Nonfiction
Richard Nixon : the life
John A. (John Aloysius) Farrell
BIOGRAPHY Nixon, Richard
Nonfiction, Biographies
"Brilliantly researched, authoritatively crafted by a prize-winning biographer, and lively on the page, this is the Nixon we've been waiting for. Richard Nixon opens with young Navy lieutenant "Nick" Nixon returning from the Pacific and setting his cap at Congress, an idealistic dreamer seeking to build a better world. Yet amid the turns of that now legendary 1946 campaign, Nixon's finer attributes quickly gave way to unapologetic ruthlessness. It is a stunning overture to John A. Farrell's magisterial portrait of a man who embodied postwar American cynicism. Within four years of that first win, Nixon would be a U.S. senator; in six the vice president of the United States of America. "Few came so far, so fast, and so alone," Farrell writes. Finally president, Nixon's staff was full of bright young men who devised forward-thinking reforms addressing health care, poverty, civil rights, and protection of the environment. It was a fine legacy, but Nixon cared little for it. He aspired to make his mark on the world stage instead, and his 1972 opening to China was the first great crack in the Cold War. Nixon had another legacy, too: an America divided and polarized. It was Nixon who launched the McCarthy era, who set South against North, and who spurred the Silent Majority to despise and distrust the country's elites. He persuaded Americans to gnaw, as he did, on grievances--and to look at one another as enemies. Finally, in August 1974, after two years of the mesmerizing intrigue and scandal known as Watergate, Nixon became the only president to resign in disgrace. Richard Nixon is an enthralling tour de force biography of our darkest president, one that reviewers will hail as a defining portrait, and the full life of Nixon readers have awaited."
A walk in the woods : rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Bill Bryson
917.4 /Bryson
Nonfiction, Nature
The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking terrain in America—majestic mountains, silent forests, sparking lakes. If you’re going to take a hike, it’s probably the place to go. And Bill Bryson is surely the most entertaining guide you’ll find. He introduces us to the history and ecology of the trail and to some of the other hardy (or just foolhardy) folks he meets along the way—and a couple of bears. Already a classic, A Walk in the Woods will make you long for the great outdoors (or at least a comfortable chair to sit and read in)
Added by Beth
White fragility : why it's so hard for White people to talk about racism
Robin J. DiAngelo
305.8 /DiAngelo
Nonfiction, Black Lives Matter
In this groundbreaking and timely book, antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility. Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo explores how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively. --
Added by Beth
How to be an antiracist
Ibram X. Kendi
305.8 /Kendi
Nonfiction, Black Lives Matter
""The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it -- and then dismantle it." Ibram X. Kendi's concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America -- but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it. In this book, Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science, bringing it all together with an engaging personal narrative of his own awakening to antiracism. How to Be an Antiracist is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society." --
Added by Beth
The collected tales and poems of Edgar Allan Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe
818.3 /Poe
Nonfiction, Short Story
Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most original writers in the history of American letters, a genius who was tragically misunderstood in his lifetime. He was a seminal figure in the development of science fiction and the detective story, and exerted a great influence on Dostoyevsky, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jules Verne, and Charles Baudelaire, who championed him long before Poe was appreciated in his own country. Baudelaire's enthusiasm brought Poe a wide audience in Europe, and his writing came to have enormous importance for modern French literature. This edition includes his most well-known works--"The Raven," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "Annabel Lee," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue"--as well as less-familiar stories, poems, and essays.
Added by Beth
The knitting diaries
808.8385 /Knitting
Nonfiction, Short Story
A collection of three stories about love and knitting The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber; Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery; and Return to Summer Island by Christina Skye.
Added by Beth
Last best hope : America in crisis and renewal
George Packer
973.933 /Packer
Political, Nonfiction
2020: A ruthless pandemic, an inept and malign government response, polarizing protests, and an election marred by conspiracy theories left many citizens in despair about their country and its democratic experiment. Packer explores four narratives that now dominate American life: Free America, which imagines a nation of separate individuals and serves the interests of corporations and the wealthy; Smart America, the world view of Silicon Valley and the professional elite; Real America, the white Christian nationalism of the heartland; and Just America, which sees citizens as members of identity groups that inflict or suffer oppression. He shows that none of these narratives can sustain a democracy: we must look for a common American identity and find it in the passion for equality that Americans of diverse persuasions have held for centuries. -- adapted from jacket
If you are looking to understand the different narratives that currently make up American discourse, George Packer's "Last Best Hope" is a good primer. Although Packer boils things down to four different groups, generalizing many things, his overall point is that current divisions will not sustain our country and discusses ways to find a way forward. A short, compelling read. -Anne M
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
I couldn't put this book down! A very thorough and accessible to all ages account of the incredible cave rescue that the whole world was captivated by. I learned a lot more about how incredibly precarious the situation was, and how truly amazing the efforts of the global rescue team of military personnel, engineers, medics, cave divers, and other volunteers were...Not to mention thirteen children with incredible resiliency and perseverance to survive through so many days of complete darkness, with no food or clean water. -Mari
Martha Stewart's grilling : 125+ recipes for gatherings large and small
Martha Stewart
641.5784 /Stewart
Nonfiction, Cookbooks
"From starters to sweets, over 125 essential grilling recipes, plus smart tips and techniques."--Page[4] of cover.
Added by Beth
Weber's greatest hits
Jamie Purviance
641.5784 /Purviance
Nonfiction, Cookbooks
Collects over one hundred barbecue recipes from the grilling company, including such offerings as grilled oysters, Korean beef barbecue, jerk-spiced ribs, and Greek seafood salad.
Added by Beth
Added by Beth