Brantford Public Library: History and Current Events: January 2026

Recent Releases

We the Raptors: 30 Players, 30 Stories, 30 Years
by Eric Smith

We the Raptors: Thirty Players, Thirty Stories, Thirty Years is about the grinders, glue guys, bench heroes, and more. Alvin Williams, José Calderón, T. J. Ford, Jonas Valanciunas, Danny Green—whether regular or part-time starters, role players, key cogs, or even short-term stars—all of them felt blessed to call Canada home.

The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World
by Tilar J. Mazzeo

The true story of the first female captain of a merchant ship and her treacherous navigation of Antarctica's deadly waters, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot.

The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics
by Michael T. Osterholm

As bad as Covid-19 was, the next pandemic could be worse—but we have the tools to prepare, as revealed in this urgent, gripping warning by the New York Times bestselling authors of Deadliest Enemy.

The Great Chinese Art Heist: Imperialism, Organized Crime, and the Hidden Story of China's Stolen Artistic Treasures
by Ralph Pezzullo

The extraordinary story of the theft of priceless Chinese antiques around the world and the connection to crimes spanning more than two centuries—with present-day implications.

Daring to Be Free: Rebellion and Resistance of the Enslaved in the Atlantic World
by Sudhir Hazareesingh

Historian and Black Spartacus author Sudhir Hazareesingh's thought-provoking revisionist history eschews Eurocentric notions of abolition to reveal the forgotten ways in which enslaved Africans and African Americans actively resisted their captors in thought and deed. Further reading: Brooding Over Bloody Revenge: Enslaved Women's Lethal Resistance by Nikki M. Taylor.

Barbieland: The Unauthorized History
by Tarpley Hitt

Journalist Tarpley Hitt's funny and engaging debut details the origins, evolution, and cultural impact of the iconic Barbie doll, which launched in 1959. For fans of: Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl by Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks.

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
by Walter Isaacson

Bestselling biographer Walter Isaacson (Steve Jobs) turns his attention to the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence (which begins with "We hold these truths to be self-evident..."), offering a word-by-word breakdown of its significance. Published to coincide with the document's 250th anniversary, this "short, smart analysis" (Kirkus Reviews) will appeal to fans of The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen.

Family of Spies: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History...
by Christine Kuehn

Journalist Christine Kuehn's fast-paced debut details how she learned her grandfather, Otto Kuehn, was a Nazi intelligence agent whose family was sent to pre-World War II Hawaii after his half-Jewish daughter's affair with Joseph Goebbels was discovered. Try this next: Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance by Joe Dunthorne.

Bring Me the Head of Joaquin Murrieta: The Bandit Chief Who Terrorized California and Launched the Legend of Zorro
by John Boessenecker

New York Times bestselling author and award-winning historian John Boessenecker—as seen on Netflix’s Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War—brings the authoritative account of one of the most notorious outlaws of the West.

Contact your librarian for more great books!