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General Recommendations
Staff reviews: Biography and memoir
Hennepin County Library
Staff-created list
Staff recommend great books.
Hennepin County Library
Notes From A Black Man in the Natural World
Book - 2023
Remember the Central Park “birding while Black” incident of 2020? Turns out that Christian Cooper is not only an avid birder, but also a professional writ...Show more
Remember the Central Park “birding while Black” incident of 2020? Turns out that Christian Cooper is not only an avid birder, but also a professional writer and self-professed nerd. A longtime activist, this memoir about living as a Black, gay man in New York City over the past 40 years, including the advent of HIV/AIDS, also chronicles his adventures in local and international birding and writing Marvel and Star Trek comics. The unrestrained joy Cooper takes in all things birding is infectious and delightful, even to the uninitiated, and he provides plenty of practical advice for those getting started. - Martha H., Minneapolis Central Library
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Remember the Central Park “birding while Black” incident of 2020? Turns out that Christian Cooper is not only an avid birder, but also a professional writ...Show more
Remember the Central Park “birding while Black” incident of 2020? Turns out that Christian Cooper is not only an avid birder, but also a professional writer and self-professed nerd. A longtime activist, this memoir about living as a Black, gay man in New York City over the past 40 years, including the advent of HIV/AIDS, also chronicles his adventures in local and international birding and writing Marvel and Star Trek comics. The unrestrained joy Cooper takes in all things birding is infectious and delightful, even to the uninitiated, and he provides plenty of practical advice for those getting started. - Martha H., Minneapolis Central Library
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A Memoir
Book - 2020
I found Wayetu Moore's memoir of her family's experience during the outbreak of violence in Liberia during the 1990s to be utterly gripping. Readers who a...Show more
I found Wayetu Moore's memoir of her family's experience during the outbreak of violence in Liberia during the 1990s to be utterly gripping. Readers who admire the author's writing may want to try her first fiction book, She Would Be King. - Antonio B., Plymouth Library
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I found Wayetu Moore's memoir of her family's experience during the outbreak of violence in Liberia during the 1990s to be utterly gripping. Readers who a...Show more
I found Wayetu Moore's memoir of her family's experience during the outbreak of violence in Liberia during the 1990s to be utterly gripping. Readers who admire the author's writing may want to try her first fiction book, She Would Be King. - Antonio B., Plymouth Library
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A Memoir of A Life Interrupted
Book - 2021
This will be the one book I've read this year that I will recommend anyone to read. Jaouad chronicles her life right before a cancer diagnosis, her years ...Show more
This will be the one book I've read this year that I will recommend anyone to read. Jaouad chronicles her life right before a cancer diagnosis, her years of struggle with the disease, and her life in limbo after remission where she embarks to see some of the many strangers who wrote to her during her treatment. An incredibly thoughtful, honest, and unforgettable memoir about loss and living 'again in the aftermath'. - Antonio B., Plymouth Library
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This will be the one book I've read this year that I will recommend anyone to read. Jaouad chronicles her life right before a cancer diagnosis, her years ...Show more
This will be the one book I've read this year that I will recommend anyone to read. Jaouad chronicles her life right before a cancer diagnosis, her years of struggle with the disease, and her life in limbo after remission where she embarks to see some of the many strangers who wrote to her during her treatment. An incredibly thoughtful, honest, and unforgettable memoir about loss and living 'again in the aftermath'. - Antonio B., Plymouth Library
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Book - 2022
Viola writes with painful candor about growing up in squalid poverty and domestic abuse. Her rise from that to actress stardom is serendipitous and astonishing. It was hard to put this book down. - Sue H., Osseo Library
Viola writes with painful candor about growing up in squalid poverty and domestic abuse. Her rise from that to actress stardom is serendipitous and astonishing. It was hard to put this book down. - Sue H., Osseo Library
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Viola writes with painful candor about growing up in squalid poverty and domestic abuse. Her rise from that to actress stardom is serendipitous and astonishing. It was hard to put this book down. - Sue H., Osseo Library
Viola writes with painful candor about growing up in squalid poverty and domestic abuse. Her rise from that to actress stardom is serendipitous and astonishing. It was hard to put this book down. - Sue H., Osseo Library
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Book - 2012
A fictionalized autobiography of the author explores the life of a young African-American boy. The boy and his family moved to NY from the south in search...Show more
