News and Reviews
Blog Post
Staff Picks: New Graphic Novel Biographies
by nicole
Readers who love personal histories and fact-based family drama should check out these newly-added graphic memoirs filled with art and stories about aging, family struggles, political propaganda, and finding yourself.
Polar Vortex: a Family Memoir by Denise Dorrance | Request Now
What do you do when your mother can't remember who you are? You catch the first flight from your adopted home of London to your original hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she's hospitalized, injured, and struggling with the swirling disorientation of dementia. You take responsibility for finding her new (and, perhaps, final) home--although insurance is running out and you might have to finally patch up your bitter relationship with your sister. And you try not to think about death, lurking around every corner... or the coming polar vortex, growing closer and closer as snowflakes swirl ever faster outside. With cinematic illustrations and moving yet humorous prose, award-winning author and cartoonist Denise Dorrance shares the two most haywire months of her life: the phone call after her mother is discovered lying confused on the living room floor, the mingled shock and familiarity of a harsh Midwestern midwinter, the attempt to settle her homesick mother into a care facility, the limiting and limitless inanities of the US health care system, and the impossible decisions about what comes next. Incorporating vintage postcards, photographs, and letters, Dorrance brilliantly captures the sadness, frustration, and gallows humor of suddenly having to care for an aging parent and facing the moment of transition between life as you've long known it and life as it must become.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Celebrate Make Music Ann Arbor With New Music in AADL’s Collection!
by eapearce
Make Music Ann Arbor is a live, free musical celebration that takes place on June 21 every year—the longest day of the year. Cities across the world celebrate with concerts by professional and amateur musicians. Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician—young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion—pours onto streets, parks, and plazas to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public. You can read more about Make Music Ann Arbor here. Of course, listening to music is a big part of Make Music Day, and you might want to listen to some of these new albums in AADL’s music collection!
Orchestras, by Bill Frisell | Request Now
In his new double LP, famed guitarist Bill Frisell teams up with his usual trio of bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston for a live recording of two concert hall arrangements designed specifically for Frisell. In the first, the trio is accompanied by the nearly 60-piece Brussels Philharmonic and in the second, they’re backed by the 11-piece Umbria Jazz Orchestra. While not a complex or unheard of concept, Frisell’s talent and interaction with the pieces make for transcendent listening and the trio nimbly weaves themselves in with the accompanists to make a truly special recording.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: To Know & Be a Father
by lucroe
Celebrate all of the paternal figures in your life with these powerful memoirs about fatherhood and relationships with fathers.
The Beautiful Struggle: a Father, two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood by Ta-Nehisi Coates | Request Now
An intense and eloquent personal journey by National Book award winner Coates about his younger years growing up in Baltimore in the 1980s. Although his father Paul Coates believed in tough love for Coates and his half-brother he also instilled self-respect and to have pride in Black culture. His guiding principle was simple: 'I'm not here to be your friend. My job is to get you through. To make you conscious of the world around you. To teach lessons that can carry over.' His father was a member of the Black Panthers but could not get past the internal political struggles and eventually left. He ran a successful small publishing company that still exists called Black Classic Press out of his basement dedicated to African American authors including Walter Mosley. This is where Coates’ love for books began. Coates’ home life was unconventional, his father raised seven children with four different mothers which Coates’ considered all family. An honest and unflinching look at growing up with an authoritarian father who never gave up on teaching his children respect for themselves and their heritage.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #839, Murders Most British
by muffy
R.J. Rozen (of the Lydia Chin/ Bill Smith series) teams up with comics exec John Shen Yen Nee to bring us the ”bewitching series kickoff that cleverly riffs on the Holmes/Watson dynamic,” (Publishers Weekly) in The Murder of Mr. Ma * * (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook).
London, 1924. When Chinese scholar Lao She was summoned by mathematician Bertrand Russell to take part in a dangerous bait-and-switch operation to free his friend Judge Dee Ren Jie, mistakenly arrested as a Chinese agitator, Lao was swept up in Dee’s murder investigation of a Chinese merchant who served with him in the Chinese Labour Corps during WWI. Then more bodies turned up, all pointing to a killer using a rare butterfly sword.
“The intricate plot, which is bolstered by vivid period detail and playfully riffs on real-life figures in Chinese history (including Lao), is enhanced by healthy doses of humor and well-orchestrated action. Readers will be clamoring for a sequel.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Fans of the Sherlock Holmes canon will appreciate this fast-paced, exciting novel.” (Library Journal)
How to Solve Your Own Murder * by Kristen Perrin (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) opens in 1965 as 17 year-old Frances Adams was told by a fortune-teller at an English country fair that one day she’ll be murdered, and one year later, her best friend Emily disappeared. The two events caused Frances to spend a lifetime compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise.
