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A most extraordinary ride : space, politics, and the pursuit of a Canadian dream / by Garneau, Marc,author.;
"A captivating and inspiring memoir by Canada's first man in space. On October 5th, 1984, Marc Garneau made history. Blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle and reaching a speed of 28,000 km/hour, he became the first Canadian to fly to outer space. That monumental achievement, now etched in Canadian history as one of our country's proudest moments, inspired a nation and ushered in a new era of space exploration for Canada. Twenty-four years later, Garneau made history yet again, becoming the first astronaut to be elected as a Member of Parliament. In between those two milestones in Garneau's unprecedented career, he was the first Canadian, and the first non-American, to serve as CAPCOM, the voice of Mission Control for the astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle. In the years that followed his historic first voyage to space, Garneau returned to space two more times, becoming the first Canadian to log three trips into orbit, and lead the Canadian Space Agency through its most dynamic years. In the House of Commons, Garneau would ultimately serve in two cabinet posts as Minister of Transport and Minister of Foreign Affairs during some of the biggest events of the past decade: the onset of one of the worst pandemics in modern times; the arbitrary detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor by China; the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban; and the death of 85 Canadian citizens and permanent residents aboard Ukrainian Airlines Flight 752, shot down by a missile over Iran. It was no surprise, then, that when Marc Garneau announced his retirement after fourteen years in government, many Canadians lamented the loss of an upstanding parliamentarian who was not afraid to speak up for causes he believed in, even if that meant bucking his own party and its leader. In Making History: Space, Politics, and The Pursuit of a Canadian Dream, Garneau chronicles his once-improbable ascent from a mischievous teenager and rebellious military officer to a decorated astronaut and statesman who represented Canada on the world stage -- both on and off the planet. With candour and humour, Garneau describes the highs and lows of his life and career, including the awe he experienced first seeing the earth from space, the tragic loss of his first wife to mental illness and suicide, sailing across the Atlantic and back in a sailboat improbably called "the Pickle," and witnessing the tragedy of the doomed shuttle Challenger. Honest and illuminating, Making History is a rare journey into the early years of Canada's space program and an inside account of the joys and challenges of governing from one of Canada's most distinguished citizens"--
Subjects: Autobiographies.; Biographies.; Garneau, Marc.; Astronauts; Politicians;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Snake oil : a novel / by Dimberg, Kelsey Rae,author.;
Rhoda West is Silicon Valley's favorite female CEO: the luminously charismatic founder of the fast-growing startup Radical, a wellness company whose core mission is the betterment of women's lives. Rhoda's Instagram page offers intimate glimpses of her personal life alongside promotions for the cult-status products developed in the Well, Radical's secretive lab. Dani Lang is a "quester," as Rhoda calls her most avid followers. Dani found Radical at a low point in her life, and took an entry level job just to get in the door. When she volunteers to test a controversial new supplement, Dani wins an opportunity to rise in the company, even to work with Rhoda herself. Cecelia Cole is a "quasher." She grinds away at the Customer Worship queue, resenting the entitled customers, the woo-woo Radical jargon, and Rhoda's smiling hypocrisy. Cecelia, who suffers from a miserable chronic illness, knows that the remedies Rhoda sells can't cure real sickness. Just as Rhoda announces another fundraising round that could turn Radical into a billion-dollar unicorn, an anonymous Twitter account begins spilling snarky gossip from inside the startup. Is Rhoda really the nurturing leader she presents to the world, or a fraud? Or is this just another case of a woman in business being punished for her strength and audacity? Tensions rise and loyalties clash, then tragedy strikes during a company party. In the aftermath of what looks more and more like a crime, even the most faithful questers begin to wonder to what lengths Rhoda will go to protect her company. Part page-turning suspense, part darkly comic skewering of startup culture, Snake Oil is a gripping exploration of ambition and authenticity, shining a revealing light on the wellness world.
Subjects: Thrillers (Fiction); Psychological fiction.; Novels.; Murder; Quacks and quackery; Secrecy; Women chief executive officers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Hate follow : a novel / by Quinn-Kong, Erin,author.;
Influencer Whitney Golden has it all: beautiful, photogenic children; a handsome new boyfriend; a gorgeous house; and designer clothes and beauty products that arrive on her doorstep every day. After spending years building her brand as a widowed mother of four (including twins!) to over a million followers, the thirty-seven-year-old is at the peak of her career. But it all comes to a screeching halt when Mia, her teenaged daughter, announces she's tired of the social media life. She wants nothing more to do with her mother's online brand, and demands that not just she, but her siblings and their deceased father be removed from Whitney's Instagram, blog, and just about everywhere else on the internet. When Whitney doesn't agree, Mia does the unthinkable: She sues her mother. What started as a family spat turns into a monumental case about child privacy, individual agency, and modern parenting that shatters Mia and Whitney's relationship and wreaks havoc on both their lives. As the case ignites a media firestorm and unrelenting online bashing from a Greek chorus of internet snarkers, Whitney has to decide whether she's willing to risk everything she's built to win back her daughter.
