February Finds at the Library

By Donna Ruth Morgan

Open the cover of these new books to find compelling tales—some light, some more serious. All these books are available to read for free at Brunswick County libraries.

As an avid fan of Michelle Obama’s memoir Belonging, this reviewer found her 2022 selfhelp guide The Light We

Carry a disappointment. A focus on her own circumstances speaks more to an exclusive group than a universal audience. The book is divided into three parts that move from touching to challenging to lamenting past wrongs. The personal anecdotes and photos captivate, but the overall mood of loss and sadness leaves a melancholy. Nutshell review: Rather than boosting hope, the “toolbox” of life advice seems clichéd.

Supari Gentilly’s The Woman in the Library (2022) is a nested story that cleverly unwinds a mystery where four strangers are linked by an unseen murder. The plot thickens as each character falls under suspicion. The author builds tension with chapter layouts alternating the fictional writer’s manuscript with letters from an enigmatic supporting protagonist.

Nutshell review: The finale is a letdown with more fizzle than explosive reveal.

Spare, released early in 2023, is Prince Harry’s chronicle of his life between two historical deaths— Princess Diana’s and Queen Elizabeth II’s. The secondborn opens up about life as a royal, the devastation following his mother’s tragic death, and how her loss still affects him. Harry’s growing years, military service, marriage and parenthood, and navigating rifts with family members are all explored in depth. Nutshell review: If the intention to “turn my pain into purpose” meant baring his soul—mission accomplished, sir.

The Light Pirate (2022) is a speculative look at global warming’s impact on our world. Lily Brooks-Dalton creates a nightmarish scenario with a slow-moving storyline that progresses from disaster to life in its aftermath. Four short segments chronicle a life from birth to death in a dystopian existence.

Nutshell review: A novel in the newish cli-fi (climate fiction) genre— sprinkled with magical realism—starts strong then slips under and drowns.

The End of Alzheimer’s (2017) is supported by recent followup publications expanding on Dale Bredesen, M.D.’s program and patients’ success stories. Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease as a multifactorial metabolic disorder that is untreatable with monotherapy, the doctor suggests an integrative approach with many points of simultaneous intervention.

Nutshell review: Though somewhat unconventional, the Bredesen Protocol offers lifestyle and nutrition guidelines that may delay or reverse this pernicious syndrome.