This list of books is interesting, entertaining

These new titles are hard to categorize – perhaps they all have something to do with not giving up -- but they are all easy to recommend. The miscellaneous books below are all interesting, entertaining, or informative. They are well-worth a trip to the library to check them out!

Eiffel’s Tower, by Jill Jonnes
This is the story of the world-famous monument and the extraordinary world’s fair that introduced it. Since it opened in May 1889, the Eiffel Tower has been a famous image of modern times. And it has been an enduring symbol of Paris and French culture. But when engineer Gustave Eiffel built the now-famous landmark to be the spectacular centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, he stirred up a storm of anger from Parisian tastemakers, lawsuits, and predictions of certain structural calamity. Eiffel’s Tower combines technological and social history and biography to create a richly textured portrayal of an age of aspiration, dreams, and progress.

Into the Beautiful North: a novel, by Luis Alberto Urrea
Nineteen-year-old Nayeli works at a taco shop in her Mexican village and dreams about her father, who journeyed to the U.S. to find work. Recently, it has dawned on her that he isn't the only man who has left town. In fact, there are almost no men in the village; they've all gone north. While watching the classic movie, "The Magnificent Seven,” Nayeli decides to go north herself and recruit seven men. Her own "Siete Magnificos” would repopulate her hometown and protect it from the banditos who plan on taking it over. This is the story of an irresistible young woman's quest to find herself on both sides of the fence.

A Mother for all Seasons: a memoir, by Debbie Phelps, with Mim Eichler Rivas
During the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, when Michael Phelps achieved the impossible with his record-shattering eight gold-medal wins, Debbie Phelps nearly stole the show. Infused with her indomitable spirit, A Mother for All Seasons rallies us to cheer for all of our children at every stage of their growth and in every endeavor, and provides a much-needed reminder that life doesn't always turn out how you plan it, but in fact it can sometimes turn out even better.

Diet Myths that Keep us Fat, by Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D.
Myths and bogus ideas get in the way of what should be the simple and even joyful endeavor of reaching and maintaining your ideal weight. Snyderman reveals 101 surprising truths. She tells us, for example, that muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, you can eat after 8 p.m. and not gain weight, you can eat dessert for dinner when on a diet, and shares 98 more myth busters. But here's the best news: slimming down and getting healthier doesn't have to be about deprivation or superhuman feats of willpower. Instead, she shows how to enjoy a new relationship with food, including those treats you love the most, while feeling fabulous inside and out.

The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 years after 50, by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
A renowned sociologist, Dr. Lawrence-Lightfoot challenges the prevailing images of aging by documenting and revealing the ways in which the years between 50 and 75, “the third chapter.” may be the most improving and productive time in a person's life. She traces the ways in which wisdom, experience, and new learning inspire individual growth and cultural changes for the better. The women and men whose voices fill the pages of The Third Chapter tell passionate and poignant stories of risk and vulnerability, failure and resilience, challenge and mastery, experimentation and improvisation, and insight and new learning.