Nonfiction
The heat will kill you first : life and death on a scorched planet
Jeff Goodell
363.73874 /Goodell
Nonfiction
"The Heat Will Kill You First is about the extreme ways in which our planet is already changing. It is about why spring is coming a few weeks earlier and fall is coming a few weeks later and the impact that will have on everything from our food supply to disease outbreaks. It is about what will happen to our lives and our communities when typical summer days in Chicago or Boston go from 90°F to 110°F. A heatwave, Goodell explains, is a predatory event--one that culls out the most vulnerable people. But that is changing. As heatwaves become more intense and more common, they will become more democratic. As an award-winning journalist who has been at the forefront of environmental journalism for decades, Goodell's new book may be his most provocative yet, explaining how extreme heat will dramatically change the world as we know it"--
Bridges
Marc Majewski
j624.2 Majewski
Nonfiction
"Bridges can be high or low, long or short, straight or curvy. Some are designed to blend in, while others stand out. But each one tells a story: a reminder of our history, a testament to ingenuity and engineering, an invitation to imagine the possibilities of the future. Literally and symbolically, bridges connect us-to new places, new cultures, and new people. With poetic text and sweeping illustrations, Marc Majewski delivers a unique, accessible look at bridges from all around the world: from the incredible structures that connect San Francisco's Golden Gate and Zambia's Victoria Falls, to England's Tower Bridge and Japan's Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, and many in between. Both informational and thought-provoking, Bridges shows how these awe-inspiring structures unite the manmade and natural worlds, and how they bring humanity together"--
Nonfiction is for all ages - even our youngest readers! Case in point: the new picture book "Bridges" by Marc Majewski. Highlighting 21 bridges around the world, each page contains a lush, colorful, sweeping illustration of the bridge; its name and location; and two short sentences with plainly-stated, succinct and simple - yet fascinating! - facts about the bridge. Example: "Bridges stand out. Golden Gate Bridge, USA. The unmistakable color of this bridge is called 'international orange.'" On the next page: "Bridges blend in. Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge, India. This living bridge grows and gets stronger year after year.") You can admire the pictures, spark the imagination, and leave it at that, or you can research each bridge (there is back matter with a little more information about each bridge) and learn more. I know I googled that root bridge immediately because I wanted to see a photograph! Young kids will probably have lots more questions about bridges after this reading experience. Enjoy! -Anne W
Over and under the waves
Kate Messner
jE Messner
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Nature
"A girl and her parents paddle into the bay. Over the water pelicans fly; under the water all kinds of sealife go through their daily life. Discover the magical depths of the kelp forest and all the fascinating creatures living just over and under the waves."--
This series is a storytime favorite! I'm excited to add this to our program collection and take it to preschool classes soon. If you like the other titles in Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal's Over and Under series, check this one out! -Casey
Slow AF run club : the ultimate guide for anyone who wants to run
Martinus Evans
796.42 /Evans
Nonfiction, Health
"Ten years ago, Martinus Evans got some stern advice from his doctor: "Lose weight or die." First defensive, but then defiant, Evans vowed that day to run a marathon, though his doctor thought he was crazy. Since then, Evans has run eight marathons and hundreds of other distances in his 300-something body, created his own devoted running community, and has been featured on the cover of Runner's World. This book is a blueprint for those who may not fit the image of a "traditional" runner-that is, someone who is larger in size, less athletic, out of shape, or dealing with any kind of health issue that slows them down-to feel empowered to lace up their shoes and embrace the body they have right now. As Evans says, the incredible benefits of running-better sleep, strong muscles and bones, better cardiovascular and mental health, and a sense of community-can and should be available to all of us. This practical handbook contains specialized advice to make getting started less intimidating, covering everything from gear and nutrition to training schedules, recovery tips, races (it's okay to come in DFL! [i.e., dead f*cking last]), and finding a running group. Full of essential advice and humor from a former newbie who fell off a treadmill on his first run (literally), The Slow AF Run Club is for anyone who wants to pick up running for the sheer joy of it"--
