Adult Reads
By Mary Biscuso, Library Assistant, Adult Services
Educated
By Tara Westover
Born to a pair of Mormon Idaho survivalists, Tara Westover’s first foray into public schooling came at 17. Her isolated background never included any formal education for her or her siblings. She had never been to a doctor or a dentist.
As she grew older, Westover went on to study mathematics and grammar, eventually going on to Brigham Young University, where she learned about the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Eventually, her studies took her to Harvard, then Cambridge. And then she wondered: How could she go home again?
Thinking, Fast and Slow
By Daniel Kahneman
Kahneman explores the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast and intuitive; System 2 is slower and more logical. The two systems influence every decision made, from the boardroom to a personal vacation.
Offering enlightening advice, Kahneman instructs readers on when they can and, more importantly, when they cannot trust intuition, and provides insights into blending the two types of thinking that will create the best final decision.
The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had
By Susan Wise Bauer
For those feeling left behind in those literary conversations, Bauer has penned the perfect reading guide. The Well-Educated Mind includes brief and lively histories of five literary genres: fiction, autobiography, history, drama, and poetry, along with helpful instructions of how to read each genre. There are also annotated lists at the end of each chapter that offer brief synopses of the recommended titles.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
By Muriel Spark
This beautifully written work of fiction explores the teacher-mentor/student relationship.
Maverick teacher Ms. Brodie strives to instill independence, passion and ambition beyond teaching the basic curriculum at the Marcia Blaine School for Girls in Edinburg, Scotland. Her motto: “Safety does not come first. Goodness, Truth, and Beauty come first. Follow me.”
Kid Reads
By Tamra Headrick, Information Services Specialist, Youth Services
Wolf in the Snow
By Matthew Cordell
Winner of the 2018 Caldecott Medal for best picture book illustrations, this is a beautiful story of friendship and sacrifice. Ages 2-6.
Read the Book, Lemmings!
By Ame Dyckman
Can reading actually save your life? Fox patiently teaches the lemmings to check the facts before they act. Ages 5-8.
Grand Canyon
By Jason Chin
Who knew geology could be so much fun? The information is presented by a girl and her father as they hike through the canyon. Caldecott Honor book for illustrations. Ages 8-12.
Hello Universe
By Erin Entrada Kelly
This is the powerful story of four children who have problems relating to others. When one of them is placed in danger, the others are brought together by fate to aid in his rescue. 2018 Newbery Medal winner. Ages 8-12.
Dublin Life Book Club Selection
Editor’s Note: To be added to the Dublin Life Book Club mailing list and for more information, email Managing Editor Garth Bishop at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com. We’ll meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 24 at the Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern, 6726 Perimeter Loop Rd.
The Kitchen House
By Kathleen Grissom
Set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Kathleen Grissom’s novel follows Lavinia, an orphaned 7-year-old girl who becomes an indentured servant when she arrives in the U.S. from Ireland. Over time, Lavinia, who starts out working in a tobacco plantation’s titular kitchen house, forms relationships with the plantation’s slaves there, but is limited in how close to them she can get because of her white skin.
The Kitchen House, published in 2010, was Grissom’s first novel, and has since been followed by Glory Over Everything, following one of the plantation master’s descendants and her journey on the Underground Railroad.