My LINKcat AccountI’m writing this on a very windy March-coming-in-like-a-lion February 12th, which is, as you know Lincoln’s birthday. We won’t be celebrating President’s Day until the third Monday of the month which this year is February 20th. I was bashing around the internet trying to find some fascinating facts about President’s day to beguile you with before you move on the “books section” of this literary miscellany. Come to find out that Presidents’ Day is subtitles “Washington’s Birthday” – who knew? Certainly not me! Also come to find out that although Lincoln’s birthday, February 12, was never a federal holiday, nearly half of the state governments have officially renamed their Washington's Birthday observances as "Presidents' Day", "Washington and Lincoln Day", or other such designations. Come to also find out that Washington was born on February 11th, 1731 but because Britain and its colonies, of which we were one, still used the Julian calendar until 1752 when they joined the rest of the world and started using the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar added 11 days and the British civil year began on March 25th not January 1st , all of which meant that suddenly when George Washington was 21 or 22 depending on which calendar you’re using he was born on February 22nd, 1732. Now that you have way too much information about a holiday that is still upcoming, I will refer to all the new book titles available at your library. You will note that coincidentally the first non-fiction selection this week just happens to be about George Washington. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
Never caught : the Washingtons' relentless pursuit of their runaway slave, Ona Judge / by Erica Dunbar. A revelatory account of the actions taken by the first president to retain his slaves in spite of Northern laws profiles one of the slaves, Ona Judge, describing the intense manhunt that ensued when she ran away. By the author of “Manhunt”.
The art of invisibility : the world's most famous hacker teaches you how to be safe in the age of Big Brother and big data / by Kevin Mitnick, A world-famous hacker reveals unsettling truths about information vulnerability while outlining affordable online and offline strategies for maximizing privacy and computer security. By the author of the national best-seller “Ghost in the Wires”.
Can't just stop : an investigation of compulsions / by Sharon Begley. Examines the science behind both mild and extreme compulsive behavior—using fascinating case studies to understand its deeper meaning and reveal the truth about human compulsion.
From bacteria to Bach and back : the evolution of minds / by Daniel Dennett. A leading philosopher and author of Breaking the Spell offers a major new account of the origins of the conscious mind that explores the deep interactions of evolution, brains and human culture, demonstrating the role of culture in installing memes, including language, in the mind. Illustrations.
Hit makers : the science of popularity in an age of distraction / by Derek Thompson. An Atlantic senior editor presents an investigation into the lucrative quality of popularity in the 21st century to share economic insights into what makes ideas, productions and products successful.
New Fiction
Norse mythology / by Neil Gaiman. The New York Times best-selling author of “A View From the Cheap Seats” presents a bravura rendering of the major Norse pantheon that traces the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and the exploits of its characters, illuminating the characters and natures of iconic figures Odin, Thor and Loki.
The turn : the hollows begins with death / by Kim Harrison. An official prequel to the best-selling series finds Trisk and her hated rival, Kal, rendered fugitives after a world-saving experiment gone wrong gives way to the rise of a paranormal species that wages war against a weaker human race. By a #1 New York Times best-selling author.
Universal harvester / by John Darnielle. Working for a 1990s small-community video rental store under threat by a major chain competitor, Jeremy is reluctantly drawn into a mystery involving chilling footage of criminal activity that has been recorded onto the store's VHS tapes. By the author of “Wolf in White Van”.
A book of American martyrs / by Joyce Carol Oates. Traces the intricately linked lives of a grieving family and an ardent Evangelical patriarch who has assassinated a small-town abortion doctor in the name of God. By the award-winning author of “We Were the Mulvaneys”.
The dark flood rises / by Margaret Drabble. Driven to live life to its fullest while she still can, a housing expert for the elderly balances her challenging career with the cares of her loved ones, in a tale that juxtaposes her interconnected social circle in England against her contacts in an idyllic expat community in the Canary Islands. By the author of “The Sea Lady”.
On Turpentine Lane / by Elinor Lipman. Living a mostly peaceful existence in her small suburban hometown where she struggles to ignore the dysfunctional people in her life, Faith discovers mysterious artifacts that make her question a promising new relationship and everything she believes. By the best-selling author of “The View From Penthouse B”.
The Chilbury Ladies' Choir : a novel / by Jennifer Ryan. Letters and journals reveal the struggles, affairs, deceptions and triumphs of five members of a village choir during World War II as they band together to survive the upheavals of war and village intrigue on the English home front.
The second Mrs. Hockaday : a novel / by Susan Rivers. A tale inspired by a true story follows the efforts of a Civil War veteran to discern the truth about his teen bride, who during the two years he was at war was convicted and imprisoned for allegedly having a baby in his absence and killing it. A first novel by the award-winning playwright of “Overnight Lows”.