NYPL Blogs: Biblio File

Picture Books Celebrating Irish Stories

Chelsea Condren, Early Literacy Coordinator — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 10:44:00 -0400

March is Irish Heritage Month and March 17 is St Patrick’s Day! Here at the Library, we are celebrating all things Ireland, and the talented Irish authors and illustrators working today. Here are a few of our favorites for youngest readers, from classic folklore to new and exciting titles!

If you’re new to Irish mythology, we suggest starting with Malachy Doyle’s Tales from Old Ireland, illustrated by Niamh Sharkey. This rich collection is full of short stories from Irish legends, folklore, and myths, and makes for a perfect read before bedtime.

For fans of the fairy folk, the delightful Too Many Fairies: A Celtic Tale, written by Margaret Read MacDonald and illustrated by Susan Mitchell, expands on the fairies of Celtic legend, who often promise to help but, as one older woman learns, are sometimes full of mischief!

If your little one can handle a gentle scare, The Banshee, written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, features the spooky Irish creature of legend, who may have come to visit the family of a young, brave boy—or has she?

Another brave character can be found in Irish author Margaret’s Unicorn, by the Irish author Briony Smith. Rich illustrations depict the Irish seaside, and a little girl falls in love with a baby unicorn she begins to care for.

Finally, The Longer the Wait, the Bigger the Hug, written by Eoin McLaughlin and illustrated by Polly Dunbar, has received accolades in Ireland and here in the states for its charming story of a hedgehog and a tortoise who are waiting for a very special hug!

Check out our special St Patrick’s day storytime here, and from all of us at the Library, Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! That’s Irish Gaelic for Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Twisty Young Adult Mysteries and Thrillers

Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, Children's Librarian, Kips Bay Library — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:26:00 -0500

Sometimes you find a mystery and sometimes it finds you. These young adult reads—contemporary and historical—offer intrigue and thrills as young women are drawn into solving crimes, revealing secrets, and unraveling mysteries.

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Daunis, who is part Ojibwe, defers attending the University of Michigan to care for her mother and reluctantly becomes involved in the investigation of a series of drug-related deaths.

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

After solving the murder case together, Ravi Singh helped Pip create a podcast that soon went viral, but they both swear off sleuthing. When Jamie Reynolds goes missing on the sixth anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh, however, Pip feels it's too big of a coincidence to ignore. With the spotlight on her, can she still follow the clues and uncover even more sinister depths to her hometown?

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields? Before there was a dead body, Enchanted's dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey's charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he's dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

While true-crime aficionado Ellery and her twin brother are staying with their grandmother in a Vermont community known for murder, a new friend goes missing and Ellery may be next.

A Good Girl's Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

As her senior capstone project, Pippa Fitz-Amobi is determined to find the real killer in a closed, local murder case, but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur

In 1426 in Joseon, a year after her father vanishes while investigating the disappearance of thirteen girls, eighteen-year-old Min Hwani returns to the island of Jeju to pick up his trail with the help of her estranged sister.

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger; illustrations by Rovina Cai

Elatsoe lives in an alternate contemporary America shaped by the ancestral magics and knowledge of its Indigenous and immigrant groups. She can raise the spirits of dead animals—most importantly, her ghost dog Kirby. When her beloved cousin dies, all signs point to a car crash, but his ghost tells her otherwise: He was murdered.

The Red Palace by June Hur

While investigating a series of grisly murders, eighteen-year-old palace nurse Hyeon navigates royal and political intrigue and becomes entangled with a young police inspector.

The Box in The Woods by Maureen Johnson

Stevie Bell just managed to solve the mystery at Ellingham Academy. Then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines—formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls, the site of the infamous Box in the Woods murders. The new camp owner wants Stevie to help him work on a true-crime podcast about the unsolved case. Going undercover as a camp counselor, Stevie learns that something evil still lurks at the camp—and The Box in the Woods is willing to make room for more victims.

A Study in Charlotte: A Charlotte Holmes Novel by Brittany Cavallaro

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson descendants, Charlotte and Jamie, students at a Connecticut boarding school, team up to solve a murder mystery.

The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

When her friend Monday Charles goes missing and Monday's mother refuses to give her a straight answer, Claudia digs into her disappearance.

They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

Cross-country running is Stella Steckler's life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she has friends, goes to parties, has a life off the course. Their lives are upended when Mila Keene comes to town. The top runner on her team back home, at first they view her as a threat. But Ellie's been looking for a friend, and in a moment of weakness shares her darkest secret with Mila. Stella also connects with Mila, but finds her a distraction. When Mila goes out on a training run and doesn't returns, all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.

Spin by Lamar Giles

When DJ ParSec (Paris Secord), rising star of the local music scene, is found dead over her turntables, the two girls who found her, Kya (her pre-fame best friend) and Fuse (her current chief groupie) are torn between grief for Paris and hatred for each other--but when the lack of obvious suspects stalls the investigation, and the police seem to lose interest, despite pressure from social media and ParSec's loyal fans, the two girls unite, determined to find out who murdered their friend.

Enola Holmes and The Black Barouche by Nancy Springer

When professional typist Letitia Glover is desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister Flossie, Enola enlists the help of her brother Sherlock and her friend Tewky to investigate Flossie's husband, the sudden death of his first wife, and the mysterious appearance of a black barouche.

I Hope You're Listening by Tom Ryan

Seventeen-year-old Dee secretly hosts a popular true-crime podcast but when a missing child seems linked to the disappearance of her best friend ten years ago, she considers revealing her identity to uncover the truth.

The Things She's Seen by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

Nothing has been the same for Beth Teller since the day she died. Her dad, a detective, was the only one able to see and hear her since the accident, but he is drowning in grief. But why is Isobel Catching able to see Beth, too? She was found wandering near the scene of a gruesome fire at a home for troubled youth that left an unidentifiable body behind. As Beth and her detective father work to unravel the mystery, they find a shocking and heartbreaking story lurking beneath the surface of a small Australian town. Told in two voices, this novel weaves together themes of grief, colonial history, violence, love, and family.

The Takedown by Corrie Wang

In this near-future mystery, Kyla Cheng, the smartest, hottest, most popular student at her Brooklyn high school, gets taken down a peg by a faked sex tape that goes viral.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Picturebook Adventures at Sea

Clarissa Cooke, Children's Librarian, 96th Street Library — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 11:21:34 -0500

If you are looking for some good sea stories for elementary school-age children, the books on this list will be perfect. There are stories of sailing ships, cargo ships, and one tale of life in a lighthouse. There are voyages on the ocean and voyages of the imagination along with some true sea stories from our nonfiction section.

Fiction

The Antlered Ship by Dashka Slater; illustrated byThe Fan Brothers

Marco the fox has a lot of questions, like: how deep does the sun go when it sinks into the sea? And why do birds have such lizardy feet? But none of the other foxes share his curiosity. So when a magnificent ship adorned with antlers and with a deer for a captain arrives at the dock looking for a crew, Marco volunteers, hoping to find foxes who are as inquisitive as he is that can answer his questions. The crew finds adventure and intrigue on their journey. And, at last, Marco finds the answer to his most important question of all: What’s the best way to find a friend you can talk to?

Captain Jack and the Pirates by Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury

A swashbuckling high-seas adventure finds young Jack, Zack, and Caspar building a sand boat on the beach before embarking on an imaginative voyage that pits them against enemy pirates and strands them on a desert island, where they discover a “treasure” of delicious desserts.

Captain's Log Snowbound by Erin Dionne; illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

Excited to give his report on explorer Ernest Shackleton in school, and frustrated by a monstrous snowstorm that has left his family and city snowbound, a boy imagines himself on a voyage where he and his crew (his family) are trapped by the ice, just like his favorite explorer and the ship, Endurance.

Faraway Things by Dave Eggers; illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Lucian's father called them faraway things, those mysterious objects orphaned upon the windswept shore, their stories long lost in the shroud of ocean fog. Lucian's discovery on the beach this particular day, though, is no ordinary faraway thing. It's a cutlass: strong, shiny, and powerful. As its history comes to light, Lucian faces a choice: cling to the sword he loves or accept a gift that shines farther, wider, and deeper than he could have ever dreamed.

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.

Hope at Sea: An Adventure Story by Daniel Miyares

When she stows away on her father’s 19th-century merchant vessel, Hope embarks on a high seas adventure of a lifetime, in this action-packed picture book that also captures the love between a father and child.

My Clementine by Roberto Innocenti

A captain narrates the many adventures he had aboard the refrigerated cargo ship Clementine, from his first sight of the ship in the 1930s, to its voyages around the world, to its becoming a warship in World War II, and to its final sinking in a storm.

Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan; illustrated by The Fan Brothers

A story about a young boy who sets sail to find the magical place where the ocean meets the sky in accordance with his late grandfather's descriptions, a voyage marked by imaginative animals and castles that leads to an unexpected discovery.

Nonfiction

How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison

A poignant picture book biography of the man behind the iconic hymn, "Amazing Grace", describes how John Newton miraculously survived a stormy night at sea and became a minister before ending his own slaving activities and sharing the words of his prayers to help abolish slavery in England.

Man-of-War by Richard Platt; illustrated by Stephen Biesty

Covering everything from warship design to navigation, a 25th anniversary edition of a nautical entry in the award-winning series features elaborately detailed, fact-filled cross-sections of an 18th-century man-of-war ship.

Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story by Janet Halfmann; illustrated by Duane Smith

A biography of Robert Smalls who, during the Civil War, commandeered the Confederate ship Planter to carry his family and twelve other slaves to freedom, and went on to become a United States Congressman working toward African American advancement.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Classroom Connections: Women and Their Passions

Amber Certain, School Outreach Librarian — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 13:13:17 -0500

March is Women's History Month—a time to celebrate achievements women have made throughout the course of American history in various fields. This booklist highlights four women: Alice Waters, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Florence Merriam Bailey, and Coco Chanel with an outstanding children's book about each along with recommended titles related to each woman's great passion (healthy eating, gender equality in sports, birds, and fashion). These would be wonderful additions during storytime or great titles to suggest for parents to encourage family and independent reading.

Alice Waters

Alice Waters Cooks up a Food Revolution by Diane Stanley and illustrated by Jessie Hartland

The delicious story of pioneering chef Alice Waters who changed the way America eats and kickstarted the organic food movement. A pioneer of the slow and organic food movements, she is also known for creating Edible Schoolyard, a project that involves kids in the growing of their own food.

Min/Max Grade level: 1–2
Natural Foods

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: ps_pho_cd5_54

Explore more titles about healthy eating and gardening:

Grow a Garden! by Alexis Frederick-Frost

Assigned to the most unpopular teacher at Garden Gnome Academy, Violet, Will, and Basil learn unexpectedly engaging lessons about soil, compost and the secrets to growing a healthy garden, in a story that shares step-by-step instructions for growing a container garden.

Min/Max Grade level: 4–6
Vegetable gardening

How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival

The beautiful simplicity of a garden is depicted through digital woodcut illustrations and engaging nonfiction text presented as a series of sweet questions and gentle replies. Less of a traditional how-to and more of a how-to-appreciate, this soothingly sparse text paints an inviting and accessible picture of what a garden offers. And with an all-child cast, the absence of an adult presence empowers readers to view the garden and its creatures through their own eyes, driven by curiosity and wonder.

Min/Max Grade level: Pre-K
Gardening

Our Food: A Healthy Serving of Science and Poems by Grace Lin, Ranida T. McKneally and illustrated by Grace Zong

An introduction to the science of food, the food groups, and the qualities of a healthy meal answers basic questions in a sequence of haiku poems and Q&A entries.

Min/Max Grade level: 3 - 4
Nutrition

Plant, Cook, Eat!: A Children's Cookbook by Joe Archer and Caroline Craig

For beginners and green-thumbed foodies, this unusually all-inclusive garden-to-kitchen cookbook is part lesson in gardening and part collection of healthy, delicious, kid-friendly recipes.

Min/Max Grade level: 3 - 7
Vegetable gardening

Patsy Takemoto Mink

Fall Down Seven Times, Stand up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura

A champion of equal rights who helped create a better future for all Americans, this biography of the first Asian American woman elected to Congress showed how she carved her own path to become a historic trailblazer.

Min/Max Grade level: Pre-K–2
Government and politics

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1683049

Explore books about sports and gender equality:

Girls With Guts!: The Road to Breaking Barriers & Bashing Records by Debbie Gonzales and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon

A celebration of the strength, endurance, and athleticism of women and girls throughout the ages, Girls With Guts! keeps score with examples of women athletes from the late 1800s up through the 1970s, sharing how women refused to take no for an answer, and how finally, they pushed for a law to protect their right to play, compete, and be athletes.

Min/Max Grade level: 1–4
Sex discrimination in sports

More than a Game: Race, Gender, and Politics in Sports by Matt Doeden

This book explores controversies in sports, including black boxer Jack Johnson, Jessie Owens in the 1936 Olympics, Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier, Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight in the Vietnam War, #MeToo, and the US gymnastics team, and much more.

Min/Max Grade level: 5—12
Discrimination in sports

Flipster: Access over 100 popular magazines, including Sports Illustrated Kids with your NYPL library card.

Florence Merriam Bailey

She Heard the Birds: The Story of Florence Merriam Bailey: Pioneering Nature Activist written and illustrated by Andrea D'Aquino

Tells the story of pioneering birder and activist Florence Merriam Bailey, whose compassionate approach to nature influenced modern bird-watching and inspired a lasting sense of curiosity and respect for the world's feathered creatures.

Min/Max Grade level: K–2
Ornithologists

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 108346

Encourage children to look for birds all around and pay close attention to their feathers and beaks! Explore more books about birds:

A Garden to Save the Birds by Wendy McClure and illustrated by Beatriz Mayumi

After a bird flies into their window, two children and their mother study how to keep birds safe, and soon their whole neighborhood is helping in different ways.

