The Swimmers: A Novel
by Julie Otsuka
Every day, the same few people take to the lanes of a local university swimming pool. While little is divulged about this group, we know one thing about them all – they are swimmers. It’s recreational, sure, but it’s what they do. And for one swimmer, Alice, it’s the routine that’s holding her life together. But when cracks begin appearing at the bottom of the pool, it’s deemed unswimmable and permanently closed. For many, the loss is disappointing, but for Alice and her family, it’s devastating. Without her daily habit, nothing is preventing the floodgates holding back Alice’s dementia from opening. The Swimmers shares what happens to Alice, her daughter and her husband as her illness begins to overtake her.
On Rotation
by Shirlene Obuobi
Angela’s life is going perfectly according to plan. She’s attending a top medical school, she’s dating a successful man and she has a great group of friends. Even though it is actually her parents’ plan, she’s still worked hard for it. But when everything starts going wrong for Angela, it hits her like a quarter life crisis. She has to figure out what’s next, but that means figuring out what went wrong in the past. And at the height of her confusion, a man she absolutely does not have time for waltzes into her life. How is she going to move forward after realizing she wasn’t leading the right life? And what is she going to do about the handsome man who seems like a bad idea, but who sees her for who she really is?
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness
by Meghan O’Rourke
Chronic illnesses have silently affected millions of people for decades. But these diseases aren’t always taken seriously, and those suffering are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Journalist Meghan O’Rourke is no stranger to the ways those with invisible illnesses are treated – she’s suffered for years with one herself. In The Invisible Kingdom, O’Rourke shares her personal story along with interviews and thorough research to shed light on issues still very much in the dark to help give a voice to those who have been quietly suffering for so long.
Speak: Find Your Voice, Trust Your Gut, and Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
by Tunde Oyeneyin
Thousands of people are propelled forward everyday by the voice of one woman: Tunde Oyeneyin. She’s a cycling coach at Peloton, and through her encouragement and empathy, Oyeneyin has already inspired and empowered those who tune into her classes and Instagram Live series. But she’s not stopping there. In her new book Speak, she opens up about the lessons she’s learned on her journey, as well as some bumps she’s hit along on the road. From growing up with her Nigerian family in Texas and moving to Los Angeles to work as a makeup artist, to finally moving to New York City and becoming a Peloton instructor, Oyeneyin has learned that there are five elements to living joyfully: surrender, power, empathy, authenticity and knowledge.
Recommendations from Hannah Burkhard, Information Services Specialist at the Columbus Metropolitan Library – Dublin Branch
