| Where I Come From: Stories from the Deep South by Rick BraggWhat it is: a collection of previously published pieces written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and memoirist Rick Bragg that celebrates his relationship to the American South's "gentler, easier nature."
Who it's for: Fans of Bragg and lovers of witty repartee will enjoy this breezy collection that feels like having a chat with an old friend.
Topics include: Southern music and cuisine; encounters with Southern celebrities Pat Conroy, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Harper Lee; the wonders of Tupperware. |
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| Mad at the World: A Life of John Steinbeck by William SouderWhat it's about: the complicated life and career of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning novelist John Steinbeck (1902-1968).
Read it for: a nuanced portrait of a man whose deep devotion to his craft did not extend to his relationships.
Don't miss: Steinbeck pitting his wife and mistress against each other to determine the "winner" of his affections; his response when asked if he deserved his Nobel. |
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| This Time Next Year We'll Be Laughing by Jacqueline WinspearWhat it is: an evocative and richly detailed memoir of novelist Jacqueline Winspear's childhood in post-World War II Kent.
Want a taste? "Mist hangs across the land like a silk scarf -- not quite touching the earth, but not rising high enough to join a cloud."
Who it's for: Fans of Winspear's Maisie Dobbs mysteries will enjoy spotting real-life inspirations for the series; readers who appreciate family histories will also find much to savor in this reflective coming-of-age tale. |
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A Promised Land
by Barack Obama
A deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy.
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Dolly Parton, Songteller : My Life in Lyrics
by Dolly Parton
A 60-year celebration of the country music and pop culture legend’s remarkable life and career explores the songs that have defined her journey and contains rare photos and memorabilia that share additional insights into classic Parton lyrics.
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| Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America's Stolen Land by Noé ÁlvarezWhat it is: a lyrical memoir by the son of Mexican immigrants that chronicles his working-class Washington State upbringing and his 2004 participation in the four-month, 6,000-mile Indigenous people's Peace and Dignity Journey, a relay-style run from Canada to South America.
What's inside: dangers (a mountain lion, unfriendly motorists, injuries); tensions between the runners; gatherings with Native American and First Nation groups; thoughtful musings about running and place. |
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| Good Morning, Destroyer of Men's Souls: A Memoir of Women, Addiction, and Love by Nina Renata AronWhat it is: a disturbing and heartwrenching chronicle of Nina Renata Aron's troubled relationship with charismatic addict K, with whom she had a brief dalliance as a teenager in San Francisco. The pair later reconnected to the detriment of Aron's happy marriage.
Read it for: a nuanced and empathetic exploration of the relationship between addiction and enabling; an incisive, well-researched investigation into the role gender plays in codependency. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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