Staff Picks Audience: Adults

How to be Antiracist [Book]

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Dr. Kendi breaks down the difference between being “not a racist” and being “anti-racist”. This book is required reading.

Nothing to See Here [Book]

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There’s nothing to see here—or maybe there is? Keeping the secret of stepchildren who spontaneously combust is not easy especially when your father is a high profile politician. Magic realism at its finest with fascinatingly flawed characters.

Such a Fun Age [Book]

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Race, class and parenting collide in this thought provoking tale centered around a special relationship between a lovable and precocious child and her amazing nanny.

Motl the Cantor’s Son by Sholem Aleichem [Book]

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Motl the Cantor’s Son was the last novel by Sholem Aleichem. It tells the story of Motl and his family, first in Kasrilevke, a fiction shtetl where the family is increasingly destitute after the death of Motl’s father Peysi, then on their journey as refugees across Europe and eventually by boat to America, and finally as they try to assimilate and make a living in New York.

Although the story is full of hardships, Motl sees the changes in his circumstances in an entirely positive light. When his father dies, Motl enjoys the attention he receives and hardly seems aware of the death as a loss, and when family must sell all their furniture, Motl delights in how much space they now have. Motl generally sees the world around him as a great source of humor and amusement—he certainly isn’t bothered by the worries—mostly about money and social status—that preoccupy the adults around him. And Motl and his family, in fact, are lucky compared to many of their neighbors—his family leaves because of economic hardship, but those that stay are soon forced out by a pogrom.

Sholem Aleichem never finished the novel. We don’t know what eventually becomes of Motl and his family in New York. But we do know that Motl loves his new home, and his family, after a difficult start, is doing well for themselves. More importantly, Aleichem’s storytelling is wonderfully engaging—I enjoyed every moment of them immensely.

Levar Burton Reads by Levar Burton [Online Resource]

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Levar Burton’s podcast has a tagline that embraces superlatives: “The Best Short Fiction, Handpicked by the Best Voice in Podcasting”. That may be taking things a bit far, but I am loving the stories Levar picks, and I can’t think of anyone I would rather hear read them. Perhaps that’s because I grew up on Reading Rainbow, but whatever your generation, if you enjoy short fiction read allowed, I urge you to check out Levar Burton Reads.

The podcast is impeccably produced, with sparing use of subtle soundscapes that enhance the storytelling. The stories are mostly science fiction and fantasy, but the selections are always of an accessible sort—you don’t need to be a fan of these genres to appreciate these well-told tales. And the authors are diverse, including both classic well-established writers and new writers of all races and genders. Levar always takes a brief moment to tell you about why he selected the story and what it means to him, and I invariably find I appreciate what he has to say.

So, whether you are looking for new authors and ideas, some great bed time stories, an impeccably produced podcast, or just the comfort of hearing Levar’s voice, give it a listen.

Stay On It by Julius Eastman [Online Resource]

Composer Julius Eastman’s (1940 – 1990) music explores his identities as a gay man and Black American. Stay On It was composed in 1973 and combines minimalism with pop music. This new performance, which features musicains and dancers collaborating remotely, is dedicated to essential workers of color in the United States.

I found out about this performance through one of the many organizations involved in its production: The Dream Unfinished. The Dream Unfinished is an activist orchestra based out of New York which uses classical music as a platform to engage audiences in dialogues surrounding social and racial justice.

Earth Day 2020 (the Pandemic version) by Scott Slapin, violist [Online Resource]

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In this 10-minute video, violist Scott Slapin presents 400 years of music history in his basement (“The Pandemic Auditorium”) where the water pipes and exposed wiring make an acoustically and visually innovative backdrop to his formal concert attire. Excerpts of Bach, Paganini, Hindemith and Slapin’s own composition are interspersed with engaging commentary while a counterpoint of hilarious subtitles scrolls by. If you appreciate first-class musicianship combined with dry wit, plus you have a short attention span, this is the video for you!

