The year in audio celebrates stories that prove as timeless as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and as modern as Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr!, each a testament to the pure joy of being read a story.
The best videos released on DVD/Blu-ray in 2024 offer a wide sweep of feature films and documentaries, including one originally made in 1941 and many more just recently created. From an upbeat look at the future to a dramatic consideration of Vatican politics, these films highlight just how illuminating on-screen stories can be.
Much is known about what Europeans did in Africa, yet very little is known about Africa's history before its colonization. In this surprising exploration, Max Siollun uncovers societies that were not part of a backward 'Dark Continent', but which instead had rich lore to rival the ancient Greeks and Romans.
By LJ Reviews In 1926, Carter G. Woodson envisioned a weeklong commemoration to increase awareness of Black history and culture. In the 1960s, protests against racial injustice helped make it into a monthlong celebration, but the U.S. didn’t formally recognize Black History Month until 1976. This list spotlights collective and individual aspects of Black history and experience.
Clerical sexual abuse is as global as the Roman Catholic Church, with bishops moving credibly accused priests not simply between parishes but also across international borders. Unforgivable follows the movement of one such perpetrator from the Great Plains of central Minnesota to the Indigenous highlands of Guatemala.
By Sarah Sullivan One needn’t have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this installment, but don’t be surprised if readers want to go back and see what they missed. Come for the historical Parisian setting and mystery, stay for the food and wine.
The Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader have named Mac Barnett the 2025-2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Barnett is the author of more than 60 titles for children and will honor picture books through his platform, Behold, The Picture Book! Let’s Celebrate Stories We Can Feel, Hear, and See.
By Marlene Harris Mary’s story is a dangerous and delightful adventure that turns the bigotry and misogyny of Victorian England on its head as she takes charge of her own life. Highly recommended for readers caught up in the recent trend of feminist retellings of well-known tales.
By Whitney Kramer Another winner from Jimenez. Readers won’t be able to put down this laugh-out-loud funny romance and will be cheering for Samantha and Xavier even when the chips are stacked against them.
By Tristan Draper, Whitney Kramer, and Rebecca Whalon Deep End by Ali Hazelwood is the top holds title of the week. LibraryReads and Library Journal offer read-alikes by Tessa Bailey, Alexis Daria, and Lana Ferguson for patrons waiting to read this buzziest book.
Job Zone utilizes unique job matching technology to help you find the perfect job (and employers find the perfect candidate), whether you’re actively seeking or just keeping an eye out for your possibilities. Log on today and check out our newest features, including automated job and candidate matches, and email alerts.