I'm a big guy. I've always been a big guy. I've also always enjoyed running--cycling is my exercise of choice, but running comes in close--but I'm not knowledgeable about HOW to run. I've just been freestyling this whole time. Evans is a kindred spirit--big dude who loves to run. He has great tips and attitude to spare. I recommend this to any non-traditional runners! -Brian
The lost sons of Omaha : two young men in an American tragedy
Joe Sexton
364.1523 /Sexton
Nonfiction, Black Lives Matter, Biographies, History
"On May 30, 2020, in Omaha, Nebraska, amid the protests that rocked our nation after George Floyd's death at the hands of police, thirty-eight-year-old white bar owner and Marine veteran Jake Gardner fatally shot James Scurlock, a twenty-two-year-old Black protester and young father. What followed were two investigations of Scurlock's death, one conducted by the white district attorney Don Kleine, who concluded that Gardner had legally acted in self-defense and released without a trial, and a second grand jury inquiry conducted by African American special prosecutor Fred Franklin that indicted Gardner for manslaughter and demanded he face trial. Days after the indictment, Gardner killed himself with a single bullet to the head. The deaths of both Scurlock and Gardner gave rise to a toxic brew of misinformation, false claims, and competing political agendas. The two men, each with their own complicated backgrounds, were turned into grotesque caricatures. Between the heated debates and diatribes, these twin tragedies amounted to an ugly and heartbreaking reflection of a painfully divided country. Here, Joe Sexton masterfully unpacks the whole twisting, nearly unbelievable chronicle into a meticulously reported and nuanced account of the two deaths, explaining which claims were true and which distorted or simply false. The Lost Sons of Omaha carefully examines some of the most pressing issues facing America today, including our country's dire need for gun control and mental health reform; the dangerous spread of fake news, particularly on social media; and the urgent call to band together in the collective pursuit of truth, fairness, and healing"--
This is really an incredible book--the best long-form journalism I've read in a while. It's not just that the sentences are smooth, direct, and propel the story forward, it's the heart-wrenching story itself. And while technically a true crime narrative, this book goes deep into the histories of two men brought into conflict during a Black Lives Matter protest. Author Joe Sexton masterfully details the little things in these men's lives that made each of them human; a Lion King tattoo for one, war-induced PTSD for another. Both men lost their lives that night, one literally, and the tragedy extends by political factions using them as martyrs for their causes. Read this book to remember to scrutinize every "black and white" story on the internet. Given the divisiveness and tribalism of online political discourse, and the multiple lies we'll all be reading in the run-up to the 2024 election, I consider this a must-read book for the year. -Melody
Zap! clap! boom! : the story of a thunderstorm
Laura Purdie Salas
jE Salas
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Nature
What starts as a blue-sky day begins to turn into rolling thunder as a storm brews.
I've been sharing "Zap! Clap! Boom!" with outreach sites this month, and it is a HIT! This nonfiction picture book is gorgeously illustrated, features a fabulous rhyme scheme, and includes a fun repeating phrase for storytime enjoyment. Calling all aspiring meteorologists and their caregivers, this one's for you! -Casey
We are branches
Joyce Sidman
jE Sidman
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Nature
Branches are all around us: in butterfly wings, on gecko toes, in flowers, frost, and mud. Whether as electricity moving across the sky or rivers flowing to the sea, branches are nature's most efficient way to spread and to connect. They are even found inside our own bodies, helping us reach and grow with each breath and heartbeat. Branches--strong, hopeful, beautiful--are the shape of life. How many can you find?
Yet another soft picture book nonfiction title that is perfect for storytime sharing, don't miss this one! -Casey
Cork dork : a wine-fueled adventure among the obsessive sommeliers, big bottle hunters, and rogue scientists who taught me to live for taste
Bianca Bosker
641.22 /Bosker
Nonfiction
A tech reporter describes her introduction to the world of master sommeliers and her in-depth investigation into the source of their interests and skills, an effort marked by work with elite tasting groups, encounters at exclusive New York restaurants, visits to California winemakers and more. --Publsiher's description.
