Recommended Reading
Every week our librarians compile thematic list of book recommendations. Check for new lists on this page, or subscribe to our electronic newsletter to have links to them delivered straight to your inbox.
We also have recommendations for kids and teens.
Fiction Set in Nevada
On October 31 our state celebrates its 156th anniversary of admission into the United States. In honor of Nevada Day we have compiled a list of some staff-recommended adult fiction titles set in the land that we love the best. Follow the link to see more titles, to place a hold for pickup, or to find electronic copies available for download.
Magical Realism
Looking for a little magic in your life? In magical realism, the world is still grounded in reality, but fantastical elements are considered normal. Like fairy tales, magical realism novels and short stories blur the line between fantasy and reality. Here is a list of staff-recommended titles that depict the real world as having an undercurrent of magic.
Haunted House Fiction
Haunted houses -- every neighborhood has one, especially this time of year. If you are a fan of creepy tales of things that go "bump" in the night, check out this staff-recommended list.
Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week (September 27 through October 3) draws national attention to the harms of censorship and the benefits of unrestricted reading. The books on this list, which includes both fiction and non-fiction titles, have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. If you would like more information about why these titles were challenged, the American Library Association is a great place to start.
Pumpkin Spice Everything
Pumpkin spice season is here. What's not to love about this staff-recommended book list with one thing in common: pumpkins. You'll find fiction and non-fiction for a variety of audiences to get you in the mood for sweater weather.
New-to-You Fantasy
Looking to branch out and discover some new-to-you fantasy adventures? Here are some staff-recommended titles for readers of all ages that might spark a little magic.
Hispanic/Latinx Fiction
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) recognizes and celebrates the contributions Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean have made to American society and culture. This list of staff-recommended fiction from Hispanic and Latinx voices in celebration of the over 61 million residents of the United States of Hispanic/Latin origin.
Jane Austen-Inspired Fiction
Jane Austen died over 200 years ago, but her novels are still incredibly popular with readers. It is no surprise that these Regency-era works, with their relatable heroines, heartwarming romances, subtle feminism, biting irony, and subversive politics, inspire so many modern authors.
World War II Historical Fiction
Setting a book in a time of war allows an author to create characters whose abilities, values, assumptions, and very will-to-live are tested, leading to profound examinations of the human condition. No historical period is more illustrative of this idea than 1939-1945, which explains why, year after year, fiction set during World War II remains so popular and fascinating.
Laugh Out Loud Audiobooks
Want to hear something funny? Check out this list of staff-recommended audiobooks that are sure to make you laugh out loud. There is just something about comedy that makes it funnier when listened to.
Cozy Culinary Mysteries
Do you prefer your books on the kinder, cozier, side? We have a great list of food-related mysteries with delicious plots just for you.
Books to Keep You Up at Night
Some of us love to read horror, especially when real life seems extra scary. If you love books that make you want to sleep with the lights on here is a staff-recommended list of creepy, disturbing, gory, sick and twisted titles we love.
Afrofuturism & Afrofantasy
Afrofuturism and Afrofantasy are areas of speculative fiction that celebrate black identity, culture, history, and traditions. While these subgenres of science fiction and fantasy are not new, they are seeing a huge resurgence in popular literature.
Fiction Representing Disability
According to the CDC, one in four U.S. adults is living with a disability, yet this population is vastly underrepresented in literature. This list of staff-recommended fiction titles acknowledges this diverse group with books that feature characters with disabilities and disorders.
For Hamilton Fans
Did you love the musical Hamilton? Here's a list of both fiction and non-fiction titles to help you learn more about Alexander Hamilton, his contemporaries, and his time. Click on a title to see all available formats in our library catalog.
Beach Reads for Hot Summer Days
Highly entertaining titles to make you feel like you're at the beach...even if you're not.
Hello Sunshine Book Club
Try a selection from Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Book Club. You can see all the past titles on the Hello Sunshine Book Club website.
National Homelessness & Hunger Awareness Week
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is a time for people across the country to come together to draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Follow the link to a list of staff-recommended books that address the issues and experiences of hunger and homelessness and related topics such as cyclical poverty, societal inequality, and unemployment.
Veterans Day
Veterans Day is a day to honor all who have served in the United States military. Here you will find a staff-recommended list of nonfiction about US veterans.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. It is also a time to learn more about the unique challenges Native populations have faced, both historically and in the present, and the ways they rose to those challenges.
