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News & Stories
Throughout 2026, we'll be sharing stories from our community that showcase the impact our library has had throughout the decades.
The library is pleased to share the 2025 Impact Report, a collection of Stories of Impact from throughout last year.
On Saturday, July 4, more than 50 members of the Arlington Heights community joined the library in the Frontier Days Fourth of July Parade.
Your Next Great Read

Final approach
Eason, Lynette,
"Air Marshal Kristine Duncan and FBI Agent Andrew Ross thwart an airplane hijacking only to uncover a complex plot of revenge. Now they must navigate a web of deception, blame, and a personal reckoning with the past to unravel the truth before it's too late"--

The house of hidden letters
Broom, Isabelle, 1979-
"Skye MacKinnon is desperate for an escape. When she wins a lottery to buy a run-down cottage on a Greek island for only one euro, Skye jumps at the chance to get out of England and start over. As she unlocks the tattered blue door of her whitewashed new cottage, the sun-kissed sea glinting in the bay outside her windows, Skye immediately feels like she's found her true home. Skye and the other lottery winners--the first residents in these houses since the 1940s--form a tight-knit group, finding in one another the strong relationships they'd been missing in their own lives. When Skye and local contractor Andreas discover a set of mysterious letters, they begin to unravel the history of the prior residents and the truth about life on Folegandros during the Second World War"-- Provided by publisher

Ashland
Simon, Dan,
Ashland is a novel set in Ashland, a former mill town in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, during the late twentieth century. The narrative is presented through six perspectives, including Carolyn, a young writer confronting personal and creative decisions; Gordon and his wife Edith, later-life residents of the town; Andy, a local youth; Geoff, a writing instructor at Plymouth State University; and Jennie, Carolyn's aunt. The novel explores themes of personal development, mentorship, family relationships, and community life, with the town itself serving as a central presence in the story

How to kill a guy in ten dates
Thompson, Shailee,
"A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying slasher rom-com in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the romance and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl. When Jamie Prescott and her best friend Laurie attend a speed-dating event,Jamie expects to meet a roster of mediocre men and indulge in some street food afterwards. She doesn't expect one of her dates to have his throat slit at their table during a blackout. After the lights come back on and there are more bodies on the floor, it becomes clear that dating can be a very dangerous pastime. Armed with makeshift weapons and Jamie's extensive knowledge of what NOT to do in a slasher, the remaining speed daters try to find an exit while the killer adds to their body count. As the night progresses and Jamie comes face-to-mask with the murderer, she begins to suspect they are committing the slayings to woo one of the daters and turn them into a real-life Final Girl. But Jamie has other plans, and as she fights for herlife, she can't help but find herself ensconced in a love triangle with two of the other survivors. Will she make it through the bloodshed to find her Happily Ever After? Or does this machete-wielding psychopath have another ending in mind?"--

Rebel English Academy
Hanif, Mohammed,
"From the brilliant Booker-longlisted Mohammed Hanif comes a lively, rich novel about the power of language, friendship, and protest in the face of political turmoil. When Pakistan's first elected Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is hanged, the people of OK Town refuse to believe he is dead and fight to bring him back. In the heart of the city, Sir Baghi is surprised by a knock at the door of the Rebel English Academy, his tuition center that offers affordable English lessons. An unexpected visitor, Sabiha, seeks refuge at the Academy, her husband has just died in a house fire, and she is suspected of killing him, although she insists she only ran away from a burning building. Baghi encourages Sabiha to write, and a lifetime of secrets begin to unspool on the page. Meanwhile Captain Gul, who botched his hanging duty, has been banished to OK Town, where he aims to squash the protestors wanting to bring Bhutto back from the dead. But his duties and romantic desires begin to overlap, and his already-dubious power is threatened. In Rebel English Academy, Pakistan is struggling under martial law after the execution of its former leader. Mohammed Hanif has constructed a vibrant cast of interconnected characters that face this changing landscape with violence, passion, and sharp humor. Wry, searing, and deeply relevant, Rebel English Academy is a triumphant new novel about political power, religion, education, sexuality, and perpetual dissent"-- Provided by publisher

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne revenge
Freeman, Brian, 1963-
"Shadow--the head of Treadstone--has found evidence of massive Chinese espionage activity in the U.S. The spy running the operations is a shadowy American known only by the codename Bai Ze. No one knows who he is, but when Shadow consults the Files--the hacked AI database she stole from the Chinese--she discovers that Jason Bourne encountered Bai Ze during an operation eight years earlier. The trouble is, Bourne doesn't remember him. As Bourne hunts for the elusive spy, he meets a reporter named Laney Reese who shares his strange affliction: eight years ago, Laney lost her entire memory, too. For Bourne, that can't be a coincidence. He's convinced that whatever happened to both of them is at the heart of the Chinese espionage operation. With Laney at his side, Bourne follows a zigzagging trail of clues to a quirky billionaire and his ex-wife, both of whom may have ties to Bai Ze. As he gets closer to his shadowy adversary, Bourne begins to suspect that he's walking into a trap. But it's a trap with an almost irresistible bait--the chance to recover his forgotten memories"--

Blade
Walker, Wendy, 1967-
"Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making--until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she's a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began, and abruptly ended: The Palace, a world-renowned skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado. Ana returns to The Palace to defend the young skater accused of the brutal crime--Grace Montgomery. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace's guilt, and she's days away from facing charges of first-degree murder. But Ana's investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home as an 'Orphan.' With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover the truth--even if it means exposing her own secrets that she buried here long ago." --

On Sundays she picked flowers
Scholfield, Yah Yah,
Judith Rice leaves her childhood home to escape an abusive family environment and settles in a remote wooded area of southern Georgia. She takes refuge in an isolated, deteriorating house associated with a violent past and local supernatural traditions. Over time, Judith develops a life centered on self-reliance, healing practices, and coexistence with the spirits believed to inhabit the land. After more than a decade of relative solitude, Judith's life is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious woman whose presence awakens unresolved memories and emotional conflicts tied to Judith's past. As Judith confronts resurfacing trauma and inherited patterns of violence, she is forced to examine her identity, desires, and the legacy of her family history. The novel explores themes of trauma, transformation, and self-reckoning within a Southern Gothic setting that blends realism with supernatural elements

Turn off the light
Walters, Jacquie,
"The Devil enters through doors left open... On the isolated Eastern Shore of Virginia, Edith is a healer, a woman of knowledge--and a woman watched. Shadows move where they shouldn't. Whispers creep through the dark. Terrified she has opened her home to the Devil, Edith makes a desperate choice. Claire doesn't believe in ghosts--until she returns home to care for her dying father and finds her childhood house... listening. As one sleepless night bleeds into the next, she becomes convinced something is stirring beneath the floorboards. Something that has waited a long time to rise. Is the house haunted? What compels this lurking darkness? As the danger mounts, Edith and Claire will discover they'll need each other to survive. But they are separated by four hundred years. And time is running out for them both."--

More than enough
Quindlen, Anna,
"High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about everything and anything with the women in her book club, which is why they've become her closest friends and, along with the support of her veterinarian husband, the bedrock of her life. Her private school students, her fraught relationship with mother, her struggles with IVF-Polly's book club friends have heard it all. But when they give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, the results match her with a stranger. Despite it seeming clear that this match is a mistake, Polly cannot help combing through her own family history for answers. Then, when it seems that the book club circle of four will become three, Polly learns how friendships can change your life in the most profound ways"-- Provided by publisher

The beginner's quilt
Brunstetter, Wanda E.,
Outdoorsy Emma Bontrager's forced lessons in the household duties of an Amish wife lead her to discover an unexpected new passion for quilting

The Astral Library
Quinn, Kate,
"Alexandria 'Alix' Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives--inside their favorite books. The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect"--

Les Normaux. 2
Janssen, Janine,
"Magic and mayhem collide in supernatural Paris as Sébastien, a young wizard, comes to terms with his demisexuality and explores his growing feelings for his neighbor Elia--a hot supermodel vampire. Join Elia, Sébastien and their assorted crew of wonderful friends, as they navigate the ins and outs of dating and relationships in this modern and paranormal love story."--

Darkwater Lane
Caine, Rachel,
"It's time for Gwen Proctor to bury her past--before it buries her. For years, the Lost Angels have hunted Gwen, blaming her for the murders committed by her ex-husband, Melvin Royal. Now, they've found a new weapon: a viral true-crime podcast that drags Gwen and her family back into the spotlight--and into the path of a deadly new danger. hen the FBI arrives with a chilling warning: someone is killing Gwen's enemies, leaving behind a twisted signature that links the crimes to Melvin. The evidence points to the last person Gwen ever expected--Sam Cade, the man she's come to trust with her heart."--

