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Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley
Lily and the Octopus follows the story of Teddy Flask as he grapples with the terminal illness and death of beloved dachshund, Lily.
Bestselling and award-winning author, Naomi Alderman will join us to talk about her new book, The Future. This new novel delivers a dazzling tour de force where a handful of friends plot a daring heist to save the world from the tech giants whose greed threatens life as we know it.
The Future is a handful of friends—the daughter of a cult leader, a non-binary hacker, an ousted Silicon Valley visionary, the concerned wife of a dangerous CEO, and an internet-famous survivalist—hatching a daring plan. It could be the greatest heist ever. Or the cataclysmic end of civilization.
The Future is what you see if you don’t look behind you.
The Future is the only reason to do anything, the only object of desire.
The Future is here.
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Naomi Alderman grew up in London and attended Oxford University and UEA. Naomi was lead writer on the alternate reality game Perplex City, and has worked as a games writer for over a decade. She has been mentored by Margaret Atwood as part of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, and in April 2013 she was named one of Granta’s Best British Novelists in their once-a-decade list. She is Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Check out her books in our collection here. The Future is expected to release in early November.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Let's Talk World Building with YA Fantasy Fiction Author Victoria Aveyard
Join us as the instant #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Queen and Realm Breaker series, Victoria Aveyard, chats with us about YA fantasy fiction, world-building, and her incredible body of work!
In the bestselling series Realm Breaker, a strange darkness grows in Allward and even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it in her small town at the edge of the sea. The long lost heir to an ancient lineage, it’s not until Corayne meets a rag-tag group of companions that she learns how to wield the magic slumbering in her blood—and how together they might stop what’s coming.
As the realm descends into chaos, the choices are clear: Save the world…or end it. Together, they stand against a vicious opponent, invincible and determined to burn all kingdoms to ash and an army unlike anything the realm has ever witnessed.
Irresistibly action-packed and full of lethal surprises, this stunning fantasy series promises breakneck adventure and impossible thrills! Register now to join the adventure!
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Victoria Aveyard was born and raised in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, a small town known only for the worst traffic rotary in the continental United States. She moved to Los Angeles to earn a BFA in screenwriting at the University of Southern California. She currently splits her time between the East and West coasts. As an author and screenwriter, she uses her career as an excuse to read too many books and watch too many movies. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Red Queen series.
Check out her books in our collection here. Fate Breaker is expected to release in February 2024.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, July through December (November's meeting is on the third Friday due to a holiday closing).
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education: Virtual Author Talk with Stephanie Land
You’re invited to an afternoon chat with New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Land as she talks to us about her new memoir, Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education.
When Stephanie Land set out to write her first book, a memoir titled Maid, she never could have imagined what was to come. Handpicked by President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2019, it was later adapted into the hit Netflix series Maid, which was viewed by 67 million households and was Netflix’s fourth most-watched show in 2021, garnering three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Stephanie’s escape from poverty and abuse in search of a better life inspired millions. Maid was a story about a housecleaner, but it was also a story about a woman with a dream.
In Class, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career. Facing barriers at every turn, including a byzantine loan system, not having enough money for food, and navigating the judgments of professors and fellow students who didn’t understand the demands of attending college while under the poverty line—Land finds a way to survive once again, finally graduating in her mid-thirties.
Class paints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. In clear, candid, and moving prose, Class offers a searing indictment of America’s educational system and an inspiring testimony of a mother’s triumph against all odds.
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Stephanie Land is the author of the New York Times bestseller Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive, called “a testimony…worth listening to,” by The New York Times and inspiration for the Netflix series Maid. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and many other outlets. Her writing focuses on social and economic justice and parenting under the poverty line. She is a frequent speaker at colleges and national advocacy organizations.
Check out her books in our collection here. Place Class on hold here.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Holmdel Book Club
Join us IN PERSON for the next meeting of the Holmdel Book Club. We will meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 10:30 am.