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Novels.; Dysfunctional families; Internet personalities; Mothers and daughters; Social media; Widows;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Out of the clear blue sky / by Higgins, Kristan,author.;
"An evocative new novel from the New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins. Beware the wrath of a woman scorned-she just might save the world. Lillie knew the empty nest would be hard when her son left for college, but she had no idea of the full extent to which her world would come crashing down-until her husband announced out of the blue that he was in love with another woman, and he would be leaving, too. Besides the fact that this announcement was a complete surprise (to say the least), what surprised her most was that she wasn't ... sad. She was furious. What was she supposed to do now? She surely couldn't look for help from her mother, who had left the family on Cape Cod to live with her new wife when Lillie was still a little girl. Lillie's sister, Hannah, had abandoned her to live a more interesting life and wouldn't be any help now either. Her father was usually her rock, but recently, he'd betrayed her by taking Ben Harriman under his wing-the man who almost ruined her life in a car accident when she was in high school. Her dad had put the guy up in the family guesthouse, which was certainly no help to Lillie at all. And she sure as hell wasn't going to get any help from Melissa, her husband's gold-digging new wife (or her oddly lost teenage niece, Ophelia). So, who was going to help her? Actually, maybe all of them. And maybe she would save them, too"--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Novels.; Divorce; Families; Interpersonal relations; Women;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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Let's never talk about this again : a memoir / by Alterman, Sara Faith,author.;
"Sara was at the tender age of 12 when she found the skeleton in her prudish parents' closet: a series of novelty sex books crammed high up on a shelf in her childhood living room, all written by Sara's ordinary suburban dad, Ira. For decades the books were an unspoken secret in Sara's family until Ira developed early onset Alzheimer's disease ... and announced he'd be reviving his novelty porn career. With Sara's help. In this cringe-worthy, unique, moving memoir--based on her New York Times piece--Sara shares the profound loss of the father she knew and loved as she attempts desperately to welcome the pervy neurological stranger who has taken his place. As heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, Let's Never Talk About This Again is a must-read confessional from a woman who spent years trying to find humor in the perverse and optimism in the darkness, and succeeded"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Alterman, Sara Faith.; Alterman, Ira; Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimer's disease;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The discreet charm of the big bad wolf / by McCall Smith, Alexander,1948-author.;
"The Department of Sensitive Crimes is downsizing in light of a recent downturn of sensitive crime, and staff members are wondering who among them will be transferred elsewhere. As the bickering between colleagues intensifies, Ulf tries his best to stay above the fray. But when Anna, a longtime friend and coworker, appears to blame him for an old case that went sideways, it seems she may be putting her own job prospects above their friendship. In the midst of all this, Ulf embarks on an important inquiry: a man's cabin has mysteriously disappeared and Ulf is tasked with finding out what happened. How exactly does one steal a house? And, more to the point, how does one track down a stolen house? Meanwhile, a promising veterinary treatment for deafness in dogs has been announced, and Ulf's dog, Martin, might be the perfect patient. This latest novel is another masterful, farcical installment in the series that defines the genre that Alexander McCall Smith is singlehandedly championing: Scandi blanc"--
Subjects: Detective and mystery fiction.; Humorous fiction.; Novels.; Varg, Ulf (Fictitious character); Criminal investigation; Detectives;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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The big bang theory : the definitive, inside story of the epic hit series / by Radloff, Jessica,author.;
"The Big Bang Theory is a television phenomenon. To the casual viewer, it's a seemingly effortless comedy, with relatable characters tackling real-life issues, offering a kind of visual comfort food to its millions of dedicated fans. But the behind-the-scenes journey of the show from a failed pilot to a global sensation is a fascinating story that even the most die-hard fans don't know in its entirety. THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE DEFINITIVE, INSIDE STORY OF THE EPIC HIT SERIES is a riveting, entertaining look at the sitcom sensation, with the blessing and participation of co-creator Chuck Lorre and executive producer Steve Molaro, as well as Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, Mayim Bialik, and more. Glamour senior editor Jessica Radloff, who has written over 150 articles on the series (and even had a cameo in the finale!), gives readers an all-access pass to its intrepid producing and writing team and beloved cast. It's a story of on-and-off-screen romance told in hilarious and emotional detail, of casting choices that nearly changed everything (which even some of the actors didn't know until now), of cast members bravely powering through personal tragedies, and when it came time to announce the 12th season would be its last, the complicated reasons why it was more difficult than anyone ever let on. Through hundreds of hours of interviews with the sitcom's major players, Radloff dives into all this and much more. The book is the ultimate celebration of this once-in-a-generation show and a must-have for all fans"--
