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The warmth of other suns : the epic story of America's great migration / |
Chicago Public Library's One Book One Chicago series has been expanded, with plenty of great programs, events and discussions to attend throughout the rest of the year. This year's book selection is Isabel Wilkerson's much-lauded The Warmth of Other Suns. The book is about the Great Migration of African Americans in the 20th Century from the Jim Crow South to the northern cities in search of opportunity. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Wilkerson's bestseller blends academic research with captivating oral history to give us a page-turning and informative narrative. We'll also be using this book as a springboard to talk about the greater themes of migration and the classic American pursuit of happiness, so please join us. (Available in multiple formats.) |
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Family pictures / |
Told from varying perspectives Jane Green's latest domestic drama tells the story of two women living parallel lives. When a secret is revealed that touches them both they find their lives are not what they seemed. Engaging from the start, this is sure to appeal to fans of women's literature. (Available in multiple formats.) |
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After visiting friends : a son's story / |
Michael Hainey, who grew up on Chicago's Northwest side, had long been haunted by his father's death, which occurred when Hainey was six. His father, a reporter for first the Tribune and the Sun-Times, was said to have been found on the street, dead from an apparent aneurism. The story never sat well with Hainey, who grew up to be a reporter himself. Approaching the age that his father was at the time of his death, thirty-five, he finally decided to investigate. What follows is his search for the truth. Hainey's story is touching not only because it reveals so much about his dad, but also about how his father's early death colored every aspect of his life and his relationship with his mother. With Chicago as a backdrop and many details of the bygone era of the newspaper business thrown in, this is a wonderful book that will appeal to history buffs, journalism enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the complex dynamics of families. |
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The Supremes at Earl's all-you-can-eat / |
At Earl's All-You-Can-Eat in Plainview, Indiana, long-time friends Barbara Jean, Clarice and Odette have been getting together every Sunday for dinner where they can laugh, gossip and commiserate about their troubles. Close-knit since high school in the 60s, these three beauties have become known as "The Supremes." With a great big heart, this warm, feel-good story from Chicago author Moore will appeal to fans of Fannie Flagg and Terry MacMillian, but with its own unique voice it will win plenty of fans of its own. (Available in multiple formats.) |
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The best of us : a novel / |
A perfect book to tote along to the beach, The Best of Us tells the story of four college friends who reunite at a Jamaican resort. They're celebrating a birthday, but the baggage they've brought along on this trip also includes their struggles with motherhood, infidelity, and the past. It's a fun, breezy page-turner that will appeal to Jennifer Weiner fans. |
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The invisible ones / |
Penney's second outing after her highly acclaimed debut, The Tenderness of Wolves, takes us to the outskirts of London during the late 80s. Detective Ray Lovell has been asked to investigate the disappearance of a young Romany (Gypsy) woman who went missing some years ago. Ray reluctantly agrees to take on the case and soon finds himself entrenched in the lives of the Jankos, a family who cling to a culture that few still embrace and many outright shun. Beautifully written and carefully plotted, this mystery will keep readers guessing and may send them running back to read Penney's earlier work. (Available in multiple formats.) |
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Stoner / |
Hardly noticed upon its release, this slim 1965 novel was reissued a decade ago and has quietly resurged in reputation since then. Recently it has caught like wildfire in several European countries, perching at #1 on the Dutch bestseller list for the last couple months. This old-fashioned, realistic novel tells the piercingly sad story of a Midwestern man born to a dirt-poor farming family who decide to send him to college. There he discovers a passion for literature and eventually becomes a professor after World War I. A contemplative, philosophical story written in beautifully plainspoken language, it's a novel about the joys and sorrows of life and love. Heartbreaking and wise, it will especially appeal to you former English majors. |