Nonfiction
By F.H. Buckley
Using sources as varied as chivalric legends, the Victorian gentleman’s code, and the tales of Hans Christian Andersen, Professor Buckley demonstrates that we have discarded the true meaning of liberalism. It was an attitude, an inheritance of virtues, customs, and ideals, not an ideology. Today many have banished those ideals. Buckley makes a persuasive case that regaining this lost liberalism is vital for the health and existence of our republic.
Nature
By John Muir
“The mountains are calling and I must go.” John Muir wrote those words to his sister in 1873, but the perspective abides in all his writings. Muir was born in Scotland, moved to America as a young boy, became an outdoor enthusiast, and eventually became arguably America’s greatest conservationist. Join the great naturalist in his journey through the Sierras and be transported to another time and another place. Perhaps after seeing nature through his eyes, you too may hear the mountains calling.
Novel
By Jim Geraghty
Sometimes, government itself is an invasive species. This novel explores that premise, following the fictitious USDA Agency of Invasive Species from the 1970s to the 2010s. Its charter is protecting the United States from the dangers posed by invasive plants and animals. Its real mission is providing the agency’s civil servants secure, unchallenging, yet remunerative employment, while continually growing. This book serves up Beltway realities with wicked humor and skewers bureaucratic excesses.
Biography
By Brian T. Atkinson
Nanci Griffith was one of the most influential country and folk music singer-songwriter of the late 20th century. A consummate storyteller, her songs were “three-minute novels.” Her songs had universal appeal. This new biography tells Griffith’s story through the words of those who knew and worked with her. It quotes interviews made researching the book, or memoirs or reminiscences of others in the country music scene. It gives a sensitive, realistic look at the life of a brilliant artist.
Classics
Edited by Walter Isaacson
Of all our Founders, surely Benjamin Franklin was the most entertaining, as may be seen in this diverse compendium of his writings. This “Reader” includes not only Franklin’s “Autobiography,” but also his impressions of personalities of the time, essays on everything from marriage to death, thoughts on science, and more, all undergirded with Franklin’s humor and common sense. Isaacson’s excellent introduction as well as his notes and annotations make this collection a pleasure to read.
For Kids
By Melanie Watt
Chester is a cheeky, mischievous, silly cat, armed with a red marker, who has his own ideas about just how this book should be written. Readers will double over as Chester’s red marker crosses out the author’s ideas in favor of his own throughout. How will these dueling author/illustrator pair resolve their differences? An entertaining read.