This is the May read for the library's book group, BYOBook, and it's very enlightening and entertaining! I'm going to say upfront that, based on this book, there is a big mess of snark (against each other, against regular ol' wine drinkers, against restaurant-goers) and the icky feel of a boys' club about the world of wine and sommeliers, but if you're willing to get past that there's a lot in here to learn and enjoy. (If you've read Bourdain, that's not anything new, right?) I applaud the author's desire and willingness to dive into this world, and I'm appreciative of the scientific and historical info she serves up. This behind-the-scenes look at wine in our daily lives--from learning about the doings of vendors and sommeliers, to all the ways one might determine what makes wine good--is truly interesting, and while it might make me want to hop on downtown for a glass to test my skills on, it also makes me really glad it's not my job to taste and choose SO. MUCH. WINE. If you like fun schtick-lit, if you like a little science in the vein of Mary Roach, and whether or not you imbibe, this is a really good read. -Candice
The Wager : a tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder
David Grann
910.9164 /Grann
Literary Nonfiction, Nonfiction, History
"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Lost City of Z, a mesmerizing story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty's Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as "the prize of all the oceans," it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The men, after being marooned for months and facing starvation, built the flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing 2500 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes. But then ... six months later, another, even more decrepit craft landed on the coast of Chile. This boat contained just three castaways, and they had a very different story to tell. The thirty sailors who landed in Brazil were not heroes - they were mutineers. The first group responded with countercharges of their own, of a tyrannical and murderous captain and his henchmen. It became clear that while stranded on the island the crew had fallen into anarchy, with warring factions fighting for dominion over the barren wilderness. As accusations of treachery and murder flew, the Admiralty convened a court martial to determine who was telling the truth. The stakes were life-and-death-for whomever the court found guilty could hang. The Wager is a grand tale of human behavior at the extremes told by one of our greatest nonfiction writers. Grann's recreation of the hidden world on a British warship rivals the work of Patrick O'Brian, his portrayal of the castaways' desperate straits stands up to the classics of survival writing such as The Endurance, and his account of the court martial has the savvy of a Scott Turow thriller. As always with Grann's work, the incredible twists of the narrative hold the reader spellbound. Most powerfully, he unearths the deeper meaning of the events, showing that it was not only the Wager's captain and crew who were on trial - it was the very idea of empire"--
I actually bought my own copy of this book because I just couldn't wait...it was worth the splurge! It's no secret that I'm already a fan of David Grann's writing, so it should come as no surprise that I'm loving this book. It's not even like seafaring and wrecks are my thing, but the way he writes about it, they might as well be. The story comes alive, through the details of the souls on board the ships and everything they went through, their dreams, emotions, fears, and actions. The ships and the environments even become characters of a sort in the story, as they have their own powers over the fates of everyone on board and waiting at home. Thrilling history here! -Candice
The moon tonight : our moon's journey around earth
Chang-hoon Jung
j523.3 Jung
Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Nature
"Astronomer Jung Chang-hoon provides easy-to-follow scientific explanations of first- and last-quarter Moons, ebb and flow tides, where the new Moon goes, and more."--
Another new picture book nonfiction title! "The Moon Tonight" is gorgeously illustrated, and the breadth of information is perfect for sharing with younger elementary students. I'm excited to try the included science experiment at home as well! Don't miss this title if you like creative nonfiction or have a little one interested in celestial bodies. -Casey
Here in Iowa this August, cities across the state are breaking historical temperature highs. Though not taken on nearly as much as other extreme weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, and flash flooding, extreme heat is the number one killer. Prolonging its devasting effects with air conditioning not only places a band-aid on the problem but causes global temperatures to rise even more. Once thought as one-offs, extreme heat events have become the norm, are not going away and in fact, the author notes are becoming more "democratic;" disrupting all facets of our lives (think over-extended power grids and school closures.) While this is a disturbing book to read, if extreme weather will affect you (spoiler, it will,) then this is an absolutely necessary read. I love climate books that offer pragmatic solutions; albeit solutions that could be hard to swallow (think eating insects instead of that hefty steak). Author Goodell is astute at correlating global events in a logical way and in his over two decades of reporting on climate change, has become well-versed in connecting the dots of imminent disaster of a planet in peril if left unchecked. -Victoria