The friend of the family
Koontz, Dean R. (Dean Ray), 1945-
"The human 'oddities' in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised. But Alida is something else. The real thing. Traveling Depression-era America from carnival midways to speakeasies, Alida is resigned to an exploited and lonely life on the road as the museum's golden ticket--until she's rescued by two compassionate strangers. Franklin and Loretta Fairchild see in Alida a gifted and uncannily well-read girl in need of a loving touch and a family. With the openhearted couple and their three precociously imaginative children, Alida finds it. Yet despite everyone's overwhelming generosity and acceptance, Alida knows she is still a very different kind of girl. Her dreams bear that out. They're vivid, unsettling, and threatening. Alida fears that they're also warnings--and that it's the Fairchilds who may need rescue from a bad, bad world"--

The big book of genealogy lists
MacEntee, Thomas,
Welcome to The Big Book of Genealogy Lists, your essential companion to navigating the often mysterious world of historical documents and family records. Whether you're a seasoned genealogist or someone just beginning to explore your family roots, you've likely encountered puzzling abbreviations, archaic terms, or unfamiliar spellings that can stall your progress. This book is designed to empower you with a convenient collection of reference lists that will transform your research from frustrating to fascinating

Thirty-two words for field : lost words of the Irish landscape
Magan, Manchán,
"Rediscover the lost words of an ancient land in this new and updated edition of an international bestseller. The richness of the Irish language is closely tied to the natural landscape and offers a more magical way of seeing the world. Most people associate Britain and Ireland with the English language, a vast, sprawling linguistic tree with roots in Latin, French, and German. But the inhabitants of these islands originally spoke another tongue. Look closely enough and English contains traces of the Celtic soil from which it sprung, found in words like bog, loch, cairn, and crag. Today, this heritage can be found nowhere more powerfully than in modern-day Gaelic. In Thirty-Two Words for Field, bestselling Irish author Manchán Magan explores how Gaelic, a three-thousand-year-old lexicon, has imbued the natural world with meaning and magic, evoking a time-honored way of life from its thirty-two separate words for a field to terms like bróis (whiskey for a horseman at a wedding), iarmhaireacht (the loneliness you feel when you are the only person awake at dawn), and bladhmann (steam rising from a fermented haystack or idle boasting). Manchán urges readers to consider the sublime beauty and profound oddness of this ancient tongue that has been spoken in close connection to the land for thousands of years. Told through stories collected from his own life and travels, Thirty-Two Words for Field is an enthralling celebration of Irish words and a testament to the indelible relationship between landscape, culture, and language"-- Provided by publisher

Python in Excel step-by-step
Langer, David,
An intuitive guide for professionals wanting to prepare for the future of Microsoft Excel by building Python in Excel skills and unleashing the power of their data

The periodic table of Broadway musicals : an illustrated guide to 118 essential shows
Gerle, Andrew,
"Imagine the classic periodic table of elements--but instead of Chromium and Rhodium, it's A chorus line and Rent! This delightful and informative gift book, based on the bestselling viral poster series, will be a stunning showcase of art and content sure to thrill lovers of show tunes and everything Broadway and beyond. Includes a full-size pull-out poster"--

Sewing clothes for Barbie : 50 modern designs for fashion dolls
Benilan, Annabel,
"A revised edition of the official Barbie sewing book, featuring 50 stunning garments, all with full-size templates and easy-to-follow sewing instructions! Perhaps Barbie wants to be President today? Or a doctor, dancer or gardener? Or maybe she is looking for the right outfit for the beach, a walk in the park or a slumber party? Find her dream wardrobe within this book... The official Barbie sewing book, featuring 50 stunning garments, all with full-size templates and easy-to-follow sewing instructions!"--Publisher

Lonely Planet. Los Angeles & Southern California

The Glorians : visitations from the holy ordinary
Williams, Terry Tempest,
In this time of political fragility, climate chaos, and seeking beauty wherever we can find its glimmer, Terry Tempest Williams introduces us to the Glorians. They are not distant deities, but the ordinary, often overlooked presences - animal, plant, memory, moment - that reveal our shared vulnerability and interconnectedness with the natural world. The Glorians can be as small as an ant ferrying a coyote willow blossom to its queen or as commonplace as the night sky. But when they can collectively show us - about the radical art of attending to beauty and carrying forward against all odds - is immense. Journeying through encounters with the Glorians from the red rock desert of Utah during the pandemic to Harvard University where she teaches at the Divinity School, Williams weaves a story of astonishing personal and societal insight. As she grapples with the unsettled state of the world, she turns not to despair but to deep reflection. She sees how the Glorians are calling us to attention, not as an army, but as fellow inhabitants of our sacred, threatened home. They remind us of the power of contact between species and the profound courage - and awareness - it will take to dream a more cohesive future into being. Wise and lyrical, The Glorians is a testament to the power of witness. Terry Tempest Williams offers honest sustenance to the mind and spirit and distinguishes herself again as a trusted voice to whom we can turn, to more fully understand our times

The story of stories : the million-year history of a uniquely human art
Ashton, Kevin,
"An irresistible and enchanting journey through human history--from mankind's earliest fires to the latest smart phones--that tells the surprising and untold story of storytelling." --Amazon

Dare to think differently : how open-mindedness creates exceptional decision-making
Zaltman, Gerald,
"A Harvard Business School professor's guide to thinking about thinking, using the creative power of the unconscious. Gerald Zaltman's pioneering research methods for understanding the unconscious desires of customers are used by companies around the world. Dare to Think Differently draws on the same groundbreaking methods to explain the deep and innovative thinking used by highly successful executives. Reflecting emerging viewpoints in neuroscience, Zaltman contends that multiple forces, not just a brain, collaborate to produce a mind. Highly effective decision-makers are able and willing to go beyond their conscious thinking and surface powerful, creative, unconscious thoughts and feelings. They candidly ask whether what they feel they "know" is actually warranted, opening their minds to new alternatives. This book's insights emerge from a large number of one-on-one in-depth interviews with senior leaders around the globe, reinforced with research findings from scientific literatures. Zaltman presents six techniques he developed to help his students at Harvard, and his blue chip consulting clients, tap into the creative power of the unconscious: "befriending your ignorance," "serious play," "chasing your curiosity," asking the right "discovery questions," "panoramic thinking," and using the "voyager outlook." These techniques provide a research-based set of ideas for improving decision-making that go beyond the existing literature on "thinking smarter." Mirroring Zaltman's Harvard Business School classroom practice, each chapter opens with a practical-thinking exercise that helps readers surface the mental processes and biases that unconsciously close minds and constrict thinking. This creative surfacing is the crucial foundation for any leader operating in a complex, uncertain environment, who needs unconventional solutions to challenging problems"-- Provided by publisher

The typewriter and the guillotine : an American journalist, a German serial killer, and Paris on the eve of WWII
Braude, Mark,
"In 1925, the Indianapolis-born Janet Flanner took an assignment to write a regular 'Letter from Paris' for a lighthearted humor magazine called The New Yorker, started by some friends in New York. She'd come to Paris to with dreams of writing about "Beauty with a Capital B." Her employer, self-consciously apolitical, sought only breezy reports on French art and culture. But as she woke to the frightening signs of rising extremism, economic turmoil, and widespread discontent in Europe, Flanner ignored her editor's directives, reinventing herself, her assignment, and The New Yorker in the process. While working tirelessly to alert American readers to the dangers of the Third Reich, including producing one of the first detailed profiles of Hitler in an American publication, Flanner became gripped by the disturbing crimes of a man who embodied all of the darkness she was being forced to confront. Eugen Weidmann, a German con-man who killed six people in and around Paris in the late 1930s, and who was last man to be publicly executed in France-mere weeks before the outbreak of WWII. Flanner covered his crimes, capture, and highly politicized trial, seeing the case as a guiding metaphor through which to understand the tumultuous years through which she'd just passed and to prepare herself for the dangers to come. The Typewriter and The Guillotine offers the personal and professional coming-of-age story of an indomitable journalist set against a glamorous, high-stakes backdrop - a tightly-coiled drama full of romance and intrigue"--

Once there was a war
Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968,
A selection of dispatches written by the author from England, Africa, and Italy at the height of World War II

