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An intimate, moving narrative peppered with harsh statistics, love, angst, and the author’s own admirable vulnerability.
All workers, as well as TV and movie buffs, can appreciate this well-told book of essays about labor in Hollywood.
For non-academic audiences curious about and empathetic toward the deeply personal consequences of entrenched poverty.
PREMIUM
Poverty, by America
Although the message may not be welcomed by all, this thought-provoking book delivers. Recommended for all audio collections.
Hagerty’s illuminating account provides a fascinating and deeply moving glimpse into how anthropologists’ use of forensic methods has changed the ways in which research is conducted in the field.
Of interest for libraries that cover city planning, landscape architecture, or urban design. This book would also be at home in libraries where readers are curious about economics, geography, political science, or the environment.
The audience for Bittle’s important book goes well beyond policy wonks or climate activists, and this gripping audio is the perfect way to enjoy this notable book. Recommend to readers of Dahr Jamail’s The End of Ice or Elizabeth A. Rush’s Rising.
A powerful book that challenges listeners to re-examine the events at Waco and the ramifications of willful misunderstanding, posturing, and aggression.
This groundbreaking and upsetting debut will appeal to listeners interested in social justice, economics, and inequality. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Chase’s Calendar of Events 2023: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days, Weeks and Months
Recommended for all reference collections as a quick aid.
Recommended for readers with an interest in sociology, anthropology, political science, and the historical context of various Latin American migrant experiences.
There’s contact information for the Freedom Network USA and lists of specific actions for readers to take if or when they suspect instances of human trafficking. Libraries need this.
This narrative will stay with readers long after the last page. To gain understanding and achieve true allyship, this is an essential title to read.
This book is not all doom and gloom. There are gleams of joy throughout, plus essays on art and pleasure. Give to anyone with an interest in disability justice, as well as fans of Alice Wong’s Year of the Tiger.
This study belongs in social behavioral sciences collections. Ideal for scholars and general readers interested in this current, relevant, and much debated topic. Readers may want to pair this title with Jill Leovy’s Ghettoside, which examines the critical differences between murder investigations of Black victims vs. white ones.
Although the ending is a little too simplistic, this book could spark debate in university classrooms or at dinner tables, where the abundance of celebrities and celebrity podcasts suits U.S. tastes as much as apple pie.
A fun listen for those interested in cryptozoology and a unique companion for travelers looking for adventures (translation: cryptid festivals), as all states are represented.
An eye-opening exposé that encourages action and support for those experiencing substance-use disorder.
A gripping and thought-provoking study of adoption, identity, and the challenging ways in which culture, politics, and economics intersect.
PREMIUM
Bibi: My Story
Patrons interested in modern Middle Eastern history, the back channels of diplomacy and negotiations, and the life of Israel’s longest-serving prime minister will be riveted by this audio presentation.
History buffs who are interested in a comprehensive statistical analysis of the numbers of Jewish soldiers who fought in the Civil War and their personal stories, both factual and legendary, will find much to ponder here.
This title will appeal to activists but is also recommended for anyone who values making spaces and life more inclusive. Wong’s memoir, which so effectively highlights the need for accessibility, is an essential audio purchase.
Though somewhat haltingly presented by Klineman, Strickland’s argument is easily absorbed. A powerful portrait of one small border town and the humanitarian crises on the frontier.
Kwan’s juicy descriptions of food and travel can immerse the casual listener, but there’s also plenty of meat for the socially conscious.
PREMIUM
Butts: A Backstory
This delightful look at the story behind butts will be enjoyed by fans of Mary Roach and Bill Bryson, or anyone seeking an engaging mix of science and hilarity.
PREMIUM
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma
By turns emotional and measured, this is a valuable meditation on some of the era’s most urgent cultural questions.
An academic inquiry into the contemporary manufacturing of urban identity, best for advanced students of media and urban development.
Editors Margot Kahn and Kelly McMasters offer a thought-provoking collection that deserves to be talked about by readers. Recommended for discussion groups.
This is a riveting read that will be of interest to many, from those concerned with the plight of refugees and the biases built into many American institutions to anyone who loves unconventional memoirs and beautiful writing.
This is a book for a very patient reader, one willing to accept design as the most fundamental of human activities and good design as the panacea for society’s ills.
Grabar offers an intriguing, wide-ranging, readable perspective of the urban American parking scene, its issues, and possible future.
PREMIUM
Poverty, by America
This book will likely interest scholars. Add it to social and behavioral sciences collections.
This is a provocative and important book that enables readers to gain a deep appreciation for the nuanced meaning of cancel culture.
This honest and compassionate depiction of someone who was true to their passions will inspire readers, especially those interested in LGBTQIA+ history.
A powerful document of social injustice, BISACed as social science but of crucial interest for arts and poetry collections; pricey but worth it for many libraries.
An important addition to support multidisciplinary research in the social sciences and fine arts, with a wide appeal for those interested in the role of activist comedy on emerging social media platforms.
Readers who enjoyed Tara Westover’s Educated will be drawn to Conover’s book. An excellent addition to any nonfiction collection that provides a glimpse into a little-known community.
PREMIUM
The Abortion Caravan
Although Wells’s book chronicles a Canadian story, this timely book would be an excellent addition to any nonfiction audio collection.
A powerful examination of clinical data alongside popular culture, this is a theoretical text appropriate for university-level classes on gender and sexuality. It also includes elements that will be of interest to general readers tired of self-help books designed to “fix” brokenness and interested in exploring what it means to find worth in and through trauma.
PREMIUM
Cancel Wars: How Universities Can Foster Free Speech, Promote Inclusion, and Renew Democracy
Recommended for all education collections.
