“It is not my deeds that I write down, it is myself, my essence.”
Michel de Montaigne

Pick up a memoir this March, and get to know someone remarkable.

Whether it’s an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances, or someone who is already a household name but has a story about how an unexpected challenge or tragedy has shaped them, memoirs can inspire, make us laugh, cry or cheer, and see our own lives through a different perspective.

What makes a memoir different from a biography or an autobiography? While the forms are similar (and shelved together at AAPLD!) a memoir is an account of a person’s life, usually the author’s, that’s centered around a theme or experience. Whether that’s a harrowing childhood, a serious illness, addiction, tragedy; or a  fight to succeed against enormous odds, a good memoir can give us insight into the writer’s experience and how we can apply those lessons as well.

To celebrate our month-long focus on memoirs, we’ve created a special collection which you can browse by clicking here.  If you stop by the Main Library, you’ll find some of our staff’s favorite memoirs displayed by the Adult Services desk, on our Staff Picks shelves.

Listed below are memoirs that have been turned into films– bonus points if you’re also looking for a March “Twice Told Tales” Reading Challenge:

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls – A journalist tells the story of her nomadic childhood in a highly dysfunctional, but uniquely vibrant family.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert – Following a divorce, a writer embarks on an international journey of healing and self-discovery.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed – After battling addiction and grieving the loss of her mother, a young woman sets out alone to hike the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt – A teacher recounts his poverty-stricken Irish childhood, with humor and compassion

If you’re looking for something new or a little different, try one of these titles:

Sanctuary: a memoir by Emily Rapp Black   After losing her three year old son, a mother questions and redefines the idea of resilience.

Surviving the White Gaze: a memoir by Rebecca Carroll    A black woman’s search for racial identity, after being adopted by white parents, and later meeting her racist white birth mother.

The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames: a memoir by Justine Cowen    A British woman explores her late mother’s secret past, growing up in a notorious English orphanage.

Floating In a Most Peculiar Way by Louis Onuroah Chude-Sokei  A unique coming to America story, told by an African immigrant who finds himself in the midst of racial unrest and the growing Los Angeles hip-hop scene, in the early 1990s.

To Be Honest: a memoir by Michael Leviton   A memoir about an unusual upbringing in a family fanatically devoted to honesty, and what came next.

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the contributions of women– from great leaders, and top achievers in sports, entertainment, and literature, to the  anonymous women working daily to build a better world for their families and communities.

The annual recognition began in California as a local week-long celebration in 1978. In 1980, President Carter issued a presidential proclamation designating the second week of March as National Women’s History Week.  It was expanded to a month long event in 1987.

At AAPLD, we’re recognizing the accomplishments of women in several ways, starting with two special collections that tell women’s stories, one dedicated to books, the other to films.

A few stories you might have missed include:

Frida – Salma Hayek stars as ground-breaking Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, from her humble beginnings, to international fame as a talented painter with unique vision.

He Named Me Malala – A documentary tells the incredible story of Pakistani teen Malala Yousafzai, who was attacked by the Taliban for pursuing an education.

On The Basis of Sex – Felicity Jones stars as a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg, struggling to balance the demands of her rising career and new motherhood, as she partners with her husband Martin (Armie Hammer) to argue a landmark case of gender discrimination.

A Skating Life: My Story by Dorothy Hamill – An Olympic medalist and international skating star by the age of 19, Hamill faced significant personal challenges in adulthood, but found strength to persevere through her love for her daughter.

Becoming Beyonce by J. Randy Taraborrelli –  The first comprehensive biography ever published about America’s favorite living pop icon,  from New York Times bestselling biographer Taraborrelli.

Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt – If you loved Hidden Figures, you won’t want to miss this story of the women who propelled the space program from missiles to the moon and beyond.

We’re also pleased to offer these special online programs. Two focus on history-making female leaders, the other is an evening with a best-selling woman author, as she shares insights about her process and experience in the publishing industry.

On Thursday, March 18, from 6:30- 8:00 p.m., historian Jim Gibbons will present Notorious: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and her tireless crusade for women’s rights. Ginsburg was many things: Glamour magazine’s 2009 Woman of the Year, one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, a cancer survivor, and an inspiration to many. But she was not a quitter. Appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993, Ginsburg served until the time of her death in September 2020. Click here to register for the program, presented on Zoom.

Best-selling suspense author Mary Kubica will present a program on Thursday, March 25 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Kubica is the bestselling author of The Good Girl and five other thrillers. Her latest novel, The Other Mrs., scored her a film deal with Netflix. Mary will discuss her writing process, how she balances her personal and professional life, and the unprecedented success of The Other Mrs. Mary’s next title, Local Woman Missing, will be released in May. Click here to register for this program, presented via Zoom.

On Wednesday, March 31, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., popular historical presenter Leslie Goddard, Ph.D., returns with a new presentation, Becoming Queen Elizabeth II, which explores the life of England’s longest reigning monarch: her childhood, the abdication of her uncle, her marriage to a navy officer named Philip, her World War II service, and her struggle to balance her roles as queen and mother. Get to know the woman behind the images, her sense of humor, and savvy intelligence with which she meets her demanding obligations. Click here to register for the program, presented on Zoom.

If you prefer to register or place your holds by phone, give the Adult Services Department a call at 847-458-6060. We’re happy to help!

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions and history of Black Americans, past and present.

The celebration dates back to 1926, when it was created by African American historian, educator and publisher Carter G. Woodson as a one week observance. It expanded to a month-long celebration in 1976. The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and abolitionist Frederick Douglas (Feb. 14).

We’ve created a display highlighting the work of Black authors, non-fiction titles by prominent Black voices, and films centered on Black stories. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find in our collection:

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke –  A Black Texas Ranger investigates a murder in a small town in East Texas, and uncovers a shocking secret. Steeped in the culture, music and atmosphere of the East Texas bayou country, the novel creates a vivid portrait of contemporary Black life in rural America.

No One Is Coming To Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts – A successful man returns to his North Carolina hometown to build his hillside dream home and win back the love of his high school sweetheart. But his success, contrasted with the town’s decline, forces everyone to consider what they really want from life, and how they might go about finding it.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory – When a Los Angeles writer goes to a Dodgers game with an actor she’s casually dating, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. After she refuses, she’s trailed by a camera crew, until a handsome fan comes to her rescue. When what begins as another casual affair unexpectedly blossoms into love, can she find the courage to follow her heart?

Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid – An influential businesswoman tries to help her babysitter, who was falsely accused of kidnapping a child. But when a viral video reveals unwelcome aspects of the businesswoman’s past, both she and the babysitter are forced to confront what they think about themselves and each other.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead – An enslaved young woman escapes from a plantation in Georgia, via the Underground Railroad, which Whitehead reimagines as a literal railroad of tracks and tunnels running beneath the ground of the Civil War-era South.

 When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole – A psychological thriller set in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood. A young woman investigating the neighborhood’s vanishing history, with the help of a new arrival, begin to uncover the deadly secret of what really happened to the departed residents.

Find these books, and lots more, in our Black History Month featured collection. Click here for more titles.