As of January 1, 2016, the Provo City Library's Reading Recommendation blog has been discontinued. Readers will still be able to access the blog's
archives; however, all new posts suggesting books to read will appear on
the new Provo City Library blog.
provolibrary.com/blog
Thank you for your continued support over the years, and we hope you enjoy our new blog.
Moving On: Books for Life's Changes
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Moving tips
• Books on starting a new career
• Advice for life changes
Downsizing Your Home with Style: Living Well in a Smaller Space
Lauri Ward
648. WAR 2007
When you're moving a lifetime's accumulation of belongings from a larger home into a jewel box, the task can seem overwhelming—and so can your emotions. How do you decide what to pack and what to part with? How can you use the things you have so that they function well and look right? Downsizing Your Home with Style answers these questions and more.
How to Survive a Move: By Hundreds of Happy People Who Did, and Some Things to Avoid, From a Few People Who Haven’t Unpacked Yet
Jamie Allen
648.9 HOW 2005
If you are one of the forty million Americans who will move this year, you know the task can seem overwhelming. Now, there's help. How to Survive A Move offers hundreds of helpful and entertaining stories on moving from the real “pros”— everyday people who have moved (many of them over a dozen times!) and survived to tell their stories.
Get the Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring
Ford R. Myers
650.14 MYE 2009
You CAN find a good job in a bad economy - but NOT with conventional search strategies. Today's job market is the toughest in recent history, and the challenges are here to stay. Even so, you CAN get the job you want - IF you discard conventional approaches to the search.
• Moving tips
• Books on starting a new career
• Advice for life changes
Lauri Ward
648. WAR 2007
When you're moving a lifetime's accumulation of belongings from a larger home into a jewel box, the task can seem overwhelming—and so can your emotions. How do you decide what to pack and what to part with? How can you use the things you have so that they function well and look right? Downsizing Your Home with Style answers these questions and more.
Jamie Allen
648.9 HOW 2005
If you are one of the forty million Americans who will move this year, you know the task can seem overwhelming. Now, there's help. How to Survive A Move offers hundreds of helpful and entertaining stories on moving from the real “pros”— everyday people who have moved (many of them over a dozen times!) and survived to tell their stories.
Ford R. Myers
650.14 MYE 2009
You CAN find a good job in a bad economy - but NOT with conventional search strategies. Today's job market is the toughest in recent history, and the challenges are here to stay. Even so, you CAN get the job you want - IF you discard conventional approaches to the search.
Classic Legal Thrillers
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Authors similar to Leo Tolstoy or Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• Books published more than 10 years ago
• Classics
• Legal Thrillers
• Books available in a variety of formats
The Siege
Helen Dunmore
F DUNMORE
Set against the turbulent backdrop of Leningrad in 1941, a novel of love and war follows the Levin family--twenty-two year-old Anna, her young brother Kilya, and their father, Mikhail--as they struggle to survive during the German siege. Published in 2002, 293 pgs. Available only in regular print.
The Heart of Danger
Gerald Seymour
LP F SEYMOUR
Despite government promises that war criminals in the former Yugoaslvia will be punished, no action is taken when Englishwoman Dorrie Mowat is brutally murdered in Croatia, and P.I. Bill Penn goes behind enemy lines to seek justice. Published in 1996, 542 pgs. Available only in large print.
The Stranger
Albert Camus
F CAMUS
When a young Algerian named Meursault kills a man, his subsequent imprisonment and trial are puzzling and absurd. The apparently amoral Meursault--who puts little stock in ideas like love and God--seems to be on trial less for his murderous actions, and more for what the authorities believe is his deficient character. Published in 1989, 123 pgs. Available only in regular print.