60 years have gone by, Frances, now an enormously wealthy woman, summons her grand-niece Annie, an aspiring mystery writer to the sleepy village of Castle Knoll. When Annie arrives she finds Frances dead in her library - murdered. France’s will dictates that she will leave her entire estate to Annie, but only if Annie solves her killing. Thanks to Frances's lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder.
“Perrin juxtaposes timelines, detailing Frances's provincial life in the 1960s while Annie's investigation grows increasingly treacherous in the present. The pace is quick, the red herrings are plentiful, and Annie's growth from timid wannabe writer to confident sleuth is beautifully rendered. Combining elements of Agatha Christie, Anthony Horowitz, and Midsomer Murders, this is a richly entertaining whodunit from a promising new talent.“ (Publishers Weekly)
The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder * by C. L. Miller (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) exposes the dark underbelly of the antiques trade. Forty-something Freya Lockwood is at a crossroad - a divorced empty-nester about to lose her London home, when the news reaches her that her estranged mentor Arthur Crockleford has died under mysterious circumstances. Returning to the quaint village where she was raised by her Aunt Carole upon her parents’ accidental death, she finds out they are to inherit Arthur’s antique shop, thus thrusting her back into a life she had sworn to leave behind. 20 years ago Arthur was implicated in the death of Freya’s boyfriend when the two of them were investigating stolen artifacts and antique forgeries in Cairo.
“A trail of clues left by Arthur leads Freya and Carole to an old manor house filled with antiques and populated by various mysterious guests, all of them with hidden agendas and exuding varying degrees of menace. The author, daughter of Judith Miller (Miller's Antique Price Guide), draws on her own knowledge of antiques to develop the backdrop of the mystery.” (Library Journal)
For Your Listening Pleasure
The Other Half, a “crackling debut” (Publishers Weekly) by Charlotte Vassell (also in downloadable eBook) which The Guardian called “smart, pacy and good fun.”
When Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp discovered the body of Instagram influencer Clemmie O’Hara on his morning run at Hampstead Heath, attention was immediately drawn to her boyfriend Rupert Beauchamp,(no relations to the detective) heir to a baronetcy, who the evening before, threw himself a tawdry black-tie 30th birthday bash at a London McDonald's, where guests washed down their fries with champagne and cocaine.
Clemmie’s death couldn't have been more timely or convenient for Rupert who was ready to dump her for Nell Waddingham, a publishing assistant. Friends since their uni days, Nell is still traumatized by what happened to her on their recent trip to Greece, and wants nothing to do with Rupert.
“His (Caius’s) search takes him through a web of over-privileged suspects on whom the detective casts a half-contemptuous, half-envious eye, and eventually delivers him to the doorstep of a murderous, elite conspiracy.” (Publishers Weekly)
* * = 2 starred reviews
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Staff Picks: History Comics for Kids
by nicole
Dig into these middle-grade history comics to learn about people from the past, the creation of your favorite snacks, the origins of anime, or even the history of witches in Salem.
Tasty: a History of Yummy Experiments by Victoria Grace Elliott | Request Now
How did cheese happen? Who pickled the first pickle? Explore the history of innovative food in this non-fiction graphic novel filled with facts, legends, and recipes. Have you ever wondered how some of our favorite foods came to be? How was cheese created and who realized it belonged on everything? Was soda always meant to be a drink? A team of whimsical food sprites are excited to show you the yummy history of food experiments from all over the world! Learn about the true stories behind pickles! Get a recipe for how to make your favorite pizza! With a story and recipe for every chapter, this graphic novel will give you something to read and taste.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: It's Cookie Time!
by emjane
Want to celebrate the end of the school year? It’s cookie time! Happy that the heat has finally broken, and it’s not miserable to turn on your oven? It’s cookie time! Have a rumble-y in your tum-bley and know it’s time for something sweet? (Say it with me) IT’S COOKIE TIME! Here are some great cookbooks for old classics and new riffs on one of the most versatile baked treats!
