American Library Karlsruhe

What it's about

The years 1929 – 1933 in Berlin and Paris and elsewhere. Who’s involved with whom at the end of the Weimar Era. All the big names are here: Marlene Dietrich, Thomas Mann and his family, Herman Hesse, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Bertolt Brecht.

Why I like this book

I love all things Weimar Era. Illies style is fun and easy to read. A fast-moving book.

What it's about

Family secrets, racism, families

Why I like this book

Everyone who know me, knows I love cake. So how can I resist a book with the word “cake” in the title? The black cake in the title refers to a family recipe handed down over generations that threads its way through the story. Eleanor Bennet dies and leaves her adult children, Benny and Byron, a video that tells her true story, which isn’t what they thought it was.

I also like the short chapters and changes of perspective.

What it's about

At some point in the future a tea monk meets a robot out in the woods.

Why I like this book

While science fiction/fantasy isn’t my favorite genre, there are exceptions, and this is one of them. This short, easy-to-read book is the opposite of dystopian. The world is saved and safe and people are happy.

(Book #2 in the duology:  A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (SF / CHA)

What it's about

This is the story of Sadie and Samson and Marx and of different kinds of love (and loss). Sadie and Samsom love video games and turn that love into a successful business. The book follows them and Marx and the shifts in their relationships over the decades.

Why I like this book

I’m not a gamer but you don’t need to be to read (and enjoy) this book.

Sadie and Samson meet in a hospital as teenagers and form a close friendship for a while. After a few years of not seeing each other, they bump into each other again in college and start their business (with Marx) soon after.

I always like reading about people whose lives are completely different from mine.

Many references to classical literature are woven into the novel – see how many you can find.

What it's about

This novella is a dystopian take on the story of Demeter, Persephone, and Hades with climate change as a backdrop.

Refresher: In Greek mythology Persephone is Zeus and Demeter’s daughter. Hades kidnaps Persephone and she becomes queen of the underworld. The time she spends in the underworld corresponds to winter and when she reappears, spring begins. 

Why I like this book

I love mythology and new versions of the old myths. I also love pomegranates. It’s part interview, part Greek chorus, and it’s a quick read, only 101 pages. You can’t go wrong.

What it's about

This is a verse memoir of the author’s life as a child in South Carolina and Brooklyn and her journey to becoming an author.

Why I like this book

Some people don’t like to read books they can’t relate to, but for me part of reading is learning about different points of view and experiences and broadening my horizons. I will never know what it is like to be a person of color, but I want to hear what they have to say and learn about their experiences. And reading supposedly make you more empathetic.

The chapters are short, some more poetic than others.

What it's about

This is a book in 5 parts about a 1920s reclusive and eccentric power couple Benjamin and Helen Rusk. Read five different versions of their story and decide which one is true. It’s about privilege, banking, the stock market, and many other things.

Why I like this book

I love books about the 1920s. After each section I had to re-calibrate and rethink what I believe to be true about the Rusks.

What it's about

Artificial Intelligence

Why I like this book

Everyone is talking about AI these days. But what is it really, how does it work, where does the data come from? I like the fun way the author explains things on only 272 pages. Not dry at all.

What it's about

Three generations of Rubicon women try to solve a murder. The high-powered LA real estate developer grandmother who is recuperating from cancer, her daughter the nurse who left LA, the kayaking 15-year-old granddaughter who found the corpse.

Why I like this book

If you’ve been reading my reviews, you’ll know that I love mysteries. Nina Simon (not to be confused with Nina Simone) writes about strong women. This book takes place in my home state of California, which is another reason to like it. Added bonus, I learned how to pronounce slough. Hint: There’s more than one way to pronounce it. The joys of English.

What it's about

This is somewhere between psychology, self-help, life hacks, and general wisdom.

Why I like this book

I happened to see this on the shelf and the title grabbed me. It’s an easy read with lots of illustrations and I feel like everyone should read it.

What it's about

Friendships of all kinds. There’s an interesting collection of characters, all very different, all looking for something or someone, or missing something in their lives.

Why I like this book

This was a book club selection (not mine). It’s quirky. And I love that an octopus narrates some of the chapters. It’s an uplifting book, which is nice this time of year.

