Celebrate Sound

Sonic Sensations
What kid doesn't like to make funny sounds or more certainly, noise? Here's a short list of fun books to share, from should be soft, to must be loud, to can be subtle...

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis; illustrated by Paul Rogers
Listen, Listen by Phillis Gershator
Mrs. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss
The Noisy Farm : Lots of Animal Sounds to Enjoy by Marni McGee
Sounds Around Town by Maria Carluccio
The Winter Noisy Book by Margaret Wise Brown
Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
Oscar and the Bat : A Book About Sound by Geoff Waring
Oink! Moo! How Do You Do? : A Book of Animal Sounds by Grace Maccarone
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.; pictures by Eric Carle

Also explore picture books that help your child learn to use specific sounds and have some fun! A few examples:
sh : Sheep in a Shop by Nancy Shaw
l : Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
m : Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
b : The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie
f : Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall

Economic Interests

From USA.gov
If you use your mobile device for business and your business is keeping up to date on the state of the U.S. economy, consider downloading "America's Economy" app.

The app is free (iPhone, iPad, Android Phone or tablet) and provides real time updates for 16 key economic indicators released from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Bureau of Economic Analysis. Key features include:

• Quick overview of indicators measuring the U.S. economy
• Detailed page for each indicator with trend data
• Share indicators on Facebook, Twitter and via email
• View release schedules for indicators
• Set up notifications and custom views

For more information or to download the app, click here.

Thinking Snow

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, or Fair to Middling
We all have our favorite snow season stories : a crazy-tough drive home, a spectacular snow fort, a skier's paradise, a walk in snowflake silence, a comfort food meal, the best snowman ever, a fender-bender...

No matter what your take on snow season happens to be, we offer quick book lists with upbeat themes.

For Kids : New and Classic

A Perfect Day by Carin Berger
Snowbots by Aaron Reynolds
Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser
The Snow Day by Komako Sakai
It's Snowing! by Gail Gibbons
Henry Goes Skating by Brian Biggs
Bedtime for Bear by Brett Helquist
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
Stranger in the Woods by Carl R. Sams
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Grandma Drove the Snowplow by Katie Clark

For Adults : Mix and Match the Wintry Reads

A few handy titles to pass snowy day time and/or plan for activities both this year and next.

The Winter Garden : Create a Garden That Shines Through the Forgotten Season by Val Bourne
Wonders of the Winter Landscape : Shrubs and Trees to Brighten the Cold Weather Garden by Vincent A. Simeone
Yule : A Celebration of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison
Snow Play by Birgitta Ralston
The Winter Solstice : the Sacred Traditions of Christmas by John Matthews
The Winter Harvest Handbook : Year-round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses by Eliot Coleman
Fireside Feasts and Snow Day Treats : Indulgent Comfort Food for Winter Eating and Entertaining by Valerie Aikman-Smith
Basic Illustrated : Winter Hiking and Camping by Molly Absolon
The History of the Snowman : From the Ice Age to the Flea Market by Bob Eckstein

Turkey Day Is On the Way!

Give Thanks
Thinking ahead to family gatherings, kids home from school, great meals -- original and leftover -- and round-the-clock football games on TV, we offer a short list of fun titles for kids:

Balloons Over Broadway : The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet
Fancy Nancy : Our Thanksgiving Banquet by Jane O'Connor
An Old-fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
One Is a Feast for Mouse : A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox
Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey by Herman Parish
Giving Thanks : A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp
Gobble, Gobble by Cathryn Falwell
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
In November by Cynthia Rylant
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing
Celebrate the First Thanksgiving with Elaine Landau
Dino-Football by Lisa Wheeler
The Football Cookbook : Simple Recipes for Kids by Sarah L. Schuette

Let the Decorating Season Begin Anew!

In both 2011 and 2012, nasty weather interfered with more than a few Halloween decorating plans. We've heard tell that to many a hearty Boo! was added a heartfelt hoo...

Shake it off and join us on Saturday, November 17 @ 11a.m. to craft a very stylish Thanksgiving wreath. We'll provide a sample wreath, pictured left, and all the materials you'll need to make your own. Remember : the sample is just a guide and your personal touches and creativity will be what makes the wreath special to you and to your family. For kids ages 4-8; click here to register.

Non-Fiction Finalists

NBA 2012
From Mumbai to Texas, Oklahoma to the Middle East, or in the days of LBJ, try one of the five non-fiction books nominated for the National Book Award, scheduled for award on November 14.

Click on the title to check book reviews, availability, or to place hold. Click on the author to read an author bio, an excerpt from the book, and to explore additional links.