Martha Stewart’s Cookie Perfection | Request Now
In classic Martha fashion, this cookbook is filled with recipes that walk the line between fussy and approachable, taking familiar concepts (like the snickerdoodle cookie) and giving them a “now that’s intriguing” twist (like the pumpkin snickerdoodle). The 100+ recipes in this collection span a wide variety of tastes and cultures, making it easy for the baker to find something new to try that aligns with their taste! The real highlight of this book, though, is its delectable close-up photographs of every bake. I dare anyone to flip through the pages without getting a little hungry. These 5-ingredient Macaroon Sandwich Cookies look approachable and delicious!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Reading in Translation
by lucroe
Here are some excellent books to read this summer that are all translated works. We have them in the original language as well as the English translation, both/either are requestable with their respective catalog links after each title. Enjoy reading in English translation or in the original language.
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck | In English Request Now, In German Request Now
Recent winner of the International Booker Prize as well as nominated for the National Book Award, this novel by German writer Erpenbeck, is set during the final years of the German Democratic Republic. It tells the story of teen Katharina and the affair she has with an older married man Hans that begins in the declining days of the GDR and continues after. The historical backdrop is of course significant to the overall story, as the country faces an uncertain future so too do the characters. They exemplify the difficulty of German unification, one having been born during WWII and struggling to adapt, while the other born after WWII taking tentative steps into understanding what this new Germany has to offer, both good and bad. Hauntingly beautiful and poetic.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: New Dystopian Teen Fiction
by nicole
Dystopian fiction is a great genre for anyone who wants to read about the end of the world, or dangerous future societies like the one in The Hunger Games. AADL's Teen collection has a section dedicated to these action-packed stories. Here are some of our newest dystopian books about bad governments, magical monsters, and even sub-zero reality shows.
Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer | Request Now
This dark and romantic post-apocalyptic novel is about two girls who loved each other before the end of the world — and before one of them became infected with the virus that turned her into a monster. Seventeen-year-old Mara is dead...mostly. Infected with a virus that brought the dead back to life and the world to its knees, she wakes up in a facility to learn a treatment for the disease has been found. No longer a Tick, Mara is placed in an experimental resettlement program. But her recovery is complicated: she’s sent to live with the best friend she hasn’t seen since the world ended, and since their first and only kiss. Seventeen-year-old Rory is alive...barely. With impaired mobility from an injury and a dead sister, Rory’s nightmares are just as monstrous as the Ticks that turned her former best friend. Even after their surviving community rebuilds itself, Rory is prepared for the Ticks to return at any time, but she never expects them to come in the form of the only girl she’s ever loved. As the girls struggle with their pasts and the people they’ve become, and with the Island’s fragile peace in the balance, Rory and Mara must lean on each other to survive, or risk losing the girl they love all over again.
Blog Post
Fabulous (Non)Fiction Firsts #838, Honoring Mothers
by muffy
I Cannot Control Everything Forever : a memoir of motherhood, science, and art by Emily C. Bloom (also available in downloadable eBook and audiobook, read by the author), is an intimate and engaging memoir about navigating motherhood - the joy, the challenges, and lessons learned parenting an exceptional child.
In her late 30s, Emily gave birth to a daughter who is diagnosed with congenital deafness and later at 13 months, Type 1 diabetes. What follows are rounds of doctor’s visits, decisions regarding genetic testing and diagnosis, the latest technologies (cochlear implants), as well as a regimented daily routine. At one point, with a husband on a tenure track at a university-one-does-not-turn-down, she gave up her faculty appointment to care for their daughter.
In lesser hands, this journey could have come across as bleak but in “trying to find a way out of the loneliness and individualism of 21st century parenthood, Emily finds joy in reaching outwards, towards art and literature-such as the maternal messiness of Louise Bourgeois (from whom Emily borrowed the title for this memoir), or Greek myths about the power of fate-as well as the collective sustenance of friends and community. With lyrical and enchanting prose, I Cannot Control Everything Forever is an inspired meditation on art, science, and motherhood.” (Library Journal)
"Thoughtful reflections on technology and humanity amid difficult parenting experiences." (Kirkus Reviews)
Winner of the MSA First Book Prize for her academic title The Wireless Past: Anglo-Irish Writers and the BBC, 1931-1968 (2016), Emily's memoir is highly recommended for readers who enjoy nonfiction that reads like fiction. Raised in Ann Arbor, Emily lives in NYC and is a Mellon Public Humanities Fellow at Sarah Lawrence College.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Memoirs About Moms
by lucroe
With Mother’s Day around the corner, here a few memoirs from our stacks that explore and celebrate what it means to be a mother in its vast and varying forms. On Mother’s Day, we honor and celebrate them all!
