Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association - 2021-2022 Cultural Arts and Heritage Book List

2021-2022

         Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association

Cultural Arts and Heritage Book List

Preface
   The KEHA Cultural Arts and Heritage Program area annually sponsors
a reading program. Extension Homemakers may participate by reading
one book from six of these nine categories: the arts, biography, family and
consumer sciences, fiction, history, Kentucky, religion and spirituality,
travel, and classics and old favorites. Keep a record of the books read and
submit the record to the club Cultural Arts and Heritage chair. The club
chair should forward that information to the county chair or to the
extension agent. Qualified readers may receive the Cultural Arts Reading
Award Bookmark recognition at the county level. Counties are responsible
for printing their own bookmark. The bookmark is available for
downloading on the KEHA Cultural Arts and Heritage web page.
   This is only a suggested list. You may choose your own titles. Your local
public librarian many have other suggestions. Local libraries usually
belong to the Kentucky Library Network, which allows individuals to
borrow books from other libraries through interlibrary loan. If you cannot
find the book you wish to read at your local library, ask about this service.

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Table of Content

            Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       i
            Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    1
            Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .          2
            Classics and Old Favorites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                   3
            Family and Consumer Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                           5
            Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       7
            History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        10
            Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           11
            Religion and Spirituality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .                   13
            Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       14

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NOTES:

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The Arts

A Year at the Chateau by Dick Strawbridge and Angela Strawbridge (2021) – Dick and Angela moved
from London to France to a 19th century chateau along with their two children. In the middle of the winter,
they found themselves embarked on an adventure of their lifetime from cracked windows, infested bedrooms
with flies and a very special first Christmas.
Almost Lost Arts by Emily Freidenrich (2019) - In this book, author Emily Freidenrich tells the stories of
20 artisans who have devoted their lives to preserving traditional techniques and serves as inspiration to
makers, collectors and history lovers.
Boom: Mad Money, Mega Dealers, and the Rise of Contemporary Art by Michael Shnayerson
(2019) - The contemporary art market is huge, unregulated, and perplexing. A few key dealers and
tastemakers who make multimillion-dollar deals drive it. This book is a concise history of the art market and
gives insight into this secret world.
Country Music: An Illustrated History by Dayton Duncan (2019) – A rich and beautiful story of our
most popular country music, singers and songwriters. It tells of Hank Williams honky tonk life to Dolly
Parton to rise to fame from a poor childhood and many well know country music stars.
Deep Creativity: Seven Ways to Spark Your
Creative Spirit by Deborah Anne Quibell, Jennifer Leigh Selig, Dennis Patrick Slattery (2019) - This book
includes fifteen principles of creativity developed by experts to help you learn practices to reignite your
creative spark. This resourceful book offers practical guidance as well as deep reflection on the creative
process.
Diana: Style Icon: A Celebration of the Fashion of Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales by
Dan Jones (2021) - Charmingly exemplified throughout, and highlighting over 50 of Diana's most iconic
looks, as well as profiles of her go-to designers, a memento for Di admirers and fashion-lovers.
Hope on the Inside by Marie Bostwick (2019) – After many years, hope, a Home Economics teacher finds
that her teaching position is terminated. Not being ready to quit teaching, she finds a job teaching quilting
skills at the local woman’s prison. Hope and her students begin to bond together. They learn to defy
expectations and to see that it is never too late to stitch together a life.
Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic by Lisa
Congdon (2019) - Lisa Congdon is a well-known fine artist and illustrator who has worked for the Museum of
Modern Art, Harvard University, Random House Publishing and more. In this book, Congdon addresses
artists of all types: professionals, amateurs, hobbyists and more. She gives tips so others can identify, define
and nurture their unique artistic style.
Humans by Brandon Stanton (2020) - Brandon Stanton created Humans of New York in 2010. In this
book, Stanton travels to more than forty countries, and conducts interviews across continents, borders, and
language barriers. In Humans, Stanton shares how faces and locations will vary from page to page, but the
stories will feel deeply familiar. This book will resonate with readers across the globe and shed light on our
shared experience.
Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kle0n (2019) - Author
and artist Austin Kleon follows up his two previous New York Times bestselling books, Steal Like an Artist
and Show Your Work! With this short volume on unlocking creativity. This book offers 10 rules on how to
keep your creativity going even when you feel like it has dried out.
Minimalist Moms: Living and Parenting with Simplicity by Diane Boden (2021) - A book of on-
the-go minimalist wisdom--teaching busy parents how to embrace the core principles of a minimalist:
simplicity, focusing on what matters, and inner calm.

The Art of Eric Carle by Eric Carle (2021) - A photographic essay on how Carle creates his collages, and
writings by Carle and his colleagues.
The House of Fragile Things: Jewish Art Collectors and the Fall of France by James McAuley
(2021) - Powerful history of Jewish art collectors in France, and how an embrace of art and beauty was met
with hatred and destruction.
You Are an Artist: Assignments to Spark Creation by Sarah Urist Green (2020) - This book contains
50 prompts for anyone who wants to make art — even if you are not very good at it. Curator Sarah Urist
Green, creator of The Art Assignment, compiles a list of ideas and facts that will have you be more creative.

