A week from today is Thanksgiving Day. Funny how that day just sort of crept up on you isn’t it? All these sunny days with temperatures feeling absolutely balmy for this time of year made time stand still. There were still flowers in bloom (and still are close to the library building (the stone absorbs the heat during the day and gives it off overnight)) and birds are still hanging around not feeling any urge to head further south yet. But, Thanksgiving will be hear shortly and that means that the next major holiday (and I do not mean Black Friday nor Cyber Monday) will also soon be upon us. In fact, it is precisely 30 days from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve this year. That’s 720 hours or 43,200 minutes or 2,592,000 seconds. Still lots of time to think about year-end gifts and giving. If you’re looking for a worthy cause to make a year-end donation to, consider the library’s endowment fund. Right now there is a matching fund / challenge grant from the Madison Community Foundation in play. For every two dollars you give, the grant will give us a dollar. In future years, funds from the endowment will be used to enrich our collections, renew our facility, expand our programs, and find innovative ways of meeting the needs and interests of the community. Your donation will go farther this year. While you’re considering your year-end giving, below are some new books that have arrived at the library. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
- StarTalk : everything you ever need to know about space travel, sci-fi, the human race, the universe, and beyond / by Neil deGrasse Tyson. A sumptuously photographed companion to the celebrated scientist's popular podcast and National Geographic Channel series combines the subjects of his most favorite Emmy-nominated talks with comprehensive fun facts, thought-provoking sidebars and vivid imagery.
- Speaking American : how y'all, youse, and you guys talk : a visual guide / by Josh Katz. From the creator of the New York Times dialect quiz that ignited conversations about how and why we say the words we say comes a stunning, map-laden exploration of American language.
- Lucky 666 : the impossible mission / by Bob Drury & Tom Clavin. The authors of the #1 New York Times best-selling “The Heart of Everything That Is” traces the lesser-known story of a daredevil bomber pilot and his misfit crew who in 1943 engaged the Japanese in what became history's longest dogfight, changing the course of the war through their heroic acts of sacrifice.
- I loved her in the movies : memories of Hollywood's legendary actresses / by Robert Wagner. The iconic television actor shares intimate stories of his personal and professional relationships with a wide range of leading ladies in film and television, from Joan Crawford and Bette Davis to Marilyn Monroe and Raquel Welch.
- Eleanor Roosevelt. Volume three, 1939-1962, The war years and after. / by Blance Wiesen Cook. A concluding volume to the definitive portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt traces her post-World War II years, covering subjects ranging from FDR's death and the founding of the UN through her efforts to promote key initiatives in spite of limited support and her death in 1962.
New Fiction
- Pirate : a Sam and Remi Fargo adventure / by Clive Cussler & Robin Burcell. Confronted by an adversary more determined than any of their experience, husband-and-wife treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo embark on an international quest involving an 800-year-old relic and a brutal murder. Co-written by the best-selling author of the Dirk Pitt series.
- Catalyst : a Rogue One novel / by James Luceno. A prequel novel to the upcoming film, set before the events of “Star Wars: A New Hope”, reveals the previously untold story of the rebel effort to steal the plans to the Death Star.
- Hero / by R.A. Salvatore. Drow elf Drizzt Do'Urden continues his quest to bring peace to the Underdark.
- Sex, lies, and serious money / by Stuart Woods. New York City cop-turned-Manhattan law firm rainmaker Stone Barrington tackles a high-suspense case. By the Edgar Award-winning author of “Chiefs”.
- Treason : a novel / by Newt Gingrich & Pete Earley. Captain Brooke Grant, Sergeant Walks Many Miles and Representative Thomas "The Chairman" Stanton continue their hunt for Islamic terrorist mastermind The Falcon, who has marked them for death. Co-written by the New York Times best-selling author of “Duplicity”.
- Triple crown / by Felix Francis. Asked by the U.S. FACSA to find a mole who has been passing on information to those under suspicion in American horse racing, British Horseracing Authority investigator Jeff Hinkley participates in a raid on a corrupt trainer's barn before three Kentucky Derby contenders become suspiciously ill. By a New York Times best-selling author.
- The whistler : a novel / by John Grisham. A follow-up to the highly successful “Rogue Lawyer” combines the author's signature legal savvy and high-suspense storytelling, in a latest thriller that pits an unforgettable cast of characters against unexpected twists and turns. By a #1 best-selling author.
- Without mercy / by Jefferson Bass. Investigating the most brutal and bizarre case of his career, forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton and his assistant, Miranda, are shocked by the prison escape of serial killer Nick Satterfield, who would destroy everything Brockton cares about. By a New York Times best-selling author.