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Memoirs take center stage in this weeks list of new releases. Garth Brooks documents the first five years of his career in the; Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman shares her journey from the gym to Olympic gold; and Rachel Jeffs’ riveting escape from her abusive father and the fundamentalist Mormon church she was raised in.

 

The Anthology Part 1 – Limited Edition, Garth Brooks

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This limited edition book covers the beginning years of Garth Brooks’ work. The project is definitely a project of love, and includes never-before-seen photos, documents the evolution of his music, and the firsts: that first time being recorded, the first time hearing himself on the radio, and the first time topping at #1 in the charts. In an effort to bring the people who love the music closer to the beginnings, he’s definitely succeeded with this. Humble, well-written, and with a true understanding of what makes people love music, this is Garth Brooks’ first work.

Everything You Need to Know about Social Media: Without Having to Call A Kid, Greta Van Susteren

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Welcome to the technological age, where social media rules: there’s twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, tumblr, and so many more. From Greta Van Susteren, a former news anchor on MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News, this is basically the how-to guide for all social media. More than just telling you how to post a tweet, it also goes over the more problematic sides to social media: if it’s okay to get your news from Facebook, and how to protect your privacy when everything is being shared online. If you’re a little confused about social media (and let’s face it, we’re all at least a bit confused), then this is definitely the book for you.

Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything, Aly Raisman

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The road to success has never been easy, or normal, for that matter. In that same light, who would have thought that from her first “mommy and me” gymnastics class that Aly Raisman would end up becoming an Olympic medal-winning gymnast? From classmates who shamed her for her body, to the people who told her she would never make it at an elite level, Aly Raisman has overcome every obstacle in her path, including an event of sexual abuse. Funny, warm, honest, and heartfelt, this truly inspiring memoir is not one to miss.

Artemis: A Novel, Andy Weir

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Artemis, the first and only city on the Moon, is teaming with billionaires and rich tourist – well, except for Jazz Bashara, who’s a criminal. Kind of. When you’re living in one of the wealthiest places ever, and you’ve got debts and not a lot of money, smuggling in some contraband doesn’t seem like the worst thing in the world. With a chance to get away with the perfect crime, and a payoff that’s even better, Jazz knows it would be stupid to turn down the job. But what she ends up discovering is so much worse, and involves a plan to control all of Artemis itself. Suddenly, surviving this plan just got a whole lot riskier. From the critically-acclaimed author of The MartianAndy Weir’s new novel isn’t one to miss.

Hardcore Twenty-Four, Janet Evanovich

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Stephanie Plum is back and better than ever! Janet Evanovich’s beloved heroine returns for her 24th thriller – and this time it’s more wicked than ever. When bodies stolen from funeral homes and morgues start showing up headless, things get worse when a homeless man is found, murdered, behind a church. Stephanie Plum already has her hands full with finding the murderer, but to make things worse, professional grave robber Simon Diggery won’t let her take him in unless she says she’ll take care of Ethel, his boa constrictor, and Diesel re-appears, much  to the annoyance of both cop Joe Morelli, and Ranger, the high-powered security consultant. Long-time fans are sure to enjoy this one!

Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales, P.D. James

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P.D. James, who passed away three years ago at the age of 94, was one of the best murder mystery writers in the world. But, as we’ve learned over the years, it’s not always a whodunit that brings the best mysteries; sometimes, the best crimes are so much deeper, darker and twisted than you think they are – and no one knew this better than P.D James herself. This collection of six stories are a true reflection of her in her prime, and we guarantee you won’t be able to put it down. If you weren’t previously a fan, reading this will make you one.

Breaking Free: How I Escaped Polygamy, the FLDS Cult, and My Father, Warren Jeffs, Rachel Jeffs

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Rachel Jeffs was raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an environment of strict patriarchy, and submissive sister-wives who obeyed the men. Rachel’s father, Warren Jeffs, was the leader, and arranged marriages between underage girls, and middle-aged men in the church, and he was placed on the FBI’s top ten wanted list in 2006. With her father now serving a life sentence plus 20 years for sexual assault, and the sexual assault of children, Rachel Jeffs has spoken up about her own trials, the terror she went through, and how she finally broke free from her past. An all-around heartbreaking memoir.

Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship, Gregory Boyle

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This is Jesuit Priest Gregory Boyle’s second book; in his first, Tattoos on the Heart, he showed us the workings of Homeboy Industries, a youth program that works as a gang-intervention program. Now, in a country that is not only racially divided but economically divided, he shows us the challenges that must be overcome in life on the very margins. Compassion and forgiveness are not always easy to find, and Boyle’s unconditional love and empathy are endless in this second book. It is not your typical take on God, religion, and how it functions in our lives. A truly inspiring must-read book.

Also released this week was Joe Biden’s memoir Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship and PurposeJenifer Lewis’ memoir The Mother of Black Hollywood, and Tyler Perry’s Higher Is Waiting.

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Genre: Nonfiction
Rachel Fogle De Souza

Rachel Fogle De Souza was born and raised in Connecticut, and traveled extensively throughout Europe, parts of Asia, and the United States, before attending college at the University of California, Davis, where she received a B.A. in Comparative Literature, with a double minor in Women, Gender and Sexualities studies, and Middle Eastern/South Asian studies. When she's not writing, she's reading, boxing, or thinking about traveling.

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