Recommendations by Rita Johnson, Customer Services Specialist at the Dublin Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library
Labor: One Woman’s Work
by Dr. Mary Fariba Afsari
Dr. Mary Fariba Afasri’s memoir follows her journey as an OB-GYN and her struggles with attacks on women’s reproductive rights in a post-Roe world. While she navigates the complex medical landscape, Afasri learns the truth about her grandmother’s death in 1950s Iran. Her commitment to women’s health and desire to share her grandmother’s legacy lead her to create a mobile women’s health clinic to bring healthcare to those most in need.
Dirty Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family
by Jill Damatac
Filmmaker and writer Jill Damatac combines food writing and a memoir in Dirty Kitchen: A Memoir of Food and Family to document her experiences of living in the United States. Through recipes and stories, Damatac navigates the complexities of identity and belonging, immigration and colonialism, and her journey to living in London.
Livonia Chow Mein: A Novel
by Abigail Savitch-Lew
This debut novel is a multicultural story tackling topics of gentrification, community support and social justice in Brownsville, Brooklyn. When Mr. Wong is accused of setting a tenement on fire on Livonia Avenue, four generations of the Wong family grapple with the aftermath, driven to understand his motives for committing the act of violence. Spanning from the 1970s to the 21st century, Savitch-Lew weaves together the voices of a restaurant owner, a dream chaser, a poet and a journalist to uncover the truth about the fire.
The Dead Husband Cookbook: A Novel
by Danielle Valentine
Maria Capello, a famous chef and restaurateur, is accused of murdering her husband, Damien Capello, on the way to building her culinary empire. When Thea Woods is chosen to write Maria’s memoir decades later, she unravels the mysterious circumstances surrounding Damien’s death and why his body was never found, ultimately discovering the truth behind Maria’s secret recipes.
Savvy Summers and the Po’boy Perils: A Mystery
by Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Author Sandra-Jackson Opoku is back with beloved character Savvy Summers in the next installment in the Savvy Summers Mysteries series. Savvy’s soul food café becomes the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. Instead of being known for her mini po’boys, sunburst salad and its famous bread pudding, her café is the center of a murder investigation. With the help of her assistant cafe manager, Penny Lopés, Savvy sets out to investigate the crime and save her reputation.
I Eat the Stars: How to Live Fully and Beautifully in a Collapsing World
by Sarah Wilson (June 2026)
What do we do when everything feels like it’s falling apart? Who do we turn to? How do we avoid doom and despair? Bestselling author Sarah Wilson provides guidance on how to find joy in a world that is falling apart in this moving book, helping readers confront fears about the future and search for meaning as they live their lives to the fullest.
I Sleep in My Kitchen: Comfort Food Recipes From My Palestinian American Home
by Mariam Daud
From the creator of social media account @mxriyum comes 100 recipes that share Mariam Daud’s exploration of cooking and memory. Gorgeous photographs and mouth-watering recipes highlight Daud’s creativity and love for cooking. Recipes include Cheese Fatayer, Msakhan, Tahini Browned Butter Banana Bread and much more.
Tell Me How You Eat: Food, Power, and the Will to Live
by Amber Husain
It’s no secret that eating is essential to survival. But what happens when eating becomes impossible? In this book, Amber Husain investigates the meaning and power of food and societal views of refusing to eat. Inspired by her journey of healing from anorexia, Husain highlights reasons to eat, the culture of historic feasts and how to nourish our collective right to food.
Dublin Life Book Club Selection
Editor’s note: To be added to the Dublin Life Book Club mailing list or for more information, email kgill@cityscenemediagroup.com. The club will meet Wed., June 24 at 6 p.m. Location TBD.
The Phoenix Crown
by Janie Chang and Kate Quinn
This historical fiction novel follows an opera singer and an embroideress, whose paths cross when their lives become intertwined with a villainous railroad magnate and a legendary relic – the Phoenix Crown. Spanning from San Francisco to Versailles, this is a richly detailed story of resilience, friendship, and justice.