A fictionalized autobiography of the author explores the life of a young African-American boy. The boy and his family moved to NY from the south in search of a better life. However, life in Harlem makes the boy a hardened and streetwise criminal trying to survive. Manchild in the Promised Land provides you with a fast-paced, action-packed yet emotional narrative of what everyday life is for the first generation of African Americans raised in the Northern ghettos of the 1940s and 1950s. -- Jamyang D. at Southdale Library
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A fictionalized autobiography of the author explores the life of a young African-American boy. The boy and his family moved to NY from the south in search...Show more
A fictionalized autobiography of the author explores the life of a young African-American boy. The boy and his family moved to NY from the south in search of a better life. However, life in Harlem makes the boy a hardened and streetwise criminal trying to survive. Manchild in the Promised Land provides you with a fast-paced, action-packed yet emotional narrative of what everyday life is for the first generation of African Americans raised in the Northern ghettos of the 1940s and 1950s. -- Jamyang D. at Southdale Library
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Book - 2017
This memoir chronicles Lockwood's experience growing up as the daughter of a Catholic priest who is by turns profound and profane. When Lockwood and her h...Show more
This memoir chronicles Lockwood's experience growing up as the daughter of a Catholic priest who is by turns profound and profane. When Lockwood and her husband temporarily move back home, they are plunged back into a lifestyle she had tried to leave behind. This book is a great read for anyone who's grappled with what family and faith means. As a fan of Lockwood's funny, audacious poems, I was curious to see what she's like as a prose writer. The answer: just as funny, just as audacious, but also deeply observant and surprisingly tender. - Ashleigh L., Eden Prairie Library
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This memoir chronicles Lockwood's experience growing up as the daughter of a Catholic priest who is by turns profound and profane. When Lockwood and her h...Show more
This memoir chronicles Lockwood's experience growing up as the daughter of a Catholic priest who is by turns profound and profane. When Lockwood and her husband temporarily move back home, they are plunged back into a lifestyle she had tried to leave behind. This book is a great read for anyone who's grappled with what family and faith means. As a fan of Lockwood's funny, audacious poems, I was curious to see what she's like as a prose writer. The answer: just as funny, just as audacious, but also deeply observant and surprisingly tender. - Ashleigh L., Eden Prairie Library
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My Mother, Her Lover, and Me
Book - 2019
I was drawn to this memoir because of its rave reviews and it didn't disappoint. At the core, this is a story about a mother-daughter relationship and a f...Show more
I was drawn to this memoir because of its rave reviews and it didn't disappoint. At the core, this is a story about a mother-daughter relationship and a family wrought with deception. The mother, Malabar, is as intriguing as her name—charismatic, intelligent and talented, but also manipulative and self-absorbed. I especially was drawn to the exquisite descriptions of food and the romanticism of the Cape Cod setting. A page turner about family secrets, love and deception. - Jane B, Nokomis Library
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I was drawn to this memoir because of its rave reviews and it didn't disappoint. At the core, this is a story about a mother-daughter relationship and a f...Show more
I was drawn to this memoir because of its rave reviews and it didn't disappoint. At the core, this is a story about a mother-daughter relationship and a family wrought with deception. The mother, Malabar, is as intriguing as her name—charismatic, intelligent and talented, but also manipulative and self-absorbed. I especially was drawn to the exquisite descriptions of food and the romanticism of the Cape Cod setting. A page turner about family secrets, love and deception. - Jane B, Nokomis Library
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One Name, Two Fates
Book - 2010
A great read to take a peak on the two lives of two African American male with the same name but different life experiences. It teaches readers on examini...Show more
A great read to take a peak on the two lives of two African American male with the same name but different life experiences. It teaches readers on examining one's life and to reflect on experiences to become a better person. It also reminds readers how much young adults needs guidance, love, and support from people. It shows the effects of poverty, race, and a broken family to a person's life. - Honee Jam C., Edina Library
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A great read to take a peak on the two lives of two African American male with the same name but different life experiences. It teaches readers on examini...Show more
A great read to take a peak on the two lives of two African American male with the same name but different life experiences. It teaches readers on examining one's life and to reflect on experiences to become a better person. It also reminds readers how much young adults needs guidance, love, and support from people. It shows the effects of poverty, race, and a broken family to a person's life. - Honee Jam C., Edina Library
