Author Archives: Weston Public Library Staff

King: a Life by Jonathan Eig (2023)

29 Friday May 2026

Posted by in 20th century, Biography

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This recent Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. is an incredibly engaging book. I assumed I had a good understanding of this iconic figure’s life, but each chapter revealed more to me about King’s life, work, family, and place in the Civil Rights movement. 

“Definitive . . . Monumental . . . An extraordinary achievement and an essential life of the iconic warrior for social justice.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“[A] sweeping biography. Eig gives a rousing recap of King’s triumphs as a civil rights leader . . . [A] complex, nuanced portrait . . . Eig’s evocative prose ably conveys his bravery, charisma, and spell-binding oratory . . . An enthralling reappraisal that confirms King’s relevance to today’s debates over racial justice.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“The most comprehensive MLK biography to date . . . Eig refuses to ‘defang’ King, instead pushing Americans to recognize the radical nature of his demands for justice and his resistance to not only racism but militarism and capitalism.” ―Booklist (starred review)

“Mining a trove of materials―many only recently available―augmented with voluminous archival work and hundreds of interviews for personal insights . . . [Eig] recovers the man, foibles and all, from the too often hollowed-out, sainted symbol that competing ideologies have sanitized for national observance . . . Engrossing . . . A must for readers interested in moving beyond clichéd catchphrases to see a more complete and complex King.” ―Library Journal (starred review)

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Go Gentle: a Novel by Maria Semple (2026)

22 Friday May 2026

Posted by in adventure, Fiction, Humor

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“In her new novel, her fourth, a divorced woman named Adora Hazzard is enjoying life with her teenage daughter and a ‘coven’ of friends on the same floor of her building on New York’s Upper West Side. She is not looking for love, and so Semple gives it to her, sparking events that show off the author’s trademark hilarious chaos.” –The Washington Post 

“Go Gentle is a thoroughly fun and raucous read that richly explores the wisdom that comes with middle age and the tradeoff between being content and taking chances.” –BookPage 

“Maria Semple is a truly American author who sees the pathos, chaos and humor in each episode, in each character’s needs and wants…GO GENTLE is hard to put down — and the final events will stay with readers long after the last page is turned. This is the perfect book for spring, a time for renewal and recharging.” –Bookreporter

“Funny, tender, mysterious, clever…Semple entertains in every moment of this smart story of Greek philosophy and Greek statues; desire, happiness, and their opposites; and priceless midlife peace… Readers will have hearts in their eyes to see her first new novel in a decade.”–Booklist (Starred Review)

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A Far-Flung Life: a Novel by M.L. Stedman (2026)

12 Tuesday May 2026

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction, suspense

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From the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Light Between Oceans comes a breathtaking and epic novel set in the vast outback of Australia—about tragedy, family secrets, and the enduring power of love.  

“A big, bold story of tragedy and resilience. I was completely swept away.” —Bonnie Garmus, author of Lessons in Chemistry 

“Stedman returns with another epic redolent of Thomas Hardy—fit with realist grit, relentless family calamity, and a remote Western Australian setting that, like Hardy’s brooding English moors, radiates such beauty and hostility, it’s almost a character in its own right.” —NPR

“The beauty and breadth of the landscape stand in counterpoint to the horrors of the human lives playing out upon it. Stedman describes the everyday elements of station life with graceful accuracy…and lands every blow thanks to her patient accumulation of ordinary life…A Far-Flung Life makes the argument that a family is not defined by bloodline or by the catastrophes visited upon it, but by the daily, dogged work of holding itself together.” —The New York Times Book Review

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The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy: : Book 1 of the Dearly Beloathed Duology by Brigitte Knightley (2025)

05 Tuesday May 2026

Posted by in fantasy, Fiction, romance

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An assassin and a healer are forced to team up in this witty, screwball romantic comedy set in a world of magic.