Min/Max Grade level: 1–3
Bird protection

The Beak Book by Robin Page

Birds around the world have so many amazing kinds of beaks! There are short beaks and long beaks, straight beaks and curved beaks, flat beaks, and even spoon-shaped beaks. But what do all of these beaks do? Discover how beaks of different shapes and sizes are adapted to help birds sip nectar, make nests, battle for mates, and more!

Min/Max Grade level: K–2
Bird identification

Bird Show by Susan Stockdale

Celebrates the beauty and diversity of some of the world's most remarkable birds, introducing amateur ornithologists to familiar and exotic species and their vibrant colors, patterns, and other feathered features.

Min/Max Grade level: Pre-K–2
Bird Identification

Birdology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Birds by Monica Russo, photographs by Kevin Byron

Provides thirty activities that encourage bird watching and observation in parks, zoos, farms, and backyards, and includes discussions on migration, nesting, food, territories, and wildlife preservation.

Min/Max Grade level: 4–6
Bird watching

Feathers: Not Just for Flying by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen

Profiles sixteen bird species and explores informative sidebars that underscore specific ways each bird uses its feather for a variety of practical purposes.

Min/Max Grade level:1–4
Feathers

Look Up!: Bird Watching in your own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate

A conversational, lighthearted introduction to birdwatching encourages kids to get outdoors with a sketchbook and explains how to identify local varieties by referencing cartoon illustrations that whimsically profile bird characteristics.

Min/Max Grade level: 3–5
Bird Watching

Coco Chanel

Along Came Coco: A Story About Coco Chanel by Eva Byrne

In a time when children were meant to be seen and not heard, along came Coco, a small French orphan with an eye for style, a talent for sewing, and a big imagination. At a time when girls were told to brush their hair 100 times until their arms were sore, Coco promised herself that one day she would snip away her locks so that she wouldn't have to be so fussy—girls needed time for other things, and they needed some of the comforts that boys enjoyed. Why shouldn't girls have pockets? And why did they have to wear corsets all the time? Along Came Coco shows the ways in which Coco Chanel's imaginative spirit led her to grow into one of the world's most beloved fashion icons.

Min/Max Grade level: K–3
Fashion

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1698201

Exploring books about sewing:

Catalina Incognito by Jennifer Torres and illustrated by Gladys Jose

Eight-year-old Catalina Castañeda uses Taia Abuela's sewing kit to turn ordinary clothing into a magical disguise, enabling her to uncover a thief at the local library.

Min/Max Grade level: 2–3
Being a friend

Create a Costume! by Sarah Myer

The comic convention is just a few short weeks away. All Bea and Parker need now are great costumes . . . but won’t the supplies and materials cost a fortune? Not if Bea and Parker follow a few simple instructions from Costume Critter, the world’s cutest cosplayer!

Min/Max Grade level: 4–6
How to

Sadiq wants to Stitch by Mamta Nainy and illustrated by Niloufer Wadia

Sadiq loves stitching colorful patterns on rugs. However, his Ammi reminds him that boys in his community don't stitch, they tend to the livestock. But Sadiq is determined to pursue his passion.

Min/Max Grade level: K–2
Gender roles

Stitch + String Lab for Kids: 40+ Creative Projects to Sew, Embroider, Weave, Wrap, and Tie by Cassie Stephens

With 40+ inventive projects, Stitch and string lab for kids contains everything from simple sewing, embroidery, and weaving to string art, needle felting, and yarn crafts!

Min/Max Grade level: 3 - 7
Cookbooks

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Reunions Gone Bad: Mystery and Thriller Reads For Fans of The Afterparty

Carrie McBride, Communications — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:12:51 -0500

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer is only good advice if you can tell the difference between the two. The Afterparty, streaming on Apple TV+, is a comedic murder mystery that unfolds on the night of a high school reunion. Each episode is told from a different character's perspective as detectives try to suss out the truth from the friends/ enemies/ frenemies at the reunion afterparty.

Reunions have become a popular setting for mystery and thriller books and often incorporate a "closed circle mystery" literary device as a small group of people, each with motive and opportunity, seek to uncover the truth—often revealing long-buried secrets along the way. Below is a selection of thrilling reads which all take place at a reunion. If these books are any indication, there are a lot of reasons to never attend a high school or college reunion besides worrying that you didn't keep up with the Joneses.

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

In this propulsive locked-room thriller debut, a reunion weekend in the French Alps turns deadly when five friends discover that someone has deliberately stranded them at their remote mountaintop resort during a snowstorm.

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

Returning to Duquette University for her 10-year reunion, ready to flaunt her achievements, Jessica Miller soon discovers that someone has set an elaborate trap to catch the real killer of her friend Heather 10 years ago and close the cold case for good.

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

The surviving members of a forgotten teen detective club and their dog reunite as broken adults to embark on a wacky effort to solve a terrifying cold case that ruined them all and sent the wrong man to prison.

Friends Like These by Kimberly McCreight

Five college friends meet up in the Catskills ten years after graduation, bringing their shared past, betrayals, and secrets with them.

The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Receiving ominous threats during a 10-year college reunion, Ambrosia and her best friend discover that they are being targeted by an unknown adversary who would exact revenge for a dangerous secret from their past.

Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

A former in-crowd member returns to her hometown a year after graduating from high school to investigate unsolved questions about her genius boyfriend's shocking death, only to be approached by a mysterious stranger who challenges her circle of friends to make a harsh decision to avoid becoming trapped in time.

They Did Bad Things by Lauren Forry

Twenty years after college, five friends are trapped inside a crumbling, secluded mansion on the Scottish isle of Doon; and must fight each other—and the unknown mastermind behind their gathering—as they confront the role they played in their former housemate’s death.

The Reunion by Guillaume Musso

Follows the reunion of three former friends from an elite prep school who try to figure out what happened to a glamorous classmate who disappeared twenty-five years earlier.

Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery with Harriet Vane by Dorothy L. Sayers

Gaudy Night takes Harriet and her paramour, Lord Peter, to Oxford University, Harriet’s alma mater, for a reunion, only to find themselves the targets of a nightmare of harassment and mysterious, murderous threats.

The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman

Old grudges between high school classmates resurface at a baby shower on an estate in the San Juan Islands where the mother-to-be goes missing and no one has any memory of what transpired the night before.

Fierce Little Thing by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

Five estranged friends receive threatening letters demanding their return to a former cult or the terrible thing they did as teenagers will be revealed. From vastly different lives, they return to confront their blackmailer and reckon with the horror that split them apart. How far will they go to bury their secret forever?

Black Chalk by Christopher Yates

One game. Six students. Five survivors. It was only ever meant to be a game played by six best friends in their first year at Oxford University; a game of consequences, silly forfeits, and childish dares. But then the game changed: the stakes grew higher and the dares more personal and more humiliating, finally evolving into a vicious struggle with unpredictable and tragic results. Now, fourteen years later, the remaining players must meet again for the final round. Who knows better than your best friends what would break you?

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

A group of thirty-something Oxford friends celebrates New Year's Eve in the Scottish Highlands as a historic blizzard hits, trapping and isolating them, only to discover one of them is a murderer.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Nine New Books on Feminism

Cierra Bland, Communications — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 14:10:50 -0500

Conversations in feminism are constantly evolving. Feminism, as a political movement, seeks to address the social conditions that enable the subordination of women. As those conditions change, so do the conversations and priorities of feminists themselves. Explore these recently published books by writers and intellectuals grappling with the current state of feminism.

The Right to Sex: Feminism in the Twenty-first Century by Amia Srinivasan

In The Right to Sex, noted philosopher Amia Srinivasan traces the meaning of sex in our world by reaching back into an older feminist tradition that was unafraid to think of sex as a political phenomenon to help us imagine the future of sex. She discusses a range of fraught relationships—between discrimination and preference, pornography and freedom, rape and racial injustice, punishment and accountability, students and teachers, pleasure and power, capitalism and liberation.

Girlhood by Melissa Febos

Blending investigative reporting, memoir, and scholarship, Melissa Febos charts how she and others like her have reimagined relationships and made room for the anger, grief, power, and pleasure women have long been taught to deny. Febos looks back on her experiences growing up and how the values that she and other women learned in girlhood failed to prioritize their personal safety, happiness, and freedom.

The Trouble with White Women: A Counterhistory of Feminism by Kyla Schuller

An incisive history of self-serving white feminists and the inspiring women who’ve continually defied them. Women including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Margaret Sanger, and Sheryl Sandberg are commonly celebrated as leaders of feminism. Yet they have fought for the few, not the many. As award-winning scholar Kyla Schuller argues, their white feminist politics dispossess the most marginalized to liberate themselves. The Trouble with White Women brings to life the 200-year counter-history of Black, Indigenous, Latina, poor, queer, and trans women pushing back against white feminists and uniting to dismantle systemic injustice. Their compelling stories, campaigns, and conflicts reveal the true potential of feminist liberation.

Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again by Katherine Angel

In this provocative analysis, Angel explores female desire, consent, and sexuality in the age of #MeToo. Women are in a bind. They are told that in the name of sexual consent and feminist empowerment, they must proclaim their desires clearly and confidently. Sex researchers tell us that women don't know what they want. And men are on hand to persuade women that what they want is, in fact, exactly what men want. In this environment, how can women possibly know what they want—and how can they be expected to?

Complaint! by Sara Ahmed

Drawing on oral and written testimonies from academics and students who have made complaints about harassment, bullying, and unequal working conditions at universities, feminist scholar Sara Ahmed examines what we can learn about power from those who complain about abuses of power. Following a long lineage of critiques from Black feminists and feminists of color, Ahmed delivers a timely consideration of how institutional change becomes possible and why it is necessary.

Mouths of Rain: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Thought

African American lesbian writers and theorists have made extraordinary contributions to feminist theory, activism, and writing. Mouths of Rain, the companion anthology to Beverly Guy-Sheftall's classic Words of Fire, traces the long history of intellectual thought produced by Black Lesbian writers, spanning the nineteenth century through the twenty-first century. Mouths of Rain includes writing by Black women who theorize about and see the word lesbian as a political descriptor that disrupts and critiques capitalism, heterosexism, and heteropatriarchy.

We Too: Essays on Sex Work and Survival edited by Natalie West, with Tina Horn

This collection of narrative essays by sex workers responds to the resurgence of the #MeToo movement. Sex workers from across the industry complicate narratives of sexual harassment and violence and expand conversations often limited to normative workplaces–writing across topics such as homelessness, motherhood, and toxic masculinity. We Too: Essays on Sex Work and Survival gives voice to the fight for agency and accountability across sex industries.

Against White Feminism: Notes on Disruption by Rafia Zakaria

Covering such ground as the legacy of the British feminist imperialist savior complex and “the colonial thesis that all reform comes from the West” to the condescension of the white feminist–led “aid industrial complex” and the conflation of sexual liberation as the “sum total of empowerment,” Zakaria follows in the tradition of feminist forebears. Zakaria ultimately refutes and reimagines the apolitical aspirations of white feminist empowerment in this staggering, radical critique, with Black and Brown feminist thought at the forefront.

The Echoing Ida Collection

Founded in 2012, Echoing Ida is a writing collective of Black women and nonbinary writers who, like their foremother Ida B. Wells-Barnett, believe the "way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.’ Their community reporting spans a wide variety of topics: reproductive justice and abortion politics; new and necessary definitions of family; trans visibility; stigma against Black motherhood; Black mental health; and more. This anthology collects the best of Echoing Ida for the first time, and features a foreword by Michelle Duster, activist and great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Suspenseful Mysteries For Fans of The Woman in the House Across the Street...

Carrie McBride, Communications — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:59:18 -0500

Kristen Bell and her abundant wine star in The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. Image courtesy Netflix.

The Woman in the House Across the Street from The Girl in the Window, now airing on Netflix, is a darkly comedic sendup of the now-familiar domestic and psychological thriller genres. You know the type—usually centered on an everyday woman who is drawn into solving a mystery or crime that takes place close to, or even inside her home. Common tropes include an unreliable narrator, the mysterious stranger, mistaken identity, a missing person, gaslighting, paranoia, and deception.

The eight-episode Netflix series pokes fun at the genre while still managing to deliver its own twisty, tense, wine-fueled mystery. If you've just seen the movies of this genre (most of which are adapted from books!), or you've only read Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, then you've only hit the tip of the literary iceberg.

The Other Woman's House by Sophie Hannah

Connie Bowskill sees a bloody, murdered woman in the virtual tour of an online real estate listing, but the images aren't there when she shows her husband.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife. You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement—a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle. Assume nothing.

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

An agoraphobic recluse languishes in her New York City home, drinking wine, and spying on her neighbors, before witnessing a terrible crime through her window that exposes her secrets and raises questions about her perceptions of reality.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

26-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career.

The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford

When her neighbor, Celia, is murdered, Dana Catrell, who suffers from a debilitating mania, must clear her name before she descends into madness.

The Nightwalker by Sebastian Fitzek

Suffering from a bizarre form of somnambulism that renders him violent while sleepwalking, Leon receives successful psychiatric treatments and fears his condition has returned when his wife goes missing under mysterious circumstances years later.

A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell

A single mother's life is turned upside down when her best friend vanishes, an inexplicable event that prompts her to reach out to her blog readers and the missing woman's handsome husband before nightmarish realities come to light

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Finding unexpected support from a new friend while collecting stories from her rapidly vanishing Brooklyn community, Sydney uncovers sinister truths about a regional gentrification project and why her neighbors are moving away.

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

The secretary of a successful psychiatrist is drawn into the seemingly picture-perfect life of her boss and his wife before discovering a complex web of controlling behaviors and secrets that gradually reveal profound and dangerous flaws in the couple's relationship.

