FICTION
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology Edited by Shane Hawk
Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. These stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.
Afterword by Nina Schuyler
When approached by a Chinese tech company, Virginia Samson is moved to give them her beloved’s algorithm so they can create an AI companion for the aging population. Soon her digital lost love starts spying on Chinese citizens, funneling the information to the Chinese government. When Virginia frantically tries to rebuild him, she uncovers his terrible secret, forcing her to relive their beautiful and tragic love affair. Afterward explores what it means to be human and is a moving testament to the deeply human desire for belonging, companionship, and love.
The Enchanters by James Ellroy
We join freewheeling Freddy O: tainted ex-cop, defrocked private eye, and dope fiend. A man who lives by the maxim “Opportunity is love.” He dimly perceives Marilyn Monroe’s death and the kidnapped starlet to be a poisonous riddle that only he has the guts and the brains to untangle. We are with him as he tears through all those who block his path to the truth. We are with him as he penetrates the faux-sunshine of Jack and Bobby Kennedy and the shuck of Camelot. We are with him as he tracks Marilyn Monroe’s horrific last charade through a nightmare L.A. that he served to create.
The Birthparents by Frank Santo
The Bronx: It’s America at its most vibrant and chaotic; it’s also where one foster care caseworker—a would-be white savior from New England, a twenty-something kid prematurely jaded by the system—takes it upon himself to reunify a troubled birthmother with her children, against the recommendation of his world-weary but wise Hispanic boss. The Birthparents does for early 21st century New York what Charles Dickens did for mid-19th century London, showcasing the shared humanity of characters climbing up (or clinging to) every rung on the societal ladder.
NONFICTION
The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Japanese Underworld by Jake Adelstein
Makoto Saigo is half-American and half-Japanese, living in small-town Japan. He has two talents: playing guitar and picking fights. When his dream of being a rock star fails to materialize, he turns to the only place where you can start from the bottom and move up through sheer performance, loyalty, and brute force―the yakuza. Written with the insight of an expert on Japanese organized crime and the compassion of a longtime friend, investigative journalist Jake Adelstein presents a sprawling biography of a yakuza, through postwar desperation, to bubble-era optimism, to the present.
The Art of Brevity: Crafting the Very Short Story by Grant Faulkner
With increased compression, every word, every sentence matters more. A writer must learn how to form narratives around caesuras and crevices instead of strings of connections, to move a story through the symbolic weight of images, to master the power of suggestion. With elegant prose, deep readings of other writers, and scaffolded writing exercises, “The Art of Brevity” takes the reader on a lyrical exploration of compact storytelling, guiding readers to heighten their awareness of not only what appears on the page but also what doesn’t.
Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar
For the first time, discover the unedited truth about the Duggars, the traditional Christian family that captivated the nation on TLC’s hit show 19 Kids and Counting. Jill Duggar and her husband Derick are finally ready to share their story, revealing the secrets, manipulation, and intimidation behind the show that remained hidden from their fans.
The Loom of Time: Between Empire and Anarchy, from the Mediterranean to China by Robert D. Kaplan
In The Loom of Time, Kaplan makes the case for realism as an approach to the Greater Middle East. Just as Western attempts at democracy promotion across the Middle East have failed, a new form of economic imperialism is emerging today as China’s ambitions fall squarely within the region as the key link between Europe and East Asia. As in the past, the Greater Middle East will be a register of future great power struggles across the globe. And like in the past, thousands of years of imperial rule will continue to cast a long shadow on politics as it is practiced today.
CHILDREN’S
Words of Wonder from Z to A by Zaila Avante-Garde
When 14-year-old Zaila won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021, she was the first African-American student to win the title in 100 years of competition. (The winning word was ‘murraya.’) In this bright and engaging picture book, Zaila offers her unique thoughts on 26 inspirational, illustrated words through the alphabet, like KINDNESS, HOPE and RESILIENCE. Each word is accompanied by a quote from a famous person, and the origins of each word are detailed in the back of the book. Zaila holds 2 Guiness World records for her prowess at basketball, and now adds ‘author’ to her list of accomplishments at only 16 years old. She would agree that “Courage makes victory possible,” and she’s living it every day.
Ages: 4-11
LIBRARY OPEN
Lima Public Library is open to the public six days a week. Hours for the Main Library in Lima are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Our Cairo, Elida and Spencerville branch libraries are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Our Lafayette branch is open from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday.