What it's about

Phil Knight, the creator of NIKE. 

Why I like this book

My best friend is a sneakerhead and I’ve always liked my NIKEs. A pair of NIKE Frees accompanied me on many long walks during COVID. Phil Knight isn’t as well-known as some of the other entrepreneurs of the 60s and 70s (at least to me), but his struggle was real. In 1962 he had a “crazy idea”. For many years it was touch and go and there were some very close calls. Phil Knight is very humble and very candid in this book, and he gives much credit to his wife Penny of 50+ years. 

Quote: Giving up doesn't mean stopping. Don't ever stop.

Phil Knight is the living proof.

What it's about

Loosely based on the true story of a girl who is raised in a weird cult commune (political not religious) - as an experiment to create the perfect human. Nina X has never been outside, she doesn’t have any friends, she’s never even met other children, she doesn’t know what it’s like to be outside.

Why I like this book

Like is maybe not the right word. Fascinated, maybe. It is unbelievable what humans can do to each other and how they justify their actions.

What it's about

Think a fantasy/alternative universe Oxford in the first half of the 19^th century. The Royal Institute of Translation aka Babel is the most prestigious college at Oxford. Silver-working combined with the translation of language pairs are magical and the source of Britain’s power. Silver fortifies buildings and bridges, is the foundation of the industrial revolution, the be all and end all.

Why I like this book

How can I not like a book in which translators are powerful and translation is the most important subject at Oxford. Real history is fused with fiction in the fantasy novel (not my usual genre but I read this on the recommendation of another library volunteer).

What it's about

War is hell. This anti-war book set in France follows a 17-year-old high school student who signs up for the army and the soldiers he meets once he’s sent to the front. The book and movie (1930 version) were both banned in Germany as of 1933 because it was seen as unpatriotic and thought to attack the honor of German soldiers.

Why I like this book

When the latest version of the movie came out, I realized I still hadn’t read the book or seen the older versions of the movie. So, I saw the movie first and then read the book (not my usual MO).

I don’t think “like” is really the word to use about a book on the war, but it is an important book, and right now seems like the right time to read it. It brings home how it is always the common soldiers who suffer most – rarely the higher ups. And how unnecessary and senseless war is. The area they fought on and for was just a few hundred meters that always went back and forth between the warring parties. Nothing gained.

I’m also very interested in the Weimar era and that’s when this book was written.

What it's about

The second-generation immigration experience of a young Korean-American woman in the U.S.

Why I like this book

My parents were immigrants to the U.S. so I always like reading about others’ experiences. Although not Asian-American, I can relate to some of what Michelle Zauner experiences. Also, she talks about food a lot and about what the food of her childhood means to her and how it connects her to her family and culture.

What it's about

These interconnected short stories are about a variety of very different characters whose lives are affected by a cat. This sounds cutesier than it is.

Why I like this book

I’m not usually a fan of short stories and I didn’t realize that that’s what this was going to be. I liked some of the characters, disliked others. Liked the translator (obviously). What I like most was “meeting” the very different kinds of people who live in Tokyo and getting a glimpse of the lives they lead.

What it's about

Talk about “mommie dearest” and stage mom extraordinaire. Jennette McCurdy’s mother gets her into acting at about age 6 because that’s what she wanted when she was young, not because Jennette had any desire to go into acting. Jennette actually hated it. This is a behind the scenes look at child actors, parental abuse, and (trigger warning) eating disorders. Jennette describes her dysfunctional (understatement) childhood, coming of age as a teenage star, and her recovery (when her mom dies).

Why I like this book

I didn’t know who Jennette McCurdy was (I’m not part of Nickelodeon’s target group) but the cover and the title grabbed me. Not much about the film industry and the abuse there surprises me. But Jennette doesn’t even realize she’s being abused. Despite the serious topic, Jennette’s writing style is easy to read and humorous.

What it's about

From Here to Eternity delves into death and dying in various countries and how we deal with death in western countries. Caitlin Doughty is a young mortician in Los Angeles looking for different, more modern and sustainable ways of changing the funeral industry and giving her clients more choices.