Keep Her Safe by Sophie Hannah

A British woman's holiday at an Arizona resort transforms into a dark, obsessive quest for the truth when she becomes convinced that another guest is the woman who disappeared in a sensational headline case years earlier.

Into the Sound by Cara Reinard

When her sister, Vivian, mysteriously disappears, Holly Boswell, reminded of their childhood games to escape the mental abuses of their parents, reads between the lines of Vivian’s journals to enter her private world and find answers while someone follows her every move.

Losing You by Nicci French

Preparing to leave for a Florida vacation with her two children, Nina Landry anxiously awaits the return of her fifteen-year-old daughter, Charlie, who had spent the night at a friend's house, but Nina begins to worry when Charlie does not come home, and no one—the police, Charlie's friends, even Charlie's father—takes the disappearance seriously.

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Struggling to put her life back together a decade after her beloved teen daughter's disappearance, a divorced woman bonds with a charming single father whose young child eerily resembles the woman's own lost daughter.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Black Jewish Memoirs

Amanda Seigel — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 16:50:50 -0500

Celebrate Black History Month with life stories by African American Jewish authors. Explore these inspiring reads—by famous entertainers, a food writer, an activist, and more—held in the Library’s circulating and research collections.

Ace of Spades: A Memoir by David Matthews

In a memoir of identity and ethnicity, the author describes growing up with his Black activist father and his own white skin, the abandonment of his mother, and his life spent caught between two worlds.

Black & Bulletproof: An African American Warrior in the Israeli Army by Marcus Hardie

In Black and Bulletproof, Marcus Hardie tells his journey from his dangerous childhood in the outskirts of Los Angeles to war-torn Israel. He explains the importance of faith in his life and how it led him to enlist in Israel's elite anti-terrorism unit the Sayeret Golani.

Black, White, and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self by Rebecca Walker

Describes the personal journey of a woman born to a Black mother and Jewish father, including her struggle with drugs and complicated friendships, and culminating in her endeavor to find her own identity.

Bulletproof Diva: Tales of Sex, Race, and Hair by Lisa Jones

This provocative collection of essays and observations on race, sex, identity, and the politics of style speaks to a young generation of Blacks who were raised in an integrated society and are now waiting for America to deliver on its promises of equality.

Chai-Me: My Exploration of Race, Religion, and Spirituality in America by Tamar Manasseh

The writer speaks of the challenges that women meet when attempting to pursue goals once thought to be suitable only for males. She gives us a fresh perspective into the world of not just Black Jews but all Jews and the role religion plays in the politics of our community and our world. She also shares with us the struggle of African Americans to be seen as individuals within a larger group or within multiple groups and not just those dictated by race.

The Color of Love: A Story of a Mixed-Race Jewish Girl by Marra B. Gad

The debut memoir by Marra B. Gad, a mixed-race Jewish woman who chooses to help her racist, abusive, estranged Great-Aunt Nette after she develops Alzheimer’s, a disease that slowly erases Nette’s prejudices, allowing Marra to develop at last a relationship with the woman who shunned her in youth.

The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride

A young African American man describes growing up in an all-Black Brooklyn housing project, one of twelve children of a white mother and Black father, and discusses his mother's contributions to his life and coming to terms with his confusion over his own identity.

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael Twitty

A culinary historian uses the story of his own ancestors, both Black and white, to trace the origin of barbecue, soul food, and Southern cuisine, revealing the power of food to bring people together.

Gifts of a Stranger: A Convert's Round-The-World Travels and Spiritual Journeys by Ahuva Gray

Ten years ago Ahuva Gray entered her community in Bayit Vegan—and the Jewish people—as a stranger. Today this African American convert to Judaism is a beloved speaker, respected and admired in Jewish communities throughout the globe, traveling worldwide to inspire her fellow Jews to appreciate their heritage and to tap into the power and meaning of Jewish prayer.

Jokes My Father Never Taught Me: Life, Love, and Loss with Richard Pryor by Rain Pryor, written with Cathy Crimmins

The loving yet brutally honest memoir of the daughter of comedy legend Richard Pryor. Rain Pryor was born in the idealistic, free-love 1960s. Her mother was a Jewish go-go dancer who wanted a tribe of rainbow children, and her father was perhaps the most compelling and brilliant comedian of his era.

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish

The comedian and actress presents autobiographical essays that reflect on her disadvantaged youth as a foster child in South Central Los Angeles; her discovery of her talent for comedy; and her struggles with gender, race, and class boundaries in the entertainment industry.

Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz with David Ritz

The popular rock musician reflects on his life, from his struggles at school and tensions at home to his three-decade career as a songwriter, producer, and performer.

Lift Every Voice: Turning a Civil Rights Setback Into a New Vision of Social Justice by Lani Guinier

The former nominee for assistant attorney general for civil rights discusses, for the first time, how President Clinton abandoned his ambitious civil rights agenda when the political right attacked her nomination, and how the civil rights movement has subsequently suffered.

Little White Lie by Lacey Schwartz (DVD)

Tells the story of filmmaker Lacey Schwartz who grew up in a middle-class Jewish family, but at eighteen discovers she is the product of an affair her mother had with an African American man.

Love in Black and White: A Memoir of Race, Religion, and Romance by William S. Cohen with Janet Langhart Cohen

In a world where it was commonplace to see signs that read "whites only" or "Jews not allowed," William Cohen was born in Bangor, Maine, the eldest son of a Jewish father and a Protestant Irish mother. Janet Langhart, an African American, was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana by her single-parent mother, a Southern Baptist. These two people, from different regions, races, and religions, are both witnesses to and targets of the social tensions of the day. Opposites in so many ways—in color, faith, and culture—seemingly a bundle of contradictions, they meet in 1974, become friends, and eventually marry in 1996, in the U.S. Capitol

Lovesong: Becoming a Jew by Julius Lester

The author chronicles his earliest encounters with faith in the figure of his father, a Black Methodist minister, his earliest recollections of the lure of Judaism, the South before the Civil Rights movement, and his conversion to Judaism

My Long Journey Home by Lily Golden

The daughter of Oliver Golden, an African American expatriate and agrarian activist of the early 1900's, and Bertha Bialek, youngest daughter of Polish American emigres of Jewish descent, Lily Golden has a special place in history. In this account of her experience, Golden provides a connection between the contemporary and historical relationships of America to Russia. Golden offers a distinctly different and refreshing point of view of the lives and experiences of Russia in her often alluring and romantic, sometimes bitterly painful, yet always vivid and intimate details of her life as a dark-skinned Russian surviving in and struggling against turbulent changes.

Sammy: An Autobiography by Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jane and Burt Boyar

Describes his career, affairs, his marriage to Swedish actress May Britt, his conversion to Judaism, his relationships with the Kennedys and Richard Nixon, and his drug and alcohol problems.

Soul to Soul: A Black Russian Jewish Woman's Search for Her Roots by Yelena Khanga, written with Susan Jacoby

Yelena Khanga tells the compelling story of growing up Black in Russia and journeying through cultures to learn about her forebears and meet relatives she had never known.

Thoughts From a Unicorn: 100% Black, 100% Jewish, 0% safe: A Not-Autobiography by MaNishtana; foreword by Saul Sudin

African American and Orthodox Jewish blogger MaNishtana’s "not-autobiography” Thoughts from a Unicorn is a witty, straight-talking collection of memoirs, essays, and a few haikus that will take you on a journey of laughs, tears, self-reflection, learning, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

Triple Exposure: Black, Jewish and Red in the 1950s by Dexter Jeffries

The author, the son of a Jewish mother and an African American father, recounts his experiences with racism, leftist parents, a name change, military service, and a career as a professor of American literature.

Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee's Journey to Leadership by Aaron P. Dworkin

Uncommon Rhythm is a harrowing yet moving account of Aaron's personal journey through social isolation and discrimination to found one of the nation's cultural jewels, the Sphinx Organization.

"Journey to the Promised Land: How I Became an African-American Jew Rather Than A Jewish African American" by Carol Conaway (Nashim, no. 8, Fall 5765/2004) Access with your NYPL library card.

Not in the Library's collections but worth seeking out:

Black Boychik: The Hilarious True Story of a Fat, Mixed-Race Jew Crack Addict Who Somehow Becomes a Comedian. Go Figure by Gary Marshall Sarge

Born Black and Jewish and immediately adopted, Steven Charles Pickman is a high-energy comedian, a piano virtuoso since the age of 5, and an excellent singer. Despite all of these advantages, he eventually became homeless and addicted. Now clean and sober, he has dedicated his life to helping others suffering from the same.

From Ghetto to Ghetto: An African American Journey to Judaism by Ernest H. Adams

Adams retells his story of growing up in Harlem and being exposed to the Black Power movement during his time as a student at New York University before being invited to attend a classmate's synagogue leading to his eventual conversion to Judaism.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

50 All-Time Favorite Romance Books

Anne Rouyer, Supervising Librarian, Mulberry Street Library — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:03:21 -0500

We love an HEA (happily ever after). We love the feels, and the escapes these stories give us from our troubles. But more than the HEA, we love the journey. Sometimes, those journeys are unforgettable ones that stick with us and become all-time favorites.

The members of NYPL's Romance Committee have chosen what we think are some of the best romance novels, both recently published and classics, that we return to again and again. Somehow we managed to narrow it down to just 50—categorized by classics, contemporary, LGBTQ, historicals, sci-fi/fantasy, and thrillers. These are the books that we can't forget and that still have the power to make us smile or catch our breath.

Classics

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Available: book, audiobook, e-book, e-audiobook

Anne Elliot, a henpecked spinster at 27, was persuaded, eight years ago, to refuse the proposal of a handsome but penniless naval officer. When Captain Wentworth finally returns to the village, rich and successful, he and Anne must find it in themselves to trust again and try for a second chance at happiness. The last scene where Anne is...no wait, I don't want to spoil it too much. This is Jane Austen at her most hopeful and romantic.

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

A modern update on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice finds our heroine, Bridget Jones, struggling in her thirty-somethings against societal expectations and her attraction to her uninhibited boss, Daniel Cleaver, while also fancying Mr. Mark Darcy, despite his choice in reindeer jumpers. Considered by us to be a new classic, this hilarious, diary-formatted, rom-com was a worldwide phenomenon that kick-started a whole new sub-genre of romance novels.

Contemporary

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

Available as: book, e-book, e-audio book

Despite the less than ideal circumstances of their first meeting, Graham and Quinn had the perfect love story. However, their marriage is anything but. With their past mistakes, secrets, fears, and sacrifices threatening to tear them apart, can they find their way back to each other and save the love that still runs deep beneath the imperfections? A raw and beautifully felt romance that will have you reaching for tissues.

Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Starting with Bared to You, this 5 volume, compelling erotic series follows the relationship of Eva Tramell and Gideon Cross. Both come with traumatic childhoods that shape the future of their relationship. This global phenomenon is a masterclass of obsession and desire.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Available: book, e-book

Good girl, Abby Abernathy, moves across the country to Eastern University to avoid her past, but when she meets bad boy and underground fighter, Travis Maddox, her future and everything she planned are at risk. When Abby loses a bet, she finds herself living with Travis for a month. Driven crazy by her indifference to him, Travis tries to prove to Abby that he can change, but boy, has he met his match! The first in a series, this is a great bad boy romance.

Beyond The Velvet Rope by Tiffany Ashley

Available: e-book

Public relations exec Thandie temporarily relocates to Miami to work for the famed Club Babylon as a favor for a longtime friend and meets Elliott—the man who inadvertently is connected to her past, present, and future. Readers will be completely enraptured by this alpha male meets independent heroine, no holds barred love story.

Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

After a disastrous day, Emma Corrigan confesses her most humiliating secrets to a handsome stranger on a turbulent plane. When he reappears in her life as her company’s elusive CEO, she will have to face all the inappropriate things she said to him, and… her growing feelings for him. A hilarious romance full of charm and plenty of swoon.

Cocktail Collection: Wallbanger, Rusty Nailed, Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton

Available: e-book

If you like your romance with a side of hilarity, sexy puns, and cocktails—look no further! Male/female dynamics are given a satirical spin in this naughty collection of unforgettable, steamy, romantic tales.

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Available: book

Star student Hannah makes a deal with Garrett the cocky (and highly annoying) captain of the college hockey team. In exchange for helping him raise his GPA he’ll help her get and keep her crush’s attention but one unexpected kiss will change the whole arrangement. A sexy, unputdownable hockey romance that will have you gasping for more.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Available: book, e-book, e-audio book

Chloe Brown is a homebody. Chronically ill with people in her life who don’t always get it, she decides to start living life to its fullest which includes asking her mysterious and sexy motorcycle-riding neighbor Red to help her experience all the things she’s been missing. A rom-com charmer that is a perfect balance of humor, heat, sweetness, and depth.

Hard Hitter by Sarina Bowen

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

Patrick O’Doul, team captain of the Brooklyn Bruisers hockey team, refuses to show weakness. But when his chronic hip injury becomes impossible to ignore, he’s sent to the team massage therapist Ari Bettini who seems to be able to expose not just his physical weaknesses. As she works to heal Patrick, Ari must decide if she’s willing to open herself up to healing as well. A hockey romance hot enough to melt ice.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Available: book, e-book, e-audio book

Lucy Hutton, a quirky Pollyanna, and Joshua Templeman, meticulous and uptight, hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through passive-aggressive maneuvers and games as they sit across from each other at work. Up for the same promotion, their battle of wills is about to explode—proving that sometimes, maybe, hate can feel a lot like its opposite. Or maybe this is just another game. This recent enemies-to-lovers romance is on its way to becoming a beloved classic.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

This hilarious, fish-out-of-water, opposites-attract, grumpy-sunshine romance novel will have you swooning as it follows the antics of party girl Piper Bellinger and steady sea captain Captain Brendan Taggart. A contemporary, Schitt’s Creek readalike, romantic comedy.

