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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Crosswords

 



Definition of cruciverbalist: 
a person skillful in creating or solving crossword puzzles

 On April 1-3, the 44th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament will be held in Stamford CT.  

I can't help but wonder if how a person goes about doing crosswords bears any reflection on their personality.  Whether they prefer pen or pencil, paper or digital.  I can't help but think that my preference to use erasable pens might imply that I'm just trying to look more confident than I really am...


The Crossword Puzzler's Handbook: Over 1,500 Words You Need to Know

Crossword Puzzler's Handbook, Revised Edition has all the answers to help you become an expert crossword puzzler. With 1,500 words and their definitions to help you name that obscure actress from the 30s or a three-letter word for "vase," solving crossword puzzles has never looked so easy. This pocket-sized handbook is the perfect gift for the crossword puzzle lovers in your life.

Crossword mysteries. A puzzle to die for 

DVDA brilliant crossword puzzle editor finds her life turned upside-down when she is pulled into a police investigation after several of the clues in her recent puzzles are linked to unsolved crimes. Proving her innocence means leaving the comfort of her sheltered world and working with a tough police detective, puzzling through clues together in order to crack the case, as the two are fish out of water in each other's worlds


Two Across: A Novel by Bartsch, Jeffrey


"Stanley and Vera, academically precocious but awkward teenagers, form a bond when they tie for first place in the National Spelling Bee. Though their mothers have big plans for them-Stanley will become a senator, Vera a mathematics professor-neither wants to follow these pre-determined paths. So Stanley hatches a plan to marry Vera in a sham wedding for the financial freedom to pursue his one true love: crossword puzzle construction. In enlisting Vera to marry him, he neglects one variable: she's secretly in love with him, a fact that dooms his plan to disaster. Once he's lost her, Stanley tries to atone for his mistakes and win her back using coded messages in crossword puzzles-but can he find her again before it's too late?"-- Provided by publisher.



 

When an opportunity arises for the tearoom to host a special event with famed puzzle maker Bill Markham, Jan is elated! The event brings in puzzle lovers from all over Lancaster, Maine, but at Tea for Two, mystery often lurks in unexpected places. When Katelyn Grande begins her puzzle, she quickly realizes that it was made specifically for her-as a declaration of love! As Jan and Elaine set out to discover who the would-be paramour might be, they quickly find the clues more challenging and cryptic than any of Bill's legendary puzzles. Meanwhile, when Jan's granddaughter Avery begins practicing her cello after school at the tearoom, she confides in Elaine about problems she's having with a friend. Can Elaine draw on the wisdom she gained by raising her own children to help the girl navigate the difficult waters of preteen angst?



His friends know what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott Ferdowsi can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion. With his parents pushing him to settle on a "practical" career, Scott sneaks off to Washington, DC, seeking guidance from a famous psychologist who claims to know the secret to success. He meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. Now Scott is sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo and even giving the crossword thing a try. Will he be able to find out who he is-- and who he wants to be?-- Adapted from dust jacket.


Monday, March 28, 2022

Transgender Day of Visibility - March 31

The International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31st, celebrates transgender people, their many contributions to society and brings awareness to the discrimination they face.


https://www.glsen.org/activity/transgender-day-visibility


Fine: A Comic About Gender by Ewing, Rhea

"Graphic artist Rhea Ewing celebrates the incredible diversity of experiences within the transgender community with this vibrant and revealing debut. For fans of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home and Meg-John Barker's Queer, Fine is an essential graphic memoir about the intricacies of gender identity and expression. As Rhea Ewing neared college graduation in 2012, they became consumed by the question: What is gender? This obsession sparked a quest in their quiet Midwest town, where they anxiously approached both friends and strangers for interviews to turn into comics. A decade later, their project has exploded into a fantastical and informative portrait of a surprisingly vast community spread across the country. Questions such as How do you identify? invited deep and honest accounts of adolescence, taking hormones, changing pronouns-and how these experiences can differ depending on culture, race, and religion. Amidst beautifully rendered scenes emerges Ewing's own visceral story growing up in rural Kentucky, grappling with their identity as a teenager, and ultimately finding themself through art-and by creating something this very fine"--. Provided by publisher.


