|
|
|
|
Biography and Memoir April 2026 |
|
|
|
| Moses and the Doctorby Luke EpplinReaders who love “smart sports history” (Kirkus Reviews) will devour sportswriter Luke Epplin’s dual life story of pro basketball legends Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone, whose combined talents helped win a national championship for the Philadelphia ‘76ers in 1983. While the two men were a study in contrasts on and off the court, both the high-flying Erving and the all-business Malone were trailblazers for the modern game. |
|
| Everybody's Fly: A Life of Art, Music, and Changing the Culture by Fab 5 Freddy with Mark RozzoWhen hip-hop luminary Fab 5 Freddy (aka Fred Brathwaite) puts the words “Changing the Culture” in the title of his immersive memoir, he means it. Freddy grew up in an environment that taught appreciation of art both highbrow and low, and was on a mission to merge the two. He acted as a social catalyst between musicians, DJs, promoters, and visual artists who all helped give birth to new forms of expression in late ‘70s and early ‘80s New York. For fans of: Mark Ronson’s Night People: How to Be a DJ in ‘90s New York City. |
|
| The Last Kings of Hollywoodby Paul FischerDocumentarian Paul Fischer’s collective biography charts the early careers of Hollywood titans Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg, whose rise coincided with the fall of the old studio system and ushered in the era of the blockbuster. Though each director has his own style and vision, Fischer’s gossipy, novelistic narrative shows the influence they had on each other as friends, competitors, and co-conspirators while changing the way movies are made. |
|
| The Boundless Deep: Young Tennyson, Science and the Crisis of Belief by Richard HolmesBefore Alfred Lord Tennyson became a famous Victorian poet, he was a young intellectual suffering through a long, dark night of the soul. Richard Holmes examines Tennyson in his twenties, when the poet’s depressive personality, the sudden death of a close friend, and the ideas sparked by fresh scientific discoveries combined to produce in the young man a desperate existential terror that found its way into some of his most profound work. Holmes’ brilliant analysis is a “must for poetry readers” (Kirkus Reviews). For fans of: The Turning Point: 1851—A Year that Changed Charles Dickens and the World by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst. |
|
| La Lucci by Susan Lucci with Laura MortonActress Susan Lucci opens up in her “vivid and engaging” (Kirkus Reviews) second memoir about her life and career highs and lows. With unsentimental candor, the soap icon recounts continuing to work in film and Broadway in her late seventies and goes deep into her inspirations, disappointments, and her motivation to keep going despite some painful losses, notably the death of her husband of 53 years, Helmut Huber, of a stroke in 2022. |
|
| Defiance: A Memoir of Awakening, Rebellion, and Survival in Syria by Loubna MrieWhen Syrian photojournalist Loubna Mrie joined the Arab Spring protests as a teenager in 2011, her father, an intelligence official for the Assad regime, cut her off. This started her career documenting the ensuing civil war, and her powerful debut details the personal toll it took—both from the horrors she witnessed and the implosion of her family—as political and sectarian violence engulfed the country. For a gripping fictional account of the Arab Spring’s aftermath, try The Republic of False Truths by Alaa Al Aswany. |
|
| Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery by Gavin NewsomCalifornia governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate Gavin Newsom’s book briskly lays out his rise in the Democratic party, reveals some of the struggles early in his life that propelled him into politics, and talks about some key achievements of his tenure, including overseeing California’s legalization of same-sex marriage seven years prior to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Try this next: The Deeper the Roots by Michael Tubbs. |
|
| Judy Blume: A Life by Mark OppenheimerHistorian and journalist Mark Oppenheimer’s “fitting tribute” (Booklist) to author Judy Blume provides a detailed, chronological view of an ambitious, talented woman seeking something beyond the strictures of her early marriage and motherhood. Though her work was sometimes controversial, Oppenheimer pinpoints the secret of Blume’s success: she was able to produce children’s stories with a keen sense of realism in which young readers could actually see themselves. |
|
| Freedom Lost, Freedom Won: A Personal History of America by Eugene RobinsonJournalist Eugene Robinson, who spent COVID-imposed downtime unearthing documentation of his Black family’s history, relates the two centuries of struggle that family endured to simply be American. Though the stories of Robinson’s ancestors’ accomplishments inspire, his impressively researched book reveals a sobering theme: throughout its history, the United States has repeatedly found insidious ways to claw back hard-won African American liberties. Read-alike: The Stained Glass Window by David Levering Lewis. |
|
| For fans of: Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams; the HBO dramedy series Succession. |
|
Downtown LibraryDiscover the fascinating world of bones at Nature's Open Book, a special exhibit from SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology! Visit the main exhibit at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in April and May to explore a selection of incredible skeletal and taxidermy specimens, including a 24-foot killer whale, pride of lions, a giraffe, and more! Plus, see additional skeleton displays at various other Metro libraries. Visit metrolibrary.org/skeletons for additional location details and to discover related events. |
|
Nature's Open Book: Atrium After Hours
Friday, April 17,
6:00 PM
Downtown Library
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a library after closing time? Now's your chance to find out! Join us for a special after-hours event just for teens and adults. Experience Nature's Open Book, a special exhibit from SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology, complemented by live music, light refreshments, and bone-themed activities.
