Two truths and a lie:
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Once, at an event before she worked here, Brittany asked Joyce Carol Oates a question that made her frown.
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In the twelfth grade, a classmate misquoted Harry Potter. Devastated, Brittany cried.
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Both of her feet are the exact same size.
I loved it! I’ve never read anything like it! I have not stopped singing its praises! I want you to take it home and read it!
But seriously: this is a remarkable novel. It’s like reading a play written in novel form, where each scene unfolds delicately and intentionally, and the blank space on the page says as much as the written word. I had to slow myself down, because I didn't want it to end, nor did I want to stop reading. Cannot wait for you to dive in.~Brittany
When I woke up on the morning that Roe was overturned, I felt like I was living in the world of this play. It’s not an easy read, but it’s an important one.
The playwright says it best: “Marisol was written in despair. I was living in a city that seemed to be falling apart. When June says “Visigoths are climbing the city walls” that was literally how I felt. That golf club was literally swung at my head one night on the subway. That ice cream cone was literally jammed into my face. I felt displaced in my own home, seeking emotional rescue – “protection” as Marisol herself says. ~Brittany
I originally picked this book up because I lived in Orlando from 2017-2020. My time there was fine; I made it out, and now I live here again. Gomez grew up there. His experiences do not mirror mine. This chilling, touching, thoughtful, devastating and devastatingly funny memoir took me through an Orlando I did not know, into the deeper questions of who makes us? Who rejects us? Who accepts us? ~Brittany
Don’t let the format mislead you - this graphic memoir packs a punch. Where does our family end; where do we begin? Thi Bui looks at herself, at who and how she is, and, over the course of this gorgeous book, tells the story of how, in finding herself, she found her family’s stories, too. They are, after all, the same story, aren’t they? Warning: you may cry. (I certainly did). --Brittany
I’ve read this...dozens of times at this point, and I employ no hyperbole when I tell you it gets better every time. Hudes writes painfully real characters, while interweaving metaphor and observation with grace and without judgement. This script makes me ache. --Brittany
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This book follows Ruhl’s journey with Bell’s Palsy after giving birth to her twins. She asks: how can one demonstrate joy without being able to smile? A playwright by trade, this reads like a letter to a best friend, but if you yourself are the best friend. Sarah, oh my Sarah, you feel like a personal companion -- the gentlest, wisest, most curious and compassionate person I know, and I don’t even really know you! --Brittany
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Perfect for fans of Elton John, Dolly Parton, and Dave Matthews. This is a book not just about how music is made, but how a musician is made. Carlile, a self-described extreme empath, invites readers into her heart, showing them her best and her worst memories and how they’ve shaped her work. Powerful, honest, and poetic, Broken Horses knocked me out of my saddle. --Brittany
A unicorn spy?? Join this fluffy (and surprisingly kind-hearted!) secret agent as he explores the world he might just want to take over. Filled with bursts of color and beautiful illustrations, this story of an outsider learning to love his new earthing family is sure to make you want to bring this book home to your own Fearless Leader. --Brittany
A trip to the beach? Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome? A whole bunch of math? What could be better! Sweet, salty, and just the right amount of surprising, this book is perfect for right now. --Brittany
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration (Hardcover)
Assigned reading that became my go-to gift, this book is amazing. It’s like being invited to Pixar for a behind-the-scenes tour, while also being told all of their secrets. Great if you’re ever feeling stuck, or if you’re feeling inspired and want some scaffolding for all your wonderful thoughts. --Brittany
If you are looking for a grab-you-by-the-collar-and-
make-you-sit-down-for-the- whole-book-in-one-read read, look no further. Written with detailed and delicate prose that brings your right into each character’s experience, this book will make you gasp, smile, grimace, and cross your fingers that you have better neighbors than these. --Brittany
Whether you’re familiar with San Francisco’s Haight Street or not, this book will transport you right there, into the fog. Written from the POV of a 20-something living on the street, it changed my view of homelessness. Humanizing and patient, the author’s background in journalism is clear in the details. --Brittany
This is my favorite picture book. The illustrations alone are beautiful, rife with quirky and sneaky details, but coupled with the story, it just overflows with wonder. Julia has moved to a new home (on top of a turtle!) when all sorts of creatures turn up at the door. Rather than turn anyone away, Julia finds room for each and every one --big and small, lumpy and bumpy-- and though it takes a few tries, together they find harmony in their happy home. --Brittany
This is a wonderful collection for anyone who has ever loved an animal, especially a dog. With her uncanny ability to weave nature into her poetry, Mary Oliver makes her own love for her dogs one that the reader can easily share. Sometimes sad, other times joyful, this is a must read, must share, laugh out loud celebration of everyone's favorite four-legged friend. --Brittany
This is my favorite book of all time, and one which I cannot go through a single day without thinking about. A coming of age story, it is relevant as a teenager, or as an adult looking back. Creech has done a masterful job of telling a story within a story, and of creating characters with whom we can identify and adore. A book about a journey, we travel along with the characters as they discover what we will do for those we love. --Brittany
When I picked this up, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. I had read Didion in high school, but I had never read Didion like this. Raw, and yet somehow refined, Didion has taken her own, unspeakably painful experiences, and figured out how to talk about them. For anyone who has ever experienced grief, this is a meditation on its stage, its impact, and what happened to make it so worth the pain. --Brittany
Read, read, read this book! Drawing on his own experiences in Vietnam, O'Brien finds the humanity--and the total lack thereof--in war. Written as a series of interconnected vignettes, his masterful prose will draw you and leave you wanting more. --Brittany