The days are getting warmer and longer and the flowers are starting to come up. March brings the start of the Cherry Blossom festival and Spring Break. Whether you’re looking for something to read while traveling–or to listen to while stuck in Tidal Basin traffic, March has some great books to choose from. Find your next great read at the Arlington Public Library.
The following information is provided courtesy of the Arlington Public Library.
Fiction
The Great Divide
By Cristina Henriquez
The building of the Panama Canal attracts people from all over the world, as well as locally. In this evocative novel, Henriquez weaves together many of their stories including; an American doctor and his sick wife; a washerwoman from Barbados; a local fisherman who opposes the canal, and his son who’s working on it. As their lives intersect and the Canal is constructed, the human cost becomes apparent–not just for the workers, but also for those who live in the Canal zone. // Available March 5. Library catalog link here.
Women of Good Fortune
By Sophie Wan
Three best friends are dissatisfied with their lives, but need money to make changes. Lulu wants to break free of familial pressure, Jane wants out of her marriage, and Rina needs to shake things up professionally. One of the ways Lulu has caved to her family is by getting engaged to Shanghai’s most eligible bachelor–their wedding will be the social event of the season, full of over-the-top luxury and glamor. If she and her friends can manage to steal all the cash presents, they’ll be set. While the heist adds action and humor, the strength of the novel comes from the friendship between the three women as they attempt to navigate a society that has never taken them seriously. // Available March 5. Library catalog link here.
Floating Hotel
By Grace Curtis
The Grade Abeona Hotel, a spaceship touring the galaxy, hides many intrigues and secrets beneath the luxury and attentive service. As the perspective shifts between the crew and guests, mysteries abound–a murder in the guest room, an enigmatic conference, love poems left in the lobby, and someone may be fomenting revolution against imperial rule. A cozy and suspenseful sci-fi mystery full of intriguing characters. // Available March 19. Library catalog link here.
How to Solve Your Own Murder
By Kirsten Perrin
In 1965, a fortune teller tells 17-year-old Frances that she will be murdered. She spends the rest of her life compiling files of information and gossip about everyone around her, determined to solve the crime before it happens. Nearly sixty years later, Frances summons her great-niece, Annie, to her quaint village. But when Annie arrives, it’s only to discover the fortune teller was right. Annie must now sift through her great-aunt’s piles of evidence and history to solve the case before she becomes the killer’s next victim. // Available March 26. Library catalog link here.
Nonfiction
The Witch of New York: The Trials of Polly Bodine and the Cursed Birth of Tabloid Justice
By Alex Hortis
When Polly Bodine was charged with the 1843 murder of her sister-in-law and niece, New York’s tabloid newspapers had a field day trying to one-up themselves on the coverage. They made her the perfect media villain, seizing on her separated status and like of gin. As her case swept the pages, everyone from Edgar Allan Poe to PT Barnum weighed in with their opinions of the case. A gripping, historical, true-crime read. // Available March 5. Library catalog link here.
The House of Hidden Meanings: A Memoir
By RuPaul
With eloquence and honesty, RuPaul delves into his dysfunctional family dynamics, exploring his relationships with his parents and his own struggles with identity and self-acceptance. From his early years in San Diego to his adventures in Atlanta and New York, RuPaul offers a deeply intimate and revealing memoir that traces the iconic drag superstar’s journey from a tumultuous upbringing to global fame. A profound and captivating self-portrait of an extraordinary icon. // Available March 5. Library catalog link here.
Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of our Future
By Daniel Lewis
This captivating exploration of nature and survival through the lens of twelve remarkable tree
species takes readers on a global journey, delving into the science, history, and cultural significance of each tree. From the majestic redwoods of California to the ancient bristlecone pines of the Great Basin, engaging prose and thorough research show the vital role trees play in our world and the urgent need to protect them. A compelling and enlightening read for anyone passionate about nature and conservation. // Available March 12. Library catalog link here.
A Paradise of Small Houses: The Evolution, Devolution, and Potential Rebirth of Urban
Housing
By Max Podemski
From New York’s tenements to LA’s dingbats, Chicago’s worker’s cottages to New Orleans’ shotgun houses, Podemski looks at different types of housing for working and middle-class families throughout the US. Looking at how and why each style developed, their benefits and drawbacks, it’s a fascinating look at the history of affordable housing–as well as a blueprint of what the future in housing can be. // Available March 26. Library catalog link here.
Middle Grade
The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World
War II
By Candace Fleming
Although the work done at Bletchley Park was secret for decades, Alan Turing’s work with the Enigma machine breaking Nazi codes is now well known. Many people also know about the hundreds of women who assisted with that work. In this fascinating and gripping book for middle grade readers, Fleming looks at ten of those women, who were still teenagers, and their war-time experiences. // Library catalog link here.
Teen
Hamlet is Not OK
By R. A. Spratt
After Selby’s parents discover she hasn’t been turning in her homework, they hire Selby’s brother’s best friend, Dan, to tutor her. As Dan tries to get Selby caught up on her Shakespeare assignments, he has her read Hamlet out loud, which transports both of them into the play. Sure, Selby now has a better understanding and appreciation for the material, but Hamlet isn’t a comedy. Can they help Hamlet work through his grief and anger and Ophelia with her broken heart? How many lives can they save before they fall victim to the play and how much are they changing one of the greatest works of English literature in the process? A funny and clever twist on Hamlet. // Available March 12. Library catalog link here.
Jennie Rothschild is a collection engagement librarian for Arlington Public Library.