April 27, 2016

These titles are available in the Hessel Library: Michigan Notable Books 2016

 Source: http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2016/01/03/michigan-notable-books-2016/77720098/

"Garden for the Blind," by Kelly Fordon (Wayne State University Press): Set in suburban Detroit between 1974 and 2012, Fordon’s intricately woven stories follow Alice and Mike through high school, college and into middle age, incorporating friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers touched by the same themes of privilege, folly, neglect and resilience. "Garden for the Blind" visits suburban and working-class homes, hidden sanctuaries and dangerous neighborhoods.  Call number: 813.6 F712

"Got to Give the People What They Want: True Stories and Flagrant Opinions from Center Court," by Jalen Rose (Crown/Archetype): No topic is off limits for this Detroit native athlete and sports commentator known for his honest, unfiltered and colorful stories and opinions about basketball and life. This collection of stories gives people the kind of insight and understanding they don’t get anywhere else in the sports world. Call number: B ROSE

"Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story," by David Maraniss (Simon and Schuster): It’s 1963 and Detroit is on top of the world. The city’s leaders are among the most visionary in America. It was the American automakers’ best year; the revolution in popular music and politics was under way. Reuther’s UAW had helped lift the middle class. While the era was full of promise, Maraniss shows that shadows of collapse were evident even then as Detroit at its peak was threatened by its own design. Call number: 977.434 M3114

"Scrapper," by Matt Bell (Soho Press): In this work of fiction, a scrap metal thief in Detroit named Kelly finds a kidnapped boy and is celebrated as a hero. But then Kelly becomes the boy's avenger, and while seeking answers to the unsolved crime, he is forced to confront his own past and buried traumas. The story plays out against the backdrop of the city's abandoned houses, shuttered factories, boxing gyms and storefront churches.  Call number: 813.6 B434

"The Turner House," Angela Flournoy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt): An award-wining debut novel, "The Turner House" brings readers a colorful, complicated American family brood full of love and pride, sacrifice and unlikely inheritances. Set on Detroit's east side, the book spans more than 50 years, exploring the price we pay for our dreams and futures, and the ways in which our families bring us home. The house still stands against an abandoned, embattled Detroit.  Call number: 813.6 F643

"X: A Novel," by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoo (Candlewick Press): Co-written by Malcolm X’s daughter, this revealing novel fictionalizes the formative years of the man whose words and actions would later shake the world. The book follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age 20, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.  Call number: 813.6 S5242