with stories fans treasure, such as how the mobile studio they pioneered was featured in Deep Purple's classic song 'Smoke on the Water' or how Keith Richards used a cassette recording of an acoustic guitar to get the unique riff on 'Street Fighting Man'"--Publisher's website
Star Wars storyboards : the prequel trilogy
Bury our bones in the midnight soil
"From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger. Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 1532. London, 1827. Boston, 2019. Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots. One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild. And all of them grow teeth"--
Heated rivalry
Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander's game-definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate. Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn't just crazy talented, he's got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he's captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won't let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night. Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane's not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he's as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him-except Shane. They've made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great. As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option
Both/and : essays by trans and gender-nonconforming writers of color
"From Denne Michele Norris and Electric Literature, a vital anthology of essays by trans and gender-nonconforming writers of color, sharing stories of joy, heartbreak, rage, and self-discovery. Featuring seventeen essays by trans people of color--spanning writers, scientists, actors, activists, and drag queens--Both/And explores what it means to live as a trans or gender nonconforming person of color today. Acclaimed authors Akwaeke Emezi, Tanaïs, and Meredith Talusan share their stories alongside activist and organizer Raquel Willis and RuPaul's Drag Race star Peppermint, as well as a host of rising literary talent. Each story is told with honesty, authenticity, and beauty. A nonbinary molecular biologist has nightmares about their estranged father transitioning. A writer revisits a casual hook-up when she discovered her womanhood. And a woman vacations with her wife in Hawaii, where she gets in touch with the fire goddess within. These stories depict real trans lives from trans points of view, at a time when these perspectives are most urgent and valuable. Inspired by Electric Literature's groundbreaking series and edited by the first Black, openly trans editor-in-chief of a major literary publication, Both/And uplifts and amplifies stories of queer joy, heartbreak, rage, and self-discovery."--Publisher
Hungerstone
It's the height of the industrial revolution and ten years into Lenore's marriage to steel magnate Henry, their relationship has soured. When Henry's ambitions take them from London to the remote British moorlands to host a hunting party, a shocking carriage accident brings the mysterious Carmilla into their lives. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night. Carmilla, who stirs up something deep within Lenore. And before long, girls from the local villages fall sick, consumed by a terrible hunger. As the day of the hunt draws closer, Lenore begins to unravel, questioning the role she has been playing all these years. Torn between regaining her husband's affection and the cravings Carmilla has awakened, soon Lenore will uncover a darkness in her household that will place her at terrible risk. Hungerstone is a mesmerizing reclamation of the lesbian vampire trope, set against the backdrop of the voracious appetite of the Industrial Revolution.--
Lucky day
""An existential masterwork that, like life, is equal parts atrocity and delights."-Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Masters of Death. Lucky Day is the latest from Chuck Tingle, USA Today bestselling author of Camp Damascus and Bury Your Gays, where one woman must go up against horrifying odds to save the world. Four years ago, an unthinkable disaster occurred. In what was later known as the Low-Probability Event, 8 million people were killed in a single day, each of them dying in improbable, bizarre ways: strangled by balloon ropes, torn apart by exploding manhole covers, attacked by a chimpanzee wielding a typewriter. A day of freak accidents that proved anything is possible, no matter the odds. Luck is real now, and it's not always good. Vera, a former statistics and probability professor, lost everything that day, and she still struggles to make sense of the unbelievable catastrophe. To her, the LPE proved that the God of Order is dead and nothing matters anymore. When Special Agent Layne shows up on Vera's doorstep, she learns he's investigating a suspiciously-and statistically impossible-lucky casino. He needs her help to prove the casino's success is connected to the deaths of millions, and it's Vera's last chance to make sense of a world that doesn't. Because what's happening in Vegas isn't staying there, and she's the only thing that stands between the world and another deadly improbability... Also by Chuck Tingle: Bury Your Gays, Camp Damascus, Straight."--
See you at the summit
Girl comes out as bi. Girl falls for a straight guy. Simone Whittaker has spent the first three decades of her life pretending to be straight. But when the girl she never dared call her girlfriend walks away, she decides she's done living in fear. Her uptight parents don't take the news well, but a viral coming-out post and a new job at Toronto's Rainbow Museum offer a fresh start--and a crash course in queer adulthood. That is, until her first day of work, when Simone ruins a project designed by Ryan Foley--the museum's gruff and annoyingly hot carpenter--earning her the top spot on his enemies list. When they're forced to take a work trip to the Whistler Pride and Ski Festival together, Simone vows not to let a grumpy straight guy ruin her first Pride. But Ryan keeps surprising her--thoughtful, vulnerable, and impossible to ignore. As sparks fly on chairlifts and by crackling fires, one snowstorm--and one bed--changes everything. Back in Toronto, however, reality sets in. Dating a guy--and being mistaken for straight--weren't exactly part of Simone's coming-out plan. As the pressure builds between the identity she's just beginning to explore and the relationship that wasn't supposed to happen, she starts to wonder: What if claiming one part of herself means erasing the other?
