Jennifer Downey

Welcome to 2022! New Year’s is a time for appreciating the past and looking forward to the future. This year, my resolution is to begin the year by reading the six novels on the 2021 Booker Prize short list. Every year, the Booker Prize selects six contenders for the best novel of the year, with the winning author taking a place in history alongside such greats as Margaret Atwood, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 2021’s list features tales that take the reader across the world, back in time, into the tangled web of the internet, and even to other planets.

A Passage North by Anuk Arudpragasam takes on the topic of Sri Lanka’s 30-year Civil War. Protagonist Krishan, having heard of the mysterious death of a beloved family caretaker, leaves the safety of Colombo for the dangerous, war-torn Northern Province to pay his respects while absorbing the violence and devastation of war. This novel is unique in that it contains no dialogue. It takes place entirely in Krishan’s mind as he sifts through his memories, regrets, and grief. It’s a risky concept, but Arudpragasam pulls it off with the skill of a master storyteller.

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead tells the epic story of Marian Graves, a fearless aviator who attempts to circle the earth from pole to pole. Orphaned in a shipwreck along with her twin brother, Marian becomes fascinated by airplanes while being raised by her uncle in Montana. Marian lives life on her own terms, consistently challenging gender norms and pushing her limits. Marian becomes a legend after she disappears in 1950. One hundred years after her birth, in 2014, Hadley Baxter, an unhappy actress, prepares to play the role of Marian in a Hollywood movie. This is a sweeping adventure story in every sense, and it will have you turning the 600+ pages in anticipation of what will come next for both Marian and Hadley in their seemingly polar-opposite lives.

Patricia Lockwood’s No One is Talking About This introduces the reader to a nameless woman who lives her entire life online, existing in what she deems “The Portal.” Failing to see the absurdity of her reality, she receives two urgent texts from her mother and is suddenly jolted her out of the endless scroll of The Portal and into the real world. Unable to discern between being disconnected from The Portal and being disconnected from reality, she must learn to live a completely different life – one that, as the title suggests, nobody talks about online.

The Fortune Men by Nadia Mohamed centers around Mahmood, a Somalian man in 1950s Cardiff, Wales. Mahmood is a gambler and small-time thief whose antics land him in and out of debt, while his charm endears him to his neighbors. When a Jewish shopkeeper is found murdered, the townspeople begin to whisper about Mahmood, and soon a witch hunt is underway. Mahmood is admittedly a criminal, but he’s no murderer, and he’s confident that his neighbors will help him prove his innocence. Based on a true story about the last man to be hanged in Cardiff, this book explores prejudice, false assumptions, and mob mentality.

Richard Powers’ Bewilderment is a difficult book to categorize. Elements of science fiction, philosophy, and neuroscience converge in this tale of a father/son relationship. Set in a dystopian future, widowed astrobiologist Theo is raising his loving yet volatile nine-year-old son, Robin, while exploring the possibility – or perhaps the reality – of life on other planets. Determined not to put Robin on psychotropic medication, Theo explores otherworldly options. No spoilers – you’ll have to read this one yourself to find out how far Theo will go to save both his son and the planet.

And the winner is…South African writer Damon Galgut’s The Promise. This novel examines a family slowly falling apart outside Pretoria over the course of four funerals. The titular promise of a house of her own is made by the family’s white matriarch on her deathbed to her Black maid, Salome. What follows is a reflection of the social issues facing post-apartheid South Africa – broken promises, devastating decisions, intergenerational confusion, and post-colonial culpability. Readers of J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer will appreciate Galgut’s powerful writing.

Did the judges make the right choice? Come on down and check out these and other noteworthy books and reach your own conclusion.

From Smiley Library to your home, we wish you a happy new year of reading!

The California State Library has generously made use of State COVID-19 funding to supply A.K. Smiley Public Library with six new electronic resources to help with job hunting and skill building.

These new eResources will be available through September 30, 2022. They may be accessed at the Library or from your home.

 

• Coursera partners with colleges and universities to teach interactive courses leading to “gateway” certifications, which help people get into entry-level jobs where they can continue learning as they move up in their careers.
• GetSetUp is specifically for adults over 55. It features live classes on physical, mental, social, and vocational health. The main objective is to help close the digital divide and teach adults over 55 new skills.
• Learning Express has many test preparation resources and also teaches basic adult core skills such as reading and writing improvement, grammar, and college preparation. This resource can also be used to prepare for the citizenship test. Learning Express is integrated with the job searching website Indeed, so you can search for appropriate jobs without having to leave the site.
• LinkedIn Learning offers state-specific exam preparation in seven languages. Coursework in business, technology, and related areas is offered. This resource is designed for people who have a good working knowledge of technology and wish to keep learning.
• NorthStar Digital Library is helpful for adult learners looking to expand their job opportunities and basic computer skills. You may log on to take an assessment test leading to a specific learning pathway. Essential computer skills for people in today’s job market are taught at a slower pace, and certificates or online badges are awarded when a class is completed.
• SkillShare is an interactive online learning community with a focus on creativity. Learning goals are suggested depending on individual interests. You can use this platform to learn everything from crafts to web design.