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Book - 2018
This is the honest, deeply personal, and captivating memoir of the former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Robinson grew up in her great aunt's u...Show more
This is the honest, deeply personal, and captivating memoir of the former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Robinson grew up in her great aunt's upstairs apartment on the south side of Chicago with her parents and brother. Her mother was a homemaker and her father was a boiler operator. Her upbringing was modest, but her parents gave her the deep assurance that she was good enough for any challenge in life. This confidence carried her through her years at Princeton, where she was often the only black woman in the room, her career as a corporate lawyer, and the political campaign trail. With candor and humor, Michelle shares mesmerizing stories of her family's experiences throughout eight years living in the White House. This is an engrossing book about a truly extraordinary life. - Sue H., Rockford Road Library
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This is the honest, deeply personal, and captivating memoir of the former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Robinson grew up in her great aunt's u...Show more
This is the honest, deeply personal, and captivating memoir of the former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Robinson grew up in her great aunt's upstairs apartment on the south side of Chicago with her parents and brother. Her mother was a homemaker and her father was a boiler operator. Her upbringing was modest, but her parents gave her the deep assurance that she was good enough for any challenge in life. This confidence carried her through her years at Princeton, where she was often the only black woman in the room, her career as a corporate lawyer, and the political campaign trail. With candor and humor, Michelle shares mesmerizing stories of her family's experiences throughout eight years living in the White House. This is an engrossing book about a truly extraordinary life. - Sue H., Rockford Road Library
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A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America
Book - 2019
Nefertiti Austin knew she wanted to be a mother, but when she decided to adopt a Black boy of no relation to her, she was faced with a lot of skepticism f...Show more
Nefertiti Austin knew she wanted to be a mother, but when she decided to adopt a Black boy of no relation to her, she was faced with a lot of skepticism from her family who saw this choice of parenting as bizarre and not something Black people did. If one was to adopt, you adopted a relative. But Austin knew this was the path for her, and that she wanted to be this child's mother forever. Austin wrote this book to show another version of motherhood, one that does not equal white. As a parent, I am right there with her as she tackles potty training and figures out how to get day care set up. But she is right, there are some things that she, as a single Black mother to adopted Black children, has to face much more directly than white parents do, and her candid discussion of this is invaluable. I tend to gobble up parenting and child development books for both personal and professional reasons, but this one really stands out from the rest. There is a reading group guide at the back, and the conversational style paired with the number of deep topics Austin explores makes this a solid choice for book clubs. -- Nina S., Maple Grove Library
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Nefertiti Austin knew she wanted to be a mother, but when she decided to adopt a Black boy of no relation to her, she was faced with a lot of skepticism f...Show more
Nefertiti Austin knew she wanted to be a mother, but when she decided to adopt a Black boy of no relation to her, she was faced with a lot of skepticism from her family who saw this choice of parenting as bizarre and not something Black people did. If one was to adopt, you adopted a relative. But Austin knew this was the path for her, and that she wanted to be this child's mother forever. Austin wrote this book to show another version of motherhood, one that does not equal white. As a parent, I am right there with her as she tackles potty training and figures out how to get day care set up. But she is right, there are some things that she, as a single Black mother to adopted Black children, has to face much more directly than white parents do, and her candid discussion of this is invaluable. I tend to gobble up parenting and child development books for both personal and professional reasons, but this one really stands out from the rest. There is a reading group guide at the back, and the conversational style paired with the number of deep topics Austin explores makes this a solid choice for book clubs. -- Nina S., Maple Grove Library
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Book - 2019
In her latest memoir, Alexandra Fuller writes about the life and death of her father, Tim Fuller in Budapest. Among memoirists, Fuller is a master in both...Show more
