Transcript: JESSICA: Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I'm the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz. Today's two reading recommendations will introduce you to handpicked favorites that have captured the hearts and minds of our staff. We'll give you the inside scoop on titles you may not have heard about. First, we're going to hear from Jen, library associate at the Arlington Library, for a haunting collection of illustrated poetry. Over to you, Jen. JEN: Thanks, Jessica! This work of non-fiction by Laura Haldeman is singularly unique. "Team Photograph" is part graphic novel, part book of poetry, part memoir, part ghost story, and part American historical record and rumination. It is at once about the author's time playing soccer as a child, near the site of a bloody Civil War battle, and growing up in a part of Virginia where slavery was once common, providing context of a place through time. It is also about the author's personal experience with grief and mourning, some intimately known and some more nebulous, separated by over a hundred years and normalized, minimized, or ignored, but not yet lost or forgotten. For such a relatively short read, "Team Photograph" is profound and truly moving. Novel, insightful connections are made by the author and the artistry with which complex issues and emotions are navigated and communicated is impressive. Haldeman weaves sometimes disparate narrative elements together to create a cohesive story; the interludes of poetry, ghosts, and colorful, wolf-head illustration style boldly mix abstraction and visual dynamism with static facts and harsh truths. Raw and authentic, thought-provoking and heart-rending, fascinating and tragic. It is large, it contains multitudes. I highly recommend "Team Photograph" for a visual, textual, emotional, and educational experience. JESSICA: Thanks, Jen! Sounds like a powerful and beautifully crafted graphic novel. Next, let's switch gears to a humorous story of an office worker gone rogue, with Kerry, cataloging and acquisitions assistant. Go ahead, Kerry. KERRY: "I Hope This Finds You Well" by Natalie Sue is a sharply funny comic novel about forgiving yourself, facing your fears, and navigating life's biggest complications. Jolene Smith feels like an outcast — in the office and in life. Relationships with her family and friends are in tatters, and she barely gets along with her coworkers. When some regrettable email decisions backfire and get her into serious trouble at work, Jolene knows a reckoning is due. At the beginning of remedial sensitivity training, Jolene discovers HR has accidentally given her access to her coworkers' emails and messaging apps. At first Jolene plans to use this information to her own advantage. But after learning more about her co-workers' deepest fears and worries via their private messages, Jolene realizes that everyone feels lost at times, everyone feels frightened, and everyone needs help finding their way back to themselves. The question is, how do you turn things around and plot a better course for the future? Told with humor and a touch of romance, this book is funny, moving, and inspiring in equal measure. Perfect for fans of "Nice Work, Nora November" by Julia London, "What Alice Forgot" by Liane Moriarty, and "Where'd You Go Bernadette?" by Maria Semple. JESSICA: Thanks, Kerry! Sounds like a lovely blend of comedy and heartwarming moments. Join us next time, when we'll explore more great reading recommendations — interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library. Until then, I'm Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries. Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz.