Where Rivers Part : A Story of My Mother by Kao Kalia Yang | Request Now
Yang writes in her latest memoir about her mother’s escape from the genocidal attacks on the Hmong people in Laos. The story provides a much-needed understanding of America’s involvement in Laos at the time of the Vietnam War when the CIA recruited Hmong men to assist in what they called Laos’s Secret War. Once the Americans left, the Hmong people were at the mercy of the Laos government who saw them as conspirators, which led many to flee. Yang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and came to America at the age of six. Her previous memoir, The Latehomecomer is about her journey to America. In this she writes openly and beautifully about her Hmong family and her mother’s refugee life in vivid detail, truly exhibiting what courage looks like on the page. Another book, Somewhere in the Unknown World, Yang compiles stories from refugees around the world living in Minnesota (where the author resides).
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Family Fun
by nicole
These kids graphic novels are all about families - from chosen families made up of close friends, to blended families with blended cultures, to loud houses full of countless cousins.
A Place for Pauline by Anouk Mahiout | Request Now
A charming graphic novel about Pauline, the eldest child in a large family who longs for peace and quiet. Pauline lives with her mother, father, little brother and sister, and there's a new baby on the way. Her friends tell her she's lucky to be the eldest -- she's the one who gets new clothes and can stay up late -- but Pauline isn't so sure. In her busy, crowded, noisy house, she never knows what she's supposed to do. One minute she's told to help her little sister, and the next to leave her alone! It seems like she's never in the right place at the right time, and her brother seems determined to prevent her from reading in peace. So Pauline finds a secret hideaway, and in this quiet place, surrounded by her precious belongings, where she can read her favorite books, make up stories, and imagine being as free as a bird. But most of all, she dreams of sailing off to France where her grandmother lives, and one day she decides to do just that. Funny and touching, this graphic novel highlights the importance of finding our place and the comforts of home.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #837
by muffy
The Kamogawa Food Detectives * by Hisaski Kasiwai, translated by Jesse Kirkwood, the 2020 Harvill Secker Young Translators' Prize winner, (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook).
The first in an eight-book series, originally published in Japan in 2013, it introduces readers to Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare. On a quiet backstreet in Kyoto, behind the nondescript facade of an anonymous-looking building, the Kamogawa Diner serves up deliciously extravagant meals. There is no menu, no advertisement except for a cryptic one in an obscure food magazine. But that does not stop customers from seeking them out. Nagare, a retired and widowed Kyoto detective and 30-something Koishi are “food detectives,” offering their investigative services to find recipes so clients could recreate dishes from their treasured memories.
Among their satisfied clients is one of Nagare’s fellow detectives, who is looking for the"Nabeyaki-Udon” recipe that his late wife created. A successful businessman is looking to recreate the "Mackerel Sushi, offered by a kind neighbor while he was orphaned at an early age. A piano teacher is looking for the beef stew recipe at a restaurant served to her 55 years ago when she rejected a young man’s proposal. A restauranteur's ex-wife is looking for the recipe her husband used to prepare for her now that he is dying.
“Though each of the six stand-alone chapters follows the same formulaic recipe, Kashiwai's unique blend of seasonings is more than enough to transform each into a five-star-worthy dish. Koishi and Nagare strive to re-create not only the precise dishes their clients want, but also to envelop them in a warm memory blanket of nostalgia.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Off-beat and charming, [with] more complexity of flavor than you might expect.” (NPR – Fresh Air with Terry Gross)
For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and those who binged on Midnight Diner:Tokyo Stories.
* = Starred review
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Intriguing Nonfiction
by emjane
If reading nonfiction sometimes feels like homework to you, you’re not alone. But, also, I think it means you just haven’t found the right book to pique your interest. Here are four nonfiction titles that kept me turning pages and continue to—welcomely—take up brain space, even after I’ve returned them to the library.
Monsters : A Fan’s Dilemma by Claire Dederer| Request Now
How do you separate the art from the artist? Is it important to? Is it important not to? This “fan’s dilemma” provides the complicated backbone for Claire Dederer’s Monsters. An expansion of her excellent Paris Review essay “What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men?”, Dederer explores how we struggle (or don’t) with engaging in work by complicated creators ranging from Woody Allen to J.K. Rowling to Pablo Picasso. If you’re looking for a book to tell you whether you can or can’t listen to Michael Jackson anymore, this isn’t it. Dederer is not writing to provide the moral path or convert you to her opinions. Rather, she’s wrestling with this complicated notion and letting you come along for the ride. This was one of the best books I read in 2023 and one I’m continually returning to in my mind. (Wondering if it’s the book for you? Read the essay linked above. If you like that, you’ll like Monsters. If you don’t, give it a pass.)
