Author: Mary Metcalf

ADULT FICTION

“I Cheerfully Refuse” by Leif Enger — “The transcendent latest from Enger (Peace Like a River) is at once a dystopian love story, a nautical adventure, and a meditation on loss, kindness, and natural beauty . . . This captivating narrative brims with hope.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Lies and Weddings” by Kevin Kwan — “Kwan mines the trials and tribulations of the uberwealthy to great effect in this winning, modern-day comedy of manners…Kwan weaves together the drama of a nineteenth-century novel with timeless themes about identity, love, racism, and family loyalty, all while dropping snarky asides via footnote and details of the decadent lifestyles of the rich and famous. A fizzy, delightful confection perfect for devouring by the pool.” —Booklist

“Table for Two” by Amor Towles — “A knockout collection. … Sharp-edged satire deceptively wrapped like a box of Neuhaus chocolates, Table for Two is a winner.” —The New York Times

“The Boy and the Dog” by Seishy Hase — “Heartrending . . . Powerfully demonstrates how love and loyalty can overcome obstacles . . . and how a dog’s love can save a person in every possible way.” ―Booklist

“The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur” by Lev Grossman — “A thrilling new take on Arthurian legend. . . . Marvelous. . . As Grossman’s splendid, offbeat quest reaches its conclusion, we see Arthur’s waves of Saxon invaders and their many predecessors refracted in a different light, one that helps illuminate our own tumultuous, battle-torn age in the way that only the best epics can.” —Elizabeth Hand, The Washington Post

“The Glass Maker” by Tracy Chevalier — “Travel across seven centuries with novelist Tracy Chevalier and a remarkable Glassmaker … The Glassmaker conveys a vivid history lesson about a fascinating place and industry, animated through the lives and emotions of compelling characters.” – Star Tribune

ADULT MYSTERY

“The Housemaid’s Secret” by Freida McFadden — “An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train will be completely hooked!” — Grand Central Publishing

ADULT BIOGRAPHY

“An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s” by Doris Kearns Goodwin — “An intimate political history….about the love of historical research, in this case demonstrated by a joint examination of 300 boxes of documents, drafts, and the personal flotsam accumulated over the course of a marriage played out in the arena of American politics. And about the love of America, its past and future, its struggles and promise”—The Boston Globe

“To Walk It Is To See It: 1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 Miles on Europe’s GR5” by Kathy Elkind — “Movingly inspiring, To Walk It Is To See It tells the story of a journey of 1,400 miles—a journey of a marriage, a journey toward self-awareness. This book is lyrically personal and highly engaging. It says something significant about facing the unexpected, persevering, and cherishing the world around us and the worlds within.” —Judy Goldman, author of Child: A Memoir

“The Truths We Hold: An American Journey” by Kamala Harris — “An engaging read that provides insights into the influences of Harris’s life.”— San Francisco Chronicle

ADULT NON-FICTION

“Bird Friendly Gardening: Guidance and Projects for Supporting Birds in Your Landscape” by Jen McGuinness — “What a welcome and timely guide for those of us shifting to ecological gardening! Bird-Friendly Gardening shows how, by supporting wild birds, your garden—no matter the size or location—can become part of the greater ecosystem. Packed with beautiful photos and practical information, by showing us what native birds need, we learn to grow sustainable gardens. I can’t think of anything more important for gardeners today.”―Melissa Will, a.k.a. The Empress of Dirt (empressofdirt.net)

“From the Island of Newfoundland: Saltwater Mittens, More Than 20 Heritage Designs to Knit” by Christine LeGrow — “Saltwater Mittens is a collection of rare Newfoundland mitten patterns for knitters, collected, and in some cases recreated, by Christine LeGrow of Spindrift Handknits and Shirley “Shirl the Purl” Scott. These two women have teamed up to preserve and promote traditional Newfoundland knitting.” — Amazon.com

“Hot Sheet: How Sweet and Savory Sheet Pan Recipes for Every Day and Celebrations” by Olga Massov — “Transform everyday meals into extraordinary ones, with more than 100 recipes harnessing the power of your sheet pan, including breakfasts, starters, dinners, and desserts. Say goodbye to boring food and hello to flavor-packed dishes for weeknight dining as well as special occasions”– Amazon.com

