Books reviews from the county library

The following are reviews of new and notable books from your local librarians.
Title:  An American Sickness
Author:  Elisabeth Rosenthal
Category:  Adult Non-fiction
This book in five words or less:  Depressing.
This is a new book at our library. It tells how healthcare became big business and why. Not a pleasant read. It’s upsetting to think of how it used to be about patient care and now it’s more about the different ways and strategies to obtain more money from us. It does however have some helpful advice in the end of the book on things you can do and questions you should be asking.
Title: Spider Sisters
Author: John Trent
Category: Children’s Fiction
This book in five words or less: No friend like a sister!
This is a beautifully illustrated book grabbing my attention from the start. It is inspirational. While it is a simple picture book, it provides many teaching points, the foremost of which is even when siblings have different personalities or experience squabbles, there is a solid bond and overarching loyalty that is deeply rooted in love. I own a copy of this book with an inscription from my own sister. It is a wonderful read and wonderful gift read for loved ones. To this day, this book is my grandchildren’s favorite.
Title: The Secret History of Wonder Woman
Author: Jill Lepore
Category: Adult Non-Fiction
This book in five words or less: Truth is wilder than fiction.
Jill Lepore’s detailed research on William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman, reveals a twisted and crazy backstory shedding light not only the origins and ideas that inspired one of the most popular comic superheroes of all time, but also giving a peek into the tumultuous political and cultural times of the 20th century. Marston was a man fitting many descriptions: inventor of the polygraph, unconventional in his love and family life, failed lawyer, Harvard grad, and psychotherapist to name a few. His life was secretly played out via comic strip scenarios and no one was the wiser until Lepore happened upon an archive of family letters, diaries, and records and pieced the puzzle together culminating in her discovery of the woman who was Marston’s inspiration for Wonder Woman.
These books and thousands of others are available at the Daviess County Library. To check out or reserve a book, simply drop by the Gallatin or Jamesport libraries or go on-line to www.daviesscountylibrary.org, or call us at 660-663-3222.