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That librarian : the fight against book banning in America / by Jones, Amanda(Librarian),author.;
Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-269).One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person's sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss "book content," she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing. Amanda Jones has been called a groomer, a pedo, and a porn-pusher; she has faced death threats and attacks from strangers and friends alike. Her decision to support a collection of books with diverse perspectives made her a target for extremists using book banning campaigns-funded by dark money organizations and advanced by hard right politicians -- in a crusade to make America more white, straight, and "Christian." But Amanda Jones wouldn't give up without a fight: she sued her harassers for defamation and urged others to join her in the resistance. Mapping the book banning crisis occurring all across the nation, That Librarian draws the battle lines in the war against equity and inclusion, calling book lovers everywhere to rise in defense of our readers.
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Jones, Amanda (Librarian); Censorship; Challenged books; Librarians; Prohibited books;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The bright sword : a novel of King Arthur / by Grossman, Lev,author.; Allsbrook, Wesley,illustrator.;
"Collum, a brilliantly gifted young knight from the provinces, arrives at Camelot two weeks after the Battle of Camlann, hoping to compete for a spot on the Round Table. But he finds the city empty, King Arthur dead, and the Table destroyed. The remaining six knights aren't the mighty heroes, the legends, like Lancelot and Gawain and Tristram and Galahad. These are the survivors, a grab-bag of minor oddball knights from the margins-Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight; Sir Bedivere, Arthur's one-handed longtime companion; Sir Dagonet, Arthur's fool, knighted as a joke; Sir Dinadan, a cutting wit who's hiding a deep secret. Arthur's death has exposed the splinters of his kingdom, and a void has opened in the heart of Britain. As power-hungry lords from the north descend on Camelot to seize control of the land, Collum is thrust into the front lines. Here lies the battlefield between pagans and Christians, fantasy and empire, power and destiny. Monsters and fairies are reawakening, the moral center is gone, and the fragile alliances that held Britain together are breaking. It is up to the surviving knights, the rebellious sorceress Nimue, and young Collum to avenge Arthur's murder and save Camelot. Can they re-build the Table and bring back the glory that was Camelot? Should they even try? The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings, The Bright Sword is a story about power and hope, and the struggle for the soul of England between the new Christian God and the old gods of fairy. But most of all it's a story about flawed men and women full of strength and pain who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land, in spite of being broken themselves"--
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Novels.; Arthur, King; Knights and knighthood;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Dusk, night, dawn : on revival and courage / by Lamott, Anne,author.;
"In Anne Lamott's new book, she confronts the harsh truth that many of us grapple with every day: How can we recapture the confidence we once had in the world and in the future as we stumble through the dark times that seem increasingly bleak? As bad news piles up every day -- from climate crises to threats to democracy to daily assaults on civility -- how can we mere mortals cope? Where, Lamott asks, "do we start to get our joy and hope and our faith in life itself back ... with sore feet, hearing loss, stiff fingers, poor digestion, stunned minds, broken hearts?" We begin, Lamott explains, by accepting our flaws and embracing our humanity "in the here and now. ... We look up and around for [the] brighter ribbons" of connection, loyalty, and support. Drawing from her own experiences and her own faith journey, Lamott offers insights into the intimate and human ways we can bring back hope by demonstrating we can travel through the darkest places toward a more hopeful light that is still burning. As she does in Help, Thanks, Wow and her other bestselling books, Lamott explores the thorny issues of life and faith by breaking them down into managable, human-sized questions for readers to ponder, and in the process she shows how each of us can amplify life's small moments of joy by staying open to love and connection even in these dark times. As Lamott notes, "I got Medicare three days before I got hitched, which sounds like something an old person might do, which does not describe adorably ageless me." Marrying for the first time with a grown son and a grandson, Lamott explains that finding happiness with a partner isn't a function of age or beauty but of outlook and perspective. Full of the honesty, humor and humanity that have made Lamott beloved by millions of readers, this book is classic Anne Lamott -- thoughtful and comic, warm and wise -- and further proof that Lamott truly speaks to the better angels in all of us"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Self-help publications.; Lamott, Anne.; Novelists, American; Christian biography; Faith.