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Book descriptions in this article are adapted from publishers' summaries and library catalog records.
All Booked Up: "God of the Woods" by Liz Moore (FIC MOORE) --in the early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn't just any thirteen-year-old: she's the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region's residents. And this isn't the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara's older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found. As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore's multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore's most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
Adult Nonfiction Book Group: "Frida Kahlo's Love Letters" by Frida Kahlo (921 KAHLO). Since her death Frida Kahlo has become an iconic cultural figure, renowned for her expressive, highly personal paintings. Her art drew on her often tumultuous private life and while painting was her main form of creative expression, she was also a prolific and moving letter writer. Though married to fellow artist Diego Rivera for most of her life, they both had numerous affairs, and Frida wrote frequently to her lovers. This book includes a selection of her letters, some of which were also decorated with small drawings. Many examples are reproduced here in facsimile, together with archival images and examples of her art. As well as examples sent to her first love, Alejandro Gomez Arias, and to her husband Diego Rivera, there are letters written to several other people, including Julien Levy, Nickolas Muray and Jose Bartoli. Taken together they create a very intimate portrait of her personal life as well as showing another side to her creativity. Beautifully designed and illustrated, this book is perfect anyone looking for new insights into the life and work of Frida Kahlo or who simply find her an inspiring figure. Books & Banter: "The Antidote" by Karen Russel (FIC RUSSELL). The Antidote opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing--not just under the weight of the Great Depression and the dust bowl drought but beneath its own violent histories. The Antidote follows a "Prairie Witch," whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples' memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch's apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a voluble scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town's secrets and its fate.
Tasty Reads: "Grist" by Abra Berens elevates grains from side dishes to the stars on your table. Berens, a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Chef and the author of "Ruffage" and "Pulp", shares more than 300 recipes and variations, plus substantial reference information to help you discover the next great grain. Grist includes more than 125 recipes for 29 different types of grains, legumes, and seeds that, in combination with vegetables and lean proteins, are the stars of the healthiest, most variable, and most satisfying meals--many of them gluten free.
Corey Wiseman is an Adult Services and Reference Assistant at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette.