Social Science

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

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Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne – From the award-winning, best-selling author of The Heart’s Invisible Furies comes an epic tale of humanity, a novel that aims to tell the story of all of us. Imaginative, unique, heartbreaking, this is John Boyne at his most creative and compelling.

No Offense by Meg Cabot – A sequel to No Judgments finds a broken-hearted Molly relocating to a library in the Florida Keys before the discovery of an abandoned newborn leads to an unexpected partnership with an arrogant town sheriff.

Choppy Water by Stuart Woods – When his Maine vacation is interrupted by extreme weather that a menacing adversary uses as cover to target a close friend, Stone Barrington uncovers a massive scheme with corrupt ties spanning New York City through Key West.

Lone Jack Trail by Owen Laukkanen – A veteran Marine and an ex-convict find themselves on opposite sides of the law, in a new thriller from the best-selling author of Deception Cove.

We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin – The discovery of an unknown girl found by the side of the road a decade after an unsolved disappearance compels a young police officer’s investigation into dangerous local and personal secrets. By the best-selling author of Black-Eyed Susans.

The Midwife Murders by James Patterson & Richard DiLallo – When two kidnappings and a stabbing occur on her watch in a Manhattan university hospital, a fearless senior midwife teams up with a skeptical NYPD detective to investigate rumors that shift from the Russian Mafia to an underground adoption network.

Microbes: The Life-changing Story of Germs by Phillip K. Peterson & Michael T. Osterholm – With straight-forward and engaging writing, infectious diseases physician Phillip Peterson surveys how our understanding of viruses has changed throughout history, from early plagues and pandemics to more recent outbreaks like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Zika, and Coronavirus.

Then She Vanished by T. Jefferson Parker – Helping a rising politician whose wife has gone missing amid an inexplicable series of bombings, private investigator Roland Ford investigates the activities of a mysterious group before uncovering sinister ties to a kidnapping that threatens an entire city.

Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie & Carolyn Durand – With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, the insider authors offer an honest, up-close and disarming portrait of a confident, influential and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world.

Olive the Lionheart: Lost Love, Imperial Spies, and One Woman’s Journey into the Heart of Africa by Brad Ricca – Draws on personal writings in an account of Olive MacLeod’s search for her missing fiancé, naturalist Boyd Alexander, in 1910 Africa, a quest shaped by dangerous natural elements, a murderous leopard cult and two adorable lion cubs.

Last Call on Decatur Street by Iris Martin Cohen – Working as a Crescent City burlesque dancer after college pressures and a drinking problem lead to her expulsion, Rosemary interweaves her pain into seductive performances before resolving to go sober on a transformative night.

Via Negativa by Daniel Hornsby – Dismissed by his conservative diocese for his eccentric insubordination, a homeless Father Dan transforms his car into a mobile monk cell and embarks on a spiritual road trip marked by an injured coyote and other offbeat travelers.

Making Sense: Conversations on Consciousness, Morality, and the Future of Humanity by Sam Harris – The best-selling neuroscientist and author of The End of Faith shares transcripts of 12 top-selected conversations from his controversial podcast to explore such topics as the nature of consciousness, free will, political extremism and ethical living.

Little Scratch by Rebecca Watson – A debut novel written in the style of a woman’s thoughts on a deceptively ordinary day traces her growing perturbation of mind as she moves through a routine marked by self-doubt, impatience, philosophical development and personal neuroses.

Houseplants for All: How to Fill Any Home With Happy Plants by Danae Horst – A beautiful guide to selecting and growing the right plants for your home, with a plant profile quiz.

Help Yourself: A Guide to Gut Health for People Who Love Delicious Food by Lindsay Maitland Hunt & Linda Pugliese – More than 125 gut-friendly recipes plus science-backed advice for wellness in body and mind. This game-changing cookbook will make you rethink how you eat.

Operation Vengeance: The Astonishing Aerial Ambush That Changed World War II by Dan Hampton – The best-selling author of Viper Pilot presents a narrative account of America’s secret World War II mission to assassinate Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese commander who masterminded the Pearl Harbor attacks.

Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History by Kurt Andersen – The best-selling author of Fantasyland presents a deeply researched history of America’s 20th-century transition toward government-sanctioned, normalized inequalities that favor big business and resist progressive change while rendering everyday workers increasingly powerless.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

semanurLeave a comment

In this weeks picks, there are many varieties, such as romance, horror, mystery, and so much more to choose from! Here are some books that may peak your interest!

Hideaway by Nora Roberts – A family ranch in Big Sur country and a legacy of Hollywood royalty set the stage for Nora Roberts’ emotional new suspense novel.

A Week at the Shore by Barbara Delinsky- The author presents a captivating new novel about a woman whose unexpected reunion with her estranged family forces her to confront a devastating past.

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery – Two best friends jump-start their lives in a summer that will change them forever. They discover that life is meant to be lived with joy and abandon, in a story filled with humor, heartache and regrettable tattoos.

If It Bleeds by Stephen King – A collection of four novellas includes the title story in which Holly Gibney of the Bill Hodges trilogy and “The Outsider” struggles to face her fears and another possible outsider.

The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews – Volunteering at her grandmother’s craft-center Renaissance Faire, Meg is challenged to prove the innocence of her grandfather when he is wrongly accused of murdering a fairgrounds performer who was suspected of mistreating a rare falcon.

Sucker Punch by Laurell K. Hamilton – When a young wereleopard is scheduled for execution for the brutal murder of his uncle, Anita Blake navigates escalating pressure from the local authorities and family demands for justice in the face of evidence that does not quite add up.

True Story by Kate Reed Petty – Haunted by the roles they played in covering up the sexual assault and attempted suicide of a student 15 years earlier, reclusive ghostwriter Alice and her former schoolmate, Nick, explore memories from different viewpoints that eventually reveal what really happened.

In Case of Emergency by E. G. Scott – Managing a painful career setback with the help of an online support group and a secret boyfriend who goes mysteriously missing, a neuroscientist is declared a person of interest when she is asked to identify the body of a stranger.

The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter – Investigating a brutal murder that eerily resembles another from years earlier, Will Trent reopens the case of a possibly wrongly convicted prisoner before teaming up with medical examiner Sara Linton to hunt down the true killer.

The Wicked Sister by Karen Dionne – Living in self-imposed exile in a psychiatric facility where she is tortured by fractured memories of her parents’ murder, Rachel uncovers maternal secrets and an unspeakable act of evil that unveils the true nature of her bond with her sister.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis – A New York Public Library superintendent’s wife reevaluates her priorities upon joining a woman’s suffrage group in 1913, decades before her granddaughter’s efforts to save an exhibit expose tragic family secrets. By the best-selling author of The Chelsea Girls.

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin – In this new thriller from the author of The Escape Room, a podcast host covering a controversial trial in a small town becomes obsessed with a brutal crime that took place there years before.

Brontë’s Mistress by Finola Austin – A meticulously researched debut by the award-winning “Secret Victorianist” blogger follows the scandalous 1843 love affair between a grieving Lydia Robinson of Thorp Green Hall and her son’s erratically unconventional tutor, Branwell Brontë.

The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz – An Ivy League overachiever accepts a job at a prestigious Manhattan law firm where the dynamics of workplace sexism force her to choose between her career and doing what is right. A first novel.

The Palace by Christopher Reich – When a man to whom he owes his life reaches out from prison, international spy Simon Riske recruits a daring investigative reporter and a rogue Mossad agent to thwart an international conspiracy targeting major European cities.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson – The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Warmth of Other Suns identifies the qualifying characteristics of historical caste systems to reveal how a rigid hierarchy of human rankings, enforced by religious views, heritage and stigma, impact everyday American lives.

Live Free or Die: America (and the World) on the Brink by Sean Hannity – The Fox News host and best-selling author of Conservative Victory argues that the leftist radicalism that he believes undermined American democracy in the 1960s must be purposefully fought again during the 2020 election to prevent progressive changes.

True Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Investigation of Donald Trump by Jeffrey Toobin – The CNN chief legal analyst and best-selling author of American Heiress presents a behind-the-scenes account of the Mueller investigation to explain how in spite of associate convictions and an impeachment, Donald Trump has survived to run for reelection.

A Furious Sky: The Five-hundred-year History of America’s Hurricanes by Eric Jay Dolin – A best-selling author tells the history of America itself through its 500-year battle with the fury of hurricanes.

The Finisher by Peter Lovesey – Tasked with crowd control during the Other Half, Bath’s springtime half marathon, Detective Peter Diamond catches sight of a violent criminal he put away years ago and believes he may be responsible for a runner not crossing the finish line.

~Semanur

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

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We have some new releases picked out for you to dive in for the following week. There is more adventure, detective, romance, suspense and true crime for you to enjoy!

Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis – The co-creator of the It’s Lit! web series presents the alternate-history tale of a woman who becomes an interpreter for an unknown being when her estranged whistle-blower father launches a media frenzy about a first-contact cover-up.

Quantum Shadows by L. E. Modesitt – On a world called Heaven, Conwyn, known as the Shadow of the Raven, contains the collective memory of humanity’s Falls from Grace and discovers that another Fall may happen and if he doesn’t stop it, mankind will not survive.

The Sin in the Steel by Ryan Van Loan – In a debut fantasy set in a world of dead gods, pirates and shapeshifting mages, a brilliant former street youth-turned-detective and her ex-soldier partner investigate the activities of a pirate queen to expose societal corruption.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson – Observing a life of strict submission to minimize discrimination for her mixed heritage, Immanuelle discovers dark truths about her community’s church and her late mother’s secret relationship with the spirits of four witches.

Near Dark by Brad Thor – A latest entry in the best-selling series that includes such award-winners as Backlash, Spymaster and The Last Patriot continues the high-suspense adventures of elite military operative and intelligence agent, Scot Harvath.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue – A novel set in 1918 Dublin offers a three-day look at a maternity ward during the height of the Great Flu pandemic. By the best-selling author of Room.

The Answer Is: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek – Longtime Jeopardy! host and television icon Alex Trebek reflects on his life and career.

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell – The award-winning author of I Am, I Am, I Am presents the evocative story of a young Shakespeare’s marriage to a talented herbalist before the ravaging death of their 11-year-old son shapes the production of his greatest play.

The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained by Colin Dickey – The co-editor of The Morbid Anatomy Anthology and author of Ghostland examines the world’s most persistent unexplained phenomena, from Atlantis and alien encounters to Flat Earth and the Loch Ness monster, to explore their origins and historical endurance.

The Daughters of Foxcote Manor by Eve Chase – Moving to 1970 Foxcote Manor when their London home burns down, a woman and her children take in an abandoned baby girl who is forced to investigate a murder and her own origin story 40 years later.

Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones – American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. Ed by Meghan E. Herron, Debra F. Horwitz & Carlo Siracusa – Providing in-depth coverage of the underlying reasons for problematic feline behavior, a guide to promoting a cat’s physical and psychological health shares science-based anecdotes to explain how cats relate to the world and their environment.

Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel – Envied for her close relationship with a famous music artist and Julliard classmate, a successful chamber group founder finds her summer plans riotously upended by sudden family upheavals, including her elderly father’s marriage.

Perfect Father, The: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder by John Glatt – Documents the August 2018 murders of Shanaan Watts and her young daughters, describing how viewers watched her husband’s televised plea for help less than 24 hours before he confessed to killing his family.

Baseless: My Search for Secrets in the Ruins of the Freedom of Information Act by Nicholson Baker – The National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of The Mezzanine presents a deeply researched assessment of the Freedom of Information Act that reveals how deliberate obstructions, from extensive wait times to copious redactions, conceal government corruption and human-rights violations.

The Vanishing Sky by L. Annette Binder – A mother in a rural 1945 German community protects her traumatized soldier son from her husband’s escalating nationalism, while her younger son flees the Hitler Youth to embark on a perilous journey home.