Why I like this book

I am fascinated by this topic, but maybe I’m a bit morbid. And it’s called the funeral “industry” for a reason. When you start looking into what the options for burial in the U.S. and Europe are, there aren’t that many, but that is changing (think human composting). Doughty investigates death and burial rites in other cultures - and there are definitely a few ones. Well, strange to Westerners at any rate. It will definitely make you think. Despite the topic this is not dry at all and, dare I say it, a fun read.

What it's about

Marilyn Yalom is diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a type of bone marrow cancer). In alternating chapters Irv and Marilyn write about what it is like living with the diagnosis, the chemo, and preparing for the death. And what life is like after your spouse of over 60 years passes away.

Why I like this book

Not many books talk about physician-assisted suicide and end-of-life strategies. I like the alternating viewpoints and how after so many years as a couple these often overlap.

What it's about

This is somewhere between feminist sci-fi and dystopian. The story takes place somewhere in the distant future when women have all the power because they have somehow been altered genetically. Things are turned around and it is men who are in constant fear of their physical safety. Four different characters/perspectives.

Why I like this book

Ok, so Regina read it doesn’t mean Regina liked it. But that doesn’t mean you won’t. It is intriguing and clever and I liked imagining that at some point women have all the power and can’t imagine that it was once different. There’s some good writing, but overall it wasn’t for me. However, it did win some award and Margaret Atwood praised it. (Warning: It gets violent.) 

What it's about

They call this type of mystery a cozy mystery, but I didn’t know that when I checked it out. In fact, I knew nothing about it at all. And that was a good thing. No spoilers. The less you know before you start reading the better. What I can tell you is that it centers around a theater group, The Fairway Players, putting on a play in a community theater. So, expect lots and lots of drama. The book is composed of the emails and text messages that the various suspects write to each other. There are plenty of clues in the messages, so put on your sleuthing cap and try to solve this mystery. Pay attention to EVERYTHING!

Why I like this book

It’s no secret that I can’t pass up a good mystery and I was excited to see a new author (well not quite new) author. It’s funny, it’s different, a page-turner. I couldn’t put it down.

What it's about

In honor of Black History Month I’m going to present “Assembly” which I read a while back. The novella covers about 30 hours in the life of a young unnamed British woman of color with an elite education and who works in finance in London.

Why I like this book

First of all, it’s short. Only 100 pages. So, this is great for those of you who like to read but don’t have much time or who want a short read in between longer reads. And yes, it’s short but it packs a punch. Read this if you want to know what it is like for a woman of color trying to make it in the white (man’s) world.

What it's about

It’s been a while since I read this and just came across it again.

Arthur Less is a writer who’s about to turn 50 and he isn’t looking forward to it. He’s also none too keen to go to his ex’s wedding. To get out of the wedding, he accepts a variety of literary engagements around the world (NYC, Mexico City, Turin, Berlin, Paris, Morocco).

Why I like this book

It’s funny and sarcastic but also a little sad.

What it's about

German history.

Why I like this book

If, like me, you didn’t go to school in Germany (or even if you did), this is a very accessible book about Germany’s history. The author talks about major historical figures, art, philosophy and more. I listened to the audiobook and loved it. Neil MacGregor condenses down to the essentials. I highly recommend this book.

What it's about

Kindness, acceptance, and cake. This is technically a kids’ book but it’s really for all ages.

Why I like this book

This book is reminder that we need to be kind, which is especially important right now. I also like it because cake plays an important part and anyone who knows me, knows I love cake. It’s a nice short read for a fall or winter evening, snuggled up in a blanket with a cup of tea.

Abridged excerpt:

“We all need a reason to keep going,” said the horse.

“What’s yours?”

“Cake,” said the mole.

What it's about

Raynor Winn and her husband Moth are between a rock and a hard place. They lose everything they own due to a bad investment, and Moth is also diagnosed with a rare disease. With nowhere to live, and only a pittance to live on, they decide to hike the South West Coast Path, England’s longest, long-distance hiking trail.

Why I like this book

In this day and age it isn’t unusual to lose everything. It’s interesting to see how people cope with hardships. And it’s great to see what exercise in the fresh air can do.