“Mexico” by Julie Schwietert Collazo — “Modern murals in the city and ancient Maya temples in the jungle. Tranquil deserts, pristine beaches, vast canyons and active volcanoes. Spicy salsas followed up with fiery tequila. Whatever your dream trip to Mexico includes, this DK Eyewitness travel guide is the perfect companion.” — Publisher

“My Beloved Monster: Masha, the half-wild rescue cat who rescued me” by Caleb Carr — “Excellent…Worth the emotional investment, and the tissues you will need by the end, to spend time with a writer and cat duo as extraordinary as Masha and Carr.”―Washington Post Book World

“Practical Cycling: Equip, Maintain and Repair Your Bicycle” by Laurent Belando — “Here is a book that will answer (almost) all of a beginning and experienced bicyclist’s questions about how to get the most out of the activity, while protecting yourself and saving money doing repairs where possible”– Baker & Taylor

“The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet” by John Green —  “Each of the entries in The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet is a small gem, polished to near perfection…. What unites them is [Green’s] uncanny ability to structure each piece as both a critique of human foibles and an embracing of them.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

“The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City” by Kevin Baker — “In The New York Game…Kevin Baker makes the case that America’s financial, media and cultural capital and its national pastime grew not in parallel, but were inextricably intertwined…the book ultimately succeeds… [weaving] together class, race, fame and rivalry to create a survey of the city and the sport’s overlapping interests.”—Jason Kelly, Bloomberg

“The Singularity is Nearer: When We Merge with AI” by Ray Kurzeil — “Drawing on scientific reports, research studies, and interviews with experts, Kurzweil observes the long term trends in order to ponder the promises and perils of AI when it comes to nuclear weapons and genetic engineering. To readers interested in AI and biotechnology, Kurzweil offers insight as he breaks down the complex topic and addresses the ethical issues surrounding its use and place in society.” —Booklist

“The World Beneath Their Feet: The British, the Americans, the Nazis and the Mountaineering Race to Conquer the Himalayas “ by Scott Ellsworth — “While tension steadily rose between European powers in the 1930s, a different kind of battle was raging across the Himalayas. Contingents from Great Britain, Nazi Germany, and the United States had set up rival camps at the base of the mountains, all hoping to become recognized as the fastest, strongest, and bravest climbers in the world. Carried on across nearly the entire sweep of the Himalayas, this contest involved not only the greatest mountain climbers of the era, but statesmen and millionaires, world-class athletes and bona fide eccentrics.”– Publisher’s description.

PICTURE BOOK

“Are You Ready to Play Outside?” by Mo Willems
“Merry and Hark: A Christmas Story” by April Genevieve Tucholke
“My First Day” by Phung Quang
“Swarm of Bees” by Lemony Snicket
“The Hundred-Year Barn” by Patricia MacLachlan
“The Train Home” by Dan-ah Kim
“Treehouse Town” by Gideon Sterer
“Very Good Hats” by Emma Straub

JUVENILE FICTION

“Heartwood Hotel: A True Home” by Kallie George — “Charming and imaginative, and full of endearing characters who excel at kindness as only animals can. With stories that highlights the power of friendship, the Heartwood Hotel is sure to leave readers eager to visit again.” ―Ashley Spires, author and illustrator of The Most Magnificent Thing

“The Last Kids on Earth” by Max Brallier — “Before the monster apocalypse, Jack Sullivan was an ordinary thirteen-year-old orphan. Now he’s a butt-kicking hero with a tricked-out tree fort. But Jack learns that he’ll need more than razor Frisbees to beat the big baddie Blarg–he’ll need friendship. Fast-paced plotting and humor work in tandem with the comic book-style illustrations on almost every page.” — THE HORN BOOK, c2016.

“The Last Kids on Earth and the Forbidden Fortress” by Max Brallier — “Picking up after Quint and Dirk’s Hero Quest, the Last Kids are happily reunited—but quickly faced with a monstrous new mission. Inside an other-dimensional fortress, the evil Thrull, alongside a vile new villain, is carrying out a sinister plan. Jack, Quint, June and Dirk must make their own plans to infiltrate the stronghold before Thrull gets any closer to completing the mysterious Tower, a structure that could ultimately spell doom for this dimension.” — Amazon.com

“The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade” by Max Brallier — ‘After the monster apocalypse, Jack Sullivan has been having an awesome time living in a tree house with his three best friends. But when zombies start mysteriously disappearing, Jack and his friends suspect that an extremely evil force is at work.” — Baker & Taylor

