Library News - August 15, 2022

Our new adult fiction display is overflowing with great examples of historical fiction. If you enjoy the details of historical settings and significant cultural events, mixed with imagined perspectives and fictional characters, you won't want to miss these: 

Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini is a bold, revelatory novel about one of the great untold stories of World War I -- the women of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, who broke down gender barriers in the military, smashed the workplace glass ceiling, and battled a pandemic as they helped lead the Allies to victory. 

The Last Hours in Paris by Ruth Druart finds 18-year-old Josephine Chevalier in 1963 Brittany, as she uncovers a shocking secret about her mother that leads her to Paris where she learns the story of a forbidden love as the city fought for its freedom in 1944 -- and of a betrayal so deep, it changed two young lives forever. 

The Unkept Woman: A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery - #4 by Allison Montclair depicts the founders of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in London in 1946. Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, whose husband was killed in the recent World War and Miss Iris Sparks who worked as an intelligence agent during the recent conflict, operate their flourishing agency in the post-war climate, but both founders have to contend with fallout from their past personal lives. 

Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley tells the extraordinary story of the Haitian Revolution through the eyes of Marie-Claire Bonheur, the first Empress of Haiti and Gran Toya, a West African-born warrior. 

My Name Is Yip by Paddy Crewe follows Yip Tolroy, born in 1815 in the small town of Heron’s Creek, Georgia. He may not speak, but his story is both an entertaining tale of gold, murder, and the impulse for revenge and a tender coming-of-age story amid the lawlessness of the American frontier. 

Upcoming Events at the Library: 

Grown Up Game Nights will be held on the last Wednesday of each month, inviting adults to gather, play games and socialize while enjoying coffee, tea and charcuterie. August 31, 2022 at 6:00PM.  

First Thursday Book Club: Join us for lively conversation to discuss what you've been reading & gain new recommendations from friends! September 1, 2022 at 12:00 Noon. 

The Evolution of Themes in Children's Literature: Southwestern Michigan College English Professor, Joe Coti, will discuss the ever-evolving themes of the genre and how children's literature is an often misunderstood topic. September 22, 2022 at 6:30PM.