BOOKSHELF
July Books
Fiction
Necessary Fiction, by Eloghosa Osunde
Across Lagos, Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest urban areas and one of the world’s most dynamic cities, Osunde’s characters seek out love for self and their chosen partners, even as they risk ruining relationships with parents, spouses, family and friends. As the novel unfolds, a rolling cast emerges — vibrantly active, stubbornly alive, brazenly flawed. They grapple with desire, fear, time, death and God, forming and breaking unexpected connections, in the process unveiling how they know each other, have loved each other, and had their hearts broken in that pursuit. As they work to establish themselves in the city’s lively worlds of art, music, entertainment and creative commerce, we meet their collective and individual attempts to reckon with the necessary fiction they carry for survival.
The President’s Hat, by Antoine Laurain
Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when French President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. Once the presidential party has gone, Daniel discovers that Mitterrand’s black felt hat has been left behind. After a few moments of soul-searching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary evening. It’s a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel somehow . . . different. Has he unwittingly discovered the secret of supreme power? Over the course of the next two years the iconic item of headgear brings success to the men and women who wear it. As it makes its way from head to head, the wearers find themselves acting with more confidence, decisiveness, authority and panache. Written with a delicious, wicked sense of humor, this delightfully quirky novel is a vivid re-creation of 1980s Paris, and an enchanting exploration of life’s possibilities.
Beneath the Moon and Long Dead Stars, by Daniel Wallace
In this dazzling collection of short fiction lives are altered in what appear to be minor moments: an unlatched lock, an old photo, a light left on too long. With Wallace’s masterful touch, those details transform into something mysterious and magical. His characters, hungry for connection, often find that everything hangs on a gust of wind or a single word.
Nonfiction
Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution,
by Molly Beer
Few women of the American Revolution have come through 250 years of U.S. history with such clarity and color as Angelica Schuyler Church. She was Alexander Hamilton’s “saucy” sister-in-law, and the heart of Thomas Jefferson’s “charming coterie” of artists and salonnières in Paris. Her trans-Atlantic network of important friends spanned the political spectrum of her time and place, and her astute eye and brilliant letters kept them well informed. Angelica was at the red-hot center of American history at its birth: in Boston, when Gen. Burgoyne surrendered to the revolutionaries; in Newport, receiving French troops under the command of her soon-to-be dear friend the Marquis de Lafayette; in Yorktown, just after the decisive battle; in Paris and London, helping to determine the standing of the new nation on the world stage. She was born as Engeltje, a Dutch-speaking, slave-owning Colonial girl who witnessed the Stamp Act riots in the Royal British Province of New York. She came of age under English rule as Angelica, raised to be a domestic diplomat responsible for hosting indigenous chiefs and enemy British generals at dinner. She was Madame Church, wife of a privateer turned merchant banker, whose London house was a refuge for veterans of the American war fleeing the guillotine in France.
Children's Books
Inside Your Brain: Ten Discoveries that Reveal How the Brain Works, by Lucy Ann Unwin, Caswell Barry, María Jesús Contreras
The human brain is famously complex and difficult to understand. Inside Your Brain takes young readers on an irreverent gallop through history to uncover 10 groundbreaking discoveries that have led to our current understanding of how the brain works. The ancient Egyptians discovered in battle that the brain was more important than they’d thought; Luigi Galvani sent electric shocks through the legs of dead frogs and uncovered how brain cells work; Phineas Gage’s unfortunate accident on the railroads revealed that you can survive a metal rod through the head; and some unwitting kittens helped us understand how our brain develops. This entertaining and engaging deep dive into the most mind-boggling area of science is sure to fascinate and delight young readers. (Ages 8 – 12.)
Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles: A Curious Counting Book, by Steve Jenkins, Robin Page
From the two-tongued loris to a scallop’s 200 eyes, readers will find joy in numbers with this latest book by the Caldecott Honor-winning team of Jenkins and Page. Toes, Teeth, and Tentacles celebrates and highlights the numerous unusual and strangely fascinating features and appendages of all kinds of animals, from horns to toes and stomachs to hearts. While not a counting book in the traditional sense, readers will enjoy learning all kinds of fun facts from the animal world as they look for fingers and fins! (Ages 4 – 8.)
Not a Spot to Spot: The True Story of Kipekee, the Giraffe Born without Spots, by Elizabeth Weiss Verdick
It’s summertime at the Brights Zoo, and something very special is due . . . a new baby giraffe. And this giraffe is extra extraordinary. She is all one shade — not a spot to spot! Mama loves her baby unconditionally and knows she is perfectly herself, but will everyone else see it, too? Based on the true story of Kipekee, a rare, reticulated giraffe born without spots who captured the world’s heart, this adorable and uplifting picture book celebrates the joys of being unique. (Ages 4 – 8.)