Frankie & Bug by Forman, Gayle

It's summer, and all ten-year-old Bug wants to do is go to the beach with her older brother and hang out with the interesting personalities around her Venice, California, home. But Danny is too big to want to spend time with her and Bug's mom is too busy. Fortunately, their neighbor Philip's nephew, Frankie, has come to visit. Bug's not too sure about hanging out with a boy at first, but when they decide to start their own search for a local criminal, they form an instant bond. And as the summer unfolds, old secrets and new truths bubble to the surface, teaching Frankie and Bug some important lessons about life and family.

My Life in Transition: A Super Late Bloomer Collection by Kaye, Julia

My Life in Transition is a story that's not often told about trans lives: what happens after transition. Both deeply personal and widely relatable, this collection illustrates six months of Julia's life as an out trans woman - about the beauty and pain of love and heartbreak, struggling to find support from bio family and the importance of chosen family, moments of dysphoria and misgendering, learning to lean on friends in times of need, and finding peace in the fact that life keeps moving forward.

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Kuklin, Susan

"Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves."--Amazon.com, viewed February 12, 2014.



"Fine artist, activist, and Titans actor Chella Man uses his own experiences as a deaf, transgender, genderqueer, Jewish person of color to talk about cultivating self-acceptance and acting as one's own representation"--Publisher marketing.







"All Amanda Jetté Knox ever wanted was to enjoy a stable life. She never knew her biological father, and while her mother and stepfather were loving parents, the situation was sometimes chaotic. At school, she was bullied mercilessly, and at the age of fourteen, she entered a counselling program for alcohol addiction and was successful. While still a teenager, she met the love of her life. They were wed at 20, and the first of three children followed shortly. Jetté Knox finally had the stability she craved--or so it seemed. Their middle child struggled with depression and avoided school. The author was unprepared when the child she knew as her son came out as transgender at the age of eleven. Shocked, but knowing how important it was to support her daughter, Jetté Knox became an ardent advocate for trans rights. But the story wasn't over. For many years, the author had coped with her spouse's moodiness, but that chronic unhappiness was taking a toll on their marriage. A little over a year after their child came out, her partner also came out as transgender. Knowing better than most what would lie ahead, Jetté Knox searched for positive examples of marriages surviving transition. When she found no role models, she determined that her family would become one. The shift was challenging, but slowly the family members noticed that they were becoming happier and more united. Told with remarkable candour and humour, and full of insight into the challenges faced by trans people, Love Lives Here is a beautiful story of transition, frustration, support, acceptance, and, of course, love."-- Provided by publisher.



"Internet creator and activist Jackson Bird demystifies the transgender experience by sharing his own story, while debunking trans history milestones and educating readers with Transgender 101 facts"-- Provided by publisher.




Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition by Hill, Katie Rain

  • "In this young adult memoir, a transgender girl shares her personal journey of growing up as a boy and then undergoing gender reassignment during her teens"-- Provided by publisher.







Amanda Hardy only wants to fit in at her new school, but she is keeping a big secret, so when she falls for Grant, guarded Amanda finds herself yearning to share with him everything about herself, including her previous life as Andrew.




"Fifteen-year-old Spencer Harris is a proud nerd, an awesome big brother, and a David Beckham in training. He's also transgender. After transitioning at his old school leads to a year of isolation and bullying, Spencer gets a fresh start at Oakley, the most liberal private school in Ohio. At Oakley, Spencer seems to have it all: more accepting classmates, a decent shot at a starting position on the boy's soccer team, great new friends, and maybe even something more than friendship with one of his teammates. The problem is, no one at Oakley knows Spencer is trans--he's passing. So when a discriminatory law forces Spencer's coach to bench him after he discovers the "F" on Spencer's birth certificate, Spencer has to make a choice: cheer his team on from the sidelines or publicly fight for his right to play, even though it would mean coming out to everyone-- including the guy he's falling for"--. Provided by publisher.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Let's Get Sauced


National Sauce Month:
March

When I think of Sauce, I automatically think of pasta.  Red sauce, marinara, and how it never seems proper without a neckbone, a menagerie of Italian herbs and spices, and some hard-boiled eggs hidden in the pot, it's just how my Italian-American grandmother made it, and yes, she'd add a dash of sugar to cut the acidity.

