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List: New Nonfiction Books in February


A photo of Upside-down love : a memoir in two voices

Upside-down love : a memoir in two voices

Osama (pseudonym) is a Palestinian professor, originally from Gaza, who cannot leave the West Bank city of Ramallah. Sari is an Israeli-American lawyer and long-distance runner who petitions Israel's Supreme Court for Osama's right to travel freely. When the case began, neither expected to fall in love, and when it was over, nobody expected their love to endure.

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A photo of Shattered lands : five partitions and the making of modern Asia

Shattered lands : five partitions and the making of modern Asia

"As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia-India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait-were bound together under a single imperial banner, an entity known officially as the 'Indian Empire', or more simply as the Raj. It was the British Empire's crown jewel, a vast dominion stretching from the Red Sea to the jungles of Southeast Asia, home to a quarter of the world's population and encompassing the largest Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian communities on the planet. Its people used the Indian rupee, were issued passports stamped 'Indian Empire', and were guarded by armies garrisoned forts from the Bab el-Mandab to the Himalayas. And then, in the space of just fifty years, the Indian Empire shattered. Five partitions tore it apart, carving out new nations, redrawing maps, and leaving behind a legacy of war, exile and division. Shattered Lands, for the first time, presents the whole story of how the Indian Empire was unmade. How a single, sprawling dominion became twelve modern nations. How maps were redrawn in boardrooms and on battlefields, by politicians in London and revolutionaries in Delhi, by kings in remote palaces and soldiers in trenches. Its legacies include civil wars in Burma and Sri Lanka, ongoing insurgencies in Kashmir, Baluchistan, Northeast India, and the Rohingya genocide. It is a history of ambition and betrayal, of forgotten wars and unlikely alliances, of borders carved with ink and fire. And, above all, it is the story of how the map of modern Asia was made."-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Pickleball in 60 seconds : everything you need to know to master the worlds hottest sport

Pickleball in 60 seconds : everything you need to know to master the worlds hottest sport

Learn everything there is to know about the hottest game in town. Whether you're just picking up a paddle or looking to climb from 3.0 to 4.0 and beyond, this book breaks down what actually works on the court--straight from pro player Tanner Tomassi. Broken down into easily digestible tips and tricks, this book will get you on the court (and winning games) in no time. Inside, you'll learn how to: - Master the fundamentals with clear guidance on serving, returning, and court positioning that actually sticks. - Build real skills with footwork tips, stroke breakdowns, and smart practice routines. - Level up your game with strategies to win more points at the kitchen line and stay consistent under pressure. - Train your mindset so you stay focused, confident, and ready--whether you're in rec play or deep in a tournament. This isn't just another how-to book. It's a go-to guide for players who want to improve, compete, and love the process along the way.

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A photo of The score : how to stop playing somebody else's game

The score : how to stop playing somebody else's game

"A philosophy of games to help us win back control over what we value. The philosopher C. Thi Nguyen--one of the leading experts on the philosophy of games and the philosophy of data--takes us deep into the heart of games, and into the depths of bureaucracy, to see how scoring systems shape our desires. Games are the most important art form of our era. They embody the spirit of free play. They show us the subtle beauty of action everywhere in life in video games, sports, and boardgames--but also cooking, gardening, fly-fishing, and running. They remind us that it isn't always about outcomes, but about how glorious it feels to be doing the thing. And the scoring systems help get us there, by giving us new goals to try on. Scoring systems are also at the center of our corporations and bureaucracies--in the form of metrics and rankings. They tell us exactly how to measure our success. They encourage us to outsource our values to an external authority. And they push on us to value simple, countable things. Metrics don't capture what really matters; they only capture what's easy to measure. The price of that clarity is our independence. The Score asks us is this the game you really want to be playing?"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Backbeats : a history of rock and roll in fifteen drummers

