Staff Picks for July/Aug 2012

Here are some great titles for your reading and viewing pleasure, selected by the staff of Collection Development Services. Suggestions include books and movies to get you in the Olympic spirit, new books by noted Civil War authors, and books written in one language that are now available in another.

Find more reading suggestions at Books & More.

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Gold by Chris Cleave

Just in time for the London Olympics, this novel of friendship set against the backdrop of Olympic track cycling is a triumph of superbly paced, heart-in-throat storytelling.

Fiction

Casual Vacancy  by J. K. Rowling 

What has J. K. Rowling been up to since she finished Harry Potter series? She wrote a novel for adults that will be published this September. Place your holds now!

Fiction

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda 

First-time author Fukuda has crafted a new vampire trilogy for teens that is a must-read for fans of The Hunger Games.

Teen Fiction

Juego de Tronos: Cancion de Hielo y Fuego i by George R. R. Martin

Game of Thrones, the bestselling novel and the basis for the hit TV series, is now available in Spanish.

Spanish Language

Cincuenta Sombras de Grey by E.L. James

The Spanish language version of 50 Shades of Grey, the runaway bestseller that everyone is talking about, is now available as a paperback and ebook.

Spanish Language

Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction  by Allen C. Guelzo

This vividly written history, by arguably the foremost living biographer of President Lincoln, shows the United States at its best and worst, covering not just the battles of the Civil War, but also the aftermath, the War's legacy and influence, as well as its global context.

Non-Fiction

War on the Waters: The Union and Confederate Navies, 1861-1865  by James M. McPherson

The author of the Pulitzer Prize winning Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (part of the Oxford History of the United States and therefore considered the “official” history of the conflict) returns with a book about a lesser studied aspect of the Civil War, the battles at sea and along coasts and rivers.

Non-Fiction

The Long Road to Antietam: How the Civil War Became a Revolution  by Richard Slotkin

Slotkin’s analysis of the terrain, strategy and political conflict involved in this bloodiest battle in American history, which claimed 23,000 casualties in one day, is captivating reading.

Non-Fiction

Brenner and God by Wolf Haas

The start of one of Europe's most popular detective series, this suspenseful, quirky, and hilarious book from Austria is now available in English in eBook and hardcover.

eBook

Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson

The world-renowned chef -- born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, living in America -- shares his remarkable, enchanting, and poignant life story.

eBook/Downloadable Audiobook

Chariots of Fire

The Olympics make for fascinating movies including this Oscar-winning film based on the true story of two English runners driven by different means to win at the 1924 Olympics.

DVD

Cool Runnings

Experience the Winter Olympics with this comedy hit inspired by the true story of Jamaica's first Olympic bobsled team.

DVD

Jim Thorpe, All-American

The life story of Thorpe, a Native American athlete who gained international recognition after winning the pentathlon and the decathlon in the 1912 Olympics.

DVD

Miracle

Relive the true story behind one of the greatest moments in American sports history - the 1980 U.S. ice hockey team's Olympic upset victory over the Soviet Union.

DVD

Munich

After the tragic murder of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, the Israeli government recruits a team of undercover agents to hunt down those responsible and eliminate them one-by-one. Based on a true story.

DVD