“Knightley’s debut is an absolute joy, full of well-written banter and entertaining vignettes. Readers will be captivated by an exceptionally clever magical system, several concurrent mysteries, and the slowest of slow burn romances between two people who absolutely hate each other…This is a superlative read deserving of very real praise.”—Booklist, starred review

“Charming and perfectly crafted, this will-they-won’t-they slow burning romance between two enemies is now one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. Knightley’s debut crackles with wit and magic, intrigue and banter, and has left a mark behind on my heart.”—Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals

“Quite possibly the perfect book. Agonizing yearning. Wit so dry I got a paper cut. Every page a symphony of cleverness and humor. Irresistible is right—I fell hard for this book and I’m desperate for more.”—Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Masters of Death

“Clever, original, and ridiculously fun, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is my newest obsession! Knightley has built a world I never wanted to leave, and her characters kept me up way too late, grinning at their banter. An absolute gem of a book!”—Kristen Ciccarelli, New York Times bestselling author of Heartless Hunter

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The Gales of November : the Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon (2025)

27 Monday Apr 2026

Posted by in History, Non-fiction, suspense, United States

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May 14, 2026 @  2 pm Selection for the Weston Public Library Non-Fiction Reading Group.

On November 10, 1975, during one of the fiercest storms ever to hit the Great Lakes, the massive freighter Edmund Fitzgerald vanished beneath the waves of Lake Superior, taking all twenty-nine crew members with her.  You may recall the Gordon Lightfoot popular 1975 song The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald.

“An absorbing Perfect Storm-esque literary narrative.”― Christopher Borelli, Chicago Tribune

“John Bacon has done it again! This is another riveting narrative that puts facts on a still mesmerizing legend. But this is more than getting the details right. Bacon has distilled the essence of the story and rendered a huge monument to those lost and a great gift to the rest of us.”― Ken Burns, filmmaker

“An exciting and heartbreaking narrative that relies heavily on interviews with relatives and friends of the 29 lost Edmund Fitzgerald crew members…. A lifelong Michigander, Bacon beautifully describes the gritty world of the Iron Range ore-mining districts and the Great Lakes ship­ping industry. His writing is most absorbing when he recreates the lives of the 29 victims, from the admired captain to the newest rookie. But the tour de force is his gripping hour-by-hour narrative of the wreck, enriched by inter­views with men who had served previously on the Fitzgerald – or were on other ships in the same horrendous storm…. A definitive accounting that may be the last book that can draw on direct contemporary observations of this colossal tragedy.”― Bookpage, starred review

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My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney (2026)

13 Monday Apr 2026

Posted by in Drama, Fiction, suspense, thriller, United States

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There were a lot of twists and turns in this one and I didn’t see the surprises coming. 

“A straight-up mystery-thriller―there’s no alternate dimensions or woo-woo involved. Just nuclear-grade deception.” ―Goodreads (Most Anticipated)

“My Husband’s Wife is propulsive, compulsive, addictive and everything else you could possibly want a psychological thriller to be. I read it in under a day, breathlessly, with wide eyes, and in awe of a writer at the top of their game.”―Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Let Him In

“Feeney delivers another gripping psychological thriller enhanced by an immersive, sound-rich

listening experience. . . These vivid soundscapes don’t just enhance the atmosphere―they transform the listening experience into something truly cinematic and unforgettable. Readers of twisty psychological fiction by such as Freida McFadden, Riley Sager, Ruth Ware, and Lisa Jewell will rush to listen.”―Booklist, audio (starred review)

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Good People by Patmeena Sabit (2026)

06 Monday Apr 2026

Posted by in Fiction, murder, murder and investigation, mystery, suspense, United States

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I thought the author did a really good job of showing the court of public opinion. I liked how she keeps the reader off balance depending on which character is speaking.

“A triumphant debut! With the sophistication and assurance of a seasoned writer, Patmeena Sabit has crafted a prescient East-West story as only a third culture talent could have.

The plot: masterful. The writing: beguiling. The pacing: breakneck. The possibility I will read this again and again: absolute. I can’t wait to read what Sabit will create next!”—Alka Joshi, author of The Henna Artist and the Jaipur Trilogy

“Sabit’s first novel masterfully dissects the glittering facade of the American Dream . . . This all unfolds like a binge-worthy true-crime podcast . . . At once heartbreaking and hypnotic, Sabit’s is a novel that demands to be devoured.”—Booklist, starred review

“One of those novels where you know right away that a mysterious, unspeakable something has happened, and you are simultaneously terrified and desperate to get the details. . . . This skillful debut is both a bated-breath thriller and a richly atmospheric portrait of an immigrant community.”—Oprah Daily