She Proclaims: Our Declaration of Independence from a Man’s World by Jennifer Palmieri – An empowering guide to feminism by the best-selling author of Dear Madam President outlines a blueprint for activism while sharing lessons from her personal choice to live on her own terms instead of embracing toxic patriarchal norms.

Drone Strike by Nicholas Irving & A. J. Tata – Nicholas Irving’s Reaper: Drone Strike is the next book in the explosive thriller series by the former special operations sniper and New York Times bestselling author of The Reaper.

Lights Out: Pride, Delusion, and the Fall of General Electric by Thomas Gryta & Ted Mann – How could General Electric perhaps Americas most iconic corporation suffer such a swift and sudden fall from grace? This is the definitive history of General Electrics epic decline, as told by the two Wall Street Journal reporters who covered its fall.

How Lulu Lost Her Mind by Rachel Gibson – From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson comes the story of a mother-daughter journey to rediscover the past before it disappears forever. Heartrending at times and laugh-out-loud funny at others, How Lulu Lost Her Mind is the book for everyone and their mother.

Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay – One of Popsugars Best New Books for Summer 2020. A thirty-year-old woman retraces her gap year through Ireland, France, and Italy to find love&;and herself&;in this hilarious and heartfelt novel. From the start of her journey nothing goes as planned, but as Chelsea reconnects with her old self, she also finds love int he very last place she expected.

~Semanur

New Nonfiction Coming in January 2020

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Check out this selection of nonfiction books for your reading list in the new year.

 

01/07: Martha Stewart’s Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines by Martha Stewart – The ultimate guide to getting your life in order&;with hundreds of practical and empowering ideas, projects, and tips&;from America&;s most trusted lifestyle authority.

01/07: Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries About Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion by Ingrid Newkirk & Gene Stone – The founder and president of PETA and a bestselling author pair their tour of the astounding lives of animals with a guide to the exciting new tools that allow humans to avoid using or abusing animals as we once did. Animalkind is a fascinating study of why our fellow living beings deserve our respect, and moreover, the steps every reader can take to put this new understanding into action.

01/07:The Phantom Prince: My Life With Ted Bundy, Updated and Expanded Edition by Elizabeth Kendall & Molly Kendall – An updated, expanded edition of the author’s 1981 memoir detailing her six-year relationship with serial killer Ted Bundy, which was the basis for the Amazon Original docuseries, includes a new introduction and a new afterword by the author, never-before-seen photos, and a startling new chapter from the author’s daughter.

01/07: Successful Aging: A Neuroscientist Explores the Power and Potential of Our Lives by Daniel J. Levitin – A leading neuroscientist and best-selling author examines how to make the most of our post-60 years by examining those who age joyously and discussing resilience strategies and practical, cognitive enhancing tricks. Levitin turns his keen insights to what happens in our brains as we age, what you can do to make the most of your seventies, eighties, and nineties today no matter how old you are now.

 

 

01/14: Elemental Knits: A Perennial Knitwear Collection by Courtney Spainhower – This book is for women who aspire to be ever stylish, more comfortable, and less wasteful. A collection of 20 customizable knitting patterns counsels do-it-yourself crafters on how to select practical patterns and fibers while creating wardrobe-enhancing fashions for different times of the year.

01/14: Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness by David Perlmutter & Austin Perlmutter – The #1 New York Times best-selling author of Grain Brain and his son, also a medical doctor, explore how modern culture threatens to rewire our brains and damage our health, offering a practical plan for healing.

 

 

01/21: Murder Your Darlings: And other gentle Writing Advice from Aristotle to Zinsser by Roy Peter Clark – From an influential American writing teacher comes a collection of 50 of the best writing strategies distilled from 50 writing and language books—from Aristotle to Strunk and White.

01/28: A Game of Birds and Wolves: The Ingenious Young Women Whose Secret Board Game Helped Win World War II by Simon Parkin – Tells the triumphant story of a group of young women who helped devised a winning strategy to defeat the Nazi U-boats and deliver a decisive victory in the Battle of the Atlantic.

 

~Semanur