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Humanimal: How Homo sapiens Became Nature’s Most Paradoxical Creature

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Humanimal: How Homo sapiens Became Nature’s Most Paradoxical Creature by Adam Rutherford
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Many of us humans like to believe that we’re somehow more, or better, or at least fundamentally different from other sorts of animals. Others contend that no, there’s nothing that elevates us above any other creature (other than possibly our egos). Humanimal doesn’t campaign for either camp, but explores the evidence on both sides.

The book begins with a comparison of humans’ and other animals’ practices relating to tool use and to sexual behaviors. It then wends its way through the evolution and current manifestations of several characteristically human features, from our DNA to our languages. Presented in short, topical chapters, Humanimal is a celebration of both our animal nature and our human uniqueness. Find it in the catalog.

The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction

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The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

The Enchanted Hour celebrates the simple yet profound practice of reading books out loud to others: to children, of course, but to adults as well, especially those who are ill or elderly. “Story time” soothes premature babies and accelerates children’s language acquisition. It can strengthen family bonds at all ages and alleviate loneliness for adults. This book takes you on a tour through all these benefits and more.

In the author’s own description, her book’s main ingredients are “memoir and advocacy [mixed] with science, history, art, and literature”. This medley of approaches turns out to be a recipe for a delightful hybrid of persuasive essay and how-to manual, leavened with anecdotes both poignant and comical. Some of Gurdon’s own passages were so eloquently composed that I felt compelled to read them aloud to others!

The title of the last chapter captures the book’s central message: “There is No Present Like the Time”. Taking the time to read aloud to someone—a child, a sibling, a parent—may be one of the most rewarding gifts you ever give to them, and to yourself.

Find it in the catalog.

Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter

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Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Ben Goldfarb is that rare breed of science writer who could probably turn a dishwasher manual into a page-turner…but let him loose with an already-intriguing topic like the beaver, and he’ll deliver a book that’s an absolute pleasure to read. In Eager, Goldfarb unveils beavers’ profound influence on the landscape of North America.

Our waterways behaved very differently when the beaver, fluvial geomorphologist extraordinaire, had the run of the continent. Beavers nearly disappeared from the land by the mid-1800s, largely due to trapping for their pelts. The sudden dearth of beavers was a calamity for biodiversity and water availability, particularly in the arid West. Eager reveals this unexpected history while showcasing the efforts of a diverse (and entertaining) army of “Beaver Believers” who work to restore our continent’s largest rodent.

Find it in the catalog.

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure

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The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
Format: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Adults, Teens

The Coddling of the American Mind addresses the question of why partisan rancor and over-the-top protests have mushroomed in recent years on college campuses. The authors argue that belief in three “Great Untruths” [(1) what doesn’t kill you makes you weaker; (2) always trust your feelings; and (3) life is a battle between good and evil people] has become widespread, especially among the generation that entered college in the last few years. They grant the capital-U “Untruths” designation to beliefs that both contradict psychological research on well-being and cause harm to the people who hold those beliefs.

Through the lenses of freedom-of-speech principles and cognitive behavioral therapy, Lukianoff and Haidt examine recent upheavals on college campuses and how they relate to the untruths. They explore several reasons why the untruths have become more common, including helicopter parenting, changes in our notions of justice, and adults (including college administrators) who encourage the notion that mere words can make someone “unsafe”. The book wraps up with recommendations for reducing the power of these ideas, from expanding recess to revising campus policies and practices that affect freedom of speech.

Despite the possible impression created by the title of the book, the authors are not engaging in a partisan rant about “liberal kids these days”. As they state themselves, “Most students are not fragile, they are not ‘snowflakes’, and they are not afraid of ideas”. What they do offer is an invitation to think more deeply about an issue that affects the heart of American democracy: who is allowed to speak, and what we are allowed to say.

Find it in the catalog.

Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence

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Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence by Tim Junkin
Format: Book, eBook, Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults and Teens

This year’s One Maryland One Book selection tells the unsettling, but ultimately inspiring, tale of an innocent man wrongly convicted of a capital crime. Sentenced to death for the grisly rape and murder of a young girl, Kirk Bloodsworth endured years of a hellish existence. He ultimately gained his freedom thanks to his own tenacity in researching legal options, which led him to the brand-new field of DNA testing.

In telling Kirk Bloodsworth’s story, the author shines a glaring spotlight on some of the flaws in our justice system. He invites you to join Kirk as he journeys through hope, despair, determination, and ultimately vindication. As horrifying as some aspects of the story were, I found that I couldn’t put it down.

Find it in the catalog. Then join us at one or all of the library’s One Maryland One Book events, all centered around the riveting tale of disgrace and redemption told in Bloodsworth.

First Bite: How We Learn To Eat

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First Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee Wilson
Format: Book, eBook, Digital Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

We all know that we’re “supposed” to eat better: more broccoli and whole wheat bread, less soda and cotton candy. Sounds easy…but often it feels next to impossible, because the broccoli just doesn’t taste good to us. But how do we learn that “soda tastes good” and “broccoli tastes bad” to begin with? Believe it or not, the author tells us, it’s not an inborn preference.

As Wilson notes, once a baby anteater is weaned, it will eat ants for the rest of its life. For us humans, well…it’s a little more complicated. The author takes us on an intriguing tour of how we learn what to eat (and what not to). The book covers the bizarre history of what has been considered “children’s food” in different eras, how siblings affect our eating habits, and a close look at some of the causes and possible treatments for those who struggle with eating disorders. There are numerous gentle lessons along the way, both for adults in charge of the care and feeding of a child, and for adults who’d like to retrain their own palates. Find it in the catalog.