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Caring for Your Home
by lucroe
Now that spring is here, taking care of one’s home beyond just a general spring cleaning may be of interest. Here are a few books in our collection that will help in fixing or simply improving areas of your home or take a dive into home decorating and organizing.
How Your House Works by Charles Wing | Request Now
In How Your House Works, you will find dozens of illustrations of sink drains, septic tanks, and every type of wiring in this handy book illustrated by Charlie Wing, a world-renowned home remodeling expert and founder of two house-building schools. You’ll never have to think, “What’s this and what does it do?” when working on your home, and you’ll get tips on how to keep things working.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: The Art of Motherhood
by nicole
Motherhood, and all the feelings of joy, pain, and indifference that come with it, are perfectly represented in these graphic novels revolving around the complex experiences that come with creating new humans. These comics follow new moms, soon-to-be moms, and never-to-be moms as they explore what motherhood means to them.
I Don't Want To Be a Mom by Irene Olmo | Request Now
What does choice really mean when it comes to motherhood? In this graphic memoir, Irene Olmo recounts her coming-of-age transformation from assuming she will one day start a family to realizing that she just doesn’t want to be a mom. With an affecting mix of humor and introspection, she describes the subtle and not-so-subtle ways she was pressured to have children and the feelings of isolation and self-doubt that ensued. Her delightful color illustrations capture the maddeningly narrow-minded reactions of those around her as well as her own discomfort and frustration. A true story of liberation and self-empowerment in the face of societal prejudice, I Don’t Want to Be a Mom shows us that "choice" has more than one dimension and that, ultimately, some questions in life are more complicated than they seem. This comic gives voice to those who choose to be child-free or feel ambivalent toward motherhood, and is a fascinating exploration of the imposition of motherhood on women as both an expectation and a path toward fulfillment.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Simply Great Games
by emjane
If you haven’t checked out games from AADL, what are you waiting for? It’s the best way to try out a new game without committing to the purchase, and we’ve got an excellent selection. Previously I’ve highlighted Great Two-Player Games, and Great Games You Can Play in Under an Hour, but today I’m setting theme aside and recommending Simply Great Games! Check them out!
Wingspan | Request Now
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Star Gazing & Planet Hopping Journeys
by lucroe
Most of Southeast Michigan will experience at least a partial solar eclipse on April 8. Most of Michigan will not fall in the path of totality, it depends on where in North America you live, but it will still be a stunning show at 99% totality in Ann Arbor. Join the library in watching the live streaming of the event on our big lobby screen. Below are some books for the astronomy lover in all of us including one about the solar eclipse of 1878.
American Eclipse by David Baron | Request Now
This book chronicles the journeys of three eclipse enthusiasts who went to witness the historic total solar eclipse of July 29, 1878 for different reasons. James Craig Watson, astronomy professor & a director of the University of Michigan's Detroit Observatory, who aimed to find a new planet; Maria Mitchell, an astronomer, sought to establish women's presence in the scientific field; and Thomas Edison, a budding inventor, intended to test his tasimeter, a tool for measuring infrared radiation, and enhance his reputation. These individuals' tales showcase the drive and inquisitiveness of American scientists during the late 19th century as the nation strove to solidify its standing in the global scientific arena. A fascinating slice of history involving the experiences of three scientists and an equally amazing, rare event.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #836, Celebrating Women with History
by muffy
The Excitements * * * by C. J. Wray (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook)
Nonagenarian sisters Josephine and Penny Williamson, Britain's most treasured World War II veterans, are constantly in demand at commemorative events. Always perfectly groomed and mentally engaged, they live independently in their London home cared for by their capable housekeeper Arlene; and devoted grand-nephew Archie who is tasked to provide them with constant “excitement”. The latest being an invitation to Paris to receive the Légion d'honneur for their part in the liberation of France.
While Josephine is circumspect initially about making the trip, Penny is eager. Unbeknownst to the family and perhaps each other, both sisters are hiding secrets, “official” and otherwise. Now armed with newly unearthed information, they intend to revisit old haunts, settle scores, avenge lost friends, and pull off one last, daring heist in the City of Light.
“Switching between the 1940s and 2022, this book is utterly charming, with its lead characters a feisty mix of Madame Arcati, Miss Marple, Mata Hari, and Danny Ocean. It's gently humorous and full of twists, but it's the liveliness, verve, and charisma of Penny and Josephine, who are determined not to let old age slow them down one bit, that makes this such a satisfying read.” (Booklist)
For fans of The Rose Code (2021) and Killers of a Certain Age (2022).
