Author: Morris, Mary, 1947- author. Published: 2019 Call Number: F MORRIS Format: Books Summary: "In 1492, two history-altering events occurred: the Jews and Muslims of Spain were expelled, and Columbus set sail for the New World. Many Spanish Jews chose not to flee and instead became Christian in name only, maintaining their religious traditions in secret. Among them was Luis de Torres, who accompanied Columbus as an interpreter. Over the centuries, de Torres' descendants traveled across North America, finally settling in the hills of New Mexico. Now, some five hundred years later, it is in these same hills that Miguel Torres, a young amateur astronomer, finds himself trying to understand the mystery that surrounds him and the town he grew up in: Entrada de la Luna, or Gateway to the Moon. Poor health and poverty are the norm in Entrada, and luck is rare. So when Miguel sees an ad for a babysitting job in Santa Fe, he jumps at the opportunity. The family for whom he works, the Rothsteins, are Jewish, and Miguel is surprised to find many of their customs similar to those his own family kept but never understood. Braided throughout the present-day narrative are the powerful stories of the ancestors of Entrada's residents, portraying both the horrors of the Inquisition and the resilience of families. Moving and unforgettable, Gateway to the Moon beautifully weaves the journeys of the converso Jews into the larger American story"--Back cover.
Author: Stross, Charles, author. Published: 2018 2017 Call Number: F STROSS Format: Books Summary: Someone is dead set to air the spy agency's dirty laundry in The Delirium Brief, the next installment to Charles Stross' Hugo Award-winning comedic dark fantasy Laundry Files series! Bob Howard's career in the Laundry, the secret British government agency dedicated to protecting the world from unspeakable horrors from beyond spacetime, has entailed high combat, brilliant hacking, ancient magic, and combat with indescribably repellent creatures of pure evil. It has also involved a wearying amount of paperwork and office politics, and his expense reports are still a mess. Now, following the invasion of Yorkshire by the Host of Air and Darkness, the Laundry's existence has become public, and Bob is being trotted out on TV to answer pointed questions about eleven asylum seekers. What neither Bob nor his managers have foreseen is that their organization has earned the attention of a horror far more terrifying than any demon: a British government looking for public services to privatize. Inch by inch, Bob Howard and his managers are forced to consider the truly unthinkable: a coup against the British government itself.
Author: Johnson, Maureen, 1973- author. Published: 2018 Call Number: Y JOHNSON Format: Books Summary: When Stevie Bell, an amateur detective, begins her first year at a famous private school in Vermont, she sets a plan to solve the cold case involving the kidnapping of the founder's wife and daughter shortly after the school opened. Ellingham Academy was founded by Albert Ellingham, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym "Truly, Devious." Years later, Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan to solve this cold case. But the past has crawled out of its grave: Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy.
Author: Goodman, David A., 1962- editor, author. Picard, Jean-Luc (Fictitious character), 2305-2399, fictitious author. Published: 2018 2017 Call Number: F GOODMAN Format: Books Summary: "The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard tells the story of one of the most celebrated names in Starfleet history. His extraordinary life and career makes for dramatic reading: court martials, unrequited love, his capture and torture at the hand of the Cardassians, his assimilation with the Borg and countless other encounters as captain of the celebrated Starship Enterprise."--Publisher
Author: Goodman, David A., 1962- editor, author. Kirk, James T. (Fictitious character), 2233-2371, fictitious author. Published: 2016 2015 Call Number: F GOODMAN Format: Books Summary: Chronicles the greatest Starfleet captain's life in his own words. From his youth spent on Tarsus IV, his time in the Starfleet Academy, his meteoric rise through the ranks of Starfleet, and his illustrious career at the helm of the Enterprise, this in-world memoir uncovers Captain Kirk in a way Star Trek fans have never seen. Kirk's singular voice rings throughout the text, giving insight into his convictions, his bravery, and his commitment to the life--in all forms--throughout this Galaxy and beyond. Excerpts from his personal correspondence, captain's logs, and more give Kirk's personal narrative depth.
Author: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870, author. Tambling, Jeremy. Published: 2014 1850 Call Number: CL DICKENS Format: Books Summary: For David Copperfield, orphaned and with a cruel stepfather, the future looks bleak. But a new start beckons with the magnificent Mr Micawber, then with his eccentric aunt, Betsey Trotwood.
Author: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870, author. Bradbury, Nicola, 1951- Eagleton, Terry, 1943- Published: 2011 1853 Call Number: CL DICKENS Format: Books Summary: Bleak House, Dickens's most daring experiment in the narration of a complex plot, challenges the reader to make connections--between the fashionable and the outcast, the beautiful and the ugly, the powerful and the victims. Nowhere in Dickens's later novels is his attack on an uncaring society more imaginatively embodied, but nowhere either is the mixture of comedy and angry satire more deftly managed. Bleak House defies a single description. It is a mystery story, in which Esther Summerson discovers the truth about her birth and her unknown mother's tragic life. It is a murder story, which comes to a climax in a thrilling chase, led by one of the earliest detectives in English fiction, Inspector Bucket. And it is a fable about redemption, in which a bleak house is transformed by the resilience of human love.