Iron Curtain : the Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1945-1956 -- by Anne Applebaum
Behind the Beautiful Forevers : Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity -- by Catherine Boo
The Passage of Power -- by Robert J. Caro
The Boy Kings of Texas : A Memoir  -- by Domingo Martinez
House of Stone : a Memoir of Home, Family, and a Lost Middle East -- by Anthony Shadid

Someone's In the Kitchen

Chef's Surprise
With holiday season on the horizon, publishers tend to feature cookbooks and so do we. Here's a few:

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof : Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten
Enjoy TV chef Garten's latest collection of mouth-watering recipes. This an many other titles from this Food Network favorite are available.

The Gluten-free Table : the Lagasse Girls Share Their Favorite Meals by Jilly Lagasse and Jesse Lagasse Swanson
From the daughters of celebrity chef Emeril, who both follow gluten-free diets and know more than little about keeping the flavors in and the gluten out.

The Epicurious Cookbook : More than 250 of Our Best-Loved Four-Fork Recipes
The first-ever cookbook from the editors of Epicurious online. The book is organized seasonally and by type of meal.

Moufflet : More than 100 Gourmet Recipes That Rise to Any Occasion by Kelly Jaggers
Muffins need not be boring. Jaggers serves up all kinds of recipes featuring muffins as an opening meal item, side, or dessert.

Grain Mains : 101 Sexy, Satisfying Recipes That Move Whole Grains to the Center of the Plate by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
The latest from a cookbook author duo with a Connecticut connection.

Parents Need to Eat Too : Nap-Friendly Cooking, One-Handed Meals, and Time-Saving Tricks for New Parents by Debbie Koenig; forward by Lara Field
Pair this one with slow-cooker titles.

Edible DIY : Simple, Giftable Recipes to Savor and Share by Lucy Baker
75 recipes with plenty of packaging tips.

Thanksgiving : How to Cook It Well by Sam Sifton
Enjoy advice from a former food critic for the New York Times and guy who loves Turkey Day.

Nothing Like a Zombie Hoard...

Zombie Jamboree

What a busy day! Traffic everywhere. Gas station lines around the block.  Milk and bread at the grocery stores? Gone, baby, gone. As if we didn't have the much greater worry of Hurricane Sandy, we inadvertently let loose a rather sizable group of zombie makeup hoarders this afternoon.  Lock your doors, avoid the moaning, lurching horde, and use your time to prepare your family for the storm.  Be safe, East Hampton!

Many thanks to special effects makeup artists Caroline Wilcox and Deb Brennan for their expertise and a haunting afternoon at the library.

Second-Hand Prose

In For a Quarter...
If you fancy an inexpensive read -- more expensive than borrowing a library book for free but still absolutely, certainly inexpensive -- do check out the Second Hand Prose book shelves located in the library's lobby.  Paperback books sell for a quarter; hardcovers for a dollar. 'Special' books are often featured and are priced separately, as are occasionally donated DVDs.

Books for Kids
Children's books fans may also find inexpensive reads in the Children's Services area's book sale bins.  Most books sell for a quarter; some for a dime.

Friends of the Library
Proceeds from used book sales help our Friends of the Library group. The Friends annually fund the library's Museum Pass Program, summer reading activities and prizes, plus other special programs and projects.

If you have ever benefited from the museum pass program, please do consider volunteering your time to staff the Friend's Book Store on a Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sign up at the library or contact us at (860) 267-6621 for more information. It takes many dimes, quarters, and dollars to get you to a museum at discount or for free...

Fiction Finalists

NBA 2012
Ready to read off the best seller list? Try one of the five fiction books nominated for a 2012 National Book Award, scheduled for award on November 14.

Click on the title to check book reviews, availability, or to place hold.  Click on the author to read an author bio, an excerpt from the book, and to explore additional links.

This Is How You Lose Her -- by Junot Diaz
A Hologram for the King -- by Dave Eggers
The Round House -- by Louise Erdrich
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk -- by Ben Fountain
The Yellow Birds -- by Kevin Powers

Ridin' In Your Car

Vroom... Vroom...
If you are an antique car aficionado or car lover in general, you may be pleased to know the library has a subscription to Automobile Quarterly, aptly subtitled The Connoisseur's Magazine of Motoring  - Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow.

East Hampton's own Belltown Antique Car Club funds the subscription.  Meet with like-minded car club fans first Wednesday of the month in the library's Community Room.

Books and Reading

On the cars in books front, we offer quick picks for cool-on-wheels reading:

Engines of Change : A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars by Paul Ingrassia
An entertaining social history of the fifteen cars : from the Model-T, to the sporty or speedy, and on to mini-vans, utilities, and hybrids.