We will be discussing The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. (request book, eBook, eAudio book here)
An unforgettable novel about one classic film actress's relentless rise to the top, the risks she took, the loves she lost, and the long-held secrets the public could never imagine. Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband, David, has left her, and her career has stagnated. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn's Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens as Evelyn unfurls her story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn's life unfolds, revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love, Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn's story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.
Moderated by Trish Shrodo, Holmdel Library and Learning Center
Join the Square of Friends at Eastern Branch to discuss this month's book club selection, Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
Inspired by true events that rocked the nation, a profoundly moving novel about a Black nurse in post-segregation Alabama who blows the whistle on a terrible wrong done to her patients. Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten. Because history repeats what we don't remember.
Book discussion is led by Librarian Beth Miller. Copies of the book are available at the Eastern Branch Circulation Desk.
Biographies/Memoirs
Truth can often be a lot stranger and much more fascinating than fiction. You have so many different choices and it gives you the chance to step into the life of a person you're all fascinated with.
Come prepared to talk about a biography or memoir of your choice and share with the group.
Black Cake: A Novel by Charmaine Wilkerson
Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage and themselves.
Moderated by Sabrina Pisciotta
Holmdel Book Club
Join us in person for the next meeting of the Holmdel Book Club. We will meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 2:30 pm.
We will be discussing The Lost Vintage: A Novel by Ann Mah. (request book, eBook)
To become one of only a few hundred certified wine experts in the world, Kate must pass the notoriously difficult Master of Wine examination. She's failed twice before; her third attempt will be her last chance. Suddenly finding herself without a job and with the test a few months away, she travels to Burgundy to spend the fall at the vineyard estate that has belonged to her family for generations. There she can bolster her shaky knowledge of Burgundian vintages and reconnect with her cousin Nico and his wife, Heather, who now oversee day-to-day management of the grapes. The one person Kate hopes to avoid is Jean-Luc, a talented young winemaker and her first love.
At the vineyard house, Kate is eager to help her cousin clean out the enormous basement that is filled with generations of discarded and forgotten belongings. Deep inside the cellar, behind a large armoire, she discovers a hidden room containing a cot, some Resistance pamphlets, and an enormous cache of valuable wine. Piqued by the secret space, Kate begins to dig into her family's history--a search that takes her back to the dark days of World War II and introduces her to a relative she never knew existed, a great-half aunt who was a teenager during the Nazi occupation.
As she learns more about her family, the line between resistance and collaboration blurs, driving Kate to find the answers to two crucial questions: Who, exactly, did her family aid during the difficult years of the war? And what happened to six valuable bottles of wine that seem to be missing from the cellar's collection?
Moderated by Trish Shrodo, Holmdel Library and Learning Center
Embrace Love in the New Year: A Heartfelt Conversation with Rebecca Serle
Join us as we kick off the New Year talking to Rebecca Serle about her journey writing epic love stories that span generations. Learn the love story formula with Serle, and hear about her New York Times bestselling novels, One Italian Summer, In Five Years, The Dinner List, and many more.
In a special preview, Serle will briefly discuss her forthcoming novel (due to publish in March, 2024) Expiration Dates. In Expiration Dates, Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, on the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a name: Jake.
Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for. Start your year with love and register now!
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Rebecca Serle is the New York Times bestselling author of Expiration Dates, One Italian Summer, In Five Years, The Dinner List, and the young adult novels The Edge of Falling and When You Were Mine. Serle also developed the hit TV adaptation Famous in Love, based on her YA series of the same name. She is a graduate of USC and The New School and lives in Los Angeles with her husband.
Check out Serle's books in our collection here. Expiration Dates is expected to release in March, place it on hold here.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, January through June.
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
Join the Square of Friends at Eastern Branch to discuss this month's book club selection, One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, by Marianne Cronin.
Determined to leave a mark on the world even though they are in the hospital and their days are dwindling, unlikely friends, seventeen-year-old Lenni and eighty-three-year-old Margot, devise a plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived.
Book discussion is led by Librarian Beth Miller. Copies of the book are available at the Eastern Branch Circulation Desk.
The Reading List: A Novel by Sara Nisha Adams.