Fathers and Sons
Ivan Turgenev
F TURGENEV
When Arkady Petrovich returns home from college, his father finds his naïve son fallen under the powerful influence of the ardent young Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist. Published in 1862, 219 pgs. Available in regular print, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert
F FLAUBERT
Emma Bovary, the bored wife of a French provincial doctor, scans her solitude with desperate eyes, like a shipwrecked sailor searching for a white sail on the distant horizon. And when Emma's ship finally comes in, it carries with it vast and tragic consequences upon which her own life and the lives of those around her are wrecked. Published in 1856, 403 pgs. Available in regular print, book on CD, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
The Count of Monte Cristo
Alexandre Dumas
F DUMAS
Imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, Edmond Dantès spends fourteen bitter years in a dungeon. When his daring escape plan works he uses all he has learnt during his incarceration to mastermind an elaborate plan of revenge against those he holds responsible for his fate. No longer the naïve sailor who disappeared into the dark fortress all those years ago, he reinvents himself as the charming, mysterious and powerful Count of Monte Cristo. Published in 1845, 1462 pgs. Available in regular print, book on CD, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
• Authors similar to Leo Tolstoy or Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• Books published more than 10 years ago
• Classics
• Legal Thrillers
• Books available in a variety of formats
Helen Dunmore
F DUNMORE
Set against the turbulent backdrop of Leningrad in 1941, a novel of love and war follows the Levin family--twenty-two year-old Anna, her young brother Kilya, and their father, Mikhail--as they struggle to survive during the German siege. Published in 2002, 293 pgs. Available only in regular print.
Gerald Seymour
LP F SEYMOUR
Despite government promises that war criminals in the former Yugoaslvia will be punished, no action is taken when Englishwoman Dorrie Mowat is brutally murdered in Croatia, and P.I. Bill Penn goes behind enemy lines to seek justice. Published in 1996, 542 pgs. Available only in large print.
Albert Camus
F CAMUS
When a young Algerian named Meursault kills a man, his subsequent imprisonment and trial are puzzling and absurd. The apparently amoral Meursault--who puts little stock in ideas like love and God--seems to be on trial less for his murderous actions, and more for what the authorities believe is his deficient character. Published in 1989, 123 pgs. Available only in regular print.
Ivan Turgenev
F TURGENEV
When Arkady Petrovich returns home from college, his father finds his naïve son fallen under the powerful influence of the ardent young Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist. Published in 1862, 219 pgs. Available in regular print, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
Gustave Flaubert
F FLAUBERT
Emma Bovary, the bored wife of a French provincial doctor, scans her solitude with desperate eyes, like a shipwrecked sailor searching for a white sail on the distant horizon. And when Emma's ship finally comes in, it carries with it vast and tragic consequences upon which her own life and the lives of those around her are wrecked. Published in 1856, 403 pgs. Available in regular print, book on CD, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
Alexandre Dumas
F DUMAS
Imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, Edmond Dantès spends fourteen bitter years in a dungeon. When his daring escape plan works he uses all he has learnt during his incarceration to mastermind an elaborate plan of revenge against those he holds responsible for his fate. No longer the naïve sailor who disappeared into the dark fortress all those years ago, he reinvents himself as the charming, mysterious and powerful Count of Monte Cristo. Published in 1845, 1462 pgs. Available in regular print, book on CD, eBook, and downloadable audiobook.
Success Stories
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Nonfiction
• Books about sports and fiction
• Biographies
• Success Stories
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Laura Hillenbrand
BIO ZAMPERIN 2010
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared--Lt. Louis Zamperini. Captured by the Japanese and driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor.
Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics
Jeremy Schaap
BIO OWENS 2007
A look at the accomplishments of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympic Games draws on interviews, family sources, and archival research to provide a portrait of a remarkable man in relation to the intrigues, controversies, and political machinations that took place.
American Story: A Lifetime of Searching for Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things
Bob Dotson
973 DOT 2013
The host of the NBC Today Show's Emmy Award-winning "American Story with Bob Dotson" celebrates the inspirational stories of everyday, unrecognized people who changed the world for the better, from a truck driver who taught microsurgery to the doctor who developed the vaccine for pertussis.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
Jon Krakauer
796.522 KRA 1999
The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived.
• Nonfiction
• Books about sports and fiction
• Biographies
• Success Stories
Laura Hillenbrand
BIO ZAMPERIN 2010
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared--Lt. Louis Zamperini. Captured by the Japanese and driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor.