Blood and Smoke : The Unsolved Mystery of the First Indie 500 by Charles Leerhsen
Explore the early days of Indie and we mean early. The first Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909.

Car : The Definitive History of the Automobile edited by Kathryn Hennessy
From DK, enjoy an "international view of the automobile through time."

Online Service

For DIY car repair and maintenance, there is no more trusted name than Chilton's Manuals. Now with ChiltonLibrary.com, you can access wiring diagrams, diagnostic codes, and maintenance tables for thousands of cars and trucks -- 24/7. Use your East Hampton Public Library card barcode number to log in.

Mars Madness

Late Spring on Mars
Image courtesy of NASA.gov

Red Planet Favorites
Understanding Mars is always a hot topic, made hotter still last August when "Curiosity" became the fourth rover to explore the Red Planet.  On the Mars in fiction front, we offer a round-up of a few classics.

War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson (Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars)
Prelude to Mars by Arthur C. Clark
Man Plus by Frederik Pohl
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Mars Trilogy (Mars, Return to Mars, Mars Life) by Ben Bova
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven
John Carter of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Non-Fiction Picks

Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
Less about Mars than the effects of long-term space travel.
Roving Mars (documentary video)
The story of NASA's two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, which are currently driving around Mars.
Sojourner : an Insider's View of the Mars Pathfinder Mission by Andrew Mishkin
Chronicles one of the early Mars landing missions. We've since moved on to roving...

For Kids
Far-out Guide to Mars by Mary Kay Carson
The Mighty Mars Rovers : the Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Rusch
Mars : You Decide How to Survive! by Hena Khan and David Borgenicht

Surf's Up
NASA Mars Exploration Program
Discovery Space : Top 10 Sites on Mars
NASA Be a Martian!

Day of Discovery

Image courtesy of
DC Public Library

Columbus Day Holiday
We're certain you all remember the first line of this poem :
"In fourteen hundred ninety two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue."

We're also certain you'll all be out and about tomorrow and so we offer a few suggestions on how to spend a little of your Columbus Day quiet time.

Christopher Columbus : Walk the Plank Game
Answer 10 trivia questions from a bank of 20 though the motivational message is most certainly quirky and your choice. There are many other free versions of Walk the Plank history games available.

BBC Primary History : Famous People
Learn or refresh you knowledge about Columbus, then play a game to help Columbus prepare for his voyage.

Nova Online : Lost At Sea - The Search for Longitude
On the more challenging front, try your hand at being a virtual marine navigator. You'll need a Shockwave plug-in to play.

See you on Tuesday, October 9 at 10 a.m. The library is closed tomorrow, Columbus Day.

Our Shoes Were Made For Walking

And That's Just What We'll Do...
On any day and in conventional time, you are likely to see East Hampton's walkers. Some stroll; others power walk. Some walk with their children and/or favorite pooch; others may walk for a more solitary experience. Some you'll meet on the larger Village Center's sidewalk system; others on more rural roads and trails.

If you're walking, or thinking about it, we offer a quick list of titles that may provide can-do inspiration. Armchair travel and other reads to ponder round out the list.

Chiwalking : The Five Mindful Steps for Lifelong Health and Energy by Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer

Dog Walks Man : A Six-Legged Odyssey by John Zeaman

The Connecticut Walk Book East from the CT Park & Forest Association

Healing Walks for Hard Times : Quiet Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Get Your Life Back by Carolyn Scott Kortge

Walk a Hound Lose a Pound : How You and Your Dog Can Lose Weight, Stay Fit, and Have Fun Together by Phil Zeltzman and Rebecca A. Johnson

Walk Off Weight by Michele Stanten

Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

Wanderlust : a History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit

The Lost Art of Walking : the History, Science, Philosophy and Literature of Pedestrianism by Geoff Nicholson 

The Walker's Companion by Elizabeth Ferber

Videos
Walking for Weight Loss
Walk Away the Pounds : Super Fat Burning with Leslie Sansone
Leslie Sansone's Walk and Jog
Leslie Sansone Walk at Home

Audio Companions
Nothing like a soothing voice and a good read to help you pass the time on the walkway. The library offers downloadable audio books and audio books on CD and MP3 disc. Enjoy your stroll ... animated cutie courtesy of Animateit.net.

"L" Is for "Library and "Z" Is for Zombie

Zombify You! 
Buckle up costume party fans! Get grungy and learn how to "zombify" yourself using guidance from makeup artists Caroline Wilcox and Deb Brennan. With makeup in place, we'll add some accessories, practice the zombie shuffle, and move around like the undead (a very 'rigor'ous way to walk).

