This doorstop of a novel tells the story of one Korean family living in Japan over the course of the 20th century. With themes like war, immigration, love, tragedy, and alienation, this expansive story feels like a modern classic. Although it was a heart-wrenching and unrelenting read at times, I could really feel the love and unconditional devotion that knit these characters together.
I’ve had “Pachinko” on my to be read list since Min Jin Lee’s brilliant keynote speech at the local Unbound Book Festival this spring. It was such a pleasure to meet her and dive into her world.
Three words that describe this book: expansive, transportive, heart-wrenching
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy multi-generational stories.
-Laura
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
Chloe Dalton’s memoir “Raising Hare” will be the subject of the First Thursday Book Discussion on May 7 at the Columbia Public Library.
Dalton’s busy life as a political advisor and speech writer changed dramatically during the COVID lockdown when she moved from London to the English countryside. It was here that she came across a newborn hare, or leveret, that had been chased by dogs. Fearing for it, she brings it home. Continue reading “May First Thursday Book Discussion: “Raising Hare””
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in April. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.
Top Picks
“London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth” by Patrick Radden Keefe (Apr 7)
In the early morning of November 29th, 2019, surveillance cameras at the headquarters of MI6, Britain’s spy agency, captured video of a young man pacing back and forth on a high balcony of Riverwalk, a luxury tower on the bank of the river Thames. At 2:24 a.m., he jumped into the river. In a quiet London neighborhood several miles away, Rachelle Brettler was worried about her son. Zac had told her that he had gone to stay with a friend, but then he did not come home. Days later, a police car pulled up and two officers relayed the dreadful news: her son was dead. In their unbearable grief, Rachelle and her husband, Matthew, struggled to understand what had happened to Zac. He had his troubles, but in no way seemed suicidal. As they would soon discover, however, there was a lot they did not know about their son. Only after his death did they learn that he had adopted a fictitious alter-ego: Zac Ismailov, son of a Russian oligarch and heir to a great fortune. Under this guise, Zac had become entangled with a slippery London businessman named Akbar Shamji, and a murderous gangster known as “Indian Dave.” As the Brettlers set about investigating their son’s death, they were pulled into a different and more dangerous London than the one they’d always known, and came to believe that something much more nefarious than a suicide had claimed Zac’s life. But to their immense frustration, Scotland Yard seemed unable—or unwilling—to bring the perpetrators to justice. In a bravura feat of reporting and writing, Patrick Radden Keefe chronicles the Brettlers’ quest, peeling back layers of mystery and exposing the seedy truths behind the glamorous London of posh mansions and private nightclubs, a city in which everything is for sale, and aspirational fantasies are underwritten by dirty money and corruption. “London Falling” is a mesmerizing investigation of an inexplicable death and a powerful narrative driven by suspense and staggering revelations. But it is also an intimate and deeply poignant inquiry into the nature of parental love and the challenges of being a parent today, a portrait of a family trying to solve the riddle not just of how their son died, but of who he really was in life.
Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: April 2026”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Hamnet” – Website / Reviews
Based on the book of the same name, this Oscar nominated drama tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, “Hamlet.”
“Killers of the Flower Moon” – Website / Reviews
An Oscar winning film based on the 2018 One Read, this true crime drama follows the 1920s Oklahoma serial murders of oil-wealthy Osage Nation members and the FBI investigation that followed.
“Is This Thing On?” – Website / Reviews
As their marriage unravels, Alex explores the comedy scene while Tess reckons with sacrifices — forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and the possibility of redefining love in this dramatic comedy.
“Murder Before Evensong” – Season 1 – Website / Reviews
A mystery series, based on the novels by Reverend Richard Coles, featuring an empathetic rector who is pulled into a murder investigation set in 1980s England.
“Good Boy” – Website / Reviews
In this horror/thriller, a loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. Continue reading “New DVD List: April 2026”
April brings a variety of new flowers and new fiction! This month’s LibraryReads, favorites of library staff from across the country, includes time travel, horror, fantasy, romance and historical fiction, among other great books. Read on to find a new tale to enjoy.
“Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke
Natalie is an influencer with a seemingly perfect life: perfect children, perfect husband, and a perfectly beautiful Idaho farm. Never mind the workers who actually run the farm, the nannies who care for the children. And never mind the women online who are jealous that Natalie can afford to be a trad wife who serves her family and, most importantly, her God. Natalie wakes one morning in her house… except it’s not. Electricity has been replaced by a fire, her children are dirty, and her husband is old and gruff. Where are the hidden cameras? Where is her real family? Creative, mind-bending, and incredibly well-written, this one is sure to be a blockbuster.
