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We’ve received a great batch of new nonfiction titles — too many, in fact, to cover in one post. So here’s Part 1 of our look at some of the latest titles in the New Books section! Click through each title for more info and to check availability!

Science

Arctic Thaw: Climate Change And The Global Race For Energy Resources by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson – As the Arctic experiences drastic ice melt, a treasure trove of previously inaccessible resources are exposed. From oil tankers to military bases, the Arctic has never before hosted so many warring interests, and the stakes have never been so high. “[McPherson] balances discussions of national and corporate interests with the points of view of indigenous people in the Arctic. Succinct and clearly written…an articulate introduction to the Arctic in a time of profound, striking changes.” — Booklist

Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator Is Changing The World by Jack Andraka with Matthew Lysiak – Chronicles teen scientist Andraka’s development of an early detection test for pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancer, and recounts his personal story of overcoming depression and homophobic bullying.

The Human Age: The World Shaped By Us by Diane Ackerman – Ackerman is justly celebrated for her unique insight into the natural world and our place in it. In this landmark book, she confronts the unprecedented reality that one prodigiously intelligent and meddlesome creature, Homo sapiens, is now the dominant force shaping the future of planet Earth. “[A] precisely illuminating, witty, and resplendently expressive guide to the framework for a more positively human and humane future.” – Booklist starred review

Magnificent Minds: Sixteen Remarkable Women of Science and Medicine by Pendred Noyce – This book, which grows out of an exhibit at the Grolier Club in New York, introduces the lives, sayings, and dreams of sixteen women over four centuries and chronicles their contributions to mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, computer science, and medicine. “The sixteen heroines of these pages dared their way to discovery. In her recounting of their achievements, Pendred Noyce assures the new generation of STEM-empowered girls that women have a history in science as well as a future.” – Dava Sobel, author of Longitude and Galileo’s Daughter

Survival Of The Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease And Longevity by Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince – Joining the ranks of modern myth busters, Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on its head and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and our relationship to just about every other living thing on earth. “Whether he is discussing hemochromatosis…diabetes or sickle cell anemia, [Moalem concludes] each condition offers enough positive evolutionary advantages to offset the negative consequences.” – Publishers Weekly

Social Studies

The Boys In The Boat: Nine Americans And Their Epic Quest For Gold At The 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown – For readers of Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit and Unbroken, Daniel James Brown tells the dramatic story of the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal at the 1936 Games in Berlin. “Brown makes his heroes’ struggle as fascinating as the best Olympic sagas.” – Publishers Weekly

The Other Side Of The Wall by Simon Schwartz – Schwartz, born in East Germany to political dissidents, offers a striking graphic novel memoir that chronicles his family’s difficult journey to get to the other side of the Berlin Wall. “While it might appeal most to adults with personal memories of a communist empire, Schwartz’s work is also a fantastic supplement to traditional textbooks.” – School Library Journal

Severed: A History Of Heads Lost And Found by Frances Larson – The human head is exceptional; it accommodates four of our five senses, encases the brain, and boasts the most expressive set of muscles in the body. Yet there is a dark side to the head’s preeminence, one that has, in the course of human history, manifested itself in everything from decapitation to headhunting. “Larson’s lively, conversational tone turns these morbid objects into something more meaningful than a mere expression of the macabre.” – Publishers Weekly

Women Heroes Of The American Revolution: 20 Stories Of Espionage, Sabotage, Defiance, And Rescue by Susan Casey – A commemoration of the brave yet largely forgotten women who served in America’s War of Independence. “This well-researched book sheds light on lesser known women of this period and is an excellent way to incorporate diversity into the curriculum.” – School Library Journal

The Work: The Search For A Life That Matters by Wes Moore – The bestselling author of The Other Wes Moore (2010) continues his inspirational quest for a meaningful life and shares the powerful lessons – about self-discovery, service, and risk-taking – that led him to a new definition of success for our times. “This is a beautifully philosophical look at the expectation that work should bring meaning to our lives through service to others.” – Booklist

More to come later this week!