Of course, there is way more than just marinara in the sauce spectrum.  Taste of Home gives a list of 7 need-to-know sauces, with 5 of them being what is referred to as "mother sauces".

Béchamel
Velouté
Espagnole.
Sauce Tomate.
Hollandaise.


My cooking skills being incredibly limited, are best left to things like slow cookers.  SuperBowl Sunday I was determined to make something (and not spend more than can be afforded on whatever weird craving my husband had decided on).  I was also determined not to put too much effort into it.  So into the slow cooker went a package of chicken tenderloin and bbq sauce.   My husband was iffy on the bbq sauce, as were the kids, apparently, I live with a bunch of people who think saucy things should just be attitudes.  Undeterred, I thought, well, let's experiment, of course, I lack many of the ingredients that recipe books say to use for bbq sauce.  Instead of bbq sauce from scratch, I just doctored a bottle of hickory-smoked bbq sauce.  In went ketchup, brown sugar, some Jack Daniels, more bbq sauce, and some more brown sugar.  I thought it was excellent and my husband reluctantly agreed, though seemed to not want to admit that I had been right all along.





Featuring over 400 step-by-step recipes in 1500 fabulous photographs, make every meal memorable with this practical and accessible guide to the complementary sauces, salsas and accompaniments.





Presents a look into the kitchens and smokehouses of the South's most revered pitmasters, exploring how the marriage of meat, cooking method, and sauce varies from place to place based on history and culture, climate, available ingredients, and wood.




"Can't you just smell the sizzle? Is your mouth watering yet? Here are more than 50 tested and beloved recipes from the founder of one of the top ten barbecue restaurants in the United States! Get the expert's advice on choosing a grill or smoker; secrets of super sauces; tips on turning out mouthwatering meat, seafood, and veggies; and just about everything else any grill chef would want to know. Whether outdoor cooking is your summertime hobby or your year-round passion, this book belongs with your favorite grilling tools."--Back cover.

Living Lively: 80 Plant-Based Recipes to Activate Your Power & Feed Your Potential by Thomas, Haile

When her father developed Type 2 diabetes, the family began looking into ways to improve his condition without having to rely on medication with dangerous potential side effects. Changing their dietary habits improved her dad's health, and radically transformed Thomas' life. Learning everything she could about nutrition, Thomas expanded her reach to make the biggest positive impact possible in the world-- particularly in under-served and at-risk communities. She believes that by incorporating healthy, plant-based dishes into our daily routine, we can boost qualities such as confidence, happiness, and positivity, giving us the energy we need to change our lives and the world. -- adapted from Amazon info



"Drew Barrymore has always done things in her own unique way--including how she cooks, lives, and finds happiness at home. In her first lifestyle and cookbook, Drew shares recipes, stories from her life, and personal photos that show how she lives a healthy, delicious, and joyful life through her own rebellious brand of homemaking"--. Provided by publisher.



During the early months of the pandemic, Ray and her husband John went to work in their home kitchen, hosting the cooking show on broadcast TV, with John as the iPhone cameraman. This is a scrapbook of the year, in recipes and words. She focused on foods that could be made from pantry items, that would make people happy: comfort foods in a difficult time. Cooking became the discipline, diversion, and devotion that got Rachel and John through the year. -- adapted from back cover and Introduction.



The co-owner of two Latin restaurants in Hoboken, New Jersey, presents 500 recipes from the Latin world ranging from Mexico to Argentina and all the Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean including adobos, sofritos, empanadas, tamales, ceviches, moles and flan.



"A poignant and transporting cross-cultural love story set against the lush backdrop of the Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hour"--. Provided by publisher.