                                             Biography

A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell (2019) -This was chosen as a Best Book of the Year by
National Public Radio and won the Plutarch Award for Best Biography. It is the story of a young American
woman who served as a spy for Allied forces in France and helped win World War 2.
Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball by James Duane Bolin (2019) published by The
University Press of Kentucky - Famed Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp was known to many as the
“Baron of the Bluegrass.” This biography tells of Rupp’s life, beginning in rural Kansas to his success in
Kentucky.
Children of the Land: A Memoir by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo (2020) - This memoir from a prize-
winning poet about growing up undocumented in the United States recounts the sorrows and joys of a
family torn apart by draconian policies and chronicles one young man’s attempt to build a future in a nation
that denies his existence.
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton (2020) – Dolly Parton describes in this book
her remarkable life and career as a country and pop culture legend.
Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss by Jenna Bush Hager (2020) – Hager
shares many moving and funny stories in regard to her grandparents George and Barbara Bush of the wisdom
they passed on to her.
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (2020) - Drawing on the Academy Award-winning actor's journals
and diaries from the last 40 years, this book presents a uniquely McConaughey approach to achieving
success and satisfaction.
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker (2020) - This
biography explores the life of the Galvins. A family who seemed to be living the American Dream during the
baby boom after the Second World War. However, out of twelve children, six of them were diagnosed with
schizophrenia. As a result, the Galvan’s became one of the first families studied by the National Institute of
Mental Health. Their story reveals the history of mental health treatment in America during the mid-20th
century.
Me and Patsy Kickin’ up Dust: My Friendship with Patsy Cline by Loretta Lynn (2020) - Loretta
Lynn and the late Patsy Cline are legends, country icons and sisters of the heart. For the first time Loretta tells
their story which is a celebration of their music and their relationship up until Patsy's tragic and untimely
death.

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Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography by Lawrence J. Quirk and William Schoell (2021) - This
biography explores the life and career of one of Hollywood's great dames. This biography of Crawford sets
the record straight, going beyond the gossip to find the truth about the legendary actor and her
extraordinary life and career.
John Prine: In Spite of Himself by Eddie Huffman (2017) - This biography outlines Prine’s early life and
musical career, weaving behind-the-scenes anecdotes into the artist has better-known history. Heavily quoting
Prine himself, Huffman conveys a fascinating portrait of one of the most influential songwriters of our time.
More Than Love: An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood by Natasha Gregson Wagner
(2020) – A memoir of Natalie Woods’s life after her disappearance while sailing on her family boat with her
husband Robert Wagner. Natasha Wood’s oldest daughter tells of her loss and grief after this happened.
Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride Around the Globe by Dean Nicholson and
Garry Jenkins (2020) – A story a man who set off to cycle around the world and after three months traveling a
remote road in the mountains between Montenegro and Bosnia he finds an abandoned kitten which he could
not leave behind. As the story goes on to tell the journey of these now companion for life.
Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs by Andrew Cotter (2020) -
Andrew a very well-known sports broadcaster gives us a commentary of a different kind. With the lockdown of
the nation and social isolation, he tells the heartwarming story of life with his dogs. This is the complete
account of their rise to internet stardom, and how walking and climbing in the mountains helps them all find
peace, joy and happiness away from the hectic world of the media.
Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. by
Peniel E. Joseph (2020) - This dual biography explores the divergent activism methods of Malcolm X and
Martin Luther King Jr. and provides an in-depth analysis of them.
The Answer Is . . . Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek (2020) - Longtime Jeopardy! Host and
television icon Alex Trebek reflects on his life and career. The book contains personal anecdotes on a range of
topics including questions most often asked by Jeopardy! Fans.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle (2020) - This memoir by feminist activist and bestselling author Glennon Doyle is
a story full of self-love and empowerment. Part coming-out story, part galvanizing encouragement to show up
to ourselves and the people we love fully, this book is a tender and soulful look into what it means to be a
woman who is truly herself.
Where I Come From: Stories from the Deep South by Rick Bragg (2020) - An ode to the stories and the
history of the deep south, written with tenderness, wit, and deep affection--a book that will be treasured by fans
old and new.

                         Classics and Old Favorites

A Girl of the Limberlost, 1909 by Gene Porter (2013) – A delightful s tory of a young girl and her life living
in a forest and near a swamp in NE Indians. A book considered a classic in Indiana literature. The young girl,
Elnora, lives by the Golden Rule and collects moths and butterflies to pay for her high school education.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1943) - It tells the story of a girl coming of age in an
impoverished family in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, during the early 20th century.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1962) – Is a story about a high-school-aged girl who is transported
on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother and her friend to rescue her father, a gifted
scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet.