Better at home : recipes for big nights in
Henry, Colu,
Better at Home is the essential cookbook that makes every meal feel special, perfect for food lovers yet approachable for any home cook. Colu Henry's life, split between Hudson, New York, and Nova Scotia, always revolves around gathering friends at the table. Her cooking is about joyful, stress-free meals that never sacrifice sophistication. After years in the hospitality industry, she's learned one thing: Most meals are simply better at home. Inside, you'll find playful twists on cocktails like Fizzy Negroni Pompelmos and Amaro Spritzes; snackable bites such as Italian Shrimp Toast, Fried Sausage-Stuffed Olives, and Roasted Eggplant Dip with Toasted Seeds; and deeply satisfying vegetarian sides like Butter Rice with Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs, Braised Snap Peas with a Bit of Cream, and Golden, Crispy Leeks with Melted Gruyère. --Amazon

If Russia wins : a scenario
Masala, Carlo,
"March 2028. Russian troops capture the small Estonian town of Narva and the island of Hiiumaa in the Baltic Sea. After a victorious peace deal in Ukraine, Putin's long-mooted encroachment into the Baltic states has begun. What if Ukraine was only the beginning? What will the NATO alliance decide? Will they risk nuclear war? Day by dayand hour by hour, renowned political scientist Carlo Masala plays out what might happen when the President of the United States is called on to uphold NATO's commitment to mutual defense, just as China's maneuvers in Asia provide Russia with the perfect cover. A timely, gripping, and thought-provoking scenario, If Russia Wins shows how our world order is poised on a knife-edge. In the United States, we are accustomed to everything working out in our favor, in the end. But what if it doesn't? What if Russia wins?"--

How to AI : cut through the hype. Master the basics. Transform your work.
Mims, Christopher,
"AI is nothing to be afraid of. After all, AI is merely software. It's great at some things and (at least right now) terrible at others. But for workers who take time to experiment with AI and develop expertise, AI will make them more productive and more creative, saving them time, giving them job security, and boosting their income. In How to AI, Wall Street Journal columnist Christopher Mims introduces readers to people just like them who are at the forefront of using AI in the world of work. Imagine a freelance lawyer who suddenly has a whip-smart assistant to help her nail every deposition. Or a mom-and-pop contractor whose new software tool is automating construction bids that used to eat up hundreds of hours. But even as half a billion people around the world have leapt at the chance to use ChatGPT and other tools, millions of us have stayed on the sidelines. Are you one of them? Maybe you feel you should be using AI tools, but you don't know where to begin. Or maybe you love AI but find yourself struggling to get your co-workers or employees on board. In How to AI, Mims teaches readers twenty-four simple but eye-opening "laws" about AI and how we should approach it"--

Perl programming in easy steps
McGrath, Mike, 1956-
"Perl Programming in easy steps, 2nd edition illustrates programming basics with variables, operators, and functions before moving on to demonstrate the creation of reusable Perl modules. It then shows how Perl can read and write files on your system. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) with Perl is demonstrated next to emulate real-world object properties and behaviours. The examples in Perl Programming in easy steps, 2nd edition demonstrate how to store and retrieve data with the SQLite database module that is often bundled alongside the standard Perl library. The book then moves on to illustrate how Perl is used for server-side CGI scripting on the internet. A final example brings together Perl for CGI and SQLite to create an online shop. [...] This book makes no assumption that you have previous knowledge of any programming language, so is suitable for a beginner or a programming guru." --

This time next year we'll be laughing : a memoir
Winspear, Jacqueline, 1955-
"After sixteen novels, Jacqueline Winspear has taken the bold step of turning to memoir, revealing the hardships and joys of her family history. Both shockingly frank and deftly restrained, her memoir tackles such difficult, poignant, and fascinating family memories as her paternal grandfather's shellshock, her mother's evacuation from London during the Blitz; her soft-spoken animal-loving father's torturous assignment to an explosives team during WWII; her parents' years living with Romani Gypsies; and Jacqueline's own childhood working on farms in rural Kent, capturing her ties to the land and her dream of being a writer at its very inception. An eye-opening and heartfelt portrayal of a post-War England we rarely see, This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing is the story of a childhood in the English countryside, of working class indomitability and family secrets, of artistic inspiration and the price of memory"--

Home made : a story of grief, groceries, showing up--and what we make when we make dinner
Hauck, Liz,
"Liz Hauck and her dad had a plan to start a weekly cooking program in a residential home for teen-aged boys in state care, which was run by the human services agency he co-directed. When her father died unexpectedly after a brief illness, Liz decided to attempt the cooking project without him. She didn't know what to expect volunteering with court-involved youth, but as a high school teacher she knew that teenagers are drawn to food-related activities, and as a daughter, she believed that if she and the kids made even a single dinner together she could check one box off of her father's long, unfinished to-do list. This is the story of what happened around the table, and how one dinner became one hundred dinners"--

Hotshot : a life on fire
Selby, River,
"From 2000 to 2010, River Selby was a wildland firefighter whose given name was Anastasia. This is a memoir of that time in their life--of Ana, the struggles she encountered, and the contours of what it meant to be female-bodied in a male-dominated profession. By the time they were 19, Selby had been homeless, addicted to drugs, and sexually assaulted more than once. In a last-ditch effort to find direction, they applied to be a wildland firefighter. Two years later, they joined an elite class of specially trained wildland firefighters known as hotshots. Over the course of five fire seasons, Selby delves into the world of the people - almost entirely men - who risk their lives to fight and sometimes prevent wildfires. Simultaneously hyper visible and invisible, Selby navigated an odd mix of camaraderie and rampant sexism on the job and, when they challenged it, a violent closing of ranks that excluded them from the work they'd come to love. Drawing on years of firsthand experience on the frontlines of fire and years of research, Selby examines how the collision of fire suppression policy, colonizations, and climate change has led to fire seasons of unprecedented duration and severity. A work of rare intimacy, Hotshot provides new insight into fire, the people who fight it, and the diversity of ecosystems dependent on this elemental force"-- Dust jacket

Mill town : reckoning with what remains
Arsenault, Kerri,
"A galvanizing and powerful debut, Mill Town is an American story, a human predicament, and a moral wake-up call that asks: what are we willing to tolerate and whose lives are we willing to sacrifice for our own survival? Kerri Arsenault grew up in the rural working class town of Mexico, Maine. For over 100 years the community orbited around a paper mill that employs most townspeople, including three generations of Arsenault's own family. Years after she moved away, Arsenault realized the price she paid for that seemingly secure childhood. The mill, while providing livelihoods for nearly everyone, also contributed to the destruction of the environment and the decline of the town's economic, moral, and emotional health in a slow-moving catastrophe, earning the area the nickname "Cancer Valley." In Mill Town, Arsenault undertakes an excavation of a collective past, sifting through historical archives and scientific reports, talking to family and neighbors, and examining her own childhood to present a portrait of a community that illuminates not only the ruin of her hometown and the collapse of the working-class of America, but also the hazards of both living in and leaving home, and the silences we are all afraid to violate. In exquisite prose, Arsenault explores the corruption of bodies: the human body, bodies of water, and governmental bodies, and what it's like to come from a place you love but doesn't always love you back"--

Dream chasing : my four decades of success and failure with Walt Disney Imagineering
Weis, Bob
"DREAM CHASING is an action-packed journey, a recounting by author Bob Weis of four decades of creating and seeing to completion challenging projects, leading teams from the top secret, high-tech corridors of Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) to the highest levels of The Walt Disney Company"--Front jacket flap

You got anything stronger? : stories
Union, Gabrielle,
"We're Going to Need More Wine... plus a few shots-acclaimed activist, actress, and New York Times bestselling author Gabrielle Union is back with an even more intimate, revealing, and powerful collection of essays"--

The life and times of the thunderbolt kid : a memoir
Bryson, Bill

After perfect : a daughter's memoir
McDowell, Christina

App kid : how a child of immigrants grabbed a piece of the American dream
Sayman, Michael, 1996-
"A memoir from one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, who taught himself how to code as a thirteen-year-old and claimed his share of the American Dream"--

Stripped down : unfiltered and unapologetic
Bunnie Xo, 1980-
"From the trailer parks of Vegas to the mansions of Nashville, Bunnie Xo has lived a lot of lives and seen the darkest sides of humanity. Her memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, is cold, clear evidence that no one is irredeemable. With a heavy dose of humor and a refreshing sense of self-awareness, Bunnie pulls no punches as she shares her journey of redemption while offering some homespun wisdom to those who need a little saving themselves."--

The final frontiersman : Heimo Korth and his family, alone in Alaska's arctic wilderness
Campbell, James, III, 1961-

