Every month we let you know what we’ve been reading and our monthly recommendations. You’ll get to see new titles with fabulous reviews from the Bay Books team. We’re sure you’ll love these fantastic books just as much as we do. We recommend a wide range of genres and themes. So get ready to explore more books!
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
You’re a Professor of Creative Writing with a student who has a brilliant plotline with a twist never seen before. But then, before the book can be written, the no-longer-a-student dies and there is no question he is dead. Since years have passed, perhaps you’ll take the premise of the plot and write your own international bestseller which will soon be a movie. And it all happens.
Then the anonymous emails start appearing, accusing you of plagiarism. Whoa…..
This novel starts a bit slow (IMO) but soon becomes unputdownable with its own incredible twists and turns and those are definitely unique. Must read.
Benjamin Franklin’s Last Bet by Michael Meyer
This is an incredible story and one of the most intriguing non-fiction books I have read in a while. Benjamin Franklin was not a gambling man, but he was a working class populist who set up a fund that would mature over the centuries to give small loans to working class people. These small loans would be repaid with interest over 10 years and could also be loaned to cities for public works improvements. Had it been properly managed, it would be worth billions today. A piece of history I sure didn’t know.
Nasty, Brutish and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids by Scott Hershovitz
Based on ‘philosophical discussions’ with his two sons, this is an introductory book to philosophy, as seen from a child’s perspective and generalized to encompass humankind and philosophical theory. Wish this had been my philosophy book at university!
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
Once I started this book, I couldn’t stop. We often look to space for additional intelligent life but what if it is right here on our planet—we just don’t know how to look for it, much less recognize it? We’re all aware of how our history has been written from a Eurocentric view, might we also be making the same mistake in thinking that intelligence must be like our own form of measurement? In this case, we go to the ocean and octopus in this science fiction thriller (or speculative fiction as it is now called) as well as the concept of AI, all underscored by what it really means to be part of a culture, civilization, collective intelligence, and perspective. Chapter after chapter continued to enthrall me as this talented author wove in reflective questioning on topics such as what is intelligence, what is culture, intergenerational memory, and yes, how we evolve in our collective character development. It’s a fantastic, incredible literary debut.
Nour’s Secret Library by Wafa’ Tarnowska
Based on true story, two cousins start their own underground library by retrieving and saving books from bombed out buildings and rubble during the Syrian civil war (2011). Kids amaze me with their creativity and resilience and these two will likewise amaze you. (Ages 6 – 10, illustrated)
Half Wild: People, Dogs, and Environmental Policy by Dave Dempsey
Another great environmental book by Dave Dempsey that hits the nail right on the head: “Half Wild”. And aren’t we all, those of us who seek the outdoors to renew ourselves, half wild? When we kayak a river, throw our sleeping bags on the ground to lie under the stars, and swim through the cool waters of Lake Michigan just so we can feel refreshed and alive… Aren’t we just trying to stand with 1 foot in both worlds? One in our civilization, and one in the wild? The book itself is half wild, interspersed with personal anecdotes and environmental policy, author Dempsey gives us a real learning treat with his book
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