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Animal Farm (75th Anniversary Edition) by George Orwell () - This book tells the story of a group of farm
animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal,
free, and happy. However, the rebellion is betrayed, and the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before.
Soon to be a Netflix film.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery (1908) When Marilla and her brother Matthew
Cuthbert, residents of Green Gables on Canada’s beautiful Prince Edward Island, send away for an orphan boy
to help them on the farm they, instead, receive a girl — the bright and talkative Anne Shirley. After deciding to
keep her on anyway, they adjust to life with Anne as she gets herself into scrape after scrape and warms the
town to her with her wit and charm. This classic tale is full of warmth and heart.
Charlotte's Web by E. B White (1973) – A little girl named Fern recues a runt and names him Wilbur.
Wilbur is sent to live on a farm where he meets a spider name Charlotte. They become friend and Wilbur is
faced with a dreadful fate, Charlotte tries to find a way to save him.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (1969) - A true story based on the early life of author
Maya Angelou. The story traces her life from when she and her brother move in with her mother. The trauma of
being raped as a little girl by one of her mother's boyfriends and the several years of silence, that came after the
attack.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1934) - This novel is a timeless classic about a family of four daughters
growing up during the Civil War. In this domestic tail, the March Sisters learn a great deal about family,
friendship, love and loss. In late 2019, filmmaker Greta Gerwig released a new movie adaptation.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (1994) – In Mississippi around 1930 this was a hard
place for black children to grow up. During the time when there were night riders carrying hatred and
destruction to her people, Cassie learned about the differences that divided them from others.
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1994) - An American classic, is one of the world’s great antiwar
books. Centering on the infamous firebombing of Dresden, Billy Pilgrim’s odyssey through time reflects the
mythic journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we fear most.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982) - This is the story of two sisters--one a missionary in Africa and the
other living in the South--who sustain their loyalty to and trust in each other across time, distance, and silence.
Beautifully imagined and deeply compassionate, this classic novel of American literature is rich with passion,
pain, inspiration, and an indomitable love of life. It won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
The Giver by Lois Lowry (2006) – Jonas believes his world is perfect and under control. It seems that
everyone is assigned a role in the community as they have another birthday. When Jonas turns 12, he finds out
that is role is to receive special training from the Giver.
The Hobbit; or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937) - In this fantastical prequel to Tolkien’s
classic Lord of the Rings series, a hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, finds himself on an epic adventure when he would
much rather be holed up in his home with his books and his tea. This epic tale is perfect for children and adults
alike.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943) - Not many stories are as unanimously beloved as this
short fable of love and peace. Readers will find themselves in the shoes of the little prince seeing the world
through his eyes, and they will not be able to look away.
The Thread That Runs So True by Jesse Stuart (1949) - An account of Stuart’s life as an educator in rural
Kentucky. He talks about teaching in a one-room school at the early age of 17. After his 6-month term ended,
he went on to finish high school and college. He continued his love for teaching.

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Family and Consumer Sciences

Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science, Compassion to Understand, and Solve Children's
Behavioral Challenges by Mona Delahooke, PhD (2019) - This book is an accessible look into how
children’s behaviors indicate deeper needs. It includes worksheets and charts to help explain what children
need from parents, educators and other authority figures to create healthy and secure attachments.
Can I Recycle This: A Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics by
Jennie Romer and Christie Young (2021) - If you want to know what can or cannot be recycled in your blue
bins, this book can help you recycle the correct way?
Flipping a Switch: Your Guide to Happiness and Financial Security in Later Life by Barbara
O’Neill (2020) – Flipping a Switch discusses 35 financial, lifestyle and social transitions your will encounter
when entering retirement. After you leave the work world and go into retirement a big change in mindset and
behavior of how you manage your time and money. This book has helpful information for people who have just
retired
Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave by Joanna Gaines (2018) - In
this book, author Joanna Gaines walks you through how to create a home that reflects the personalities and
stories of the people who live there. Using examples from her own farmhouse as well as a range of other
homes, this comprehensive guide will help you assess your priorities and instincts, as well as your likes and
dislikes, with practical steps for navigating and embracing your authentic design style.
Magnolia Table, Volume 2: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering by Joanna Gaines (2020) - This
cookbook from Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s hit show Fixer Upper and of the Magnolia home brand is a sequel to
her first New York Times bestselling cookbook.
Make Thrift Mend: Stitch, Patch, Darn, Plant-Dye and Love Your Wardrobe by Katrina
Rodabaugh (2021) – A good read to learn different techniques and tricks for mending, dying and altering your
clothing. Read the essay on how to be a thrift store buyer and building a wardrobe you can enjoy.
Secrets of Home Staging: The Essential Guide to Getting Higher Offers Faster by Karen Prince
(2021) – Wanting to sell your house, well this book geared toward realtors and people wanting to flip houses.
Fascinating ideas for decluttering and decorating to help push people towards purchasing.
Smithsonian Makers Workshop: Fascinating History and Essential How-Tos by the Smithsonian
Institution (2020) - This unique book blends interesting stories about the people and events that have
influenced the American home with more than 45 DIY projects from the experts at the Smithsonian Institution.
The Act of Sewing: How to Make and Modify Clothes to Wear Every Day by Sonya Philip (2021) -
Want to sew, well this book is a complete guide to simple garment sewing and many tricks for alteration and
embellishment.
The Beginners Guide to Backyard Homesteading: Step-by-Step Instructions for Raising Crops
and Animals by Lisa Lombardo (2020) - Not sure of how to turn you yard into something that will make you
extra money or even put your own food on the table. This is a systematic guide to how to raise crops have farm
animals, etc.
The Clutter-Free Home: Making Room for Your Life by Kathi Lipp (2020) - This is a room-by-room
guide to decluttering, reclaiming, and celebrating every space of your home!
The Essential Guide to Self-Sufficient Living: Vegetable Gardening, Canning and Fermenting,
Keeping Chickens and More by Abigail Gehring (2021) - A good source regrading County Living. A guide
to growing your vegetables, herbs in containers and raise gardens and even building a beehive.
The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) – A across the board handbook to understand the
components of happiness which is based on many years of scientific research. This book is practical and is an

