A biweekly selection from our shelves, as curated by your favorite SPL librarians!
For the week of January 18, 2022: Fiction | Nonfiction | Graphic Novels | Movies/TV, Music & More
Fiction
![]() |
The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
In this action-packed magical fantasy epic, a heroine at the head of a powerful empire confronts a raging battle as she's forced to do whatever it takes to restore peace. |
![]() |
Doña Barbara by Rómulo Gallegos
Following the epic struggle between two cousins for an estate in Venezuela, Doña Barbara is an examination of the conflict between town and country, violence and intellect, male and female. |
![]() |
Electric Idol by Katee Robert
When her family executed a coup that dethroned Zeus himself, Psyche knew she was in trouble, but she wasn't prepared for Aphrodite to demand her literal heart as payment. Or for Aphrodite's gorgeous son to be the one determined to strike the blow. |
![]() |
God of Mercy by Okezie Nwọka
Reimagining the nature of tradition and cultural heritage and establishing a folklore of the uncolonized, God of Mercy is a novel about wrestling with gods, confronting demons, and understanding one's true purpose. |
![]() |
Moon and the Mars by Kia Corthron
An exploration of NYC and America in the burgeoning moments before the start of the Civil War through the eyes of a young, biracial girl--the highly anticipated new novel from the winner of the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. |
![]() |
The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley
As a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester can be a polite young lady--or a bawdy old man. She'll do whatever it takes to solve the cases her family takes on. But when Tommy's beautiful new client turns out to be the highborn lady she's secretly smitten with, more than her mission is at stake... |
Nonfiction
![]() |
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig
Poetically defining emotions we all feel but don't have the words to express, the creator of the popular online project of the same name invites readers on his epic quest to fill the gaps in the language of emotion. |
![]() |
The Price of the Ticket: Collected Nonfiction: 1948-1985 by James Baldwin
An essential compendium of James Baldwin's most powerful nonfiction work, calling on us "to end the racial nightmare, and achieve our country." |
![]() |
Quilt As You Go: A Practical Guide to 14 Inspiring Techniques and Projects by Carolyn Forster
Make a quilt in small manageable sections, with this practical guide to 14 inspiring and budget-friendly techniques & projects for anyone who wants to create simple quilts for family and friends. |
![]() |
The Trail to Kanjiroba: Rediscovering Earth in an Age of Loss by William deBuys
Written in a lush and nuanced style evocative of Paul Theroux or Peter Matthiessen, The Trail to Kanjiroba offers a surprising and revitalizing new way to think about Earthcare, one that may enable us to continue the difficult work that needs to be done. |
![]() |
Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of the Office by Brian Baumgartner and Ben Silverman
"The official oral history book of The Office, featuring exclusive interviews with every major player and never-before-seen photos, pulling back the curtain on the absurdity and genius that went in to creating this unstoppable force in American popular culture and why it continues to resonate with audiences today. |
![]() |
You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories by Gabrielle Union
In her previous book, Union revealed her own trauma as a victim of sexual assault and spoke openly of her fertility journey. In this collection of essays, she continues her story: becoming a mom to two amazing girls; an expanded career that gives her the opportunity to lift up other voices that need to be heard. But as a Black woman, a mother, an aging woman and a human being, she shows how this ever-changing life presents challenges... and moment of pure joy. |
Graphic Novels
![]() |
Barefoot Gen: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima by Keiji Nakazawa
The reissue of this classic manga's first volume has impeccable timing. It recounts the bombing of Hiroshima from the perspective of a young boy, Gen, and his family. But the book's themes (the physical and psychological damage ordinary people suffer from war's realities) ring chillingly true today. Despite its harrowing nature, this work is invaluable for the lessons it offers in history, humanity and compassion. Published to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. |
![]() |
Be Gay, Do Comics
Be Gay, Do Comics is filled with dozens of comics about LGBTQIA experiences, ranging from personal stories to queer history to cutting satire about pronoun panic and brands desperate to co-opt pride. Brimming with resilience, inspiration, and humor, an incredible lineup of top indie cartoonists takes you from the American Revolution through Stonewall to today's fights for equality and representation. |
![]() |
Ex Libris by Matt Madden
Ex Libris revolves around a character trapped in a room with nothing but a futon and a bookcase full of comics. As they peruse covers, read stories and fragments of stories, they begin to suspect that the comics contain hidden messages and... a threat. |
![]() |
ExtraOrdinary by V. E. Schwab
Taking place in the years between VICIOUS and VENGEFUL, ExtraOrdinary follows the tale of a teenage girl named Charlotte Tills who following a fatal bus crash, seemingly dies only to wake up to discover she has become an EO -- a person with ExtraOrdinary abilities. |
![]() |
Murder Book: A Graphic Memoir of a True Crime Obsession by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell
Why is it so much fun to read about death and dismemberment? In Murder Book, lifelong true-crime obsessive and New Yorker cartoonist Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell tries to puzzle out the answer. An unconventional graphic exploration of a lifetime of Ann Rule super-fandom, amateur armchair sleuthing, and a deep dive into the high-profile murders that have fascinated the author for decades, this is a funny, thoughtful, and highly personal blend of memoir, cultural criticism, and true crime with a focus on the often-overlooked victims of notorious killers. |
![]() |
Tunnels by Rutu Modan
A race for the Ark of the Covenant finds an exploration into the ethics and world of the international antiquity trade. |
Movies/TV, Music & More
Movies/TV
![]() |
Long Weekend directed by Steve Basilone Format: DVD A down-on-his-luck struggling writer, meets an enigmatic woman who enters his life at the right time. |
![]() |
Shameless. Season 11 The final season finds the Gallaghers and the South Side at a crossroads. As Frank confronts his own mortality, Lip struggles with becoming the family patriarch. Newlyweds Ian and Mickey figure out their committed relationship, while Deb embraces single motherhood. Lastly, Cart finds an unlikely new career in law enforcement while Kevin and V fight for their life on the South Side. |
![]() |
Succession. Season 2 Beginning where the first season dramatically left off, Season Two follows the Roys, media tycoon Logan and his four grown children, as they struggle to retain control of their empire amidst internal and external threats. |
Music
![]() |
The Parlor by Alabama Slim Format: CD Cornelius Chapel Records teamed up with the Music Maker Relief Foundation for this record, lovingly titled The Parlor. The album was tracked in one take for a straight-to-tape feel but was captured digitally at The Parlor recording studio. Cornelius Chapel brought in Dial Back Sound's Matt Patton (Dexateens, Drive-By Truckers) and Bronson Tew. |
![]() |
Soul: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack The soundtrack will feature a score by Oscar-winners Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, and jazz compositions by Grammy nominee Jon Batiste. Batiste will also perform the 1960's soul classic "It's All Right", originally by The Impressions. |
& More
![]() |
Fuzz by Mary Roach Format: Spoken CD Combining little-known forensic science and conservation genetics with a motley cast of laser scarecrows, langur impersonators, and trespassing squirrels, Roach reveals as much about humanity as about nature's lawbreakers. When it comes to "problem" wildlife, she finds, humans are more often the problem―and the solution. Fascinating, witty, and humane, Fuzz offers hope for compassionate coexistence in our ever-expanding human habitat. |