Two more books about Raynor and Moth are:

The Wild Silence (B/WIN)

Landlines (B/WIN)

What it's about

Set in an unspecific time in the future, this SF novella is the first-person account of a nameless SecUnit (security unit) sent to an unnamed planet where they protect a team of scientists. This job turns out to be harder than expected because some strange things start to happen. The SecUnit has hacked into their own governor module and is more than just a robot and is on the verge of developing feelings. In their downtime the SecUnit watches the future version of reality TV.

Why I like this book

I loved this book. I’m not a huge fan of science fiction but this came recommended. It’s a quick read and most of all it’s hilarious. If you don’t read a lot of (or any) science fiction this is a good place to start.

This is the first book in the Murderbot Diaries series.

What it's about

Where to start? Oreo (because she has a Black mother and a white father) grows up in Philadelphia. Her parents divorce when she’s two. Now she’s 16 and heads to New York to find her father. But her dad’s name is Sam Schwartz and there are a lot of Sam Schwartzes in the NYC phone book. Be brave and join Oreo on her search.

The main theme of the novel is identity.

When this book came out in 1974 it didn’t do very well because it was so far ahead of its time. It was even out of print until it was rediscovered in 2000. It is now considered a postmodern masterpiece. This book is definitely not for everyone.

Why I like this book

It’s so quirky and bizarre and unconventional. The author plays with language (knowing languages other than English really helps). It is really over the top and all over the place.

What it's about

This is the biography of beloved children’s book author Margaret Wise Brown (she wrote The Runaway Bunny (E/RUN), The Important Book (E/IMP), and Goodnight Moon (E/BRO)).

Why I like this book

I love books about interesting people I’ve never heard of, especially women who had exciting lives and didn’t adhere to accepted norms. I didn’t read her books as a child, so I wasn’t familiar with her name when I came across an article about this book. I was immediately intrigued and wanted to read about MWB. She was ahead of her time – in her writing and in the way she lived her life. Born in 1910, she didn’t adhere to the accepted gender roles of that age. 

(PS: We also have some of her children’s books.)

What it's about

Janina is an astrologist who lives in a small Polish village near the Czech border. She communes with nature, is against hunting and killing animals, and spends her free time translating William Blake’s poetry. Various villagers start turning up dead around her. All of them hunters. She thinks animals have killed them out of revenge (don’t let this put you off).

Why I like this book

As a translator I was drawn to this book because I read it was longlisted for a translation award. It’s a quirky whodunit and I can’t resist a good mystery.

What it's about

Stephen Fry takes you on a whirlwind tour through Greek mythology.

Why I like this book

I love Stephen Fry, I love mythology, and I love listening to Stephen Fry read, which is why I chose the audiobook. Stephen Fry retells all the Greek myths you know and love (or will come to love after reading or listening to this book) in his usual witty manner. This is the first book in a series of 4 and I can’t wait for the next one.

No previous knowledge of mythology is required.

What it's about

Stella and Desiree Vignes are twins from the fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana, where all the residents are light-skinned African-Americans and proud of it. The twins run away from home to New Orleans in 1954. After a while of working and living together, Stella deserts Desiree and starts a new life on the other side of the country, where she passes as white. Years later their daughters meet by chance in LA.

Why I like this book

When you grow up white, giving up life as you know it to get ahead and have the same chances as everyone else (well, white people) is probably not something you think about. But that’s just what Stella did. She left behind everything and everyone to achieve her goals. But what did she really achieve? And what price did she pay. Lots of food for thought in this book. How much of yourself, your heritage, your family and friends, would you give up? What inner struggles would you face? Would you deny who you really are?

Note 1

If you’re looking for a shorter read, Passing by Nella Larsen, written in 1929, is about the same subject and only 115 pages. (F/LAR)

Note 2

The book was on Barack Obama's favorite books of 2020 list.

What it's about

Award winning biography of the author’s father Vladek Spiegelman, a Holocaust survivor, written by his son in the form of a graphic novel. It’s currently making headlines because it has been banned in Tennessee schools. So, instead of waiting for banned book month I decided to review it now.  The book alternates between scenes that depict the author interviewing aging Vladek about his life in Poland before and at the beginning of WWII. The second book deals with Vladek’s time in Auschwitz, again interspersed with scenes of the author interviewing him and showing his life in New York after the war.