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easy to follow manual, which has strategies to happiness, thinking exercises to help us innate potential for joy
and ways to sustain this in our lives.
The Secret History of Home Economics: How Trailblazing Women Harnessed the Power of
Home and Changed the Way We Live by Author: Danielle Dreilinger (2021) – This book traces the
history of women from Black colleges to Eleanor Roosevelt to Okinawa, from a Betty Crocker brigade to DIY
techies. These women became chemists and marketers, studied nutrition, health, and exercise, tested
parachutes, created astronaut food, and took bold steps in childhood development and education. The author
brings forward the racism within the movement along with the steps taken by women of color who were
powerful leaders and enterprising people. She also looks at the personal lives of home economics’ women, as
they chose to be single, share lives with other females, or try for egalitarian marriages.
The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child by Daniel J.
Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD (2019) - This book addresses children’s reactive no-brain responses
which in many contexts, can often be negative and lead to children acting out or shutting down. The authors of
this book suggest a way forward to cultivate openness and curiosity within children through teaching balance,
resilience, insight and empathy.
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam M. Grant (2021) - Author
Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist, professor at Wharton, and bestselling author
of Originals and Give and Take. In this book, Grant tackles how intelligence is usually seen as the ability to
think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there is another set of cognitive skills that might matter
more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. We surround ourselves with people who agree with our
conclusions, when we should be gravitating toward those who challenge our thought process. Intelligence is
no cure, and it can even be a curse: being good at thinking can make us worse at rethinking.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg, PhD (2020) - Based on
twenty years of research and Fogg’s experience coaching more than 40,000 people, Tiny Habits cracks the
code of habit formation. With breakthrough discoveries in every chapter, you will learn the simplest proven
ways to transform your life. Fogg shows you how to feel good about your successes instead of bad about your
failures. This systematic guide will help you design habits and make them stick through positive emotion
and celebrating small successes. Whether you want to lose weight, de-stress, sleep better, or be more
productive each day, Tiny Habits makes it easy to achieve.
To Raise a Boy: Classrooms, Locker Rooms, Bedrooms, and the Hidden Struggles of
American Boyhood by Emma Brown (2021) - In this book, author Emma Brown interviewed hundreds of
people—educators, parents, coaches, researchers, men, and boys—to understand the challenges boys face
and how to address them. From the reporter who brought Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s story to light, To Raise
a Boy combines assiduous reporting, cutting-edge scientific research, and boys’ powerful testimonials to
expose the crisis in young men’s emotional and physical health.
Where Do I Put the Couch? In addition, Answers to 100 Other Home Decorating Questions by
Melissa Michaels and KariAnne Wood (2019) - Need help in placing your furniture and making a small room
look larger, this is the book that can help resolve some of your problems.
Who Knew? 10,001 Household Solutions: Money-saving Tips, DIY Cleaners, Kitchen Secrets,
and Other Easy Answers to Everyday Problems by Bruce Lubin and Jeanne Lubin (2018) - This
book will help you with clever and creative ways to get amazing results for less money, in less time, and with
less stress.

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Fiction

A Wedding on the Beach by Holly Chamberlain (2019) – The author captures the idea of a summer
wedding on the beach with college friends and a beautiful beach house set the tone for a wedding in
Kennebunkport.
Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard (2014) – In November 1944, eighteen-year-old, June Walker boards a bus
destined for a city that does not officially exist. This book is a work of fiction but with historical details of the
secret lives of women, men, soldiers, scientists, workers and entire families from all areas of the United States
and the world to work secretly together to develop a bomb that would end World War II. With the bombing of a
Hiroshima brings the historical truths about the Oak Ridge.
Back to the Light by George Ella Lyon (2021) - An acclaimed poet, Lyon’s newest collection traces a woman’s
life from girlhood to mature womanhood. The collection is described as witty, tender, shocking and visionary,
demonstrating how poetry can liberate and heal.
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (2019) – This book based upon an adoption center who kidnapped
and would sell poor children to rich families over the country. A family is torn apart when the father rushes the
mother to the hospital and leaves Rill the oldest in charge. Then the worst happens when they are kidnapped
and placed in the Tennessee Children’s Home orphanage. Their dream of being a completed family again is
uncertain.
Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain (2020) - Two young women living several decades apart
are focused on the same mural….one is creating the mural in 1940 and the other is restoring the same mural in
2018. In alternate viewpoints and dual timelines, we hear both stories, the mystery of what happened to the
original artist is uncovered, and connections between the two are revealed.
Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi (2021) - In vivid and visceral prose, Tibor Jones South Asia Prize–winning
writer Avni Doshi tells a story, at once shocking and empathetic, about love and betrayal between a mother
and a daughter. Sharp as a blade and laced with caustic wit, Burnt Sugar unpicks the slippery, choking cord
of memory and myth that binds mother and daughter.
Comfort and Joy by Kristin Hannah (2020) – Joy Candellaro once loved Christmas more than any other
time of the year. Now divorced and alone, Joy buys a plane ticket to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she
decides to leave her ordinary life behand. What a journey unfolds!
Little Fires Everywhere: A Novel by Celeste Ng (2019) - This novel is a #1 New York Times bestseller that
has just been made into a Hulu original series starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. Touching on
the nature of secrets, identity, motherhood, and race, the book follows the lives of the Richardson family and a
mother and daughter who turn their lives upside down.
No successful conclusions: A Memoir by Nora McInerny (2020) - A memoir that reflects on how people
live life after tragedy and loss. It is a book that recognizes that life is not always happy, but it is not the end:
there will be both unimaginable joy and deep sorrow after significant loss. As Nora says, there will be no
successful conclusions—but there will be new beginnings.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (2019) - This young adult novel shares the story of Bri, a 16-year-old
rapper whose father, an underground rap legend, died before he was able to make his claim to fame. Bri
participates in her first rap battle and then goes on to battle with her family’s poverty, the labels and views of
others, and how fame can change a person.
One for the Road: A Bourbon Tour Mystery by Mary Ellis (2020) - Travel writer Jill Curtis is sent to
Kentucky to find out what makes the state’s bourbon tours so popular. Her visit goes awry when she trips on a
dead body at one of the distilleries!