Jeremy Schaap
BIO OWENS 2007
A look at the accomplishments of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympic Games draws on interviews, family sources, and archival research to provide a portrait of a remarkable man in relation to the intrigues, controversies, and political machinations that took place.
Bob Dotson
973 DOT 2013
The host of the NBC Today Show's Emmy Award-winning "American Story with Bob Dotson" celebrates the inspirational stories of everyday, unrecognized people who changed the world for the better, from a truck driver who taught microsurgery to the doctor who developed the vaccine for pertussis.
Jon Krakauer
796.522 KRA 1999
The author describes his spring 1996 trek to Mt. Everest, a disastrous expedition that claimed the lives of eight climbers, and explains why he survived.
Young Love: Teen Romantic Comedies
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Young adult romantic comedies
• Strong characters
• Intriguing relationships
• Happy endings
I’d Tell You I Love You But Then I’d Have to Kill You
Ally Carter
YA F CARTER
Gallaghe #1
As a sophomore at a secret spy school and the daughter of a former CIA operative, Cammie is sheltered from "normal teenage life" until she meets a local boy while on a class surveillance mission.
Paranormalcy
Kiersten White
YA F WHITE Paranorm #1
Evie, the only known human with the ability to see through supernatural "glamours," works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) tracking down dangerous creatures. (Really, she finds the work dull and would rather be shopping, watching TV, or at the very least at home painting her weapons pink.) But when a mysterious shape-shifter invades the IPCA and brings news of a string of paranormal murders, things start to heat up.
Better Off Friends
Elizabeth Eulberg
YA F EULBERG
Macallan and Levi are best friends from the first day they meet in seventh grade, but over the years their close friendship keeps interfering with their dating life because everyone else regards them as a couple.
Just Like the Movies
Kelly Fiore
YA F FIORE
Pretty, popular Marijke Monti and over-achieving nerd-girl Lily Spencer have little in common--except that neither feels successful when it comes to love. Now they have a budding friendship and a plan--to act out grand gestures and get the guys of their dreams.
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Jennifer E. Smith
YA F SMITH
Seventeen-year-old Hadley's father is getting remarried, and while Hadley is (much) less than thrilled about it, she's traveling to England to be a part of his wedding. After missing her flight to London by just four minutes, Hadley gets rebooked on another flight...where she meets Oliver.
• Young adult romantic comedies
• Strong characters
• Intriguing relationships
• Happy endings
Ally Carter
YA F CARTER
Gallaghe #1
As a sophomore at a secret spy school and the daughter of a former CIA operative, Cammie is sheltered from "normal teenage life" until she meets a local boy while on a class surveillance mission.
Kiersten White
YA F WHITE Paranorm #1
Evie, the only known human with the ability to see through supernatural "glamours," works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA) tracking down dangerous creatures. (Really, she finds the work dull and would rather be shopping, watching TV, or at the very least at home painting her weapons pink.) But when a mysterious shape-shifter invades the IPCA and brings news of a string of paranormal murders, things start to heat up.
Elizabeth Eulberg
YA F EULBERG
Macallan and Levi are best friends from the first day they meet in seventh grade, but over the years their close friendship keeps interfering with their dating life because everyone else regards them as a couple.
Kelly Fiore
YA F FIORE
Pretty, popular Marijke Monti and over-achieving nerd-girl Lily Spencer have little in common--except that neither feels successful when it comes to love. Now they have a budding friendship and a plan--to act out grand gestures and get the guys of their dreams.
Jennifer E. Smith
YA F SMITH
Seventeen-year-old Hadley's father is getting remarried, and while Hadley is (much) less than thrilled about it, she's traveling to England to be a part of his wedding. After missing her flight to London by just four minutes, Hadley gets rebooked on another flight...where she meets Oliver.
The Classics Aren't So Bad: Clean Historical Romance to Get Teens into Classic Lit
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Classics or gateways to classics
• Clean reads
• Historical Fiction
• Romance
• Female protagonists
An Old-Fashioned Girl
Louisa May Alcott
J F ALCOTT
Polly's friendship with the wealthy Shaws of Boston helps them to build a new life and teaches her the truth about the relationship between happiness and riches.