My first thirty years : a memoir
Beasley, Gertrude, 1892-1955,
Edna "Gertrude" Beasley's original memoir was published in Paris in 1925, but ultimately suppressed and lost to history - until now. In 1927, Beasley - a self-proclaimed socialist and staunch feminist who fought for women's rights - disappeared. Her fate remained a mystery until researchers began digging into her story. This book reveals the story of a woman who grew up in abject poverty in rural Texas during the early 1900s, where she battled ongoing internal wars with herself concerning her family, faith, sexual reckoning, and quest for education at a time when women were not supposed to discuss those things

Undaunted : surviving Jonestown, summoning courage, and fighting back
Speier, Jackie,

Art work : on the creative life
Mann, Sally, 1951-
"The much-anticipated new book by artist and New York Times bestselling author Sally Mann about the challenges and transcendent pleasures of the creative process. Art Work, by photographer and writer Sally Mann, offers a spellbinding mix of wild and illuminating stories, practical (and some impractical) advice, and life lessons for artists and writers--or anyone interested in the creative path. Written in the same frank, fearless, and occasionally outrageous tone of her bestselling memoir, Hold Still, this new book reaffirms Mann as a unique and resonant voice for our times. Illustrated throughout with photographs, journal entries, and letters that bring immediacy and poignancy to the narrative, Art Work is full of thought-provoking insights about the hazards of early promise; the unpredictable role of luck; the value of work, work, work, and more hard work; the challenges of rejection and distraction; the importance of risk-taking; and the rewards of knowing why and when you say yes. In sparkling prose and thoughtfully juxtaposed visuals and ephemera, Art Work is a generous, provocative, and compulsively readable exploration of creativity by one of our most original thinkers." --Dust jacket

Million dollar arm : sometimes to win, you have to change the game
Bernstein, J. B., 1968-
"A TRUE STORY OF FINDING THE AMERICAN DREAM. ABROAD India is a country with more than one billion people, a fanatical national cricket obsession, and exactly zero talent scouts. There, superstar sports agent J. B. Bernstein knew that he could find the Yao Ming of baseball-- someone with a strong arm and enough raw talent to pitch in the major leagues. Almost no one in India is familiar with the game, but Bernstein had heard enough coaches swear that if you gave them a guy who throws a hundred miles an hour, they could teach him how to pitch. So in 2007, Bernstein flew to Mumbai with a radar gun and a plan to find his diamond in the rough. His idea was The Million Dollar Arm, a reality television competition with a huge cash prize and a chance to become the first native of India to sign a contract with an American major-league team. The result is a humorous and inspiring story about three guys transformed: Bernstein, the consummate bachelor and shrewd businessman, and Dinesh and Rinku, the two young men from small farming villages whom he brought home to California. Million Dollar Arm is a timeless reflection on baseball and the American dream, as well as a tale of victory over incredible odds. But, above all, it's about the limitless possibilities inside every one of us"--

Diary of a romantica. Volume I, Lovers forgotten
Martínez, Celia (Poet),

Pillow thoughts II : healing the heart
Peppernell, Courtney,
Following the smash success of her best-selling book, Pillow Thoughts, Courtney Peppernell now returns with the follow-up sequel Pillow Thoughts II: Healing the Heart. Peppernell understands that healing is a process, and Pillow Thoughts II eloquently captures the time and experience that one goes through on their journey to peace through restoration. A collection of inspirational and comforting poems for anyone who is mending from a broken heart

American poetry. The twentieth century

The new one : painfully true stories from a reluctant dad
Birbiglia, Mike,
"Mike Birbiglia never wanted to be a father. In fact, there are seven very specific reasons he never wanted a kid, including his aversion to sticky surfaces and his less-than-ideal genes: he's had Lyme Disease, a bladder tumor, diabetes, and dangerous sleepwalking, to name a few. Not to mention the fact that Mike generally doesn't think people (including himself) are really all that great. Then Mike's wife, poet Jen Hope Stein, becomes infected with the contagion 'baby fever' and convinces him she'll do all of the parenting and that their lives don't have to change because of future baby Oona. Yes, he bought that line. In a hilarious memoir about the trials and tribulations of parenting, Mike Birbiglia shares anecdotes all parents can relate to, including laugh-out-loud observations on the lead up to being a parent, the birth of the baby, and the very messy aftermath of bringing this new one home...for a forever stay! Borne out of and based on his Broadway show The New One, and entirely expanded upon with at least 50% new material for this book, new dad Birbiglia will have you crying from laughter and smiling with joy as he falls in love with baby Oona, despite how smelly she is! Mike's candid thoughts on his reluctance about becoming a dad, what he describes as being the 'pudgy milkless vice president of his family,' laced with Stein's poetry combine to form a heartfelt and hilarious book"--

Felicity
Oliver, Mary, 1935-2019

Against breaking : on the power of poetry
Limón, Ada,
24th Poet Laureate of the United States Ada Limón inspires us to see poetry as much more than just words--as a powerful force for healing, a call to action, and a vibrant celebration of humanity's many voices. Ada Limón--celebrated poet laureate and 2023 MacArthur fellow--takes us on an inspiring journey into a world where poetry is both a soothing balm for the soul and a spark for transformation. With her blend of accessible yet profound prose, Limón delivers a powerful message: poetry has the ability to heal, connect, and remind us of our shared humanity. Limón's mission to make poetry approachable shines brightly in this slim but impactful book. Recognized as a 2024 Time magazine Woman of the Year for her commitment to bringing poetry into everyday lives, Limón passionately argues that poetry is essential to understanding ourselves--our tenderness, courage, imperfections, and our deep, unshakable worthiness of love. Drawing from her own experiences as the 24th US poet laureate, Limón shares how poetry connects us not only to each other but to the natural world. This theme is at the heart of her project You Are Here, which celebrates the beauty of our environment and our place in it. Her prose, like her poetry, feels like an open invitation--welcoming readers of all backgrounds to explore the richness of human experience through verse. Fans of Robin Wall Kimmerer, Matthew Zapruder, or Jesmyn Ward will find a kindred spirit in Against Breaking--which offers a refuge, a reminder of the resilience and beauty found within us and all around us. As Limón writes with heartfelt clarity, "If you need to remember what makes us human, tender, brave, flawed, and worthy of love, you need poetry.--

The lost songs of Nina Simone : poems
Buchanan, Shonda,
""Nina Simone's ghost lives in these poems by award-winning author, Shonda Buchanan. Like the icon's life and art, The Lost Songs of Nina Simone is complex, daring, sensuous, hard and soft all at once." Shonda Buchanan weaves a prism of language, sound and light around and through the life of concert pianist, singer and Civil Rights activist, the incomprehensible Nina Simone. With this book, Buchanan is declaring this The Century of the Black Woman, providing a realistic glimpse into not only Simone's life, but the lives of Black women in America, past and present, and their choices in a myopic, unforgiving country. A grandchild of enslaved Africans, American Indians and Irish migrants, born into poverty as Eunice Waymon in a traditionally large family, Nina Simone lived a life few Black American women lived during the Jim Crow era in the South, yet rose to ultimately impact the world with her creative genius and determined spirit. This book is both an emotional and historical excavation of an artist's life, capturing the rise and descent of that life, including Simone's family history, her childhood and young womanhood, as well as the addiction, mental health struggles and abuse. The Lost Songs of Nina Simone embodies the rich legacy --- the pleats between the cloth --- of Simone's artistry, beauty, self-immolation and rage."--Back cover

Poetics
Aristotle

A century of poetry in the New Yorker : 1925-2025
This poetry anthology from the past 100 years of the New Yorker magazine explores decades of poetry in sections themed by time of day, showcasing verse that reflects cultural moments and the evolving voice of modern society

She's strong, but she's tired
Sin, R. H.,
"A poetic documentation of pain, loneliness, courage, and triumph" --

The hill we climb : an inaugural poem for the country
Gorman, Amanda, 1998-
"On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe. Including an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey, this keepsake celebrates the promise of America and affirms the power of poetry"--

All we can save : truth, courage, and solutions for the climate crisis
"Provocative and illuminating writings from women at the forefront of the climate movement who are harnessing truth, courage, and solutions to lead humanity forward."--page [4] of cover

The tears that taught me
Olivier, Morgan Richard,
The Tears That Taught Me poetry and prose collection guides readers as they dig through the roots of their struggles, truths, faith, and life lessons

Gilgamesh : a new English version

Mixed feelings : poems and stories
Jogia, Avan, 1992-
"From actor Avan Jogia comes a raw and moving collection of poetry, stories, and art about living as a mixed-race person in a world increasingly fixated on racial identity. In Mixed Feelings, Avan Jogia explores his complicated emotions around race, identity, religion, and family through poetry and imagery. Drawing on the author's own life story as well as interviews he's conducted with friends and strangers, Mixed Feelings serves as a dialogue starter for difficult topics that now, more than ever, need to be discussed."--Amazon.com