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Daughters of the bamboo grove : from China to America, a true story of abduction, adoption, and separated twins / by Demick, Barbara,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."On a warm day in September 2000, a twenty-eight-year-old woman named Zanhua gave birth to twin girls in a small hut nestled in bamboo behind her brother's rural home in China's Hunan province. The twins, Fangfang and Shuangjie, were welcome additions to her young family but also not her first children. Hidden in the hut, they were born under the shadow of China's notorious one-child policy. Fearing the ire of family planning officials, Zanhua and her husband decided to leave one twin in the care of relatives, hoping each toddler on their own might stay under the radar. But, in late 2002, Fangfang was violently snatched away from her aunt's care. The family worried they would never see her again, but they didn't imagine she could be sent to the United States. She might as well have been sent to another world. Following her stories written as the Beijing bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, Barbara Demick, author of National Book Award finalist Nothing to Envy, embarks on a journey that encompasses the origins, shocking cruelty, and long term impact of China's one-child rule; the rise of international adoption and the religious currents that buoyed it; and the exceedingly rare phenomenon of twin separation. Today, Esther -- formerly Fangfang -- is a photographer in Texas, and Demick brings to vivid life the Christian family that felt called to adopt her, having no idea that she was kidnapped. Through Demick's indefatigable reporting and the activist work to find these lost children, will these two long-lost sisters finally find each other, and if they do, will they feel whole again? A remarkable window into the volatile, constantly changing China of the last half century and the long-reaching legacy of the country's most infamous law, Daughters of the Bamboo Grove is also the moving story of two sisters torn apart by the forces of history and brought together again by their families' determination and one reporter's dogged work"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Zeng family.; Adopted children; Family reunification; Intercountry adoption; Intercountry adoption; Twins;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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Educated [sound recording] : a memoir / by Westover, Tara,author.; Whelan, Julia,1984-narrator.; Random House Audio Publishing,publisher.;
Read by Julia Whelan."Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag." In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent. As a way out, Tara began to educate herself, learning enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University. Her quest for knowledge would transform her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Tara Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes, and the will to change it."--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Biographies.; Audiobooks.; Westover, Tara; Women; Survivalism; Home schooling; Women college students; Victims of family violence; Subculture; Christian biography.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Managing your emotions : daily wisdom for remaining stable in an unstable world : a 90 day devotional / by Meyer, Joyce,1943-author.;
Includes bibliographical references.The highs and lows of life bring many challenges, and our feelings want to swing accordingly, like an emotional roller coaster taking us from one extreme to another throughout the day - if we let them. Our emotions serve a purpose, but if we allow them to dictate how we choose to act, we lose our peace and stability, which only leads to confusion, anxiety, anger, and a host of other unhealthy attitudes. It's a dangerous way to live and can cause us to make bad decisions that impact ourselves and others. But it doesn't have to be this way. The Bible contains wisdom to help you learn to manage your emotions each day, no matter what challenges life brings your way. And with this 90-day devotional, you'll discover how to take charge of those fickle feelings before they take charge of you!
Subjects: Devotional calendars.; Emotions;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The mind connection : how the thoughts you choose affect your mood, behavior, and decisions / by Meyer, Joyce,1943-;
Includes bibliographical references."Joyce Meyer, #1 New York Times bestselling author, explores the power of positive thinking and the undeniable connection between the mind, mouth, moods, and attitudes. Thoughts can seem random and meaningless, but they impact your life every day. It's all connected. What you think affects your words, attitude, decisions, and emotions and influences how you relate to yourself, to other people, and to God. In THE MIND CONNECTION, Joyce Meyer expands on the wisdom of her bestselling books Battlefield of the Mind and Power Thoughts to explain how to improve the quality of your thoughts and your life. She explores the undeniable connection between the mind, mouth, moods, and attitudes, so that you can develop and maintain the right mental position--no matter what challenges you face. Through practical advice and Scriptural insights, Joyce will help you learn to think with purpose, gain greater confidence, and claim the fulfilling life you were meant to lead."--Provided by publisher.