Edenbrooke
Julianne Donaldson
ROMANCE DONADSO
When Marianne receives an invitation to spend the summer with her twin sister in Edenbrooke, she has no idea of the romance and adventure that await her once she meets the dashing Sir Philip.
The Blue Castle
Lucy Maud Montgomery
YA FICTION MONTGOME
Valancy Stirling, an inhibited twenty-nine-year-old spinster, undergoes a total personality change when a doctor tells her she has no more than one year to live.
Longing for Home
Sarah Eden
ROMANCE EDEN
Longing #1
Twenty-six-year-old Katie Macauley has placed all her hope in Hope Springs, a small town in the 1870 Wyoming Territory. But if she wants to return home to Ireland to make amends with her estranged family, she'll need to convince the influential Joseph Archer to hold true to his word and keep her on his payroll as his housekeeper--despite her Irish roots.
Emma: A Latter-day Tale
Rebecca H. Jamison
ROMANCE JAMISON
Jane Austen's classic matchmaking tale with a modern twist. Emma isn't so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and they all start with one name: Justin. Justin is her best friend, so it's hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she's losing him despite her best efforts. How is she supposed to help other people when she's drowning in her own failures.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Elizabeth George Speare
YA F SPEARE
Kit Tyler leaves her luxurious home in Barbados to visit her Puritan aunt in colonial Connecticut. While there she becomes friendly with Hannah, the witch of Blackbird Pond.
• Classics or gateways to classics
• Clean reads
• Historical Fiction
• Romance
• Female protagonists
Louisa May Alcott
J F ALCOTT
Polly's friendship with the wealthy Shaws of Boston helps them to build a new life and teaches her the truth about the relationship between happiness and riches.
Julianne Donaldson
ROMANCE DONADSO
When Marianne receives an invitation to spend the summer with her twin sister in Edenbrooke, she has no idea of the romance and adventure that await her once she meets the dashing Sir Philip.
Lucy Maud Montgomery
YA FICTION MONTGOME
Valancy Stirling, an inhibited twenty-nine-year-old spinster, undergoes a total personality change when a doctor tells her she has no more than one year to live.
Sarah Eden
ROMANCE EDEN
Longing #1
Twenty-six-year-old Katie Macauley has placed all her hope in Hope Springs, a small town in the 1870 Wyoming Territory. But if she wants to return home to Ireland to make amends with her estranged family, she'll need to convince the influential Joseph Archer to hold true to his word and keep her on his payroll as his housekeeper--despite her Irish roots.
Rebecca H. Jamison
ROMANCE JAMISON
Jane Austen's classic matchmaking tale with a modern twist. Emma isn't so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and they all start with one name: Justin. Justin is her best friend, so it's hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she's losing him despite her best efforts. How is she supposed to help other people when she's drowning in her own failures.
Elizabeth George Speare
YA F SPEARE
Kit Tyler leaves her luxurious home in Barbados to visit her Puritan aunt in colonial Connecticut. While there she becomes friendly with Hannah, the witch of Blackbird Pond.
YA Historical Novels with Clever Female Leads
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• YA Reads
• Female, teenage protagonists
• Stories set in the past
• Adventure
What I Saw and How I Lied
Judy Blundell
YA F BLUNDELL
In 1947, with her jovial stepfather Joe back from the war and family life returning to normal, teenage Evie, smitten by the handsome young ex-GI who seems to have a secret hold on Joe, finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies whose devastating outcome change her life and that of her family forever.
Sophia’s War
Avi
JF AVI
In 1776, after witnessing the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City, newly occupied by the British army, young Sophia Calderwood resolves to do all she can to help the American cause, including becoming a spy.
Scarlet
A.C. Gaughen
YA F GAUGHEN Scarlet #1
Will Scarlet shadows Robin Hood, with an unerring eye for finding treasures to steal and throwing daggers with deadly accuracy, but when Gisbourne, a ruthless bounty hunter, is hired by the sheriff to capture Robin and his band of thieves, Robin must become Will's protector risking his own life in the process.
The Midwife’s Apprentice
Karen Cushman
YA F CUSHMAN
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless girl is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.
Ruby in the Smoke
Philip Pullman
YAF PULLMAN Sally Lo #1
In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby.
