(Native) American Horror Story
Start the Halloween season early with these twisted tales from critically-acclaimed horror writer, Stephen Graham Jones.
Here to Help: Books About Afghanistan
The situation in Afghanistan is complex and there have been many years of conflict leading up to this terrible time. Understanding—even a little bit—what the Afghan people have gone through may help us to figure out how to help. And that could be especially useful as Afghan families and individuals may be coming to Pittsburgh to find new lives and homes. These titles are intended to provide background knowledge and information.
Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park
If you’re looking for that rare form of narrative nonfiction with a story that leaves you feeling gobsmacked and bit disoriented – much like the Cannonball Loop at Action Park – look no further than this memoir/personal history of the most infamous amusement park . . . ever?
Welcome to Pittsburgh: Eid Al-Adha!
Here is a list of books for children, teens and adults that celebrate Muslim-American experiences, immigrant experiences and the diversity within Islam—including one that takes place in Pittsburgh!
Banned: How Censorship Impacts the First Amendment
Check out these titles to learn more about the history of banned books, censorship and the fight for free speech.
Green Home, Green World: Reduce Your Waste and Protect Our Planet
Check out these resources that showcase lots of ways great and small to reduce plastic waste, live more simply and self-reliantly, make your food budget go further, and detox your cleaning supplies.
The Vanished Birds
Simon Jimenez’s sweeping space opera, “The Vanished Birds,” starts out small, with what could be a stand-alone novella: a boy is born with an extra finger, and his father declares that he will be special. He lives on a Resource World: a planet that is used to grow a crop that is harvested, saved and exported off-world every fifteen years by cargo ships.
Getting Weird in Los Angeles
The history and mystique of Los Angeles lends itself to many works of fiction, songs and movies. These are some of my favorite movies tinged with (or steeped in) oddness, the kind of oddness that can only play out against the background of Los Angeles.
Independence Day Nonfiction for Adults
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has a wide selection of print and digital titles to commemorate the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776. Make sure to include some reading time in your 4th of July celebration plans.
Beyond Pride Month
These titles focus on LGBTQIA+ history and experience through the stories of the people in the community and the images and video captured by the community.