Nonfiction
The end of Eden : wild nature in the age of climate breakdown
Adam Welz
577.27 /Welz
Nature, Nonfiction
"A revelatory exploration of climate change from the perspective of wild species and natural ecosystems--an homage to the miraculous, vibrant entity that is life on Earth. Your key word here is Sustainable Living right out of the World Economic Forum. "
Alexandria : the city that changed the world
Islam Issa
962.1 /Issa
Nonfiction, History
An award-winning British-Egyptian writer presents an authoritative history of the first modern city and how it has shaped our modern world, including its role as a global capital of knowledge as well as the site of plagues and violence. A city drawn in sand. Inspired by the tales of Homer and his own ambitions of empire, Alexander the Great sketched the idea of a city onto the sparsely populated Egyptian coastline. He did not live to see Alexandria built, but his vision of a sparkling metropolis that celebrated learning and diversity was swiftly realised and still stands today. Situated on the cusp of Africa, Europe and Asia, great civilisations met in Alexandria. Together, Greeks and Egyptians, Romans and Jews created a global knowledge capital of enormous influence: the inventive collaboration of its citizens shaped modern philosophy, science, religion and more. In pitched battles, later empires, from the Arabs and Ottomans to the French and British, laid claim to the city but its independent spirit endures. In this sweeping biography of the great city, Islam Issa takes us on a journey across millennia, rich in big ideas, brutal tragedies and distinctive characters, from Cleopatra to Napoleon. From its humble origins to dizzy heights and present-day strife, Alexandria tells the gripping story of a city that has shaped our modern world.
Calling all history buffs! This isn't just a well-researched, comprehensive history of one of the most fascinating cities in the world (past and present), written by someone who is from there: it's also wildly interesting! Many of us already know the high points--Alexander and Ptolemy, Cleopatra, the Ottomans, the British, the library (oh, the library!)--but really there's so much more to learn. Islam Issa tells the story of this city with thought and skill, resulting in a delightful book that gives Alexandria the respect it deserves in the minds of readers. -Candice
Log life
Amy Hevron
j577.3 Hevron
Nonfiction, Kids, Nature
"A nonfiction picture book that's all about the tiny world of nurse log habitats. Nurse logs are tiny ecosystems with hundreds of rare and important life forms. When old trees fall to the forest floor, they can take centuries to decompose, helping all sorts of organism for hundreds of years. They provide nutrients for tree seedlings, hideaways for small animals, shelters for the winter, and protection from the elements"--
Want to know how a downed log provides home and nourishment for scores of animals for the next hundred years? This book is entertaining and thorough yet simple and succinct for the youngest of readers on up. You'll learn something and have fun doing it! -Anne W
Fire flight : a wildfire escape
Cedar Pruitt
j363.379 Pruitt
Nonfiction, Nature
"Flames consume a forest, and an owl seeks refuge. Helicopter wings chop, and water drops to drench the branches below. Using spare, lyrical language, this debut picture book takes readers inside the journey of a screech owl that fled the flames to ride along with a firefighting helicopter during the 2020 California Creek wildfire. Vivid imagery highlights the fear and danger of the experience-as well as an astonishing moment of connection"--
This is an astonishing story of a tiny, cute owl who took refuge from a wildfire inside a firefighters' helicopter. There's a real photo of the tiny, cute owl at the end of the book! -Anne W
Wild places : the life of naturalist David Attenborough
Hayley Rocco
j508.092 Attenborough
Nature, Nonfiction
"A nonfiction account of the life of British naturalist David Attenborough and his advocacy for the protection of wild places on Earth"--
Gorgeous illustrations. Simple, straightforward writing about the natural world and Attenborough's efforts to educate about animals, nature, the environment, and climate change. This is an incredible book. -Anne W
The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause
Tasneem Bhatia, MD
OverDrive Audiobook
Nonfiction, Health
The goop hormone authority offers an empowering new approach to taking charge of hormone shifts through every stage of life—especially menopause. When hormonal highs, lows, twists, and turns feel overwhelming, Dr. Tasneem Bhatia can offer a road map—and a whole new perspective. As an MD with an East-meets-West approach to women’s health, Dr. Tasneem (known as Dr. Taz) combines the wisdom of Eastern modalities like Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine with modern medical treatments for whole body wellness. To Dr. Taz, menopause is not an “ending”; a woman’s entire life is a spectrum of ever-shifting hormones, and menopause is just one point along that spectrum. And hormone levels are a fluid continuum that you have a lot of control over: through your diet, how you sleep, how you manage stress, and more. In The Hormone Shift, Dr. Taz breaks down exactly what is happening behind the scenes in a woman’s body throughout her life and how almost every aspect of health is connected to hormones—from metabolism to mental health. She explains how to prepare for whatever is coming next, and offers a customizable Thirty-Day Hormone Reset plan that uses a combination of Eastern and Western healing modalities to keep the body in balance and deliver a targeted strategy for minimizing unwanted symptoms at every stage. * This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF with checklists, charts, illustrations, and an appendix from the book.