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Running with Sherman, by Christopher McDougall (2019) – A delightful story of a family’s rehabilitation of
an abused and neglected miniature donkey and life in the Amish country of Pennsylvania. Learning that
donkeys need a challenge and a purpose, Chris and his family work to train Sherman for a burro race in the
high Colorado Rockies. Laurence, the goat, burro helps Sherman. Sherman helps Alex the college kid. Just a
wonderful heart-warming story of life.
Send for Me by Lauren Fox (2021) – A novel about the love and pain passed down among women of four
generations, holding close to one another during times of unimaginable fear and grief.
South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber (2020) – A captivating blend of magical realism, love,
family and small-town Southern charm. A very special buttonwood tree dispenses advice to those who seek out
the tree with a work in the woods. On delightful read.
Spy by Danielle Steel (2020) – Wickham is destined for a privileged life. Nevertheless, by 1939, Europe is on
fire and England is at war. Fluent in many languages, Alex who cannot serve in fighting for the war is recruited
as a secret agent. Alex learns the art of espionage, leading to a life and death missions behind enemy lines and
a long career as a spy in exotic places. This book follows Alex’s adventures in World War II and afterward.
Stick Together by Jon Gordon and Kate Leavell (2021) - Teams often face challenges and have to find ways to
persevere and overcome obstacles. This book follows a fictional high school basketball coach through his
journey to motivate his team, providing strategies to strengthen the team and create an unbreakable bond. The
messages are designed to resonate with teams of all types.
The Accident by Natalie Barelli (2019) If only she had said no... Katherine knew she had had too many drinks,
but they were only going a short distance. Moreover, as Eve pointed out, it was late; there was no traffic
anyway... Now, Katherine would give anything to turn back the clock. If anyone ever found out about the
accident, it would ruin her life. However, no one needs to know because Eve was there too, and she is going to
help make it all go away. Except something is not quite right.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan (2019) - This young adult novel covers the subjects of
familial love, beauty and grief in a unique and gripping way. After her mother’s death by suicide, Leigh Chen
Sanders begins seeing a mysterious bird and is convinced that it is her mother with a special quest for her.
Leigh travels to her mother’s childhood home in Taiwan as she grapples with her grief, her rocky relationship
with her dad, a special friendship that may be turning into something more, and the struggle of being both
American and Taiwanese but feeling like the one she doesn’t fully fit in anywhere.
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult (2020) - Dawn, a former Yale Egyptology student turned death
doula. In Dawn’s orbit there is a whole lot of death, starting with Win, the dying woman she is caring for, the
memories of those Dawn lost.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (2019) - A young Kentucky woman
braves the hardships of the Great Depression and the primitive Appalachian hill country to become a member
of the Pack Horse Library Project. This is a tale of determination and the power of books!
The Chelsea Girls by Fiona David (2020) – Spanning the 1940s to the 1960s this book pulls back the curtain
on the desperate political pressures of McCarthyism, the complicated bonds of female friendships and the siren
call of the uninhabited Chelsea Hotel.
The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin (2021) - A story of courage on the prairie: the blizzard that
struck the Great Plains, threatening the lives of hundreds of immigrant homesteaders--especially their children.
The Cookbook Club by Elizabeth M. Harbison (2020) - This is the story about the secrets we keep, the
friends we make, and the food we cook. Three women form bonds that go beyond their cookbook club get-
togethers.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (2021) - This family drama is a dark fairy tale about the love between a
brother and sister who were exiled from their childhood home. It centers on the looming shadow of the
mansion that Maeve and Danny grew up in before their lives turned upside down.

