Talking Books Talk

Check out August's top BARD downloads in Kansas! If you aren't yet a BARD user, you can learn more at the NLS BARD website. If BARD isn't a good fit for you, we are still happy to mail books and magazines directly to your home. Just drop us a line at KTB@ks.gov or call 800-362-0699. Happy reading!

Most popular KS1A user audiobook downloads from August 2025

• DB130041 25 Alive by Patterson, James & Paetro, Maxine.

• DB130298 Nightshade by Connelly, Michael.
• DB129760 Hidden Nature by Roberts, Nora.
• DB126841 The Big Empty by Crais, Robert.
• DB129803 2 Sisters Murder Investigations: Don't mess with the Bird sisters! By Patterson, James & Fox, Candice.
• DB127136 Hidden Star by Roberts, Nora.
• DB130129 The Wife Upstairs by McFadden, Freida.
• DB130125 The First Gentleman by Clinton, Bill; Patterson, James.
• DB130021 Stuart Woods' Finders Keepers by Battles, Brett & Woods, Stuart.
• DB129316 A Mind of Her Own by Steel, Danielle.
• DB129914 Sunrise Reef by Hannon, Irene.
• DB129034 South of Nowhere by Deaver, Jeffery.

Most popular KS1A user audio magazine downloads from August 2025

• Consumer Reports July, 2025
• Foreign Affairs July, 2025
• Atlantic Monthly August, 2025
• Reader's Digest July, 2025
• Talking Book Topics July, 2025
• Smithsonian July, 2025
• The New Yorker August 11, 2025
• Discover July, 2025
• Economist August 09, 2025
• Cooking Light June, 2025

• Atlantic Monthly July, 2025

  A full list of available magazines can be found on the NLS Website. 
  

Most popular KS1A user braille book downloads from August 2025

• BR25728 Don't Ask the Blind Guy for Directions: A 30,000-mile journey for love, confidence, and a sense of belonging by Samuel, John.
• BR25570 Connect to Your Calling by Jakes, T. D.
• BR15471 The Friendship Crisis: Finding, making, and keeping friends when you're not a kid anymore by Paul, Marla.
• BR25280 Managing Your Emotions: Daily wisdom for remaining stable in an unstable world : a 90 day devotional by Meyer, Joyce.
• BR25533 Saturdays with Billy: My friendship with Billy Graham by Wilton, Don & Stanley, Charles F.
• BR25594 Guiding Emily: A tale of love, loss, and courage by Hinske, Barbara.
• BR25571 This Man Must Die by Johnstone, William W. & Johnstone, J. A.
• BR25596 Life Unseen: A story of blindness by Mills, Selina.
• BR07774 Tuck Everlasting by Babbitt, Natalie.

The KTB staff has been reading all kinds of books in August. Find out what they've been reading in this list of books. Get these books in just minutes using BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. Most of the collection of audio books and magazines are available to patrons 24/7 using this download service. Learn more at our BARD Resources page.

Michael Lang, Director

DB 51047 The wonderful wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 
When a cyclone blows Dorothy and her dog Toto from their Kansas home to the magical Land of Oz, Dorothy meets the Munchkins and witches. With her new companions the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy travels to the Emerald City to petition the Wizard. For grades 4-7. 1899.

Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager

DB 66657 Armageddon in retrospect: and other new and unpublished writings on war and peace  by Kurt Vonnegut 
Twelve fiction and nonfiction pieces representing Vonnegut's views on violence and war and his desire for world peace. Contains both a 1945 letter to his family summarizing his prisoner-of-war experience in Germany and his last speech, written in 2007. Introduction by his son Mark Vonnegut. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2008.