It Happened One Wedding by Julia James

Available: e-book, e-audio book

Investment banker Sidney Sinclair has ruled out men after the embarrassing end of her engagement. When her sister becomes engaged, she meets Special Agent Vaughn Roberts, the sexy best man at the wedding. Vaughn Roberts tries his charm on Sidney, but she shuts him down. In a game of hot pursuit, Sidney and Vaughn may be the perfect love match. Fun dialogue and sensual heat make this read well worth it.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Foul-mouthed, eccentric Hazel scares off most guys, but not mellow college friend Josh. And they're definitely not dating no matter how many times they end up in bed together. I mean, they’re "dating"—just not each other. And setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there's nothing between them...right? A fun-filled, quirky rom-com.

The MacGregor Grooms by Nora Roberts

Available: book, e-book

D.C., Duncan, and Ian—Daniel MacGregor’s stubbornly, single grandsons—are about to meet their perfect matches whether they want to or not. The women chosen by their matchmaking grandfather will tempt, tease, and torture them all the way to the altar. These three funny, sweet stories make up a very entertaining anthology.

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Available as: book, e-book, e-audiobook

On a snowy, London evening right before Christmas, Laurie is on a bus on her way home when she locks eyes with a man standing at the bus stop. It feels like love at first sight but, before either of them can do anything about it, the bus pulls away. Laurie will spend the next year looking for her mystery man. When she finally finds him, it turns out he’s her best friend’s new boyfriend. Over the next 10 years, Laurie, Jack, and Sarah will navigate friendship, romance, sex, and what comes next. A perfect romance for the whole year.

The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

Football pro Mitch Riley and Tara Lincoln, a single mom event planner, have a one-night stand that rocks both of their worlds but Tara has already played the game of love and all she got was heartbreak. Now Mitch needs to convince her to give him a chance at love. A football romance full of heart and heat.

Royally Screwed by Emma Chase

Available: book, e-audio book

Starting with Royally Screwed, we get the sexy and romantic hijinks of the Pembrooks, the royal family of the principality of Wessco a.k.a “Their Royal Hotnesses.” These heirs are wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, unabashedly sexy, and arrogant—and they love a challenge. And honestly, what other plot points do you need?

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker

Available: e-book

Kasey Cleary is no stranger to picking up the broken pieces of her life. She did it four years ago when a tragic car accident killed her boyfriend. When her uncle slides into bed with her little sister, Kasey knows that to keep Livie safe they have to get as far away as possible. In survival mode in her new life, the last thing she needs is for her hunky, next-door neighbor, Trent, to make her feel things she is unprepared for. A heartwrenching and steamy romance.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Trapped in a stalled elevator, sparks fly between a sweet pediatrician and the sexy chief of staff to the Mayor of Berkley. In town for his ex’s wedding, Drew decides to take a chance and ask Alexa to be his plus-one, no strings attached. But when the night is over, neither one of them can stop thinking about the other. Readers are sure to swoon over this smart and sultry romance.

LGBTQ

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Hot mess son of 80s celebs, Luc once again finds himself on the front page of the London tabloids. He wouldn’t care except that this time his job is at stake. He needs to clean up his reputation and fast. Enter Oliver, a nice normal vegetarian barrister in need of a date to a big event. They have nothing in common but sometimes fake dating can feel like real dating. A snarky, sweet romance that will make you feel like a human heart-eye emoji.

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

Makeda Hicks has no interest in being anyone’s long-lost princess if her grandmother’s story of a past royal fling is to be believed. But, when Bez, the sleek and sexy investigator sent to find her crashes into her life, Makeda suddenly finds herself on a transatlantic adventure complete with a crew of weirdos, a fake marriage, and a ship’s cabin with just one bed. A charming and heartwarming addition to Cole’s Runaway Royals series.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Available: book, e-book, e-audio book

While attending a royal wedding in London, Alex Claremont, son of the first female US President, causes a scuffle with his longtime nemesis, Prince Henry, the heir to the British throne. To fix the PR nightmare, they must fake a friendship for the tabloids but as they get to know each other that fake relationship begins to seem really real. This sexy, unexpectedly sweet, and thoughtful, royal rom-com is a must-read for all romance readers.

The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen

Available: book, e-book

Five years ago, college hockey player Michael betrayed the only person who really knew him and since then he’s made an art of hiding his sexual identity from everyone, including himself. So it’s a shock when that one person from his past walks into the locker room and becomes his teammate —his unabashedly, openly gay teammate. Now ghosts of the past, panic, and tortured longing haunt them both. If you like your steamy romance with A LOT of angst this one's for you!

Historicals

The Courtesan's Daughter by Claudia Dain

Available: e-book

Lady Caroline has no intentions of marrying just anybody, but her prospects are severely limited thanks to her mother's past vocation as a courtesan. So, she’s dismayed to learn that her mother plans to get her a husband, specifically the Earl of Ashdon, by settling his gambling debts in exchange for marriage. The path to true love never did run smooth. A smart, witty romance that doesn’t disappoint.

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

Available: book, e-book

Fate brings shy and secluded author Sara Fielding together with the most dangerous man in London, Derek Craven, the low-born owner of a notorious gambling club. Sara senses that beneath Derek's cynical exterior, he is capable of true, passionate love but he is determined to protect Sara from himself, no matter what it takes. As Derek and Sara navigate an attraction too powerful to deny, a peril surfaces from his dark past to threaten their happiness. Derek Craven is considered one of the great, modern romantic heroes of all time.

The Duchess by Bertrice Small

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

A handsome, arrogant, and penniless Duke; a beautiful, independent, and intelligent heiress; a marriage of convenience story as old as time. A steamy, Georgian romance with dynamic characters and plenty of adventure.

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

Available: book , e-book, e-audio book

Formerly enslaved Elle Burns goes undercover as a slave in a Southern household, hoping to use her eidetic memory to benefit the Union. There she joins forces with Malcolm McCall, a Pinkerton detective trying to infiltrate a Rebel enclave. They are a great team with undeniable chemistry, but with the fate of the Union on the line and the whole world against them, the price of their love might be too high. An unforgettable romance that's also on NYPL's 125 Books We Love list.

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

Available: book, e-book

Poor, poor Miss Jane Fairfield. Known derisively as the Feather Heiress, she can't do anything right—her dresses are just a bit too garish, her laugh a bit too loud. However, Jane purposely cultivates her nightmarish image to keep her sister safe—and she has no time or need for love. An absorbing, smart, swoony Victorian-era romance.

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook, Spanish Language e-book

Fire meets ice when headstrong, American heiress Lilian, who’s been brought to England for an aristocratic match, meets the Earl of Westcliff, a man renowned for his reserved nature and business acumen. A delightful volume in Kleypas’s fan-favorite Wallflower series.

Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath

Available: e-book , e-audiobook

Lord Rafe Easton is a loner who loves nor trusts anyone. Rafe sets his sights on Evelyn Chambers, an earl’s illegitimate daughter, and wants her to be his mistress. Evelyn must come to grips with the many secrets Rafe keeps and find love in spite of them. The emotionally satisfying, third book in The Lost Lords of Pembrook series can be read alone.

Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Mariah Clarke, trying to escape the clutches of an unwanted suitor, convinces amnesiac Adam, Duke of Ashton, that he is her husband. The first book in the Lost Lords series is an irresistible strangers-to-lovers tale.

Never a Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer

Available: e-book

Diccan Hillard is drugged and dumped in Grace Fairchild’s bed forcing them into a whirlwind marriage. Despite their building passion, Diccan is embroiled in misadventures that Grace knows nothing about. Will his lies destroy their relationship just as it's starting? This angsty marriage of convenience is the highly memorable, second book in Dreyer’s Drake’s Rakes series.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

Plain Jane Lady Calpurnia is tired of following the rules that have left her a wallflower spinster. She vows to make up for all she’s been missing—she just needs a willing partner and teacher. Enter the devastatingly handsome and wicked Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston. If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says she shouldn’t fall in love. This forced proximity romance is not only memorable, escapist fun but Maclean’s debut (adult) novel.

The Spinster and the Rake by Eva Devon

Available: book, e-book

Edward likes things a certain way and Georgina is content to live her life as a spinster. That all changes when they are forced into a whirlwind engagement. A smart and engaging story of opposites attracting and learning to love in spite of differences.

A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh

Available: e-book

Ever since Lauren Edgeworth was jilted at the altar—when her fiance's supposed dead wife showed up on their wedding day—she's been in need of some fun. Enter Kit Butler, London’s most notorious bachelor with a plan. Lauren will be Kit’s fiance for the summer and in exchange Kit will show Lauren some adventure. Balogh is a master storyteller who weaves a tantalizing tale full of wit and heart.

To Catch a Bride by Anne Gracie

Available: e-book

Rafe Ramsey, son of the Earl of Axebridge, will do anything to get out of his arranged marriage and so he agrees to journey to Egypt and track down a mysterious young woman who’s been missing for six years. When he finally tracks her down, he realizes that there’s something in Ayisha’s past that makes it impossible for her to return to England, something far more serious than an unwanted betrothal. A gorgeous and tender romance where the hero falls first.

When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

What happens when the fiancé who you invented—and killed off—shows up at the castle you decided to live at? A Scottish romance is a must for every romance fan! This is an amusing, well-done Regency romp that has many of our favorite tropes. It's book three in the Castles Ever After series.

Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught

Available: e-book

Whitney Stone arrives back in England hoping to gain the attention of her childhood love. Unfortunately, her father's mistake changes her plans. In order to save himself from ruin, he makes an arrangement with the haughty Duke of Claymore, and suddenly Whitney finds herself as his wife. Even as her new husband seduces her into a storm of desire, Whitney refuses to give up her dream of a perfect love. McNaught never fails to sweep readers off their feet with her emotional, passionate romances.

Would I Lie to the Duke by Eva Leigh

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

In the second book in the well-loved Union of Rakes trilogy, farm girl, Jessica McGale poses as Lady Whitfield to secure funding for her family business. Through this subterfuge, she crosses paths with Noel, the Duke of Rotherby, whose influence could save her company. To her surprise, she and the notoriously carefree duke have more in common than she thinks. This delightfully steamy Regency is full of witty banter and intense chemistry.

Sci-Fi/ Fantasy and Thrillers

Belong to Me by Shayla Black

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

FBI analyst Tara Jacob goes undercover at a Dallas BDSM club only to run into Navy Seal Logan Edgington, the man who left her heartbroken years before. But, Logan only broke her heart to protect her. Fate now has him as her guide with Tara as the submissive and Logan in the role of her dom. As Tara's dangerous mission escalates, Logan once again tries to win her heart. An emotionally searing read that ratchets up the heat to 11.

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Set in New York, meet Wrath, the only purebred vampire left on earth. During a fight between vampires and their slayers, Wrath’s most trusted fighter gets killed and leaves a half-breed daughter, Beth. A daughter who is unaware of her ancestry or her fate. Now it is Wrath’s duty to guide Beth into the world of the undead. Volume one in the darkly sensual and unputdownable, twenty-volume Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

A Hunger like No Other by Kresley Cole

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae clan, has been tortured by a vampire horde for years. To his surprise, he finds out that his predestined mate is a vampire, a half-breed vampire at that. Emmaline, half vampire and half Valkyrie sets out to discover the truth of her parentage and is captured by Lachlain and taken to his Scottish castle. There, Lachlan begins a slow, wicked seduction that could bring both of them to their knees. Readers will become melted puddles with this sizzling, first entry in Cole’s famed Immortals After Dark series.

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

Abandoned by her lover after a quarrel, Dougless Montgomery is stranded in rural England, but with the sudden appearance of Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck—who died centuries ago—a passionate affair begins. A time travel romance in reverse that is witty, steamy, and unforgettable. Perfect for fans of Outlander.

Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan

Available: e-book, e-audiobook

Ever since arriving in Sea Haven, Damon Wilder has heard the name Sarah Drake and the whispered (with reverence) “She’s come home” by every local in the small coastal town. Even the wind seems to carry her name until finally, he finds himself at her door. Sarah, the oldest of the magical Drake sisters, has the ability to control weather and precognition. As Damon’s past comes for him, Sarah who is grappling with her own secrets may not be able to save them both. A homey and compelling first volume in the well-loved, witchy Drake Sisters series.

The Midnight Hour by Brenda Jackson

Available: book, e-book, e-audiobook

CIA agent Drake Warren gave his heart to a woman—a fellow Marine whose death in an explosion had him vowing he would never love again and seeking revenge for her killer. Teamed up with a mysterious, new agent, Tori Green, for a dangerous mission, the tension and desire between them are undeniable. Tori has her own past to reconcile—can they put the pieces of their pasts away before it's too late? A taut, steamy thriller that’s sure to please.

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Available: book, e-book , e-audiobook

When several Changeling women are murdered, Lucas Hunter, both human and animal, convinces Sascha Duncan, a member of the Psy, a race that is forbidden to feel emotions, to help him find the killer. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation. The first in the Psy-Changeling series, this is absolute perfection! This title is also on NYPL's 125 Books We Love list.

Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh

Available: e-book

Callan Lyons is a genetic experiment: part human, part animal. Merinus Tyler, a reporter who is trying to get his story, will tempt him until “the mating frenzy” takes over and locks them into a sexual heat they can’t escape. However, the evil Genetics Council is on their trail and will do anything to stop them. A scorching hot entry in the popular Breeds series.

The Vampire Queen’s Servant by Joey W. Hill

Available: e-book

Centuries-old vampire Lady Elyssa Yamato Amaterasu Wentworth finds herself unexpectedly drawn to her new servant, Jacob, an alpha male with an extreme reluctance to submit to any woman's wishes. Warning: keep ice water and a fan handy—you're going to need it! First in a series.