This pre-Halloween program is scheduled for Saturday, October 27th beginning at 1 p.m. Appropriate for zombie hordes ages 12 and up; click here to register.

Zombie Page-Turners
A quick list of walking dead favorites for older tweens or older teens, several more subtle than the usual zombie fare.
The Enemy Series by Charlie Higson (In order : The Enemy, The Dead, The Fear)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
The Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon (In order : Infinity, Invincible, Infamous)
Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
World War Z by Max Brooks
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Series
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Zone One by Colson Whitehead

Just for Fun : Preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse
Laugh if you must but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is capitalizing of the zombie craze.  Here's one in a series of public service widgets designed to encourage emergency preparedness.

Elections for Little People

Cast Your Ballots!
Though your grade school kids won't be voting in the upcoming election, we here offer a quick list of lively books with a seasonal flavor. Fiction and non-fiction titles are included, mainly written with a light touch.

Election Day by Margaret McNamara
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
Vote for Me! by Ben Clanton
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
If I Ran for President by Catherine Stier
Shh! We're Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz
Vote! by Eileen Christelow
Madam President by Lane Smith
Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm
White House Kids by Joe Rhatigan
Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel
John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith
Our White House : Looking In, Looking Out with an introduction by David McCullough
Those Rebels, John & Tom by Barbara Kerley
The Democratic Process by Mark Friedman
The U.S. Constitution by Michael Burgan
George vs. George by Rosalyn Schanzer
Who's Haunting the White House? : the President's Mansion and the Ghosts Who Live There by Jeff Belanger
Presidential Races : Campaigning for the White House by Arlene Morris-Lipsman

Surf's Up
Web sites worth a gander...
Congress for Kids : from the Dirksen Congressional Center
Kids in the House : Four levels of content about the U.S. House of Representatives
Kids.gov : A portal to .edu and .gov websites
iCivics.org : A civics education site founded in 2009 by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor; for tweens, teens, and adults!

Thanks to School Library Journal for inspiration!

Reading Rock...

Who Are They?
Who? Who?
Welcome a bunker crop of bios and rock memoirs, and excepting Ozzy's, all with highly inventive black and white cover photos!  Read 'em and rock...

Neil Young -- Bruce Springsteen -- Pete Townshend -- Gregg Allman -- Metallica -- Mick Jagger -- Ozzy Ozbourne -- Carole King.

Scare Up A Good Book

Silly, Spooky, Scary, Splendid!
Autumn's here, Halloween is just around the corner, and now is the time to start rounding up a few good reads to get in the mood for the colorful, boorific days ahead. Here's a few quick lists of latest (or greatest) titles for kids.

Board Books
Gentle or non-threatening stories in board book format, for your littlest people:
Five Little Pumpkins -- It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! -- Happy Halloween, Biscuit! -- Ghosts In the House! -- Goodnight Goon : a Petrifying Parody -- Horns, Tails, Spikes and Claws -- Mouse's First Halloween

Picture Books, Early and Easy Readers, and Then Some
Do browse our Holiday Book collection for Halloween titles; several of the latest are listed below. Also listed are a few non-seasonal titles with outside-the-box stories about what might be scary, silly scary, or not so scary after all. As always, parents, choose for yourselves or for your kids.

Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere
Black Dog by Levi Pinfold
The Boo! Book : A Haunted Picture Book by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds
Monster School : First Day Frights by Dave Keane
The Monster's Monster by Patrick McDonnell
My First Ghost by Maggie Miller and Michael Leviton
That One Spooky Night by Dan Bar-el
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Colandro
Trick or Treat by Leo Landry
Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace

Non-Fiction for Older Kids
Horrogami : 25 Creepy Creatures, Ghastly Ghouls, and Other Fiendish Paper Projects by Chris Marks
Last Laughs : Animal Epitaphs by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen
A Halloween Cookbook : Simple Recipes for Kids by Sarah L. Schuette

Happy 50th Big Red!

Loved and Larger by the Day...
Scholastic Publishing, the company brings us Norman Bridwell's Clifford books, is this year asking us to help celebrate big red's 50th (in human years) birthday.  Check out Scholastic's site for fun ways to wish your favorite pooch a Happy Birthday, including participating a national sing-along on September 24!

Interview With Norman Bridwell

Free Shred-It Day

Morning to Early Afternoon
The library will offer secure document shredding services to our community on Saturday, September 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Why Shred?
Identity theft is a growing national concern and shredding your sensitive documents is one way to reduce the risk of becoming an identity theft victim.