* * * = 3 starred reviews
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Teen Cookbooks
by nicole
If you're an aspiring chef or just a hungry teen, the YA section is the perfect place to search for simple and fun recipes that anyone can make. These cookbooks cover everything from revenge recipes best served cold to the cutest cakes you've ever seen.
Sweet Revenge : Passive-Aggressive Desserts for Your Exes & Enemies by Heather Kim | Request Now
Explore 50+ killer cakes, cookies, and candies that are perfectly passive aggressive - just right for serving to your exes and enemies. Dumped by your crush? Betrayed by your best friend? Lab partner a no-show? Don't take these battles online! (Seriously, don't do that.) Get out your heaviest rolling pins, sharpest cleavers, and most blistering torches, and kill your enemies and exes with kindness. Bake that loser ex a pan of Go Fudge Yourself, or gift your former friend a You're the Devil Cake. Pastry chef and tattoo artist Heather Kim serves up sinfully delicious recipes and bittersweet advice in this quirky cookbook about working out your aggression in the kitchen.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #835, Debuts from Down Under
by muffy
Greta & Valdin * * by Rebecca K. Reilly, a Maaori novelist from Waitaakere, New Zealand, is a New York Times Editors’ Choice (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook).
“We’re all strange, romantic emotional people in this family,” proclaims Linsh Vladisavljevic as he watches his two younger children navigate queerness, multiracial identity, and the familial dramas big and small.
Linsh, an Auckland university professor of Biology is Russian Moldovan while wife, Betty is Māori. Daughter G (Greta), a graduate student in literature, shares an apartment with her brother Valdin - a former astrophysicist with O.C.D. who now hosts a tv travel show. The novel opens when a missed directed package plunges Valdin (who goes by V) into melancholy, pining for ex-boyfriend Xabi who moved to Argentina, while G is smarting from her painfully unrequited crush on a fellow tutor and tentatively reaching out to a charming fellow student. Then work sends V to Buenos Aires where he has to decide whether to reconnect with Xabi and what the future will hold for them.
“The story follows the duo in alternating first-person chapters as they navigate bad dates, bouts of insecurity and even encounters with racism, and as they come closer to understanding themselves and their desires.” (New York Times)
“Reilly herself is of Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Wai descent. In the wrong hands this could all be quirk for quirk’s sake, or a half-baked hybrid of Schitt’s Creek and The Royal Tenenbaums. But Reilly’s humor is so riotously specific, and the many moments of true poignancy so gently infused with that same humor, that the Vladisavljevics seem like no one but themselves….Say hello to your new favorite fictional family.“ (Kirkus Reviews)
Green Dot by Sydney writer/critic Madeleine Gray (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) introduces readers to Hera Stephen, a 24 year-old comments-moderator for an online news outlet where she meets Arthur, a middle-age journalist (and her boss). With 3 arts-degrees, Hera is broke and living in Sydney with her lovely gay father. What started as message-based flirtation (hence the title, referencing the green dot that indicates a user is online) she soon finds herself falling into an all-consuming affair with Arthur though for years, she preferred women to men. Before long, Hera develops an obsession, which only grows stronger as Arthur refuses to leave his wife.
“As the book tracks the increasingly doomed love affair (including through the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic), the only thing keeping the narrative from devolving into something grim and cynical is Hera's dynamic and snarky voice….Her narration is peppered with references to music and pop culture, the things that define your personality in your 20s, when you're still searching, as Hera is, for some kind of identity.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Although ironic and flippant, Green Dot avoids nihilism, and is ultimately about the search for meaning through love. It vividly illustrates how someone can lose their perspective, principles and dignity in its name, ignoring overwhelming evidence of the probable conclusion.” (The Guardian)
Readers interested in examining why smart women expect their lovers to leave their wives, despite overwhelming evidence that the contrary is more likely, might be interested in Sally Rooney's Conversations With Friends, Imogen Crimp's A Very Nice Girl, and Laura Warrell's Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm.
* * = 2 starred reviews
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Kids Mystery Comics
by nicole
If you're searching for a mystery, these kids comics about sleuthing sloths, rat detectives, and alligator investigators are perfect for animal-lovers and aspiring detectives alike.
Sloth Sleuth, Vol. 1 by Cyndi Marko | Request Now
On Winkelfuss, an island crawling with crime, everyone's a suspect. Luckily, its resident sloth can solve crimes in her sleep (and often does!). Meet Paz, the world's first sloth sleuth. She may be slow . . . but she's on the case! Whether she’s hunting for pirate treasure or solving mysterious disappearances, she's always one step ahead of the bad guys. This series follows Paz and her friends as she solves crimes and tries to avoid being sloth-napped! When you're done with #1, you can find the rest of this series here.