Open, heaven
In a remote village in the north of England, shy sixteen-year-old James realizes how his desire could separate him from his family, as he is drawn to slightly older, handsome but wounded Luke, in a mesmerizing hymn to boyhood, sensuality and love in all its forms
Atmosphere : a love story
Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA's space shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space. Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston's Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easygoing even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane. As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe. Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant
Hell's heart
"Gideon the Ninth meets Moby-Dick in USA Today bestselling author Alexis Hall's thrilling SF debut, Hell's Heart! They are monsters, legends, gods. They are our prey. Earth is dead. Which leaves us stuck living in atmospheric domes on planets that will kill us if we blink wrong, or run out of fuel. And by "fuel" I mean "the cerebrospinal fluid of gargantuan, quasi-psychic space monsters". I joined the hunt hoping to get paid and maybe laid, but mostly paid. Instead, I followed a captain chasing abominations in the skies of Jupiter. We battled the Möbius Beast itself, there in the red eye of the world. Spoiler: we lost"--
The red winter
"In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave receives the news he fears most: the terrible Beast of Gévaudan has returned, and the French countryside runs red in its wake. Sebastian knows the Beast. A monster-slayer with centuries of experience, he joined the hunt for the creature twenty years ago and watched it slaughter its way through a long and bloody winter. Even with the help of his indwelling demon, Sarmodel--who takes payment in living hearts--it nearly cost him his life to bring the monster down. Now, two decades later, Sebastian has been recalled to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d'Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a terrible secret with Sebastian. Drawn by both the chance to finish the Beast for good and the promise of a reconciliation with Antoine, Sebastian cannot refuse. But Gévaudan is not as he remembers it, and Sebastian's unfinished business is everywhere he looks. Years of misery have driven the people to desperation, and France teeters on the edge of revolution. Sebastian's arcane activities--not to mention his demonic counterpart--have also attracted the inquisitorial eye of the French clergy. And the Beast is poised to close his jaws around them all and plunge the continent into war. Debut author Cameron Sullivan tears the heart out of history with this darkly entertaining retelling of the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan. Lifting the veil on the hidden world behind our own, it reimagines the story of Europe, from Imperial Rome to Saint Jehanne d'Arc, the madness of Gilles de Rais and the first flickers of the French Revolution."--
Out of the loop : a mystery
For the past two years, Amie Teller has been stuck in a time loop. Each day, she wakes up, and it's September 17. Same day, same weather, same people, same conversations. Until one day, it's September 18, and Amie is free. Before she can celebrate, Amie learns her neighbor was murdered the day before--the day Amie has lived hundreds of times. Amie knows she has to help; nobody knows yesterday like she does. But acclimating to her new nonrepeating life proves to be more difficult than expected. How does one resume their life after a time loop, anyway? Assisted by an ex-girlfriend who wants to make their friendship work and a grumpy neighbor who spends his days building Rube Goldberg machines, Amie sets out to track down who killed (and killed and killed and killed) Savannah Harlow
Sheer
"It's 2015 and Maxine Thomas, the founder and creative director of the cult makeup company Reveal, has just been suspended by her own Board for a scandalous transgression. Housebound in her New York City apartment, where she awaits the verdict on her future, Max recounts her version of the events that have brought her to this moment. From her start as a precocious suburban child in the eighties to her decades as a workaholic visionary, Max proselytizes a sheer, dewy look-cosmetics through a female gaze-all while battling sexist investors, the whiplash of cultural change, and the mounting pressure to keep her sexuality a secret. But when Max's story catches up to her present, she must contend with the cost of true transparency. Told over nine intense days yet spanning a lifetime, Sheer is a gripping, incisive, and provocative tale of a complicated female vanguard's insatiable drive and the slippery ground between empowerment and abuse of power"-- Provided by publisher
Missing Sam
"One night after a party, old grievances surface between married couple Aliya and Sam and the night ends badly with a heated argument. Sam goes for a run early the next morning to clear her head--and doesn't come back. Aliya reports her wife missing, but as a gay, Muslim daughter of immigrants, she can't escape the scrutiny and suspicion of those around her. Scared and furious and feeling isolated as strangers and acquaintances alike doubt her innocence, Aliya makes one wrong choice after another. She must fight to prove her innocence in the public eye even as she is torn between her fear that Sam is dead and her desire to find and save her wife. But is safety ever truly possible for them?" --