Honestly I came across this audiobook while looking for other books narrated by Soneela Nankani. She narrates books I love by Sonali Dev and Nisha Sharma, whose novels focus on Southeast Asian American culture and how traditional culture from their homeland conflicts with that of their adopted home. So here I am trying to find another Southeast Asian American love story and I stumble upon a book about menopause. There are a lot of new articles about how long the American health industry has ignored the suffering women go through during this major life event. Dr. Bhati discusses the 5 stages of hormonal shifting, starting with puberty and ending post menopause. She discusses individual hormones and their effects on the body extensively. She also gives lots of advice to help alleviate the suffering women go through due to these hormonal changes. If this is something you're experiencing or know someone who is, this book is worth checking out! -Melody
Molly
Blake Butler
BIOGRAPHY Butler, Blake
Nonfiction, Biographies
"Blake Butler and Molly Brodak instantly connected, fell in love, married and built a life together. Both writers with deep roots in contemporary American literature, their union was an iconic joining of forces between two major and beloved talents. Nearly three years into their marriage, grappling with mental illness and a lifetime of trauma, Molly took her own life. In the days and weeks after Molly's death, Blake discovered shocking secrets she had held back from the world, fundamentally altering his view of their relationship and who she was. A masterpiece of autobiography, Molly is a riveting journey into the darkest and most unthinkable parts of the human heart, emerging with a hard-won, unsurpassedly beautiful understanding that expands the possibilities of language to comprehend and express true love. Unrelentingly clear, honest and concise, Molly approaches the impossible directly, with a total empathy that has no parallel or precedent" --
I must admit that I'm at a bit of a loss for words with this book--I'm not ambivalent, but a little conflicted in how I feel about it. I placed a hold on it before it's publication, based on reviews I read, and in between that time and now, so much has already been said about the book that I know I my reading of it was changed to some degree. I wasn't just reading to learn Molly's story, her life and her life with Blake, her actions, and what one does in the aftermath of the worst situations, but now I was also reading to see if the author needed to be judged in some way, to ascertain if his telling crossed lines or was vindictive, or if parts of the story were even his to tell. I can see why the book has been polarizing for many, and I'll admit that while parts of it were achingly open and full of grief for a love lost, other parts felt more like they were written by someone who has been hurt very much and wants to hurt back. As ever, I would still encourage those who are interested to read it and form your own decision. -Candice
Torn apart : how the child welfare system destroys Black families--and how abolition can build a safer world
Dorothy E. Roberts
362.7 /Roberts
Black Lives Matter, Black History, Nonfiction
An award-winning scholar exposes the foundational racism of the child welfare system and calls for radical change. Many believe the child welfare system protects children from abuse. But as Torn Apart uncovers, this system is designed to punish Black families. Drawing on decades of research, legal scholar and sociologist Dorothy Roberts reveals that the child welfare system is better understood as a 'family policing system' that collaborates with law enforcement and prisons to oppress Black communities. Child protection investigations ensnare a majority of Black children, putting their families under intense state surveillance and regulation. Black children are disproportionately likely to be torn from their families and placed in foster care, driving many to juvenile detention and imprisonment. The only way to stop the destruction caused by family policing, Torn Apart argues, is to abolish the child welfare system and liberate Black communities.
Reading this for our community book discussion here on 2/29/2024! -Jason
Creep, leap, crunch! : a food chain story
Jody Jensen Shaffer
j577.16 Shaffer
Nonfiction, Picture Books, Animals, Nature
"In this nonfiction picture book, discover how the animal kingdom's food chain takes shape"--
Fabulous illustrations by Christopher Silas Neal accompany this cumulative food chain text. "Creep, Leap, Crunch!" is great for sensitive youngsters with alternate endings for each of the animals offered, reminding readers that predators are not always successful. A lovely glossary adds more information about the animals and temperate setting as well. Add this to the picture book nonfiction shelf! -Casey
A stone is a story
Leslie Barnard Booth
jE Barnard Booth
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Nature
"A stone is not just a stone. A stone is a story. Journey across history to see how one stone changes and transforms. Watch what happens when rain, ice, and wind mold this rock into something new, something you might even hold in your hand and imagine all that is left for the stone to become."--
Yet another fabulous picturebook nonfiction title! Gorgeous illustrations by Marc Martin highlight Leslie Barnard Booth's beautiful prose. Aspiring geologists, naturalists, and rock pocketers alike will delight in this exploration of Earth's past, present, and potential futures. -Casey
It seems fitting to write a review of this book when here in Iowa the weather went from record warmth to below-average temperatures and the potential of snow all within 24 hours. It's weird, right? This new book from Adam Welz documents not climate change, but what he terms "global weirding." In it, he carefully highlights species across the globe affected by their ecosystem in a state of decline, often so difficult to see to the layperson, but with devastating implications for these species. Wenz does not demonize stakeholders, but simply lays out the stone cold facts that at times can be difficult, if not necessary to learn. -Victoria