'regional authors'

10/11/2021

R.A.L.F. - Random Awesome Library Fun - is back! All students in grades 6-12 are welcome to attend. R.A.L.F.'s next meeting is October 19 at 4 pm. More information

Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford

A Memoir // This memoir steps into the world of growing up a poor Black girl, exploring how isolating and complex such a childhood can be. As Ashley battles her body and her environment, she provides a poignant coming-of-age recollection that speaks to finding the threads between who you are and what you were born into, and the complicated familial love that often binds them.

305.48 FORD

Unbound by Tarana Burke

My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement // This is the story of an inimitable woman's inner strength and perseverance, all in pursuit of bringing healing to her community and the world around her, but it is also a story of possibility, of empathy, of power, and of the leader we all have inside ourselves. In sharing her path toward healing and saying "me too," Tarana reaches out a hand to help us all on our own journeys.

362.883 BURKE

Make Good the Promises edited by Kinshasha Holman Conwill and Paul Gardullo

Reclaiming Reconstruction and Its Legacies // An incisive and illuminating analysis of the enduring legacy of the post-Civil War period known as Reconstruction--a comprehensive story of Black Americans' struggle for human rights and dignity and the failure of the nation to fulfill its promises of freedom, citizenship, and justice.

305.896 CONWILL

Sister Secrets by Anne Frasier

A Brother's Reveal // Regional Author // The farmers of the Red River Valley of rural North Dakota and Minnesota don't often talk publicly (or privately) about mental illness. Lutheran pastor Matthew Valan's two sisters were diagnosed too late with bipolar disorder. One is dead. The other is in prison. Trying to understand what may have led his beloved sisters to act in the ways they did, Valan examines dark family dynamics he didn't fully comprehend when younger -- an often-absent father involved in politics, and sexual abuse. As he made his way through these dark places, a measure of wholeness and healing came to him, unearthing a passion to help people unlock the secrets of their own lives.

616.89 VALAN

If you need help accessing any of these titles or using front door pickup, email or call us and we will be happy to assist you!

View Book Notes PDF archive

One of my favorite shelves in the library to peruse is the cookbook section (Nonfiction 641.5). There’s just something about flipping through pages of beautifully photographed food and reading the stories behind the recipes--it’s like getting a peek at someone’s else’s family and exploring their culture one dish at a time.

When one catches my eye, I can’t wait to take it home and dive in. Here are three such cookbooks from the library I am exploring now.

Ultimate Bread by Eric Treuille

If you are new to bread-making, Ultimate Bread is a great place to start. With photographed step-by-step techniques, ingredient information, and easy-to-follow instructions, they take the mystery out of bread-making. From naan to grissini to sandwich bread, there’s a wide sampling of various yeast, flat, and quick bread recipes from around the world to choose from. The muffin recipe is easily customizable and the hearty Irish Soda Bread and Victorian Milk Bread are both wonderful with a cup of stew or slathered with butter and jam. If you’re a chocoholic, be sure to give the Chocolate Prune Bread a try!

The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman

No fry bread or Indian tacos here! Oglala Lakota caterer and food educator based out of Minneapolis, Sean Sherman, shares his history, culture, and approach to creating authentic indigenous food specific to our northern Midwest region. Using traditional ingredients and techniques, Sean creates vibrant, healthful dishes that are elegant as well as accessible for the home cook. Through recipes such as Three Sisters Mash, Cedar Braised Bison, and Fried Wild Rice Bowl, he encourages you to explore traditional local flavors such as juniper, sumac, and cedar, but also offers substitutes if those ingredients are hard to find. The book is a great read on its own and a rich introduction to Native ideology and food.

Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family by Priya Krishna

Indian-ish is a loving tribute to Priya’s mom’s self-taught Indian-American cooking that merges the Indian flavors of her childhood with American staples. The results are approachable and packed with flavor. A few I’m eager to try include Dahi Toast (Spiced yogurt sandwiches), Aloo Gobi (Spiced potatoes with cauliflower), and Saag Feta (Feta cooked in spinach sauce). The book is also filled with funny stories, candid photos, and original illustrations that gives you the feeling of pulling up a chair at the Krishna dinner table.