|
|
The Sounds of Route 66 with Classic Swing Big Band
Saturday, April 18,
2:00 PM
Bethany Library
Join us for a toe-tapping, heart-swinging celebration of the legendary Route 66! As part of the Metropolitan Library System’s Centennial festivities, the Classic Swing Big Band will take you on a musical journey through the golden age of jazz and swing—echoing the vibrant sounds that once filled roadside diners, dance halls, and jukeboxes along America’s most iconic highway.
|
|
Anne Frank, Contemporary Reflections on Her Diary Part 1
Tuesday, April 21,
6:00 PM
Belle Isle Library
Metropolitan Library System invites you to a two-part series of educational and enriching discussions about Diary of a Young Girl. Led by Sofia Thornblad, Chief Curator and Director of Holocaust Education of the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa, these programs offer perspective to guide your reading of Anne Frank's diary in our current day. This first session will provide historical context of the book, outlining the rise of Nazi forces and their impact on Frank's family. The program will be conversational. 40 free copies of Diary of a Young Girl will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis.
|
|
Holocaust Panel Discussion in Honor of Yom HaShoah
Thursday, April 23,
6:00 PM
Del City Library
In honor of Yom HaShoah, join us to participate in an interactive panel discussion about the Holocaust and the Jewish experience in the United States after WWII. Members of our panel will include guests from the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City.
|
|
Scottish Heritage
Saturday, April 25,
10:00 AM
Midwest City Library
Celebrate Scottish-American History Month with the United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma. This presentation will explore Tartan Day, answer common questions about clans and tartans, and include a look at Pictish stones, with special attention to the remarkable stones of Easter Ross, Scotland.
|
|
Intro to Poetry with Metro Poet Laureate Hallie Waugh
Wednesday, April 29,
5:30 PM
Warr Acres Library
Whether you're a poetry lover or feel like you don't quite "get" poetry, this session is for you. Intro to Poetry is a low-barrier, welcoming exploration of what poems can do: how to read them, what to look for, and what they stir in us as readers. We’ll read a range of voices and styles, talk about the many ways to understand and respond to a poem, and try a few optional writing exercises. No experience needed—just an open mind.
|
|
Our Oklahoma History: May Event
Sunday, May 3,
2:00 PM
Bethany Library
During the Our Oklahoma History series, historians will share fascinating and lesser-known tales from Oklahoma's rich history. Join us, you won't want to miss it!
|
|
Celebrate Excellence in Asian American and Pacific Islander Writing
Sunday, May 3,
3:00 PM
Warr Acres Library
Have you always wanted to explore creative writing but never had the chance? Are you looking for a supportive community of writers with whom you can share your work? Join us every Sunday where we'll be creating original work and sharing our works in progress. Join us for this special program where we'll read, discuss, and create original works influenced by the brilliance and legacy of Asian American and Pacific Islander writers past and present.
|
|
|
|
Poetry & Short Story Reference Center
This database provides a historically rich collection of full-text classic and contemporary poems, as well as short stories, biographies and authoritative essays on poetic forms, movements, techniques and more; includes contemporary content from the finest publishers.
|
|
|
|
Metro Grows
Metro Grows is a program that lends gardening tools from the library, provides library events geared towards gardening, and provides Discovery Backpacks for kids ages 4-12.
|
|
|
|
|
|