Americans in Paris: Life and Death Under Nazi Occupation Charles Glass, 944.0816 GLA 2010 – Life under the Nazis as experienced by the Americans who lived in Paris from the spring of 1940 to liberation in the summer of 1944.
Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness Ariel Gore, 305.42 GOR 2010 – Can a woman be smart, empowered and happy?
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right Atul Gawande, 610.28 GAW 2009 – A noted writer and surgeon states that we can do better and find solutions to complex situations through the lowly checklist.
Danger to Self: On the Front Line with an ER Psychiatrist Paul R. Linde, 616.89 LIN 2010 – A look behind the scenes at an urban psychiatric emergency room with all its chaos and pathos.
Daring Young Men: The Heroism and Triumph of the Berlin Airlift, June 1948-May 1949 Richard Reeves, 943.155 REE 2010 – The airmen of World War II returned to emergency active duty to save the desperate people of western Berlin.
Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr Ken Gormley, 973.929 GOR 2010 – An extensive history of the polarizing scandal that almost terminated the Clinton presidency.
Diabetes Rising: How a Rare Disease Became a Modern Pandemic, and What To Do About It Dan Hurley, 616.462 HUR 2010 – A penetrating look at a disease that now affects hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us Daniel H. Pink, 153.1534 PIN 2009 – What really motivates us? Is it an external reward such as money?
Eternity Soup: Inside the Quest to End Aging Greg Critser, 613.2 CRI 2010 – An intriguing look at the multibillion dollar anti-aging industry.
Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near Death Experiences Jeffrey Long with Paul Perry, 133.9013 LON 2010 – Dr. Long presents firsthand accounts of people who have died and lived to tell about it. The author has recorded hundreds of stories and examined remarkable similarities.
A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation Daniel Menaker, 302.346 MEN 2010 – An entertaining examination of how to enjoy the fine art of social conversation.
The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade Susan Wise Bauer, 909.07 BAU 2010 – A comprehensive look at world history, and the new importance of religion, between the fourth and twelfth centuries.
If God Is Good: Faith In the Midst of Suffering and Evil Randy Alcorn, 231.8 ALC 2009 – A penetrating discussion of a fundamental human question: “How can we reconcile a good and all-powerful God with the terrible evil and suffering we see in this world?”
Inside the Teenage Brain: Parenting a Work in Progress Sheryl Feinstein, 649.125 FEI 2009 – A look at teenagers through the recent discoveries of the evolving adolescent brain.
Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery Eric Ives, 942.053 IVE 2009 – A penetrating look at the mysteries surrounding the “nine days queen.”
The Mom & Pop Store: How the Unsung Heroes of the American Economy Are Surviving and Thriving Robert Spector, 381.14 SPE 2009 – A moving celebration of independent neighborhood shops, and of the vision, passion and persistence of their owners.
My Prison, My Home: One Woman’s Story of Captivity in Iran Haleh Esfandiari, 955.0544 ISF 2009 – As she was returning home to the United States, an Iranian-American woman was arrested for being part of an “American conspiracy.”
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea Barbara Demick, 306.095 DEM 2009 – A view into North Korea, as seen through the eyes of six ordinary citizens over the span of fifteen chaotic years.
The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Taking and Start Giving Back Kevin Salwen and Hannah Salwen, 174 SAL 2010 – A family from Atlanta decided to sell their mansion and buy a house half its size, and give half of the sale price to a worthy charity. Could half be even more?
The Quants: How a New Breed of Math Whizzes Conquered Wall Street and Nearly Destroyed It Scott Patterson, 322.645 PAT 2010 – The story of four men whose “digitized money-trading machine that could shift billions around the globe with the click of a mouse” sowed the seeds for the unprecedented financial disaster.
The Routes of Man: How Roads Are Changing the World and the Way We Live ToDay Ted Conover, 388.1 CON 2010 – An enthusiastic exploration of six key roadways worldwide. A look at the costs and benefits of being connected — from ancient Rome to the present.
The Science of Liberty Timothy Ferris, 303.483 FER 2010 – The author argues that the progress of science was the inspiration behind the rise of democracy and liberalism.
Sonic Boom: Globalization at Mach Speed Gregg Easterbrook, 330.9 EAS 2009 – The author looks at the sonic boom economy: an explosive time of unprecedented growth and change that will also create anxiety and stress.
The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century Ian Mortimer, 942.03 MOR 2010 – Important facets of everyday life are shown in this down-to-earth study of the 1300’s.
The Twilight Years: The Paradox of Britain Between the Wars Richard Overy, 941.083 OVE 2009 – During the years between the wars, Britain, although intellectually vibrant, faced “a creeping fear that the West was staring down the end of civilization.”
An Uncommon Passage: Traveling Through History on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail Edited by Edward K. Muller, 974.87 UNC 2009 – An uncommon book about an important feature of Western Pennsylvania history.
Why Boys Fail: Saving Our Sons from an Educational System That’s Leaving Them Behind Richard Whitmire, 370.154 WHI 2010 – A penetrating and insightful look at a misunderstood and ignored problem. The author looks at the issues and then addresses what actually works for boys.
You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up: A Love Story Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn, 306.81 GUR 2010 – After thirteen years of being married, the authors found that “we’re just not that into us.” Instead of giving up, they’ve held their relationship together by ignoring conventional wisdom.