Friendship, family life, and cultural heritage fiction. An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
In Margaret Atwood's dystopian future, environmental disasters and declining birthrates have led to a Second American Civil War. The result is the rise of the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian regime that enforces rigid social roles and enslaves the few remaining fertile women. Offred is one of these, a Handmaid bound to produce children for one of Gilead's commanders. Deprived of her husband, her child, her freedom, and even her own name, Offred clings to her memories and her will to survive.
The Blazing World: A Novel by Siri Hustvedt
A brilliant, provocative novel about an artist who, after years of being ignored by the art world, conducts an experiment: she conceals her female identity behind three male fronts. Introduced by a scholar years after the artist's death,the book unfolds through extracts from Burden's notebooks and conflicting accounts from others about her life and work.
Even after she steps forward to reveal herself as the force behind three solo shows, there are those who doubt she is responsible for the last exhibition, initially credited to the acclaimed artist Rune. No one doubts the two artists were involved with each other, yet no one is sure how Burden and Runefound themselves locked in a charged and dangerous psychological game that ended with the man's bizarre death.
Moderated by Sabrina Pisciotta
Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster? How to Avoid the Hidden Traps in Retirement Planning Advice
Start your New Year off right and learn how to avoid the hidden traps in retirement planning advice! Did you know that a large financial portfolio, an estate plan, and long-term care insurance won’t be enough to prevent your dream retirement from becoming a disaster in the United States? Or do you know someone who was forced into institutional care after a health crisis, lost assets due to unplanned medical and long-term care costs, or became a burden on loved ones? According to Elder Law Attorney and bestselling author Rajiv Nagaich, these results are called “retirement plan failure.” Over his 20-plus years of experience in United States elder law, Rajiv has developed a step-by-step guide to retirement planning by connecting the various dots of the retirement planning process. The LifePlanning approach is a system that brings together legal, financial, and housing issues into a coordinated effort that can work to make sure you don’t end up being forced into institutionalized care, going broke, and being a burden on your family. In this enlightening and informative webinar, Rajiv explains why “retirement plan failure” happens and how you can keep it from happening to you.
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Rajiv Nagaich, J.D. L.L.M., author of Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster, is an elder law attorney, speaker, and retirement planner. He hosts two popular public television specials (Master Your Future and The Path to Happily Ever After) and the AgingOptions Radio Show, dispensing retirement planning advice to people in the Pacific Northwest for twenty years. Rajiv was inducted as a Fellow by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) in 2014. He is a three-time NAELA Pacesetter Award winner and a commissioner at the Law and Aging Commission at the American Bar Association. Rajiv is the founding partner of Life Point Law in Federal Way, Washington, and the Chief Executive Officer of AgingOptions.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh.
Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby. But almost everything she's told them about herself is a lie. And she might just have got away with it, if it weren't for her husband's job, obituary writing. When she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best - researching and writing about his wife's life. But as he starts to unravel the truth, he discovers the woman he loves doesn't really exist. Even her name isn't real. When the very darkest moments of Emma's past finally emerge, she must somehow prove to Leo that she really is the woman he always thought she was...But first, she must tell him about the love of her other life.
The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine: An Author Talk with Dr. Robert Lustig
Launch your New Year with Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric neuroendocrinologist who has long been on the cutting edge of medicine and science. He challenges our current healthcare paradigm which has gone off the rails under the influence of Big Food, Big Pharma, and Big Government.
You can’t solve a problem if you don’t know what the problem is. One of Lustig’s singular gifts as a communicator is his ability to “connect the dots” for the general reader, in order to unpack the scientific data and concepts behind his arguments, as he tells the “real story of food” and “the story of real food.”