• YA Reads
• Female, teenage protagonists
• Stories set in the past
• Adventure
Judy Blundell
YA F BLUNDELL
In 1947, with her jovial stepfather Joe back from the war and family life returning to normal, teenage Evie, smitten by the handsome young ex-GI who seems to have a secret hold on Joe, finds herself caught in a complicated web of lies whose devastating outcome change her life and that of her family forever.
Avi
JF AVI
In 1776, after witnessing the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City, newly occupied by the British army, young Sophia Calderwood resolves to do all she can to help the American cause, including becoming a spy.
A.C. Gaughen
YA F GAUGHEN Scarlet #1
Will Scarlet shadows Robin Hood, with an unerring eye for finding treasures to steal and throwing daggers with deadly accuracy, but when Gisbourne, a ruthless bounty hunter, is hired by the sheriff to capture Robin and his band of thieves, Robin must become Will's protector risking his own life in the process.
Karen Cushman
YA F CUSHMAN
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless girl is taken in by a sharp-tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world.
Philip Pullman
YAF PULLMAN Sally Lo #1
In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally Lockhart, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby.
Teen Historical Adventures
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Historical Fiction
• Adventure
• Around 100 pages
The Xanadu Adventure
Lloyd Alexander
J FICTION ALEXADER
145 pages. Vesper Holly's adventures continue as she, her guardians, and their friends journey to Asia Minor in search of the ancient city of Troy, but fall into the trap of an old nemesis.
The Wreckers
Iain Lawrence
YA F LAWRENCE High Sea #1
196 pages. Shipwrecked after a vicious storm, fourteen-year-old John Spencer attempts to save his father and himself while also dealing with an evil secret about the English coastal town where they are stranded.
The Call of the Wild
Jack London
YA F LONDON
127 pages. The adventures of an unusual dog, part St. Bernard, part Scotch shepherd, that is forcibly taken to the Klondike gold fields where he eventually becomes the leader of a wolf pack.
I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79
Lauren Tarshis
J FICTION TARSHIS I Surviv PB
95 pages. Follows the experiences of a young boy who struggles to escape the catastrophic A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Flint
Louis L’Amour
GENERAL FICTION L’AMOUR
181 pages. Rich beyond belief and despised by many, Flint comes home to die of cancer with no one at his side, until Nancy Kerrigan, a local rancher, needs his help in saving her ranch, and only Flint has the resources and skills to help her before his time runs out.
• Historical Fiction
• Adventure
• Around 100 pages
Lloyd Alexander
J FICTION ALEXADER
145 pages. Vesper Holly's adventures continue as she, her guardians, and their friends journey to Asia Minor in search of the ancient city of Troy, but fall into the trap of an old nemesis.
Iain Lawrence
YA F LAWRENCE High Sea #1
196 pages. Shipwrecked after a vicious storm, fourteen-year-old John Spencer attempts to save his father and himself while also dealing with an evil secret about the English coastal town where they are stranded.
Jack London
YA F LONDON
127 pages. The adventures of an unusual dog, part St. Bernard, part Scotch shepherd, that is forcibly taken to the Klondike gold fields where he eventually becomes the leader of a wolf pack.
Lauren Tarshis
J FICTION TARSHIS I Surviv PB
95 pages. Follows the experiences of a young boy who struggles to escape the catastrophic A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Louis L’Amour
GENERAL FICTION L’AMOUR
181 pages. Rich beyond belief and despised by many, Flint comes home to die of cancer with no one at his side, until Nancy Kerrigan, a local rancher, needs his help in saving her ranch, and only Flint has the resources and skills to help her before his time runs out.