What to Bring
Bring your papers for shredding in a safe and secure environment. This is terrific opportunity for you to safely dispose of sensitive documents such as bank statements, old cancelled checks, credit card statements, tax papers, and medical records.

Shred-It truck will be located in the upper lot of the Community Center complex.

Please do check with your financial advisor for information on how long documents must be kept.

There Is Always a Catch
Shred for free but not without a donation to the East Hampton Food Bank.

Send It Around
Click here for another way to add to your calendar or send the news around.

Clutter

Image courtesy of the
Mid-Continent Public Library, MO

Loving Your Stuff ...
Do you have what you might affectionately refer to as a junk drawer? How about a closet with a corner akin to an explorer's great unknown? Love shoes, do you? Have enough toys to open a branch of Santa's workshop?  Are you looking to downsize and fit your stuff into a smaller space? You are not alone...

Here's a quick list of recent, on-the-way, or well-known clutter-busting titles you might enjoy, each written from a different perspective. As always, pick and choose.

Unstuff Your Life! : Kick the Clutter Habit and Organize Your Life for Good by Andrew J. Mellen

Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland
Clutter Busting by Brooks Palmer
To Much Stuff : Winning the War Against Clutter by Kathryn Porter
Soulspace : Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life.. by Xorin Balbes 
Organize for a Fresh Start : Embrace Your Next Chapter in Life by Susan Fay West
10,001 Ways to Declutter Your Home on a Small Budget by Ed Morrow, Sheree Bykofsky, and Rita Rosenkranz
Stop Throwing Money Away : Turn the Clutter Into Cash, Trash Into Treasure.. by Jamie Novak
Smart Office Organizing : Simple Strategies for Bringing Order to Your Workplace by Sandra Felton and Marsha Sims

Boo!

Spooky Stories
Many love a good ghost story now and again. If you are one of them, join us at the library on Saturday, September 15, for an afternoon Ghosts and Hauntings program presented by author and lecturer, Jeff Belanger.  Jeff is the writer and researcher for the Ghost Adventures show on the Travel Channel and hosts popular Web and cable talk show 30 Odd Minutes.

Ghost Stories : Believe 'Em or Not
Here's a quick list of adult non-fiction books, of all different stripes, about the topic.  As always, choose for yourself or for your kids.

Connecticut's Seaside Ghosts by Donald Carter
Ghost Stories and Legends of Southwestern Connecticut by Donna Kent

Ghost Hunters of New England by Alan Brown
Kids Who See Ghosts : How to Guide Them Through Fear by Caron Goode
Picture Yourself Ghost Hunting by Jeff Belanger
Picture Yourself Legend Tripping by Jeff Belanger
Yankee Ghosts by Hans Holzer
The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson
The Ghosts of Nantucket : 23 True Accounts by Blue Balliett
Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits and Haunted Places by Brad Steiger

The Demonologist : The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren by Gerald Brittle
The Paranormal Caught on Film : Amazing Photographs of Ghosts, Poltergeists and Other Strange Phenomena by Melvyn Willin
Haunted Hikes : Spine Tingling Trails and Tales from North America's National Parks by Andrea Lankford

Ghosts in Fiction Books
Another quick list, classic and contemporary, shelved in adult fiction or story collections:

Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

The Tell-tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Shining by Stephen King
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
Ghosts : Recent Hauntings, edited by Paula Guran
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie

Telling Stories...

Reading Memoirs
Memoirs are immensely popular and can sometimes go a long way in helping us illuminate our own lives.

We offer a quick roundup of memoirs published this year. Several have achieved best-seller status and/or critical acclaim. Click on a title for book descriptions and reviews. As a lead in, you might enjoy an article about the history of memoirs, courtesy of The New Yorker.

Sharp by David Fitzpatrick

Dan Gets a Minivan by Dan Zevin

A Wedding in Haiti by Julia Alvarez

Dropped Names by Frank Langella

By the Iowa Sea by Joe Blair

The Cost of Hope by Amanda Bennett

Full Body Burden by Kristin Iversen

Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel

The Great Northern Express by Howard Frank Mosher

Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani

Burn Down the Ground by Kambri Crews

Bloom : Finding Beauty in the Unexpected by Kelle Hampton

No Cheating, No Dying. I Had a Good Marriage Then I Tried to Make It Better by Elizabeth Weil

MWF Seeking BFF : My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche

People Who Eat Darkness : the True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo and the Evil that Swallowed Her Up by Richard Lloyd Parry

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Paris : A Love Story by Kati Marton