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.
A random find on a library shelf can draw you in and show you wonders, or it can send you down an incredible research path. In this instance, I learned just how gullible people can be.
While researching foodways of Missouri, I came across Kimberly Harper’s book “Men of No Reputation: Robert Boatright, the Buckfoot Gang, and the Fleecing of the Middle West.” The author is an editor at the Missouri Historical Review at the State Historical Society of Missouri. Working primarily in Jasper County and extending throughout the midwest, Robert Boatright is considered one of the greatest confidence men of the early 20th century. He and the Buckfoot Gang, working with a local bank and an influential Democratic leader, fleeced possibly millions of dollars from their victims in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Harper says, “While it would be easy to romanticize their exploits, Boatright and Mabray were criminals who wrecked people’s lives. They capitalized on technological innovations – the railroad, the telegraph, the telephone — to further their schemes.” Continue reading “Literary Links: Con Men, Cheats and Crooks”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Song Sung Blue” – Website / Reviews
Based on a true story, this drama features two down-on-their-luck musicians who form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
“Predator, Badlands” – Website / Reviews
A sci-fi/action film set in the future on a remote planet where a young hunter, outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
“Blue Moon” – Website / Reviews
In this biographical drama, an eccentric newly sober Broadway lyricist reflects on his life and career as he resentfully toasts “Oklahoma!,” his former partner’s hit new musical on March 31, 1943.
“Bookish” – Season 1 – Website / Reviews
A British crime drama series set in post-war London where a literary enthusiast and bookseller combines his day job with his favorite hobby — helping solve knotty murder cases.
“Agent of Happiness” – Website / Reviews
Shown at the 2024 True False Film Fest, this documentary follows a government agent who travels the Bhutanese Himalayas surveying people’s happiness as he also searches for fulfillment. Continue reading “New DVD List: March 2026”
In the book “Hidden Nature” we follow the story of Sloan Cooper, a natural resources officer who got shot while off duty — what bad luck! She is shocked back to life by doctors and goes to stay with her parents in the town of Heron’s Rest, where she, well, rests and heals. To keep her mind busy and fresh and also because it’s just what she does, she begins looking into the case of a missing woman in the area, and she finds more missing. There’s a mystery to solve now, and Sloan has no idea how closely she’s tied to the case!
I loved this book. The characters, the setting, the romance — all of it was on point. I feel as though if you love Nora Roberts writing, you will love this book like I do. If you have never read Nora Roberts, this is the perfect place to start! I recommend this book to nearly everyone.
Three words that describe this book: Very lovely story.
You might want to pick this book up if: You love Nora Roberts writing.
-Erica
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“Big Magic” is an inspiring and accessible guide to living a creative life without fear. Author Elizabeth Gilbert writes with warmth, humor, and a refreshingly down-to-earth perspective on the creative process. Her central message — that creativity is a birthright, not a privilege — feels both empowering and freeing.
Where the book truly shines is in its gentle but firm dismantling of perfectionism, fear, and self-doubt. Gilbert invites us to create for the joy of creating — not for praise, success, or even meaning. That’s a beautiful, liberating reminder.
Three words that describe this book: Creative, inspiring, empowering.
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re looking for a book that is filled with personal anecdotes, encouraging mantras, and a kind of mystical belief in inspiration as a living, breathing force. Some of the ideas (like inspiration as a separate entity) may not resonate with everyone, but even the more whimsical parts are delivered with such charm that they’re easy to accept, or at least appreciate.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
“The Unwanted: America, Auschwitz, and a Village Caught In Between,” by Michael Dobbs will be the subject of the March First Thursday Book Discussion. This event is part of the programming related to “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibition that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. This exhibit is an educational initiative of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association and will be on display at the Columbia Public Library from February 9 through March 16.
Dobbs’ account of Jewish families’ desperate efforts to leave Germany and the American response is chilling and accurate. He deftly teases apart the strands of American politics, culture and current events, explaining not only what actions were taken (or not taken) by the U.S. government and citizens, but also the strategies and arguments leading up to them. That analysis is juxtaposed with a detailed account of the Jewish residents’ of the German town of Kippenheim attempts to flee the Nazi regime, as well as a recounting of the escalation of violence against them.
Artfully including primary sources and narratives, Dobbs brings life to the horrifying bind German Jews faced. On the one side was rapidly escalating persecution and terror, on the other a nearly impassible bureaucratic maze. From a perspective that condemns the Holocaust, Dobbs objectively analyzes the U.S. response, what happened and why, leaving readers to make their own judgments on the history and its implications for today.
Join us to share your thoughts on the book and hear from other community members on Thursday, March 5 at noon in the Quiet Reading Room.
The Holocaust was so horrible, why would we ever want to read a story about it? Why, in fact would we want to read about any genocide? There are so many valid answers to that question.
I was privileged to be able to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial and Museum when I was in my twenties, which allowed me to imagine being in the shoes of those who passed through that nightmare. But not everyone has that luxury.
At Dachau, there’s a startling memorial sculpture that depicts the stacked bodies of prisoners as designed by Jewish artist Nandor Glid, who was persecuted by the Nazis in his home country of Yugoslavia. A path leads to a tomb containing the ashes of a prisoner with the inscription, “Never Again.” When I was there, I felt those words deep in my being. Continue reading “Literary Links: The Holocaust and Other Genocides in Fiction”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“One Battle After Another” – Website / Reviews
In this Oscar nominated comedic thriller by writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson, a former member of a revolutionary group seeks help from other revolutionaries to find his missing daughter.
“Roofman” – Website / Reviews
Based on a true story, this comedy/drama features a charming fugitive who secretly lives inside a toy store for months until he falls for a divorced mom and his double life begins to unravel.
“Bugonia” – Website / Reviews
An Oscar nominated black comedy where two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.
“A Little Prayer” – Website / Reviews
When a proud patriarch of an unruly but loving family discovers his son is having an affair, he grapples with how to protect his beloved daughter-in-law in this heart-tugging drama.
“It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” – Website / Reviews
A documentary portrait of a rising star with an otherworldly voice who left the 90s music world reeling when he died suddenly after the release of his debut album. Continue reading “New DVD List: February 2026”
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in February. 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
“Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives” by Daisy Fancourt (Feb 3)
From cradle to grave, engaging in the arts has remarkable effects on our health and well-being. Music supports the architectural development of children’s brains. Artistic hobbies help our brains to stay resilient against dementia. Dance and magic tricks build new neural pathways for people with brain injuries. Arts and music act just like drugs to decrease depression, stress and pain, reducing our dependence on medication. Going to live music events, museums, exhibitions, and the theater decreases our risk of future loneliness and frailty. Engaging in the arts improves the functioning of every major organ system in the body, even helping us to live longer. This isn’t sensationalism, it’s science: the results of decades of studies gathering data from neuroimaging, molecular biomarkers, wearable sensors, cognitive assessments, and electronic health records. From professor Daisy Fancourt, an award-winning scientist and science communicator and director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Arts and Health, this book will fundamentally change the way you value and engage with the arts in your daily life and give you the tools to optimize how, when, and what arts you engage in to achieve your health goals. The arts are not a luxury in our lives. They are essential. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: February 2026”