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The End of October: a Novel by Lawrence Wright (2020) - This eerily timely thriller tells the fictional tale
of a viral pandemic and its impact on social, scientific, and governmental institutions as it spreads across the
globe.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah (2021) - A profoundly moving, strong story about the power and
elasticity of women and the bond between mother and daughter.
The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell (2015) - This is the story of the Bird family and each one of them
is more messed up then the next. This story really delved into every level of one family's relationships. Layer
upon layer upon layer. A family to love and root for, too, but on the other hand, also to grab by the shoulders
and shake violently some sense into! One Easter weekend tragedy strikes the Bird family that in time starts to
tear the family apart.
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth (2020) - A twisty tale about one woman has complicated relationship
with her mother-in-law that ends in death. Packed with wit and suspense, it also delivers sharp insights about
family dynamics and love.
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn (2021) - Three women, Osla, Mab and Beth meet at Bletchley Park during
WWII. They form a friendship during this time, but a betrayal and traitor among their colleague’s lands
one of them in locked up in an asylum in the years after the war. Through a letter carefully smuggled out,
she is able to issue a cry for help from her confinement.
The Struggle by Wanda E. Brunstetter (2020) - Timothy Fisher and his family reluctantly leave their Amish
home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for Christian County, Kentucky. However, this decision is not a happy one for
his wife, Hannah. This is book #3 of bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Kentucky Brothers series, but
can be read as a stand-alone.
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher (2019) - Thursday’s husband, Seth, has two other wives. She has never met
them, and she does not know anything about them. She agreed to this unusual arrangement because she is so
crazy about him. However, one day, she finds something. Something that tells a very different- and horrifying-
story about the man she married.
Welcome to the World Baby Girl by Fannie Flag (2001) - Dena Nordstrom is doing very well in 1970s
Manhattan. A star of a network morning show, poised to rise as the ratings-driven TV industry promotes
appealing women to make palatable the increasingly nasty interviews that are turning the news into
scandalmongering “entertainment.” Dena borne in Elmwood Springs, Missouri, where she spent four happy
years before her mother abruptly left town and embarked on a decade of wandering before vanishing from 15-
year-old Dena’s life altogether in 1959.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2018) - This New York Times bestselling novel blends the
genres of murder mystery and coming-of-age tale. Set in the marshes of North Carolina in the late 1960s, this
book tells a tale of a sensitive, intelligent girl. Her life changes and shaped by the beauty and violence of the
natural world.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020) - Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this
family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is
at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of
passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past
as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and
realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

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History

A Simple Justice: Kentucky Women Fight for the Vote by: Melanie Beals Goan (2020) - The suffrage
movement led to women gaining the right to vote in 1920 after passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. This
historical work chronicles the Kentucky suffrage movement in Kentucky and highlights the individuals who led
the work across the state.
A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell (2020) – A never before told story of Virginia Hall, and
American spy who changed the course of WWII. She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy
lines and despite her prosthetic leg helped to light the flame of the French Resistance revolutionizing secret
warfare, as we know it.
Every Man a Hero: A Memoir of D-Day, the First Wave at Omaha Beach, and a World at War
by Ray Lambert and Jim DeFelice (2020) – If you like war stories then in this book, Lambert, at the age of 98,
tells of his experiences in the majority of WWII with the difference waves.
Fabulous Female Firsts: The Trailblazers Who Led the Way by Marlene Wagman-Geller (2020) - The
story of women trailblazers and the impacts they have had on our world, including Aretha Franklin, Sandra Day
O'Connor, and Gertrude Ederle.
Getting Right with Lincoln: Correcting Misconceptions about Our Greatest President by Edward
Steers, Jr. (2021) - Noted historian Edward Steers Jr. clarifies misconceptions about Abraham Lincoln,
exploring some of the most persistent hoaxes and myths associated with our sixteenth president.
Head to Head: Conversations with a Generation of Horse Racing Legends by Lenny Shulman
(2020) - An award-winning writer, Lenny Shulman has covered Thoroughbred horse racing for more than 20
years. This book draws from Shulman’s interviews and provides insights from the men and women who
reached the top levels of success in the racing industry, providing an important oral history.
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (2016) – Three African American women working for NASA serve as
the brain behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, crossing gends and racial lines, leading to the
inspiration of generations to come to dream big and be bold.
His Truth Is Marching on John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham (2020) -
A portrait of John Lewis who was a civil rights icon and US congressional representative. This portrays his life,
which linked it to justice in American from 1950 – present.
Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington by Ted Widmer (2020) this book gives special
attention to the 13-day journey Lincoln made to Washington when he was elected president. His journey was
grueling and gave him many obstacles to overcome before he could even take his oath of office. This book shows
Lincoln’s strength and courage as he draws up the strength needed to lead a divided nation.
No Man’s Land: The Trailblazing Women Who Ran Britain’s Most Extraordinary Military
Hospital During World War I by Wendy Moore (2021) - This is the story of two suffragette doctors who
bravely treated those injured in the battlefields of World War I. Through their skill, determination, and expert
care, they were able to transform modern medicine and pave a way forward for female doctors.
Suffrage: Women’s Long Battle for the Vote by Ellen Carol DuBois (2020) - This book explores the full
scope of the movement to win the vote for women through portraits of its bold leaders and devoted activists.
The House of Kennedy by James Patterson (2021) – A revealing, mesmerizing account of America most
storied family who were a family of compelling adventurers. The Kennedy has raised to take chances and shine.

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family and Defiance during the Blitz by Erik
Larson (2020) - The story of Winston Churchill’s resilience and leadership during the Blitz in London. The
story is told masterfully while giving insight into an important era of world history.

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The Women's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss (2019) – A gripping story of how
America's women won their own freedom, and the opening campaign in the great twentieth-century battles for
civil rights.
Women in the Kitchen: Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat,
From 1661 to Today by Anne Willan (2020) - Included in the book are biographies of Hannah Woolley, who
wrote the first cookbook for women in the seventeenth century, to more familiar names like Julia Child and
Fannie Farmer. Also provided are over 50 recipes that are representative of the profiled women’s cooking.