Looking for more romance reading recommendations?

The 2021 NYPL Best Romance Committee: Anne Rouyer and Kate Fais (co-chairs), Annie Lin, Anthony Murisco, Avigail Sharon, Christel Ellis, Danielle Shur, Digna Motta, Emily Small, Emily Valentine, Grace Loiacano, Hannah Spratt, Roxanne Russell, Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, and Stephanie Anderson (advisor).

Family & Food: Celebrating Black Families Through Picture Books

Clarissa Cooke, Children's Librarian, 96th Street Library — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:13:24 -0500

Here are some wonderful stories about multigenerational Black families enjoying special meals, and special times together. These stories of family love and delicious food will make you hungry while they warm your heart, and make you want to host a meal with your own nearest and dearest. As a bonus, many of these books include a recipe.

Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley

Edna Lewis championed purity of ingredients, regional cuisine, and the importance of bringing food directly from the farm to the table. With lyrical text and glorious watercolor illustrations, Gourley lovingly traces the childhood roots of Edna's appreciation for the bounties of nature. The story follows Edna from early spring through the growing season to a family dinner celebrating a successful harvest. Folk rhymes, sayings, and songs about food are sprinkled throughout the text, and five kid-friendly recipes and an author's note about Edna's life are included at the end.

Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke; illustrated by Paul Howard

For the youngest member of an exuberant extended family, Sunday dinner at Grannie's can be full indeed: full of hugs and kisses, full of tasty dishes, full to the brim with happy faces, and full, full, full of love. With a special focus on the bond between little Jay Jay and his grannie, Trish Cooke introduces us to a gregarious family we are sure to want more, more, more of.

Peeny Butter Fudge by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison; illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Even though Mom leaves behind detailed instructions for Nana, the grandmother and the kids have a different idea—dance time, story time, nap time, and fudge-making time—in a book that includes the Nobel Prize-winning coauthor's top-secret family fudge recipe.

The Get-Together by ChristineTaylor-Butler; illustrated by Lonnie Ollivierre

When the Johnson family gathers for a family reunion to celebrate the birthday of Uncle Wesley, the family's patriarch, it becomes a day filled with fun and games, favorite foods, a little arguing, and lots of dancing. Readers will leave this picture book feeling like they just spent the day with a family they will want to visit again and again and again.

Soul Food Sunday by Winsome Bingham; illustrated by C. G. Esperanza

While he is at Granny’s on a Sunday, the narrator helps cook the family meal and even contributes his own sweet surprise, in this loving celebration of food, traditions and gathering together at the table. Recipe for deliciously cheesy Mac 'N' Cheese included at the end of the story.

Sweet Potato Pie by Kathleen D. Lindsey; illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb

The summer a great drought sweeps across the county, the only crop Sadie’s family is able to save is the sweet potatoes. Money is tight, and if Papa doesn’t pay back his loan soon, the bank will take away the farm. Suddenly Mama comes up with an idea—sweet potato pies! The family can sell her pies at the Harvest Celebration that starts the very next day. Sweet Potato Pie is a delicious affirmation of strong family ties and creative problem solving. This lively story will capture your heart, as well as your taste buds

Tea Cakes for Tosh by Kelly Starling Lyons; illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Tosh has spent many days in the kitchen with his grandmother, Honey, watching her bake special tea cakes and listening to tales about their slave ancestors, so when Honey's memory starts to fail, Tosh is able to return the gift of tea cakes and stories. Includes a recipe for tea cakes.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

New Nonfiction Books to Read for Black History Month

NYPL Staff — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 15:42:45 -0500

History is always rewriting itself as new evidence comes to light, new connections are drawn by scholars, and new voices add to or challenge the prevailing narratives. This Black History Month we are highlighting some recently published (in 2021–22) nonfiction titles by Black authors covering the civil rights movement, the Black church, jazz, early Black cinema and Broadway, and more to enhance our understanding of the past.

Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain

A "choral history" of African Americans covering 400 years of history in the voices of 80 writers each of whom has contributed an entry about one five-year period to create a dynamic multivoiced single-volume history of black people in America.

South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry

This intricately woven tapestry of stories of immigrant communities, exploitative opportunists, enslaved peoples, unsung heroes and lived experiences shows the meaning of American is inextricably linked to the South—and understanding its history and culture is the key to understanding our nation as a whole.

All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles

The story of how three generations of Black women have passed down a family treasure—a sack filled with a few precious items given from an enslaved woman to her daughter in 1850s South Carolina.

Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

A powerful new history of the Black church in America as the Black community's abiding rock and its fortress.

Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood

Explores the history of Black cinema and how it has served as a reflection of social realities and events, from the early racist films of D.W. Griffith to today’s groundbreaking work of Black moviemakers and stars.

I've Been Here All the While: Black Freedom on Native Land by Alaina E. Roberts

Perhaps no other symbol has more resonance in African American history than that of "40 acres and a mule;" the lost promise of Black reparations for slavery after the Civil War. Roberts draws on archival research and family history to upend the traditional story of Reconstruction.

Young Crusaders: The Untold Story of the Children and Teenagers Who Galvanized the Civil Rights Movement by V.P. Franklin

Filling a gap in the scholarship of American history, V. P. Franklin crafts the first full-length history of the children and teen activists who participated in and led key protests during the civil rights movement.

Footnotes: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way by Caseen Gaines

The triumphant story of how Shuffle Along, the first Broadway show with an all-Black cast and creative team, became the musical sensation of 1921, paving the way for people of color on stage and screen and changing musical theatre—and the world—forever.

Soundtrack to a Movement: African American Islam, Jazz, and Black Internationalism by Richard Brent Turner

Explores how jazz helped propel the rise of African American Islam during the era of global Black liberation

Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation by Anna Malaika Tubbs

A tribute to the mothers of Malcolm X, James Baldwin and Martin Luther King, Jr. which share insights into the prejudices they endured, their commitment to education and their anti-racism advocacy.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

2022年农历新年绘本

Shirley Wong-Li, Patron Services — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 01:17:08 -0500

这篇文章是英文原文的翻译

本博文由 Shirley Wong-Li 与 Xiaoxin Cai 合作改编自英文原版。

图书馆将会在星期二 2 月 1 日与世界许多地方一起庆祝今年的农历新年！2022 年是虎年，我们收集了一些我们最喜欢的庆祝农历新年和虎年的图画书。其中许多的图画书也有中文版本！作为农历新年庆祝活动的一部分，与您的孩子一起阅读其中的一份。

Grace Lin 的 Bringing In the New Year 讲述一个美国华裔家庭的节日准备，而 Li-Quiong Yu 的 A New Year's Reunion 讲述一个小女孩在这个特别的日子与父亲团聚，这是一些向家庭介绍农历新年传统的精彩书籍。

农历新年有许多鲜艳的色彩和节日装饰。Rich Lo 的 Chinese New Year Colors (春节的颜色), 包含颜色的中英文单词, 和 Roseanne Thong 的 Red Is a Dragon: A Book of Colors 是探索新年色彩的精美书籍。另外，跟 Vickie Lee 的双语数字书 12 Lucky Animals 一起数数字！

探寻有关农历新年的民间故事，我们推荐 Andrea Wang 的 The Nian Monster，讲述传说中的年兽在农历新年的回归，Ying Chang Compestine 的 The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale，讲述一个家庭收到一个魔法锅的新年故事。以及 Natasha Yim 的 Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas，讲述一个小女孩被送到隔壁熊猫家吃萝卜糕的故事 - 但是当它们都没有蛋糕时会发生什么呢？

Oliver Chin 的 The Year of the Tiger，由 Justin Roth 绘制，讲述一只老虎王子迎来中国新年的故事。Ruby’s Chinese New Year 由 Vickie Lee 撰写，Joey Chou 绘制，讲述 Ruby 到她祖母家为她带来中国新年礼物的故事，当时她与所有生肖动物一起加入！最后，年龙再次出现在 Virginia Loh-Hangan 的 Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon 故事中，由 Timothly Banks 绘制。这本书改编自中国民间故事，讲述了一个注定要击败每年春天威胁一个村庄的龙的年轻女孩。

图书馆祝所有庆祝农历新年的人吉祥如意。

Nine New Historical Fiction Novels to Explore the Past

Carrie McBride, Communications — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:35:17 -0500

Historical fiction blends rich storytelling with detailed research into another time and place. Whether you enjoy the escapism of another era or you like to learn about history through the lens of a resonant story, take a look at these newly-published historical fiction novels.

When Two Feathers Fell From the Sky by Margaret Verble

After disaster strikes during one of her shows, Two Feathers, a young Cherokee horse-diver on loan to Glendale Park Zoo from a Wild West show, must get to the bottom of a mystery that spans centuries with the help of an eclectic cast of characters.

Coco at the Ritz by Gioia Diliberto

Though her name is synonymous with elegance and chic, the iconic Coco Chanel had a complicated dark side, and in late August 1944, as World War II drew to a close, she was arrested and interrogated on charges of treason to France. In this brilliantly insightful and compulsively readable novel Diliberto explores the motivations of this complex woman and portrays the gripping battle of wits that could have been her interrogation. Was Chanel truly a collaborator?

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim

After her desperate family sells her to a courtesan school, Jade befriends JungHo, an orphan boy begging on the streets of Seoul, and must decide to pursue her dreams or risk everything in the fight for independence.

One Night, New York by Lara Thompson

At the top of the Empire State Building on a freezing December night, two women hold their breath. Frances and Agnes are waiting for the man who has wronged them. They plan to seek the ultimate revenge. Set over the course of a single night, One Night, New York is a detective story, a romance and a coming-of-age tale. It is also a story of old New York, of bohemian Greenwich Village between the wars, of floozies and artists and addicts-lighting up the world, while all around them America burned with the Great Depression.

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

When mod English model Veronica Weber, while at the Frick museum, chances upon a series of hidden messages, she is led on a hunt that could not only solve her financial woes but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

Dust Off the Bones by Paul Howarth

After their family's cattle farm is attacked in the 1890s Australian Outback, two estranged brothers reunite to attempt to revive the business and are called to testify after a reprisal slaughter is perpetrated against the Kurrong.

The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed

In Cardiff, Wales in 1952, Mahmood Mattan, a young Somali sailor, is accused of a crime he did not commit: the brutal killing of Violet Volacki, a shopkeeper from Tiger Bay. At first, Mahmood believes he can ignore the fingers pointing his way; he may be a gambler and a petty thief, but he is no murderer. He is a father of three, secure in his innocence and his belief in British justice. But as the trial draws closer, his prospect for freedom dwindles. Now, Mahmood must stage a terrifying fight for his life, with all the chips stacked against him: a shoddy investigation, an inhumane legal system, and, most evidently, pervasive and deep-rooted racism at every step. Under the shadow of the hangman's noose, Mahmood begins to realize that even the truth may not be enough to save him. Based on a true event.

Harsh Times by Mario Vargas Llosa; translated from the Spanish by Adrian Nathan West

The true story of Guatemala’s political turmoil of the 1950s as only a master of fiction can tell it. The military coup perpetrated by Carlos Castillo Armas and supported by the CIA topples the government of Jacobo Árbenz. Behind this violent act is a lie passed off as truth, which forever changes the development of Latin America: the accusation by the Eisenhower administration that Árbenz encouraged the spread of Soviet Communism in the Americas. Harsh Times is a story of international conspiracies and conflicting interests in the time of the Cold War, the echoes of which are still felt today.

A Net for Small Fishes by Lucy Jago

The unhappy wife of the Earl of Essex strikes up an unlikely friendship with the newly-widowed, but talented, Anne Turner and the pair hatch a desperate plan to change their fortunes by navigating the dangerous Jacobean court.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Emotional Survival Tales For Fans of Station Eleven

Carrie McBride, Communications — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 13:03:09 -0500

Mackenzie Davis in Station Eleven. Image courtesy Warner Media.

Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven—a novel set in a near-future, post-pandemic world beginning to rebuild itself—became a bestseller and National Book Award finalist when it was published in 2014, and plans for its adaptation to screen began soon after. Two episodes were filmed in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a year-long shutdown of the production, a 10-episode limited series for HBO Max, which aired its finale last night.

While many might understandably steer clear of a topic so close to our current lived experience, Station Eleven—with central themes of loss, home, human connection, found family, and the power of art—is thoughtful, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful as it prompts us to contemplate not just how to survive, but why. If you were drawn into the Station Eleven universe and are looking to stay "on the wheel," here are some reading suggestions for similar tales of survival after civilization's collapse, and moving forward from loss and seismic change. Station Eleven, the tv series, has some significant plot differences from the novel, so if you have yet to read the book, that may be your best place to start.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

The sudden death of a Hollywood actor during a production of "King Lear" marks the beginning of the world's dissolution in a story told at various past and future times from the perspectives of the actor and four of his associates.

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

When a bizarre phenomenon causes the cataclysmic disappearances of numerous people all over the world, Kevin Garvey, the new mayor of a once-comfortable suburban community, struggles to help his neighbors heal while enduring the fanatical religious conversions of his wife and son.

The Plague by Kevin Chong

A modern retelling of the Camus classic that posits its story of infectious disease and quarantine in our contemporary age of social justice and rising inequity.

The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones

In a future world where the United States' borders have receded behind a ring of scorched earth to protect citizens from deadly disease-carrying ticks, a group of extreme adventurers find themselves at the center of a murderous plot.

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

Surviving a pandemic disease that has killed everyone he knows, a pilot establishes a shelter in an abandoned airport hangar before hearing a random radio transmission that compels him to risk his life to seek out other survivors.

Blindness by José Saramago

Portuguese novelist José Saramago's spellbinding tale begins when an unnamed man in an unnamed city is suddenly struck blind. In the days that follow, everyone he comes in contact with comes down with the mysterious condition. As the blindness spreads to epidemic proportions, the government responds by isolating the infected in an abandoned mental hospital where social conditions quickly deteriorate.