Into the uncut grass
Noah, Trevor, 1984-
"In the tradition of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse comes a gorgeously illustrated fable about a young child's journey into the world beyond the shadow of home, a magical landscape where he discovers the secrets of sharing, connection, and finding peace with the people we love. Infused with the author's signature wit and imagination, in collaboration with visionary artist Sabina Hahn, it's a tale for readers of all ages--to be read aloud or read alone"--

How to be okay when nothing is okay : tips and tricks that kept me alive, happy, and creative in spite of myself
Lawson, Jenny, 1973-
"Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times-bestselling author Jenny Lawson-aka the Bloggess Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She's a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She's an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The question she's most often asked by people is "How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?" This book is her answer. In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn't working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up. With chapters like "Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra" (sleep, you beautiful human), "Work on Easy Mode" (asking for accommodations is okay!), "Celebrate Good Times, Come On!" (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It's for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and inspirational, it will encourage you not to just survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times"-- Provided by publisher

Hell's heart
Hall, Alexis J.,
"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 dark lord's guide to dating (and other war crimes)
Hunt, Tiffany,
When Dark Lord Kazimir Blackrose kidnaps Lady Arabella for a forced marriage, he expects an obedient, trembling bride. What he gets is a knife to the throat and a furious woman with her own terms. He may need her heroic bloodline to achieve ultimate dominion, but she's not about to make this easy for him. Arabella has already survived her father's tower prison and a lifetime of being treated like property. Being abducted by the realm's most notorious villain is just another Tuesday. If she must be married to the infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) Dark Lord, she'll do it on her terms: freedom within his fortress, hands strictly to himself, and complete honesty about his plans. But when his plans go awry, Kazimir faces his most terrifying challenge yet. He must actually date his own wife. Between magical training sessions, playing golf with the eyeballs of his enemies, and aphrodisiac dinners gone spectacularly wrong, his villainous seduction plans are failing at every turn. As they navigate magical explosions and jealous exes, they discover a far more terrifying prospect than war or magical catastrophe: They might actually be falling for each other

Is this a cry for help?
Austin, Emily (Emily R.),
"Darcy's life turned out better than she could have ever imagined. She is a librarian at the local branch, while her wife Joy runs a book binding service. Between the two of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and bobbles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out their ideal life is two cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake. But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library. When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch's upcoming DEI programs. Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself."--Provided by publisher

Half his age
McCurdy, Jennette, 1992-
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

The mimicking of known successes
Older, Malka, 1977-
"Every once in a while, a book comes along that is both a comfort read and a rousing, fist-pumping adventure, and The Mimicking of Known Successes absolutely is both of those things. An utter triumph."-Charlie Jane Anders The Mimicking of Known Successes presents a cozy Holmesian murder mystery and sapphic romance, set on Jupiter, by Malka Older, author of the critically-acclaimed Centenal Cycle. On a remote, gas-wreathed outpost of a human colony on Jupiter, a man goes missing. The enigmatic Investigator Mossa follows his trail to Valdegeld, home to the colony's erudite university--and Mossa's former girlfriend, a scholar of Earth's pre-collapse ecosystems. Pleiti has dedicated her research and her career to aiding the larger effort towards a possible return to Earth. When Mossa unexpectedly arrives and requests Pleiti's assistance in her latest investigation, the two of them embark on a twisting path in which the future of life on Earth is at stake--and, perhaps, their futures, together.--

Love by the book
George, Jessica, 1994-
"Friendship is the love story you can count on. Remy is lucky. Her debut novel, based on her three best friends, became an instant bestseller when it was released, and her agent and publisher are clamoring for a follow-up. But just as Remy's creative inspiration seems to leave her, so too do her friends: one moves to New York, one gets pregnant, and one gets back together with her (awful) boyfriend. After an ill-advised one-night stand complicates matters further, Remy is left deeply alone--and unable to find her next book idea. Simone is successful. A Kindergarten teacher with a passion for kids, and a well-paying side hustle that affords her all the material comforts she desires, she doesn't have time for a robust social life. All Simone needs is her close-knit family--but after the true nature of her work is revealed, they cut her off, and she realizes for the first time just how isolated she is. When Simone and Remy bump into each other (literally) in a bookstore, it isn't exactly soulmates at first sight. Simone is guarded and prickly, Remy is insecure and heartbroken, and each woman is harboring a secret. And yet they might just be the missing piece the other has been searching for--if only they can let each other in. Can Simone help Remy make one of the most important decisions of her life--and can Remy help Simone recover all that she's lost? In Jessica George's heartwarming, funny, and soulful second novel, she explores the restorative nature of female friendship and the life-changing power of platonic love." --

Small towns U.S.A. : 100 must-see getaways across the United States
Darling, Brenna,
"Explore the United States, a nation of small towns"-- Provided by publisher

Everyone in the group chat dies
Chilton, L. M.,
Kirby Cornell needs a break from everything: her crumbling apartment, her dead-end job, her sleazy landlord, her messy roommates, and, most of all, the terrible thing they all did. Luckily, that hasn't caught up with her just yet. Until a new message on their old group chat pops up: "Everyone in the group chat dies". It's the first text her ex-roommate Esme has sent for ages, but that's not the really weird thing. The really weird thing is that Esme died twelve months ago.

The homemade pie cookbook : 100 pie, tart, and galette recipes for every season
Klynstra, Laura,
"This beautiful and accessible cookbook offers 100+ sweet and savory pie recipes and gives bakers the confidence and skills to make delicious pies to enjoy with those they love. Includes full-color photos of each recipe"--

Missed connections
Runyan, Aimie K.,
"Sabrina Sorensen is 37, single, and just lost a fabulous job as manager of a posh Parisian restaurant. She heads home to California for her younger sister's engagement party, and it's an open door for her mother and siblings to chide Sabrina for her inability to commit to any of her previous jobs and relationships. What they don't know is that Sabrina, for fifteen long years, has been building her résumé in hopes of becoming an inspector for the famed MICHELIN guides--a path that has required keeping her ambitions hidden, even from her family. And, with the job loss, all she's worked for is in jeopardy. After her mother's final clumsy attempt to fix her up with the charming "boy next door," Sabrina leaves the party and retreats to the Burbank Airport. The problem? She has nowhere to go. She arrives at the airport, resolved to put the family conflict behind her and focus on her work, but now her mother's critical voice fills her with doubts. Has she been wasting her life? Faced with the enormity of her next decision, Sabrina breaks down at the ticket counter. The ticket agent pulls her aside and offers her the life-altering opportunity to revisit some of her key life choices, both personal and professional. Sabrina suddenly is given the rare chance to answer the burning question: has she been foolish to sacrifice so much for her dream of becoming a Michelin inspector? And will a spark with an aspiring Danish chef change her priorities altogether?" --

Play mahjong! : an all-levels guide to American mahjong
Gross, Alyssa,
Mahjong is an intellectually stimulating game of strategy that can sharpen the minds of people of all ages as it brings them together. Play Mahjong! is your comprehensive guide to the American version of the game, packed with interactive step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, tricks, and fun facts designed to enhance your playing experience. This entertaining and immersive look into mahjong also explores the rich history and cultural significance of the game and its ability to build a community among players

Where they wait
Carson, Scott, 1982-
"Recently laid-off from his newspaper and desperate for work, war correspondent Nick Bishop takes a humbling job: writing a profile of a new mindfulness app called Clarity. It's easy money, and a chance to return to his hometown for the first time in years. The app itself seems like a retread of old ideas--relaxing white noise and guided meditations. But then there are the "Sleep Songs." A woman's hauntingly beautiful voice sings a ballad that is anything but soothing--it's disturbing, and more of a warning than a relaxation--but it works. Deep, refreshing sleep follows. So do the nightmares. Vivid and chilling, they feature a dead woman who calls Nick by name and whispers guidance--or are they threats? And her voice follows him long after the song is done. As the effects of the nightmares begin to permeate his waking life, Nick makes a terrifying discovery: no one involved with Clarity has any interest in his article. Their interest is in him."--Amazon

And now, back to you
Borison, B. K.,
"Two competing meteorologists are forced to find common ground in this opposites attract, When Harry Met Sally inspired romance, from New York Times bestselling author B.K. Borison. Jackson Clark and Delilah Stewart have had their fair share of run-ins over the years, often ending in disaster. While Jackson thrives on routine and organization from the comfort of his radio booth, Delilah loves the spontaneity and adventure out in the field. When they're partnered against their will to cover the snowstorm of the century, they find themselves scrambling to figure out how to work together. Eager to be taken seriously as a journalist, Delilah offers Jackson a deal. If he can help her ace this assignment, she'll help him rediscover his long-lost fun side. With an undiscovered chemistry burning beneath their clashes, the unlikely partnership quickly tumbles into an easy and surprising friendship. But when other feelings start to enter the equation, can Jackson and Delilah withstand the storm? Or does what happens in the mountains, stay in the mountains?"-- Provided by publisher