Dr. Lustig’s book, Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine, weaves the interconnected strands of nutrition, health/disease, medicine, environment, and society into a completely new fabric by proving on a scientific basis a series of iconoclastic revelations, among them:
- Medicine for chronic disease treats symptoms, not the disease itself
- You can diagnose your own biochemical profile
- Chronic diseases are not "druggable," but they are "foodable"
- Processed food isn’t just toxic, it’s addictive
- The war between vegan and keto is a false war—the combatants are on the same side
- Big Food, Big Pharma, and Big Government are on the other side
Making the case that food is the only lever we have to affect biochemical change to improve our health, Lustig explains what to eat based on two novel criteria: protect the liver, and feed the gut. He insists that if we do not fix our food and change the way we eat, we will continue to court chronic disease, bankrupt healthcare, and threaten the planet. But there is hope: his book and this webinar explain what’s needed to fix all three. Dr. Lustig offers a doable plan for us to heal and restore our health and well-being with real food and, in the process, boost our immunity to viruses like Covid-19.
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this event will be available here.
About the Author: Robert H. Lustig, M.D., M.S.L. is an Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology and a Member of the Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF. Dr. Lustig is a neuroendocrinologist with expertise in metabolism, obesity, and nutrition. He is one of the leaders of the current “anti-sugar” movement that is changing the food industry. He has dedicated his retirement from clinical medicine to help fix the food supply in any way he can, to reduce human suffering, and to salvage the environment. Dr. Lustig graduated from MIT in 1976 and received his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College in 1980. He also received his Masters of Studies in Law (MSL) degree at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2013. He is the author of the popular books Fat Chance (2012), The Hacking of the American Mind (2017), and Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine (2021). He is the Chief Science Officer of the non-profit Eat REAL, he is on the Advisory Boards of the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health, the Center for Humane Technology, Simplex Health, Levels Health, and ReadOut Health, and he is the Chief Medical Officer of BioLumen Technologies, Foogal, Perfact, and Kalin Health.
Check out his books in our collection here.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
A Guaranteed Happily Ever After with Rom-Com Author Tessa Bailey
Join us as the #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey talks about the launch of her new super hot sports romance duology with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan in her new book Fangirl Down.
Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory, and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.
Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…
As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. But Wells is technically her boss, and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right? You’ll have to register to find out!
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue-collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island, avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Check out her books in our collection here. Fangirl Down is expected to release in early February.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, January through June.
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age by Shana Abé.
Inspired by the true story of Arabella Huntington who became the richest woman in the county.
This sweeping novel of historical fiction is inspired by the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington - a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America.
Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Inspired by true events that rocked the nation, a profoundly moving novel about a Black nurse in post-segregation Alabama who blows the whistle on a terrible wrong done to her patients.
Our Souls at Night: A Novel by Kent Haruf
In the familiar setting of Holt, Colorado, Addie Moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, Louis Waters. Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such a small town they naturally have known of each other for decades; in fact, Addie was quite fond of Louis's wife. His daughter lives hours away in Colorado Springs, her son even farther away in Grand Junction, and Addie and Louis have long been living alone in houses now empty of family, the nights so terribly lonely, especially with no one to talk with. Their brave adventures - their pleasures and their difficulties - are hugely involving and truly resonant.
Moderated by Sabrina Pisciotta
Exploring Identity, Love, and Being Black in America in Fiction Writing: A Conversation with Award-Winning Author Jason Mott
You’re invited to join us as we talk to New York Times bestselling author Jason Mott about his recent novel Hell of a Book. This magnificent work of fiction is deeply honest, at times electrically funny, and is a book that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans and America as a whole.
In Hell of a Book, a Black author sets out on a cross-country publicity tour to promote his bestselling novel. That storyline drives Hell of a Book and is the scaffolding of something much larger and more urgent: Mott’s novel also tells the story of Soot, a young Black boy living in a rural town in the recent past, and The Kid, a possibly imaginary child who appears to the author on his tour.
As these characters’ stories build and converge, they astonish. While this heartbreaking and magical book entertains and is at once about family, love of parents and children, art and money, it’s also about the nation’s reckoning with a tragic police shooting playing over and over again on the news. And with what it can mean to be Black in America.
Unforgettably told, with an electrifying plot and characters who burn into your mind, Hell of a Book is the novel Mott has been writing in his head for the last ten years. And in its final twists, it truly becomes its title. Register now!
