FICTION
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
Let Us Descend is a reimagining of American slavery, as beautifully rendered as it is heart-wrenching. Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, is the reader’s guide through this hellscape. As she struggles through the miles-long march, Annis turns inward, seeking comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother. Throughout, she opens herself to a world beyond this world, one teeming with spirits: of earth and water, of myth and history; spirits who nurture and give, and those who manipulate and take.
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden
It’s 1852 and Margaret Lennox, a young widow, attempts to escape the shadows of her past by taking a position as governess to an only child, Louis, at an isolated country house in the west of England. But Margaret soon starts to feel that something isn’t quite right. There are strange figures in the dark, tensions between servants, and an abandoned east wing. Even stranger is the local gossip surrounding Mrs. Eversham, Louis’s widowed mother, who is deeply distrusted in the village. Margaret’s history threatens to catch up with her, it isn’t long before she learns the truth behind the secrets of Hartwood Hall.
Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess
On Jess’s first day at Goldman Sachs, she’s less than thrilled to learn she’ll be on the same team as Josh, her white, conservative sparring partner from college. Josh loves playing the devil’s advocate and is just … the worst. But when Jess finds herself the sole Black woman on the floor, overlooked and underestimated, it’s Josh who shows up for her in surprising — if imperfect — ways. Before long, an unlikely friendship — one tinged with undeniable chemistry — forms between the two. A friendship that gradually, and then suddenly, turns into an electrifying romance that shocks them both.
Hot Springs Drive by Lindsey Hunter
Jackie wants to be many things, but a martyr has never been one of them. In her new sharp-edged body, she goes by Jacqueline. But leaving her old self behind proves harder than she ever imagined. And while she believes she should be happier, motherhood threatens to subsume what little is left of her. Her only salve is her best friend Theresa. Since they met in the maternity ward 15 years earlier, the two have survived the trials of motherhood side by side — Theresa with her cherubic daughter, and Jacqueline with her rambunctious boys. Their bond is tight, but it is not enough to keep Jacqueline, finally moving through the world in the body she has always wanted, from stealing a bit of Theresa’s perfect life.
NONFICTION
Black Grief/White Grievance by Juliet Hooker
Drawing on African American political thought, Hooker examines key moments in U.S. racial politics that illuminate the problem of loss in democracy. She connects today’s Black Lives Matter protests to the use of lynching photographs to arouse public outrage over post–Reconstruction era racial terror, and she discusses Emmett Till’s funeral as a catalyst for the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s. She also traces the political weaponization of white victimhood during the Obama and Trump presidencies. Calling for an expansion of Black and white political imaginations, Hooker argues that both must learn to sit with loss, for different reasons and to different ends.
Free to Judge: The Power of Campaign Money in Judicial Elections by Michael S. Kang
The idea that wealthy people use their money to influence things, including politics, law, and media will surprise very few people. However, as Michael S. Kang and Joanna Shepherd argue in this readable and rich study of the state judiciary, the effect of money on judicial outcomes should disturb and anger everyone. In the current system that elects state judges, the rich and powerful can spend money to elect and re-elect judges who decide cases the way they want. Free to Judge is about how and why money increasingly affects the dispensation of justice in our legal system, and what can be done to stop it.
Web3: Charting the Internet’s Next Economic and Cultural Frontier by Alex Tapscott
In Web3, award-winning author and technology investor Alex Tapscott provides a cutting-edge guide to the Internet’s next era. Covering everything from the metaverse and non-fungible tokens to DAOs, decentralized finance, and self-sovereign identity, this indispensable, forward-thinking book describes the building blocks and often hidden technologies that will be foundational to our cultural and economic progress.
Touch Matters: Handshakes, Hugs and the New Science on how Touch can Enhance your Well-Being by Michael Banissy
Every day, we use our sense of touch to navigate the world. A handshake, a pat on the shoulder, a hug — all essential touches that make up our daily lives. In Touch Matters, Professor Michael Banissy brings together diverse scientific insights from the world’s largest study on touch with takeaways on how to enhance your levels of touch for a happier, healthier life. The audiobook explains why touch is essential to our well-being, the role it plays in our relationships, friendships, in the bedroom, workplace, in team activities such as sports, and much more.
CHILDREN’S
5-Minute Baby Animal Stories (National Geographic Kids) by Libby Romero
Baby animals are sweet and curious and oh so cute! You’ll love these 12 heartwarming true stories about some of the most adorable critters on the planet. These inspiring baby animals rescue tales can be read in about five minutes each, making them a perfect pick for story time, bedtime or any time you need a quick dose of cute. An orangutan, sea turtle, elephant, jaguar, panda cubs, owlets, wombats, penguin chicks and a manatee are just some of the brave, busy babies you will find. Get ready to go on a rescue safari of cuteness with National Geographic!
Ages: 5-10
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.