Why I like this book

It’s hard to use the word “like” when talking about books about the Holocaust. I didn’t read Maus when it first came out, I didn’t even know about it until I saw it on the library shelf years ago. And then I ignored it because I didn’t read what I thought of as “comics”. Big mistake. The book very cleverly portrays the Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats. This in no way trivializes the topic - it is a very potent and moving book. It succeeds in showing just how powerful the Nazi cats were when hunting down the Jewish mice. What resonated with me is how Vladek’s experience never let him go and affected his behavior for the rest of his life in many ways, big and small.

What it's about

WWI, the trenches of the Argonne Forest. Based on the true story of how a homing pigeon named Cher Ami saves the Lost Battalion. Be warned, some of the descriptions are not pretty. War is hell.

Why I like this book

The narration alternates between Cher Ami (yes, the pigeon talks – but only to the reader and other pigeons) and Major Whittlesey. Cher Ami always tells their (you’ll see why I use singular they when you read the book) side of things first, the Major’s version follows in the next chapter. This made reading more interesting because I kept trying to figure out what was happening based on Cher Ami’s take on the situation. We also get some back story on the major (which is mostly fiction except for basic details).

What it's about

Two sisters (Edith and Helen), one farm, and beer. When their father dies, he leaves the farm to Helen, the youngest (and very ambitious) sister. This leads to a lifelong rift between the two sisters.  Edith barely makes ends meet for most of her life, while Helen and her husband make a fortune running a light beer brewery (Drink Lots, it’s Blotz). Then throw Edith’s (smart but troubled) orphaned granddaughter into the mix.

Why I like this book

I was born and raised in LA and have never been to the Midwest. Just as LA life is something unreal to much of the country, something people only see on TV, so life in the Midwest is to me. I only know about it from reading books and watching movies. I also know zilch about beer brewing and the beer industry. Heck, I don’t even like beer. But I did like this book, the two very different sisters, and the peek into life on the farm and in the Midwest.

What it's about

Paris and St. Malo, WWII, Marie-Laure, a girl who can’t see and her father, Daniel, who works for the museum of natural history. Father and daughter escape to St. Malo, where they move in with Marie-Laure’s great uncle Etienne. Daniel has a secret agenda and Marie-Laure and Etienne end up helping the French Resistance.

The second storyline is about Werner, a German orphan, who also ends up in St. Malo. 

I don’t want to give away too much – the less you know the better.

Why I like this book

I am a sucker for books about Paris and Brittany.

Spoiler alert: Much of the story is sad but I really like the way it is written: Short chapters (great for those readers who are always saying, “Just one more chapter.”) that alternate between Marie-Laure’s and Werner’s stories and build up until their paths eventually cross. This is a very moving book and I hope you like it as much as I do.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation: Alles Licht, das wir nicht sehen

Call Number: 1/Doer

Available: In all the branch libraries.

What it's about

It’s the summer of 1929 in Berlin. For the journalists at the Berliner Rundschau newspaper it’s a slow news day. Someone decides to write up a second-rate singer by the name of Käsebier. Käsebier becomes a sensation. Now everyone wants to see him perform and people are buying all kinds of Käsebier merchandise. Despite the title, Käsebier himself doesn’t play a big role in the book. The cast of characters includes the journalists, bankers, architects, and socialites. Most of them are trying to make a quick mark and don’t care who suffers as a result.

Why I like this book

If there is art, a book, or a movie about or from the Weimar Era, I want to see it or read it. Written 90 years ago this book is still relevant (or relevant again). There are so many parallels to the present. Instead of the local paper, think social media, trends in politics, superficial people, and everyone trying to make a profit. This book shows the power the media has over all of us. And on the lighter side, I like the social and historical aspect and the slang of the time. If you get confused about who’s who – it doesn’t really matter. It’s all about what happens and how it happens. Just enjoy the quick pace.

In case you want to read it in German

Original German: Käsebier erobert den Kurfürstendamm

Call Number: 1/Terg

Available: Zentrale

What it's about

Jenna Miscavige is the niece of Scientology’s head honcho, David Miscavige.  She was a third-generation Scientologist, not just as a member of the church but of the organization (Sea Org) itself. This is the story life inside that organization and how and why she got out.