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Jason Mott is the author of two poetry collections and four novels. His first novel, The Returned, was adapted for television and aired on ABC under the title "Resurrection." Since then, his novels that followed have received various accolades and acclaim. His most recent novel, Hell of a Book, won the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction Winner, was a Carnegie Medals For Excellence Longlist nominee, and the winner of the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction. He lives in hermitude in Southeastern North Carolina.
Check out his books in our collection here.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Join the Square of Friends at Eastern Branch to discuss this month's book club selection, Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees, by Meredith May.
Meredith May recalls the first time a honeybee crawled on her arm, and in that moment she discovered that everything she needed to know about life and family was right before her eyes, in the secret world of bees.
Book discussion is led by Librarian Beth Miller. Copies of the book are available at the Eastern Branch Circulation Desk.
Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity: An Author Talk with Kim Scott
Why is feedback so difficult, and how can we make it easier? The idea is simple: You don't have to choose between being a pushover and a jerk. Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, will explain the Radical Candor feedback framework and how you can practice it today. She'll offer practical, tactical tips for how to solicit criticism, give praise and criticism, gauge how what you're saying is landing, and build a culture of Radical Candor. She'll also discuss ensuring that bias, prejudice, and bullying don't masquerade as feedback. Radically Candid relationships with team members enable bosses to fulfill their three core responsibilities:
- Create a culture of Compassionate Candor
- Build a cohesive team
- Achieve results collaboratively
Keep your humanity while living your life with Radical Respect and Radical Candor. Register now to start your practice!
Click here to register for this event.
Can't make it? A recording of this program will be available here.
About the Author: Kim Scott is the author of Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better and Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing your Humanity. She co-founded a company that helps leaders put the ideas in her books into practice. Kim was a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter, and other tech companies. She was a member of the faculty at Apple University and before that led AdSense, YouTube, and DoubleClick teams at Google. Earlier in her career she was an analyst at the Soviet Companies Fund, started a diamond cutting factory in Moscow, and was director of operations of a pediatric clinic in Kosovo. She lives with her family in Silicon Valley.
Check out her books in our collection here.
This event will be conducted on Zoom and is free of charge. Registration and internet access are required to attend. Register at the link above. Zoom access link will be emailed prior the presentation.
Permission to present a program on behalf of the Virtual Library or in Library facilities is not an endorsement by the Library. This program is protected by copyright law; recording in any manner, without written agreement from the presenter, is strictly prohibited.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, School for Good Mothers: A Novel by Jessamine Chan
Set in near-future America, The School for Good Mothers introduces readers to a government-run reform program where bad mothers are retrained using robot doll children with artificial intelligence. Frida Liu must pass this program or lose her daughter forever.
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, January through June.
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
An unparalleled novel about money, power, intimacy, and perception. At once an immersive story and a brilliant literary puzzle. Trust engages the reader in a quest for the truth while confronting the deceptions that often live at the heart of personal relationships, the reality-warping force of capital, and the ease with which power can manipulate facts.
The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight To Win The Vote by Elaine Weiss
An account of the 1920 ratification of the constitutional amendment that granted voting rights to women traces the culmination of seven decades of legal battles and cites the pivotal contributions of famous suffragists and political leaders.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
A modern masterpiece from one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense and generous-hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila. Ferrante’s inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation and a touching meditation on the nature of friendship. Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her two protagonists.
Moderated by Sabrina Pisciotta
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, The Other Einstein: A Novel By Marie Benedict
Mitza Maric has always been a little different from other girls. Most twenty-year-olds are wives by now, not studying physics at an elite Zurich university with only male students trying to outdo her clever calculations. But Mitza is smart enough to know that, for her, math is an easier path than marriage. And then fellow student Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, and the world turns sideways. Theirs becomes a partnership of the mind and of the heart, but there might not be room for more than one genius in a marriage.
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, January through June.
