“The Selected Letters of Ralph Ellison” capture the fiercely intelligent and irreverent author of “Invisible Man” in conversation with other novelists and critics of his day.
To this list, we would add her best-selling novel “The Dutch House.”
“I’m not that interested in movies,” says the dancer and choreographer, whose new memoir is “Out Loud.” “I like poetry.”
“So many covers tossed aside fail-safe choices this year and pursued directions that allowed for the possibility of art,” the Book Review’s art director writes.
Do you need something to look forward to over the holidays? At 500-plus pages, these novels are worth the extra space in your luggage or megabytes on your device.
All branches of the Atlantic County Library System will be closed for New Year's Day.
The Book Review’s graphics columnists weigh in on their favorites of 2019.
A selection of recent releases of note; plus, a peek at what our colleagues around the newsroom are reading.
Open to children of all ages. Ring the in the new year at noon with games, snacks, and other fun activities. Please advise staff of any food allergies. Sponsored by the Atlantic County Library Foundation.
All branches of the Atlantic County Library System will be open at 9:00 AM and close at 3:00 PM on New Year's Eve Day.
Johannes Anyuru’s novel “A Storm Blew In From Paradise” is inspired by his father’s flight from the tensions of East Africa in the era of Idi Amin.
In “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World,” a finalist for the Booker Prize by Elif Shafak, the narrator recalls her life in the minutes before she dies.
It's easy to make fun of disgruntled teenagers, but in his funny new Nietzsche and the Burbs, author Lars Iyer depicts them accurately and with real sensitivity, never mocking or condescending.
(Image credit: Petra Mayer/NPR)
Author: Scafaria, Lorene, film director, screenwriter, film producer. Lopez, Jennifer, 1970- actor, film proudcer. Elbaum, Jessica, film proudcer. Goldsmith-Thomas, Elaine, film producer. Medina, Benny, film proudcer.
Published: 2019
Call Number: HUSTLERS
Format: Video disc
Summary: Inspired by a true story, Hustlers follows Destiny, a young stripper struggling to make ends meet. That is, until she meets Ramona, the club's savvy top earner, who shows her the way toward making big bucks. But when the 2008 economic collapse hits their Wall Street clientèle hard, Destiny and Ramona concoct a plan with their fellow strippers to turn the tables on these greedy power players in this wild, modern-day Robin Hood.
Author: Tarantino, Quentin, film director, screenwriter, film producer. Heyman, David, 1961- film producer. McIntosh, Shannon, film producer. DiCaprio, Leonardo, actor. Pitt, Brad, 1963- actor.
Published: 2019
Call Number: ONCE
Format: Video disc
Summary: From 1958 to 1963, American actor Rick Dalton knew the height of fame and fortune as the lead in the television series Bounty Law. Yet, Rick wasn't satisfied with the work and used his popularity to try to become a movie star. By 1969, Rick's career has stalled so much that he takes jobs as a guest star on various shows. He even starts wondering if the only way he can make a comeback is by acting in Italian productions. Cliff Booth, Rick's long-time friend and stunt double, helps him see that possibilities for success still exist in the Los Angeles film industry if they work together.
Author: Herngren, Felix, 1967- television director. Bucht, Emma, television director. Hultkvist, Erik, screenwriter. Leopold, Tapio, screenwriter. Scharis, Inger, screenwriter.
Published: 2019
Call Number: SIMPLE SERIES 2
Format: Video disc
Summary: After pulling off a bank robbery in series one, series two sees Jenny and Cecilia tackle another classic heist: art theft. Where banks were the target in series one, their focus has now shifted to the rich tax-evading men earning big money at the taxpayers' expense. This is Kalmar, Sweden's local aristocracy, who play bridge at the gentlemen's club and only watch out for each other.
Author: Fellowes, Julian, television creator, screenwriter, film producer. Engler, Michael, film director. Neame, Gareth, film producer. Trubridge, Liz, film producer. Bonneville, Hugh, actor.
Published: 2019
Call Number: DOWNTON
Format: Video disc
Summary: The beloved characters of Downton Abbey take to the big screen, and it turns out that they've got a major event to prepare for. After all, it's not every day that royalty makes an appearance. Of course, it's not long before tensions are running high. The property isn't even close to ready when it becomes clear that Carson the butler will need to come out of retirement to help run this sinking ship before it's too late.
Author: Crowley, John, 1969- film director. Straughan, Peter, screenwriter. Jacobson, Nina, film producer. Simpson, Brad, 1973- film producer. Elgort, Ansel, 1994- actor.
Published: 2019
Call Number: GOLDFINC
Format: Video disc
Summary: Theodore 'Theo' Decker was thirteen years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day, a painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch.
Author: La Sala, Ryan, author.
Published: 2020
Call Number: Y LASALA
Format: Books
Summary: While recovering from an attack that leaves him without his memory, gay teenager Kane Montgomery stumbles into a world where dreams known as reveries take on a life of their own, and it is up to Kane and a few unlikely allies to stop them before they spillover into the waking world. Kane Montgomery was found half-dead in the river. He has no memory of what happened, and why his life seems so different now. The entire world feels off, reality itself seems different. Three almost-strangers claim to be his friends and the only people who can truly tell him what's going on. As unimaginable worlds materialize out of nowhere-- the gym warps into a subterranean temple, a historical home nearby blooms into a Victorian romance rife with scandal and sorcery-- Kane realizes that nothing in his life is an accident. A sinister force threatens to alter reality for good, and Kane and his friends must stop it before it unravels everything they know. -- adapted from jacket
Author: Randolph, John J., author.
Published: 2020
Call Number: 612.82
Format: Books
Summary: Easy-to-understand science-based strategies to maximize your brain's potential. Concerns about memory and other thinking skills are common, particularly in middle age and beyond. Due to worries about declining brain health, some seek out dubious products or supplements purportedly designed to improve memory and other cognitive abilities. Fortunately, scientific research has uncovered a clear-cut set of evidence-based activities and lifestyle choices that are inexpensive or free and known to promote brain and cognitive functioning. John Randolph translates this science in an engaging and accessible way, including the brain-boosting effects of exercise, social activity, mental stimulation, task management strategies, nutrition, and positive self-care. Interwoven with lessons from neuroscience, positive psychology, social and clinical psychology, and habit formation research are powerful self-coaching exercises designed to help the reader incorporate lifestyle changes that promote brain health.
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