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

In a dangerous near-future world where an unknown phenomenon causes people to gain strange new powers but lose their memories, Ory and his wife Max journey through a perilous, unrecognizable world in a search for answers.

California by Edan Lepucki

After escaping the crumbling ruins of Los Angeles for a shack in the wilderness, Cal and Frida realize they are pregnant and seek refuge in the nearest settlement—a guarded, dark, and paranoid community that poses a whole new set of dangers.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

In a novel set in an indefinite, futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, a father and his young son make their way through the ruins of a devastated American landscape, struggling to survive and preserve the last remnants of their own humanity.

Severance by Ling Ma

A survivor of an apocalyptic plague maintains a blog about a decimated Manhattan before joining a motley group of survivors to search for a place to rebuild, a goal that is complicated by an unscrupulous group leader.

World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler

In the wake of a series of global catastrophes that have destroyed industrial civilization, the inhabitants of Union Grove, a small New York town, do anything they can to get by, as they struggle to deal with a new way of life over the course of an eventful summer, in a novel set several decades in the future.

This book has three sequels: The Witch of Hebron, A History of the Future, and The Harrows of Spring.

The Stand by Stephen King

A monumentally devastating plague leaves only a few survivors who, while experiencing dreams of a battle between good and evil, move toward an actual confrontation as they migrate to Boulder, Colorado

Y, The Last Man series written by Brian K. Vaughan, pencilled by Pia Guerra, inked by José Marzán, Jr.

In 2002, the world changes forever. Every man, every boy, every mammal with a Y chromosome everywhere on Earth suddenly collapses and dies. With the loss of more than half the planet's population, the gears of society grind to a halt, and a world of women are left to pick up the pieces and try to keep civilization from collapsing entirely.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

10 Craft and Cookbooks to Ring in the Lunar New Year & Celebrate the Year of the Tiger

Michelle Lee, Young Adult Librarian, Riverside Library — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:14:05 -0500

Malayan Tiger. NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 823722

The upcoming Lunar New Year on February 1 will still be different—and distanced—yet again for many people of Asian descent across the world as COVID-19 cases rise with the infectious Omicron variant. Many of the traditional festivities like visiting family members and friends, going to temples and churches, and attending parades will probably be put on hold or go virtual for a second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Here's a list of 10 craft and cookbooks to help with your own, at-home celebrations or digital gatherings. Make some paper decorations to brighten up the home or mail to loved ones as gifts. Try cooking a new Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Singaporean dish for the customary New Year's Eve dinner or New Year's Day meals. Create some sugary treats to start the new year on a sweet note. Or just admire the art and food photographs.

The upcoming Year of the Tiger will last until Jan. 21, 2023. The zodiac animal/sign is characterized as being brave, confident and energetic.

Whether you or your family celebrate the Spring Festival/ Chinese New Year, Seollal/Korean New Year, Tết / Vietnamese New Year, Tsagaan Sar / Mongolian New Year (February 2) or Losar/ Tibetan New Year (March 2), may the holiday bring good luck and good health.

Craft Books

Super Simple Chinese Art by Alex Kuskowski

Families can make a fun festive craft using a little bit of construction paper, scissors, glue, and other household items with this slim art book. Brighten up the holidays with a plum blossom tree, a paper lantern, dragon puppet and more projects.

Origami Activities: Asian Arts & Crafts for Creative Kids by Micheal G. LaFosse

Kids, teens, and adults who want to practice their origami skills can try their hands at 15 different projects. Crafts that would be relevant for the Lunar New Year include make a good luck box, a crane, a dollar-bill dragon, and a Chinese zodiac wheel.

Beautiful Origami Paper Wreaths: Handmade Japanese Decorations for Every Occasion by Noriko Nagata

Turn several pieces of origami paper into a beautiful, festive wreath with this craft guide book. Nagata’s unique creations are paired with various holidays throughout the year. The skill level required for these origami wreaths range from intermediate to advanced. Projects that would work well for the Lunar New Year include auspicious cranes, plum blossoms, and a flower bouquet.

Naomiki Sato's Origami Roses: Create Lifelike Roses and Other Blossoms by Naomiki Sato

Ambitious/experienced origami folders can create a rainbow of roses, cherry blossoms, and other flower buds to decorate your home. Step-by-step illustrations and photographs accompany each complex craft project.

Cook Books

Mister Jiu's in Chinatown: Recipes from the Birthplace of Chinese American Food by Brandon Jew and Tienlo Ho

“I had grown up speaking English but my culinary language was Chinese.” So goes the book introduction by Brandon Jew, executive chef and owner of Mr. Jiu’s, the Michelin-starred, award-winning San Francisco restaurant serving “high-end Chinese cuisine with a California accent.” This detailed cookbook is a primer on the “new” Chinatown pantry and the recipes offer modern, upscale takes on popular dishes as well as new culinary creations. Lunar New Year menu-ready selections include sizzling fish, four seas crispy chicken, whole Dungeness crab and baked nian gao (New Year’s cake).

Maangchi’s Big Book of Korean Cooking: From Everyday Meals to Celebration Cuisine by Maangchi (Emily Kim) with Martha Rose Shulman

This hefty compendium by Manhattan-based YouTube cooking instructor Maangchi (Emily Kim) is the ultimate guide to making a wide variety of Korean dishes. The simple instructions and bright photographs on every page go along with her popular food videos. Kim includes a brief passage on holiday foods and recipes for Lunar New Year specialties such as sagol-tteokguk (rice cake soup), bulgogi, and galbijim (barbecue beef), and sweets like injeolmi (rice cakes) and yakgwa (honey cakes). Vegetarian and vegan readers will be delighted by the chapters on vegetables and Korean Buddhist temple cuisine.

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Quynhgiao Nguyen

Part memoir and culinary/history piece, California-based writer/chef Nguyen preserves her heritage through food as she shares family kitchen recipes that explore the breadth and depth of Vietnamese cuisine. There are plenty of recipes for everyday meals alongside more celebratory dishes for Tết, which include pork riblets, pickled shallots, and—most importantly—banh chung (sticky pork rice cakes). Nguyen includes short chapters explaining Tết holiday preparations and feast traditions.

Singapore Cooking: Fabulous Recipes from Asia's Food Capital by Terry Tan and Christopher Tan

Singaporean cuisine is a mixture of influences that include Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, and Western flavors and traditions. Broaden your culinary knowledge and palate with these two notable food writers/chefs. Sample the fragrant, savory dishes highlighted in this cookbook laden with luscious photographs on every page. Holiday-ready dishes include lo han chai Buddhist vegetarian feast, Ikan Panggang barbecue fish, Malay sambal fish, Singapore chili crab, and, to finish the meal off with dessert, Nyonya pineapple tart.

The Dumpling Galaxy Cookbook by Helen You with Max Falkowitz

Dumplings are another traditional Chinese dish often served on Lunar New Year’s Eve. You— the owner of the notable Flushing, Queens-based restaurant—shares more than 40 different savory and sweet recipes for these delicious edible packets filled with meat, seafood and/or vegetables. Special recipes to try for the Lunar New Year include mixed shellfish dumplings and two types of tang yuan (sweet glutinous rice dumplings).

Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries by Kristina Cho

Baked goods aren’t common in traditional Chinese meals but these sweets have grown in popularity, especially around the holidays. This ode to Chinese bakeries includes recipes for long-time Lunar New Year treats fa gao and bai tang gao (steamed cupcakes and white sugar cake), as well as other festive desserts like black sesame souffle cake, mango mousse cake, and chocolate hazelnut Macau-style cookies. Cho’s book also profiles four beloved Chinese American bakeries, including New York City’s Fay Da.

For more Lunar New Year reading recommendations, check out these blog posts:

Books and Virtual Library Events to Ring in the Year of the Ox/Bull/Cow by Michelle Lee
Books and Library Events to Ring in the Year of the Mouse/Rat by Michelle Lee
Happy Lunar New Year: Books and Events to Honor the Year of the Dog by Michelle Lee

For more information about the Lunar New Year holiday, check out these blog posts:

The 15 Days of the Lunar New Year and What They Mean by Shirley Wong-Li
Chinese New Year Memories by Sue Yee

Picture Books to Celebrate Lunar New Year 2022

Chelsea Condren, Early Literacy Coordinator — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 12:14:59 -0500

阅读这篇简体中文版的帖子

The New York Public Library joins many parts of the world in celebrating Lunar New Year on Tuesday, February 1st. These picture books celebrate the new year and the Year of the Tiger (many titles are also available in Chinese). Curl up with your little one and one of these reads as part of your Lunar New Year celebration.

Grace Lin’s Bringing In the New Year , about a Chinese American family’s preparations for the holiday, and Li-Qiong Yu’s A New Year's Reunion (illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang.), about a young girl who is reunited with her father on this special day, are fantastic books to introduce families to Lunar New Year traditions.

Lunar New Year features lots of bright colors and festive decorations. Rich Lo’s Chinese New Year Colors, featuring both English and Chinese words for colors, and Roseanne Thong’s Red Is a Dragon: A Book of Colors (illustrated by Grace Lin) are beautiful books to explore the colors of the New Year with. Plus, count along to author Vickie Lee’s bilingual numbers book, 12 Lucky Animals, illustrated by Joey Chou.

To explore folktales involving the Lunar New Year, we recommend Andrea Wang and Alina Chau's The Nian Monster, about the return of the legendary Nian monster at Chinese New Year, Ying Chang Compestine’s The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale (illustrated by Sebastia Serra) about a family who receive new year’s luck with a magic wok, and Natasha Yim and Grace Zong’s Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas, about a young girl who is sent to the home of the pandas next door for turnip cakes—but what happens when they are all out of cakes?

Oliver Chin’s The Year of the Tiger, illustrated by Justin Roth, follows a princely tiger ushering in the Chinese New Year. Ruby’s Chinese New Year, written by Vickie Lee and illustrated by Joey Chou, tells the story of Ruby traveling to her grandmother’s house to bring her a gift for the Chinese New Year, when she is joined by all of the animals of the zodiac. Finally, Nian the dragon makes another appearance in Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon, written by Virginia Loh-Hagan and illustrated by Timothy Banks. Adapted from a Chinese folktale, this book follows Mei, a young girl who is destined to defeat the dragon who threatens a village each spring.

The Library wishes a prosperous and meaningful Lunar New Year to all who celebrate.

Suspense & Thriller Manga That Will Make Your Blood Run Cold

Amanda Pagan, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 11:35:49 -0500

Are you looking for heart-pounding, dread-inducing, thrilling tales of suspense and tension? Then you’re in the right place. Below we’ve gathered up some of our staff's favorite suspense and thriller manga.

If straight-up horror is more your speed, then make sure to check out: Chills, Thrills, & Super Bloody Spills: Horror Manga for the Masses.

These titles are intended for older teens and adults.

For the Kid I Saw in My Dreams by Kei Sanbe; translation by Sheldon Drzka; lettering by Abigail Blackman

Recommended by Renee Scott and Joseph Pascullo

Senri Nakajou's twin brother was his everything, the one who protected him from their abusive father, the one whose pain he felt as his own. That is, until the day thirteen years ago when Senri's entire family was murdered before his eyes. He couldn't have cared less about his parents, but without his brother, his world ended. Ever since, finding the killer and making him pay has been Senri's only goal...and now-finally-he's caught a glimpse of a clue...!

Renee: From the creator of Erased (another amazing series), Senri is hellbent on avenging his family's murder but feels that his twin brother may still be alive. The twists and turns (classic traits of Kei Sanbe's work) keep you guessing, and just when you think you've figured it out, Sanbe throws another curve ball that destroys your theory.

Joseph: Thriller manga master Kei Sanbe is at it again with this title (a former NYPL Best Books for Teens honoree). Twin boys Senri and Kazuto have a special bond where they feel one another's pain and lines of vision during traumatic moments. When an encounter with a mysterious individual leaves Kazuto missing (or worse, dead), Senri will stop at nothing to get his brother back, taking readers on an exhilarating, white knuckle expedition that will leave you wanting more.

Ajin: Demi-Human story by Tsuina Miura; written and drawn by Gamon Sakurai; translation by Ko Ransom

Recommended by Amanda Pagan

Kei Nagai, a high-school student, should have died when the truck hit him. Instead, he comes back to life and his world is changed forever. Kei learns he is an Ajin or demi-human, a mysterious creature that cannot die. Frightened by the prospect of what might happen to him, Kei, helped by his friend, Kai, flee from civilization only to encounter a group of demi-humans who are hostile to humans. Who should Kei side with?

Amanda: I was hooked from the first volume and immediately ordered the whole series as soon as I finished it. I actually have to take a break between volumes because I get so agitated and tense from the heart-pounding action and suspense. The characters are fleshed out, the action scenes are clear and easy to follow, and the storyline leaves you on the edge of your seat shouting, “What’s going to happen next?!”. If you’re looking for a series that constantly keeps you guessing, then check this one out IMMEDIATELY.

Back When You Called Us Devils by Takashi Sano

Recommended by Joseph Pascullo

Yusuke Saito is a normal high school kid...well, normal enough, except that he can't remember anything from his life except the last six months. But when he starts to get confronted by people who insist they're from his past, who allege that he did horrible things to them...suddenly Yusuke's missing memories become crucial to remember. Otherwise, the skeletons in his closet may just make him a skeleton, too…

Joseph: This story is a horrifying look at what happens when you undergo a spell of multi-month amnesia. What kind of atrocities would you commit when you have no control over your actions, or your memories? And what would you do when the people you've unconsciously harmed (both emotionally and physically) track you down to seek their revenge?

