A Short Nonfiction November Booklist
Happy Nonfiction November! Nonfiction November is a month-long challenge to read more nonfiction books. Here are five books to read this month: 1. From Here : a memoir by Luma Mufleh: In her coming-of-age memoir, refugee advocate Luma Mufleh writes of her tumultuous journey to reconcile her identity as a gay Muslim woman and a proud Arab-turned-American refugee. 2. Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Everyday by Dan Nott: This non-fiction graphic novel illustrates the hidden history for every…
Viewing the October 14 Solar Eclipse
Have you ever witnessed a solar eclipse? When the moon passes over the sun at just the right angle, it can look like the sun is missing in the middle of the day! While eclipses happen every year, it's not common to see one where you live. In October and April, there will be two partial eclipses visible from Brooklyn! On Saturday, October 14 we will be able to see an Annular Solar Eclipse. This celestial event will cross over the US from Oregon to Texas. In Brooklyn, you won’t see any daytime darkness. This eclipse will cover about 20% of the sun at its peak at 1:22pm. The annular…
20 Books By Your Favorite Podcast Hosts
Yesterday, I was trying to convince a friend that we had to see a movie because “a lot of people had told me it was really great,” but, when pressed, I admitted “people” was just the host of a podcast I had recently listened to. In fact, I frequently find myself making this confession or prefacing an anecdote, fun fact, or recommendation with, “So I heard on this podcast...” More often than not, I’m talking about BPL’s flagship podcast Borrowed. Podcasts are one of my favorite sources of information because they, like books, are educational and accessible, and foster a…
Pi Day: Celebrate Literary and Mathematical Constants
In the Spirit of Collaboration: Virgil Abloh at the Brooklyn Museum
Laura, Center for Brooklyn History, Center for Brooklyn History
A few weekends ago, after a beautiful Saturday morning of yoga on the Brooklyn Museum stoop, I had the chance to make it out to their special exhibition: Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech.” It celebrates the life and work of the late fashion designer, architect, DJ, artist and entrepreneur Virgil Abloh, well-known for his fashion brand Off-White, among many other projects. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brooklyn Museum (@brooklynmuseum…
It's #NonfictionNovember!
Did you know it's Nonfiction November? It's a month-long challenge to read more nonfiction books. As someone who loves reading nonfiction, I was super excited to learn about this. If you're interested in trying a book or two before the month is over, here are five recommendations! 1. Better Than We Found It: conversations to help save the world by Frederick Joseph: Every generation inherits the problems created by the ones before them, but no generation will inherit as many problems--as many crises--as the current generation of young people. From the devastations of climate…
In Celebration of Native American/Indigenous Heritage Month
Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month started out as a week-long celebration as of 1986, during former President Reagan's administration. Since 1995, November has been designated as the month to celebrate and honor the cultures, achievements and contributions of Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Below are ten books of varying genres you can read to finish out this month, and all year round. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer: "An inspired weaving of indigenous knowledge, plant science,…
2021 Transgender Day of Remembrance
"Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence… With so many seeking to erase transgender people—sometimes in the most brutal ways possible—it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice." –TDoR founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith “November 20 marks Trans Day of Remembrance, an annual memorial for our murdered kin. The day gives us space to grieve the siblings—overwhelmingly Black trans women and femmes—who were pushed out of this world too soon. Our rebellious mourning recommits…
Books to Bring on a Picnic
The first time I created a list of Picnic Reads, sharing a blanket with friends and family for a day of eating, drinking, fun and frivolity wasn’t that popular. However, things have changed, and if you're going to hang out with your loved ones, an open space outdoors makes the best sense. I compiled the first list with books centered around food, summer and vacations in mind. Some of those books, alas, are no longer in our collection—something I consider a tragedy! Five years ago, I could not have conceived of a world in which future generations of library users would be deprived…
Get Into This AAPI Heritage Month Booklist!
Since 1992, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May to acknowledge the accomplishments and contributions of the AAPI communities to the United States. With the unacceptable rise in anti-Asian violence both here and abroad, it is especially vital for us to bring well-deserved attention to these amazing books written by AAPI writers of the past and present. Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner: Zauner, a biracial Korean American musician otherwise known as Japanese Breakfast, shares her moving and witty story of growing up Asian in Eugene, OR…
Three Memoirs & Biographies to Read for Women's History Month
March is a very special month, especially for me. We celebrate International Women’s Day on the 8th, and Women’s History Month for all thirty-one days. Additionally, my kind and loving mother was born in March. As a staunch queer and intersectional feminist librarian, and former women and gender studies major in college, I am forever passionate about centering ALL women’s stories and experiences. If you, too, are itching to read about the fascinating lives of three incredible women of…
Climate Wednesdays Are Back!
We are pleased to announcethe return of Climate Wednesdays at Brooklyn Public Library! This series, presented by 350 Brooklyn, examines how Brooklynites can face the climate crisis and features experts and activists sharing their ideas and practical solutions to combat climate change. Launched in the fall of 2019, past events have explored how energy use, parenting, food, and our health are impacted by rising temperatures, pollution and natural disasters. The next event on fossil fuel-free transportation (Wednesday, July 22, 7 pm) looks at sustainable transportation…
Going Viral with Epidemiologists
When a new and alarming disease spreads rapidly through a population, who do you call? Epidemiologists! Joined by their colleagues in virology and immunology, epidemiologists plan ahead to respond to epidemics. They attempt to forecast the growth and spread of infectious disease, study outbreaks as they happen, and work alongside local and national governments to craft solutions. With the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak dominating the news, it may be helpful to be reminded of the successes of epidemiologists during prior crises. Epidemiologists are among the heroes of medical science,…
Meet Pluto and Our Other (Celestial) Neighbors
Let's all raise a glass to celebrate a milestone in our relations with Pluto, our cosmic neighbor. Ninety years ago this month, on February 18, 1930, an aspiring astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh examined a pair of night sky photographs taken weeks earlier and noticed a faint light had changed position. For us, it was Pluto's welcoming wave. Located in the vast Kuiper Belt far beyond Neptune, and traveling in an off-kilter, ellipse-shaped orbit that sends it up to 4.5 billion miles from the sun, it's fair to say Pluto and Earth have never been particularly close. Many still feel we committed a…
Être Vivant: A Night of Philosophy and Ideas 2020 Reading List
AN ALL-NIGHT MARATHON of philosophical debate, performances, screenings, readings, and music. For the fourth year in a row, Brooklyn Public Library, in partnership with the Cultural Services of French Embassy, hosted A Night of Philosophy and Ideas. Thousands of New Yorkers gathered in our walls from 7p.m. on February 1, 2020 until 7a.m. on Feburary 2, 2020. Some of the most innovative and provocative thinkers of our time led lectures on topics from How to Come Up with Your Own Philosophical Questions to When a Robot Decides When You Live or Die. At the start of the…