Literary journeys : mapping fictional travels across the world of literature
A beautifully illustrated guide to over seventy-five important journeys in world literature, spanning more than thirty countries and twenty-five hundred years. From Homer's Odyssey, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, and Cervantes's Don Quixote to Melville's Moby-Dick, Kerouac's On the Road, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah, some of the most powerful works of fiction center on a journey. Extending to the ends of the earth and spanning from ancient Greece to today, Literary Journeys is an enthralling book that takes you on a voyage of discovery through some of the most important journeys in literature. In original essays, an international team of literary critics, scholars, and other writers explore exciting, dangerous, tragic, and uplifting journeys in more than seventy-five classic and popular works of fiction from around the world. Chronologically arranged and gorgeously illustrated throughout with paintings, engravings, photographs, and maps in full color, this captivating book will appeal to readers who have travelled widely, who are planning a trip, or who love armchair travel

A pair of aces
Benedict, Marie,
"A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law--a prosecutor and a madam--who team up to bring down notorious gangster Lucky Luciano, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian. Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan's first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City's five largest organized crime families. Other prosecutors have tried to bring down Lucky, but they've all focused on the crime syndicate's traditional businesses-bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking, and drug dealing-or tax evasion. No one has thought to approach the mob through its hand in prostitution. Until Eunice. But she can't get Luciano alone. Polly Adler has worked long and hard to build up her high-class brothel business. Her client list is filled with well-known names, both the famous and the infamous, who all know her booze is top-notch, her music first-rate, her food exquisite, and her girls the best. But Lucky has gone too far, putting her girls in danger, and Polly finally sees the chance to end his reign once and for all. Together, Eunice and Polly fashion a case utilizing a network of women. Bridging the enormous divide between them and risking their own lives, they assemble evidence bit by bit, under the nose of the man they're trying to convict. It is this very alliance-of two women from vastly different worlds-that launches the most sensational trial New York City has ever seen"-- Provided by publisher

Audrey Lane stirs the pot
Hall, Alexis J.,
"A charming new LGBTQIA+ romcom from the bestselling author of BOYFRIEND MATERIAL. Audrey Lane is perfectly fine. Really. So what if she left her high-powered job as a Very Important Journalist-and her even higher-powered long-term girlfriend-to live a quiet life as a reporter for the second-biggest newspaper in Shropshire? And so what if she keeps hearing that same higher-powered long-term now-ex-girlfriend in her head night and day, constantly judging just how small Audrey's allowed her life to become? She's fine. She's happy. She's perfectly within her groove. Do not-in-their-groove people get weekday drunk and impulsively apply for the UK's most beloved baking show? All right, so maybe she's not completely fine, but being on Bake Expectations is opening her world again in ways she never anticipated. First through fellow contestant Doris, whose personal story of queer love during WW2 captures Audrey's heart, imagination and journalistic interest like nothing has in ages. Then through Jennifer Hallet, the most foul-tempered (and fouler-mouthed) producer, woman, and menace Audrey has ever met. Jennifer should be off-limits, but her fire lights something unexpected inside of Audrey, making her want to burn back a million times brighter. A million times hotter. A million times more herself than she's been in a long, long time"-- Provided by publisher

Crochet how : simple stitches, patterns, and tips
Fernandes, Meghan,
The perfect learn-to-crochet book for beginners, from the creators of the premier knit and crochet brand Pom Pom. Crochet How takes new crocheters through the basics so they can develop their skills and increase their crochet confidence with each new project. The book's friendly teaching style, clear instructions, and easy to make patterns are specifically designed to make starting out fun and to inspire new crocheters to stick with the craft. Following in the footsteps of Knit How, Pom Pom's classic beginning knitting guide, Crochet How demonstrates key first stitches and helps readers build their skills while progressing at their own pace. With 15 trendy and fun patterns, and endless possibilities for customizing, Crochet How keeps readers motivated and inspired as they stitch their way through the projects and master a new craft. Pom Pom is well-known for their exciting use of color, and these new crochet designs do not disappoint. Start with an easy throw blanket, scarf, or tote, then complete your new crocheted collection by stitching up a cute hat, a sweet cowl, pullover, crop top, and granny square creations galore

The house of hidden letters
Broom, Isabelle, 1979-
"Skye MacKinnon is desperate for an escape. When she wins a lottery to buy a run-down cottage on a Greek island for only one euro, Skye jumps at the chance to get out of England and start over. As she unlocks the tattered blue door of her whitewashed new cottage, the sun-kissed sea glinting in the bay outside her windows, Skye immediately feels like she's found her true home. Skye and the other lottery winners--the first residents in these houses since the 1940s--form a tight-knit group, finding in one another the strong relationships they'd been missing in their own lives. When Skye and local contractor Andreas discover a set of mysterious letters, they begin to unravel the history of the prior residents and the truth about life on Folegandros during the Second World War"-- Provided by publisher

The let them theory : a life-changing tool that millions of people can't stop talking about
Robbins, Mel, 1968-
"If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words--Let Them--will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands--and this book will show you exactly how to do it. [Robbins] teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly matters: YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life. Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions andhow you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact"--

Astro herbalism : holistic wellness and self-discovery through herbalism and astrology
Rosset, Jessica,
"Explore the relationships between celestial bodies, astrological signs, and herbal remedies to embark on a journey self-discovery and holistic wellness. Astrology provides us with a roadmap of the soul, illuminating our individual strengths, challenges, and potential for growth. Herbalism invites us to commune with the plant kingdom to nourish our bodies, minds, and spirits. By combining these disciplines, we gain a deeper understanding of the role we play within the cosmic web of existence. Learn about the unique qualities of each celestial body and corresponding astrological signs -- from the radiant energy of the Sun to the transformative depths of Pluto -- and uncover the ways they shape our inner psyche and outer experiences. Discover the therapeutic properties of plants aligned with each celestial body and learn how to use them to restore balance and enhance mental and physical well-being. With illuminating insights and expert guidance, Astro Herbalism blends ancient wisdom with contemporary practices to create a practical tool for self-care." --

The healing power of resilience : a new prescription for health and well-being
Narula, Tara,
"A revolutionary, science-backed approach to living well from ABC News chief medical correspondent and cardiologist Dr. Tara Narula, that bridges the gap between our physical and mental health to show how resilience is the key to both. As the number one leading cause of death in the United States, heart disease has several common prescriptions from cardiologists, such as medication, surgery, diet, and exercise. There is, however, one treatment that is consistently overlooked: resilience. We need resilience to get us to face new diagnoses, to show up to doctor's appointments, to take those medications, to make it through surgery (and to recover from it), and to stick to that diet or new workout plan"--

Mattering : the secret to a life of deep connection and purpose
Wallace, Jennifer Breheny,
"From award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jennifer Wallace comes Mattering-a landmark book that introduces a transformative new framework to confront the loneliness, burnout, and lack of purpose so many of us face today"-- Provided by publisher

The new menopause : navigating your path through hormonal change with purpose, power, and facts
Haver, Mary Claire,
"Menopause is inevitable, but suffering through it is not! This is the empowering approach to self-advocacy that pioneering women's health advocate Dr. Mary Claire Haver takes for women in the midst of hormonal change in The New Menopause. A comprehensive, authoritative book of science-backed information and lived experience, it covers every woman's needs: From changes in your appearance and sleep patterns to neurological, musculoskeletal, psychological, and sexual issues, a comprehensive A-Z toolkit of science-backed options for coping with symptoms. What to do to mediate the risks associated with your body's natural drop in estrogen production, including for diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain. How to advocate and prepare for annual midlife wellness visits, including questions for your doctor and how to insist on whole life care. The very latest research on the benefits and side effects of hormone replacement therapy. Arming women with the power to secure vibrant health and well-being for the rest of their lives, The New Menopause is sure to become the bible of midlife wellness for present and future generations"--