Why I like this book

I thought I knew all about Scientology. Turns out I knew almost nothing. This is a behind the scenes look at the church many of us laugh at. Well, it is no laughing matter. You can’t make this stuff up. Jenna Miscavige Hill’s life as a child and teen is one of deprivation that most of us can’t begin to imagine. As time goes by, she begins to question the church and what it stands for before making a life-changing decision (I’m not giving anything away here).

Other books on this subject

Educated by Tara Westover (B/WES)

Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber Scorah (B/SCO)

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (305.56 VAN)

What it's about

Card catalogs and their history.

Why I like this book

I love card catalogs. My first job was at a library that used one. Instead of a talent assessment, I was given a handful of cards to file. There are lots of good pictures and the history of how books were cataloged before someone finally came up with the card catalog is described in an entertaining way. This book brings back memories. It’s for everyone who loves card catalogs too (or is too young to know what they are).

What it's about

Time.

Why I like this book

I picked this up on the audiobook shelf and didn’t really look too closely at what I was getting. I just saw “Read by Benedict Cumberbatch” and that was good enough for me. Even if you don’t know anything about physics and the relativity theory you can enjoy this book. You’ll pick up a few facts along the way. I’m sure I’ll listen to it again. 

One of the many interesting quotes in this book: “Clock time”, said Einstein, “is an illusion”.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation:  Die Ordnung der Zeit

Call Number:  Ubl 4/Rove

Available:  Zentrale

What it's about

Nora Seeds wants to die. She tries to kill herself and ends up in the midnight library, a kind of limbo. The librarian, Mrs. Elm, gives her The Book of Regrets (Nora’s own personal regrets). Nora has the chance to go back and try out all the different lives she might have had had she made different choices along the way.

Why I like this book

Because library. Seriously, I can’t resist books about libraries. And, honestly, haven’t you thought about what your life would’ve been like if you’d chosen a different path. And wouldn’t you try them out if you had the chance?

In case you want to read it in German

German translation:  Die Mitternachtsbibliothek

Call Number:  1/Haig

Available:  Zentrale, Waldstadt, Neureut, Mühlburg, Grötzingen, Durlach and Medienbus

Also as audio CD in German in Zentrale, Grötzingen, Mühlburg, Neureut and Waldstadt

What it's about

In the summer of 1946, 16-year-old Robert Appleyard leaves his coal-mining hometown in Northern England to travel around England but doesn’t get much further south than Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire. There he meets the much older and eccentric Dulcie Piper who takes him under her wing and mentors him. A summer that will change his life.

Why I like this book

This is one of those quiet books in which nothing much happens, but you are sad when it’s over because you don’t want it to end. I enjoyed the descriptions of the countryside and of the food and really liked the two very different people, from very different worlds, who become lifelong friends in the course of this one summer. In fact, I liked the book so much, I’d like to read a prequel about Dulcie.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation:  Offene See

Call Number:  1/Myer

Available:  Zentrale, Waldstadt, Neureut, Mühlburg, Grötzingen, Durlach

Also as eBook (Onleihe) and CD (Zentrale) in German

What it's about

An assorted quartet of seniors in an upscale assisted living community helps the police investigate recent murders that may or may not have something to do with the old convent cemetery located on the grounds.

Why I like this book

I have a weakness for murder mysteries. This is a fun book that keeps you guessing. It makes a nice change that it’s a group of seniors doing the investigating. And I especially like Elizabeth, who in my mind looks like Judy Dench and who is most likely a retired spy. The perfect book in times like these when we all need some distraction.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation: Der Donnerstagsmordclub

Call Number: 1 KRIMI/Osma, 1

Available: Zentrale, Waldstadt, Neureut, Durlach

Want to read more?

The series continues

The Man Who Died Twice (2) M/OSM

The Bullet That Missed (3) M/OSM

What it's about

Fictionalized account of the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping of 276 Chibok schoolgirls in Nigeria. The book focuses on 2 girls – best friends – who are forced apart.

Why I like this book

I really like the format — a series of vignettes between one sentence and three pages long — in which one of the kidnapped girls, Ya Ta, tells the story of her captivity. Each vignette captures a mood, a feeling, a hope, a fear. The format makes the story easy to consume, a real pager-turner. But reading about the girls’ experiences is not always easy, it touches on several difficult topics from forced marriage to suicide bombings.  Despite her experiences, Ya Ta doesn’t give up hope, even when one of her friends starts to believe what their captors tell them.  