In her latest memoir, Alexandra Fuller writes about the life and death of her father, Tim Fuller in Budapest. Among memoirists, Fuller is a master in both honesty and impeccable style. Her writing is a marvel, even as it is breaking the reader's heart. You needn't read anything else by her to be thoroughly engaged in this work, but if you haven't, you will want to read it all. - Maureen M., Edina Library
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In her latest memoir, Alexandra Fuller writes about the life and death of her father, Tim Fuller in Budapest. Among memoirists, Fuller is a master in both...Show more
In her latest memoir, Alexandra Fuller writes about the life and death of her father, Tim Fuller in Budapest. Among memoirists, Fuller is a master in both honesty and impeccable style. Her writing is a marvel, even as it is breaking the reader's heart. You needn't read anything else by her to be thoroughly engaged in this work, but if you haven't, you will want to read it all. - Maureen M., Edina Library
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A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons
Book - 2019
I've been a Ben Folds fan for decades and didn't know what to expect from this, I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of a straight chronological autobiogra...Show more
I've been a Ben Folds fan for decades and didn't know what to expect from this, I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of a straight chronological autobiography, it has chapters about important music teachers, his family, the story behind "Brick," and it works really well. - Ian S., Communication
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I've been a Ben Folds fan for decades and didn't know what to expect from this, I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of a straight chronological autobiogra...Show more
I've been a Ben Folds fan for decades and didn't know what to expect from this, I was pleasantly surprised. Instead of a straight chronological autobiography, it has chapters about important music teachers, his family, the story behind "Brick," and it works really well. - Ian S., Communication
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The Life of L. M. Montgomery
Book - 2018
Devotees of L.M. Montogomery's work undoubetdly feel a kinship to her many indelible heroines and, by extension, to the author herself. This new biograph...Show more
Devotees of L.M. Montogomery's work undoubetdly feel a kinship to her many indelible heroines and, by extension, to the author herself. This new biography shows the ways in which Montgomery's own life influenced her works, most notably from the sadness of a childhood marked by death, abandonment, and austerity. However, this biography also emphasizes how Montgomery intentionally chose to use her writing to spread joy, even through the difficulties of caring for an aging grandmother and mentally ill husband and while battling her own lifelong depression. Her strength lies in the fact that she persisted in writing an impressive canon of literature even in the face of personal tragedy. While this biography shows the often harsh realities of Montgomery's life, it also celebrates the happiness she created through her fiction for both herself and her readers -- a legacy that has persisted for well over a century. - Kim T., Franklin Library
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Devotees of L.M. Montogomery's work undoubetdly feel a kinship to her many indelible heroines and, by extension, to the author herself. This new biograph...Show more
Devotees of L.M. Montogomery's work undoubetdly feel a kinship to her many indelible heroines and, by extension, to the author herself. This new biography shows the ways in which Montgomery's own life influenced her works, most notably from the sadness of a childhood marked by death, abandonment, and austerity. However, this biography also emphasizes how Montgomery intentionally chose to use her writing to spread joy, even through the difficulties of caring for an aging grandmother and mentally ill husband and while battling her own lifelong depression. Her strength lies in the fact that she persisted in writing an impressive canon of literature even in the face of personal tragedy. While this biography shows the often harsh realities of Montgomery's life, it also celebrates the happiness she created through her fiction for both herself and her readers -- a legacy that has persisted for well over a century. - Kim T., Franklin Library
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The Life and Work of Fred Rogers
Book - 2018
Sixteen years after his death, Mister Rogers is having a moment. Streaming videos that introduce his television program to a whole new generation, memes a...Show more
Sixteen years after his death, Mister Rogers is having a moment. Streaming videos that introduce his television program to a whole new generation, memes and clips shared widely on social media, and a recent critically acclaimed documentary have all contributed to a resurgence of Fred Roger's popularity. King's new biography lends its voice to this canon and offers a look at the life and work of this gentle television star. King gives a full portrait of Rogers, both confirming that he was absolutely as genuine as he appeared on TV, but also emphasizing the strength and stubbornness that he brought to his work. Rogers consulted with children's psychologist on every script he wrote, raising the bar on the quality of children's media. Rogers was unique in his approach to children, emphasizing the importance of emotional health and open communication, ideas that are now validated by current educational and psychological research. Perhaps because we live in a particularly cynical time, our society seems to be craving the honesty, integrity, and earnestness of someone like Fred Rogers, ensuring that his moment will continue for generations to come. - Kim T., Franklin Library