DB 64695 The gates to the witch world: comprising Witch world; Web of the witch world; and Year of the unicorn by Andre Norton 
Presents the first three volumes in the Witch World series. In Witch World secret agent Simon Tregarth flees his customary reality through a portal and ends up in a medieval land of magic where the forces of evil threaten three benevolent witches. 2001. Includes Book 1: Witch World, Book 2: Web of the Witch World, and Book 1: Year of the Unicorn (from the High Halleck Cycle)

Jason Brinkman, Production Manager

DB 129931 The Project: how Project 2025 is reshaping America by David A. Graham 
"When President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, news spread about his implementation of Project 2025, a nearly 1,000-page document published by the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation. The debates--and anxiety--surrounding this initiative have only increased as authors of the Project assume positions of power in the second Trump administration. So, what is Project 2025, exactly? Who wrote it, and what does it mean for everyday Americans, across the political spectrum, now and in the years to come? In The Project, award-winning journalist David A. Graham offers much-needed context and distills the essential elements of this sprawling document. Breaking down the Project's strategy for transforming--and radically empowering--the executive branch, Graham then explains what the architects behind Project 2025 are doing with that power: enforcing traditional gender norms, decimating the civil service, performing mass deportations, reducing corporate regulation and worker protections, and more. Project 2025 is the intellectual blueprint for the new administration, Graham argues, and its tenets should not be legible only to policy wonks. Authoritative yet highly accessible, The Project demystifies it for those whose lives it will affect most."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

Nataly Renfro, Machine Clerk 

DB 37043 Good omens: the nice and accurate propehcies of Agnes Nutter, witch by Neil Gaiman (Also available in braille as BR 21217) 
Armageddon is scheduled for next Saturday! But demon Crowley and angel Aziraphale are not looking forward to it. In order to prevent this, they must kill the Antichrist, who lives on earth as a young child. However, there is a problem--three children were switched at birth, and no one knows which one is the Antichrist. Violence and some strong language.

DB 118356 Activate your vagus nerve: unleash your body's natural ability to heal gut sensitivities, inflammation, brain fog, autoimmunity, anxiety, depression by Navas Habib 
"Repair your vagus nerve and experience amazing health and wellness benefits. Your vagus nerve is the largest and most important nerve in your body. It carries messages to and from your brain, gut, heart, and other major muscles and organs. However, common issues like inflammation, stress, or physical trauma can interfere with the nerve's ability to function. Luckily, there are tons of quick-and-easy ways to activate and exercise the nerve, strengthening its function and restoring your body to good health. Packed with easy-to-follow exercises and activities, this book will show you how to unlock the power of the vagus nerve to heal your body and get back to a state of balance." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook.

Sarah Bruemmer

DB 120977 Sociopath by Patric Gagne 
"Patric Gagne realized she made others uncomfortable before she started kindergarten. Something about her caused people to react in a way she didn't understand. She suspected it was because she didn't feel things the way other kids did. Emotions like fear, guilt, and empathy eluded her. For the most part, she felt nothing. And she didn't like the way that "nothing" felt. She did her best to pretend she was like everyone else, but the constant pressure to conform to a society she knew rejected anyone like her was unbearable. So Patric stole. She lied. She was occasionally violent. She became an expert lock-picker and home-invader. All with the goal of replacing the nothingness with...something. In college, Patric finally confirmed what she'd long suspected. She was a sociopath. But even though it was the very first personality disorder identified--well over 200 years ago--sociopathy had been neglected by mental health professionals for decades. She was told there was no treatment, no hope for a normal life. She found herself haunted by sociopaths in pop culture, madmen and evil villains who are considered monsters. Her future looked grim. But when Patric reconnects with an old flame, she gets a glimpse of a future beyond her diagnosis. If she's capable of love, it must mean that she isn't a monster. With the help of her sweetheart (and some curious characters she meets along the way) she embarks on a mission to prove that the millions of Americans who share her diagnosis aren't all monsters either"--Dust jacket. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Troy Arndt, Circulation Clerk

DB 32537 The fall by Albert Camus 
A philosophical monologue told by a man who realizes he is kind to others only to satisfy his vanity. The consequent feeling of guilt convinces him to reveal his true self to others, an action that soon brings about his disgrace.

DB 15217 Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre 
The author's first novel, originally published in 1938, is a statement about the alienation of personality and the mystery of being. Sartre presents the first full-length essay on existentialism, the philosophy for which he has since become famous. Offered Nobel Prize for literature in 1964 which he declined.

DB 34599 Being and nothingness: a phenomenological essay on ontology by Jean-Paul Sartre 
Translator Hazel Barnes describes Sartre as "one of the very few twentieth-century philosophers to present us with a total system." The chapters in this principal text on existentialism are entitled: the pursuit of being; the problem of nothingness; being-for-itself; being-for-others; and having, doing, and being. Some discussion of sex.

