Stephanie's Picks
Stephanie's stack of books usually includes sci-fi/fantasy, lyrical literary fiction, philosophical musing, exploration of the natural world, social science, or particularly good cookbooks. She also has a weakness for British TV and loves a good, loud action movie.

Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland (Hardcover)

Three books. Three Hugo awards. A fantasy tour de force that makes a beautiful gift.

The Power is the story of a world inexorably changed by the ability of (almost all) women to electrocute with a touch. This is not a fable for the essentialist or the faint of heart. The patriarchy does go, but not quietly. The titular power shifts the balance, but it also corrupts as thoroughly as any other. The narrative is by turns infuriating and exhilarating, hopeful and terrifying, unnerving and wickedly funny--all of which make for an indelible reading experience.

The title quotes a specific reference to the Reconstruction and its demise amidst resurgent post-Civil War white supremacy. The disheartening symmetry of the more recent eight years of the Obama presidency and what followed is exposed by Coates’s powerful, insightful, beautifully written, meticulously researched, and unflinching essays.

Navigating the daily horrors of Jim Crow leaves the marvelously-drawn protagonists well-prepared to cope with the supernatural challenges Ruff throws at them. The book is creepy, dread-filled, thought-provoking and fun!

This literary dystopian novel is set in a disturbingly plausible future in which tiny insects alter the course of human history and bring social inequalities into even more glaring relief. I was captivated by the combination of robust action and incisive commentary.

This children's book is a beautifully illustrated reminder of the value and joy in the present moment.

Ferdinand is big and strong. More importantly, he is gentle and kind and he is true to himself. This classic children’s book has as much to say today--to people of all ages--as it did in 1936.

I'm not going to be a Supreme Court Justice, but I can work out like one! The exercises are presented with great illustrations of gym and home versions, making them accessible and as challenging as you need them to be.

This powerful and thoughtful book calls for clear-eyed reckoning with the inequity and systemic racism that infect all corners of society, including Buddhist communities. The authors eloquently call to action with love and commitment to diminishing suffering, making the work valuable for anyone interested in all forms of liberation.

Just when you think you know what these stories are revealing, and how, Chiang tells you something else entirely. His writing style is sparse yet lush and utterly compelling. Science, math, linguistics, history, religion, and philosophy share a wonderfully resonant stage in each of the pieces and in the whole.





