The United States “has more poverty than any other advanced democracy,” despite also being the richest country. Sociologist Matthew Desmond shines a light on both the well-studied and hidden reasons poverty persists - expressly, to benefit the affluent. He details steps toward abolishing poverty and what it means for our society.
Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 13th. Join us at the library for the book discussion at 10am, and hear the author speak with Illinois Libraries Presents at 7pm later the same day.
Six astronauts are sent to the International Space Station for a nine month-long mission. Their goals are abundant: monitor the effects of low gravity on the human body, track the weather on Earth, and study how microbes and plants adapt to living in space. Samantha Harvey’s Orbital, winner of the 2024 Booker Prize, follows the lives of these spacefarers over the course of 24 hours on their 88th day in the ISS. Despite the premise, Orbital is less speculative and more literary and philosophical, full of sweeping and poetic reflections on humanity, civilization, and our connection with Mother Earth. At a slim 144 pages, this novel is both a wonderfully light breeze and a very deep work of fiction that will introduce you to what the daily life of an astronaut is like. If this topic is of any interest to you, I would also like to mention that the library will be hosting a book club on May 22nd to discuss Orbital.
Cassandra Clare remains one of the most well-known names in the fantasy genre, with Swordcatcher marking her move into adult fiction as opposed to YA. Despite the book’s size at 604 pages, Clare’s flowing style keeps the book easy to read. I also loved how she built up the two protagonists on their own, giving each a chance to develop a unique personality with unique goals.
A romantasy of sorts, our story begins with Hannah, a young woman who cannot catch a break in her life. She decides to listen to one of her self-help books and do something unexpected (as suggested), and seeks out a tarot shop. Here, she is given a tarot reading that didn’t quite make sense, is given a tarot card to keep, and is quickly shown the door as though she were poison. Confused, she makes her way through her work day even worse than she started off. By the end of the night, Hannah just wants to lay back and cry, but stumbles and drops her items on the street. The tarot card falls out of her bag and as she picks it up, she blacks out, waking up to a whole new world – where she is the heroine set to save it. She meets the mysterious Kane, who promises to protect her while she sets out on her quest, even though all she wants to do is go back home! While the story is not quite Outlander or Fourth Wing, there were times it was reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and similar fantasy hero tropes. In all, The Empress is a light and fun romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud.
Kyle McCray is about to return to his hometown of Potsdam, New York. He left after his divorce from Casey, his wife of many years and his high school sweetheart. Back in Potsdam, Kyle agrees to be a temporary coach for the middle school hockey team. This puts him in contact with Casey, which is awkward. In alternating chapters, we meet Kyle and Casey when they were young and falling in love. What happened to cause this seemingly perfect couple to split up? What happened to the McCrays?
I liked Kyle and Casey; I wanted to learn why they split, and I wanted them to find their way back together. I also liked the Potsdam setting, which was not familiar to me. I enjoyed the book so much that as soon as I finished, I read two other Tracey Lange books. I liked them too!
Victorian Housecats to Knit by Sara Elizabeth Kellner
As someone who enjoys Victorian period history who also happens to knit and crochet, Victorian Housecats to Knit is a fairly new release that caught my eye. While the book itself is filled with 20 different patterns of cats to create, the amount of heart and love put into the book comes through in the way Sara created the Morgans, the Victorian family who inhabit the ‘house’ that the cats reside in. Additionally, the way each pattern is tailored to a specific room in the house was an attention to detail that I really enjoyed.
Set over a fifty-year period in Salish, Montana, as the town is slowly transformed by global warming, this novel highlights the power of change and the beauty of the ephemeral. It explores the long-reaching effects a single decision can have on a life, a marriage, family, and friendship. With complex characters, an atmospheric setting, and wonderful writing, this book (and audiobook) would be an excellent choice for fans of Elizabeth Strout or Amor Towles. It would also be a great book club pick – lots to think and talk about!
A National Book Award finalist for fiction, this book is a collection of short stories that all take place in Lagos, Nigeria. Each story centers around a woman as she tackles the everyday, oftentimes scary and a little bit magical. This book is categorized as horror, but I would consider it a collection of speculative fiction. I don’t think I’m doing a very good job describing this book, since really I do not know how, BUT it is one of the best books I have read this year so I think you should check it out ASAP.
Based on the British mystery series by Ann Cleeves, this show focuses on Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez and his tight-knot staff as they solve crimes across the Shetland Islands. The Islands themselves are main characters throughout, with stunning cinematography and plots that showcase the unique culture of the Scottish Highlands. This is a well-written, well-acted, and beautifully shot show with twisting storylines that unravel slowly over each season. For fans of British TV, police procedurals, or armchair travel.
I love a good historical drama that’s based on a true story, and this movie didn’t disappoint. It follows Prince Albert (“Bertie”) as he works to manage and find ways to reign in speech disorder so that he’s able to give speeches that instill confidence and strength to his people as he succeeds his father and becomes King George VI. This movie was filled with an amazing cast and did a really wonderful job with pacing which wasn’t action-packed - it’s not that type of movie - but had a steady pace that you’d expect and could admire. Also, the portrayal of Bertie and his speech therapist’s strong friendship that grew over time was unique and fun, but it also felt real. I highly recommend this movie for those who like watching movies that are a snippet into the life of someone in history.
Tate McRae’s third album, hitting number one instantly on the Billboard Charts the week it was released, making it her first number one album. Tate McRae brings back that early 2000s pop sound that female artists, like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, used to bring to the Pop table. It’s easy to forget that Tate is only twenty one years old, but it’s clear that this is the music she grew up listening to and idolizing. If you want a modernized take on a nostalgic pop sound, I highly recommend listening to her.
The Freddy Jones Band is playing at the Des Plaines Theater on March 28 as they embark on a special anniversary tour. The fan favorite, “In a Daydream,” a cornerstone of the band’s repertoire is turning 30. Pop? Alternative rock? You be the judge. Listen to their music on Freegal, the free library streaming service. Just log in with your Des Plaines library card 24/7.
The indie video game darling of last year is finally out in physical media and I could not recommend it more highly. Balatro has the player scoring points by playing poker hands. Really, it’s that simple. Under the hood though, there is a massively complex and modular mathematics engine that makes for a wild and highly addictive gaming experience. Collect Joker cards, upgrade hand types, and enhance your playing cards to beat all 8 blinds as you strive for the elusive infinite-point run. One of the best designed and most fun roguelikes ever made, Balatro will keep you hooked for hours with its fast, deep, and intuitive gameplay.
Treat yourself to the latest issue of Bon Appetit magazine without spending $5.99. The March issue has a beautiful cover -- different and innovative. An eye-catching way to introduce their first cover story that is all about technology and food. The issue still has lots of recipes but the details about how technology will keep your pear bruise-free and your berries red is not standard fare. Magazines are easily checked out on the Libby App or in your browser at libbyapp.com. There are thousands of titles, and back issues are included for most of them. There are no limits on how many magazines you can checkout at one time and they don’t interfere with your other Libby checkouts.
Recommended by Cathy
New! ComicsPlusoffers a free, unlimited, always available collection of comics from popular publishers including Archie Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, Dynamite & Fantagraphics, ComicPlus Full Collection, ComicsPlus Children’s Library, ComicsPlus Teen Library. Age guidelines make it easy to find age appropriate titles for adults, teens and kids.
Join our virtual film discussion. Watch the movie beforehand on Kanopy or Hoopla and then join us on Zoom to talk about it. If you need help using Zoom, see our guide here.