Author: Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson. Published: 2004 2003 Call Number: F OLAFSSON Format: Books Summary: "As butler to William Randolph Hearst at San Simeon castle, Christian Benediktsson lives quietly, almost invisibly. He completes his tasks efficiently and with aplomb, catering to the whims of the volatile Chief and overseeing the running of the hectic household. Privy to the goings-on of the celebrity guests who visit as well as to Hearst's intimate relationship with his mistress, the actress Marion Davies, he is the picture of discretion. An extremely private man, those around him know nothing of him or his life. And so it is in his thoughts and in unsent letters to his wife back in Iceland that we witness the unraveling of his former life, which began when he abandoned her and their children for an actress in New York City. Once a successful businessman, he erases his past and himself after a sudden tragic death and his financial ruin, the result of a jilted lover's vengeance. Walking into the night is a stunning portrait of a man wrestling with guilt and secret passions"--Back cover.
Author: Min, Dolki, author, artist. Caudle, Victoria, translator. Published: 2023 2022 Call Number: F MIN Format: Books Summary: "The mere act of walking on the Earth is a challenge for our most unusual protagonist--a shapeshifting, gender-bending alien. After crashing their spacecraft in the middle of nowhere, they find themself stranded on an unfamiliar planet, where gravity is a disabling force. They'll need to practice walking in the Earth's atmosphere to survive. And what better way to practice than hunt delicious humans? They chooses their prey, shifts their gender, appearance, and conduct based on the prey's sexual preference, only to attack at the pivotal moment of their encounter. They has found ways to adapt to this new way of life, from a backpack full of torturous tools and post-murder cleanup equipment, to a common dating app that's helped them sniff out and target the juiciest of humans. But everything goes horribly wrong one night when the alien fails to take one woman's life on the spot. Sent on an ill-fated chase all over the city, they begin to consider the psychological and physical tolls their experiences on Earth have taken on them. The alien must re-access their bloody means of survival to understand why humans also fight to live. But their hunger is insatiable, and the alien once again zeroes in on a new prey, not knowing what awaits them... Min's haunting debut novel is part psychological thriller, part searing critique of the social structures that marginalize the queer, disabled, and nonconformist. Walking Practice uncovers humanity in who we consider to be alien, and how alienation can shape the human experience"--
Author: McFarlane, Fiona, 1978- author. Published: 2023 2022 Call Number: F MCFARLAN Format: Books Summary: "The Sun Walks Down is a sweeping, propulsive epic set in colonial Australia from Fiona McFarlane, the award-winning author of The Night Guest and The High Places"-- In September 1883, the South Australian town of Fairly huddles under strange, vivid sunsets. Six-year-old Denny Wallace has gone missing during a dust storm, and the whole town is intent on finding him. As they search the desert and mountains for the lost child, the residents of Fairly - newlyweds, landowners, farmers, mothers, artists, Indigenous trackers, cameleers, children, schoolteachers, widows, maids, policemen - confront their relationships with one another and the landscape they inhabit.
Author: Clavin, Tom, 1954- author. Published: 2023 Call Number: B MCNELLY Format: Books Summary: "Tom Clavin's Follow Me to Hell is the explosive true story of how legendary Ranger Leander McNelly and his men brought justice to a lawless Texan frontier. In turbulent 1870s Texas, the revered and fearless Ranger Leander McNelly led his men in one dramatic campaign after another, throwing cattle thieves, desperadoes, border ruffians, and other dangerous criminals into jail or, if that's how they wanted it, six feet under. They would stop at nothing in pursuit of justice, even sending 26 Rangers across the border to retrieve stolen cattle--taking on hundreds of Mexican troops with nothing but their Sharps rifles and six-guns. The nation came to call them "McNelly's Rangers." Set against the backdrop of 200 years of thrilling Texas Rangers history, this page-turner takes readers into the tough life along the Texas border that was tamed by a courageous, yet doomed, captain and his team of fearless men. It was one hell of a ride!"--
Author: Walls, Jeannette, author. Published: 2023 Call Number: LP F WALLS Format: Large print Summary: "Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the charismatic Duke Kincaid. Born into comfort and privilege, Sallie remembers little about her mother who died in a violent argument with the Duke. By the time she is just eight years old, the Duke has remarried and had a son, Eddie. While Sallie is sharp-witted and resourceful, Eddie is timid and cerebral. When Sallie tries to teach young Eddie to be more like their father, her daredevil coaching leads to an accident, and Sallie is cast out. Nine years later, she's determined to reclaim her place in the family. Sallie confronts the secrets and scandals that hide in the shadows and comes into her own as a bold, sometimes reckless bootlegger" --
Author: Hammack, William Scott, 1961- author. Published: 2023 Call Number: 620 Format: Books Summary: "In this book, Bill Hammack, better known as The Engineer Guy, takes us on a whirlwind tour of how humans built the world we know today. From the grand stone arches of medieval cathedrals to the mundane modern soda can, Hammack explains the golden rule of thumb that underlies every new building technique, every technological advancement, and every creative solution that leads us one step closer to a better, more functional world. Perfect for readers of Adam Grant and Jared Diamond, this fascinating examination of the method that keeps pushing humanity forward is a spotlight on the achievements of the past and a celebration of the potential of our future"--