Bloom
Morris Warner is withering away. After the sudden death of his husband, Fred, he has shut himself off from the world. No more going to movies with friends, or swims in Lake Michigan, instead preferring the quiet loneliness of his history books and Jeopardy episodes with only the cat to hear his answers. Morris's stepdaughter, Sloan, feels like she has nowhere to grow. She's about to get married to the man of her dreams, if only her mother will let her actually plan her own wedding and trust her to build her own life after her father's death. Jade is drying out. Literally. As a plant in Morris's home, she and her plant housemates have been slowly wasting away, leaf by falling leaf, since Fred's death and Morris's lack of care. She needs to come up with a plan to make her new owner come back to life, no matter what it takes
Almost life
"Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet, the spark is undeniable, but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make... Erica and Laure's love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonizing changes--both personal and political--that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?"--
The fox and the devil
"Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing--doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to the study of vampires--until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that now plague Anneke every night. Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch this mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn't the only inexplicable dead body. There's a trail of victims across Europe, and Anneke is certain they're all connected. But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps crucial evidence to herself: infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to her, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola. The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn't a madman after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer . . . and much harder to destroy. Yet as Anneke unearths more of Diavola's tragic past, she suspects there's still a heart somewhere in that undead body. A heart that beats for Anneke alone."--Amazon
I love you don't die
"For as far back as she can remember, Vicky has been fascinated and obsessed with death as the only inevitable thing in life. From living above a Chinatown funeral parlor to working at a celebrity start-up for bespoke urns, she has surrounded herself with death--in her home, in her work, and in her ever-growing collection of zhizha, paper creations meant to be burned for the dead, adorning the walls of her apartment. Yet, though living in Manhattan and working her dream job is all she ever wanted, she still struggles to have meaningful connections--or find any meaning at all--in her life. Too often she spends the day in bed, only drawn out from time to time by her best (and only) friend, Jen. That changes when a dating app leads her into a throuple with an artist and a labor organizer, who offer exactly the kind of love she needs. For some time, it's perfect, but no one understands better than Vicky that all things must end. As doubts grow over the love in her life, her friendship with Jen, and her professional success, the oddly comforting abstraction of death starts becoming something else altogether. With everything beginning to feel hollow and temporary, Vicky must decide how to keep moving forward. To try and hold on to what she has, or to once again do what she does best: destroy."--
Fire sword and sea
"From Vanessa Riley, acclaimed author of Queen of Exiles, comes a dual-timeline saga based on the life of the legendary pirate Jacquotte Delehaye, a fearless woman of mixed parentage who forged her own life plundering wealth and battling slavers on the treacherous Caribbean seas of the 17th century"--
Thirty love
American tennis star Leo Chambers is determined to win the US Open by thirty, the age when many players feel retirement looming. He's just a year away from that dreaded birthday, but he can't find his focus--considering he hasn't told anyone he's gay, he's clashing with his strict coach (who also happens to be his dad), and he still can't figure out how to beat his longtime nemesis on tour, Gabe Montoya, who, well, hits different. Gabe is playing better than ever, and Leo can't seem to escape him--and maybe he doesn't want to escape him. Leo's other obstacle is Sascha Volkov, a Russian legend who has such a powerful influence on the tennis world, he would destroy Leo's career if he found out that he's gay. No distractions, Leo reminds himself. But when Gabe makes a shocking announcement, Leo is thrown off his game--in more ways than one. -- from back cover
The beheading game
"When Anne Boleyn wakes up the day after her beheading, she sews her head back on and sets out to seek revenge-in a queer-feminist retelling of one of history's most egregiously wronged women"--
The adjunct
