Everything is Tuberculosis
The history and persistence of our deadliest infection
Author: John Green
Call number: 616.99 GRE
Reviewer: Andy Jackson
Date: May 20, 2025
book that I read of his was the brilliant Turtles All the Way Down, and the second was his
equally insightful collection of essays The Anthropocene Reviewed.
After those two highly engaging reading experiences, I was skeptical that Green could bring the
same level of interest to tuberculosis, a disease that few Americans seem to think about. I was
wrong. Green personalizes the highly contagious and lethal disease through Henry, a young
man who he met in a Sierra Leone hospital in 2019. By tracing Henry’s experience with TB, the
audience can see the inherent racism and classism that have become obstacles to treatment for
many worldwide. Especially when caught early, this form of bacterium can be cured in most
people, but it is not an easy process, as Green relays.
Ultimately, Everything is Tuberculosis, through the finely tuned language of John Green, does
accomplish the goal of bringing awareness and some viable solutions. The audience will likely
be surprised (as I was) about the various ways that TB has shaped our past and will continue to
impact our collective futures.
Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline
Author: Dave Birkett
Call number: 796.332 BIR
Reviewer: Andy Jackson
Date: May 9, 2025
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Detroit Lions fan, but the first season that I really followed sports intently was 1980, the rookie season of #1 draft pick Billy Sims from Oklahoma (and fresh off of his Heisman trophy season). The previous season had been disastrous at 2-14, but Sims was a nice consolation prize. I was enamored with Sims and the team, even after their strong 4-0 start dissolved into a 9-7 season, which did not qualify for the playoffs. Reading Birkett’s prose and seeing the images of not only Sims, but also Gary Danielson, Al “Bubba” Baker, Eric Hipple, and others from that era brought back some good memories, even as head coach Monte Clark’s unanswered prayers before a missed field goal attempt by Eddie Murray in a divisional playoff game at San Francisco still makes me wonder what might have been (the 49ers went on to be the dominant NFL franchise in the ‘80’s, while the Lions clearly were not).
Unlike Bill Morris’s book The Lions Finally Roar, which was released at about the same time, Birkett almost exclusively sticks to the action on the field, starting with the franchise’s founding in 1934 (when they were known as the Portsmouth Spartans). Much like my visits to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, I am amazed with the success that the Lions and their legendary players had up until the 1960’s. From the days of Dutch Clark up until Bobby Lane and his replacement Tobin Rote, the Lions were the envy of the NFL, along with storied franchises like the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Baltimore Colts, and the Green Bay Packers.
But force majeur--circumstances changed–first gradually, and then rapidly. By the late 1980’s, the Lions were not only on a losing streak, but they were also becoming increasingly irrelevant. Luckily, the arrival of Barry Sanders in 1989, stemmed the tide, but he was only a temporary fix, and they still only won one playoff game during his tenure.
Birkett’s succinct, yet accurate words capture it all. I was impressed with what he included, and also with what he chose to leave out of The Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline. Mr. Birkett will be at the library soon to do a book talk, and copies will be available for him to sign.
The Lions Finally Roar
The Detroit Lions, the Ford Family, and the Road to Redemption in the NFL
Author: Bill Morris
Call number: 796.332 MOR
Reviewer: Andy Jackson
Date: May 9, 2025
I was born in 1970, so until recently, I had only seen the Detroit Lions football team win one playoff game, which was in 1992 against the Dallas Cowboys. 1992 was also the first year that I began my teaching career in Allen Park, and when I retired in January, 2024, they had finally beaten the Rams to secure the second playoff win in my lifetime--a fact that I discussed with former Lion and current Allen Park teacher Cory Schlesinger at my retirement party. And even after the Lions' satisfying resurgence in the past couple of seasons, they are still one of just four current NFL franchises (Cleveland, Houston, and Jacksonville are the others) who have never been to a Super Bowl. Morris details the history of the Fords, the NFL, the Lions, and even the city itself to extrapolate how this futility was created and continued for decades.
One of the biggest surprises of the book was the detail included of the Ford family and the company founded by the patriarch Henry. This section was relayed by Morris’s father, Dick, who was in the inner circle of William Clay Ford, owner of the Lions from the infamous November 22, 1963 purchase from a local syndicate until his death in 2014. In addition, the author also gives a history of the evolution of the Motor City during the late 20th and early 21st century, although he concedes that his account is tinged with his biases at times.
But the majority of The Lions Finally Roar is about the decisions (mainly by William Clay Ford) that contributed to the Lions descent from their championship seasons of the ‘50’s to the average campaigns of the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s through the roller coaster years of the 80’s and 90’s (which included the Billy Sims and Barry Sanders eras) until their winless season of 2008 and beyond. But as the title attests to, the story ends on a high note–and some better hiring moves by current owner Sheila Ford Hamp. This title is a 2025 "Michigan Notable Books" selection.