Author: Sanderson, Brandon, author. Published: 2023 Call Number: F SANDERSO Format: Books Summary: "The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?"--
Author: Emill, Jumata, author. Published: 2023 Call Number: Y EMILL Format: Books Summary: When Nova, Lovett High School's first black homecoming queen, is murdered the night of her coronation, her best friend, Duchess, finds an unlikely ally in her search for the killer--her prime suspect, Tinsley, the white rival nominee for queen. "Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends revitalizing... Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley's guilt. Only, to do that, she'll have to get close to her. But Tinsley has an agenda too. Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed." --Front jacket flap
Author: Martin, Clancy W., author. Published: 2023 Call Number: 362.28 Format: Books Summary: "From the acclaimed author of How to Sell-and based on his viral Huffington Post article-comes a deeply intimate, insightful, and at times even funny portrait of the suicidal mind, combining the author's personal experience with a philosophical, literary, and journalistic inquiry into the subject 'If you're going to write a book about suicide, you have to be willing to say the true things, the scary things, the humiliating things. Because everybody who is being honest with themselves knows at least a little bit about the subject. If you lie or if you fudge, the reader will know.' The last time Clancy Martin tried to kill himself was in his basement with a dog leash. It was one of over ten attempts throughout the course of his life. But he didn't die, and like many who consider taking their own lives, he hid the attempt from his wife, family, coworkers, and students, slipping back into his daily life with a hoarse voice, a raw neck, and series of vague explanations. In How Not to Kill Yourself, Martin chronicles his multiple suicide attempts in an intimate depiction of the mindset of someone obsessed with self-destruction. He argues that, for the vast majority of suicides, an attempt does not just come out of the blue, nor is it merely a violent reaction to a particular crisis or failure, but is the culmination of a host of long-standing issues. He also looks at the thinking of a number of great writers who have attempted suicide and detailed their experiences (such as David Foster Wallace, Yiyun Li, Akutagawa, Nelly Arcan, and others), at what the history of philosophy has to say both for and against suicide, and at the experiences of people who have reached out to him across the years. The result is a work that powerfully gives voice to what to many has long been incomprehensible, while showing those presently struggling with suicidal thoughts that they are not alone, and that the desire to kill oneself-like other self-destructive desires-is almost always temporary and avoidable"--
Author: Blake, Olivie, author. Published: 2023 2019 Call Number: F BLAKE Format: Books Summary: "From New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake comes an intricate web of love, magic, and rival witch families in New York City. In modern-day Manhattan where we lay our scene, two rival witch families fight to maintain control of their respective criminal empires. On one side of the conflict are the Antonova sisters - each one beautiful, cunning, and ruthless - and their mother, the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants, known only as Baba Yaga. On the other side, the influential Fedorov brothers serve their father, the crime boss known as Koschei the Deathless, whose community extortion ventures dominate the shadows of magical Manhattan. After twelve years of tenuous co-existence, a change in one family's interests causes a rift in the existing stalemate. When bad blood brings both families to the precipice of disaster, fate intervenes with a chance encounter, and in the aftershocks of a resurrected conflict, everyone must choose a side. As each of the siblings struggles to stake their claim, fraying loyalties threaten to rot each side from the inside out. If, that is, the enmity between empires doesn't destroy them first."--
Author: Hackman, Rose, author. Published: 2023 Call Number: 155.333 Format: Books Summary: "A scathing, deeply-researched foray into the invisible, uncompensated work women perform every day "Emotional labor." The term might sound familiar. . .but what does it mean exactly? Initially used to describe the unnamed yet crucial labor flight attendants did to make guests feel welcomed and safe, the phrase has burst into the national lexicon in recent years. The examples, whispered among friends and posted online, are endless. A woman is tasked with organizing family functions, even without volunteering. A stranger insists you "smile more," even as you navigate a high stress environment or grating commute. Emotional labor is essential to our society and economy, but it's so often invisible. Many are asked to perform exhausting, draining work at no extra cost. In this groundbreaking, journalistic deep dive, Rose Hackman traces the history of the term and exposes common manifestations of the phenomenon. She describes the many ways women and girls are forced to edit the expressions of their emotions to accommodate and elevate the emotions of others. But Hackman doesn't simply diagnose a problem-she empowers us to combat patriarchy and forge pathways for radical evolution, justice, and change. The 2023 must-have for every reader"--
