Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Recently in the Media

Looking for a book that you saw in the news? Here's a selection of books that were recently in the media and are now on our shelves:

I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short

41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush

The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Haven for Hitler's Men by Eric Lichtlau
Reveals the secret history of how the United States became home to thousands of Nazi war criminals after World War II, many of whom were brought over by American government agencies to work as spies, intelligence assets, and military scientists. (Publisher Summary)

Watch Me: A Memoir by Anjelica Huston

The actress discusses her long-time relationship with Jack Nicholson, her most memorable film appearances, and her collaborations with some of the film industry's most respected directors. (Publisher Summary)

I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short with David Kamp

The Emmy Award and Tony Award-winning actor and comic shares stories from his life that recount his early years with Saturday Night Live, the development of his numerous characters, his family life and his celebrity friendships. (Publisher Summary)

41 : A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush

The forty-third president of the U.S. offers an intimate biography of his father, the forty-first president, tracing his career as an accomplished statesman and discussing his influence on the author's own political career. (Publisher Summary)

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

Recently in the Media

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