"From the acclaimed author of How to Be Eaten, a fresh take on the campus novel that follows an adjunct professor gigging her way through academia's poor job market when she crosses paths with her old PhD adviser whose new novel might be about her. Meet Sam, an adjunct professor at a public university in Baltimore who takes a last-minute gig at the private liberal arts college down the road. Overworked and underpaid, her life is a blur of back-to-back classes, side hustles, and job applications as she attempts to claw her way toward a full-time position. Her already precarious existence is thrown into disarray when she runs into her former grad school adviser, Dr. Tom Sternberg, on campus. Tom and Sam have a complicated history that has haunted her career, and it's the last thing she wants to think about while navigating academic politics, institutional hurdles, and romantic entanglements with men and women that further complicate a sexuality not even she can define. Then she learns that Tom left his old job for undisclosed reasons-and his long-awaited second novel is about a professor reckoning with his checkered past. As whispers spread that Sam is the inspiration behind a central character, she fights to regain control of the story while questioning everything she thought she knew about her future-and herself. With biting humor and a keen eye for detail, Maria Adelmann offers a bold twist on a tangled MeToo story and turns Sam's downward spiral into a searing critique of class and the hollow promises of the American dream. A hilarious yet sobering look at how hustle culture has come to define modern academia, The Adjunct asks: Who really controls the narratives of success, identity, and power?"--
Fair game : trans athletes and the future of sports
"Fair Game offers an insightful, timely examination of the ongoing battle for equality in athletics. As LGBTQ athletes break barriers in the Olympics, transgender athletes still face harsh restrictions in many areas. With twenty-four states passing new anti-trans sports legslation, nearly half of Americans live under laws that restrict or ban transgender individuals from participating in sports. Fair Game explores why taking the next step and increasing the acceptance of trans athletes is important not only for everyone with an Olympic dream but also for everyone whose kids just want to join the town soccer league. ...Through a woven collection of narratives from a marginalized population, Fair Game examines the patterns of fear and gender stereotypes that undergird anti-trans legislation and offers helpful historical and political context about sex segregation in sports and how bodies (including trans bodies) work in sports. Urgent, accessible, and inspiring, Fair Game presents a sports landscape beyond our current conceptions, a world changed by unrestricted and joyful movement in sports"-- Dust jacket
A Black queer history of the United States
"In this latest book in Beacon's award-winning ReVisioning History series, Professors C. Riley Snorton and Darius Bost unearth the often overlooked history of the Black queer community in the United States. Arguing that both gender and sexual expression have been an intimate and intricate part of Black freedom struggle, Snorton and Bost present historical contributions of Black queer, trans, and gender non-conforming Americans from slavery to the present day to highlight how the fight against racial injustice has always been linked to that of sexual and gender justice. Interweaving stories of queer and trans figures such as: Private William Cathay/Cathay Williams, born female but enlisted in the Army as a man in the mid-1860s; Josephine Baker, internationally known dancer and entertainer of the early 20th century who was also openly bisexual; Bayard Rustin, prominent Civil Rights activist whose well known homosexuality was viewed as a potential threat to the movement; Amanda Milan, a black trans woman whose murder in 2000 unified the trans people of color community; this book includes a deep dive into the marginalization, unjust criminalization, and government legislation of Black queer and trans existence. It also shows how Black Americans have played an integral role in the modern LGBTQ rights movement, countering narratives that have predominantly focused on white Americans. Through storytelling and other narratives, Snorton and Bost show how the Black queer community has always existed, regardless of the attempts to stamp it out, and how those in it continue to fight for their rightful place in the world." --
We burned so bright
"Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they've experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world. Now, the world is ending for real. A rogue black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they've ever known will be gone. Suddenly, after forty years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They're in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it's all over. On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how--impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, and new friends. And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough. Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?"--
The American Revolution : an intimate history