"Murphy's Mercantile, known as the Merc, has been a staple in Jewel Bay for over a hundred years. To celebrate their recent makeover as a gourmet food market, Erin has organized a town festival, Festa di Pasta, featuring the culinary goods of Jewel Bay's finest--including her mother Fresca's delicious Italian specialties. But Erin's sweet success is soured when the shop's former manager, Claudette, is found dead behind the Merc on the Festa's opening night. With rival chef James Angelo stirring up rumors that Fresca's sauce recipes were stolen from Claudette, Erin's mother is under close scrutiny. Now Erin will have to hunt down some new suspects, or both her family and her store might wind up in hot water..."--P. [4] of cover.



"Spices are flying off the shelves of Spice It Up!, and Piper Prescott couldn't be happier. It's that time of year again--time for the annual Brandywine Creek Barbecue Festival. Soon contestants and BBQ aficionados from all over the Southeast will converge on the town. Many of Brandywine Creek's citizens plan to participate in the week-long festivities and are busily concocting savory rubs and sassy sauces. Among the locals vying for the grand prize are Becca Dapkins and Maybelle Humphries. The women have been arch enemies ever since Buzz Oliver dumped Maybelle after a thirteen-year courtship and started seeing Becca. When Becca's body is found near one of the festival booths, bludgeoned by a brisket, Maybelle becomes one of Chief Wyatt McBride's top suspects. Determined to help clear her friend's name, Piper begins her own investigation, much to McBride's consternation. As the festival draws closer, will Piper and Reba Mae be able to find the real killer and clear Maybelle's name? Will Piper make it to the annual shag contest with Doug Winters, the mild-mannered vet she's been seeing? And, who will win the BBQ cook-off? A mouth-watering entry in Gail Oust's "must-read" (Publishers Weekly) spice shop series featuring an unstoppably fabulous crime-solving heroine, a colorful cast of small-town characters, and more than a pinch of Georgia charm, Kill 'Em with Cayenne is sure to delight cozy fans of all stripes"-- Provided by publisher.






Monday, March 21, 2022

World Introverts Week

 

Several years ago, one of my friends was introduced to Myers-Briggs, which takes the traits of introversion/extraversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, judging/perceiving, and then classifies personality types as a person having one of each of these 4 categories, for a total of 16 types.  She of course took this as a chance to analyze everyone she knew.  I was determined to be an INFP,  Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving: "Although they may seem quiet or unassuming, Mediators (INFPs) have vibrant, passionate inner lives. Creative and imaginative, they happily lose themselves in daydreams, inventing all sorts of stories and conversations in their minds. These personalities are known for their sensitivity – Mediators can have profound emotional responses to music, art, nature, and the people around them."   I didn't argue that assessment, as it sounds a lot nicer than "Maladaptive Daydreamer".  https://www.16personalities.com/infp-personality

The Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing by Emre, Merve

  • "An unprecedented history of the personality test that has achieved cult-like devotion, devised a century ago by a pair of homemakers and found today in boardrooms, classrooms, and beyond. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most popular personality test in the world. It has been harnessed by Fortune 100 companies, universities, hospitals, churches, and the military. Its language--of extraversion vs. introversion, thinking vs. feeling--has inspired online dating platforms and Buzzfeed quizzes alike. And yet despite the test's widespread adoption, experts in the field of psychometric testing, a $500 million industry, struggle to account for its success--no less to validate its results. How did the Myers-Briggs test insinuate itself into our jobs, our relationships, our Internet, our lives? First conceived in the 1920s by the mother-daughter team of Katherine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, a pair of aspiring novelists and devoted homemakers, the Myers-Briggs was designed to bring the gospel of Carl Jung to the masses. But it would take on a life of its own, reaching from the smoke-filled boardrooms of mid-century New York to Berkeley, California, where it was honed against some of the twentieth century's greatest creative minds. It would travel across the world to London, Zurich, Cape Town, Melbourne, and Tokyo; to elementary schools, nunneries, wellness retreats, and the closed-door corporate training sessions of today. Drawing from original reporting and never-before-published documents, The Personality Brokers examines nothing less than the definition of the self--our attempts to grasp, categorize, and quantify our personalities. Surprising and absorbing, the book, like the test at its heart, considers the timeless question: What makes you you"-- Provided by publisher.


  • A big part of being an introvert is how exhausting social interaction can be. Being around extraverts being their full-throttle selves is especially draining; even fictional ones. I've had to commit some books to a DNF (did not finish) pile, because the main character was so outgoing, high-strung, or nosy, that I was feeling antsy and drained just reading about them.
    The third full week of March is National Introverts Week.

https://introvertdear.com/


Introvert Doodles: An Illustrated Look at Introvert Life in an Extrovert World by Wilson, Maureen

Whoever said there's strength in numbers lied. Meet Marzi. She's an introvert who often finds herself in awkward situations. Marzi used to feel strange about her introverted tendencies. Not anymore! Now she knows that there are tons of introverts out there just like her--introverts who enjoy peace and quiet, need time alone to recharge their battery, and who prefer staying in with their pet and a good book to awkward social interactions. Just like Marzi, these introverts can often be found in libraries, at home watching Netflix, brainstorming excuses to miss your next party, or doodling cute cartoons. Being an introvert in an extrovert world isn't always easy, but it certainly is an adventure. In Introvert Doodles, follow Marzi through all of her most uncomfortable, charming, honest, and hilarious moments that everyone--introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between--can relate to.



This illustrated gift book of short comics illuminates author Debbie Tung's experience as an introvert in an extrovert's world. Presented in a loose narrative style that can be read front to back or dipped into at one's leisure, the book spans three years of Debbie's life, from the end of college to the present day. In these early years of adulthood, Debbie slowly but finally discovers there is a name for her lifelong need to be alone: she's an introvert. The first half of the book traces Debbie's final year in college: socializing with peers, dating, falling in love (with an extrovert!), moving in, getting married, meeting new people, and simply trying to fit in. The second half looks at her life after graduation: finding a job, learning to live with her new husband, trying to understand social obligations when it comes to the in-laws, and navigating office life. Ultimately, Quiet Girl sends a positive, pro-introvert message: our heroine learns to embrace her introversion and finds ways to thrive in the world while fulfilling her need for quiet.



An introvert braves the cybersex, the pitfalls of eating out alone, the difficulties of weight gain, and other hurdles faced by shy people living in a world that urges us to be cool as "J" humorously recounts her life in all its awkward glory.






The Secret Lives of Introverts: Inside Our Hidden World by Granneman, Jenn



On behalf of those who have long been misunderstood, rejected, or ignored, fellow introvert Jenn Granneman writes a compassionate vindication--exploring, discovering, and celebrating the secret inner world of introverts that, only until recently, has begun to peek out and emerge into the larger social narrative. Drawing from scientific research, in-depth interviews with experts and other introverts, and her personal story, Granneman reveals the clockwork behind the introvert's mind--and why so many people get it wrong initially. Chapters include:

The Science of Introversion
Introverts Aren't Unsociable--We Socialize Differently
Let's Be Awkward Together--Introverts in Relationships
Do I Really Have to Do This Again Tomorrow? Introverts and Career
Inside the Introvert's Inner World
And much more!


Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Cain, Susan

In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts--from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, impeccably researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.



Why are some people worriers, and others wanderers? Why do some people seem good at empathizing, and others at controlling? We have something deep and consistent within us that determines the choices we make and the situations we bring about. But why should members of the same species differ so markedly in their natures? What is the best personality to have; a bold one or a shy one, an aggressive one or a meek one? And are you stuck with your personality, or can you change it? Daniel Nettle takes the reader on a tour through the science of human personality, introducing the five 'dimensions' on which every personality is based, and using an unusual combination of individual life stories and scientific research. Showing how our personalities stem from our biological makeup, Nettle looks at the latest findings from genetics and brain science, considers the evolutionary origins and consequences of personality variation, and even includes a questionnaire for you to assess your own personality against the five dimensions. There is no optimal personality to have. Rather, every disposition brings both advantages and disadvantages. Life is partly the business of finding a niche where your personal characteristics work for you. Full of human as well as scientific insight, this book will enable you to understand the perils and potentials of your personality to the full.