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Sixteen years after his death, Mister Rogers is having a moment. Streaming videos that introduce his television program to a whole new generation, memes a...Show more
Sixteen years after his death, Mister Rogers is having a moment. Streaming videos that introduce his television program to a whole new generation, memes and clips shared widely on social media, and a recent critically acclaimed documentary have all contributed to a resurgence of Fred Roger's popularity. King's new biography lends its voice to this canon and offers a look at the life and work of this gentle television star. King gives a full portrait of Rogers, both confirming that he was absolutely as genuine as he appeared on TV, but also emphasizing the strength and stubbornness that he brought to his work. Rogers consulted with children's psychologist on every script he wrote, raising the bar on the quality of children's media. Rogers was unique in his approach to children, emphasizing the importance of emotional health and open communication, ideas that are now validated by current educational and psychological research. Perhaps because we live in a particularly cynical time, our society seems to be craving the honesty, integrity, and earnestness of someone like Fred Rogers, ensuring that his moment will continue for generations to come. - Kim T., Franklin Library
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A Memoir
Book - 2018
In this memoir, the author explores her experience navigating life as a single, childless woman as she reaches her 40th birthday. I loved this book. It is...Show more
In this memoir, the author explores her experience navigating life as a single, childless woman as she reaches her 40th birthday. I loved this book. It is so nice to read a memoir telling you that your life as a woman can be purposeful, meaningful and enjoyable even if that life doesn’t include a spouse or child now or ever. “Childless spinsters” are usually portrayed as sad, selfish or desperate. I really appreciate that the author shows that that this is far from true for most. _ Molly R., Wayzata Library
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In this memoir, the author explores her experience navigating life as a single, childless woman as she reaches her 40th birthday. I loved this book. It is...Show more
In this memoir, the author explores her experience navigating life as a single, childless woman as she reaches her 40th birthday. I loved this book. It is so nice to read a memoir telling you that your life as a woman can be purposeful, meaningful and enjoyable even if that life doesn’t include a spouse or child now or ever. “Childless spinsters” are usually portrayed as sad, selfish or desperate. I really appreciate that the author shows that that this is far from true for most. _ Molly R., Wayzata Library
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The Autobiography of Clyde Bellecourt
Book - 2016
Clyde Bellecourt's memoir chronicles not only his own life, but also the rise and progress of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Bellecourt writes with a...Show more
Clyde Bellecourt's memoir chronicles not only his own life, but also the rise and progress of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Bellecourt writes with a comfortable, conversational tone; he invites readers to recognize the historical injustice of U.S. policy on Natives and to celebrate the many political, social and economic successes of AIM. Minnesotans should take particular interest in this homegrown civil rights movement and how it grew to impact indigenous peoples all over the world. - Kim T., Franklin Library
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Clyde Bellecourt's memoir chronicles not only his own life, but also the rise and progress of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Bellecourt writes with a...Show more
Clyde Bellecourt's memoir chronicles not only his own life, but also the rise and progress of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Bellecourt writes with a comfortable, conversational tone; he invites readers to recognize the historical injustice of U.S. policy on Natives and to celebrate the many political, social and economic successes of AIM. Minnesotans should take particular interest in this homegrown civil rights movement and how it grew to impact indigenous peoples all over the world. - Kim T., Franklin Library
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A Memoir
Book - 2008
An unsentimental, wise, compassionate, and at times, funny (yes, funny) memoir about the author's experience of losing her first child, affectionately cal...Show more
An unsentimental, wise, compassionate, and at times, funny (yes, funny) memoir about the author's experience of losing her first child, affectionately called Pudding, to stillbirth in her ninth month of pregnancy. She recounts the months before and during the pregnancy, living with her husband in rural France on a writing sabbatical. In unsparing, intimate detail, she retraces the moments leading up to the news that Pudding no longer had a heartbeat. She then chronicles the aftermath as she and her husband try to figure out how to go on -- moving forward and carrying the memory of Pudding with them. Although not a long book, I found myself savoring each page, not wanting it to end. I would fiercely recommend this book to anyone who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss, or anyone who has lived in the land of grief. - Heather F., Outreach