“The Last Kids on Earth: Quint and Dirk’s Hero Quest” by Max Brallier — “June Del Toro went on a wild flight in a super-rad solo episode; now get ready for the dynamic duo: it’s Quint and Dirk! Picking up after the events of The Last Kids on Earth and the Doomsday Race, adventure abounds as the best buddies encounter new monsters and embark on a postapocalyptic quest for the ages. You won’t want to miss this essential Last Kids story that includes crucial detail.” — Penquin Putnam

ADULT FICTION

“A Short Walk Through a Wide World” by Douglas Westerbeke — “A wild romping adventure, a poignant tale of relationships and interconnectedness, and a compelling journey of self-discovery. A Short Walk Through a Wide World is utterly engrossing, a world—worlds—to get lost in. . . every reader will find something to love.” —Shelf Awareness

“All Fours” by Miranda July — “Showcases July’s wry observational powers about marriage, sex, aging and creative workaholism, along with her bawdy and philosophical sense of humor.” — San Francisco Chronicle

“Blue Sky, White Cloud” by Nirmal Ghosh — “With beautiful illustrations and rich prose, the three novellas in Blue Sky, White Cloud narrate stories from the perspectives of man and beast, showing us that, much like us, animals, too, have extraordinary stories to tell.” — Amazon

“Sandwich” by Catherine Newman — “Finally, literary fiction has started to fully appreciate the joy of an older female narrator . . . . Rocky is a worthy member of this new and much-needed club, not just for her date of birth but also for her relatability . . . . a protagonist like Rocky is so necessary, because a whole generation will now be able to read this wise and exquisitely written story and say I know how you feel. They will say, Same.” — The Guardian

“The Briar Club” by Kate Quinn — “A stellar historical mystery Quinn elegantly explores issues of race, class, and gender, and brings the paranoid atmosphere of McCarthy-era Washington to vivid life. For Quinn’s fans, this is a must.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The Brides of Maracoor” by Gregory Maguire — “[A] complex, enticing fantasy. . . . Maguire cleverly teases out the characters’ motivation and desires, turning what at first appears to be a straightforward tale into a gripping page-turner. Fans will revel in this triumphant return to the world of Wicked.” — Publishers Weekly

ADULT GRAPHIC NOVEL

“The Book of Genesis Illustrated” by R. Crumb — “Crumb’s vivid visual characterizations of the myriad characters, pious and wicked, make the most striking impression. His distinctive, highly rendered drawing style imparts a physicality that few other illustrated versions of this often retold chronicle have possessed. The centenarian elders show every one of their years, and the women, from Eve to Rachel, are as solidly sensual as any others Crumb has so famously drawn.” ― Booklist

ADULT MYSTERY

“Eruptions” by Michael Crichton — “Explosive…The action scenes will make readers’ eyes pop as the tension continues to build…Red-hot storytelling.”―Kirkus, starred review

“Pitch Dark” by Paul Doiron — “The resolution is absolutely stunning, and the narrative, as always, is compelling… Maine native Doiron is an outdoorsman, which adds a rare authenticity to the series.” ―Booklist, starred

“Return to Mariposa” by Anne Stuart — “A modern story of romantic suspense and masquerade, where no one is as they seem.” — Amazon

“Shanghai” by Joseph Kanon — “Edgar–winning Kanon plays global and personal intrigues to perfection here. Fans of historical thrillers will appreciate Kanon’s ability to cloak betrayals with the period’s looming uncertainty and evoke Shanghai’s particular vitality.” —Booklist (starred review)

“The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore — “The God of the Woods, like The Secret History, transports readers so deeply into its richly peopled, ominous world that, for hours, everything else falls away. . . . Breaking free of the spell Moore casts is close to impossible.” —Washington Post

ADULT NON-FICTION

“A Slow, Calculated Lynching” by Devery S. Anderson — “This meticulously researched book reveals how Kennard was wrongly imprisoned in Mississippi’s infamous Parchman prison farm, where he was denied proper medical care despite a cancer diagnosis. It reveals the chilling tactics the state of Mississippi employed to preserve white supremacy.” — Debbie Elliott ― NPR’s “Books We Love of 2023”

