Nonfiction Roundup: January 2020

It’s a new year and I’m here to highlight some new nonfiction titles you should consider checking out this month from the library! For a more extensive list of what’s coming out this month check our catalog.

Top Picks

“Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains” by Cassie Chambers
Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, Owsley County is one of the poorest counties in both Kentucky and the country. Buildings are crumbling and fields sit vacant, as tobacco farming and coal mining decline. But strong women are finding creative ways to subsist in their hollers in the hills. Cassie Chambers grew up in these hollers and through the women who raised her, she traces her own path out of and back into the Kentucky mountains. Chamber’s Granny was a child bride who rose before dawn every morning to raise seven children. Despite her poverty, she wouldn’t hesitate to give the last bite of pie or vegetables from her garden to a struggling neighbor. Appalachian women face issues that are all too common: domestic violence, the opioid crisis, a world that seems more divided by the day. But they are also community leaders, keeping their towns together in the face of a system that continually fails them. With nuance and heart, Chambers uses these women’s stories paired with her own journey to break down the myth of the hillbilly and illuminate a region whose poor communities, especially women, can lead it into the future.

“Normal: A Mother and Her Beautiful Son” by Magdalena M. Newman
For Magda Newman, normal was a goal — she wanted her son Nathaniel to be able to play on the playground, swim at the beach, enjoy the moments of childhood that are often taken for granted. But Nathaniel’s severe Treacher Collins syndrome — a craniofacial condition — meant that other concerns come first. Could he eat without the aid of a gastrointestinal tube? Could he hear? Would he ever be able to breathe effortlessly? In this moving memoir, Newman, with the help of her son, tells the story of raising Nathaniel, from the shock she and her husband faced when he was born, to the inspiration of Nathaniel’s own strength and quirky humor. All this while also facing both non-Hodgkins and Hodgkins lymphoma diagnoses of her own. This uplifting story of a family tackling complex and terrifying circumstances with love and resilience is a true testament to Magda and her family, and to families everywhere who quietly but courageously persist.

“From Freezer to Cooker: Delicious Whole-Food Meals for the Slow Cooker, Pressure Cookers, and Instant Pot” by Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer
It’s dinnertime, and yet again, you’re behind. The kids are cranky; the fridge is empty; the kitchen is a mess. Sound familiar? That was every night at the houses of popular bloggers and local cookbook authors Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer until they discovered freezer cooking. And once they realized that freezer meals could be made even easier with the hands-free magic of the Instant Pot or slow cooker, dinnertime drama became a thing of the past. From Peanut Butter Cup Steel Cut Oats to Fiesta Lime Chicken Bowls to French Dip Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, every recipe is doable and made with recognizable, whole food ingredients.