                                             Kentucky

Dear Ann by Bobbie Ann Mason (2020) – Interesting novel that describes a woman reimagines her life
and her first love while on a cruise with her dying husband.
Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel (2020) - Anne Bogel is a Louisville, Kentucky native, an author, and a
well-known voice in the reading world thanks to her blog, “Modern Mrs. Darcy,” and her podcast, “What
Should I Read Next?” In her third book, “Don’t Overthink It,” Bogel offers tips for getting out of your head,
making decisions, and getting more out of life. Anne shares personal stories and experiences with her usual
warmth and charm.
Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky by Kathi Appelt and Jeanne Cannella
Schmitzer (2019) - During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt introduced innovative programs designed
to get people back to work. Among these programs was the Pack Horse Librarian Project of Eastern Kentucky.
This book gives the history of this program along with period photographs.
Famous Kentucky Flavors: Exploring the Commonwealth’s Greatest Cuisines by Cameron M.
Ludwick (2019) - The author helps you plan your own lip-smacking journey from bourbon balls to burgoo!
Hidden History of Horse Racing in Kentucky by Foster Ockerman (2019) - This book contains untold
tidbits of equine history revealed by the author who is both a historian and a seventh generation Kentuckian.
Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie
Chambers (2020) - Cassie Chambers grew up in the hollers of Owsley County, Kentucky, but left to get an Ivy
League education. She returned to help her fellow rural Kentucky women by providing free legal services.
Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places by Ouita Michel (2021) -
Kentucky chef and restaurateur Ouita Michel is well known for her sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine served at
her acclaimed restaurants. This new book shares the recipes from favorite dishes, highlighting the rich
traditions and stories behind the recipes.
Kentucky Barns: Agricultural Heritage of the Bluegrass by Carol Peachee (2019) - This is a
photographic tribute to a true legacy of the Bluegrass State—its barns. The book features interiors and exteriors
of many beautiful and functional icons of the American agriculture industry.
Kentucky Wildlife Encyclopedia: An Illustrated Guide to Birds, Fish, Mammals, Reptiles, and
Amphibians by Scott Shupe (2018) - This book is a nonprofessional’s guide to Kentucky wildlife. It includes
over 800 colored photographs and 600+ range maps of their territories.
Murder in Old Kentucky: True Crime Stories from the Bluegrass by Keven McQueen (2021) –
This book tells the story of homicides in full details that took place in the Commonwealth between 1826-
1937. One can read about the first electrocution held in Kentucky and many other murders.
Murder on Youngers Creek Road: How Car Thieves, Gamblers, Bootleggers & Bombers in
One Kentucky Town Ignited a Murder-for-Hire in Another by Gary P. West (2020) - A true story
of a murder for hire that went wrong. This involved a well-known car dealer two men hired to kill him.
Page | 11

Nevertheless, something was wrong when a woman and her horse were killed in an explosion in her barn.
Why would anyone want to kill a person who did her part in the community?
Small Business, Big Heart: How One Family Redefined the Bottom Line by Paul
Wesslund (2020) – This book talks about a couple from Louisville struggle with business adventures to
finding themselves helping the community with their new restaurant “CAFÉ”.
The Birds of Kentucky by Burt L. Monroe, Jr. (2021) - This first of its kind book provide detailed
descriptions of all bird species found in Kentucky. It includes fifty-on color paintings by wildlife artist William
Zimmerman. The book provides a guide of the natural history of the birds of Kentucky.
The Book Women of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richards (2019) – A salute to the pack horse
librarians of Kentucky. Cussy was the last one with a blue skin condition that her father felt he could not let
her marry. It goes on to tell of her dangerous life and work.
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (2019) - A fictional story of Pack Horse Librarians. The book inspired by a
real group of librarians who between 1935 and 1943 delivered books to remote communities in the Kentucky
Appalachian Mountains. Themes include friendship, romantic relationships, feminism, environmentalism, and
rural living.
The Murder of Marion Miley by Beverly Bell (2020) - Describes the ensuing manhunt and trial,
exploring the impact of class, family, and opportunity in a world where steely determination compared
with callous murderous intent.
The Sisters of Glass Ferry by Kim Michele Richardson (2020) – This book is a haunting novel about small
town, Glass Ferry, Kentucky and its secrets, loss and the unbreakable bond between siblings.
Voices of African Immigrants in Kentucky: Migration, Identity, and Transnationality by
Francis Musoni, Iddah Otieno, Angene Wilson and Jack Wilson (2020) - Based on oral history interviews with
African-born immigrants in Kentucky, this book recounts their unique experiences and reasons for immigrating
to the Bluegrass.
What I Stand On: The Collected Essays of Wendell Berry 1969-2017: (A Library of America
Boxed Set) by Wendell Berry (2019) - Kentucky-native Wendell Berry is a fierce advocate for our planet, for
local farmers, and is a prolific writer. This set includes a wide selection of his essays.
Voice of the Wildcat: Claude Sullivan and the Rise of Modern Broadcasting by Alan Sullivan,
Joe Cox, et al (2021) – An engaging and heartfelt glance of the life of Kentucky sportscaster life of how he
built his career.

