NEW Book Club Bags
July 2016
NOTE: Book Club Bag listings are now noting other editions of the title that are available at the North Mankato Taylor Library using the following codes: LP = Large Print, A = Audiobook, DA = Downloadable audiobook, E = Downloadable eBook.
Between the World and Me. Ta-Nehisi Coates.
In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s construction of “race” and the resulting crisis today. E
Big Stone Gap. Adriana Trigiani.
Ave Maria reaches her thirty-fifth year and resigns herself to the single life, filling her days with hard work, fun friends, and good books. Then, one fateful day, Ave Maria’s past opens wide with the revelation of a long-buried secret that will alter the course of her life. Before she knows it, Ave Maria is fielding marriage proposals, trying to claim her rightful inheritance, and planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy—one that will change her view of the world and her own place in it forever. A, E
The Boys in the Boat. Daniel Brown.
Out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler.LP, A, DA, E
Eat Move Sleep: How Small Choices Lead to Big Changes. Tom Rath.
Eat right, move more, sleep better in order to live a longer and healthier life. Each chapter focuses on three findings and ideas concerning those three basic ingredients of a good day. He counsels against diet and exercise crazes and the American myth that ties productivity to little sleep. Little decisions about mundane things, from what you eat to how you sleep, can have a significant impact on your life. E
The Girl on the Train: A Novel. Paula Hawkins.
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night, allowing her to watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck every day. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good? LP, A, DA, E
The Guise of Another. Allen Eskens.
MN detective Alexander Rupert’s life is in a serious downward spiral. A Medal of Valor winner, Alexander is now under subpoena by a grand jury on suspicion of corruption. When he happens across a complex case of identity theft, Alexander sees an opportunity to rehabilitate his tattered reputation. But the case explodes into far more than he could have expected, putting him in the path of trained assassin Drago Basta, a veteran of the Balkan wars.DA, E
A Man Called Ove: A Novel. Fredrick Backman.
Elderly Ove is known amongst locals as “the bitter neighbor from hell.” One November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, leading to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations. A, DA, E
Persuasion. Jane Austen.
Eight years before the story proper begins, she is happily betrothed to a naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, but she precipitously breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. When later Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain, he finds Anne's family on the brink of financial ruin and his own sister a tenant in Kellynch Hall, the Elliot estate. All the tension of the novel revolves around one question: Will Anne and Wentworth be reunited in their love? DA, E
See reverse for more NEW book club bags! à
Second Wind: Navigating the Passage to a Slower, Deeper, and More Connected Life. Dr. Bill Thomas.
As the Post War generation entered adulthood, they saw three models of what an adult could be: hippies, activists, and squares—the “square” model becoming the dominant model. Now, many Boomers now feel “stuck” inside the frenzied, performance-based, money-driven world that no longer suits them. But if they can learn to go slower, go deeper, and be more connected to themselves, their loved ones, and other members of their community, they can find the wisdom, happiness, and fulfillment that comes with a life that is in balance.
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes. Diane Chamberlain.
In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child. CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she knows what happened to her missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die in order to protect a lifetime of lies. A, DA, E
Junior Book Club Bags
Dead End in Norvelt. Jack Gantos.
Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional,Dead End in Norveltis a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named Jack Gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a feisty old neighbor with a most unusual chore―typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launched on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder. DA
Ramona Forever. Beverly Cleary.
Life can move pretty fast—especially when you're in the third grade, your teenage sister's moods drive you crazy, and your mom has a suspicious secret she just won't share. Plus, Mr. Quimby's new job offer could have the entire family relocating. It's a lot to handle for Ramona. But whatever trial comes her way, Ramona can count on one thing for sure—she'll always be Ramona…forever! DA