BOOKSHELF
May Books
Fiction
The Emperor of Gladness, by Ocean Vuong
One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, 19-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in the pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning and heartbreak. The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor and loneliness form the bedrock of American life.
The Dark Maestro, by Brendan Slocumb
Curtis Wilson is a cello prodigy, growing up in the southeast D.C. projects with a drug dealer for a father. Through determination and talent — and the loving support of his father’s girlfriend, Larissa — Curtis claws his way out of his challenging circumstances and rises to unimagined heights in the classical music world. Then, suddenly, his life disintegrates. His father, Zippy, turns state’s evidence, implicating his old bosses. Now the family — Curtis included — must enter the witness protection program if they want to survive. Curtis is forced to give up the very thing he loves the most: sharing his extraordinary music with the world. When Zippy’s bosses prove too elusive for law enforcement, Curtis, Zippy and Larissa realize that their only chance of survival is to take on the criminals themselves.
Where the Rivers Merge, by Mary Alice Monroe
It’s 1908 and the Low Country of South Carolina is on the cusp of change. Mayfield, the grand estate held for generations by the Rivers family, is the treasured home of young Eliza. A free spirit, she refuses to be confined by societal norms and spends her days exploring the vast property, observing wildlife and riding horses. But the Great War, coastal storms and family turmoil bring unexpected challenges, putting Eliza on a collision course with the patriarchal traditions of a bygone era. Fast-forward to 1988. Eliza, now 88, is the scion of the Rivers/DeLancey family. She’s fought a lifetime to save her beloved Mayfield and is too independent and committed to quietly retire and leave the fate of the estate to her greedy son. She must make decisions that will assure the future of the land and her family — or watch them both be split apart. Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.
Nonfiction
Mark Twain, by Ron Chernow
Before he was Mark Twain, he was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Born in 1835, the man who would become America’s first great literary celebrity spent his childhood dreaming of piloting steamboats on the Mississippi. But when the Civil War interrupted his career on the river, the young Clemens went west to the Nevada Territory and accepted a job at a local newspaper, writing dispatches that attracted attention for their brashness and humor. It wasn’t long before the former steamboat pilot from Missouri was recognized across the country for his literary brilliance, writing under a pen name that he would immortalize. After establishing himself as a journalist, satirist and lecturer, he eventually settled in Hartford, Connecticut, with his wife and three daughters, where he went on to write The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He threw himself into the hurly-burly of American culture and emerged as the nation’s most notable political pundit. At the same time, his business ventures eventually bankrupted him. Twain suffered the death of his wife and two daughters, and the last stage of his life was marked by heartache, political crusades, and eccentric behavior that sometimes obscured darker forces at play. Drawing on Twain’s bountiful archives, including thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow captures the man whose writing continues to be read, debated and quoted.
Children's Books
Mugs and Kisses: World’s Best Mom, by Teresa Bonaddio
There are so many reasons to love our moms! Moms are magicians, our strongest supporters, our biggest fans. Moms deserve to be honored. This adorable mug-shaped board book is perfect for Mother’s Day, birthdays or any day you want to celebrate the amazing moms that make our lives great. Pair with mom’s favorite tea or coffee for the perfect gift. (All ages.)
The Big Book of Fantasy Kid Crafts, by Jennifer Buchheit
Fairy house bird feeders, suncatcher dragon wings, egg carton gnomes, firefly lanterns and more. With fabulous photos and step-by-step instructions, craft-crazy fantasy adventurers (and their grownups) will enjoy many afternoons of fun with this unique how-to book. (Ages 4-12.)
K Is in Trouble Again, by Gary Clement
Darkly comic K is back for more (slightly tragic) adventures, perfect for that tween graphic novel reader who appreciates a little gallows humor and has outgrown “Big Nate” and “Dog Man.” (Ages 10-13.)
The House at the Edge of Magic,
by Amy Sparkes
Sometimes heroes come in the most unlikely form. Nine is a pickpocket without an altruistic bone in her body. When she lifts a tiny house from a lady’s purse and knocks on the door, it morphs into a giant higgledy-piggledy house complete with a troll housekeeper named Eric, a mad alchemist who is really a spoon, and a hopscotch-loving wizard all living under a terrible curse. Will Nine choose to become a hero and help? (Ages 9-12.)