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Religion and Spirituality

Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon by Dr. Joe Dispenza
(2019) - This book explores the link between science and spirituality. It offers concrete practices that people can
follow to become spiritual and have mystical experiences.
Called Out: Why I Traded Two Dream Jobs for a Life of True Calling by Paula Faris (2020) –
Faris an on-air reporter in this books shares of her journey which she had to conquer her fears that nearly
ruin her career.
Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved (Christian Nonfiction/Memoir)
by Kate Bowler (2018) - Kate Bowler, a 35-year-old professor of divinity at Duke and a young wife and mother
is diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. In this book, she walks readers through her personal, moving story as
she grapples with her faith in the face of loss and pain.
Faith, Farming and Family: Cultivating Hope and Harvesting Joy Wherever You Are by
Caitlin Henderson (2021) - A story full of walks down farmhouses hallways, crops ready to harvest and god’s
abundant dreams of people lives.
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen (2020) - In this book,
Allen suggests ways to use faith to cope with toxic negativity and spiraling thoughts.
How Happiness Happens: Finding Lasting Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment,
and Unmet Expectations by Max Lucado (2019) - Through many aspects of religion, the author shares his
secrets to finding joy that will endure through any season of life.
My Father's Business: The Small-Town Values That Built Dollar General into a Billion-Dollar
Company by Cal Turner, Jr. (2021) – A history of how Dollar General was seen as a small business into a huge
corporation.
On the Wings of Words Given: Faith, Family & Kentucky Life by Linda J. Hawkins (2020) –
Hawkins in this book with short stories and poems tell of her journey from a child to and adult of her life
living in Kentucky and trusting God along the way.
Saturdays with Billy: My Friendship with Billy Graham by Donald J. Wilton (2021) – Looks
behind scenes of Billy Graham’s life that inspire people in their own spiritual passages.
Why Buddhism is true: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment (released
2017) by Robert Wright (2018) - This book works to show how psychology, philosophy, and mediation reveal
some core truths associated with Buddhist belief and practice. This book shows the value of mediation in
building a spiritual life.
You Were Made for This Moment: Courage for Today and Hope for Tomorrow by Max Lucado
(2021) – Takes a fresh in-depth look into the life of Esther and uncovers hope for tomorrow and courage for
nowadays.

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Travel

Create Your Own Kentucky Adventure: Exploring All of Kentucky's 120 Counties by Cindi M.
Cote (2021) – This book allows you to view the 120 counties and see what things they must do and plan your
trips.
Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris (2019) - Kate Harris always wanted
to be an explorer. Since our planet has been largely explored, she started to focus on what it would take to go to
Mars. She began studying to become a scientist at both Oxford and MIT. During her studies, she took a bicycle
trip along the Silk Road with her friend. During her trip to remote areas, Harris learns about boundaries — both
physical and the ones we set for ourselves — and how to break them.
Literary Places (Inspired Traveler’s Guides) by Sarah Baxter (2019) - This book takes you on a journey
through the most memorable places in literature. It is well researched and includes beautifully drawn artwork.
From James Joyce’s Dublin to Salinger’s New York City, travel journalist Sarah Baxter transports to you these
places.
Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home by Matt Kepner. (2019) - This New York Times
bestselling travel author has compiled his favorite stories of his travels around the world to show his unique
way of life.
The Refuge by Ann H. Gabhart (2019) – With the threat of a cholera epidemic at their heels, Darcie and
Walter Goodwin join the Shakers, whose villages seem immune to the disease. It is meant to be temporary, but
Walter is killed in a riverboat accident and Darcie must stay with the shakers. To complicate matters, she
discovers she is pregnant. Marital relationships are considered sinful in this celibate community. This book
shows the test of the shakers religious beliefs and how faith is tested.
The Sea: Stories, Trivia, Crafts, and Recipes Inspired by the World's Best Shorelines,
Beaches and Oceans by Isobel Carlson (2019) – This book applauds oceans, coasts, and shorelines from
all over the world. There are incredible stories and legends of the sea, delicious recipes and activities
inspired by the coast, and fascinating trivia on everything from marine exploration to the turning tides.
Unforgettable Journeys: Slow Down and See the World by DK Eyewitness (2020) - This book
leads you to breathtaking scenic route across the globe which will explore inspirational excursions.
Where to Go When: Unforgettable Trips for Every Month by DK Eyewitness (2021) – Ready to
travel, then this is the book to get your vacation planned. With hundreds of places to pick from, this book
has a chapter dedicated to each chapter.
Wherever You Go: A Guide to Mindful, Sustainable, and Life-Changing Travel by Daniel
Houghton (2019) - Daniel Houghton, former CEO of the Lonely Planet travel guide publisher and a graduate of
Western Kentucky University, tasked with traveling the world and reporting. In this book, Houghton shares the
wisdom he is gained about travel’s ability to transform our awareness and develop our empathy.
World Wonders: Discover the Secrets of Our Own Planet's Iconic Structures by Michael
Gaszynsk (2020) – If you are interest in construction that has shaped our universe and want to learn if there
are any hidden secrets this is the book. It has over 50 different building it described for example, the
Kennedy Space Center, Eiffel Tower and many more.

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Thank you to the following for their contributions to this list:
    Jackie Walters, Jennifer Hunter, Kim Henken, and Brooke Jenkins – Family and Consumer
     Sciences
    Marilyn Watson, Jean Chapman. L. Bush, L. Gaines, Phoebe Huff, and Donna Wilson, Cindy
     Cassady – KEHA members
    Patti Burnside – Scott County Public Library
    Jason Keinsley – University of Kentucky Library Contact
This list compiled specifically for the Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association. The Kentucky
Extension Homemakers Association has paid printing cost.

June 2021