The Drifting Classroom by Kazuo Umezz; translation by Sheldon Drzka; English adaptation by Molly Tanzer; lettering by Evan Waldinger

Recommended by Amanda Pagan

In the aftermath of a massive earthquake, a Japanese elementary school is transported into a hostile world where the students and teachers are besieged by terrifying creatures and beset by madness. Out of nowhere, an entire school vanishes, leaving nothing but a hole in the ground. While parents mourn and authorities investigate, the students and teachers find themselves not dead but stranded in a terrifying wasteland where they must fight to survive.

Amanda: Are you ready for 1970s science fiction weirdness? I thought so. This is actually a science fiction/horror title, but it kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat the entire time so I’m including it on this list. I’m interested to see what people’s thoughts on the ending are, but the rest of the series is top notch quality thrills.

Erased by Kei Sanbe; translation by Sheldon Drzka; lettering by Abigail Blackman

Recommended by Renee Scott

In the body of his boyhood self, Satoru encounters sights he never imagined he would see again—the smile of his mother, alive and well, his old friends, and Kayo Hinazuki, the girl who was kidnapped and murdered when he was a boy the first time around. To return to the present and prevent the tragedy that brought him back to his childhood in the first place, Satoru begins plotting a way to change Hinazuki's fate...But up against the clock and a faceless evil, does eleven-year-old Satoru even stand a chance?

Happy Sugar Life by Tomiyaki Kagisora; translation by Jan Mitsuko Cash; lettering by Nicole Dochych.

Recommended by Renee Scott

Satou Matsuzaka doesn't seem to care about much, moving through boys and casting them aside like used candy wrappers. All that changes, though, when she meets Shio. The little girl changes everything for Matsuzaka. Is this love...? If it is, then it's love through a very warped prism as the high schooler demonstrates there's no atrocity beyond her when it comes to protecting the object of her deranged affection.

Renee: This series MESSED! ME! UP! The main character, Satou, is so enamored with Shio that she basically kidnaps the little girl and will kill anyone who dares to destroy their "happy sugar life." The concept of love gets skewed and lines get crossed in so many ways, it freaked me out.

Future Diary by Sakae Esuno; translation byS tephen Paul; English adaptation by Clint Beckham; edited by Cindy Suzuki

Recommended by Renee Scott

When Yukiteru, a quiet boy who spends most of his time typing on his cell phone diary, realizes that the entries in his diary are from the future, he must face twelve opponents who all posses Future Diaries in a battle to the death.

Renee: This series introduced us to the most iconic yandere, Yuno Gasai. When forced into a battle royale, Yuno will do whatever it takes to defend her precious Yuki, who she is completely obsessed with. It blows my mind that mangakas try to create characters more psychotic than her! (see Happy Sugar Life).

*Only available through Interlibrary Loan

Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji by Nobuyuki Fukumoto; translation by highstone, Inc.

Recommended by Joseph Pascullo

Ne'er-do-well Kaiji Itou's shiftless existence is suddenly rattled by a visit from the yakuza. Burdened by debt and resentment, Kaiji is coerced into gambling for his worthless life. As the stakes grow higher and the rules become increasingly more bizarre, Kaiji must finally take the future into his own hands!

Joseph: I loved reading how Kaiji's both gotten himself in some big trouble with some poor financial/life decisions, and also his cerebral and analytical approach to getting himself back out of the red. Fukumoto's writing will have you on the absolute edge of your seat, and readers will be hooked. A book that's an absolutely unpredictable thrill ride, and will have you hanging on Kaiji's every move.

Monster by Naoki Urasawa; story co-produced with Takashi Nagasaki; translation and English adaptation by Camellia Nieh; lettering by Steve Dutro; cover and interior design by King Clovis; edited by Mike Montesa

Recommended by Anthony Murisco

Everyone faces uncertainty at some point in their lives. Even a brilliant surgeon like Kenzo Tenma is no exception. But there's no way he could have known that his decision to stop chasing professional success and instead concentrate on his oath to save peoples' lives would result in the birth of an abomination. The questions of good and evil now take on a terrifyingly real dimension. Years later, in Germany during the tumultuous post-reunification period, middle-aged childless couples are being killed one after another. The serial killer's identity is known. The reasons why he kills are not. Dr. Tenma sets out on a journey to find the killer's twin sister, who may hold some clues to solving the enigma of the "Monster."

Anthony: Dr. Kenmo Tezuka took an oath to save people, but what happens when you may have helped the wrong person? As more and more murders pile up around him, he's starting to suspect he may have saved a monster.

The Promised Neverland story by Kaiu Shirai; art by Posuka Demizu; translation by Satsuki Yamashita

Recommended by Amanda Pagan

Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as 'Mom,' all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes and the perfect environment to learn—what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.

Amanda: Please don’t judge this series by its anime. The Promised Neverland consistently delivers twists and turns along with mystery upon mystery. The first story arc is heart pounding enough, and just when you wonder if there is any steam left in the storyline it delivers another round of suspense and thrills.

Utsubora: The Story of a Novelist by Asumiko Nakamura

Recommended by Amanda Pagan

Before her book can be published, promising young author Aki Fujino is found dead, and while some believe she commited suicide, others suspect her death may be related to her mysterious relationship with the author Mizorogi.

Amanda: I need more people to read this so we can all discuss that ending. Murder, mystery, obsessions beyond the grave—this is one of those titles that rewards a second reading.

Suspense and Thrillers!

Blood on the Tracks by Shuzo Oshimi; translation by Daniel Komen

Ordinary middle school student Seiichi Osabe receives love and care from his mother Seiko. Until one summer an incident changes the family dynamic forever. This is a story of a mother, a love that has gone too far. This series of thriller comics centers on the theme of a toxic parent and it is a tale of a seemingly normal family suddenly swallowed up by the creeping horror of everyday life.

Death Note story by Tsugumi Ohba; art by Takeshi Obata

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects—and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. Will Light's noble goal succeed, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?

Devils' Line by Ryo Hanada; translated by Jocelyne Allen

Tsukasa, a college student, is rescued from an attack by a devil, one of many vampires that can blend in among the human population. Anzai, her savior, is a half-devil who exploits his supernatural gifts as a member of a shadowy police task force that specializes in devil-related crime in Tokyo. As Anzai continues to keep guard over Tsukasa, the two quickly forge a tentative bond—one that Anzai fears will test his iron-clad rule of never drinking human blood…

Devil Survivor story by Atlus; manga by Satoru Matsuba; character design by Yasuda Suzuhito; translated by Alethea Nibley & Athena Nibley; lettered by Paige Pumphrey

After demons break through into the human world, Tokyo must be quarantined. Without power and stuck in a supernatural warzone, 17-year-old Kazuya has only one hope: he must use the COMP, a device created by his cousin Naoya capable of summoning and subduing demons, to defeat the invaders and take back the city.

Die Wergelder by Hiroaki Samura; translated by Stephen Paul; lettering by Evan Hayden

Wergelder: in Germanic law, the money paid by a murderer or his family to the victim’s family in atonement. A mysterious deal goes down on a remote island known as a red-light pleasure district. An insane fight between a blonde sniper and an assassin in a Chinese dress brings up questions about who the players are in this deal. A group of misfit yakuza gets caught in the crossfire while trying to get in on the deal, or at least find out what’s being dealt. At the center of it all is a woman who has been wronged in the worst imaginable ways. She will have her revenge. Eisner award-winning creator of Blade of the Immortal Hiroaki Samura presents a new badass thriller with some very bad ladies!

The Flowers of Evil by Shuzo Oshimi; translated by Paul Starr

The first combined edition of The Flowers of Evil features volumes 1–3 of this best-selling and acclaimed series. It follows the adventures of a lonely bookish teen struggling to find his identity through Baudelaire's poetry, until two girls—a beauty and a bully—help him find true love and friendship. Edgy, intense, and romantic, this new edition will give fans a chance to reconnect with Kasuga, Saeki, and Nakamura as it explores the issues of bullying, loneliness, individuality, and identity.

Happiness by Shuzo Oshimi; translated by Kevin Gifford; lettering by David Yoo

Nothing interesting is happening in Makoto Ozaki’s first year of high school. HIs life is a series of quiet humiliations: low-grade bullies, unreliable friends, and the constant frustration of his adolescent lust. But one night, a pale, thin girl knocks him to the ground in an alley and offers him a choice. Now everything is different. Daylight is searingly bright. Food tastes awful. And worse than anything is the terrible, consuming thirst. The tiny shames of his old life have been replaced by two towering horrors: the truth of what will slake his awful craving and high school itself.

Hell's Paradise = Jigokuraku story and art by Yuji Kaku; translated by Caleb Cook; retouching and lettering by Mark McMurray

Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the most vicious assassins ever to come out of the ninja village of Iwagakure. He's ruthlessly efficient, but a betrayal results in him being handed a death sentence. He has only one hope--in order to earn his freedom, he must travel to a long-hidden island and recover an elixir that will make the shogun immortal. Failure is not an option. On this island, heaven and hell are just a hair's breadth away.

In/Spectre story by Kyo Shirodaira; manga by Chashiba Katase; translation by Alethea Nibley and Athena Nibley; lettering by Lys Blakeslee; editing by Ajani Oloye

The 17-year-old Kotoko has a unique situation. When she was a child, she was kidnapped by spirits called yōkai, and returned missing one leg and one eye. Since then, she has been able to communicate with other worldly forces, both benevolent and dangerous.

Inuyashiki by Hiroya Oku; translated by Stephen Paul

Just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse, a blinding light in the night sky strikes the earth where Ichiro stands. He later wakes up to find himself unscathed, but he soon starts to notice that there’s something…different about himself. However, it turns out that these strange, new changes are just what Ichiro needs to take a new lease on life and now it seems like there’s nothing to stop him from being a hero worthy of the respect that he never had before…unless, that is, there was someone else out there with these same “changes”…

Phantom Tales of the Night by Matsuri; translation by Julie Goniwich; lettering by Takeshi Kamura

Welcome to Murakumo Inn, a curious establishment that opens its doors to the troubled masses, human or otherwise. But the equally curious innkeeper takes compensation only in the form of one's deepest secrets...Who will come calling today?

Pluto. 001 Urasawa X Tezuka by Naoki Urasawa and Osamu Tezuka; co-authored with Takashi Nagasaki; translation by Jared Cook and Frederick L. Schodt

In a world where man and robots coexist, the powerful Swiss robot Mont Blanc has been destroyed. Elsewhere a key figure in a robot rights group is murdered. The two incidents appear to be unrelated...except for one very conspicuous clue - the bodies of both victims have been fashioned into some sort of bizarre collage complete with makeshift horns placed by the victims' heads. Interpol assigns robot detective Gesicht to this most strange and complex case - and he eventually discovers that he too, as one of the seven great robots of the world, is one of the targets.

Real Account story by Okushou; manga by Shizumu Watanabe; translation, by Jonathan Tarbox and Kazuko Shimizu; lettering by Evan Hayden; editing by Ajani Oloye; Kodansha Comics edition cover design by Phil Balsman

Like many of his peers, Ataru Kashiwagi has found himself addicted to the newest social networking service, Real Account. But one day, Ataru and almost 10,000 other people, get sucked into the Real Account Zone, where they have become players in a series of deadly games. The basic rules of these games are simple—if you lose all your followers, you die in real life, and if you die, all of your followers die with you. As these depraved games decimate the players around him, Ataru must use quick thinking and his knowledge of Real Account to win each round and return to the real world. But when true friendship determines whether he lives or dies, can Ataru really survive when the only people he can count on are his Internet friends?

The Witch and the Beast by Kousuke Satake; translation by Kevin Gifford; lettering by Phil Christie

Ashaf: a soft-spoken man with delicate features, a coffin strapped to his back, and an entourage of black crows. Guideau: a feral, violent girl with long fangs and the eyes of a beast. This ominous pair appear one day in a town in thrall to a witch—a ruler with magic coursing through her tattooed body, who has convinced the townsfolk she's their hero. But Ashaf and Guideau know better. They live by one creed: 'Wherever a witch goes, only curses and disasters follow'. They have scores to settle, and they won't hesitate to remove anyone in their way, be it an angry mob or army garrison.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

10 Novels by Playwrights (And 3 Novels by Actors)

Gabriella Steinberg, Library Information Assistant, Grand Central Library — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 15:10:24 -0500

Your favorite playwright might have written a novel!

There is often a significant divide between the theatre world and the literary fiction world, so while it’s not often the chosen medium for the theatre-maker, when a playwright takes to the page to pen a work of literary fiction, their signature artistry shines through as it does on the stage.

These 10 playwrights (and three actors) apply their approach to artistic observance of the human condition to literature. This list features fiction for adults with a couple of suggestions for young adults and children. The list mainly consists of contemporary writers, but there are a few suggested novels by playwrights of the modern era who are no longer with us. See if you can spot the same stylistic choices these writers make in their books as they do in their plays.

We Play Ourselves by Jen Silverman

Silverman applies her quick wit and characteristic ennui to a story about a playwright who makes all the wrong moves. This blogger’s favorite in this list!

Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar

Wrestling with the knowledge that his Pakistani father provided medical care for Donald Trump, among many other personal reflections on identity and purpose, Akhtar weaves vignettes into his debut novel which functions like a narrative memoir.

Focus by Arthur Miller

Miller, famous for his contribution to the canon of American mid-century drama, wrote his first novel as a confrontation of American antisemitism.

Getting Mother's Body by Suzan Lori Parks

Parks is one of the most decorated living playwrights writing today. She often writes on race as a driving factor in social construction. She is the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. In Getting Mother's Body, Parks's retelling of William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying set against the backdrop of Texas during the civil rights movement, features an African American family.

Squad by Jack (Mariah) MacCarthy

When a cheerleader is excluded by the rest of her squad, she starts to wonder if the squad are her real friends—or if it’s all inside her head. MacCarthy’s debut YA novel is a great addition to MacCarthy’s portfolio of dark comedies. MacCarthy is a trans non-binary writer, and their plays and other pieces often reflect on the LGBTQIA experience.

