J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, started writing the first book while she was a single mother living on welfare benefits in a small apartment in Edinburgh, Scotland. After being rejected by twelve publishers, the book was finally accepted by Bloomsbury and its unexpected success turned Rowling into a multi-billionaire. Despite her wealth, Rowling is known for her philanthropic efforts and has donated millions of dollars to charitable causes that fight poverty and promote literacy. Her story is an inspiring example of perseverance and giving back.

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📚️ Staff Pick of the Week

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together, this dynamic pair began a journey through space aided by a galaxyful of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox—the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian (formerly Tricia McMillan), Zaphod’s girlfriend, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; and Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he’s bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? For all the answers, stick your thumb to the stars!

🎥 Reading Talk's

📈 Rising Quickly - Week of February 20, 2023

Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity by Sander van der Linden

Foolproof is a guide to combating misinformation in the current age, written by Sander van der Linden, a leading expert in the field. The book explores the damaging effects of misinformation on society and the inadequacy of current attempts to combat it. Van der Linden introduces a new paradigm for understanding and defending against the spread of misinformation, explaining why our brains are vulnerable to it and how it spreads across social networks. He provides a solution in the form of "prebunking," which involves preemptively exposing people to weakened doses of misinformation to help them identify and fend off manipulative tactics. Foolproof offers practical tools to defend against misinformation and conspiracies, making it a valuable resource for individuals and governments alike.

🪄Most Talked About Fiction - Week of February 20, 2023

Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

Stone Blind is a retelling of the myth of Medusa, the only mortal in a family of gods who was transformed into a monster after being assaulted by Poseidon in Athene's temple and punished by Athene. Natalie Haynes brings a fresh perspective to the story by highlighting the injustice that Medusa faced as a woman blamed and punished for a man's actions. She reconstructs Medusa's story with empathy and nuance, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to contemporary issues of gender-based violence and victim-blaming.

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📚️ Most Talked About Non-Fiction - Week of February 20, 2023

Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas--Not Less by Alex Epstein

Philosopher and energy expert Alex Epstein argues that the benefits of fossil fuels, including providing low-cost, reliable energy to billions of people and reducing global poverty, outweigh any negative impacts on the climate. Fossil fuels remain the dominant source of energy globally, and renewables are causing skyrocketing electricity prices and increased blackouts. Epstein suggests that the path to global human flourishing involves using more fossil fuels, improving climate mastery, and establishing energy freedom policies. Epstein challenges the pervasive claims of imminent climate catastrophe and renewable energy dominance, arguing that they are based on faulty methods and anti-human values. Fossil Future offers a wide-ranging and deeply researched analysis that challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about the future of energy use, the environment, and climate.

🆕 New and Noteworthy

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

In The Wager, author David Grann tells the story of the British vessel of the same name, which wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia in 1741. Thirty sailors survived and built a flimsy craft to sail to Brazil, where they were greeted as heroes. However, six months later, another decrepit craft landed in Chile, carrying three castaways who claimed that the thirty sailors were mutineers. The Admiralty convened a court martial to determine the truth, with the stakes being life-and-death. Grann's account of the hidden world on a British warship, the castaways' desperate straits, and the court martial has the savvy of a thriller and holds the reader spellbound.

👀 In Case You Missed It

✍️ Quote of the Week

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