My LINKcat AccountI admit it. I take the blame. It is all my fault. Why, only last week I was waxing almost poetically about the end of summer and how we had entered the autumnal phase of the year. I know. I know, I know. I was tempting fate and most importantly, I had failed to knock on wood. And what is the result? Since I put those words to paper last week the temperatures have been steadily rising and look to continue in the low to mid-80s at least until the publication day of this column. For those of you who can't wait for autumn to begin, I apologize. For those of you who love summer and hate to see it go, you're welcome! While the weather may be fickle, the length of days and the book publishing trade are not. The inexorable shortening of days continues apace which provides longer evenings which to get cozy with a good book. The publishing trade has moved into full production of its Fall Title Lists which is a happy coincidence in that they provide books for those longer evenings. Expect new titles from all the bestselling authors to hit the shelves soon. In the meantime, below you will find some of the new books which recently arrived at the library. Enjoy!
New Non-Fiction
“The Beast in the Clouds: The Roosevelt Brothers’ Deadly Quest to Find the Mythical Giant Panda” by Nathalia Holt. Recounts the perilous expedition into the Himalayas to find the elusive panda undertaken by the two eldest sons of Theodore Roosevelt in 1928, chronicling their scientific achievements, physical hardships, and the broader impact of their journey on Western conservation efforts.
“Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization” by Bill McKibben. The acclaimed environmentalist presents a compelling call to embrace solar energy as a transformative force, highlighting its potential to combat climate change, challenge entrenched power structures and to reshape our economic, political and environmental future.
“The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze That Captured Turn-of-the-Century America” by David Baron. Recounts early twentieth-century Mars mania, following Percival Lowell’s rise and fall as he championed the belief in intelligent Martians, revealing how scientific speculation, public fascination, and cultural projection transformed the red planet into both a symbol of hope and a mirror of human ambition.
“The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World” by Peter Brannen. Traces carbon dioxide’s role from the origins of life to today’s climate crisis, revealing how it has shaped Earth’s habitability, influenced mass extinctions, and impacted human development, while arguing that understanding its deep history is key to confronting our planetary emergency.
“Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves” by Johnathan Walton. Victim-turned-investigator Johnathan Walton, host of the Queen of the Con podcast, shares 14 red flags to use to spot con artists, drawing from hundreds of real-life cases and his personal mission to bring scammers to justice.
New Fiction
“Dawn of Fate and Fire (Godslayer)” by Mariely Lares. A Zorro reimagining, and the second book in a duology, weaves Mesoamerican mythology and 16th-century Mexican history into a swashbuckling historical fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, treachery and romance.
“To the Moon and Back” by Eliana Ramage. After fleeing domestic violence for the Cherokee Nation, Steph Harper dedicates her life to escaping Oklahoma and reaching NASA, but her relentless pursuit of independence strains her ties with her sister Kayla, her girlfriend Della, and her mother Hannah.
“Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories” by Lee Child. These are the origin tales of all the Reacher novels written solely by Lee Child, chock full of colorful anecdotes and intriguing inspirations; one by one, they expand upon each novel and place it in the context not only of the author’s life, but of the world outside the books.
“Amity” by Nathan Harris. In 1866 New Orleans, formerly enslaved siblings Coleman and June are separated, only to embark on perilous, individual journeys through the Mexican desert to reunite and seize the freedom they were promised.
“The Girl With Ice in Her Veins” by Karin Smirnoff. As unrest simmers in the snowbound town of Gasskas, Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist are drawn into a web of violence and buried histories involving a murdered journalist, a missing hacker, and Lisbeth’s vanished niece, forcing them to confront dangers both personal and political.
“Apostle’s Cove, No. 21 (Cork O’Connor Mysteries)” by William Kent Krueger. Just before Halloween, former sheriff Cork O’Connor reopens a decades-old murder case at his son’s urging as whispers of the Windigo grow louder and bodies begin to fall in the latest addition to the long-running series following “Spirit Crossing”.
“The Hallmarked Man (Cormoran Strike)” by Robert Galbraith. When dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop, the police initially believe it to be that of a convicted armed robber, but not everyone agrees with that theory.
“The Phoebe Variations” by Jane Hamilton. When 17-year-old Phoebe meets her birth family for the first time, the emotional fallout drives her to flee with the help of her best friend Luna, seeking refuge and transformation in the chaotic home of her friend Patrick O’Connor and his thirteen siblings