DB 37598 Notes from underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky 
First published in 1864, this psychological portrait of the nameless fictional narrator is in the form of a meditation on the injuries people inflict on one another. The narrator is obsessed with the absurdity of life and the meaninglessness of his own existence.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been making waves around the world as AI tools, such as ChatGPT, and other AI technologies have been adopted as they've become available in the last several years, or, completely avoided as concern rises over the use. AI is changing how we function in our personal and professional daily life and how various industries do business. It's mentioned in the news quite often as discussion grows about what roles AI will have in the future, what advances are being made, and what impacts AI is having.

With how much AI is influencing the world, there are important considerations to be made in therms of regulations to limit or increase AI use and the ethics of use. Global leaders and policy makers are working on various legislation regarding AI. Although AI and machine learning have been actively researched for decades through government agencies, private companies, and universities, foreign and domestic governments are pushing for even more extensive AI research and advancement as technology has improved. Universities, in particular, may receive funding from or may collaborate with government agencies through joint research projects to further AI research and development. Universities and K-12 schools and their instructors are learning about and discussing best practices for student use and how to manage AI use (or use prevention) in homework and exams. They also have to teach about AI use in source material as more content on the Internet (social media and some news - particularly fake news) is full of AI-generated content that may appear real.

The important thing to note is that AI is here to stay. It continues to permeate our lives and how people everywhere do things. Learn more about artificial intelligence with books from the following selected titles available through our Kansas Talking Books collection and on BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled allowing all patrons access to almost the entire collection any time, any where. Make one of these books your next read.

La inteligencia articial (IA) hace ondas a través del mundo con muchos adoptando herramientas tales como ChatGPT para mejorar eficiencia mientras otros evitan el uso de estos programas a medida que incrementan las preocupaciones sobre su uso.

IA está cambiando como funcionamos en nuestras vidas personales y profesionales y también la forma en que las compañías llevan a cabo sus negocios. Con el auge de IA hay consideraciones importantes sobre la ética de uso y losa impactos ambientales. A nivel mundial políticos trabajan para proporcionar varias leyes y regulaciones para ralentizar y también para acelerar el crecimiento del IA.

Instructores y administradores en universidades y escuelas de Kinder-12 aprenden y discuten las mejores practicas para manejar el uso (o la prevención de uso) del IA en tareas y exámenes. También enseñan sobre el uso del IA en investigaciones ya que más recursos en el internet están creadno contenido que parece real usando IA.

Sin importar lo que uno sienta sobre estos desarrollos, IA está aquí para quedarse y continuará extendiéndose por nuestras vidas cotidianas. Aprende sobre la inteligencia artificial con los siguientes titulos disponibles en nuestra colección de Libros Parlantes de Kansas y en BARD, (Braille and Audio Reading Download) un servicio de descarga proporcionado por El Servicio Bibliotecario Nacional para Ciegos y Personas con Dificultades para Acceder al Texto Impreso, permitiéndole acceso a todos nuestros usuarios a acceder a la colleción desde donde sea a la hora que sea. Haz uno de estos titulos tu próxima lectura.

DB 120757 Simply AI: facts made fast by Claire Quigley

"Covering a broad range of fields within AI--from computing and mathematics to politics and philosophy--entries demystify what artificial intelligence is and how it works, how it has dramatically changed how we live, and how it might evolve in the future. Everyone is talking about AI, but this book helps to explain each individual aspect of AI more clearly than ever before." --WorldCat.

DB 116405 The coming wave: technology, power, and the twenty-first century's greatest dilemma by Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar

"We are approaching a critical threshold in the history of our species. Everything is about to change. Soon you will live surrounded by AIs. They will organise your life, operate your business, and run core government services. You will live in a world of DNA printers and quantum computers, engineered pathogens and autonomous weapons, robot assistants and abundant energy. None of us are prepared. As co-founder of the pioneering AI company DeepMind, part of Google, Mustafa Suleyman has been at the centre of this revolution. The coming decade, he argues, will be defined by this wave of powerful, fast-proliferating new technologies. In The Coming Wave, Suleyman shows how these forces will create immense prosperity but also threaten the nation-state, the foundation of global order. As our fragile governments sleepwalk into disaster, we face an existential dilemma: unprecedented harms on one side, the threat of overbearing surveillance on the other. Can we forge a narrow path between catastrophe and dystopia? This groundbreaking book from the ultimate AI insider establishes "the containment problem"-the task of maintaining control over powerful technologies-as the essential challenge of our age." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook.

