A biweekly selection from our shelves, as curated by your favorite SPL librarians!
For the week of December 21, 2021: Fiction | Nonfiction | Graphic Novels | Movies/TV, Music & More
Fiction
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Blue-Skinned Gods by SJ Sindu
From the award-winning author of Marriage of a Thousand Lies comes a brilliantly written, globe-spanning novel about identity, faith, family, and sexuality. |
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The Devil You Know by Kit Rocha
The Mercenary Librarians and the Silver Devils are back in The Devil You Know, the next installment of USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Kit Rocha's post-apocalyptic action/romance, with hints of Orphan Black and the Avengers. |
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Dog Park by Sofi Oksanen
A captivating story of intrigue, betrayal, and murder in the global fertility market--from acclaimed writer Sofi Oksanen. |
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A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli
One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning. |
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Just Thieves by Gregory Galloway
A down and dirty gem of a tale-a twisty and twisted crime novel that evokes the worldsof George V. Higgins, Patricia Highsmith, and David Mamet, destined to be a Neo-noir classic. |
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When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen
A haunting novel about a black woman who returns to her hometown for a plantation wedding and the horror that ensues as she reconnects with the blood-soaked history of the land and the best friends she left behind. |
Nonfiction
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Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation by John Lewis with Kabir Sehgal
A brilliant and empowering collection of final reflections and words of wisdom from venerable civil rights champion, the late Congressman John Lewis at the end of his remarkable life. |
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Colorization: One Hundred Years of Black Films in a White World by Wil Haygood
This unprecedented history of Black cinema examines 100 years of Black movies--from Gone with the Wind to Blaxploitation films to Black Panther--using the struggles and triumphs of the artists, and the films themselves, as a prism to explore Black culture, civil rights, and racism in America. From the acclaimed author of The Butler and Showdown. |
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New Handbook for a Post-Roe America: The Complete Guide to Abortion Legality, Access, and Practical Support by Robin Marty
A completely new edition-with a new introduction by Amanda Palmer-of Robin Marty's best-selling manual on what to do if/when Roe v. Wade is overturned. |
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Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller by Nadia Wassef
The warm and winning story of starting a bookstore where there were none, Shelf Life recounts Nadia Wassef's troubles and triumphs as founder and manager of Cairo-based Diwan. |
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Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers Is Saving Ballet from Itself by Chloe Angyal
A reckoning with one of our most beloved art forms, whose past and present are shaped by gender, racial, and class inequities--and a look inside the fight for its future |
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Watch Me Play: Twitch and the Rise of Game Live Streaming by T.L. Taylor
The first book to explore the online phenomenon Twitch and live streaming games, Watch Me Play offers a vibrant look at the melding of private play and public entertainment. |
Graphic Novels
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Firefly. Blue Sun Rising. Part Two by Greg Pak
The first-ever comic book event in the world of Joss Whedon's Firefly reaches its thrilling conclusion! Shocking losses lead to stunning decisions as Mal and the crew of Serenity must face the consequences of their choices in war against the Blue Sun Corporation. |
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Love Sickness by Junji Ito
An innocent love becomes a bloody hell in another superb collection by master of horror Junji Ito. |
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Monolith by Roberto Recchioni
A taught psychological thriller written by famed Italianscreenwriter Roberto Recchioni (ORPHANS) and beautifully painted by artist LRNZ(GOLEM). With a wide range of visual styles mirroring the changing psyche of themain character as she deals with her looming dilemma, this book is a cinematicfeast for the eyes. |
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Monstress. Volume Six, The Vow by Marjorie Liu
War has engulfed the Known World, and Maika Halfwolf is at its epicenter. As she and her friends grapple with the consequences of their actions, long-buried secrets and long-awaited reunions threaten to change everything. |
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On Tyranny Graphic Edition: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder
A graphic edition of historian Timothy Snyder's lessons for surviving and resisting America's arc toward authoritarianism, featuring the visual storytelling talents of renowned illustrator Nora Krug. |
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Two-Week Wait: An IVF Story by Luke C. Jackson, Kelly Jackson & Mara Wild
An original graphic novel based on the IVF stories of its husband-and-wife authors and the 1-in-50 couples around the world like them. |
Movies/TV, Music & More
Movies/TV
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Candyman by Nia DaCosta Format: DVD For decades, the housing projects of Chicago's Cabrini-Green were terrorized by a ghost story about a supernatural, hook handed killer. In present day, an artist begins to explore the macabre history of Candyman, not knowing it would unravel his sanity and unleash a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny. |
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Dead Pigs by Cathy Yan Format: DVD The fates of an unlucky pig farmer, a feisty home-owner defending her property, a lovestruck busboy, a disenchanted rich girl, and an American ex-pat pursuing the Chinese Dream converge and collide as thousands of dead pigs are found floating down the Huangpu River, towards a modernizing Shanghai in Cathy Yan's (Birds Of Prey) debut feature. |
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Downstream to Kinshasa by Dieudo Hamadi Format: DVD Victims seek recognition and compensation for a war between the Ugandan and Rwandan armies in the Congolese city of Kisangani. |
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Here Today by Billy Crystal Format: DVD When veteran comedy writer Charlie Burnz meets New York singer Emma Payge, they form an unlikely yet hilarious and touching friendship that kicks the generation gap aside and redefines the meaning of love and trust. |
Music
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A Gift to Pops by The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars Format: CD The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars are the cream of the crop of current New Orleans musicians, paying tribute to the musician who started it all in the Crescent City. Comprised of new arrangements and recordings of music associated with Louis by a rotating cast of key New Orleans players including guest features from Wynton Marsalis, Common, and more. |
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Home for the Holidays with Friends by Patti LaBelle Format: CD For her third Christmas album, Patti LaBelle is joined by a superstar array of special guests including Vivian Green, Ruben Studdard, and Tamela Mann. |