New Nonfiction Books: Monday, October 16

If you frequently read fiction books, you might want to consider a nonfiction text for a change of pace. The library is constantly receiving new nonfiction and biography books, including the items below. Why not stop by and check out a book, CD, movie, or other material that you find interesting. We will continue to offer “Grab and Go” services for those who prefer to place their books on hold online and then pick them up in the cabinet inside the library.

Here are a few of the new nonfiction books that have arrived at the library recently. We invite you to check them out!

Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune

The story of the Astors is an extraordinary but true tale of ambition, invention, destruction, and reinvention. One of the wealthiest men to have ever lived, John Jacob Astor arrived in New York in 1783 and built a fortune through a ruthless expansion of his beaver trapping business, which he grew into an empire through real estate that enriched him at the expense of Manhattan’s poorest residents. In later generations, Astors ruled Gilded Age New York society and got into the hospitality business with the legendary Waldorf-Astoria hotel, among others. Yet for all their unimaginable success, the Astors also endured crushing tragedy and reversals of fortune.

Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts

Killing the Witches revisits one of the most frightening and inexplicable episodes in American history: the events of 1692 and 1693 in Salem Village, Massachusetts. What began as a mysterious affliction of two young girls who suffered violent fits and exhibited strange behavior soon spread to other young women. Soon three women were arrested under suspicion of being witches—but as the hysteria spread, more than 200 people were accused. Thirty were found guilty, twenty were executed, and others died in jail or their lives were ruined. What really happened in Salem? Killing the Witches tells the horrifying story of a colonial town’s madness.

Making it So

The long-awaited memoir from iconic, beloved actor and living legend Sir Patrick Stewart. From his acclaimed stage triumphs to his legendary onscreen work in the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, Sir Patrick Stewart has captivated audiences around the world and across multiple generations with his indelible command of stage and screen. Now, he presents his long-awaited memoir, Making It So, a revealing portrait of an artist whose astonishing life—from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim—proves a story as exuberant, definitive, and enduring as the author himself.