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
All Her Little Secrets: A Novel by Wanda M. Morris
In this fast-paced thriller, Wanda M. Morris crafts a twisty mystery about a Black Lawyer who gets caught in a dangerous conspiracy after the sudden death of her boss. A debut perfect for fans of Attica Locke, Alyssa Cole, Harlan Coben, and Celeste Ng, with shades of How to Get away with Murder and John Grisham's The Firm.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Bachelor Girl: A Novel by Kim Van Alkemade.
When the owner of the New York Yankees baseball team, Colonel Jacob Ruppert, takes Helen Winthrope, a young actress, under his wing, she thinks it's because of his guilt over her father's accidental death--and so does Albert Kramer, Ruppert's handsome personal secretary. Helen and Albert develop a deepening bond the closer they become to Ruppert, an eccentric millionaire who demands their loyalty in return for his lavish generosity. When Ruppert dies, and leaves Helen the bulk of his fortune, includes Yankee Stadium, Helen and Albert will be forced to confront the truth about their relationship to him, --and to each other
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, January through June.
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, America for Beginners by Leah Franqui.
Pival Sengupta, recently widowed, takes a cross country tour of America to uncover the truth about her beloved son, Rahi. A year ago Rahi devastated his very traditional parents when he told them he was gay. Then, Pival’s husband, Ram, told her that their son had died suddenly - heartbreaking news she still refuses to accept. Now, with Ram gone, she is going to America to find Rahi, alive and whole or dead and gone, and come to terms with her own life.
Writers Workshop -- In Person at the Eastern Branch
Looking for a supportive environment to practice and explore your writing style? Facilitator Molly Fox provides a choice of prompts for a 20-30 minute quick write. Excerpts of published works, both old and new, are shared to serve as models of strong writing and to inspire participants to craft their own style. Writers are invited (but no pressure!) to share their resulting work and offer gentle suggestions and feedback to their fellow writers. All are welcome!
Molly Fox, MS Ed, is a Reading Specialist, writing instructor, and certified yoga teacher. She has facilitated writing groups at Brookdale Community College and has participated in writing workshops at local libraries and educational events. She is looking forward to being part of a supportive community of writers.
Meetings take place on the second Friday of the month, January through June.
Registration recommended for each session you plan to attend.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg
Hiding the truth about her unhappiness and struggles with anxiety from everyone including her family, best friend, and therapist, Andrea Bern joins her loved ones in a reevaluation of family strength in the wake of her newborn niece's heartbreaking ailment.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood.
Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer, the wealthy Thomas Kinnear, and of Nancy Montgomery, his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Grace herself claims to have no memory of the murders.
Dr. Simon Jordan, an up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness, listens to her story, As he brings Grace closer and closer to the day she cannot remember, he hears of the turbulent relationship between Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery. Jordan is drawn to Grace, but he is also baffled by her. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories? Is Grace a female fiend, a bloodthirsty femme fatale? Or is she a victim of circumstances?
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine By Gail Honeyman.
Meet Eleanor Oliphant: she struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she's thinking. That, combined with her unusual appearance (scarred cheek, tendency to wear the same clothes year in, year out), means that Eleanor has become a creature of habit (to say the least) and a bit of a loner. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kind of friends who rescue each other from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond's big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss.
An account of the 1920 ratification of the constitutional amendment that granted voting rights to women traces the culmination of seven decades of legal battles and cites the pivotal contributions of famous suffragists and political leaders.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett.
When Margaret's fiancé, John, is hospitalized for depression, she faces a choice: carry on with their plans, or back away from the suffering it may bring her. She decides to marry him. What follows is the unforgettable story of what unfolds from this act of love and faith. At the heart of it is their eldest son, Michael, a brilliant, anxious music fanatic, and the story of how, over the span of decades, his younger siblings - the responsible Celia and the tightly controlled Alec - struggle along with their mother to care for Michael's increasingly troubled existence.
Join us to discuss this month's book club pick, Friends and Strangers: A Novel by J Courtney Sullivan
Friends and Strangers tells the story of the complex relationship between two women, Elisabeth, a privileged new mother and writer attempting to find her footing after childbirth, and Sam, the idealistic, working-class college student she hires to nanny her young son.
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