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An unsentimental, wise, compassionate, and at times, funny (yes, funny) memoir about the author's experience of losing her first child, affectionately cal...Show more
An unsentimental, wise, compassionate, and at times, funny (yes, funny) memoir about the author's experience of losing her first child, affectionately called Pudding, to stillbirth in her ninth month of pregnancy. She recounts the months before and during the pregnancy, living with her husband in rural France on a writing sabbatical. In unsparing, intimate detail, she retraces the moments leading up to the news that Pudding no longer had a heartbeat. She then chronicles the aftermath as she and her husband try to figure out how to go on -- moving forward and carrying the memory of Pudding with them. Although not a long book, I found myself savoring each page, not wanting it to end. I would fiercely recommend this book to anyone who has experienced pregnancy or infant loss, or anyone who has lived in the land of grief. - Heather F., Outreach
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How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row
Book - 2018
Can you imagine being convicted of multiple murders you never committed and sentenced to death by electrocution? In this intense memoir, Hinton recounts h...Show more
Can you imagine being convicted of multiple murders you never committed and sentenced to death by electrocution? In this intense memoir, Hinton recounts his three-decade nightmare: awaiting execution for crimes he didn't commit. In 1985, Hinton, then 29, was charged with a series of violent robberies as well as the murders of two restaurant managers in Birmingham, Ala. He passed a polygraph test and was at his job locked in a supermarket warehouse during one robbery, but that didn't prevent an all white jury from finding him guilty after only 2 hours. The death penalty recommendation took another 45 minutes. His depictions of prison life are wrenching, as when he recalls an 1987 electric chair execution and how the smell of the burning flesh burned his nose and stung his throat. An eye opening look at the injustice that is still faced by the poor and people of color in our country. A must read for anyone involved with the criminal justice system. - Jen L., Ridgedale Library
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Can you imagine being convicted of multiple murders you never committed and sentenced to death by electrocution? In this intense memoir, Hinton recounts h...Show more
Can you imagine being convicted of multiple murders you never committed and sentenced to death by electrocution? In this intense memoir, Hinton recounts his three-decade nightmare: awaiting execution for crimes he didn't commit. In 1985, Hinton, then 29, was charged with a series of violent robberies as well as the murders of two restaurant managers in Birmingham, Ala. He passed a polygraph test and was at his job locked in a supermarket warehouse during one robbery, but that didn't prevent an all white jury from finding him guilty after only 2 hours. The death penalty recommendation took another 45 minutes. His depictions of prison life are wrenching, as when he recalls an 1987 electric chair execution and how the smell of the burning flesh burned his nose and stung his throat. An eye opening look at the injustice that is still faced by the poor and people of color in our country. A must read for anyone involved with the criminal justice system. - Jen L., Ridgedale Library
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A Memoir
Book - 2018
Isolation and lack of formal education did not stop Tara Westover from her quest for knowledge. Against a backdrop of family violence and mental illness, ...Show more
Isolation and lack of formal education did not stop Tara Westover from her quest for knowledge. Against a backdrop of family violence and mental illness, Westover teaches herself math and grammar, and starts her formal education at Brigham Young University. Her journey is gripping as she struggles with family expectations, the nature of home, and a broader perspective on the world gained through education. - Heidi G., Wayzata Library
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Isolation and lack of formal education did not stop Tara Westover from her quest for knowledge. Against a backdrop of family violence and mental illness, ...Show more
Isolation and lack of formal education did not stop Tara Westover from her quest for knowledge. Against a backdrop of family violence and mental illness, Westover teaches herself math and grammar, and starts her formal education at Brigham Young University. Her journey is gripping as she struggles with family expectations, the nature of home, and a broader perspective on the world gained through education. - Heidi G., Wayzata Library
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Ultimate Slugger
Book - 2012
The name Harmon Killebrew is synonymous with the Minnesota Twins as is Joe Dimaggio with the New York Yankees and Ted Williams with the Boston Red Sox.