The new perimenopause : an evidence-based guide to surviving the zone of chaos and feeling like yourself again
Haver, Mary Claire,
"The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The New Menopause explains everything a woman needs to know to thrive during the often-misdiagnosed and medically ignored perimenopausal years. "I'm just not feeling like myself!" This is the battle cry of the perimenopausal woman. Though menstrual cycle changes and the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies them are the hallmarks of the transition to menopause, many women with regular periods as young as 35 can also start to feel irregular, with symptoms that include anxiety, fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, sexual symptoms, and volatile moods. This array of symptoms can be hugely disruptive--all the more so when a doctor dismisses a woman's complaints as all in her head or prescribes unnecessary and potentially harmful treatment. In The New Perimenopause, Dr. Mary Claire Haver--the trailblazing voice behind the movement to revolutionize health care for women--sets things straight. She explains that the numerous and varied symptoms of perimenopause occur in direct response to normal endocrine changes; this is the hormonal "zone of chaos." A comprehensive, authoritative book of science-backed information and lived experience, The New Perimenopause includes: Clear, science-backed explanations of what's going on in your body, from changes in your menstrual cycle to energy levels, mood, sleep, and sexual issues. How and why dealing with these changes now is preventative medicine for your later years. Checklists, questions for your doctor, and how to insist on good care. The very latest research on the benefits and side effects of progesterone therapy to help ease your hormonal transition. Whether you have symptoms or not, The New Perimenopause helps remove the mystery around this time of change, putting women in control of their health going forward." --

Eat your ice cream : six simple rules for a long and healthy life
Emanuel, Ezekiel J., 1957-
Every day brings a torrent of articles, videos, and podcasts about health and longevity. The "Wellness Industrial Complex" offers conflicting advice and promises us more time to enjoy in the future but it sure is demanding a lot of time right now. In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned health expert Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel argues that life is not a competition to live the longest, and that "wellness" shouldn't be difficult; it should be an invisible part of one's lifestyle that yields maximum health benefits with the least work. Dr. Emanuel cuts through the noise with wit and good humor, giving readers just what they need: simple, high-impact, evidence-based guidelines to issues such as food and drink, exercise, sleep, mental acuity, and social engagement. Pairing common sense with uncommon wisdom based on his decades of expertise and experience, Dr. Emanuel helps readers decide which lifestyle changes are worth making and how to best implement them. --

A nourishing perspective : reconnect with your inner voice and harmonize your relationship with food
Cotton, Lee,
Registered dietitian and mind-body wellness expert Lee Cotton aids women in reconnecting with their bodies' natural rhythms and hunger cues. She thoughtfully dives into the complexities of women's emotional connections to food to help them undo generational patterns of disordered eating habits without resorting to fad dieting or extreme workouts. Cotton's evidence-based and personable approach provides immediate relief for women who have engaged in a cycle of restrictive and tenuous dieting regimens. With her knowledge, readers will learn to nourish their bodies throughout the various life cycles of womanhood (i.e., childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and menopause) and achieve emotional and physical harmony with food. With a warm and sincere tone, A Nourishing Perspective invites readers to learn how to set goals, identify their specific nutritional needs, and address physical changes in their bodies with love and compassion. Cotton inspires open-ended conversation that encourages the reader to connect with their own body's cues and signals, enabling them to make choices that replenish their bodies. --from Amazon

What's true about you : 7 steps to move beyond your painful past and manifest your brightest future
Thomas, Katherine Woodward,
"What if healing your past isn't enough to create the future you desire? We've been taught that healing is the key to freedom--that if we fix what's broken, we'll finally get to live the lives we long for. But while healing your past can save your life, it won't necessarily change your life. Healing and transformation are not the same. This book is the missing bridge between trauma recovery and the manifestation of your most expansive life. With wisdom and compassion,Thomas guides us through her radically effective, seven-step process to release false beliefs born of past pain and awaken the True Youthat's been wanting to emerge--clear, empowered, and capable of creating a life rooted in love, purpose, and possibility."--Provided by publisher

The cure for everything : the epic struggle for public health and a radical vision for human thriving
Williams, Michelle A. (Epidemiologist),
"Public health is an unusual discipline -- a combination of science, sociology, politics, and logistics--with a simple goal: to create the conditions for human thriving. At the moment, Americans, regardless of what macroeconomic statistics might suggest, are decidedly not thriving: from our failed covid response to our epidemics of depression and isolation to our inadequate healthcare system, Americans are in a state of deep malaise. Michelle Williams, one of the country's true innovators in public health, reaches back into the past to draw out the lessons that public health has to offer for our time and into the future. She tells the hidden history of public health in America--how radicals and renegades from WEB DuBois to Jane Addams to the activists of ACT UP helped lead what she calls "the great escape" from human suffering that is at the heart of the public health mission. As she takes readers from one dramatic story to the next, she draws out the lessons that apply to our time, and makes the compelling argument that it is public health, rather than standard economic metrics or partisan politics, that should drive our country's policies and political culture -- and that if we fail to prioritize health and well-being for everyone, we have failed as a society. She ends by pointing to the ideas and policies that have the potential to transform this country and fulfill our founding creed--to "promote the general welfare for ourselves and our posterity." Here is a dramatic, sweeping history that enables us to better understand the past--the victories, defeats, and tipping points that compelled us to take action--and what we need to do in the future to address new and novel threats, and complete the unfinished business of public health"-- Provided by publisher

Optimize : a groundbreaking 7-step plan to health and longevity through quantum biology
Clinton, Catherine, Dr,
"What if the key to better health isn't just in what you eat or how much you exercise--but in how you interact with the world around you? Optimize reveals the cutting-edge science of quantum biology, showing how light, water, sound, and even human energy directly influence your body at the cellular level. We are biologically wired to exchange energy with our environment--yet modern life has severed this essential connection. Sunlight directs hormone signaling and immune function. Electrical fields guide cellular repair. Sound waves can alter the structure of water inside our bodies. Even walking barefoot on the earth reduces inflammation. In this groundbreaking book by quantum biology expert and naturopathic physician Dr. Catherine Clinton, you'll... How to harness natural energy sources for optimal health The surprising role of light and sound in cellular function Quantum biology's impact on longevity, immunity, and vitality Simple, science-backed practices to reconnect with your body's natural intelligence Rooted in the latest research, Optimize presents a revolutionary new paradigm for wellness--one that empowers you to align with nature's forces for deep healing, increased energy, and a longer, healthier life"-- Goodreads

How to live a meaningful life : using design thinking to unlock purpose, joy, and flow every day
Burnett, Bill, 1957-
How to Live a Meaningful Life is a nonfiction self-help book by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans that explores approaches to finding meaning and purpose in everyday life. Drawing on design thinking principles developed through Stanford University's Life Design Lab, the authors examine contemporary research on well-being and personal fulfillment. The book presents practical strategies for cultivating qualities such as engagement, coherence, community, and reflection, with the goal of helping readers make intentional choices about how they live and work. Emphasizing small, actionable steps, the authors offer tools intended to support personal growth and life satisfaction

Spirituality through a highly sensitive lens : an objective look at meditation methods and enlightenment
Aron, Elaine,
"Dr. Elaine Aron, world-renowned author of the groundbreaking, internationally bestselling classic The Highly Sensitive Person, gives readers everything they need to find their path toward peace, equanimity, and simply feeling okay--no matter what's happening in the world around them and how overwhelming it may be. The seeker culture of the 1960s was the catalyst for what Aron sees as a quiet spiritual revolution, like a distant supernova, visible only now. Exploring new spiritual paths, more and more people were able to shift into a state of profound inner peace, clearer focus, and nearly unshakeable calm, even amid challenging times. Those paths to enlightenment worked for them. So, how do the rest of us get there? In her most personal book yet, Dr. Aron offers the first ever objective overview of meditation methods and paths to enlightenment. Sharing practical explanations of spiritual practices as well as her own experiences from fifty-five years of meditation practice, she helps readers better understand the form of spirituality that suits them best. She also delves into the recent brain research regarding this end state, this shift that can occur. Highly sensitive people, with their natural depth of thinking and feeling, as well as their greater need for inner peace, are instinctively drawn to such a spiritual journey, but this is a book for everyone. With Dr. Aron's signature empathy and profound caring, as well as her attention to science, this one-of-a-kind guide will help all of us embark on our own spiritual journey"--

Humor me : how laughing more can make you present, creative, connected, and happy
Duffy, Chris (Comedian),
Chris Duffy, a comedy writer and podcast host, examines the role of humor in personal well-being, creativity, and social connection. Drawing on personal experiences, including his time as a schoolteacher, as well as observations from comedy, psychology, and the social sciences, Duffy explores how humor can be developed as a skill rather than treated as an innate trait. The book combines autobiographical anecdotes with practical guidance on recognizing humor in everyday situations, taking social risks to foster connection, and using comedic principles to navigate challenges. It presents humor as a tool for resilience, communication, and self-reflection in contemporary life