“American Visions: The United States from 1800-1860” by Edward Ayers — “Ayers’ accurate, balanced, and compelling history proves that progress is possible and that patriotism can be rooted in the complicated truths about the past.”― Booklist

“Fall of Civilizations: Stories of Greatness and Decline” by Paul Cooper — “A broad study of civilizations ….even history buffs will glean plenty of interesting historical information as he moves forward through the Khmer, Maya, and Vijayanagara India.”—Kirkus

“Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed our Food, our Planet, and Ourselves” by Nicola Twilley — “[Nicola Twilley] tells the fascinating story of refrigeration and tracks its effects on eating habits, family dynamics and much else. Along the way, she skillfully introduces us to the people who helped make refrigeration a key feature of everyday life and who now work at the chilly front lines of the modern economy.” —Wall Street Journal

“New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Though Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power and Facts” by Mary Haver M.D. — “[An]enlightening guide. . . . readers will welcome the affirming tone and the attention paid to less-discussed symptoms. . . . It’s an informative manual on an important yet underdiscussed health matter.”—Publishers Weekly

“Patton’s Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith and Victory in World War II” by Alex Kershaw — “There is also no dearth of books on George Patton . . . But Mr. Kershaw has a way of digging out gripping individual stories in the context of larger drama and bringing pace and suspense to the telling.”—Wall Street Journal

“The Cost of Free Land: Jews, Lakota, and an American Inheritance” by Rebecca Claren — “Memorable… Fascinating… A deft mix of personal and social history that recounts the transfer of Native American lands to non-Indigenous settlers, including Jews fleeing antisemitic violence. . . [The Cost of Free Land] seeks a humane path toward restitution.”—Kirkus (*starred review*)

“The Great Abolitionist: Charles Sumner and the Fight for a More Perfect Union” by Stephen Puleo — “Puleo’s vast knowledge of 19th-century Boston and its diffident attitude toward slavery and integration―due in no small part to textile merchants and financiers who relied on Southern cotton for their prosperity―adds tremendous value to his account of Sumner’s transformation from depressed and sullen Harvard-educated lawyer to uncompromising and unrelenting civil rights champion, orator, and senator…Required reading for anyone with even a slight interest in Civil War–era U.S. history. A wonderfully written book about a true American freedom fighter.” ―Kirkus (starred)

“The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts” by Loren Grush — “Tales of the space race enshrined in American history too often center on white men and elevate machismo…Science journalist Loren Grush reclaims this place as female…Grush skillfully weaves a story that, at its heart, is about desire: not a nation’s desire to conquer space, but the longing of six women to reach heights that were forbidden to them… Like space travel itself, The Six widens our vision of what it means to belong to ‘the whole family of humankind.’” —New York Times

“V is for Victory: Franklin Roosevelt’s American Revolution and the Triumph of World War II” by Craig Nelson — “A strong argument that ‘if any one human being is responsible for winning World War II, it is FDR.’ . . . [Nelson] points out that one American Revolution established the country in 1776, but another began in 1933 with the Franklin Roosevelt. . . . A compelling and convincing history lesson.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day” by Garrett Graff — “A sprawling history of D-Day from the point of view of participants on both sides. . . . [and] a timely reminder of the cost of war, as well as the bravery of those who stormed the beaches all those decades ago.” ― Kirkus Reviews

PICTURE BOOK

“Big Dog and Little Dog Making a Mistake” by Dav Pilkey
“Big Dog and Little Dog Wearing Sweat Pants” by Dav Pilkey
“Love is my Favorite Color” by Nina Laden
“Never Touch a Polar Bear” by Rosie Greening

JUVENILE BIOGRAPHY

“The Crayon Man” by Natasha Biebow — “Celebrating the inventor of the Crayola crayon! This gloriously illustrated picture book biography tells the inspiring story of Edwin Binney, the inventor of one of the world’s most beloved toys. A perfect fit among favorites like The Day the Crayons Quit and Balloons Over Broadway.” — Houghton

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

“Orbiting Jupiter” by Gary Schmidt — “A powerful story about second chances, all the more devastating because not everyone gets one.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Reckless” by Lauren Roberts — “After she conspires with the Resistance and kills the king, Paedyn Gray faces a perilous game of cat-and-mouse with Prince Kai, whom she once loved, as she uncovers revelations about her past that make her question everything she thought was true.” — Baker & Taylor