A critical addition to sociological, historical, and anthropological collections, this book provides a multifaceted account of working within the BIA. Lambert has a rich perspective as a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, anthropologist, and former United States government employee.
PREMIUM
Bloodbath Nation
Not a comfortable read but rather a work that deals with the societal consequences of sacrificing thousands of lives. Ideal for libraries with collections on both gun control and sociology.
Together, it forms a story told through multiple voices that reminds readers that the ineluctable links between heartache and romance are what make emotions (and relationships) so worthwhile.
While the authors have done significant research in some areas, the book’s shortcomings result in the need for a library to have significant, additional material on hand to provide other perspectives and more solid facts.
PREMIUM
A Cultural History of Shopping
Academic libraries should seriously consider adding this set (in one form or the other), as its interdisciplinary approach will support many departments and research paths.
This painstakingly researched compendium, compiled by authors who are themselves Indigenous “firsts,” is an affordable and essential purchase for all reference collections.
Ford pushes readers to more deeply understand how pieces of information become accepted, often unquestioned facts online and issues a call to promote data literacy. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Why Public Space Matters
Scholarly but still accessible to planners, activists, students, and general readers alike. A thoughtful and engaging exploration of mostly urban public spaces and why they matter for communities that care about socially just, equitable, sustainable, and flourishing societies.
A fascinating and thought-provoking look into the relationship between sexual orientation and employment.
This book is perfect for readers interested in how society reached the point it is at today with the internet and sex and the issues that have emerged.
A sincere, thoughtful look at the advances made by the disabled community that deserve celebration and the improvements still to be made in all areas.
This book will appeal and prove helpful to academic collections and scholarship examining political science through the lens of queer studies.
A fun, fascinating, and surprisingly empowering exploration of the history and cultural significance of the butt.
. This engaging and well-researched biography reads like a novel and should appeal to readers interested in journalism, women’s studies, and adventure tales alike.
Visceral and readable without ever feeling too steeped in theory or jargon, Raffo’s accessible book helps show that roots matter more than what many see and that change is impossible without a real weeding, a structural dismantling of what people prefer to simply cover up or look away from.
PREMIUM
The Afterlife in Popular Culture: Heaven, Hell, and the Underworld in the American Imagination
O’Neill incorporates many examples from young-adult fiction as he provides clear, nonjudgmental evidence of the American fascination with, rather than fear of, life after death, focusing on the prevalent theme of optimism.
Despite some flaws, this wide-ranging, clearly written volume will help researchers understand the past, present, and potential future of Latinos in the United States.
Hearing this work is a simultaneously motivating and heartbreaking experience. An absolute must-listen and essential purchase for all libraries.
PREMIUM
On Tyranny, Expanded Audio Edition: Updated with Twenty New Lessons from Russia’s War on Ukraine
A first purchase for any library’s audio collection.
Rhind-Tutt’s well-paced narration is clear and sincere, perfectly matching the balanced tone of Knight’s deeply researched, enjoyably diverting social history. Recommended for all nonfiction collections.
This heartfelt and entertaining chronicle serves as a showcase for exceptional Asian American audiobook narrators. A must-listen for pop culture buffs.
Recommended for medium and large public libraries and any other libraries where women’s issues are strong circulators.
Narrator Heather Masters’s clear voice, excellent enunciation, and measured delivery allow the often shocking stories behind some of the United States’ most famous monuments, such as the U.S. Capitol Building’s Freedom Statue and Mount Rushmore, to stand on their own.
PREMIUM
Knocked Down: A High-Risk Memoir
Captivating and wonderfully written, a print version or the upcoming audiobook narrated by the author is best for collections.
Recommended. Academic readers interested in theoretical and rhetorical analysis in queer and disability studies will find cutting-edge thought.
Hass offers a powerful exposé of the persistence of race in the ongoing public dialogue about citizenship and belonging.
Readers will leave with a better understanding of the complexity of the lives of women working in low-wage jobs and what needs to change to provide them with the support they need.
PREMIUM
Mardi Gras Indians
Williams’s concise book effectively synthesizes numeral primary and secondary sources into an excellent overview of the origins of Mardi Gras tribes and the reasons for their continued endurance. Particularly recommended for libraries looking to add to collections on Black American cultural traditions.
PREMIUM
Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education
A thoughtful, engaging book for any reader interested in immigrant education.
Hunter-Gault’s book makes it easy to revisit difficult historical moments and envision better choices, better outcomes, and better futures.
A must-read for all who have grown tired and weary of those who want to preserve the niceness of social interactions because of the way a situation looks instead of placing importance on what the reality is.
Although an indirect way to approach a subject, even in translation there is literary sparkle to the text and plenty to learn.
Lowery’s interviews with the members of the collective provides a sweeping look at the movements that changed the way in which people view government inaction, greed, and the stigma surrounding AIDS. Adam conveys the emotions of the collective members, adding a singular depth to the account. Lowery provides a well-organized list of sources for listeners who wish to learn more.
A sensitive call to action for a very worthy cause: working to get clean water and sanitation for the poorest populations on our planet.
An excellent choice for libraries with patrons interested in social sciences. The tips to help overcome regret add a self-help component, which will attract an even wider audience.
Jonathan Yen’s confident delivery and masterful pronunciations of the many non-English terms draw listeners into Brunner’s descriptions of the almost magical beauty of the far North, while his expressive readings of the racist and pseudoscientific perversions of the region (by Nazis and other white supremacists) will stay with listeners long after the audiobook has ended.
This first translated work from an important Ukrainian voice is an interesting addition to any public library collection.
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