2019

  • Their Books Live On: Authors In Memoriam 2019, Part 2

    Their Books Live On: Authors In Memoriam 2019, Part 2

    Our second post (see part one here) looking back at the authors we lost in 2019, with suggested titles from our catalog. Charles McCarry. This great spy novelist is often praised as the American John Le Carre. Check out his classic rendition of the JFK assassination, The Tears of Autumn. Vonda McIntyre. An American science fiction writer… Continue reading

  • Their Books Live On: Authors In Memoriam 2019, part 1

    Their Books Live On: Authors In Memoriam 2019, part 1

    As 2019 draws to a close, we pause to remember authors (listed alphabetically) who died over the past year, with suggested reading from the library. Our list concludes tomorrow. Andrea Camilleri. The Sicilian author’s mystery series featuring loveably gruff Inspector Montalbano begins with The Shape of Water. Da Chen. His memoirs and historical fiction include… Continue reading

  • (NOT) The Ten Best Books of 2019

    That time of year has rolled around again when all the “Best Of” lists begin to appear, those tempting listicles claiming to reveal the best books of the year, decade, and century. We all click on them: they’re irresistible. I’m kind of over these “best of” lists. The premise that something so magnificently multivariate as… Continue reading

  • Top 10 Noteworthy 2019 Speculative Fiction Books Part 2

    A continuation of our favorite speculative fiction works this year! So far… The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz. Annalee Newitz just won a Hugo Award for the Our Opinions Are Correct podcast with their partner Charlie Jane Anders and is a writer of both science and science fiction. TFOAT is a fiercely feminist… Continue reading

  • Top 10 Noteworthy 2019 Speculative Fiction Books Part 1

    Even though it’s only October and there are still two more months left for publishing and reading in 2019 we are already assembling our “best lists”. Here are some of our favorite speculative fiction works this year (so far): The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders. This is a science… Continue reading

  • New Music Mixtape

    This year is giving me life when it comes to new albums coming my way by some old favorites and new loves. Brooks and Dunn from my childhood; the Hotel Cafe alumni, Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles, who were the soundtrack of my twenties; and the band Joseph is a gem my husband shared with… Continue reading