Westport Public Library BOOK blog

Each Thursday, staff who select the books to be added to the Library collection meet and discuss our choices from the reviews read and requests received. The Library collection covers a wide range of subjects and each of us has our own interests and expertise.We try to include all sides of any issue. Here are a few titles from this week's order.
Necropolis: London and its dead by Catherine Arnold –“everything you might want to know about perishing in London… from plague-pit burial to Grand Heraldic cortege.”

Sixth Extinction: journeys among the lost and left behind by Terry Gavin – specific examples of disappearing species and human diversity around the world.

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali – Somali-born, Dutch parliamentarian is in hiding from Muslim militants angered by her outspoken views on Islam’s enslavement of women- this is her harrowing story.

Monkey Girl: evolution, education, religion and the battle for America’s soul by Edward Humes – the very angry debate continues.

Survival of the Sickest: a medical maverick discovers why we need disease by Sharon Moalem & Jonathan Prince-theory that certain disease-related genes make you sick, but protect you from dying.

Kings of New York: a year among the geeks, oddballs, and geniuses who make up America’s top high school chess team by Michael Weinreb- a fascinating subculture.