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Biography and Memoir March 2020
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The House of Kennedy
by James Patterson
A revelatory portrait of the Kennedys explores how the dual mottos, “To whom much is given, much is expected” and “Win at all costs” shaped generations of life inside and outside the family. 375,000 first printing.
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| Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Son by Richie JacksonWhat it is: Broadway, TV, and film producer Richie Jackson's letter to his teenage son that addresses their different experiences as gay men.
Read it for: an insightful exploration of generational differences within the LGBTQIA community and what younger folks can -- and should -- learn from LGTBQIA history.
Is it for you? Though the book's advice will resonate most with LGBTQIA audiences, readers who like family memoirs will also appreciate this "heartfelt, wise, and compassionate book" (Booklist). |
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| Mengele: Unmasking the "Angel of Death" by David G. MarwellWho it's about: Josef Mengele, the infamous Nazi physician who conducted brutal experiments on Auschwitz prisoners and evaded capture after the end of the war.
What sets it apart: Historian David G. Marwell has been researching his subject for decades: as a Department of Justice employee in the 1980s, he worked to locate Mengele.
Further reading: Debbie Cenziper's fast-paced history Citizen 865 tracks the efforts of Nazi hunters (including Marwell) whose efforts with the Office of Special Investigations helped bring war criminals to justice. |
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| Uncanny Valley by Anna WienerWhat it is: a fast-paced memoir of author Anna Wiener's experiences working for a series of Silicon Valley startups.
Why you might like it: Though she's careful to avoid naming her former workplaces, Wiener's dishy context clues will have readers eager to figure it out for themselves.
Read it for: a glimpse of tech industry life that's equal parts humorous ("perks" included an office theme park and speakeasy) and horrifying (Wiener and other female employees were told to "trust karma" when they were passed up for promotions). |
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Frida in America : the creative awakening of a great artist
by Celia Stahr
Describes the years the Mexican artist spent in America beginning in 1930 with her new, older, and already world-famous husband, Diego Rivera, and the impact living in diverse cities of San Francisco, Detroit and New York had on her painting. Illustrations.
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| The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath by Leslie JamisonWhat it is: a galvanizing memoir of Leslie Jamison's recovery from the alcohol addiction that dominated her 20s.
What's inside: perceptive profiles of famous alcoholics throughout history -- including writer Raymond Carver and singer Billie Holiday -- that explore the link between addiction and creativity.
Try this next: Olivia Laing's The Trip to Echo Spring: On Writers and Drinking. |
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| A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness... by Patrick J. Kennedy and Stephen FriedWhat it's about: former Rhode Island congressman Patrick Kennedy's battles with bipolar disorder and painkiller addiction.
Why you might like it: Kennedy's candid call to action will resonate with readers hoping for an empathetic approach to mental health policy and advocacy.
Don't miss: the resource guide that concludes the book. |
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| In Pain: A Bioethicist's Personal Struggle with Opioids by Travis RiederWhat it is: bioethicist and research scholar Travis Rieder's compelling memoir about the opioid addiction that led him to contemplate suicide after a gruesome motorcycle accident.
What sets it apart: The author's vocation gives him a unique perspective on this complicated issue and makes him "a convincing and effective advocate for opioid use reform" (Kirkus Reviews).
Is it for you? Rieder doesn't shy away from the details of his injuries or the withdrawals he experienced while in recovery. |
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Wishful drinking
by Carrie Fisher
A provocative, uproarious memoir based on the author's one-woman show describes growing up with celebrity parents, her early success in Star Wars, demanding professional life, battle with addiction and mental illness, turbulent romances, role as a single mother, and struggle for recovery and healing. 150,000 first printing.
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An apple a day : a memoir of love and recovery from anorexia
by Emma Woolf
Traces the author's recovery from anorexia as she charts her progress in a daily newspaper column, describing the challenges of learning to eat a healthy diet, regaining her fertility, and giving up an obssession with control
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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