Library News - August 8, 2022
The library is filled with ways to discover and explore our world and this week’s new nonfiction selections are no exception!
River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candice Millard recounts Richard Burton’s life and epic journey that not only involved harrowing physical feats but stiff competition and epic clashes with his fellow explorer John Hanning Speke, and also with the man who has been left out of the history books, African guide Sidi Mubarak Bombay. Using diary entries and letters, Millard’s story drops you in the middle of the jungle and exposes a world of conquering and colonial exploits.
The Whisper on the Night Wind by Adam Shoalts
Tales of things that "go bump in the night" are part of the folklore of the wilderness, but most are easily dismissed by skeptics. The large, unidentified animals terrorizing Traverspine a hundred years ago were different. The eye-witness accounts were detailed, and those who reported them included no less than three medical doctors and a wildlife biologist. Something really did emerge from the wilderness to haunt the little settlement of Traverspine. Adam Shoalts, decorated modern-day explorer and an expert on wilderness folklore, picks up the trail from a century ago and sets off into the Labrador wild to investigate the tale.
The King’s Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for The Lost City of Alexandria by Edmund Richardson is the extraordinary untold and wild journey of Charles Masson and his search for the Lost City of Alexandria in the 'Wild East' during the age of empires, kings, and spies. For centuries the city of Alexandria Beneath the Mountains was a meeting point of East and West. Then it vanished. In 1833, it was discovered in Afghanistan by the unlikeliest person imaginable: Charles Masson, deserter, pilgrim, doctor, archaeologist, spy, one of the most respected scholars in Asia, and the greatest of nineteenth-century travelers.
Imagine a City: A Pilot’s Journey Across the Urban World by Mark Vanhoenacker spent his childhood dreaming of elsewhere— of the distant, real cities he found on the illuminated globe in his bedroom, and of one perfect metropolis that existed only in his imagination. These cities were the sources of endless comfort and escape, and of a lasting fascination. Now, as a commercial airline pilot, Mark has spent nearly two decades crossing the skies of our planet and touching down in dozens of the storied cities he imagined as a child. He experiences these destinations during brief stays that he repeats month after month and year after year, giving him an unconventional and uniquely vivid perspective on the places that form our urban world.
The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo, celebrated traveler and photographer, is a love letter to cultural diversity, beauty, nature and the people she met along the way. The first documented Black woman to visit all 195 countries in the world-shares her journey around the globe with fascinating stories of adventure, culture, travel musts, and human connections.
Curiosity and exploration don’t always require world travel; You can always visit the library, your gateway to the world. Don’t miss these upcoming events:
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.