The Great Shadow: A History of How Sickness Shapes What we do, Think, Believe, and Buy by Susan Wise Bauer

A look at the experience of sickness and our cultural adaptations to it, from the dawn of recorded history right up to modern times.

A very entertaining and accessible read, although a frightening one at times, such as when Bauer documents the rise of antibiotic resistant disease, and the reappearance of maladies, thanks to anti-vax behaviours, once thought largely eradicated. It’s fascinating to look at disease over the course of centuries, and our reactions to it, albeit somewhat depressing at times (we often seem like our own worst enemy). This would be a great pick for book clubs.

Adult Non-Fiction pr8128737

The Final Score: Six Short Novels by Don Winslow

A collection of six novellas from the author of Savages, City in Ruins and The Power of the Dog.

A master of dialogue and verisimilitude in crime fiction, these stories touch on the strain of familial responsibility, loyalty, and friendship. As always, the joy in reading Winslow comes from his writing style, which moves at a fast, seemingly effortless clip. Readers shouldn’t skip the brief forward by Reed Farrel Coleman, who does a great job of breaking down what makes Winslow one of the best crime fiction writers of our time.

Adult Fiction pr8061401