Here’s a look at some of the latest nonfiction we’ve received at CA Library recently. Look for them in the New Books section!
Joe Biden: The Life, The Run and What Matters Now by Evan Osnos — A concise examination of the political career of President Joe Biden, covering his long and eventful tenure in the Senate, his eight years as Barack Obama’s vice president, his sojourn in the political wilderness after being passed over for Hillary Clinton in 2016, his decision to challenge Donald Trump for the presidency, and his choice of Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate. “Osnos’ finely honed depiction…devotes sufficient attention to the essential aspects of Biden’s personal and political philosophies to offer a solid foundation for evaluating one of the most important figures in American governance” (Booklist).
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris — Vice President Kamala Harris describes how her upbringing and her career as the district attorney for San Francisco and later as California’s attorney general influenced her passion for justice. She communicates a vision of shared struggle, shared purpose, and shared values and discusses the core truths that unite us and how to best act on them. “[Harris] uses her life story to argue for a new way of treating our problems, describing the data-driven, community-based approach she took as district attorney of San Francisco and subsequently chief law enforcement officer of the state” (Library Journal). Get The eBook | Get The Audiobook (Sora login required)
She Represents: 44 Women Who Are Changing Politics…and the World by Caitlin Donohue — In a complicated political era when the United States feels divided, this book celebrates feminism and female contributions to politics, activism, and communities. Each of the forty-four women profiled in this illustrated book has demonstrated her capabilities and strengths in political and community leadership and activism, both in the United States and around the world. “The tone of this richly diverse and well-sourced work is conversational and lively. Each short biography contains the subject’s life story, their primary causes, significant achievements, and quotes; despite the brevity, the coverage provides keen insight into each subject. A must-have title” (Kirkus Reviews).
COVID-19: The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened and How to Stop the Next One by Debora MacKenzie — In this captivating, authoritative, and eye-opening book, science journalist Deborah MacKenzie lays out the full story of how and why it happened: the previous viruses that should have prepared us, the shocking public health failures that paved the way, the failure to contain the outbreak, and most importantly, what we must do to prevent future pandemics. “MacKenzie delivers a wise and accurate account of the COVID-19 pandemic, supplying readers with an objective assessment of where we are, how we got here, and how to prepare for future emerging infections” (Booklist).
1789: Twelve Authors Explore a Year of Rebellion, Revolution, and Change by Marc Aronson and Susan Campbell Bartoletti — Explore a tumultuous year when rights and freedoms collided with enslavement and domination, and the future of humanity seemed to be at stake. Some events and actors are familiar: Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Marie Antoinette and the Marquis de Lafayette. Others may be less so: the eloquent former slave Olaudah Equiano, the Seneca memoirist Mary Jemison, the fishwives of Paris, the mathematician Jurij Vega, and the painter Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. “Each chapter is thoughtfully written and thoroughly researched, with extensive author notes, endnotes, and a bibliography. Another thoroughly engrossing look at a pivotal year” (Kirkus Reviews).
Blood and Germs: The Civil War Battle Against Wounds and Disease by Gail Jarrow — The science and grisly history of U.S. Civil War medicine, using actual medical cases and first-person accounts by soldiers, doctors, and nurses, is explored in this fascinating nonfiction book for young readers. “Sidebars neatly fit into the presentation, never interrupting the flow but enhancing the story with valuable additional information. Outstanding backmatter, more typical of what might be found in fine adult nonfiction, rounds out this stellar presentation. A fascinating example of excellence in juvenile nonfiction” (Kirkus Reviews).
The Mars Challenge: The Past, Present, and Future of Human Spaceflight by Alison Wilgus and Wyeth Yates — Humans can reach Mars in our lifetime — this nonfiction graphic novel explains how it can be done. Author Alison Wilgus and artist Wyeth Yates bring readers on a thrilling interplanetary voyage and clearly illustrate the scientific concepts and complex machinery involved. “An approachable read for those interested in both Mars and spaceflight in general, not to mention a useful classroom resource” (Booklist).
In Search Of Safety: Voices of Refugees by Susan Kuklin — Five refugees recount their courageous journeys to America — and the unimaginable struggles that led them to flee their homelands — in a powerful work from the author of Beyond Magenta and We Are Here to Stay. “Kuklin…does a brilliant job of capturing and transmitting the gripping, often raw, but always hopeful first-person testimonies, and readers cannot help but feel empathy for the individuals as they learn the horrors they survived (but never overcame, in some cases). A brutal, must-read account” (Kirkus Reviews). Get The eBook (Sora login required)
Heads Up: Changing Minds on Mental Health by Melanie Siebert and Belle Wuthrich — Featuring real-life stories of people who have found hope and meaning in the midst of life’s struggles, this is a go-to guide for teenagers who want to know about mental health, mental illness, trauma and recovery. Highlighting innovative approaches such as trauma-informed activities like yoga and hip-hop, police mental health teams, and peer support for youth, Heads Up shares the stories of people who are sparking change. “Informative, diverse, and highly engaging; a much-needed addition to the realm of mental health” (Kirkus Reviews).
Apple: Skin to the Core, a Memoir in Words and Pictures by Eric Gansworth — Eric Gansworth, a tribally enrolled Onondaga living among the Tuscarora, tells the story of his life and family through poems about their Onondaga heritage, from the horrible legacy of government boarding schools, to watching his siblings leave and return and leave again, to his fight to be an artist who balances multiple worlds. “A well-written and captivating autobiography about the modern-day Indigenous experience that should be widely shared” (School Library Journal).