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Author: Rebecca

--Staff Picks

“Smoke and Ashes” by Amitav Ghosh

Are you mad right now? Want to feel more mad? Good! Step right up. Amitav Ghosh’s nonfiction book about the opium trade, which he researched while writing his historic fiction Ibis trilogy, is a doozy. The Portuguese Catherine of Braganza married Charles II and became the queen of England in the late 1600s. She is […]

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April Booklist: Jazz Appreciation Month 2025

April is Jazz Appreciation Month! We’ve curated a list of classic jazz albums to begin listening to, or to revisit. You can explore this and other booklists on our Booklists page! Albums shown: Somethin’ Else, Cannonball Adderley Chet Baker Sings, Chet Baker Journey in Satchidananda, Alice Coltrane Yardbird Suite, Charlie Parker Ella: The Lost Berlin […]

--Staff Picks

“Kneecap” by Rich Peppiatt

“Kneecap” is a new film about the Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, from Belfast. I had never heard of the group prior to watching this movie. Actually, I had no idea what the film was about–I had just heard it was good. “Kneecap” stars the three actual members of the group Kneecap, and tells the story […]

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March Booklist: Los Angeles

Los Angeles has always captured our imagination and provides the inspiration for so many books, movies, albums, etc.. It’s a real city with real people, but it’s also a place woven into the fabric of our national mythology. Love it or hate it, you can’t escape it (unless you’re Kurt Russell). You can explore this […]

--Booklists

February Booklist: Black History Month

Black history is American history! Celebrate and learn about Black history all year long–it’s as easy as visiting the library; or reading a book (Libby, Hoopla), watching a movie (Kanopy, Hoopla), or listening to some tunes (Freegal, Hoopla) from the comfort of your phone or other personal device. Need some reading suggestions? Check out our […]

--Staff Picks

“Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968” by Ryan H. Walsh

I’m not going to lie, I haven’t yet finished “Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968.” Even so, only 50 pages in, it’s one of those books you can’t wait to jump back into when you have a break from the daily grind. This book tells the story of the creation of “Astral Weeks” by […]

--Staff Picks

A.I. Revolution (DVD)

Engagingly narrated by journalist Miles O’Brien, this short documentary by Nova provides a brief introduction to and overview of artificial intelligence–some basic concepts, as well as various advantages and concerns. If you have been wanting to learn more about this technology that does and will affect all of us increasingly as it grows better and […]