Board Game Arena [Online Resource]

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Board Game Arena advertises itself as “the world’s largest online board gaming community”. It is a community built and run online game platform with over 150 games, from classics like Hearts and Chess to more modern games like Sushi Go and Carcassonne. You can play with friends (playing with friends while on a simultaneous video chat is the closest I’ve come to a board game night during quarantine) or with strangers. On my own I’ve been playing lots of Race for the Galaxy, Hearts, and Seven Wonders. With friends we’ve played Sushi Go and Can’t Stop. It’s a good time. I recommend it for anyone who would like to play board games with friends during quarantine or anyone wants to satisfy a board game itch when an in person game isn’t possible.

Decline and Fall [Online Resource]

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This hilarious BBC adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s 1928 novel stars Jack Whitehall, David Suchet, and Eva Longoria. It’s on Acorn TV, which might still have a 30-day free trial–if not, it always has 7 days free, so you can watch the 3 episodes of this witty miniseries. It follows the misadventures of Paul Pennyfeather, an Oxford theology student who falls into one awkward (to put it mildly) situation after another by some fateful twisted logic and his naive trust in a series of dubious characters he meets. It’s wonderfully escapist and makes fun of everything it touches.

Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration by Broadway.com [Online Resource]

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This video celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s music and influence was entirely created during quarantine and includes performances by Bernadette Peters, Michael Cerversis, Josh Groban, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, and many other extremely talented people. We have solo performances, duets, and even large ensembles (these last come across surprisingly well given the difficulties of making music as an ensemble during quarantine). We also here from a few non-singers—Steven Spielberg being the most memorable in my mind—but it is, of course, the music that makes this two-and-a-half hour long celebration worthwhile. The performances are entertaining and moving and heartfelt, and of course the craftsmanship that went into the music and lyrics is superb—it’s all by Sondheim.

Because the celebration is made up of many short clips recorded by different artists, it is easy to did in and out, enjoying the celebration slowly over time. And if you want to jump straight to a favorite artist or revist a favorite clip, just view the full description for a table of contests with links to the starting point for each clip. (Some highlights include 1:28:04 – Michael Cerveris – “Finishing the Hat”, 1:58:47 – Christine Baranski, Meryl Streep & Audra McDonald – “The Ladies Who Lunch”, and 2:11:46 – Bernadette Peters – “No One Is Alone”.)

A Passion for the Planet by Geoffrey Hudson [Online Resource]

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This live performance of Geoffrey Hudson A Passion for the Planet was recorded in Northampton, at Smith College’s Sweeney hall, and performed by the Illuminati Vocal Arts Ensemble with the Hampshire Young People’s Chorus and a 12-piece orchestra. A Passion for the Planet is an oratorio on the subject of climate change with words drawn from a number of sources. The work is moving and important, and the performance is exceptional. We can’t hear live music right now, but I am grateful to be able to experience this now, in my own home. And I take comfort in the words of Geoffrey Hudson, the composer, which seem applicable to so many of the crises we face:

Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town by Stephen Leacock (selections read live in Burnaby, BC) [Online Resource]

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Stephen Leacock (1869 – 1944) was an internationally popular Canadian humorist, teacher, lecturer, and author of more than 30 books of lighthearted sketches and essays. His wit is laugh-out-loud funny as it pokes fun at small-town life and characters of the early 20th century. I found these stories reminiscent of Mark Twain and Garrison Keillor, with a uniquely Canadian point of view.

These two stories were performed by librarians from Burnaby Public Library on Sunday June 16th 2013 at Burnaby Village, a living history museum near Vancouver. It’s directed for maximum dramatic and humorous effect (think Selected Shorts) with interludes of ragtime piano. Links follow.

Introduction with historical photos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn_SGEpF1lk
Audio of the stories:
– The Hostelry of Mr. Smith
– The Marine Excursion of the Knights of Pythias