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25 items

• The Library Book

  Orlean, Susan,

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• Enemies in Love

  a German POW, a Black Nurse, and An Unlikely Romance

  Clark, Alexis,

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  A marvelous story of a German American romance during WWII and after.

• Reasons to Stay Alive

  Haig, Matt, 1975-

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  It seems as if everyone I know is dealing with anxiety in their lives -- if not personally, then with someone who is dear or near to them. This book is part memoir and part self-help and along the way it dispenses wisdom on how to deal with panic…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Democracy in Chains

  the Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America

  MacLean, Nancy,

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  This book shows how the work of economist James McGill Buchanan influenced the radicals who took over the Republican Party and enabled the dismantling of our democratic institutions.

• The Little Prince

  Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de, 1900-1944,

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  It is a fable that has many valuable lessons about friendship and human relationships as well as the importance of kindness and how we should treat each other. I have read it many times since I was first introduced to it in grade school and with…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Siddhartha

  Hesse, Hermann, 1877-1962,

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  This is one of those books that you can read over again, during different times in your life. Each time there is the opportunity to get something different from it. Reading it allows me to reflect on the big picture of life, what it means and what's…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Master and Margarita

  Bulgakov, Mikhail, 1891-1940,

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  Top 5 books I've ever read.

• The Overstory

  a Novel

  Powers, Richard, 1957-

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  This book tells the stories of nine individuals whose actions serve to help save trees from extinction, with the trees and their plight paralleling family and individual as well as societal struggles. Climate issues, immigration, war, geography,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• History's Greatest Speeches

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  Some of the most important speeches from the best minds that are still relevant today. It makes you think about how far we've come...and how far we haven't. Remembering the past is crucial to succeeding in the future.

• First, We Make the Beast Beautiful

  a New Journey Through Anxiety

  Wilson, Sarah, 1974-

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  Though this book is written primarily for people who suffer from diagnosed anxiety disorders, its discussions about anxiety in general and living mindfully would be helpful for anyone trying to sort through feelings of overwhelmedness, fear, and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• My Brilliant Friend

  Ferrante, Elena,

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  My favorite essay, "A Room of One's Own," relocated to Italy and transformed into an engrossing, fearless epic about the causes and casualties of sexism. The mysteriousness of the pseudonymous author, and the implications around identity and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• White Apples and the Taste of Stone

  Poems, 1946-2006

  Hall, Donald, 1928-2018,

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• Author Rebecca Solnit

  View on bibliocommons.com

  "The Mother of All Questions" by Rebecca Solnit: Rebecca Solnit, for me, is the greatest living feminist writer. Her ability to synthesize and distill news, literature, poetry, and art into original perceptions gives me insight, awareness, and hope.

• The Cost of Living

  a Working Autobiography

  Levy, Deborah,

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  Booker award nominee Levy charts a new existence in this prescient memoir as a newly divorced woman. Hers is a story full of independence, and courage, and is one that certainly will have many more chapters.

• I Contain Multitudes

  the Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

  Yong, Ed,

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  Because it stirred a sense of wonder. So much of our world seems known, but I never ceased to be amazed at what is unknown...and how there are universes within worlds.

• The Color of Law

  a Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

  Rothstein, Richard,

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  This book was revelatory for me. While I was aware of some of the practices that had perpetuated the racial wealth gap (Redlining, The disproportionate distribution of the GI Bill) I was astonished to see how deeply racism ran through every aspect…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Beautiful Country Burn Again

  Democracy, Rebellion, and Revolution

  Fountain, Ben,

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• The Prophet

  Gibran, Kahlil, 1883-1931,

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  It speaks to all faiths without dogma and within the 26 prose poems you find words of wisdom that help get you through life in both happy times and sad times. It is not moralistic and it encourages humanity to be non-judgmental.

• The Best American Nonrequired Reading

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• Oh, the Places You'll Go!

  Seuss, Dr.,

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  Nothing in life is guaranteed. This deceptively simple book makes this point very clear to any (and every) reader.