Nonfiction Roundup: January 2019

Here is a quick look at the most noteworthy nonfiction titles being released this January. Visit our catalog for a more extensive list.

Top Picks

“Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive” by Stephanie Land
“Evicted” meets “Nickel and Dimed” in Stephanie Land’s memoir about working as a maid, a beautiful and gritty exploration of poverty in America. While the gap between upper middle-class Americans and the working poor widens, grueling low-wage domestic and service work — primarily done by women — fuels the economic success of the wealthy. Land worked for years as a maid, pulling long hours while struggling as a single mom to keep a roof over her daughter’s head. In “Maid,” she reveals the dark truth of what it takes to survive and thrive in today’s inequitable society.

“Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII’s Most Highly Decorated Spy” by Larry Loftis
The year is 1942, and World War II is in full swing. Odette Sansom decides to follow her war hero father’s footsteps by becoming an SOE agent to aid Britain and her beloved homeland, France. Five failed attempts and one plane crash later, she finally lands in occupied France to begin her mission. It is here that she meets her commanding officer Captain Peter Churchill. In “Code Name: Lise,” Larry Loftis paints a portrait of true courage, patriotism and love. He seamlessly weaves together the touching romance between Odette and Peter and the thrilling cat and mouse game between them and the cunning German secret police sergeant, Hugo Bleicher.

“The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington” by Brad Meltzer
In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington’s bodyguards. Washington trusted them; relied on them. But unbeknownst to Washington, some of them were part of a treasonous plan. In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, there traitorous soldiers, along with the Governor of New York William Tryon and Mayor David Mathews, launched a deadly plot against the most important member of the military: George Washington himself.