Enough : your health, your weight, and what it's like to be free
Jastreboff, Ania M.,
"For her entire adult life, Oprah Winfrey has struggled with her weight. She never thought in her lifetime, medicines would provide hope, health, and healing for people like her. But as her conversations with Dr. Ania Jastreboff from the Yale School of Medicine reveal, we've learned that having obesity is not a choice. It's not a question of willpower. Obesity is a disease. It's a question of biology, created by our bodies' need to survive and the environment we created and now live in. And it's treatable. The new medications can lower our body fat set point (our brain's "Enough Point"), so that we lose weight without battling biology with willpower. Dr. Jastreboff describes strategies to optimize health and manage side effects all with the reassuring perspective of decades of experience treating patients with obesity and leading studies with these medications. Many of her patients say the "food noise" that plagued them for years has evaporated. They describe a new freedom from intrusive, persistent, and disruptive thoughts about food. With treatment they begin a journey of healing with self-compassion, devoid of the shame and blame they've endured from society for decades. Oprah says she's learned so much from Dr. Jastreboff about how, when it comes to weight, our bodies work with us--and also against us. How each of our struggles are different and each of our choices in living with obesity may also be different. Dr. Jastreboff's groundbreaking research offers a new way forward, not only for obesity treatment, but also for overall health, with significant implications for the prevention and reversal of hundreds of related diseases. As she demonstrates in this book, when science meets empathy, real healing becomes possible. Yes, there is a path to healing and leading the life you have always wanted, when your brain is reassured that you have "enough." -- Provided by the publisher

How to be okay when nothing is okay : tips and tricks that kept me alive, happy, and creative in spite of myself
Lawson, Jenny, 1973-
"Warm, insightful, and witty, the first book of advice from New York Times-bestselling author Jenny Lawson-aka the Bloggess Jenny Lawson is full of contradictions. She's a celebrated author but battles self-doubt, paralysis, and anxiety. She's an award-winning humorist but struggles with treatment-resistant depression. The question she's most often asked by people is "How do you do it? How do you keep going even when it feels impossible? How do you keep creating?" This book is her answer. In How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay, Jenny shares one hundred humorous, heartfelt, and genuine tools and tricks that she relies on to keep her going even when her brain isn't working properly due to depression, anxiety, and ADHD. She also offers tips to stay passionate and focused on creative endeavors, especially when everything around you is saying to give up. With chapters like "Wash Your Brain More Than You Wash Your Bra" (sleep, you beautiful human), "Work on Easy Mode" (asking for accommodations is okay!), "Celebrate Good Times, Come On!" (make it a habit to celebrate the good things), and many more, How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is a balm and companion, reminding us all that we are not alone. It's for anyone who struggles with self-doubt, guilt, motivation, and mental blocks and wants to rekindle their passion for creating. Funny, simple, empathetic, and inspirational, it will encourage you not to just survive but to find and curate joy in the face of difficult times"-- Provided by publisher

Be your own bestie : a no-nonsense guide to changing the way you treat yourself
Brown, Misha,
"You deserve happiness. You deserve hope. And you deserve a sassy best friend who can help you learn not to settle for less. It's time to start loving yourself radically. And Misha Brown-you may know him as @yourbestiemisha-is here to guide you along your journey of self-discovery, accountability, and most importantly, self-love. With his no-nonsense (but always loving) approach, Misha shares stories from his own life, encounters with others, and the wisdom gleaned from them to help you release the patterns, relationships, and beliefs that have kept you from stepping into your full fabulousness. With equal parts hilarity and heart, Misha's S.A.S.S. Method to glowing up your life consists of: S - Self-reflection: Turn your focus inward to push away what's been holding you back A - Affirmations: Reshape the way you speak to and about yourself S - Standing your ground: Set boundaries and stop apologizing S - Sculpting the life you want: Take bold steps toward your own happily ever after No matter where you are today, now is the time to begin showing up for yourself as your own best friend. Because you deserve it, bestie!" --

Empire of madness : reimagining western mental health care for everyone
Kidia, Khameer,
"In Empire of Madness, Dr. Khameer Kidia re-evaluates the Western approach to mental health, which medicates symptoms instead of changing the structures that harm the human psyche. A physician and researcher whose own family suffers from the psychological effects of colonialism, Kidia highlights the limitations of the Western mental health model by reporting from the front lines of mental health crises at home, in the clinic, and during a decade of fieldwork." -- Amazon.com

The new rules of women's health : your guide to thriving at every age
Rabbitt, Meghan,
"A vital guide to the most pressing health concerns women face-including fertility, menstrual health, chronic pain, menopause, and beyond. The medical field has long ignored women's unique health needs, assuming our bodies are the same as men's. But this couldn't be further from the truth. Based on the latest solely women-centered research and insights from the world's top female health experts, The New Rules of Women's Health is the accurate, comprehensive, and empowering resource you need to take charge of your wellbeing. It covers everything you should know to make the best decisions for your health, including: - How to tell if your period symptoms are "normal"-or when they're a sign of an underlying condition - The underrecognized signs of hormonal imbalance and what you need to do to regulate - Science-backed strategies to preserve your fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy if decide to start a family - What to expect during perimenopause-including the health conditions women are at increased risk for after menopause-and how to manage your symptoms so you can navigate this transition feeling stronger and more confident than ever - The important differences in how various diseases develop in women-from why we're more susceptible to autoimmune disease and tend to feel pain more intensely, to why we suffer from heart disease and Alzheimer's in disproportionate rates-and the best tips for prevention - What the newest science says about optimizing your health and diet before disease strikes, from how to get better quality sleep to what workouts you should be doing at every age - How to find women-focused healthcare providers you trust The time is now to take charge. The New Rules of Women's Health is your resource for life"-- Provided by publisher

Heal faster : unlock your body's rapid recovery reflex
Maizes, Victoria,
"Drawing on forty years of medical experience and cutting-edge research, Dr. Maizes shows that recovery may be possible for a wide range of conditions when you know how to support your body's natural healing processes. From short-term ailments like colds and sprains to chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes to recovering from surgery, this book offers evidence-based strategies to heal faster and more completely"--Flap page 1 of dust jacket

The 30-day inflammatory reset : a complete guide to healing your immune system
Redd, Josh,
The 30-Day Inflammatory Reset presents a structured program focused on understanding and managing chronic inflammation. Drawing on clinical practice, the book outlines a 30-day plan that includes lifestyle activities, physical exercises, self-care approaches, dietary changes, and therapeutic strategies. It examines both potential causes and effects of inflammation, including physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors. The text also discusses how inflammation may affect multiple body systems and offers methods for identifying individual inflammation triggers. Included are 94 anti-inflammatory recipes designed to support long-term dietary changes. The book is intended for general readers interested in health maintenance, chronic condition management, and preventive wellness

The power of real optimism : a practical, science-based guide to staying resilient, curious, and open even when life is hard
Chopra, Deepika,
"Optimism isn't about pretending everything is fine. It's about staying open and flexible-especially when it's not. In this fresh, science-backed debut, professional psychologist and media expert Dr. Deepika Chopra shows us how to build the kind of optimism that can actually withstand real life"--

Sun Tzu the art of war for health & longevity : the warrior's way to wellness
Yang, Y. Tony,
"Use Sun Tzu's timeless strategies to battle illness and promote health and wellness! This innovative guide applies the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu's The Art of War to personal health and wellness. Y. Tony Yang, a public health and policy expert, transforms the general's five pillars into specific battle plans centered on nutrition, exercise, self-care, work-life balance and prevention. We all know to eat well and exercise, but our forces need to be built up in more definable and actionable ways. Reduce inflammatory markers? Improve sleep efficiency? Increase stress resilience? That's the start of a customized health-centered battle plan, all supported by: Case studies laying out specific regimens: stability training, strength exercises and cardiovascular options Charts presenting each chapter's key points and posing essential questions for formulating your battle plan Personal risk factor assessments and adaptable nutrition programs offering models to integrate "The five factors are not separate matters," Sun Tzu wrote. "The wise general sees them as a single integrated reality." Wise generals never go to war with their own bodies but defend instead their most valuable territory, the body and its sustained health success"--

Born to flourish : how new science and ancient wisdom reveal a simple path to thriving
Davidson, Richard J.,
"In a world pulling our thoughts and emotions in so many directions, Born to Flourish offers a way to turn stress and anxiety into clarity and calm. Renowned neuroscientists and contemplative teachers Richard J. Davidson and Cortland Dahl bring us a powerful program rooted in decades of research from the Center for Healthy Minds and the non-profit Humin. Focusing on four transformative practices, they bring us key tools to help train our brains to overcome depression, despair, and loneliness."--Amazon
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