Blog Post
Fabulous Fiction Firsts #834, Celebrating Women’s History Month
by muffy
City of Laughter, * * a debut novel (also in downloadable eBook and audiobook) by a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers Award winner Temin Fruchter is “a wondrous intergenerational story of queerness and Jewish folklore.” (Publishers Weekly)
Called “brainy and richly textured (The New York Times) the novel opens in 18th century Ropshitz, Poland where a holy jester whose job is to make wedding guests laugh, receives a visitation from a mysterious stranger. In present day New York, 32-year old Shiva Margolin, reeling from the recent death of her father and the breakup with her girlfriend, Dani found among her father’s things, photos of her enigmatic maternal grandmother, Syl, and great-grandmother Mira. But her mother Hannah refuses to talk about them.
Frustrated with the generational silence, Shiva starts studying the work of Jewish folklorist S. Ansky, and enrolls in a master's program which presents her with an opportunity to visit Warsaw, only hours away from Mira's small town of Ropshitz. She hopes her family's mysteries will make more sense if she walks in their footsteps.
“This novel, like Shiva’s work, is a collection of beautiful scraps—scraps of folktales and memory, hidden family histories, love letters, accounts of strange happenings in the past and present—all tangled together and rewoven into a whole that’s strange, lush, imaginative and pulsing with life…As Shiva becomes more deeply immersed in the lives of her foremothers, those foremothers become more vibrant and detailed, in prose that moves from shimmering and dreamlike to sharply funny to wonderfully contemplative.” (BookPage)
Readers might also enjoy The Thirty Names of Night * * * * by Zeyn Joukhadar (2020), and The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh (2022).
* * * * = 4 starred reviews
* * = 2 starred reviews
Blog Post
Staff Picks: For the Love of Birds
by lucroe
Birding has become especially popular since the pandemic. It can be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby for adults and kids. It can even be rewarding when you spot a new species to add to your list. The library has a number of great books and resources for those just starting as well as pros who want to learn more. From the Wingscapes Birdcam to Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Birds of World database (see below for more about this), there is something for every bird lover at AADL.
Birding to Change the World by Trish O’Kane | Request Now
This memoir tells the story of O’Kane’s tragic loss of her New Orleans home after Hurricane Katrina and how it led to her environmental activism especially dedicated to wildlife conservation. In her mid-40’s, she decided to return to college to earn a PhD in environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There her focus turns to ornithology. She realized that bird-watching was “like journalism. ... You observe. You listen. You take good notes. You piece together clues.” Her other concern became lower income children’s lack of access to the wonders of nature. As a result, she created an after-school birding club and mentoring program between college students and middle schoolers which is still active today.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Recommendation Potpourri: Seven Books in Seven Days
by emjane
At the end of February, I took one of those wonderful, restorative vacations where you fly somewhere warm and don’t do much of anything for a week. When I find myself lucky enough to have these “gift of time” trips, I still can’t help but set up a little structure and challenge myself to read a book a day. I have the benefit of being a fast reader, and I also stack the deck a bit by leaving the giant tomes at home (you can only pack so many books!), but on the trips where I manage to achieve that silly benchmark, I return home bubbling about the reading even more than about the sunshine! Here are my reading highlights from that trip!
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood | Request Now
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Graphic Novels Series to Start
by nicole
If you're sick of standalone reads or need something to keep you hooked for a while, here are some great graphic novel series from AADL's collection. These titles are perfect if you're looking to start a new series.
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan | Request Now
Blending sci-fi and romance, Saga is a sweeping tale about star-crossed lovers from enemy worlds fighting to find their place in the universe. When Alana first meets Marko, they're two soldiers fighting on opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war. Against all odds, they fall in love and risk everything to escape and bring a fragile new life into their dangerous old universe. This story is a wild, intergalactic ride that follows new parents Marko and Alana as they try to raise their child in a war-torn galaxy. This epic space opera is both heartfelt and hilarious, and is intended for mature readers only. Readers who love the first book can find the others in the series in AADL's catalog.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Fiction By Debut Authors
by eapearce
Everyone has to start somewhere, and sometimes an author’s first book isn’t always their best work. It can take time to find one’s voice and style of writing! I often find it interesting to go back and read an author’s early work after discovering them by reading their third or fourth novel. Debuts often just feel a bit less… polished. But sometimes an author seems to know exactly how to tell a story right from the start and, first book or not, the writing keeps readers turning the pages as quickly as they can. Several 2024 debuts that fall into this category have already been released. If you’re looking to discover a new author and dive right into some excellent writing, peruse these suggestions!