Subjects: Thought and thinking;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 2
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Languages of truth : essays 2003-2020 / by Rushdie, Salman,author.;
"Salman Rushdie is celebrated as a storyteller of the highest order, illuminating deep truths about our society and culture through his gorgeous, often searing, prose. Now, in his latest collection of nonfiction, he brings together insightful and inspiring essays, criticism, and speeches that focus on his relationship with the written word, and solidify his place as one of the most original thinkers of our time. Gathering pieces written between 2003 and 2019, Languages of Truth chronicles Rushdie's own intellectual engagement with a period of momentous cultural shifts. Immersing the reader in a wide variety of subjects, he delves into the nature of storytelling as a deeply human need, and what emerges is, in myriad ways, a love letter to literature itself. Rushdie explores what the work of authors from Shakespeare and Cervantes to Samuel Beckett, Eudora Welty, and Toni Morrison mean to him, often by telling vivid, sometimes humorous stories of his own personal encounters with them, whether on the page or in person. He delves deeper than ever before into the nature of "truth," revels in the vibrant malleability of language, and the creative lines that can join art and life, and he looks anew at migration, multiculturalism and censorship. The ideas, true stories and arguments presented here are at once revelatory, funny and eye-opening, enlivened on every page by Rushdie's signature wit and dazzling voice, making this volume a genuine pleasure to read"--
Subjects: Essays.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The bright sword [sound recording] : a novel of King Arthur / by Grossman, Lev,author,narrator.; Smith, Nicholas Guy,narrator.; Allsbrook, Wesley,illustrator.; Penguin Audio (Firm),publisher.;
Read by Lev Grossman, Nicholas Guy Smith."Collum, a brilliantly gifted young knight from the provinces, arrives at Camelot two weeks after the Battle of Camlann, hoping to compete for a spot on the Round Table. But he finds the city empty, King Arthur dead, and the Table destroyed. The remaining six knights aren't the mighty heroes, the legends, like Lancelot and Gawain and Tristram and Galahad. These are the survivors, a grab-bag of minor oddball knights from the margins-Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight; Sir Bedivere, Arthur's one-handed longtime companion; Sir Dagonet, Arthur's fool, knighted as a joke; Sir Dinadan, a cutting wit who's hiding a deep secret. Arthur's death has exposed the splinters of his kingdom, and a void has opened in the heart of Britain. As power-hungry lords from the north descend on Camelot to seize control of the land, Collum is thrust into the front lines. Here lies the battlefield between pagans and Christians, fantasy and empire, power and destiny. Monsters and fairies are reawakening, the moral center is gone, and the fragile alliances that held Britain together are breaking. It is up to the surviving knights, the rebellious sorceress Nimue, and young Collum to avenge Arthur's murder and save Camelot. Can they re-build the Table and bring back the glory that was Camelot? Should they even try? The first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings, The Bright Sword is a story about power and hope, and the struggle for the soul of England between the new Christian God and the old gods of fairy. But most of all it's a story about flawed men and women full of strength and pain who are looking for a way to reforge a broken land, in spite of being broken themselves"--
Subjects: Audiobooks.; Historical fiction.; Novels.; Arthur, King; Knights and knighthood;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Girls and their monsters : the Genain quadruplets and the making of madness in America / by Farley, Audrey Clare,author.;
Includes bibliographical references."In 1954, researchers at the newly formed National Institute of Mental Health set out to study the genetics of schizophrenia. When they got word that four 24-year-old identical quadruplets in Lansing, Michigan, had all been diagnosed with the mental illness, they could hardly believe their ears. Here was incontrovertible proof of hereditary transmission and, thus, a chance to bring international fame to their fledgling institution. The case of the pseudonymous Genain quadruplets, they soon found, was hardly so straightforward. Contrary to fawning media portrayals of a picture-perfect Christian family, the sisters had endured the stuff of nightmares. Behind closed doors, their parents had taken shocking measures to preserve their innocence while sowing fears of sex and the outside world. In public, the quadruplets were treated as communal property, as townsfolk and members of the press had long ago projected their own paranoid fantasies about the rapidly diversifying American landscape onto the fair-skinned, ribbon-wearing quartet who danced and sang about Christopher Columbus. Even as the sisters' erratic behaviors became impossible to ignore and the NIMH whisked the women off for study, their sterling image did not falter. Girls and Their Monsters chronicles the extraordinary lives of the quadruplets and the lead psychologist who studied them, asking questions that speak directly to our times: How do delusions come to take root, both in individuals and in nations? Why does society profess to be "saving the children" when it readily exploits them? What are the authoritarian ends of innocence myths? And how do people, particularly those with serious mental illness, go on after enduring the unspeakable? Can the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood help the deeply wounded heal?"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Mental health; Quadruplets; Schizophrenia;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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