The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter by Kia Corthron

Corthron is a prolific playwright, who often writes on both global and local socio-political issues. This novel, about two sets of brothers spanning events from World War II to the 1980s, is a powerful testament to literature as a medium for epic storytelling constructed in ways the theatre cannot do. True to her signature style of reflecting on political moments through solid dialogue and foundational relationships, Corthron’s epic tale is a coming of age story, and a full-fledged epic novel. See also Moon and the Mars by Corthron.

White Elephant by Trish Harnetiaux

Harnetiaux, a Brooklyn-based playwright and podcast creator, wrote the Christmas horror novel of your dreams—I mean, nightmares! At an office holiday party, murder and blackmail ensue over a game of white elephant.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

Known for plays like The Skin of Our Teeth and Our Town, Wilder’s novel—which won him his first Pulitzer Prize—about a group of people on a bridge that collapses, is about the drama bad things happening to innocent people. Wilder grapples with the meaning of life both on and off the stage. If you haven’t read this classic literary fiction piece, I highly recommend it.

Some People, Some Other Place by J. “California” Cooper

With influences from Black writers of the Harlem Renaissance, Cooper—who passed away in 2014—was known for crafting Black female characters in kinship against an unjust and inequitable world. Unlike the other writers in this list, Cooper was mostly a novelist but started off her career as a playwright, and won awards early in her career. According to her obituary in The New York Times, Alice Walker convinced Cooper to write short stories and novels. Some People, Some Other Place, is about a Black family and their attempt to make it North. When their daughter finally makes it to Chicago, she finds the North much tougher than she imagined.

Donald Duk by Frank Chin

Chin’s novel about a 2nd generation Chinese American 12-year-old boy who would rather be a dancing movie star than live his life in his community grapples with racial identity and unlearning self-hatred. Chin is considered a pioneer of Asian American theatre, and he is known for writing plays and stories based on traditional Chinese folklore as a means of undoing harmful stereotypes. See also, Born in the USA, a novel about Japanese American resistance to the draft in WWII. Both Born in the USA and Donald Duk are available for onsite use only.

BONUS! 3 Novels Written by Actors

Fearless by Mandy Gonzalez

Gonzalez is known for originating the role of Nina Rosario in the award winning musical In the Heights. Her debut children’s fiction book unravels the mystery of a ghost in the Ethel Merman theatre. Only 12-year-old Monica Garcia and her fellow actors can reverse the curse and appease the ghost!

The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie

Laurie, known for his role in the hit TV show House, MD, and for his half of the comedy duo Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry, among other roles, has contributed to the canon of British crime novels with The Gun Seller, about a reluctant Scotland Yard officer embroiled in a mystery involving international law enforcement.

Shopgirl by Steve Martin

Anyone following Martin’s career is familiar with his status as a Renaissance man. Martin’s novella is about a high-end retail worker who entertains the advances of two bachelors in order to avoid feeling lonely. Witty and sweet, while simultaneously observant of the darkness of life.

Reading Recommendations from NYPL's Social Work Interns

Laura Stein, Adult Services Librarian, Grand Central Library — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 10:41:38 -0500

Social workers' presence in libraries is a growing trend across the United States. The two disciplines pair nicely together due to the shared goal of helping community members get access to services and improve their quality of life. In the spirit of this collaboration, The New York Public Library has students from local social work master’s programs intern at its branches. Patrons can seek them out for a myriad of reasons incuding referrals to service providers, assistance with housing and job searches, a friendly ear, and more.

Each school year brings a new set of enthusiastic students and we asked our 2021–2022 interns to offer some book recommendations. Unsurprisingly, their picks focus on social justice, personal growth, and books with lessons on empathy.

The intern at the Hamilton Grange branch on the west side of Manhattan recommends Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. This New York Times bestseller is from a lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. Stevenson recounts the story of a man on death row who was sentenced for a crime he did not commit, and explores the relationship between mercy and justice in our flawed judicial system. It has been adapted into a book for young adults and into a film released in 2020.

At Parkchester in the East Bronx our intern recommends Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb. Another New York Times bestseller and critically acclaimed non-fiction. The author is an advice columnist as well as a psychotherapist, and when she seeks out help for herself she delights in seeing the similarities between her own worries and those of her patients. The old adage proves true that to walk in another person’s shoes helps build empathy and understanding.

The intern at St. Agnes in west Manhattan recommends The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. This is a great choice for all of the historical fiction fans! It is based on true events that took place in Harper’s Ferry, VA during a slave uprising. Real life figure John Brown is featured as the abolitionist who incites the rebellion.

The intern at the Columbus branch in west Manhattan loves the book When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. It was published posthumously in 2016 because the author lost his battle with cancer, which was the subject of the book. Kalanithi was a neurosurgeon and a profound writer. With a similarity to Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, the doctor becomes the patient.

The intern at our newly opened Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library recommends A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. This book is certainly not little and its content packs a punch. It follows a fictional group of four young men, but our protagonist, Jude, is thrown the most obstacles throughout his life. This is a book about trauma and the ongoing struggle to live through the pain.

The social work intern at the Bronx Library Center recommends The Body Keeps The Score, an approach to healing from past traumas, by Bessel van Der Kolk as a non-fiction pairing to A Little Life (above). Trauma affects the brain and the brain affects our bodies and our actions. It takes work to change the way we think and Dr. van Der Kolk wants to help us through.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is a classic and Albom is a master of inspirational storytelling. This is the true story of the writer reconnecting with a professor, Morrie, who made a difference in his life. Morrie has gotten old and now he passes his wisdom down to his student who, in turn, shares it with the reader.

The intern at Aguilar in east Manhattan shared the nonfiction title The Mindbody Prescription by John Sarno. It is not only extreme trauma that affects our body’s functioning—stress and repressed emotions can cause physical pain, too. Dr. Sarno presents the research and theory in this influential book.

The intern in Harlem at Harlem Branch and Countee Cullen recommends taking your reading to the stage. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a play with some autobiographical elements. Our protagonist is a young woman of great fragility in mind and body who collects glass figurines. The mother character persists in finding a suitor for the daughter and exhausts us all with her fondness for the gentility of the past. It’s a domestic drama that uncovers the dysfunction behind a family that strives to appear “happy.”

Med Head: My Knock-Down, Drag-Out, Drugged-Up Battle With My Brain by James Patterson and Hal Friedman. You may know James Patterson as a prolific novelist, but he also writes plenty of nonfiction. This is the true story of a teenager, Corey Friedman, who confronted his dual diagnosis of OCD and Tourette’s Syndrome. It is a deeply personal account of struggle and courage.

The social work intern at Soundview in the East Bronx recommends My Thirteenth Winter by Samantha Abeel. This is a memoir for young adults that focuses on Abeel's journey in understanding her learning disability diagnosis. It's yet another wonderful example of overcoming personal struggles.

Please inquire at the following NYPL locations to meet with a social worker before June 2022.

Parkchester
1985 Westchester Ave, Bronx
(516) 875-5802

Soundview
660 Soundview Ave, Bronx
(718) 589-0880

Bronx Library Center
310 E Kingsbridge Rd, Bronx
(516) 875-8248

Highbridge
78 W 168th St,Bronx
(718) 293-7800

Aguilar
174 E 110th St, Manhattan
(212) 534-2930

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library
455 5th Ave, Manhattan

(516) 846-7680

Hamilton Grange
503 W 145th St, Manhattan
(516) 875-8557

Columbus
742 10th Ave, Manhattan
(516) 875-8539

Notable Baseball Books of 2021

Joe Pascullo, Grand Central Library — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 11:14:47 -0500

Hello one, hello all! We're just about ready to close the lights on 2021. It's been another strange year without question, and for worse or for better, baseball did not escape that distinction. The national pastime had a bit of dual personality sort of year. On one hand, the 2021 season was a nice return to the pre-pandemic style of baseball as the season went on, with full crowds, playoff baseball not taking place at neutral sites, the All-Star Game, and much more. It truly was a relief, and I've never been happier to be able to attend a ballgame than I was this year. But on the other hand, what a lot of fans in the know were afraid would happen happened: the deadline to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement between the players/union and the club owners has come and went, and the sport now finds itself presently in a lockout.

Baseball's gone from a high high, to a somewhat-anticipated low low over the past couple of months. And while us fans are hopeful the two sides will return to the bargaining table before spring training's set to get underway, it's nonetheless still disappointing to see so much acrimony between the two sides. Well, while we'll definitely be keeping tabs on all of the news regarding this matter all winter long, we can also get our baseball kicks through all of the new titles that came out on the sport over the last calendar year! There were plenty of interesting baseball books that hit shelves in 2021, so let's close out the year highlighting some of those offerings available at NYPL.

The New York Yankees

While it's been a little over a decade since the Yankees have been on top of the baseball world, they do top our list today as far as 2021 baseball books are concerned. And we have a nice array of them to select from this year, with many different eras of Yankee baseball receiving coverage. Whether you'd like to read about Murderers' Row, or the Steinbrenner days, or maybe you're wacky enough to read about Yankee baseball in the height of the pandemic during 2020 (I kid of course, please do read it), there should be a book out there for you.

The Bronx Zoom: Inside the New York Yankees' Most Bizarre Season by Bryan Hoch
Tony Lazzeri: Yankees Legend and Baseball Pioneer by Lawrence Baldassaro
Till the End by CC Sabathia
Power and Pinstripes: Untold Stories of Berra, the Boss, and Building a Yankees Dynasty by Jeff Mangold & Peter Botte
The Forgotten Game: Game 5 2004 ALCS Yankees at Red Sox by John Vampatella
The Captain & Me: On and Off the Field with Thurman Munson by Ron Blomberg

The New York Mets

While it's been even longer since the Mets have been to baseball nirvana, their 2021 did have its notable moments. It was the first season under its first new owner in decades. Their all-time winningest lefthander Jerry Koosman was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. The club's had a killer offseason as we look ahead to 2022, and they also had a well-received 4-part ESPN 30 for 30 documentary series come out. The Mets didn't have too bad a year in the literary department either. Here are a few new Mets books that came out in 2021, including a tie-in title to that 30 for 30, plus a biography profiling one of the three Mets managers who have won 1000 games as their skipper.

So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin’ True Story of the New York Mets—the Best Worst Team in Sports by Devin Gordon
Once Upon a Time in Queens: An Oral History of the 1986 Mets by Nick Davis
Valentine’s Way: My Adventurous Life and Times by Bobby Valentine and Peter Golenbock
New York Mets: Stories From the New York Mets Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box If These Walls Could Talk by Mike Puma

Out Of Towners

Hey maybe you're not originally from New York and are a fan of one of the other 28 teams the league has to offer. Or maybe you're just a diehard baseball fan who doesn't want to leave any stone unturned when it comes to consuming baseball via nonfiction books. Whatever the case may be, we do have a handful of biographies spotlighting players who made their names outside of the Big Apple. That includes one, who not only was coined with inventing the high five, but was also the first ballplayer to publicly come out as gay while his career was still active.

Cobra: A Life of Baseball and Brotherhood by Dave Parker and Dave Jordan
One Line Drive: A Life-Threatening Injury and a Faith-Fueled Comeback by Daniel Ponce de Leon and Tom Zenner
Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke by Andrew Maraniss

Negro Leagues

December of 2020 saw Major League Baseball bestow the seven leagues of Negro League Baseball with the designation of "major league". With this announcement, all of their players, statistics, and records now became recognized by MLB, and were added to its history in a more official capacity. This was both a satisfying and gratifying announcement for everyone who played and was involved with the Negro Leagues, with the bulk of their existence being while Black players were prohibited from playing for Major League Baseball clubs. 2021, the first full year with the Negro Leagues as major leagues, saw some good books come out about those times, focusing on players who were both household names, and unsung heroes.

42 Today: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy edited by Michael G. Long
Before Brooklyn: The Unsung Heroes Who Helped Break Baseball’s Color Barrier by Ted Reinstein
The Bona Fide Legend of Cool Papa Bell: Speed, Grace, and the Negro Leagues by Lonnie Wheeler
Comeback Season: My Unlikely Story of Friendship with the Greatest Living Negro League Baseball Players by Cam Perron

Individual Years

Personally I love books that cover individual baseball seasons for one reason or another. The author(s) usually do a great job setting the meat and potatoes of the book up (which would be that primarily focused upon year), giving details about the past. And then when it's time to focus on that said season, the specifics and the insight are usually off-the-charts informative. This year saw a few books released that fit that mold. Be it world champion ballclubs, or scandals that rocked the entire sport, there ought to be something here that will pique the interest of any baseball fan.

Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball by Luke Epplin
Cheated: The Inside Story of the Astros Scandal and a Colorful History of Sign Stealing by Andy Martino
1930: The Story of a Baseball Season When Hitters Reigned Supreme by Lew Freedman

The In-Between Hop

And hey, just like last year we've got a number of noteworthy baseball books that don't quite pigeonhole into any of the other topics we've covered today. Therefore, they get their own section. Included in this miscellaneous group of baseball books include an expatriate's life story about moving to Japan and falling in love with their brand of baseball, and the story of a college ballplayer who seemingly had all the cards in the deck of life stacked against him, yet persevered despite all of the hardships that were thrown his way.

Max Gordon: Life, Loss, and Baseball's Greatest Comeback by Jacob Kornhauser
Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights and Back Alleys . . . and Baseball by Robert Whiting
A Season with Mom: Love, Loss, and the Ultimate Baseball Adventure by Katie Russell Newland
Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding by Larry Olmsted

Whatever you decide upon, as long as you're reading baseball, you'll be just fine. Enjoy everybody! Hope to see you at both the Library and the ballpark in 2022!

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