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Biography and Memoir August 2018
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| Call Me American by Abdi Nor IftinWhat it is: the stirring chronicle of Abdi Nor Iftin's remarkable immigrant success story, beginning with his impoverished childhood in war-torn Somalia, his painstaking self-education in English (which he learned through consuming American pop culture), and his flight from religious extremism in Mogadishu -- first to a refugee camp in Kenya, and eventually to the U.S. as a recipient of the Green Card Lottery.
Read it for: Iftin's clear prose and inspiring perseverance in the face of adversity. |
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| In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein by Fiona SampsonWhat it is: a perceptive biography of author Mary Shelley, written to coincide with Frankenstein's bicentennial.
Who it's for: readers who appreciate literary histories and episodic storytelling.
What sets it apart: With little surviving primary source material at her disposal, poet Fiona Sampson's resonant, speculative prose "succeeds in bringing an unconventional woman to vivid life" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Uncensored: My Life and Uncomfortable Conversations at the Intersection... by Zachary R. WoodWhat it's about: Frustrated with his classmates' close-mindedness, Zachary R. Wood initiated Williams College's Uncomfortable Learning, a speaker series meant to provoke honest debate by hosting controversial presenters whose ideological perspectives often vastly differed from the campus community's -- and Wood's own.
Reviewers say: "A must-read for young social activists, free speech crusaders, and fans of inspirational memoirs" (Library Journal). |
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| American Radical: Inside the World of an Undercover Muslim FBI Agent by Tamer Elnoury with Kevin MaurerWhat it is: a layered and compelling reconstruction of pseudonymous FBI agent Tamer Elnoury's infiltration of an al-Qaeda unit.
Why it's significant: This intimate account provides an insightful look into the worldview of al-Qaeda operatives, perfect for fans of Lawrence Wright's The Looming Tower.
Don't miss: Elnoury's reflections on what it means to be a Muslim American patriot and the dangers of enacting xenophobic policy. |
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| Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship by Michelle KuoWhat it's about: the transformative power of literature, movingly experienced by Teach for America volunteer-turned-law student Michelle Kuo and her former pupil Patrick Browning, who met regularly for book discussions while the latter was in jail on a murder charge.
On the syllabus: the two discussed works by Frederick Douglass, Rita Dove, C.S. Lewis, Marilynne Robinson, Derek Walcott, and Walt Whitman, among others. |
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| Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter by Nina MacLaughlinWhat it's about: On the cusp of her 30th birthday, dissatisfied journalist Nina MacLaughlin quit her job at the Boston Phoenix to become a carpenter's assistant, despite having no previous experience in the trade.
Did you know? Only 2% of carpenters are women.
Reviewers say: "Book groups will love this engaging and entertaining chronicle" (Booklist); "effortless blending of literary craft with woodcraft" (Library Journal). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Richmond Public Library 101 E. Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219 (804)646-7223
rvalibrary.org
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