Narrative Nonfiction about Food
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Narrative nonfiction
• Books about food
Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light
Mort Rosenblum
641.3374
A delectable journey into the world of chocolate--from manufacturing to marketing, French boutiques to American multinationals--by the award-winning author of "Olives." Science, over recent years, has confirmed what chocolate lovers have always known: the stuff is actually good for you. It's the Valentine's Day drug of choice, has more antioxidants than red wine, and triggers the same brain responses as falling in love. Nothing, in the end, can stand up to chocolate as a basic fundament to human life. In this scintillating narrative, acclaimed foodie Mort Rosenblum delves into the complex world of chocolate. From the mole poblano--chile-laced chicken with chocolate--of ancient Mexico to the contemporary French chocolatiers who produce the palets d'or--bite-sized, gold-flecked bricks of dark chocolate--to the vast empires of Hershey, Godiva, and Valrhona, Rosenblum follows the chocolate trail the world over. He visits cacao plantations, meets with growers, buyers, makers, and tasters, and investigates the dark side of the chocolate trade as well as the enduring appeal of its product. Engaging, entertaining, and revealing, "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light" is a fascinating foray into this "food of the gods."
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
Barbara Kingsolver
641.0973 KIN 2007
Bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver returns with her first nonfiction narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat. "As the U.S. population made an unprecedented mad dash for the Sun Belt, one carload of us paddled against the tide, heading for the Promised Land where water falls from the sky and green stuff grows all around. We were about to begin the adventure of realigning our lives with our food chain. "Naturally, our first stop was to buy junk food and fossil fuel. . . ." Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet. "This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
Lucy Knisley
GN BIO KNISLEY 2013
Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe-- many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.
Talking with My Mouth Full: Crab Cakes, Bundt Cakes, and Other Kitchen Stories
Bonny Wolf
641 WOL 2007
In this collection of essays, NPR weekly food commentator Bonny Wolf invites readers to explore foods ranging from toast to aioli, Jell-O to shepherd's pie East Indian style. What are the foods we enjoy eating and how does food bind us to one another? Recipes included.
• Narrative nonfiction
• Books about food
Mort Rosenblum
641.3374
A delectable journey into the world of chocolate--from manufacturing to marketing, French boutiques to American multinationals--by the award-winning author of "Olives." Science, over recent years, has confirmed what chocolate lovers have always known: the stuff is actually good for you. It's the Valentine's Day drug of choice, has more antioxidants than red wine, and triggers the same brain responses as falling in love. Nothing, in the end, can stand up to chocolate as a basic fundament to human life. In this scintillating narrative, acclaimed foodie Mort Rosenblum delves into the complex world of chocolate. From the mole poblano--chile-laced chicken with chocolate--of ancient Mexico to the contemporary French chocolatiers who produce the palets d'or--bite-sized, gold-flecked bricks of dark chocolate--to the vast empires of Hershey, Godiva, and Valrhona, Rosenblum follows the chocolate trail the world over. He visits cacao plantations, meets with growers, buyers, makers, and tasters, and investigates the dark side of the chocolate trade as well as the enduring appeal of its product. Engaging, entertaining, and revealing, "Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light" is a fascinating foray into this "food of the gods."
Barbara Kingsolver
641.0973 KIN 2007
Bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver returns with her first nonfiction narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat. "As the U.S. population made an unprecedented mad dash for the Sun Belt, one carload of us paddled against the tide, heading for the Promised Land where water falls from the sky and green stuff grows all around. We were about to begin the adventure of realigning our lives with our food chain. "Naturally, our first stop was to buy junk food and fossil fuel. . . ." Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet. "This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."
Lucy Knisley
GN BIO KNISLEY 2013
Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe-- many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.
Bonny Wolf
641 WOL 2007
In this collection of essays, NPR weekly food commentator Bonny Wolf invites readers to explore foods ranging from toast to aioli, Jell-O to shepherd's pie East Indian style. What are the foods we enjoy eating and how does food bind us to one another? Recipes included.
Inspiring, Whimsical Adventure
Try these books if you’re looking for:
• Whimsical books
• Inspiring reads
• Adventure
• Easy reads
• Stories about true love
Ink and Bone: The Great Library
Rachel Caine
NEW BOOKS YA F CAINE Great Li #1
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. When Jess Brightwell inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life--and soon both heretics and books will burn.
Wizard of Earthsea
Ursuala Le Guin
SCI-FI LE GUIN
Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance. If you like this be sure to read Tombs of Atuan and the other books in the series.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas
NEW BOOKS YA F MAAS Court of #1
Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from stories, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin, a High Lord of the faeries. As her feelings toward him transform from hostility to a fiery passion, the threats against the faerie lands grow. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose Tamlin forever.
