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| No Walls and the Recurring Dream by Ani DiFrancoWhat it is: the freewheeling debut memoir from Grammy Award-winning musician and activist Ani DiFranco.
Topics include: DiFranco's creation of her independent label Righteous Babe Records (on which she has released all her studio albums); her bouts of homelessness after leaving home at age 15.
Read it for: snippets of the author's original poetry and her candid musings on politics and feminism. |
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| Naturally Tan by Tan FranceWhat it is: a charming coming-of-age memoir from Queer Eye fashion expert Tan France.
Why you might like it: With wit and candor, France tackles topics both affecting (the racist bullying he endured as a Pakistani Muslim teen in England) and amusing (his penchant for no-nonsense sartorial advice).
For fans of: fellow Fab Five personality Karamo Brown's Karamo: My Story of Embracing Purpose, Healing, and Hope. |
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| The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont by Shawn LevyWhat it's about: the iconic Los Angeles hotel Chateau Marmont, which for nearly a century has attracted celebrities to its secluded bungalows for all manner of decadence and debauchery.
Want a taste? "Chateau Marmont is the ultimate Hollywood hotel because it is, like Hollywood itself, bigger than life even when it is obviously fake."
Try this next: For another dishy history of a storied landmark, try Julie Satow's The Plaza: The Secret Life of America's Most Famous Hotel. |
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| Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football by John Urschel and Louisa ThomasWhat it's about: John Urschel's adventures in academia (he's currently pursuing a PhD in mathematics at MIT) and athletics (he was a Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman for three seasons).
Read it for: Urschel's infectious enthusiasm for his disparate passions.
Want a taste? "So often, people want to divide the world into two. Matter and energy. Wave and particle. Athlete and mathematician. Why can't something (or someone) be both?" |
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| Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder by John WatersWhat it is: an irreverent and wide-ranging essay collection from cult filmmaker and self-proclaimed "garbage guru" John Waters.
Don't miss: juicy gossip about the making of Serial Mom and Polyester (Waters' favorites of his own films); tips for aspiring filmmakers.
Is it for you? The author's provocative sense of humor may be off-putting to readers unfamiliar with his work. |
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Books You Might Have Missed
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Acid West : essays
by Joshua Wheeler
A debut book of essays, rooted in southern New Mexico, examines and excavates the American myths that have been buried deep in the desert at the bottom of America. Original.
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All That Heaven Allows: A Biography of Rock Hudson
by Mark Griffin
What it's about: the complex rags-to-riches life of 1950s film icon Rock Hudson, whose public persona as "Hollywood's Most Eligible Bachelor" concealed his homosexuality until his death from AIDS in 1985.
What's inside: over 100 interviews with co-stars and loved ones; a comprehensive analysis of Hudson's filmography.
Movie buzz: A film adaptation helmed by Love, Simon director Greg Berlanti is in the works.
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Bookends: Collected Intros and Outros
by Michael Chabon
What it is: an upbeat collection of introductions and afterwords penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon.
Read it for: Chabon's enthusiastic discussion of his favorite books (including some of his own); insights into his literary influences and writing process.
Notable favorites include: Andrew Bolton's Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy; Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth; Ray Bradbury's "The Rocket Man;" Chabon's Summerland.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Richmond Public Library
101 East Franklin Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 646-7223rvalibrary.org/ |
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