Sarah recommends "Bachelor Nation"

Confession: I’m a fan of The Bachelor. I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a member of “Bachelor Nation” (the term used by ABC TV for die-hard fans of their Bachelor franchise), but I DO regularly watch the shows. Which led me to this CMPL Hot Read from 2018: Bachelor Nation: inside the world of America’s favorite guilty pleasure. Written by Los Angeles Times journalist Amy Kaufman, it explores both the secrets behind making a reality TV show, and the cultural implications of a show focused on the narrative of fairy-tale romance.

Here are some of the juicy details I learned by reading this book:

*Co-executive producer Lisa Levenson got her start in television with Jerry Springer and General Hospital – she knew all about how to create drama!

*The “in-the-moment” interviews, in which off-camera producers interview contestants during an episode, are shockingly similar to police interrogations – contestants may be kept in that small room until they say what producers want them to say, so they “confess” in order to get out of there and finally get to sleep. (p. 148)

*Something called “Frankenbiting” – sound-bites that have been edited to change the meaning from the original recording. (p. 161)

(Surprise! Reality TV isn’t really real.)

So if you’re a proud member of Bachelor Nation, a casual fan, a “hate-watcher,”or just curious what all the fuss is about, I highly recommend picking this one up.

Gretchen recommends "Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country"

I always look forward to Pam Houston’s books.  This memoir from the writer and environmentalist—several years in the making--is a series of essays to be savored slowly.  At midlife, with the mortgage paid, she has found her place of belonging and healing on a 120-acre ranch in the Colorado Rockies with her beloved animals.  Pam Houston’s voice is honest and hopeful.  Her beautiful writing celebrates nature, the earth and its survival, and her hard-won place in this world .  A thought-provoking read for adults with a passion for natural history.

Anneliese recommends "The Storyteller's Secret"

A captivating story that takes place in the past and present, Badani will have you enamored in her tale of Jaya, a woman who travels to her mother's hometown in India to escape her feelings dealing with her failing marriage and multiple miscarriages.  While there, Jaya and readers will travel back in time to also learn the story of Jaya's grandmother, and the secrets that have been long hidden as to why Jaya's mother left India, never to return.  This book  is full of Indian culture, history of the British occupation in India, heartbreak, love, family, and perseverance, and will have you so enthralled that you will NOT be able to put it down.



Recommended for adults.

Ellen recommends "The Feather Thief"

If you like to fish, you’ll be captivated by the story in The Feather Thief.  It’s peak into the obscure world of fly-tying and the obsessive quest for the perfect feathers to make the perfect fly.  In a truly bizarre crime, a branch of the British Museum of Natural History is broken into and hundreds of dead birds are stolen.  But these aren’t just any birds, they are exotic tropical birds, prized for their magnificent and colorful feathers, collected over 150 years ago.  Follow the hunt, arrest, trial and outcome of this most unusual true-crime story.  Recommended for Adults.

Celia recommends "Southern Lady Code"

“A fiercely funny collection of essays on marriage and manners, thank you notes and three-ways, ghosts, gunshots, gynecology, and the Calgon-scented, onion-dipped, monogrammed art of living as a Southern Lady" -- Provided by publisher.

A fun, charming, absurdly hilarious collection of essays from a writer who is quickly becoming one of my favorites, Helen Ellis. I picked this book up after listening to the audio of her short story collection American Housewife, which I also highly recommend. The essays are honest, surprising, and put a humorous spin on everyday life. Not only that, this book will have you talking in Southern Lady Code anytime you need to saying something not-so-nice in a nice way.

Meghan recommends "The Whisper Network"

Whisper Network by Chandler Baker is our new Book of the Month!

"Sloane, Ardie, Grace, and Rosalita have worked at Truviv, Inc. for years. The sudden death of Truviv's CEO means their boss, Ames, will likely take over the entire company. Each of the women has a different relationship with Ames, who has always been surrounded by whispers about how he treats women. This time, when they find out Ames is making an inappropriate move on a colleague, they've decided enough is enough.” (From the publisher.)

From the outset of Whisper Network, readers know that someone has died. The story unfolds as the women take turns narrating in the lead up to the death and beyond, interspersed with interviews and depositions conducted after the fact. A sort of Greek chorus highlighting the conflicting messages given to women in the workforce also takes a role. The story excels in its depiction of the strength of female friendships, despite the personal and philosophical conflicts they sometimes have with each other.  As they work together to take Ames down, readers and characters alike question - are they out for revenge or are they just trying do the right thing?  

This book is recommended for Adults and possibly older Teens.

Natalie recommends "Batman Arkham: Ra's al Ghul"

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I am a fan of this particular character in the Batman lore, and will pick up what I can when I am in the mood.  A character who learned a secret to immortality and has an intellect and fighting skills that can match the Caped Crusaders.  This is the most recent item that features this character.  And while this doesn't include anything new (as it gathers a collection his appearances since his introduction in 1971), it is still very enjoyable.  My favorite stories in here are Daughter of the Demon, the Lazarus Pit, and Resurrection Shuffle.  


"Daughter of the Demon" introduces Ra's al Ghul and reveals that he is the father of Talia, Batman's "first" love interest outside of Catwoman and later the mother of their child and current Robin, Damian.  Ra's comes to Batman hoping that he can help rescue his daughter, who has been abducted on the same night and by the same person who abducted Robin (Dick Grayson).  It is later revealed that Ra's set this all up to see if Batman is worthy to not only wed his daughter, but be his heir.  He's also one of the few people outside of Batman's rather large family to know that Batman is Bruce Wayne, as seen in this issue.



"The Lazarus Pit" introduces the Lazarus Pit, a pool that is known to heal the injured and bring back the dead.  This would be a tool that Ra's would be known for using to essentially escape death, which he does in this issue.  He's the only to use it, with him only letting Nyssa his other daughter using it once and Talia using it to restore Jason Todd (the second Robin who was killed in the Death in the Family arc) behind her fathers back.



"Resurrection Shuffle" was one of the first issues in the Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul arc, in which an aging Ra's is losing time and needs to transfer his soul to a new body.  This would come to include Damian Wayne, Tim Drake (the third Robin, who he would later bribe with the Laarus Pit to revive his father, girlfriend, and best friend), the later two of which would actually be alive), and Ra's' father.  The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul is one of my favorite Ra's stories, so it was nice to see this included.



Batman Arkham: Ra's al Ghul is a good read with some of the needed stories you'd need to see who this character is, and I would recommend it.  It is an Adult Graphic Novel, but it could be something Young Adults could read too.