From the award-winning historian and filmmakers of The Civil War, Baseball, Jazz, The Roosevelts, and others: a richly illustrated, human-centered history of America's founding struggle-expanding on the landmark, six-part PBS series to be aired in November 2025. "From a small spark kindled in America, a flame has arisen not to be extinguished." -Thomas Paine. In defeating the British Empire and giving birth to a new nation, the American Revolution turned the world upside down. Thirteen colonies on the Atlantic coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired independence movements and democratic reforms around the globe. The American Revolution was at once a war for independence, a civil war, and a world war, fought by neighbors on American farms and between global powers an ocean or more away. In this sumptuous volume, historian Geoffrey C. Ward ably steers us through the international forces at play, telling the story not from the top down but from the bottom up-and through the eyes of not only our "Founding Fathers" but also those of ordinary soldiers, as well as underrepresented populations such as women, African Americans, Native Americans, and American Loyalists, asking who exactly was entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Enriched by guest essays from lauded historians such as Vincent Brown, Maya Jasanoff, and Alan Taylor, and by an astonishing array of prints, drawings, paintings, texts, and pamphlets from the time period, as well as newly commissioned art and maps-and woven together with the words of Thomas Paine- The American Revolution reveals a nation still grappling with the questions that fueled its remarkable founding
The making and breaking of the American constitution : a thousand-year history
"A provocative new history of America's constitution and an urgent call to action for a nation confronted by challenges its founders could never have imagined. The American Revolution occurred at a time when Britain's constitutional order failed to adapt to the extraordinary growth of its colonies. The framers designed an American constitution to succeed where Britain's had faltered, planning for continuous population and territorial expansion that would eventually cross the continent. Yet by the end of the nineteenth century, it was already ill-suited for an increasingly urban, industrialized society, and the transformations of the twentieth century have pushed it to a breaking point. This book charts the history and aims of the American constitution from its origins in an agrarian past to the grave crisis we face today. Mark Peterson traces the American constitutional tradition to the control of land in medieval England, showing how the founders incorporated the aspirations of Magna Carta with the administrative principles of the Domesday Book, a meticulous survey and valuation of landed property commissioned by William the Conqueror. This framework encouraged the growth of democratic self-government in a young nation. It also institutionalized the colonization of territory and the expulsion of Indigenous peoples, establishing a legal blueprint for transforming tribal lands into revenue-yielding real estate for settlers. Peterson's riveting narrative paints an arresting picture of a dynamic republic whose frame of government has changed enormously to meet the challenges of the modern age but whose written constitution has changed very little. Marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, The Making and Breaking of the American Constitution reveals how this widening disconnect threatens the very existence of our democracy. It calls for a constitution that sustains the ideals developed over the past thousand years while meeting the challenges of the future."--
American struggle : democracy, dissent, and the pursuit of a more perfect union : an anthology
This "collection covers a wide spectrum of history, from 1619 to the twenty-first century, with primary-source documents that take us back to critical moments in which Americans fought over the meaning and the direction of the national experiment. From the founders to Lincoln to Obama, from Andrew Jackson to Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, from Seneca Falls to the March on Washington, this chorus ... tells the story of the country and of its people. As clashes over liberty and slavery, inclusion and exclusion, play out, these voices, ... framed by Meacham's singular commentary, remind us that contentious citizenship and fair-minded observations are essential to bringing about the more perfect union envisioned in the Preamble to the Constitution, which Frederick Douglass called a 'glorious liberty document'"--
Last branch standing : a potentially surprising, occasionally witty journey inside today's Supreme Court
"A myth-busting glimpse into the inner workings of the Supreme Court in the "Roberts era," revealing what we get wrong about the nine justices (and what they eat for lunch) and the right way to fix a Court in crisis-from the popular ABC news pundit and witty co-host of the top legal podcast in the US"-- Provided by publisher
Declaring independence : why 1776 matters
On the 250th anniversary of American independence, with the history of our founding a political battleground, this study of the ideas and battlefield sacrifices of 1776 by a Pulitzer Prize-winning scholar could not be more timely