“With startling empathy for all sides, Patmeena Sabit plumbs the fault lines of honor, truth, prejudice, and how identity shapes guilt in the aftermath of tragedy. What a spectacular triumph this book is.”—Khaled Hosseini

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Paper Girl : a Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America by Beth Macy (2025)

30 Monday Mar 2026

Posted by in Biography, History, memoir, Non-fiction, United States

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“Want to know why America is fractured? Read Paper Girl, an indispensable account of how things got so ugly here. Beth Macy grew up poor, with an alcoholic dad, in Urbana, Ohio, yet through education she made the jump to the middle class. Returning to her homeplace, she probes the factors that make a move like hers almost unimaginable for the kids who sit in the same classrooms as she did. Heartfelt, intimate and enraging, it is more than a memoir; it’s a manifesto.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Memorial Days

“A slew of books have attempted to reckon with the growing divide between urban and rural populations in the United States. Few do so as deftly as Beth Macy’s new book, Paper Girl . . . [Macy] toggles between personal narrative, history, and reportage to weave together a surprisingly moving account of how politics can rupture the personal . . . a cogent and thrilling story.” —The New Yorker

“How do you reach com­mon ground with those who want to burn it all down? Macy plants a hopeful stake in the vampiric heart of collective fear and apathy. Both wide-ranging and strikingly intimate, Paper Girl is an affirmation of faith in human­ity, and Macy lights the way ahead, even as the darkness stretched before us threatens to swallow our conviction.” —BookPage (starred review)


“Journalist and Dopesick author Macy poignantly interweaves her personal history with that of her decaying hometown in this perceptive account . . . Timely, clear-eyed, and empathetic, her insights provide a welcome salve for a festering social wound.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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That’s Not How it Happened: a Novel by Craig Thomas (2025)

23 Monday Mar 2026

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After his wife’s memoir becomes a huge bestseller, a struggling screenwriter attempts to adapt the story of their son with Down syndrome into a movie. The couple quickly learns that this process will not be an easy one. “How I Met Your Mother” co-creator Craig Thomas based this funny, poignant novel on his own family. I recommend the audiobook!

Earphones Award Winner! “Cobie Smulders delivers an authentic and captivating performance . . . Sharp, genuine writing draws listeners into this exploration of identity, family bonds, and the tension between truth and adaptation. Josh Radnor, Marli Watson, and Kevin Iannucci add nuance and texture, creating a dynamic ensemble that brings the words to life. . . . a thoroughly entertaining and memorable listen . . . absorbing.” —Kirkus Reviews(this review refers to the audio edition)

“The novel blends sharp satire of Hollywood with a deeply personal look at family, marriage, and raising a child with disabilities.” —NPR

“Much honest reckoning and hilarity ensues.” —The Christian Science Monitor

“I love Craig Thomas’ writing. It’s always funny, real and moving all at once, whether that’s for the screen or the wonderful, heartfelt debut novel you’re holding right now.” –Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tony-Award Winning creator of Broadway’s Hamilton

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Mona’s Eyes: a Novel by Thomas Schlesser and Hildegarde Serle

13 Friday Mar 2026

Posted by in Fiction, History

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One grandfather, one granddaughter, a half shell necklace, and 52 days spent together studying 52 works of art in Paris. Tip: Be sure to take off the cover off the book where inside all 52 masterpieces are illustrated

New York Times Bestseller • Barnes & Noble 2025 Book of the Year • Boston Globe Best Book of the Year • National Indie Bestseller • Top Ten Indie Next Pick • Indigo Heather’s Pick

“It’s an earthquake. A seismic shift in the world of publishing. A Sophie’s World set in the art world. Thomas Schlesser. Remember the name.”—Alice Develey, Le Figaro

“A French art historian’s English-language fiction debut combines the story of a loving relationship between a grandfather and granddaughter with an enlightening discussion of art… Come for the novel, stay for the introductory art history course.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This incredibly buzzy debut is something like if an acclaimed art historian had written All the Light We Cannot See… It feels passionate and engaging and really captures the freshness and wonder of understanding art, the world, growing up, through the eyes of a child.”—Miriam Gordis, Albertine Bookstore, New York, NY

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