Backbeats : a history of rock and roll in fifteen drummers

"Rock and roll thrives on rhythm, but the drummers who drive that pulse often stay in the shadows. In Backbeats, acclaimed music historian John Lingan brings these unsung heroes into the spotlight, delivering a fascinating journey through six decades of rock history. Drawing on deep research and vivid storytelling, Lingan explores the lives of fifteen pathbreaking drummers and their fellow timekeepers--men and women who together laid down the beat of an era. ... Packed with insider stories and exclusive interviews--from Robert Plant's reflections on Led Zeppelin's legendary sessions to superstar recording engineer Steve Albini's behind-the-scenes accounts--Backbeats offers an eye-opening glimpse into some of rock's most unforgettable moments, including the seismic shift of Bob Dylan going electric at Newport, James Brown's explosive creation of funk in the late sixties, and the birth of LA thrash metal in the early eighties."-- Dust jacket flaps.

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A photo of The talisman of happiness : 1,680 recipes : the most iconic Italian cookbook ever written

The talisman of happiness : 1,680 recipes : the most iconic Italian cookbook ever written

In 1929, two years before The Joy of Cooking was published in America, and two decades before The Silver Spoon in Italy, Ada Boni wrote The Talisman of Happiness—the original must-have culinary bible for Italians. Generations of cooks have turned to "Il Talismano" as the definitive source for classic dishes that bring comfort, nostalgia, and deep pleasure—including the iconic Marcella Hazan, who used the book to teach herself how to cook. Cataloging all the flavors and traditions that define Italian cuisine, it quickly became a quintessential wedding gift: a talisman of luck for newlyweds beginning a new life. “There can be no true happiness,” Boni wrote, “if such an essential part of our daily lives as eating is neglected.”

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A photo of Don't think about dinner : save time and money with 125+ easy, nourishing, delicious recipes for every meal

Don't think about dinner : save time and money with 125+ easy, nourishing, delicious recipes for every meal

"Whether you want to improve your health, cut down food waste (and spending), reduce your mental load, or build new kitchen skills, Don't Think About Dinner provides everything you need to confidently approach every meal of the day -- from shopping and stocking the pantry to storing and reheating leftovers, and everything in between. Unlike a typical cookbook, this comprehensive handbook offers strategies, tools, tips, meal plans, and more, plus over 125 delicious recipes. Jenn includes a wide range of adaptable dishes that suit any vibe, budget, or dietary need, from breakfast and lunch to appetizers, dinner, drinks, snacks, and desserts...Don't Think About Dinner is designed to streamline the way you cook and think about your meals. With a fully stocked kitchen and plan in place, you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to cook nourishing, budget-conscious, standout meals." -- Publisher's website.

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A photo of The official We Do Not Care Club handbook : a hot-mess guide for women in perimenopause, menopause, and beyond who are over it

The official We Do Not Care Club handbook : a hot-mess guide for women in perimenopause, menopause, and beyond who are over it

A humorous, affirming nonfiction book addressing the physical, emotional, and social realities of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Using candid anecdotes and irreverent humor, it explores hormonal changes, shifting priorities, and self-acceptance, encouraging readers to let go of societal expectations and embrace this life stage with honesty and solidarity.

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A photo of Enough : your health, your weight, and what it's like to be free

Enough : your health, your weight, and what it's like to be free

"For her entire adult life, Oprah Winfrey has struggled with her weight. She never thought in her lifetime, medicines would provide hope, health, and healing for people like her. But as her conversations with Dr. Ania Jastreboff from the Yale School of Medicine reveal, we've learned that having obesity is not a choice. It's not a question of willpower. Obesity is a disease. It’s a question of biology, created by our bodies’ need to survive and the environment we created and now live in. And it’s treatable."--Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Eat your ice cream : six simple rules for a long and healthy life

