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Notable Non-fiction January 2018
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New and Recently Released
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Bunk : The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-facts, and Fake News by Kevin YoungThe award-winning author of The Grey Album traces the history of the hoax as a distinct American phenomenon, exploring the roles of stereotype, suspicion and racism as factors that have shaped fraudulent activities from the heyday of P. T. Barnum through the "fake news" activities of Donald Trump. In this brilliant and timely work, Young asks what it means to live in a post-factual world of “truthiness” where everything is up for interpretation and everyone is subject to a pervasive cynicism that damages our ideas of reality, fact, and art.
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We Were Eight Years in Power : An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi CoatesA compelling portrait of the historic Barack Obama era, We Were Eight Years in Power features Coates’s iconic essays first published in The Atlantic, including “Fear of a Black President,” “The Case for Reparations,” and “The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration,” along with eight fresh essays that revisit each year of the Obama administration through Coates’s own experiences, observations, and intellectual development, capped by a bracingly original assessment of the election that fully illuminated the tragedy of the Obama era. We Were Eight Years in Power is a vital account of modern America, from one of the definitive voices of this historic moment.
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What Unites Us : Reflections on Patriotism by Dan RatherThe Emmy Award-winning veteran journalist shares passionate essays about what it means to be an American and the relevance of patriotism in today's world, exploring subjects ranging from the institutions that support the nation, major events from that past half century and how the country can better unite to secure a collective future. As a living witness to historical change, he offers up an intimate view of history, tracing where we have been in order to help us chart a way forward and heal our bitter divisions. With a fundamental sense of hope, What Unites Us is the book to inspire conversation and listening, and to remind us all how we are, finally, one.
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Playing With Fire : The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics by Lawrence O'DonnellThe celebrated host of MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell presents an account of the 1968 presidential election to evaluate its lasting influence on American politics and the Democratic party, exploring the pivotal roles of RFK and McCarthy, two high-profile assassinations and the Chicago riots. The tone was set for Watergate and all else that was to follow, all the way through to today.
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A Moonless, Starless Sky : Ordinary Women and Men Fighting Extremism in Africa by Alexis OkeowoIn A Moonless, Starless Sky, Okeowo weaves together four narratives that form a powerful tapestry of modern Africa: a young couple, kidnap victims of Joseph Kony's LRA; a Mauritanian waging a lonely campaign against modern-day slavery; a women's basketball team flourishing amid war-torn Somalia; and a vigilante who takes up arms against the extremist group Boko Haram. This debut book by one of America's most acclaimed young journalists illuminates the inner lives of ordinary people doing the extraordinary--lives that are too often hidden, underreported, or ignored by the rest of the world.
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Reading the Rocks : How Victorian Geologists Discovered the Secret of Life by Brenda MaddoxAcclaimed biographer and science writer Brenda Maddox's story goes beyond William Smith, the father of English geology; Charles Lyell, the father of modern geology; and James Hutton, whose analysis of rock layers unveiled what is now called “deep time.” She also explores the livesof fossil hunter Mary Anning, the Reverend William Buckland, Darwin, and many others--their triumphs and disappointments, and the theological, philosophical, and scientific debates their findings provoked. Reading the Rocks illustrates in absorbing and revelatory details how this group of early geologists changed irrevocably our understanding of the world.
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Soonish : Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything by Kelly WeinersmithWhat will the world of tomorrow be like? How does progress happen? And why do we not have a lunar colony already? What is the hold-up? In this smart and funny book, celebrated cartoonist Zach Weinersmith and noted researcher Dr. Kelly Weinersmith give us a snapshot of what's coming next -- from robot swarms to nuclear fusion powered-toasters. By weaving their own research, interviews with the scientists who are making these advances happen, and Zach's trademark comics, the Weinersmiths investigate why these technologies are needed, how they would work, and what is standing in their way.
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Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans : The Battle that Shaped America's Destiny by Brian KilmeadeA high-energy portrait of the seventh American president focuses on his formative military prowess during the War of 1812 and his pivotal contributions to the capturing of New Orleans from the British. As they did in their two previous bestsellers, Kilmeade and Yaeger make history come alive with a riveting true story that will keep you turning the pages. You’ll finish with a new understanding of one of our greatest generals and a renewed appreciation for the brave men who fought so that America could one day stretch “from sea to shining sea.”
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Friday, January 19 Painting Antarctica 7:00 p.m. Local resident and artist Pierre Bernay shares his journey to paint Antarctica. Slide presentation included. Enroll online or at the library. Thursday, January 25 Cranbury Reads Book Swap Party 7:00 p.m. Bring a wrapped book (used, in good condition is fine) to swap with another at our book swap party! When your book is unwrapped, tell why you wanted to share it with others. Also bring a list of five other titles you would recommend to fellow readers. Enjoy refreshments as you mingle and share your favorite reads. RSVP online or at the library. Thursday, February 1 The Ritsona Syrian Refugee Camp 6:30 p.m. Cranbury resident Richard Moody will discuss volunteering at the Ritsona Syrian Refugee camp in Greece, and his involvement with Cross Cultural Solutions and other non-governmental organizations over the years. Enroll online or at the library.
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Saturday, February 17 The Role of Cotton in Slavery 1:00 p.m. Learn more about African American history with Cranbury resident Frank Marlowe. Enroll online or at the library. Wednesday, February 21 Back to Basics - Intro to Email 1:00 p.m. Learn how to set up an email account, compose and send emails, and work with email attachments. Enroll online or at the library. Wednesday, February 28 Understanding Dementia-Related Behaviors 6:30 p.m. This class is given by Nicolette Vasco of the New Jersey Alzheimer's Association. Enroll online or at the library.
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Cranbury Public Library
23 North Main Street ~
Cranbury, NJ 08512 ~ Phone: 609-655-0555 ~ Contact Us
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