...Show more
The name Harmon Killebrew is synonymous with the Minnesota Twins as is Joe Dimaggio with the New York Yankees and Ted Williams with the Boston Red Sox.
Aschburner tells Killebrew's story from his time growing up in small town Idaho; to his early days languishing on the Washington Senators' bench as a "bonus baby" of that time; to his heyday of home run hitting in the Twin Cities; through his last season in Kansas City; his post baseball life; and his death from esophageal cancer.
As a child of the 60's and 70's I grew up watching Harmon hit majestic home runs, helping the Twins win many a ballgame in which they'd been trailing. Aschburner's book gave me a new appreciation of what a great human being Harmon was off the field. - Jennifer L., Ridgedale Library
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The name Harmon Killebrew is synonymous with the Minnesota Twins as is Joe Dimaggio with the New York Yankees and Ted Williams with the Boston Red Sox.
...Show more
The name Harmon Killebrew is synonymous with the Minnesota Twins as is Joe Dimaggio with the New York Yankees and Ted Williams with the Boston Red Sox.
Aschburner tells Killebrew's story from his time growing up in small town Idaho; to his early days languishing on the Washington Senators' bench as a "bonus baby" of that time; to his heyday of home run hitting in the Twin Cities; through his last season in Kansas City; his post baseball life; and his death from esophageal cancer.
As a child of the 60's and 70's I grew up watching Harmon hit majestic home runs, helping the Twins win many a ballgame in which they'd been trailing. Aschburner's book gave me a new appreciation of what a great human being Harmon was off the field. - Jennifer L., Ridgedale Library
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A Woman's Baseball Odyssey
Book - 2017
After having played on "mixed" little league baseball teams during elementary school, Ila played on all male baseball teams beginning in middle ...Show more
After having played on "mixed" little league baseball teams during elementary school, Ila played on all male baseball teams beginning in middle school. Ila went on to be the first woman to receive a baseball scholarship to college where she continued shattering gender barriers as a left handed pitcher. 1997 she signed with the St. Paul Saints of the independant Northern League. She accomplished what no woman had done since the Negro Leagues era: play men's professional baseball. A smoothly written biography focusing on all aspects of Border's life. - Jen L., Ridgedale Library
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After having played on "mixed" little league baseball teams during elementary school, Ila played on all male baseball teams beginning in middle ...Show more
After having played on "mixed" little league baseball teams during elementary school, Ila played on all male baseball teams beginning in middle school. Ila went on to be the first woman to receive a baseball scholarship to college where she continued shattering gender barriers as a left handed pitcher. 1997 she signed with the St. Paul Saints of the independant Northern League. She accomplished what no woman had done since the Negro Leagues era: play men's professional baseball. A smoothly written biography focusing on all aspects of Border's life. - Jen L., Ridgedale Library
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A Saudi Woman's Awakening
Book - 2017
As American women we take our freedom for granted. Things like driving a car and having a job are commonplace. In much of the Middle East this is not the...Show more
As American women we take our freedom for granted. Things like driving a car and having a job are commonplace. In much of the Middle East this is not the case. In 2011 Al-Sharif was arrested and jailed for driving a car in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Manal's memoir chronicles her evolution from a fiercely religious young woman into a champion of women's rights and the face of the Women2Drive movement. Her descriptions of her time in the women's jail are graphic and moving. I enjoyed this thought provoking and eye opening intimate look at life for women growing up in Saudi Arabia. -- Jen L, Ridgedale Library
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As American women we take our freedom for granted. Things like driving a car and having a job are commonplace. In much of the Middle East this is not the...Show more
As American women we take our freedom for granted. Things like driving a car and having a job are commonplace. In much of the Middle East this is not the case. In 2011 Al-Sharif was arrested and jailed for driving a car in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Manal's memoir chronicles her evolution from a fiercely religious young woman into a champion of women's rights and the face of the Women2Drive movement. Her descriptions of her time in the women's jail are graphic and moving. I enjoyed this thought provoking and eye opening intimate look at life for women growing up in Saudi Arabia. -- Jen L, Ridgedale Library
