Nancy McGee

A.K. Smiley Public Library has a wide variety of new books about famous and infamous personalities with more coming in every week. Aside from the many selections on musicians, actors, and sports figures, there are also new books on first ladies, royalty, authors, criminals, and spiritual leaders. While there are far too many to list, here are a few for your consideration from the latter categories.

First ladies: “Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight,” by Julia Sweig; “The Triumph of Nancy Reagan,” by Karen Tumulty; “Eleanor in the Village: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Search for Freedom and Identity in New York’s Greenwich Village,” by Jan Jarboe Russell.

Royalty: “Prince Philip Revealed,” by Ingrid Seward; “The Last Queen: Elizabeth II’s Seventy Year Battle to Save the House of Windsor,” by Clive Irving; “Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters,” by Andrew Morton; “Queens of the Crusades: England’s Medieval Queens, 1154-1291,” by Alison Weir; “Meghan and Harry: The Real Story,” by Lady Colin Campbell.

Authors: “Poet Warrior: A Memoir,” by Joy Harjo; “Two-way Mirror: The Life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning,” by Fiona Simpson; “Sometimes You Have to Lie: The Life and Times of Louise Fitzhugh, Renegade Author of Harriet the Spy,” by Leslie Brody; “Mad at the World: A Life of John Steinbeck,” by William Souder.

Criminals: “Bugsy Siegel: The Dark Side of the American Dream,” by Michael Shnayerson; “El Chapo: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Infamous Drug Lord,” by Noah Hurowitz; “The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for a Victorian Era Serial Killer,” by Dean Jobb.

Spiritual leaders: “His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography,” by Tenzin Geyche Tethong.

Come in and browse our new book section or check our catalog online at www.akspl.org for books in your areas of interest.

Just a reminder that our main biography section is located downstairs, along with our science fiction, western, young adult, children’s biography, and paperback collections.

Our Friends of the Library bookstore is also downstairs where you might just find some beautiful books to purchase for holiday gift-giving!

Adventurous spirits, human-animal connections, incredible journeys, kindness of strangers, danger, and unexpected fame—these three new non-fiction books have all of these things in common, and more. They also rank highly on my list of interesting books that I thoroughly enjoyed.

“The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey across America” by Elizabeth Letts is a story you won’t soon forget. In the fall of 1954, 63-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins, who had pretty much lost everything and had been told she only had a couple of years to live, decided she wanted to see the Pacific Ocean. She set out on horseback with her dog, very little money in her pocket, no maps, and no real plan, except to get to California. Her journey of over 4,000 miles took over a year and was packed with unexpected events and lots of kindness from strangers. Annie’s story and travels were picked up by the Associated Press and she became quite the humble celebrity.

“Nala’s World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe” is a modern-day adventure which in many ways parallels Annie Wilkins’ story. Dean Nicholson and a friend decided to ride their bikes around the world, but not far into their journey, the friend decided to return home. Nicholson chooses to venture on alone until he discovers an abandoned kitten on the side of a remote mountain road and she becomes his traveling companion. Their bond and story captured some attention on the internet and now they can be followed on their own Instagram account, @1bike1world, on YouTube, and on worldwide news media. Nicholson has used this attention for good by raising money for animal sanctuaries and other environmental causes. He and Nala have made friends all over the world and they are still traveling on.

“World Wild Vet: Encounters in the Animal Kingdom” is Dr. Evan Antin’s accounts of traveling to take care of wild animals in their environments. His “office” can be found in oceans, jungles, on the savannah, or in his Thousand Oaks practice. His travels and perilous adventures have taken him to six continents. Dr. Antin’s concern for the animals and their conservation is evident, along with his desire to educate people about these precious creatures. There are color photographs included, but I admit to taking to the internet to look up some of the more unusual animals he describes, but does not show. Dr. Antin can also be followed on Instagram and YouTube, as well as on his show, “Evan Goes Wild,” on Animal Planet.

A.K. Smiley Public Library is open and the New Book Section is well-stocked and waiting for you. There are several memoirs and biographies about both famous and unknown individuals. Here are a few narratives that are fascinating, entertaining, and informative.

“Nowhere Girl: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood,” by Cheryl Diamond is a real page-turner. Raised in a fugitive family of five, the only constant in her life was frequently changing locations and identities. Cheryl lived in multiple countries with six assumed identities by the age of nine. This book is a real thrill ride with chapters headed with her age and where she was living at the time, as far back as age four. Fans of suspense novels, Tara Westover’s “Educated,” Jeannette Walls’ “The Glass Castle,” or Tyler Wetherall’s “No Way Home” will enjoy dipping into this memoir.

“Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: A Memoir” written anonymously, is a dual memoir, of sorts, and a bit quirky. Duchess Goldblatt, age 81, is a fictional character that exists only on Twitter and in the author’s clever mind. The unknown writer who created the duchess did so in the midst of some very difficult times in her own life. It has been a positive thing for both herself and for many of her faithful Twitter followers who have been uplifted by her witty, compassionate, and off-the-wall tweets. There is a mutual admiration between Lyle Lovett (who knows the identity of the creator), the duchess, and the author. A fun and inspiring read that will leave you wanting more and lead you to a Twitter search for the lovable lady and her community of followers.

“Miracle Country: A Memoir,” by Kendra Atleework is inspiring and informative. Readers familiar with the Owens Valley area of California will find this even more interesting with Kendra’s intertwining of her personal history, growing up in the tiny remote community of Swall Meadows, and the environmental history of the region. Her descriptive writing encompasses her family, indigenous people, settlers, water rights, extreme weather, fires, observations, loss, and love.

May is Mental Health Month. Now, more than ever, seems a good time to raise awareness about mental health. The A.K. Smiley Public Library’s new book section has many selections from different perspectives on mental health issues, with a few examples mentioned here.

“Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind,” by Judson Brewer, MD, PhD; “Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery,” by Catherine Gildiner; “Emotional Inflammation: Discover Your Triggers and Reclaim Your Equilibrium During Anxious Times,” by Lise Van Susteren, MD and Stacey Colino; “Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life,” by Christie Tate; “Depression, Anxiety, and Other Things We Don’t Want to Talk About,” by Ryan Casey Waller; “The Long Night: Readings and Stories to Help You Through Depression,” by Jessica Kantrowitz; “Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life,” by Craig Groeschel; “The Upside of Being Down,” by Jen Gotch with Rachel Bertsche; “Hilarious World of Depression,” by John Moe; “Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety: Nourish Your Way to Better Mental Health in Six Weeks,” by Drew Ramsey, MD; “When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids,” by Abigail Gewirtz, PhD.

The Young Adult section located downstairs in the Library also has a few new books to check out, as well. “Beneath the Surface: A Teen’s Guide to Reaching Out When You or a Friend is in Crisis,” by Kristi Hugstad; “Anxiety…I’m So Done With You: A Teen’s Guide to Ditching Toxic Stress and Hardwiring Your Brain for Happiness,” by Jodi Aman; “Rewire Your Anxious Brain for Teens:  Using CBT, Neuroscience & Mindfulness to Help You End Anxiety, Panic & Worry,” by Debra Kissen, PhD, Ashley D. Kendall, PhD, Michelle Lozano, LMFT, and Micah Ioffe, PhD.

A.K. Smiley Library is open for in-person visits. Refer to the website at www.akspl.org for hours and also for information on our e-books and databases which are available 24/7. Knowledge is power!

Calling all music fans! The New Book Section is brimming with selections featuring musicians in many genres, with more on the way. As the saying goes, there is something for everyone!

Pop/Rock:  “America the Band: An Authorized Biography,” by Jude Warne; “Resistance: A Songwriter’s Story of Hope, Change, and Courage,” by Tori Amos; “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” by Mariah Carey with Michaela Angela Davis; “Do You Feel Like I Do: A Memoir,” by Peter Frampton with Alan Light; “George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters,” edited by Ashley Kahn; “Wild Thing: The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix,” by Philip Norman; “Let Love Rule,” by Lenny Kravitz with David Ritz; “Relentless: Unleashing a Life of Purpose, Grit, and Faith,” by John Tesh; “Black Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock and Roll,” by Maureen Mahon.

Rap:  “Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter,” by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson; “The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America,” by Marcus J. Moore; “I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion But Found My Faith,” by Lecrae with Tyler Burns; “Bring that Beat Back: How Sampling Built Hip-Hop,” by Nate Patrin.

Folk/Country:  “Joan Baez: The Last Leaf,” by Elizabeth Thomson; “Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest,” by Ian Zack; “Gentle on My Mind: In Sickness and Health with Glen Campbell,” by Kim Campbell; “Me and Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust: My Friendship with Patsy Cline,” by Loretta Lynn with Patsy Lynn Russell; “She Come by It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs,” by Sarah Smarsh; “Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics,” by Dolly Parton with Robert K. Oermann.

Jazz:  “Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time,” by Philip Clark; “Peggy Lee: A Century of Song,” by Tish Oney; “Straighten Up and Fly Right: The Life and Music of Nat King Cole,” by Will Friedwald; “Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s,” by Jeff Gold.

Classical:  “Mozart: The Reign of Love,” by Jan Swafford; “Composers: Their Lives and Works;” “The Complete Classical Music Guide;” “Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music,” by Alex Ross.

Indian Classical:  “Indian Sun: The Life and Music of Ravi Shankar,” by Oliver Craske.

Browse the library catalog online for these and other titles at www.akspl.org. Books are currently available for checkout through our Books to Go program. Also, watch for an announcement about the library reopening to the public with limited hours and special precautions…