Eat your ice cream : six simple rules for a long and healthy life

"Every day brings a torrent of articles, videos, and podcasts about health and longevity. The "Wellness Industrial Complex" offers conflicting advice and promises us more time to enjoy in the future but it sure is demanding a lot of time right now. In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned health expert Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel argues that life is not a competition to live the longest, and that "wellness" shouldn't be difficult; it should be an invisible part of one's lifestyle that yields maximum health benefits with the least work. Dr. Emanuel cuts through the noise with wit and good humor, giving readers just what they need: simple, high-impact, evidence-based guidelines to issues such as food and drink, exercise, sleep, mental acuity, and social engagement. Pairing common sense with uncommon wisdom based on his decades of expertise and experience, Dr. Emanuel helps readers decide which lifestyle changes are worth making and how to best implement them"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Optimize : a groundbreaking 7-step plan to health and longevity through quantum biology

Optimize : a groundbreaking 7-step plan to health and longevity through quantum biology

"What if the key to better health isn’t just in what you eat or how much you exercise—but in how you interact with the world around you? Optimize reveals the cutting-edge science of quantum biology, showing how light, water, sound, and even human energy directly influence your body at the cellular level. We are biologically wired to exchange energy with our environment—yet modern life has severed this essential connection. Sunlight directs hormone signaling and immune function. Electrical fields guide cellular repair. Sound waves can alter the structure of water inside our bodies. Even walking barefoot on the earth reduces inflammation. In this groundbreaking book by quantum biology expert and naturopathic physician Dr. Catherine Clinton, you’ll... How to harness natural energy sources for optimal health The surprising role of light and sound in cellular function Quantum biology’s impact on longevity, immunity, and vitality Simple, science-backed practices to reconnect with your body’s natural intelligence Rooted in the latest research, Optimize presents a revolutionary new paradigm for wellness—one that empowers you to align with nature’s forces for deep healing, increased energy, and a longer, healthier life."--Goodreads.

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A photo of The hidden seasons : a calendar of nature's clues : learn to see the microseasons hidden within each day

The hidden seasons : a calendar of nature's clues : learn to see the microseasons hidden within each day

"We all notice the flowers of spring, longer days of summer, colors of autumn, and snowfalls of winter. But have you observed the way that water tends to run clearest in June? Did you know that at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, you can find Sirius due south in the night sky? And have you seen the poetic 'shadow compasses' butterflies make on the hottest days, as they align their wings with the sun, their thin shadows pointing the way north? The sun, moon, stars, plants, fungi, animals, water, and weather all tell us secrets about the seasons--if we know how to read their clues. In this ... book, ... Tristan Gooley reimagines the seasonal calendar not as fourdistinct phases but as a series of changes evolving moment by moment every day of the year"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Junglekeeper : what it takes to change the world

Junglekeeper : what it takes to change the world

"Junglekeeper is for any reader yearning to be led on an expedition into the wild of life in that strange world on which all life on Earth depends-and in that wild, into discovering the deepest truths of human existence, calling, purpose, connectedness, and hope. When we're tucked away in the safety and comfort of modern living, is there still an adventure available to us? The answer, Paul Rosolie shows, is a resounding "yes." A kid from Brooklyn who obeyed an undeniable sense of calling to the outdoors, Rosolie found himself immersed in the drama of an entirely different world, the Amazon--and joining with indigenous people and organizations across the globe in an existential struggle to protect it from the encroaching threat of industrial society. Readers will meet unimaginably large snakes that Rosolie must wrangle, jaguars pushed out of their territory by deforestation, monkeys whose home is a canopy humans have yet to understand, a near-miraculous Amazonian water system, and previously uncontacted indigenous people struggling to protect their homes from industrialism. While taking readers on this adventure of how he and some of the unlikeliest people on Earth have successfully protected over 80,000 acres of Amazon forest, Rosolie invites readers to reflect on the profound power of saying "yes": yes to one's calling, yes to the sacrifices and dangers and love we can encounter if we just step outside. Rosolie shows that the vitality we long for is found when we discover who we are between dirt and sky, among the creatures out there who are far more mysterious and alive than we can imagine" -- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The art of spending money : simple choices for a richer life