Perfect Your Pie Game
From the traditional to the whimsical, find the best pie recipes and techniques in these staff-recommended baking books.
The Vow Read-Alikes
Have you watched the HBO series The Vow or been following the case of Keith Raniere in the news? Do you want to read more about NXIVM and other accounts of cultism and religious extremism? Click on a title to place a hold for pickup or to find electronic copies available for download.
Baseball Non-Fiction
In honor of the LA Dodgers' first World Series win since 1988, we have assembled a list of our favorite nonfiction books about baseball.
Food History
You probably think about your food in terms of nutrition, taste, cost, and availability all the time, but how much do you know about the history of the food you eat? Check out this list of staff-recommended nonfiction books about various foods, the people who discovered, created, and ate them, and how what we eat continues to change our civilization.
Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week (September 27 through October 3) draws national attention to the harms of censorship and the benefits of unrestricted reading. The books on this list, which includes both fiction and non-fiction titles, have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. If you would like more information about why these titles were challenged, the American Library Association is a great place to start.
In Memory of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died September 18, 2020 at the age of 87 from complications associated with pancreatic cancer. Referred to by admirers as the “Notorious RBG,” she was a pioneering force in calls for marriage and gender equality and is famous for saying “women belong in all places where decisions are made.” If you would like to know more about Justice Ginsburg’s trailblazing career and fascinating life, here is a list of books and films for both adults and children.
Pumpkin Spice Everything
Pumpkin spice season is here. What's not to love about this staff-recommended book list with one thing in common: pumpkins. You'll find fiction and non-fiction for a variety of audiences to get you in the mood for sweater weather.
Latin Cooking at Home
Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to bring your favorite Latin flavors to your home kitchen. Here is a staff-recommended list of cookbooks representing the amazing diversity of Latin cuisine both traditional and modern.
Understanding 9/11
The impact of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 is felt anew each anniversary. If you are interested in finding out more about what led to the attacks, what happened that day, and how the tragedy permanently altered life as we know it, we have a staff-recommended list of nonfiction titles about 9/11.
Asian Cooking at Home
You can cook amazing Asian food at home! If, like us, you can't get enough curry, dim sum, pho, lumpia, pad thai, or bibimbap, we have some great staff-recommended cookbooks to help you achieve your Asian favorites in your own kitchen.
Non-Fiction That Reads Like Fiction
If you love to read fiction, but find nonfiction too technical, boring, or unrelatable, we bet the books on this staff-recommended list will change your mind. This list is full of titles that are meticulously researched and have a strong narrative thread, so you get the best of both worlds.
Laugh Out Loud Audiobooks
Want to hear something funny? Check out this list of staff-recommended audiobooks that are sure to make you laugh out loud. There is just something about comedy that makes it funnier when listened to.
Travel Memoirs
At times when you can't travel, travel memoirs can transport you to new and exciting locales from the safety and comfort of home. Here is a staff-recommended list that will send you to Antarctica, Africa, Italy, Patagonia, Iceland, India, across America, and everywhere in between.
Women's Suffrage
August 18, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. In honor of the decades of lobbying, marching, picketing, and protesting by leaders know as suffragists or suffragettes, here is a staff-recommended list of books depicting this fight and the one that continued afterward to secure the same rights for women of color.
True Crime
True crime is so popular because it allows us to explore the dark side of human nature from a safe distance. But the best true crime writers do not sensationalize terror and suffering; they put their subjects in context and treat the crimes they cover with care and professionalism.
Grilling
Check out these great titles to up your marinating, grilling, and smoking game. Find recipes and techniques for everything from appetizers to dessert and take your home cooking outdoors.
The Refugee Experience
There are more than 25 million refugees in the world—people who have fled their countries to escape religious persecution, war, violence, and other dangers so intense they find their best option is to leave the only home they have known. If you would like to find out more about the refugee experience, these non-fiction accounts are a great place to start.
Celebrity Memoirs
Celebrities are people, too, and it's always entertaining to get a look behind the public personas. Enjoy these funny, shocking, and inspiring memoirs from some of most noteworthy celebrities of our time.
For Hamilton Fans
Did you love the musical Hamilton? Here's a list of both fiction and non-fiction titles to help you learn more about Alexander Hamilton, his contemporaries, and his time. Click on a title to see all available formats in our library catalog.