New Titles

Adult

21st-Century Tokyo: A Guide to Contemporary Architecture
by Julian Worrall and Erez Golani Solomon
This is the perfect companion to the fascinating and sometimes bewildering architecture of Tokyo. The book includes essays, maps of the major districts and photographs. This is a great starting point for getting to know your city, and its world-renowned architecture. (CM)

 

Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe
by Greg Epstein
Harvard's humanist chaplain argues that it is possible to lead a moral and compassionate life without organized religion. Coining the word "lifestance," he describes a philosophy that will be familiar to anyone who has lived in Japan. (MA)




The Hidden Life of Deer: Lessons from the Natural World
by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Naturalist Thomas reveals the lifestyle of the graceful ruminant as viewed in her Vermont backyard circa 2007. In matriarchal herds, the way in which deer endure the New England seasons offers insight to their more alert, two-legged neighbors. (MA)

 

Zeitoun
by Dave Eggers
In this unforgettable account of post-Katrina New Orleans, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian painting contractor, elects to weather the storm in the city to protect his hard-earned property. In an environment of bureaucracy and 9/11 jitters, the immigrant ultimately finds himself in jail, highlighting the gross inadequacies of the government's crisis management. (TF)

 

The Help
by Kathryn Stockett
Stockett's debut novel centers on 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, and its budding civil rights movement. Employing black domestic help remains widespread in the South, and the book's white protagonist exposes the resulting social implications and concerns in an uplifting yet eye-opening way. (TF)

 

The Bolter
by Frances Osborne
A fascinating biography of Osborne's great-grandmother, Lady Idina Sackville, who scandalized London society by marrying five times and leading the pack of hedonistic expats in Kenya's Happy Valley. Beneath the scandals is a story of a truly trend-setting woman, who maneuvered her way through staunch Edwardian society with wit and originality. (DC)

 

 

 

 

Member’s Choice

Great Escapes: Asia by Chistiane Reiter and Angelika Taschen
Member: John Delp

 

What's the book about?
This lavishly illustrated guide introduces 42 opulent, exotic hotels and resorts in Asia.

 

 

What did you like about it?
Will I be in Asia long enough to try them all? Have your calendar and pen at hand-an assignment in Asia can be heavenly!

Why did you choose it?
I want to get away-a weekend, a month, forever. This is to take to bed and dream. Don't share this book with your spouse or friends. How you choose your next resort or accommodation should remain an eternal secret. You will be worshipped.

 

What other books would you recommend?
World Heritage Sites: A Complete Guide to 878 UNESCO World Heritage Sites by Firefly Books.