More African-American Non-Fiction to Enjoy!

In A Moonless, Starless Sky Alexis Okeowo weaves together four narratives that form a powerful tapestry of modern Africa: a young couple, kidnap victims of Joseph Kony's LRA; a Mauritanian waging a lonely campaign against modern-day slavery; a women's basketball team flourishing amid war-torn Somalia; and a vigilante who takes up arms against the extremist group Boko Haram. This debut book by one of America's most acclaimed young journalists illuminates the inner lives of ordinary people doing the extraordinary--lives that are too often hidden, underreported, or ignored by the rest of the world.

Goddess of Anarchy by Jacqueline Jones recounts the formidable life of the militant writer, orator, and agitator Lucy Parsons. Born to an enslaved woman in Virginia in 1851 and raised in Texas-where she met her husband, the Haymarket "martyr" Albert Parsons-Lucy was a fearless advocate of First Amendment rights, a champion of the working classes, and one of the most prominent figures of African descent of her era. And yet, her life was riddled with contradictions-she advocated violence without apology, concocted a Hispanic-Indian identity for herself, and ignored the plight of African Americans. Drawing on a wealth of new sources, the author presents not only the exceptional life of the famous American-born anarchist but also an authoritative account of her times-from slavery through the Great Depression.

For Bound to the Fire, Kelley Fanto Deetz draws upon archaeological evidence, cookbooks, plantation records, and folklore to present a nuanced study of the lives of enslaved plantation cooks from colonial times through emancipation and beyond. She reveals how these men and women were literally -bound to the fire- as they lived and worked in the sweltering and often fetid conditions of plantation house kitchens. These highly skilled cooks drew upon skills and ingredients brought with them from their African homelands to create complex, labor-intensive dishes such as oyster stew, gumbo, and fried fish. However, their white owners overwhelmingly received the credit for their creations. Focusing on enslaved cooks at Virginia plantations including Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and George Washington's Mount Vernon, Deetz restores these forgotten figures to their rightful place in American and Southern history. Bound to the Fire not only uncovers their rich and complex stories and illuminates their role in plantation culture, but it celebrates their living legacy with the recipes that they created and passed down to future generations.

February Book Fun!

We're in the final few days of 'Blind Date with a Book' and we hope you've given at least one of our eligible book a try.  Don't forget to turn in your 'Rate the Date' slips before the deadline.

In addition, we also have a monthly reading challenges.  February's challenge goes with our Blind Date theme - read any book with a Valentine theme.  Some examples that we have in our collection :

• Be My Texas Valentine by Jodi Thomas
• Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
• Death of a Valentine by M. C. Beaton
• A Valentine Wedding by Jane Feather
• The Valentine's Day Murder by Lee Harris
• Valentine Princess by Meg Cabot (YA)

We hope that everyone that has participated had a great time checking out new authors.  Maybe some of them will even become new favorites.

Love is in the Air

Barking Up the Wrong Tree is a Bluff Point Romance by Jenn McKinlay. Carly DeCusati has returned to Bluff Point, Maine licking her wounds after her life fell apart. She is determined to get things back on track. She starts by trying to find a home for an elderly golden retriever and an excessively chatty parrot she inherited just as things were crumbling around her. Hunky one-night stand, James Sinclair agrees to help her if she will just give him the time of day. He doesn't care that she doesn't do relationships, he is determined to win Carly's heart, but will James's secrets tear them apart before they get their happily-ever-after?

Right Where We Belong is a Silver Springs Novel by Brenda Novak. With her husband arrested for attacking three women, Savanna Gray is in desperate need of a change. She takes her two kids and high-tails it to Silver Springs as soon as the divorce is settled. The old farmhouse her late father was going to renovate looks like a good place to get back on track and take charge of something. Gavin Turner is the one person who can understand Savanna's struggle to start over. Gavin was abandoned when he was five and it wasn't until he found his way to the New Horizons Boys Ranch as a teen that her finally began to heal. In spite of her attraction to Gavin, Savanna is reluctant to let him close; after all, her ex had a similar sad backstory and look how that turned out.

Tomorrow the Glory is a Graham Novel by Heather Graham. Kendall Moore is a high spirited southern belle, but a cruel marriage-bed betrayal forces this proud and beautiful woman to risk her life for freedom. Brent McClain is a Confederate agent who meets Kendall aboard the warship Jenni-Lyn and loses his heart in a single night of passion. When war and treason tear them apart--Brent into a raging battle and Kendall in her determined flight from a vengeful husband--these two lovers can only hold onto the promise of tomorrow and the love that will burn eternally in their hearts.


Other Romances for Your Consideration:

AARP Tax Assistance is Here!

AARP will be here in our Meeting Room to assist senior citizens and low-income         taxpayers with their tax preparation for the 2017 tax year on the following 

Wednesdays :

February 7—February 14—February 21—February 28

March 7—March 14—March 21—March 28

April 4—April 11

On each of the scheduled days, the doors will open to begin tax assistance at 9 am. First come, first served.  The volunteers will only be able to assist 10 individuals per day - no appointments.  AARP membership is not required for this assistance.

Documents and Helpful Information that you will need to provide:

· A copy of your 2016 Income Tax Return

· All income documents for 2017 (W2 - 1099 - Retirement - Pensions - Social Security - Unemployment - etc) . 

· 2017 Mortgage statement showing interest and property taxes paid

· All 2017 Tax Receipts from Tax Collector's Office (Home, Land & Tags)

· All Social Security Cards (Taxpayers & Dependents)

· Driver's License or other valid picture ID