Braiding Sweetgrass (for Young Adults)
Author: Kimmerer, Robin Wall
Narrator:Kimmer, Robin Wall
Call number: 305.597 KIM (Y 305.8 KIM), Libby, and Hoopla
Reviewer: Randy Morgan
Date: May 7, 2025
Braiding Sweetgrass is a gift from Indigenous scientist, author, and narrator Robin Wall Kimmerer. Her compassionate language creates fluidity between botany, sociology, philosophy, and spirituality. Robin embraces readers through the traditions of storytelling while creating space for curiosity, criticism, and awe of the world. With this endorsement of community, Robin challenges the value of currency by emphasising the power of kindness and natural consequences.
Long Way Down
Author: Jason Reynolds
Call number: Y FIC REY
Reviewer: Andy Jackson
Date: May 1, 2025
I highly recommend this narrative poem as a place to start reading the work of Jason Reynolds. I read an excerpt at a YA conference, but this piece eclipses any particular genre. Reynolds does a fantastic job building suspense as his protagonist, Will, contemplates getting revenge for his brother's recent and violent death. The entire plot of the poem takes place in the sixty seconds that it takes for Will to get from his apartment to the first floor.
Jason Reynolds is clearly a gifted storyteller, but his genius in causing us to empathize with Will is that he manages to engage the audience to create the maximum amount of empathy possible. Long Way Down was our April teen book club selection at the library.
Every Little Thing
Director: Sally Aitken
Call #: DVD 598.764 EVE
Reviewer: Robert Rhodes
Date: April 30, 2025
New to the TDL Documentary DVD’s is a gem of a story directed by Sally Aitken titled
every little thing.
For those of us that appreciate or don’t fully understand Hummingbirds, this documentary is sure to open your eyes to the hardships and victories that these tiny birds endure during their Spring migration north through the California hills of Los Angeles.
This film revolves around the life of Terry Masear, a Beverly Hills, California resident whose sole purpose in life is to rescue injured or orphaned Hummingbirds. Having been abused as a child, Terry has used the challenges for survival to assist these little birds with an abundance of empathy accrued over a lifetime – empathy that helps her understand their struggles and pain. It’s this kind of empathy that keeps her going day and night with the goal of being able to once again release these nursed Hummingbirds back into the wild.
I was blown away by the complete dedication Terry Masear has toward these birds. She is shown working before dawn well into the evening hours without a hint of exhaustion although I’m certain there is plenty of that not mentioned – it’s a lot of work and emotional strain. She names each Hummingbird she takes in and explains the difficulty in creating bonds with the ones that are not fortunate enough to live to see their freedom. Her gentle presence and soft tone of voice resonate so strongly with these little birds that one cannot hold back one’s own emotional response. From the hatchlings that fell from nests to the adult birds that were hit by cars or abused by ignorant people, Terry Masear doesn’t hold back her feelings on the subject but she has every right to express those feelings.
Every little thing is absolutely one of the most beautiful documentaries I’ve ever seen. Ann Johnson Prum’s wildlife cinematography is stunning and that is an understatement at best. The flight of a Hummingbird slowed so that you can witness every expression, wing motion and body movement is truly a sight to behold. You just may walk away with a newfound appreciation for these birds of beauty and try to attract some into your own backyard paradise. Enjoy!
The Girl Who Reads on the Metro
Author: Christine Feret-Fleury
Call #: FIC FER
Reviewer: Sonja Downey
Date: April 29, 2025
Juliette is working in a job which does not fulfil her. To balance her frustration she escapes into the world of stories. When one day she finds her way into Suleiman's used book store, Juliette is mesmerized by the world he is opening up for her. Suleiman tells her about the passeurs whom he entrusts with books and sends out into the world to find the one person the book is meant for. Fascinated and intrigued, Juliette agrees to become a passeur unaware of how this decision will forever change her life.
This is a tender story. I loved the quiet tone in which it is told. A character in the book says to Juliette, "In books there is always a suprise." How this rings true for me!
Beautiful Ugly
Author: Alice Feeney
Call #: CD FIC-FEE
Reviewer: Sonja Downey
Date: April 9, 2025
Author Grady Green has finally achieved his biggest dream. He made the New York Times Best Seller list. When he calls his wife to tell her his amazing news, he inadvertently becomes witness to her abduction. One year later Grady is still grieving too hard to be able to write a single sentence let alone an entire book. On his editor's advice he seeks refuge on a remote Scottish island.