Subjects: Big bang theory (Television program);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Atomic dreams : the new nuclear evangelists and the fight for the future of energy / by Tuhus-Dubrow, Rebecca,author.;
Includes bibliographical references.The inside story of how nuclear energy -- long considered scary, controversial, and even apocalyptic -- has become the hot topic of the climate debate, and perhaps a vital power source of the future. On June 21, 2016, Pacific Gas & Electric Company announced a plan to shutter California's last nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, in 2025. The plan was hailed by environmental groups and politicians around the country. Then, in 2022, the state's Democratic establishment suddenly reversed the decision, and in 2024 the Biden-Harris administration awarded the plant $1.1 billion in credits to extend its life. What happened in between? In Atomic Dreams, journalist and lifelong environmentalist Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow unearths the surprising answers -- and the deep-seated conflicts behind them. She follows the fascinating and lively cast of characters who are immersed in the fight over Diablo Canyon and nuclear energy, among them a world-renowned climate scientist, a fashion model turned "nuclear influencer," and two radically opposed groups of mothers, both fiercely advocating for the kind of planet they want their children to inherit. And she chronicles how nuclear power has morphed from the stuff of cinematic nightmares -- associated with world-ending weapons and terrifying meltdowns -- to a rare issue with strong bipartisan support. Tuhus-Dubrow takes readers to nuclear plants and research facilities, to the halls of Congress and into the streets with activists as she explores the big questions wrapped up in the nuclear debate: questions about risk and responsibility, about nature and technology, about whether humans should be humble caretakers of the Earth or audacious innovators. She explores how these issues affect real people's lives, and personally grapples with the viability of this controversial energy source. Can the power of the atom be freed from its historical baggage and reinvented? Could something that once threatened to doom us now hold the potential to save us?
Subjects: Diablo Canyon Nuclear Powerplant (Calif.); Nuclear energy.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Sanctuary : a memoir / by Rapp Black, Emily,author.;
""Congratulations on the resurrection of your life," a colleague wrote to Emily Rapp Black when she announced the birth of her second child. The line made Emily pause. Her first child, a boy named Ronan, had died before he turned three years old from Tay-Sachs disease, an experience she wrote about in her first book, The Still Point of the Turning World. Since that time her life had changed utterly: She had left the marriage that fractured under the terrible weight of her son's illness, remarried a man who is the love of her life, had a flourishing career, and given birth to a healthy baby girl. But she rejected the idea that she was leaving her old life behind--that she had, in the manner of the mythical phoenix, risen from the ashes and been reborn into a new story, when she carried so much of her old story with her. More to the point, she wanted to carry it with her. Everyone she met told her she was resilient, strong, courageous in ways they didn't think they could be. But what did these words mean, really? This book is an attempt to unpack the various notions of resilience that we carry as a culture. Drawing on contemporary psychology, neurology, etymology, literature, art, and self-help, Emily Rapp Black shows how we need a more complex understanding of this concept when applied to stories of loss and healing. Interwoven with lyrical, unforgettable personal vignettes from her life as a mother, wife, daughter, friend, and teacher, Rapp Black creates a stunning tapestry that is full of wisdom and insight"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Rapp Black, Emily.; Parents of terminally ill children; Resilience (Personality trait);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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An unfinished murder / by Deveraux, Jude,author.;
Sara Medlar may be retired as a bestselling author, but her career as an amateur detective is facing one final mystery--and it's a killer. Retired romance novelist Sara Medlar has been comfortably sharing her large home with her niece Kate and her "honorary grandson" Jack. It's a convenient arrangement given the Medlar Three, as they've become known, are often working closely together to solve mysteries in their small town of Lachlan, Florida. But when real estate agent Kate announces she's been given the listing for the town's storied Lachlan House, it sets off alarm bells for Sara and Jack. The infamous house has a dark history, one that's certain to haunt them all. With little memory of her childhood, Kate doesn't understand what the fuss is about--until the trio visits the house and makes a grim discovery. Flooded by memories of the past, Kate realizes she spent time there as a child. But stumbling upon a skeleton dressed in a rotting tuxedo--a murder victim with connections to her father--causes Kate to wonder if the childhood she can't remember might be one she'd rather forget. As Sara, Kate and Jack delve deeper into the dead man's history, they learn he was last seen at a party held at Lachlan House in the late nineties--a swanky soiree attended by his many enemies. With more than one motive in play, every partygoer is a suspect, and Sara is determined to find the culprit, even if it means digging up past secrets she's worked hard to keep buried.
Subjects: Detective and mystery fiction.; Novels.; Family secrets; Murder; Secrecy; Women authors; Women detectives;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 3
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