~Jenny Davies, Oak Creek Public Library, WI Continue reading “April 2026 LibraryReads”
“Math Without Numbers” is a brief introduction to some of the finer parts of pure mathematics. Math for math’s sake.
I absolutely love everything about abstract math, and I found the way the author spoke about some of the most complicated things I have ever studied very simple. They did a great job of expressing very high-level mathematics in an approachable and fun way.
Three words that describe this book: Simple, Fun, Encompassing.
You might want to pick this book up if: If you want a taste of pure math and why it works.
-Matt
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
The book “Secret Dead Men” is along the lines of “Reservoir Dogs” meets “Ghost” meets “Pulp Fiction.” You have to be a little open minded. This is not your regular thriller book. The main character named Dell is a soul collector. One of the souls he meets on his journey, wants him to avenge his murder. Dell gets swept up into this whole underworld with help from other ghostly friends.
This book would make an unbelievable movie. The writing is fun. The plot is winding. I never put it down. I also have a special place in my heart because the author grew up, not too far from me in Philadelphia and it’s based a lot in Philly. Definitely worth a read.
Three words that describe this book: Unique, Noir, Funny
You might want to pick this book up if: You are going on vacation and need a good book for a relaxing day at the beach.
-Ellie
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
Steven Watts is a Columbia, MO author whose latest book is “Citizen Cowboy: Will Rogers and the American People.” The book details how a youth from the Cherokee Indian Territory of Oklahoma rose to conquer nearly every form of media and entertainment in the early twentieth century’s rapidly expanding consumer society. Watts is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Missouri and has written many other biographies. He was kind enough to take the time to be interviewed via email.
Continue reading “Q&A With Steven Watts, Author of “Citizen Cowboy””
Spend some of Women’s History Month reading about the first female captain to pilot a merchant ship around the southern tip of the Americas, and then join us for a book discussion in the Columbia Public Library on April 2 at noon.
“The Sea Captain’s Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love and Adventure at the Bottom of the World,” by Tilar J. Mazzeo tells the story of Mary Ann Patten who first took to the sea with her husband, Joshua Patten, in 1854 when she was 17 years old. Two years later, she had learned how to navigate by sextant, won the loyalty of her crew and literally ‘learned the ropes’ or how to adjust the sails. These were no small feats considering that many sailors wanted no women aboard sailing vessels, and when allowed, women were usually restricted to their cabin below decks speaking only to their husband and one or two other crew members. Not surprisingly, most captain’s wives chose not to accompany their husbands.
In 1856 she and her husband set sail aboard their ship, Neptune’s Car, intending to sail their cargo around the length of the America’s to California. Joshua fell seriously ill with tubercular meningitis partway through the trip. Faced with a mutinous and incompetent first-mate, Mary Ann — 19 years old and pregnant–took over the captaining of the ship, safely completing the trip.
As a sailor herself, author Mazzeo, brings this feat to life for the reader with technical details and meticulous historical research. But “The Sea Captain’s Wife” isn’t just about Mary Ann. It’s also a window onto the harsh realities for women of this time and the seafaring life-style in general — an unflinching glimpse into an often romanticized period of our history.
Bring your thoughts, question and newfound appreciation for electricity, antibiotics and flushing toilets to our next book discussion.
“Leonardo Da Vinci” by Walter Isaacson is a detailed and thoughtful biography of one of the most curious and brilliant minds in history. The book was pretty good overall, though I found it a little long-winded in places.
What I really enjoyed were the parts about science and math — how Leonardo understood that nature followed mathematical principles, even though he didn’t have the formal training to fully explain them. Isaacson does a great job using Leonardo’s notebooks to show how his mind worked and how he constantly asked questions about everything, from how birds fly to how the heart pumps blood. I also liked the theme of learning for its own sake — Leonardo wasn’t always trying to be practical; he was just obsessed with figuring things out. That kind of passion is inspiring.
On the other hand, I thought the chapters focused on his paintings dragged a bit, but that’s probably just because I’m more interested in science than art. Still, the book makes it clear how his artistic and scientific sides were connected, which was interesting to think about. Isaacson’s writing blends history, biography, and storytelling in a way that makes Leonardo feel like a real person, not just a name from a textbook.
Three words that describe this book: Curious, detailed, inspiring
You might want to pick this book up if: You might pick up this book if you’re interested in how a genius like Leonardo da Vinci thought and worked. It’s a great read for anyone curious about the Renaissance or how one person could be both an incredible artist and a groundbreaking scientist. If you enjoy biographies that blend science, art, history, and storytelling, this book does that really well. It also appeals to readers who are inspired by the idea of learning for the sake of curiosity, not just for practical reasons. Even if you’re not deeply into art, there’s a lot to enjoy in the way Leonardo’s mind explored everything from anatomy to engineering.
-Robbie
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
