As we sneak into late fall, we are overdue in making some staff recommendations! Check out what Lafayette Public Library and City of Lafayette staff have been reading, watching, and listening to since our last post!
You can always browse staff picks from one of the categories shown in a carousel in the Library Catalog, or navigate right to the list at lafayetteco.gov/StaffPicks. Looking for more ideas? Check out all our lists at lafayetteco.gov/LibraryBookLists.
Books & Audiobooks
Fiction | adults | recommended by Angelique V.
- “Circe” by Madeline Miller
Fascinating way to learn of the Gods and all the mythology.
Nonfiction | adults | recommended by Betsey Y.
- “Moneyball” by Michael Lewis
- “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight
Fiction | adults | recommended by Betsey Y.
- “Yumi and the Night Painter” by Brandon Sanderson
- “Nettle and Bone” by T. Kingfisher
- “All Creatures Great and Small” by James Herriot (audiobook)
Listening to the audiobook version of All Creatures Great and Small feels like curling up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa. Christopher Timothy brings the world of James Herriot to life with his incredible narration. If you are looking for a read that will fill you with joy and comfort, look no further.
Fiction | adults | recommended by Carolyn C.
- “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus
- “Snowflower and the Secret Fan” by Lisa See
A touching and troublesome story about the life and relationships of the narrator and her friends and family. Takes place in China long, long ago and beautifully told.
Fiction | adults | recommended by Colleen P.
- “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Fiction | adults | recommended by Deborah M.
- “The Ministry for the Future” by Kim Stanley Robinson
This book starts with a brutal account of a fictional climate disaster, but read past that first chapter and you’ll get a huge dose of imagination and hope for the planet. Bonus: The infectious delight of this author in the wonkiest of topics meant I enjoyed reading about monetary policy far more than I ever thought I would!
Nonfiction | adults | recommended by Deborah M.
- “Quitting: a Life Strategy: the Myth of Perseverance and How the New Science of Giving up Can Set You Free” by Julia Keller
Are you in the grip of the Protestant work ethic and its negative messages about quitting? This book is a wonderful antidote, encouraging readers to explore when quitting is the right answer not just for us, but for the people around us as well.
Nonfiction | adults | recommended by Ernesto C.
- “The Goal: a Process of Ongoing Improvement” by Eliyahu M. Goldratt
Great read…story based instruction on how to improve processes using the Theory of Constraints. Although this theory is widely known in the manufacturing industry, it is a great methodology to leverage iterative process improvement anywhere!
Fiction | adults | recommended by Linda B.
- “Human Acts” by Kang Han
Fiction | adults | recommended by Michelle M.
- “Trust” by Hernán Díaz
Diaz loves to mythicize realitzy, and in this novel he goes into money and memory…the characters are engaging from the opening paragraph, and the frank and truthful statements about life that he weaves into his story are beautiful.
Nonfiction | adults | recommended by Philip K.
- “All it Takes is a Goal” by John Acuff (eBook)
A quick read full of actionable (and inspirational!) ideas for turning ideas into actionable goals.
Nonfiction | adults | recommended by Scott P.
- “Evicted: Poverty and Profit and in the American City” by Matthew Desmond
Fiction | adults | recommended by Sherlene S.
- “Yours Truly” by Abby Jimenez
Yours truly has laughs, tears, medical issues, and a sweetness to it that I found very touching. The characters have flaws that make them human as well as difficulties to overcome. They pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend to fool his family and it’s a very complicated situation.
Fiction | adults | recommended by Sherri C.
- “Pretty Things” by Janelle Brown
Easy read about deception and lies.
Fiction | adults | recommended by Wendy ML.
- “Code Name Sapphire” by Pam Jenof
- “The Chain” by Adrian McKinty
- Pretty much all Ruth Ware books!
- “Don’t Look for Me” by Wendy Walker
Nonfiction | adults | recommended by Wendy ML.
- “Solito: A Memoir” by Javier Zamora