These resources can be found on Smiley Library’s eLibrary page at www.akspl.org/elibrary/, along with many other electronic resources for research, learning, and entertainment.

                                  

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15. It is a celebration of the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

We invite you to visit Smiley Library and check out our wide selection of both fiction and nonfiction books celebrating the richness of Hispanic heritage. Here are a few of our favorites.

Quiara Alegría Hudes’ new memoir, My Broken Language, tells her story of growing up with a white atheist father and Lukumí practicing Puerto Rican mother in West Philadelphia. “Qui Qui” grew up fascinated by her mother’s extended family, but confused about where she fit in. The family would alternate between speaking English and Spanish depending on whether her father was at home, resulting in Hude’s titular “broken language.” Hudes describes her lifelong obsession with language and music, which culminated with her attending Yale and Brown Universities and becoming a renowned playwright. This book is a joyous and thoughtful examination of identity, belonging, and community.

Gordo, a collection of short stories by Jaime Cortez, takes us into the world of a teenage son of migrant workers in California’s Central Valley during the 1970s. In each story, Gordo navigates between his two worlds – middle school and the fields. Along the way, he wrestles with bullying, body issues, and homophobia. Gordo is whip-smart and kind, but also painfully aware that he doesn’t meet the cultural expectations of Mexican-American men, much to the disdain of his father and classmates. The stories in this coming-of-age tale run the gamut from sweetly funny to heartbreaking. Gordo is a character who will touch your heart and stay on your mind long after closing the book.

Horizontal Vertigo: A City Called Mexico, written by Juan Villoro and translated by Alfred J. MacAdam, explores the vast history of Mexico City, where Villoro was born and raised. His essays combine history, personal memories, and observations about the sprawling shape of the city, which was built horizontally because of the earthquakes that have racked the area through the ages. Throughout its complex history, Mexico City has earned its reputation as both a dangerous landscape and a thriving metropolis. Villoro expertly takes the reader through the city with a personal touch. If you enjoy reading about travel and history, you’ll be sure to enjoy this one.

Fans of magical realism will enjoy The President and the Frog by Carolina De Robertis. This novel tells the story of the aging former president of a Latin American country (the actual country is not revealed) who is interviewed by a reporter about his history of leading his country out of violence and into peacefulness. Once a tyrannical guerrilla fighter, the former president reveals that he discovered the path to peaceful leadership while in solitary confinement as a political prisoner with only a boisterous, talkative frog for company. Perhaps this talking frog was real and perhaps he wasn’t, but it doesn’t actually matter, as the president credits him with teaching him the way out of darkness. De Robertis’ lyrical prose, deep with symbolism that rings true in these troubled times, is sure to captivate you.

All these books and more can be found in the new book section. We also have many books in Spanish in our world languages collection. Come on by and take a look!

For more of our books, new and older, examining Hispanic heritage themes, please see our National Hispanic Heritage Month reading list.

Did you know that your A.K. Smiley Library card gives you access to databases, magazines, streaming movies, newspapers, and much more? Just go to our website, www.akspl.org, and click on eLibrary to get started.

We’re excited to announce that we recently added a new database: Black Life in America, presented by NewsBank. This learning resource breaks down various eras of African-American history from 1704 to today. Source material comes from over 19,000 global news sources. The database is updated regularly as new news stories unfold. This is a helpful resource for students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about Black history and culture.

Job searchers and students can benefit from Brainfuse JobNow. This all-in-one resource takes you through all the steps of job-searching, from writing a dazzling resume to acing an interview. JobNow can match you with a tutor for live help with job coaching and resume preparation. You’ll also find help with applying for unemployment benefits and finding local job-searching resources. This resource also features practice tests including the GED, SAT, ASVAB, U.S. citizenship, and much more.

Also be sure to check out Kanopy for streaming movies and learning courses. Our latest Kanopy staff pick is “Kedi: The Cats of an Ancient City.” This award-winning documentary offers a glimpse into the lives of the thousands of cats who live in Istanbul. The felines navigate the city, interact with people and each other, manipulate deli workers into sharing a few slices of meat, and go about their daily lives in one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Armchair travelers and cat lovers will love this cat’s-eye look at life in the big city.

All this and more is free with your A.K. Smiley membership. Log on and see where we can take you!