Nancy McGee

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…

This year has been one many of us would like to forget. Even so, one good thing that has come out of it is that people are spending more time with family at home and outside. Being in the great outdoors has a way of refreshing, recharging and making lasting memories, especially in these stressful times. A.K. Smiley Public Library has some new books that will assist with planning and making your time in the outdoors more enjoyable.

“See You at the Campground:  A Guide to Discovering Community, Connection, and a Happier Family in the Great Outdoors,” by Stephanie and Jeremy Puglisi will be especially useful to inexperienced campers. They also offer suggestions that will benefit more seasoned campers, as well. Included are packing lists for different types of trips, in addition to helpful tips such as finding out in advance the location and contact information for the nearest medical facilities, and how to build and properly extinguish a campfire. Did you know that dryer lint packed into a toilet paper tube and wrapped in newspaper makes a great fire starter? Another suggestion they make that is available through our library website, is to download the Libby App and some of our e-audiobooks to listen to on road trips. This thorough and fun book covers the why, what, when, where, and how of camping, whether it’s in a cabin, tent, or RV.

Some people opt to rent an RV for their travels as opposed to owning them. Regardless, “Good Sam North American RV Travel & Savings Guide,” published by Good Sam Enterprises, will be a valuable resource for hitting the road. There are over 12,000 RV parks, campgrounds, and services in the United States and Canada highlighted, along with the ratings, contact information, prices, and amenities. There are also spotlights of things to see and do on the way to your destination and in the area once you arrive.

Looking for recommendations on what to do in the great outdoors? Falcon Guides are informative and reliable resources. “Best Easy Day Hikes Palm Springs and Coachella Valley,” by Brett Grubbs, and “Hiking Waterfalls Southern California: A Guide to the Region’s Best Waterfall Hikes,” by Liz Thomas and Justin Lichter, offer suggestions close to this area. The more adventurous might be interested in checking out Falcon Guides’ “Best Climbs Joshua Tree National Park:  The Best Sport and Trad Routes in the Park,” by Bob Gaines. Rock climbing aficionados will also want to check out Chris Santella’s “Fifty Places to Rock Climb Before You Die: Climbing Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations.”

These selections and more are available through our Books to Go program. For more information, please check our website at www.akspl.org or call 909-798-7565.

Ready, set, go… to A.K. Smiley Public Library for some adventurous memoirs to transport you away from the comforts (confinement?) of your home. Nature lovers, animal conservationists, space enthusiasts, and armchair adventurers will be carried off to far-away places in some of our new book selections.

“An Elephant in My Kitchen: What the Herd Taught Me about Love, Courage and Survival” will whisk you to Africa and a wildlife rescue center. Francoise Malby-Anthony with Katja Willemsen continue the story where “The Elephant Whisperer” by Francoise’s late husband, Lawrence Anthony, left off. Unexpectedly widowed by Lawrence’s early death, Francoise tries to carry on the work they started protecting an elephant herd on a game preserve in Africa. She faces many struggles as she manages to subsequently build a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center for elephants and rhinos. Her engrossing narrative brings to light the happiness and heartbreak of caring for orphaned and injured animals, the relationships and communication between the animals themselves and their human caretakers, plus the grim realities of poaching, even within the confines of the preserve. It would be difficult not to become emotionally involved in this memoir.

“Wild Life: Dispatches from a Childhood of Baboons and Button-Downs” by Keena Roberts, takes the reader to the author’s divided childhood growing up between two distinctively different worlds. Part of each year is spent in Botswana in Baboon Camp with her primatologist parents and younger sister studying baboon interactions and living a free and independent life. Dealing with the wild animals in their remote camp is where Keena feels most at home and alive in spite of the constant danger. The other part of the year is spent back in Philadelphia attending a private school when her parents must return to the university which enables them to continue their grant to study in Africa. Imagine having to try and fit into a structured academic setting with peers who can’t even begin to understand her experiences and realizing she prefers to be in the unpredictable wild than with the teasing and lack of acceptance she endures. Keena’s descriptions put you in the midst of all of her adventures and this is a memoir that is captivating and hard to put down.

Astrophysicist Sara Seager was captivated by the stars at a young age. She shares her career and life journey in “The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir.” Readers with an interest in space exploration will relish this selection as there are plenty of details on her research and discoveries in searching for exoplanets and another Earth. Time magazine listed her as “one of the twenty-five most influential people in space.” Her personal life has not been without struggles and heartbreak which she also openly shares. Her adult diagnosis of autism gives her some clarity and being widowed with two young boys does not stop her from continuing to pursue her passion.

These memoirs and others await you in the New Book section of the A.K. Smiley Public Library, available either by Books-to-Go reservation or an in-person visit. The hours for public access are Mondays and Tuesdays 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.