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by Chernow, Ron
Book - 2017
Chernow delivers another solid biography. I was a big fan of his Hamilton biography because he gives you a solid sense of the subject's personality and dr...Show more
Chernow delivers another solid biography. I was a big fan of his Hamilton biography because he gives you a solid sense of the subject's personality and drive. I really got to know more about Grant before his Civil War successes and the challenges he faced during Reconstruction. I also identified similarities between his personality and my own, giving me a greater sense of my own self. Maybe that's the highest compliment you can give a biography, when it breathes life into someone long gone and helps us understand folks that are still with us today. -- Ian S. in Communication
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Chernow delivers another solid biography. I was a big fan of his Hamilton biography because he gives you a solid sense of the subject's personality and dr...Show more
Chernow delivers another solid biography. I was a big fan of his Hamilton biography because he gives you a solid sense of the subject's personality and drive. I really got to know more about Grant before his Civil War successes and the challenges he faced during Reconstruction. I also identified similarities between his personality and my own, giving me a greater sense of my own self. Maybe that's the highest compliment you can give a biography, when it breathes life into someone long gone and helps us understand folks that are still with us today. -- Ian S. in Communication
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by Jahren, Hope
Book - 2016
This book holds something for everyone: the challenge of being a woman and scientist, passion for work that requires an inordinate amount of time and fund...Show more
This book holds something for everyone: the challenge of being a woman and scientist, passion for work that requires an inordinate amount of time and funding, lifelong friendship, coping with mental illness, motherhood, and fascinating facts about the biology of trees and plants. The audiobook, read by the author, was so compelling that as soon as I finished I bought a copy of the book. -- Deb G at Golden Valley Library
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This book holds something for everyone: the challenge of being a woman and scientist, passion for work that requires an inordinate amount of time and fund...Show more
This book holds something for everyone: the challenge of being a woman and scientist, passion for work that requires an inordinate amount of time and funding, lifelong friendship, coping with mental illness, motherhood, and fascinating facts about the biology of trees and plants. The audiobook, read by the author, was so compelling that as soon as I finished I bought a copy of the book. -- Deb G at Golden Valley Library
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The Story of the Father Who Raised An Unlikely Baseball Dynasty
Book - 2015
Rabid baseball fans know that the name Molina is synonymous with catcher. It's rare enough to make it to the Major Leagues in baseball yet Benjamin Molina...Show more
Rabid baseball fans know that the name Molina is synonymous with catcher. It's rare enough to make it to the Major Leagues in baseball yet Benjamin Molina Santana saw all three of his sons reach that elusive goal. Molina writes with warmth and respect of the father who trained his three sons in the lessons of baseball in a barrio in a small Puerto Rican town, grooming them to become All-Star catchers and members of world series winning teams in the major leagues. Only the DiMaggio brothers (Joe and Dominic) can rival the Molinas as the most accomplished siblings in baseball history. A truely enjoyable book that baseball fans and people wanting a good father-son story will love. -- Jen L. at Ridgedale Library
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Rabid baseball fans know that the name Molina is synonymous with catcher. It's rare enough to make it to the Major Leagues in baseball yet Benjamin Molina...Show more
Rabid baseball fans know that the name Molina is synonymous with catcher. It's rare enough to make it to the Major Leagues in baseball yet Benjamin Molina Santana saw all three of his sons reach that elusive goal. Molina writes with warmth and respect of the father who trained his three sons in the lessons of baseball in a barrio in a small Puerto Rican town, grooming them to become All-Star catchers and members of world series winning teams in the major leagues. Only the DiMaggio brothers (Joe and Dominic) can rival the Molinas as the most accomplished siblings in baseball history. A truely enjoyable book that baseball fans and people wanting a good father-son story will love. -- Jen L. at Ridgedale Library
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