This book leads you step-by-step through the process of determining and verifying your personality type, providing real-life case studies of people who share your type, and introducing you to the key ingredients your work must have for it to be genuinely fulfilling. Using workbook exercises and explaining specific job search strategies, Do What You Are identifies occupations that are popular with your type and offers a rundown of your work-related strengths and weaknesses to customize your job search, ensuring the best results in the shortest time. Whether you are a millennial, a first-time job seeker, a baby boomer looking for a second act, or an established professional seeking post-career fulfillment, Do What You Are will help you discover the right career for you.




Wednesday, March 16, 2022

World Storytelling Day

 

The theme of World Storytelling Day 2022 is “Lost and Found”. It was inspired by all that we lost in the past years and the hope of stories inspiring us to find it back again. Storytellers all over the world will tell stories on March 20 2022 on this theme.   https://internationalstoryteller.com/world-storytelling-day/

Nothing seems to get lost quite like the stories of women and their many contributions throughout history.  Luckily within these books, some of those stories have been found again.  For example, in 2009, someone finally asked where female artists of the Renaissance were, a search began, and as of January of 2021, 2000 works of art have been recovered, 70 of them have been restored, and the stories of their creators are starting to come to light.  ('Where Are The Women?': Uncovering The Lost Works Of Female Renaissance Artists by SYLVIA POGGIOLI).




"Looking through the ages and across the globe, [the authors] have reclaimed the stories of twenty-five remarkable women who dared to defy history and change the world around them. From Mongolian wrestlers to Chinese pirates, Native American ballerinas to Egyptian scientists, Japanese novelists to British Prime Ministers, [this book] will reframe the history that you thought you knew"--Provided by publisher.



"Providing a new and illuminating look at 27 women who've changed the world, Dead Feminists ties these historical women and the challenges they faced into the most important issues of today. Based on the cult-following limited edition Dead Feminists letterpress poster series by illustrator Chandler O'Leary and letterpress artist Jessica Spring, the book combines new art and lettering, archival photographs and ephemera, and revisits the original poster to tell each woman's story. Each chapter is a call to action (Protect, Make, Grow, Teach, Lead, Tell, Share, Play), and shows how the women exemplified that quality in their own ways. This book takes feminist inspiration to a new level of artistry and shows how ordinary and extraordinary women have made a difference throughout history (and how you can too!)"-- Provided by publisher.



Based on Mackenzi Lee's popular weekly Twitter series of the same name, Bygone Badass Broads features 52 remarkable and forgotten trailblazing women from all over the world. With tales of heroism and cunning, in-depth bios, and witty storytelling, Bygone Badass Broads gives new life to these historic female pioneers. Starting in the fifth century BC and continuing to the present, the book takes a closer look at bold and inspiring women who dared to step outside the traditional gender roles of their time. Coupled with riveting illustrations and Lee's humorous and conversational storytelling style, this book is an outright celebration of the badass women who paved the way for the rest of us.



"She was black and a woman and a prosecutor, a graduate of Smith College and the granddaughter of slaves, as dazzlingly unlikely a combination as one could imagine in the New York of the 1930s--and without the strategy she devised, Lucky Luciano, the most powerful Mafia boss in history, would never have been convicted. When special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey selected twenty lawyers to help him clean up the city's underworld, she was the only member of his team who was not a white male. Eunice Hunton Carter, Stephen Carter's grandmother, was raised in a world of stultifying expectations about race and gender, yet by the 1940s her professional and political successes had made her one of the most famous black women in America. But her triumphs were shadowed by prejudice and tragedy. Greatly complicating her rise was her difficult relationship with her younger brother, Alphaeus, an avowed Communist who--together with his friend Dashiell Hammett--would go to prison during the McCarthy era. Yet she remained unbowed. Moving, haunting, and as fast-paced as a novel, [this book] tells the true story of a woman who often found her path blocked by the social and political expectations of her time. But Eunice Carter never accepted defeat, and thanks to her grandson's remarkable book, her long-forgotten story is once again visible."--Dust jacket.