The art of spending money : simple choices for a richer life

"Instead of cookie-cutter financial advice, Housel provides you with psychological tools to navigate your personal relationship between money and optimizing for happiness. Discover why people often mistake envy for admiration, how to align your expectations with your income, and ways to invest in future happiness while avoiding regret. Learn about the dangers of social debt and embrace the radical idea that the fastest way to build wealth is by going slow. The Art of Spending Money delves into the complexities that surround money--envy, social aspirations, identity, and insecurity--crucial aspects often missed in traditional financial books"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of The invisible coup : how American elites and foreign powers use immigration as a weapon

The invisible coup : how American elites and foreign powers use immigration as a weapon

"Our debates about immigration revolve around what happens with immigrants once they arrive. [The author believes that] we need to start talking about who is sending them and why. For decades, establishment elites sold us the story of immigration as a compassionate renewal of the American Dream within a harmonious melting pot. But beneath that narrative lies a different reality: mass migration has morphed into the most powerful political weapon ever aimed at the United States--one engineered by elites at home and aided by adversaries abroad"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of God the science the evidence : the dawn of a revolution

God the science the evidence : the dawn of a revolution

"After four years of research in partnership with over twenty scientists and esteemed experts, this book explores one of the most significant questions we face: the existence or non-existence of a creator God. For more than four centuries, the scientific discoveries of Copernicus, Galileo, Darwin, and Freud created the impression that we could explain the workings of the Universe without the idea of a creator--God. By the beginning of the twentieth century, materialism had become the dominant theory of the time. And yet, with unexpected and astonishing force, the pendulum of science has swung back in the other direction, owing to a rapid succession of discoveries: the theory of relativity; quantum mechanics; the Big Bang; the theories of expansion, heat death, and fine-tuning of the universe. This newly acquired knowledge has upended the certainties of the twentieth century collective consciousness. Once the only acceptable theory, materialism is increasingly considered an irrational belief. The authors of this highly readable book retrace the fascinating history of these scientific breakthroughs and offer a rigorous overview of the new proof of the existence of God. God: the Science and the Evidence is an invitation to reflect and debate the place of God in science."-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Reader bot : what happens when AI reads and why it matters

Reader bot : what happens when AI reads and why it matters

"What happens to human reading when AI bots can do it for us? Explosive developments in artificial intelligence have awed everyday users with the technology's ability to draw, do computer coding, and especially to write. Those AI-generated essays and poems, legal briefs and responses to requests for information are all visible evidence of large language models at work. What we don't see is the critical prior step: before it can write, AI needs to read. While AI's written outcomes are remarkably similar to what a diligent student, lawyer, or researcher might produce, AI doesn't read the way that humans do. Now that AI is proving an adept reader, what happens to our own reading skills and motivations - especially at a time when both voluntary and school reading are increasingly on the decline? We have learned that when we let chatbots write for us, there are pros and cons to handing over our virtual pens. It's critical that we also think through the consequences of relinquishing reading - a deeply human activity - to bots. What do we stand to gain and lose when we let AI read for us? Tracing the intersecting trajectories of AI and reading, Reader Bot tackles this vital question, revealing why we must be thoughtful about how we welcome AI-as-reader into our lives"-- Provided by publisher.

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A photo of Vibe coding : building production-grade software with GenAI, chat, agents, and beyond

Vibe coding : building production-grade software with GenAI, chat, agents, and beyond

"[The authors] reveal how vibe coding is transforming software development as we know it. By leveraging the power of AI assistance-where intent and flow matter more than syntax-developers can achieve unprecedented levels of productivity, creativity, and joy ... The authors share practical strategies for implementing GenAI-powered development in real-world scenarios, from small projects to enterprise-scale applications, while maintaining the engineering excellence that modern systems demand. Whether you're a seasoned developer looking to stay ahead of the AI revolution, a technical leader guiding your team through this transformation, a former coder returning after a break, or someone just starting their career, this handbook provides the roadmap you need to thrive in the new era of software development"-- Provided by publisher.

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