LibraryAware October 2025

Recent Releases

Submersed: Wonder, Obsession, and Murder in the World of Amateur Submarines
by Matthew Gavin Frank

Folded into author Matthew Gavin Frank’s thought-provoking survey of humankind’s urge to explore the ocean depths from deep-water submersibles lies a much darker obsession -- the “strong undercurrent of violence and misogyny” (Kirkus Reviews) running through the amateur sub community that arguably led to the 2017 murder of journalist Kim Wall. Readers who want more adventures beneath the waves can try The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean by Susan Casey.

Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth
by Karen G. Lloyd

Microbial biogeochemist Karen G. Lloyd introduces us to a mind-bending branch of science in her debut. It turns out that most life on Earth is composed of microbes living beneath the Earth’s crust or the ocean floors, derives energy from chemicals rather than light, and might have the ability to survive for eons. Science readers will be enthralled by these ideas that “defy assumptions about the laws of nature” (Publishers Weekly).

Strata: Stories from Deep Time
by Laura Poppick

Geologist Laura Poppick debuts with a detailed yet energetic trip down the geologic timeline, offering an intriguing window onto her work and showing readers just how much information about Earth’s natural history and ecosystems has been revealed through examining its sedimentary layers. For further sweeping geological insights, try: A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters by Andrew H. Knoll.

The Stronger Sex: What Science Tells Us About the Power of the Female Body
by Starre Vartan

Science writer Starre Vartan, like many women, grew up believing what she had always been told: that women were weaker than men. Not so, according to her book and a decade’s worth of research, which shows that women tend to outperform men in several areas, including endurance, flexibility, and longevity. The Stronger Sex is a valuable, corrective study that asks “why testosterone is considered an unfair advantage” (Publishers Weekly). For fans of: The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women by Sharon Moalem.

Self Sustainability

Survival Gardening: Grow Your Own Emergency Food Supply from Seed to Root Cellar
by Sam Coffman

A survival skills expert provides practical strategies for growing your own food supply to enhance resilience against global crises and supply chain disruptions, covering topics such as selecting valuable crops, emergency food cultivation, perennial planting, mushroom growth, backyard foraging, and long-term food storage techniques.

The Modern Homestead Garden: Growing Self-sufficiency in Any Size Backyard
by Gary Pilarchik

Filled with easy-to-employ ideas and lessons for improving your food self-sufficiency no matter how much land you have, The Modern Homestead Garden focuses on planting, growing, harvesting, and preserving food.

The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It
by John Seymour

Describes how to live in harmony with the planet independently, and presents information on raising crops and livestock, making homemade food staples and household items, and using natural forms of energy.

The First-time Homesteader: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Starting and Loving Your New Homestead
by Jessica Sowards

A seasoned homesteader provides an abundance of information for starting a homestead in the city, country or suburbia, guiding you through the process and helping you strive for a more sustainable life and a greater connection to the cycles of nature and the foods and goods we consume.

Contact your librarian for more great books!