Narratives for Reframing: New Nonfiction at the Peter White Public Library

“More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood,” by Majka Burhardt

In More, professional rock and ice climber Majka Burhardt provides a close read on the confluence of early motherhood, adventure, career, and marriage. In the midst of world travel and adventure-seeking, Majka and her husband, a fellow climber, learn they are pregnant with twins. Based on the letters and journals she diligently kept over the course of their first six years, Burhardt explores the jarring identity shift brought on by motherhood and its irreversible impact on relationships, and both the physical, and emotional self, alongside reconciling one’s own family history with starting fresh. The author’s candid voice and raw honesty make for a gripping, engrossing read.

“‘You Just Need to Lose Weight’ And 19 Other Myths About Fat People,” by Aubrey Gordon

In this book, part personal account, part deep-sea dive into the superficial statistics that fuel health pop culture, the co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast and creator of Your Fat Friend examines common myths that create the structure of anti-fat bias. Gordon debunks the easily spouted tropes of “calories in, calories out. All larger bodied people are unhealthy. We’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic. The BMI is an objective measure of size and health,” while also helping us examine exactly why they are so pervasive, so that future conversations can be more effective and informed. Gordon brings her years of community organizing and training to this collection, showing readers how we can use rhetorical approaches to counter myth and dismantle bias.

“Good For a Girl,” by Lauren Fleshman

Professional athlete Lauren Fleshman brings us a raw personal narrative of growth and change, and a call to reimagine sports for young women. Good for a Girl is the story of Fleshman’s journey as a runner, beginning with the portrait of her younger self as a beginner in the sport, giving an in depth, sequential narrative of how sports systems–originally designed by men, for men and boys–fail young women and girls as much as empower them. Drawing on not only her own story but also emerging research on the physiology and psychology of young athletes, this book is an asset for parents, coaches, and those who love movement in relation to the human experience.

“The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society,” by Eleanor Janega

Medievalist Eleanor Janega muses on the Middle Ages, the era that bridged the ancient world and modern society, to examine ideas of women and reveal what has changed over time — and what hasn’t. Janega visits accounts of medieval women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Hildegard of Bingen, along with others in historical documents and case studies, revealing they were industrious farmers, brewers, textile workers, and artists, making way for new ideas about women’s nature, intellect, and ability. She poses the question: if our ideas of women have changed so much over time, could we reimagine them now to create a more equitable future?