May is a time of new beginnings. Spring has arrived, birds are chirping, and we’ve got some lovely afternoons to sit on our patio and read a good book before the hot summer weather arrives. This month we’ll feature some books to keep you entertained and informed on the world around us. Included are a biography and autobiography about some famous women, and we’ll take a look at the science behind climate change and human memory. The list is rounded out with two historical fictions set in Venice and London, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Madame Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power by Susan Page – Biography
Madame Speaker leaves you with a much deeper understanding and appreciation for the work it has taken for 81-year-old Nancy Pelosi to be such a history-changing force in Washington politics. This biography is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to “understand the influence this powerful, sometimes controversial, occasionally ruthless, and fiercely determined woman has had on our national life.” – Dana Perino.
Green Fraud: Why the Green New Deal is Even Worse Than You Think by Marc Marano – Climate Science
Green Fraud explains why the driving factors behind climate change should be scientific and not agenda-driven. The Green New Deal is the left trying to push a top-down agenda that seeks to control individuals. Counter to widespread reporting, there is no consensus on climate change science. On the contrary, there is a copious amount of scientific evidence that sides with the prominent defections from the “climate consensus” that clarify that we are not facing a human-made disaster.
REMEMBER: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova – Science
Remember is a fascinating exploration of the mysteries of human memory; how we remember, why we forget, and what we can do to protect our memories. The book provides reader-friendly descriptions of the connections between the brain, the mind, and the heart, as well as the way memory works and fails to work. Just because your memory sometimes fails doesn’t mean that you are succumbing to Alzheimer’s disease. Forgetting is actually part of being human.
The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen – Historical Fiction
The Venice Sketchbook follows the adventures and misadventures of a great aunt and her niece in two separate eras but in the exact same place, La Serenissima Venice. The niece has traveled to Venice to scatter her beloved great aunt’s ashes and is very surprised to discover her great aunt had a secret life of love, loss, and courage. The prim and proper aunt she knew had been a spy, a mother, a prisoner of war, and a refugee.
Happiness Becomes You by Tina Turner – Autobiography
The 81-year-old Grammy winner shares her spiritual journey studying Buddhism in Happiness Becomes You; a Guide for Changing Your Life for Good. This very personal book focuses on the core themes of her life – hope, faith, and happiness, and how they can change your life, too. See “Tina, the Musical” on stage in NYC and London, as well as the HBO Original Documentary “Tina,” streaming 3/26/21.
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin – Historical Fiction
The Last Bookshop in London is a tribute to the enduring power of literature, inspired by the true story that very few bookshops survived the Blitz. A young woman bookshop employee becomes a heroine by reading books aloud inside the local tube station during air raids and at the bookshop during blackouts, which unites her community in ways she never dreamed of through the darkest time of the war.
Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie by Lisa Napoli – Nonfiction
The history of National Public Radio is introduced through its founding mothers: Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg, and Cokie Roberts. These women helped make the evening program “All Things Considered,” and NPR itself, a familiar and trusted news source. Each woman was different in background and personality, but each rose to the top, supporting each other in deep and enduring friendships.
As you can see, the list covers a lot of ground and offers both entertainment and education alike. So grab a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade, settle into your favorite chair, and lose yourself in a good book.
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