Staff Picks

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Genre: Realistic Fiction

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Eccentric Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine with her solitary life -- frozen pizza, vodka, her tv program, phone calls with her mother. When a freak accident puts a few new people in her orbit, she embarks on a bumpy but ultimately amazing adventure unraveling her carefully constructed life and building something better than she could have ever dreamed -- a new relationship with herself. The unwinding of her past is complex and the twists keep coming until the very end, but Eleanor is a fascinating if not unusual companion on this journey.

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it completely in one sitting! Eleanor is a fascinating person, and the darkness in her past (and her efforts to push forward) are very engaging and inspirational."
Bridget, Librarian Trainee

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Genre: Comic Fantasy, Children's/Young Adult Fiction

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Tiffany Aching is a 9-year-old girl who sees the world differently than others. When tiny, kilted, blue men warn her of danger in the water, she cunningly defeats the monster
going after her little brother (who cannot see the monster or the little men and is therefore perfectly calm.) An encounter with a witch who has been watching her sets her down a path of exploring her own witchy potential, but when the Queen of the Fairies captures her little brother, she must enlist the help of the rowdy blue fae she now knows as the Nac Mac Feegles to bring him back. (And dodge an accidental fae betrothal in the process, but who's counting?)

This book, the first in a series of five about Tiffany Aching, is so, so funny. The late Terry Pratchett is a master of balancing the comedic parody and actual, good fantasy writing, and the Tiffany Aching books are an excellent example of this. These five books are somewhat standalone from the rest of the 41-book Discworld series, and while they absolutely can be enjoyed by middle grade and young adult readers, I first read these books as an adult and found them just as delightful."
Bridget, Librarian Trainee

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This novel, written in both melodic and syncopated jazz tones, is a stark reflection of the struggles Black men have in asserting their autonomy in a systemically oppressive society."
Tom, Librarian Trainee

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A gut-wrenching reminder that the haunting ramifications of war run deep and wide on all fronts. There is beauty in the redemption June, the protagonist, seeks throughout most of her life."
Tom, Librarian Trainee

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This beautiful story weaves interpretations of the lofty ideals of life, death, and legacy around the central character, Brás, as he wrestles with the unwieldy dynamics of a father's and son's love for each other."
Tom, Librarian Trainee

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Genre: Psychological Fiction

Haruki Murakami has been my favorite author for a long time. I picked up this book
on a whim several years ago, having no prior knowledge about the author. It merely sounded
interesting and intriguing. After reading it, it captivated me to the point where I had to find his
other works. The story revolves around Toru Okada, an unemployed man, tasked with finding
his missing cat. The reader is then taken on an adventure by Murakami, who seamlessly
weaves the plot throughout, so you are constantly eager to find out what happens next. His wife
also goes missing during the book, which sets off another search and plenty of more questions.
I found this book really hard to put down, and it led me to eventually get a wind-up bird tattoo.
Richard - Librarian

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Genre: Autobiography / Memoir

Legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld has been a fixture on our television screens for
many years now. The show bearing his name, Seinfeld, ran for nine seasons from 1989 to
1998. The reruns are always on tv to this day. Before the iconic show, Seinfeld was a massively
successful stand-up comedian. This book is a collection of all the routines he has done at
comedy clubs, shows, specials, and etc. over a career spanning 40+ years. I was so enthralled
with this book from beginning to end. I had to stop more than once because I was laughing so
hard. I dropped the book while sitting in my chair because I couldn’t stop laughing. 2020 has
been a tough year for everyone, and this book will help cure some of what ails you. As the old
saying goes, laughter is the best medicine.
​Richard - Librarian

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