From the moment he arrives on the island, everything feels utterly wrong. And when he sees a women in the forest that looks remarkably like his abducted wife, he wants nothing more than to get off the island. The next ferry, however, is not leaving for quite a while...
Alice Feeney wove another excellent suspense novel that plays with her readers' minds. The audio book is read by British actor Richard Armitage. I like Armitage's deep tenor and he does a perfect job portraying Grady's confusion, fear and desperation to make it off the island. All in all a very enjoyable audio book that beckons to be listened to in one sitting without interruptions.
HERE
Rated PG-13
Call #: DVD HER
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Reviewer: Robert Rhodes
Date: April 9, 2025
Robert Zemeckis is not exactly a household name in the likes of Steven Spielberg, but the films he has directed have certainly been viewed by a majority of households around the world. His filmography consists of titles such as Forest Gump, Back to the Future, The Polar Express, Romancing the Stone, Cast Away, etc. His list of movies is impressive and all recognizable.
His latest endeavor, HERE, is a bittersweet tale of romance, family and time seen through a single camera vantage point, anchored and non-moving. The idea is to give the viewer a chance to experience what it would be like to see history played out before them as though you were standing in one spot for millions of years. Sounds a bit interesting, right?
The story begins in a prehistoric era when dinosaurs ruled the earth. It then shifts to how the earth transformed out of the ice age into the beginnings of humankind. Fast forward – wars break out, houses are being built and before you know it, you are standing in the living room of a house, where all of these events occurred, on the exact same spot. It is in this living room that we learn what HERE is. It’s HERE that we witness the comings and goings of all that occupied this space over the decades. It’s HERE that we are taught the lessons of life, love, and loss that many of us experience from day to day. It’s HERE that we are reminded to live in the moment and to not let our dreams die or be taken away from us. It’s HERE that the pains and happiness of relationships are shared by everyone regardless of the era we exist in. The list goes on and on.
Robert Zemeckis has made a beautiful movie with HERE –as he usually does. He is 72 years old and I feel as though a story like this could only be completely understood by mature adults that have reached a point in their lives where all of these things coexist. Younger viewers may or may not get it, but once they’ve had enough HERE under their belts, it will all make sense. Enjoy!
The Women
A Novel
Author: Kristin Hannah
Call number: FIC HAN
Reviewer: Andy Jackson
Date: April 8, 2025
Because of significant advances in medical treatment between the end of World War II and the beginning of the Vietnam War, the odds were very high that a soldier wounded in combat would survive their physical trauma. There were many factors that influenced this development, but Kristin Hannah shows how nurses were a big part of it.
Her main character, Frances "Frankie" McGrath impulsively joins the Army Nursing Corps in order to serve in the same unsettled undeclared war as her brother, a Navy pilot. Frankie soon learns that her decision will have long lasting implications for her and her family that she could never have predicted. Hannah immerses us in Frankie's world, which includes treating soldiers with unspeakable combat wounds. She also evolves from the "people pleasing" young woman who arrived in Vietnam into a highly skilled M.A.S.H. unit nurse who even finds romance after the long shifts in operating rooms.
The realism of the era that the novel conveys is impressive and complements the timeline of Frankie's life. There are many references to specific songs and historical events (some of which the characters are directly a part of) that propel the story along. But ultimately, the plot is about Frankie's journey and how many in her generation sacrificed everything and seemingly received nothing in return. Even worse, the treatment of Vietnam veterans when they returned was unfortunately accurate and still unsettling. To make it more complicated for the women who served in Vietnam in various roles, they were not accepted by the military establishment for far too long.
Ultimately, much of The Women is a love story, but the novel is much more than that. As a nation that still grapples with the war 50 years after we officially withdrew from Vietnam, it shows how much we need healing.
True Gretch
What I've Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between
Author: Gretchen Whitmer
Call number: 921 WHI c. 2
Reviewer: Andy Jackson
Date: April 4, 2025
To claim that I've met Governor Whitmer would be an exaggeration, but when she was in the state Legislature, I did pass her in the hallway of the Michigan state capitol building one summer morning as she was waiting to make a speech to educators who had gathered outside on the lawn. In that brief moment, it seemed to me that she was destined for even higher office because of her charismatic presence, and obviously that has been evident to many others as well.
However, True Gretch is mostly an attempt to de-mystify "that woman from Michigan" (as President Trump referred to her in 2020). Her candid lessons about life and leadership are heavily infused with self-deprecating moments that range from the embarrassing, physically painful, and sometimes humorous. And while politics are certainly not ignored in this non-linear memoir, they are not the focus. She celebrates some of her political victories and shows how the losses/mistakes have taught her more than the triumphs.
I found this to be a fast read. It is less than 200 pages and if its goal was to humanize the Governor of Michigan, then it accomplishes its mission.