Ways and Means, by Daniel Lefferts | Request Now
Alistair McCabe arrives in New York determined to escape the Rust Belt poverty of his childhood. He’s determined, fiercely intelligent, handsome, gay, and eager to earn an excellent living to support the mother who raised him and give her a better life. There’s a fine line between ambition and greed, however, and as Alistair is sucked into the world of modern high finance, he finds himself adrift and unsure of how to make the right decisions. Desperate, in the spring of 2016 he begins working for an enigmatic billionaire and tries to keep his dream alive. Of course, things don’t go according to plan and when Alistair discovers his employer’s secret he finds himself on the run and, along with the older couple he’d been in a relationship with, facing a nation on the brink of chaos to match that of his personal life. Ways and Means is an “indelible, deeply moving investigation of class and ambition, sex and art, and politics and power in the American 21st century.”
Blog Post
Staff Picks: A Bit of Romantasy
by lucroe
For readers craving that overlap between romance and fantasy, check out these titles that have it all: magic, creatures, and love!
Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna | Request Now
A cozy romantasy about Mika Moon, who happens to be a witch but no one knows except her coven, who don't understand how lonely she has felt throughout the years. When a mysterious message arrives asking her to come to Nowhere House to train three young witches how to control their magic, she knows it's a bad idea to go. Who knows, maybe there she'll find something worth taking a chance on like the house librarian Jamie Kelly who she is immediately attracted to but who gives her the cold shoulder. Could she melt that icy heart of his?
Blog Post
Staff Picks: New Historical Fiction at AADL
by eapearce
Historical fiction remains one of the most popular genres for local readers! Titles in the genre offer readers the opportunity to learn more about past events, especially ones you’re not familiar with, often in a less-dense manner than non-fiction books about the same events might provide. If you’re looking for your next historical fiction read, check out one of these newly added titles to the library collection and add yourself to the holds list.
The Berlin Letters, by Katherine Reay | Request Now
The Cold War is coming to a close and CIA codebreaker Luisa Voekler is frustrated. Since a young girl, she’s always enjoyed using her logical, quick mind to solve puzzles and crack codes. She expected to move up quickly in the CIA, but while her colleagues are working hard to complete assignments that will hopefully finally bring the Cold War to an end, Luisa is stuck still cracking leftover codes from back during World War II. When she analyzes a letter with symbols she recognizes from her childhood, though, something clicks into place and she begins to wonder if her long-lost father is not, in fact, dead after all, as she’s always thought. Determined to figure out the truth, Luisa travels East Germany, determined to get her father out–if he’s still alive. As the book races toward the climactic fall of the Berlin Wall, readers journey with Luisa to the heart of Berlin to experience the monumental moment with her, and to hopefully share in her discovery of answers to questions she has had her whole life. This book includes book discussion questions at the end, making it a good fit for book clubs!
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Fabulous Fiction from U-M Alum
by emjane
The Helen Zell Writers Program, University of Michigan’s MFA program, has an impressive alumni list, who—would you believe it—have written some impressively good books! Here are a few of my favorites.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett | Request Now
Twin sisters Desiree and Stella both leave home at 16 and their lives, which up until that point had been lived in tandem, dramatically diverge. Told from shifting perspectives between Desiree, Stella, and their daughters, The Vanishing Half spans generations to tell an engaging story of identity, family, and connection.
Blog Post
Staff Picks: Teen Books on TV
by nicole
Several Teen books have been adapted into shows in the past few years. If you like to read the book before you see it on TV, check out these YA stories that have been recreated for the small screen.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman | Request Now
According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea. Which means that Armageddon will happen on Saturday night. So the armies of Good and Evil are gathering, the Four Bikers of the Apocalypse are revving up their mighty hogs and hitting the road, and the world's last two remaining witch-finders are getting ready to fight the good fight, awkwardly armed with antiquated instructions and stick pins. Armageddon is in the air. Which is a major problem for Crowley, a fast-living demon, and his opposite and old friend Aziraphale, a fussy angel. They like it down here, and they're not particularly looking forward to the end of it all. So they've got no choice but to defeat the marching ranks of the Witchfinder's army and - somehow - stop the Rapture from happening. Above all, they've got to find and kill the most powerful being on earth, the Antichrist (which is a shame, as he's a really nice kid). There's just one glitch: someone seems to have misplaced him. This over-the-top story is equal parts humor and fantasy, and the TV series is also available in our catalog.