The unfinished business of 1776 : why the American Revolution never ended
A clarion call for taking back the American Revolution from the far right, published for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Who gets to claim the legacy of the American Revolution and the mantle of patriotism that goes along with it? In a sharp, irreverent, deeply informed account of the nation's founding moment and its enduring legacies, historian Thomas Richards Jr. invites us to see the Revolution not just as a one-time fight for political freedom from Britain but as an ongoing struggle for equality, justice, and social and political independence for all Americans
This land is your land : a road trip through U.S. history
"Ride along with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Beverly Gage as she travels the country to see the museums, historic sites, roadside attractions, reenactments, and souvenir shops where Americans learn--and fight--about our history. From the birth of the nation in Philadelphia to Disneyland and the California dream, This Land Is Your Land offers a guided tour of thirteen places and thirteen key moments that define America's greatest successes and challenges"--
Boston, 1776 : a rogue tour of Revolution City
"Relive the chaos, courage, and color of the American Revolution's capital city while meeting those who led the fight in the nation's War of Independence."--Amazon
The westerners : mythmaking and belonging on the American frontier
"The Westerners tells two richly detailed and interwoven stories. The first reveals the captivating lives of women and men moving through the American West -- Indigenous peoples, Black Americans, Mexican Americans, and Canadian and Asian immigrants -- in the 19th century. The second tracks the attempts of many Americans to erase these westerners from history, through a frontier myth that lionized individualism and conquest and celebrated white settlers traveling west in search of prosperity. Nelson's vivid, eye-opening account centers on seven extraordinary individuals whose lives capture the true history of the frontier: Sacajawea, not just Lewis and Clark's guide but an explorer who forged her own path; Jim Beckwourth, a biracial fur trader whose sharp cultural insight made him indispensable; María Gertrudis Barceló, a Hispana gambling saloon owner who broke every stereotype to become the wealthiest woman in Santa Fe; Ovando Hollister, a gold miner, soldier, and newspaper man who championed Western expansion; Little Wolf, a Northern Cheyenne chief whose courageous leadership secured his people's future; Canadian immigrant Ella Watson, who strove to become a ranch woman in a male-dominated world; and the defiant Polly Bemis, a Chinese immigrant who carved out a life in Idaho despite federal expulsion efforts." --
Freedom lost, freedom won : a personal history of America
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eugene Robinson traces his family's 200-year journey from slavery through civil rights, examining cycles of progress and setbacks in America's racial history
This vast enterprise : a new history of Lewis & Clark
"In 1806, when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark return from their yearslong journey -- having led the Corps of Discovery across eight thousand miles of rapids, mountains, forests, and ravines -- they bring an incredible tale starring themselves as courageous explorers, skilled survivalists, underrated scientists, and peaceful ambassadors. While there is truth in those descriptions, there is also distortion. From one of the most exciting new historians to emerge in the past decade, This Vast Enterprise offers a bold and novel take on the expedition: a gripping narrative that draws on lost documents, stunning analysis, and Native perspectives. Craig Fehrman spent five years visiting more than thirty archives, interviewing more than a hundred sources, and collecting oral history passed down over centuries. He came to see that the success of Lewis and Clark depended on much more than just Lewis and Clark. We all know Sacajawea, and some of us know York, the Black man Clark enslaved. But This Vast Enterprise introduces us to John Ordway, a working-class soldier who fought fearsome grizzlies and towed the captains' hulking barge. It introduces us to Wolf Calf, a Blackfoot teenager who watched his friend die in a tense battle with Lewis and his men. To capture this cast of characters, each chapter in This Vast Enterprise moves to a different person's point of view, describing their desires and contradictions with an unprecedented level of care. One chapter shows Thomas Jefferson operating in an age of bitter partisan unrest -- his secret political maneuvers to fund the expedition, revealed here for the first time, are a case study in presidential power. Another chapter shows the strategy and strength of Black Buffalo, completely upending our understanding of Lakota-American diplomacy. York, in his chapters, finds ways to wield power and make choices in an era that didn't allow him much of either. Clark is not a folksy Kentuckian but a student of the Enlightenment. (Fehrman discovered his college notebook; no previous biographer even realized that he went to college.) Lewis is someone willing to sacrifice everything for his country, his mission, and his mentor, Jefferson; in Fehrman's subtle yet heartbreaking analysis, Lewis's legendary strengths are inseparable from his lifelong weaknesses. In the end, the captains are men who needed help -- from Sacajawea, from the Corps, and from each other. Mile after mile, the expedition pushes on through dramatic hailstorms and flash floods, life-threatening frostbite and infections, rattlesnakes and rabid wolves, with the Spanish cavalry in fierce pursuit. Fehrman balances the story's inherent adventure with the humanity of its protagonists." --