"A Black Woman Did That is a celebration of strong, resilient, innovative, and inspiring women of color. With a vibrant mixture of photography, illustration, biography, and storytelling, author Malaika Adero will spotlight well-known historical figures and women who are pushing boundaries today--including Ida B. Wells, Madam CJ Walker, Shirley Chisholm, Serena Williams, Mae Jamison, Stacey Abrams, Jesmyn Ward, Ava DuVernay, and Amy Sherald."--publisher's description.



"One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her story of fighting to belong in school and society -a powerful role model for young adults with a passion for activism"--. Provided by publisher.




"Biography of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, an American woman who pioneered codebreaking in WWI and WWII but was only recently recognized for her extraordinary contributions to the field"--. Provided by publisher.





Fannie Sellins (1872-1919) lived during the Gilded Age of American Industrialization when the Carnegies and Morgans wore jewels while their laborers wore rags. Fannie dreamed that America could achieve its ideals of equality and justice for all, and she sacrificed her life to help that dream come true. Fannie became a union activist, helping to create St. Louis, Missouri, Local 67 of the United Garment Workers of America. She traveled the nation and eventually gave her life, calling for fair wages and decent working and living conditions for workers in both the garment and mining industries. Her accomplishments live on today. This book includes an index, glossary, a timeline of unions in the United States, and endnotes.



With her characteristic wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Penelope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world-famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison or Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.



"Interviews with astonishing women from history! How did Elizabeth I smash the Spanish Armada? How did Anne Frank's diary help her deal with despair? Was Ching Shih the world's coolest pirate queen? Uncover all this and more in Corpse Talk, the hilarious and mind-expanding chat show that brings famous corpses back to life!"-- cover page 4.





"An historical and imaginative tour-de-force, WAKE brings to light for the first time the existence of enslaved black women warriors, whose stories can be traced by carefully scrutinizing historical records; and where the historical record goes silent, WAKE reconstructs the likely past of two female rebels, Adono and Alele, on the slave ship The Unity. WAKE is a graphic novel that offers invaluable insight into the struggle to survive whole as a black woman in today's America; it is a historiography that illuminates both the challenges and the necessity of uncovering the true stories of slavery; and it is an overdue reckoning with slavery in New York City where two of these armed revolts took place. It is, also, a transformative and transporting work of imaginative fiction, bringing to three-dimensional life Adono and Alele and their pasts as women warriors. In so doing, WAKE illustrates the humanity of the enslaved, the reality of their lived experiences, and the complexity of the history that has been, till now, so thoroughly erased"--. Provided by publisher



"America's modern culinary history told through the lives of seven pathbreaking chefs and food writers. Who's really behind America's appetite for foods from around the globe? This group biography from an electric new voice in food writing honors seven extraordinary women, all immigrants, who left an indelible mark on the way Americans eat today. Taste Makers stretches from World War II to the present, with absorbing and deeply researched portraits of figures including Mexican-born Elena Zelayeta, a blind chef; Marcella Hazan, the deity of Italian cuisine; and Norma Shirley, a champion of Jamaican dishes. In imaginative, lively prose, Mayukh Sen-a queer, brown child of immigrants-reconstructs the lives of these women in vivid and empathetic detail, daring to ask why some were famous in their own time, but not in ours, and why others shine brightly even today. Weaving together histories of food, immigration, and gender, Taste Makers will challenge the way readers look at what's on their plate-and the women whose labor, overlooked for so long, makes those meals possible"--. Provided by publisher.



Raised on a cattle ranch, Agnes Morley was sent to Stanford University to learn to be a lady. Yet in no time she exchanged her breeches and spurs for bloomers and a basketball; and in April 1896 she made history. In a heart-pounding game against the University of California at Berkeley, Agnes led her team to victory in the first-ever intercollegiate women's basketball game, earning national attention and putting women's basketball on the map.


 Check out more from our catalog here:  





"The most common characteristic of women's history is to be lost and discovered, lost again and rediscovered, lost once more and re-rediscovered - a process of tragic waste and terrible silences that will continue until women's stories are a full and equal part of the human story."




Favorite Books Read in 2024

2024 has been a reading slump for me.  I struggled to select which books to read.  I also struggled to settle myself so I could just sit and...