The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER by Thomas Fisher

“It’s a highly personal memoir showing me a side of medicine I hadn’t been privy to before now.” – Amy B., Kids Room/ATS

Thomas Fisher is an emergency room physician who works on the South Side of Chicago very near to where he has lived his entire life. He became a doctor to help the poor in his neighborhood get access to quality medical care. The book highlights the inequity in healthcare that many people of color know about all too well. He also takes the reader through many of his shifts in the emergency room showing, in detail, the kinds of cases he sees. The reader gets a real sense of what it is like to actually work in the emergency room. A fascinating read.

Beginner’s Mind by Yo-Yo Ma

“This audiobook was such a unique blend of beautiful musical selections along with self-discovery and meditative introspection. I have listened to this musical memoir several times, and each time, it still provides inspiration and relaxation.” – Van, ATS

Classical musician and cultural icon Yo-Yo Ma invites listeners to ponder humanity and hope with a beginner’s mind. He recounts various details of his life with minimal dialogue in between beautiful musical performances, which showcase his stunning mastery of the cello.

Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? by Harold Schechter & Eric Powell

“Well-researched and non-exploitative, with illustrations in a drab grey, the book traces Gein’s life from growing up with an alcoholic father and verbally abusive mother, carving out a hermit-like existence as an adult except for handyman jobs, and all the while moving forward in his psychosis, driven by an unwavering devotion to his mother.” – Karen, Adult & Teen Services

A true crime graphic novel rendition of the necrophile serial killer Eddie Gein, who, in the 1950s, killed women and robbed graves to create household items. His life was the basis for films such as Psycho and Silence of the Lambs.

Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig

“Taussig’s short essays are beautiful and incredibly powerful. She demonstrates that disability affects everyone at some point and will make you think about the world we all live in, disabled or not. A must-read!” – Amanda, Adult & Teen Services

Growing up as a paralyzed girl during the 90s and early 2000s, Rebekah Taussig only saw disability depicted as something monstrous (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), inspirational (Helen Keller), or angelic (Forrest Gump). None of this felt right; and as she got older, she longed for more stories that allowed disability to be complex and ordinary, uncomfortable and fine, painful and fulfilling. Writing about the rhythms and textures of what it means to live in a body that doesn’t fit, Rebekah reflects on everything from the complications of kindness and charity, living both independently and dependently, experiencing intimacy, and how the pervasiveness of ableism in our everyday media directly translates to everyday life.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

“I think we all have been touched by mental illness in some way, whether it’s ourselves or someone we love. It was inspiring to read about someone who lived through it and learned to appreciate life despite their illness. This book is filled with hope.” – Gina, Circulation

In this inspiring and emotional memoir, Matt Haig, author of ‘The Midnight Library,’ depicts his own experience with depression and how he overcame his mental illness.

Three Girls From Bronzeville by Dawn Turner

“Very well written. Gives glimpses into Bronzeville, its people, and its history. I’ve visited a few times, but didn’t know very much about its history or the people who live there.” – Amy, Adult & Teen Services/Kids Room 

I picked up this memoir because of its author, Dawn Turner Trice. I’ve read many of her pieces over the years in the Chicago Tribune. This book is a memoir of her life. It’s the story of a woman who grew up in Bronzeville, attended U of I, and went on to work for the Tribune. It’s the story of Dawn and her sister and her best friend who all took very different paths in life. It’s the story of the evolution of Bronzeville, a neighborhood in Chicago where many people of color, including Dawn’s grandmother, settled after the Great Migration. It’s very well written and moving. It’s tragic and beautiful and triumphant at the same time.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton

“Is there anything Dolly Parton can’t do? I listened to the audiobook and was just in awe of her positivity and her work ethic. My favorite part was hearing her talk about her favorite song (hint, it’s all of them).” – Erin, Kids Room 

Country music legend Dolly Parton shares a behind-the-scenes look at 175 of her songs. From hits everyone hums along to, to lesser-known ballads, Parton has a story about them all.

Out of Hiding by Ruth Gruener

“If you enjoyed Alan Gratz’s book Prisoner B-3087 you will enjoy Out of Hiding because in real life Ruth Gruener married Jack Gruener! Both are mentioned in their respective books. I also enjoyed that this book is a great introduction for young readers looking to read about the Holocaust. While Ruth tells her story of survival it is mostly about her journey to America and finding her way.” – Miss Traci, Kids Room

This is the story of Ruth Gruener who survived the Holocaust as a young girl with her parents and how they immigrate to New York after the war.

Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown by Anne Glenconner

“This book is a fascinating look into the life of an English aristocrat. In addition to showing the reader what life as an English aristocrat is like, the book portrays Anne as a real person who has experienced both joys and sorrows in life. Despite Anne’s privileges, she has endured many difficulties, including the deaths of two of her children, serious injury to another, and a husband who was very challenging. If you are an Anglophile and loved watching The Crown and Downton Abbey, this is the book for you!” – Nancy, Adult & Teen Services

This fascinating memoir introduces us to Anne Glenconner, the daughter of the Earl of Leicester, who was born in England in the early 1930s. Anne was a childhood friend of Princesses Margaret and Elizabeth, served as a maid of honour at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and spent over 30 years as a lady in waiting to Princess Margaret. Anne married a very wealthy, but eccentric, man, had five children, traveled the world, hobnobbed with stars on the island of Mustique, and endured numerous family difficulties and tragedies.