Angelica : for love and country in a time of revolution
Through the extraordinary life of Angelica Schuyler Church, a politically astute and socially influential figure, this story reveals how women shaped early American history through diplomacy, personal networks and a strategic presence in key revolutionary moments
The greatest sentence ever written
"To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a ... deep dive into the creation of one of history's most powerful sentences: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundationfor the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation. Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating thethen-radical concepts behind it"--
We the people : a history of the U.S. Constitution
From the best-selling author of "These Truths" comes "We the People," a stunning new history of the U.S. Constitution, for a troubling new era
Declaring independence : why 1776 matters
On the 250th anniversary of American independence, with the history of our founding a political battleground, this study of the ideas and battlefield sacrifices of 1776 by a Pulitzer Prize-winning scholar could not be more timely
The ride : Paul Revere and the night that saved America
"Timed for the 250th anniversary of one of America's most famous founding events: Paul Revere's legendary ride, newly told with fresh research into little-known aspects of the myth that every American learns in school On April 18, 1775, a Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and anti-British political operative named Paul Revere set out on a borrowed horse to fulfill a dangerous but crucial mission: to alert American colonists of advancing British troops, which would seek to crush their nascent revolt. Revere was not the only rider that night, and indeed, he had completed at least 18 previous rides throughout New England, disseminating intelligence about British movements. But this ride was like no other, and its consequences in the months and years to come-as the American Revolution morphed from isolated skirmishes to a full-fledged war-became one of our founding legends. In The Ride, Kostya Kennedy presents a dramatic new narrative of the events of April 18 and 19, 1775, informed by fresh primary and secondary source research into archives, family letters and diaries, contemporary accounts, and more. Kennedy reveals Revere's ride to be more complex than it is usually portrayed-a coordinated series of rides by numerous men, near-disaster, capture by British forces, and finally success. While Revere was central to the ride and its plotting, Kennedy reveals the other men (and, perhaps, a woman with information about the movement of British forces) who helped to set in motion the events that would lead to America's independence. Thrillingly written in a dramatic, unstoppable narrative, The Ride re-tells an essential American story for a new generation of readers"--
Boston, 1776 : a rogue tour of Revolution City
"Relive the chaos, courage, and color of the American Revolution's capital city while meeting those who led the fight in the nation's War of Independence."--Amazon
1776
Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known. But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost -- Washington, who had never before led an army in battle
The promise of a nation : commemorating 250 years of patriotism, resilience, and aspirations from the national collection
"Celebrate 250 years of American history-and witness the nation's decade-by-decade evolution-in this gorgeously illustrated volume featuring 700 Smithsonian objects"-- Provided by publisher
We the women : the hidden heroes who shaped America
"Over a decades-long, distinguished career ... journalist Norah O'Donnell has made it her mission to shed light on untold women's stories. Now, in honor of America's 250th birthday, O'Donnell focuses that passion on the American heroines who helped change the course of history. ... Through extensive research and interviews, as well as historical documents and old photos, O'Donnell curates a ... portrait of these fierce fighters for freedom. From Mary Katherine Goddard, who printed the first signed Declaration of Independence, to the Forten family women, who were active in the abolition and suffrage movements and were considered the 'Black Founders' of Philadelphia, to the first women who served in the armed forces even before they had the right to vote, O'Donnell brings these extraordinary women together for the first time, and in doing so writes the American story anew"--
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