Beautiful, emotional, heartbreaking.

#BringBackOurGirls

What it's about

Hillary and Bill: An alternate history with a surprise guest

Why I like this book

I have a weakness for alternate history books, so I was excited about Rodham. Imagine what would have happened if Hillary Rodham hadn’t married Bill Clinton.

Curtis Sittenfeld blends historical facts with fiction to create this novel about Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Hillary in the book is very different from the Hillary we think we know. Part of the fun of reading this book is trying to figure out what’s fact and what’s fiction. The story fully diverges from reality when Hillary turns down Bill’s proposal. I don’t want to give anything away and spoil the fun.

I won’t lie, it is a bit long -  but the end of the book is so worth sticking it out.

What it's about

Poetry/Photography

Why I like this book

I don’t actively seek out poetry books but a couple of times a year I’ll come across one that looks promising.
Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass was one of those. It was the cover that attracted my attention when I saw it sitting on the "New Books" shelf at the library. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.
I loved the LA-centric mix of poetry and photography. Not just for Angelenos.

What it's about

So, you think you’ve had it bad since lockdown started? Well, it’s probably nothing compared to what Count Alexander Rostov is going through. He’s been given house arrest for the rest of his life – in the Hotel Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin.

Why I like this book

Maybe the last thing you want to read during lockdown is a book about someone who’s under house arrest for decades because it already feels like that’s how long you’ve been stuck at home.  I actually read this just before the first lockdown started and had no idea how relevant the book would be. The book starts in 1922 when the Count angers the Soviet government, basically by being a count and because he got up to no-good in their eyes. But as luck would have it, a friend vouched for him so that he is sentenced to house arrest instead of death. The book follows him through decades in the hotel, where he lives in an attic room, reads his favorite books, and works in the hotel restaurant. He experiences all of the changes the next 30 years bring from inside the hotel. He also becomes a kind of ersatz father to a little girl. He learns to make the best of his situation and doesn’t get bored. If you like history, grand hotels, and surprise endings, this book is for you.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation:  Ein Gentleman in Moskau

Call Number: 1/Towl

Available: Zentrale, Waldstadt

Also as CD (Zentrale) in German

What it's about

A different kind of memoir. Nora Krug (a Karlsruhe native, now a resident of Brooklyn) researched her family history and reflects about what it means to be a German of her generation.

Why I like this book

There are so many things I like about this book. First of all, the format. Nora Krug combines historical documents, her own illustrations, and a handwritten text to create this unique, award-winning memoir. When I first heard about this book (at the library, of course) I wasn’t sure whether it had been written in English or German. I like to read in the original language if possible. Then I found out that Ms. Krug wrote it in English for an American audience (translation wasn’t planned). I was happy to hear that she did her own translation back into German. Nothing lost in translation here. This is just in case you are a language nerd like me. So, anyway, the book. Not only is it physically a beautiful book (the illustrations, the documents, the pictures), it is a very emotional book. Like many younger Germans, Ms. Krug wanted to know what her grandparents were up to during the war. To find out, she did a lot of research at the local archives and interviewed family members, uncovering some family secrets along the way. Even if you don’t usually like graphic-style books, you will love this one. Belonging is a very moving book. Be prepared to shed some tears.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation: Heimat:  ein deutsches Familienalbum

Call Number: De 43/Krug

Available: Zentrale, Waldstadt, Neureut, Mühlburg, Grötzingen, Durlach, JuBi

Also as eBook (Onleihe) and CD (Zentrale) in German

Title:  Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?

Author:  Roz Chast

Call Number: 741.5973/CHA (Non-Fiction)

Age Group: Adults

What's it about? Roz Chast’s experience dealing with her aging parents in the form of a graphic novel.

Why I like this book: I don’t normally like graphic novels but I really liked this one. A serious subject: dealing with aging parents who aren’t ready or willing to prepare for their end-of-life needs. If you have aging parents, you need to read this book. Despite the topic, it is at times hysterical.

In case you want to read it in German

German translation: Können wir nicht über was anderes reden?:  meine Eltern und ich

Call Number: Ggm 3/Koen

Available: Zentrale