The Name of the Wind
Patrick Rothfuss
SCI-FI ROTHFUSS Kingkill #1
A hero named Kvothe, now living under an assumed name as the humble proprietor of an inn, recounts his transformation from a magically gifted young man into the most notorious wizard, musician, thief, and assassin in his world.
• Whimsical books
• Inspiring reads
• Adventure
• Easy reads
• Stories about true love
Rachel Caine
NEW BOOKS YA F CAINE Great Li #1
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. When Jess Brightwell inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life--and soon both heretics and books will burn.
Ursuala Le Guin
SCI-FI LE GUIN
Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance. If you like this be sure to read Tombs of Atuan and the other books in the series.
Sarah J. Maas
NEW BOOKS YA F MAAS Court of #1
Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from stories, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin, a High Lord of the faeries. As her feelings toward him transform from hostility to a fiery passion, the threats against the faerie lands grow. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose Tamlin forever.
Patrick Rothfuss
SCI-FI ROTHFUSS Kingkill #1
A hero named Kvothe, now living under an assumed name as the humble proprietor of an inn, recounts his transformation from a magically gifted young man into the most notorious wizard, musician, thief, and assassin in his world.
Uplifting Reads
Try these books if you're looking for:
• Inspiring stories
• Uplifting information
• History
• Feel-good reads
• Nonfiction or Fiction
• Inspiring stories
• Uplifting information
• History
• Feel-good reads
• Nonfiction or Fiction
Malcolm Gladwell
302 GLA 2008
Identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about
the cultural, family, and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a
resource that covers such topics as the secrets of software billionaires and
why the Beatles earned their fame.
Daniel Brown
797.123 BRO 2013
Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of
Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold
medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions
of Americans.
Anthony Doerr
F DOERR
A blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied
France both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Sue Monk Kidd
Fiction KIDD
Traces more than three decades in the lives of a wealthy Charleston
debutante who longs to break free from the strictures of her household and
pursue a meaningful life; and the urban slave, Handful, who is placed in her
charge as a child before finding courage and a sense of self.
Gretchen Rubin
158 RUB 2009
A thoughtful and prescriptive work on happiness filled with practical
advice, sharp insight, charm, and humor.
Jerome E. Groopman
616.0019 GRO 2004
Explores the diverse ways in which hope and other positive emotions
influence the healing process, drawing on real-life experiences to analyze the
biology of hope, as well as its benefits and limits.
Children's Fantasy and Adventure
Try these books if you're looking for:
• Fantasy
• Adventure
• Mystery
• Mythical creatures and abnormal worlds
• Suspense
• Children’s fiction
• Fantasy
• Adventure
• Mystery
• Mythical creatures and abnormal worlds
• Suspense
• Children’s fiction
Paul Durham
JF DURHAM Luck Ug #1
Eleven-year-old Rye O'Chanter and her two friends delve into the secret
lore of their village when mysterious creatures of legend reappear on the night
of the Black Moon, leading them to the notorious secret society, the Luck
Uglies.
Jasper Fforde
JF FFORDE Kazam #1
Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs an agency for underemployed
magicians in a world where magic is fading away, but when visions of the death
of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to Jennifer--and Big Magic.
Jaleigh Johnson
JF JOHNSON
Since her father's death in a factory in the Dragonfly territories,
thirteen-year-old Piper has eked out a living as a scrapper in Merrow Kingdom,
but the arrival of a mysterious girl sends her on a dangerous journey to
distant lands.
Kat Falls
JF FALLS Dark Lif #1
When fifteen-year-old Ty, who has always lived on the ocean floor,
joins Topside girl, Gemma, in the frontier's underworld to seek and stop
outlaws who threaten his home, they learn that the government may pose an even
greater threat.
John Christopher
JF CHRISTOPH Tripods #1
When fifteen-year-old Ty, who has always lived on the ocean floor,
joins Topside girl, Gemma, in the frontier's underworld to seek and stop
outlaws who threaten his home, they learn that the government may pose an even
greater threat.
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