DB 96490 Rebooting AI: building artificial intelligence we can trust by Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis

Researchers present an overview of the state of artificial intelligence in the early twenty-first century. Topics covered include the development of the technology, milestones, programming, and ethics. Offers ideas for future development. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

DB 89149 Life 3.0: being human in the age of artificial intelligence by Max Tegmark

Exploration of the development of artificial intelligence, also known as AI, and its role as the purported third iteration of life after bacteria and humans. Discusses the role of AI in the workforce, adjustments needed in legal systems, the likelihood that a form of superhuman intelligence will arise, and more. Commercial audiobook. 2017.

DB 126169 Genesis: artificial intelligence, hope, and the human spirit by Henry Kissinger, Craig Mundie, Eric Schmidt, Eleanor Runde, and Niall Ferguson

"As it absorbs data, gains agency, and intermediates between humans and reality, AI (Artificial Intelligence) will help us to address enormous crises, from climate change to geopolitical conflicts to income inequality. It might well solve some of the greatest mysteries of our universe and elevate the human spirit to unimaginable heights. But it will also pose challenges on a scale and of an intensity that we have never seen--usurping our power of independent judgment and action, testing our relationship with the divine, and perhaps even spurring a new phase in human evolution. The last book of elder statesman Henry Kissinger, written with technologists Craig Mundie and Eric Schmidt, Genesis charts a course between blind faith and unjustified fear as it outlines an effective strategy for navigating the age of AI."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 121008 Co-intelligence: living and working with AI by Ethan Mollick

"AI has arrived. And with it, inescapable upheaval as we grapple with what it means for our jobs, lives and the future of humanity.Cutting through the noise of AI evangelists and AI doom-mongers, Wharton professor Ethan Mollick has become one of the most prominent and provocative explainers of AI, focusing on the practical aspects of how these new tools for thought can transform our world. In Co-Intelligence, he urges us to engage with AI as co-worker, co-teacher and coach. Wide ranging, hugely thought-provoking and optimistic, Co-Intelligence reveals the promise and power of this new era."-- Goodreads. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 116251 Scary smart: the future of artificial intelligence and how you can save the world by Mo Gawdat

"Artificial intelligence is smarter than humans. It can process information at lightning speed and remain focused on specific tasks without distraction. AI can see into the future, predicting outcomes and even use sensors to see around physical and virtual corners. So why does AI frequently get it so wrong? The answer is us. Humans design the algorithms that define the way that AI works, and the processed information reflects an imperfect world. Does that mean we are doomed? In Scary Smart, Mo Gawdat, the internationally bestselling author of Solve for Happy, draws on his considerable expertise to answer this question and to show what we can all do now to teach ourselves and our machines how to live better. With more than thirty years' experience working at the cutting-edge of technology and his former role as chief business officer of Google [X], no one is better placed than Mo Gawdat to explain how the Artificial Intelligence of the future works. By 2049 AI will be a billion times more intelligent than humans. Scary Smart explains how to fix the current trajectory now, to make sure that the AI of the future can preserve our species. This book offers a blueprint, pointing the way to what we can do to safeguard ourselves, those we love and the planet itself." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 92919 AI superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the new world order by Kai-Fu Lee

Technology executive and investor analyzes the technological developments and business opportunities for artificial intelligence in the twenty-first century. Pays particular attention to the work being done in China and the United States. Explores the possibilities of the technology in the future. 2018.

DB 128344 As if human: ethics and artificial intelligence by Nigel Shadbolt and Roger Hampson

"Every day we are confronted with ethical challenges arising from machine-mediated decision-making. Is the facial recognition software used by an agency fair? When algorithms determine questions of justice, finance, health, and defense, are the decisions proportionate, equitable, transparent, and accountable? How do we harness technology to empower rather than oppress?"-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 19890 Machines who think: a personal inquiry into the history and prospects of artificial intelligence by Pamela McCorduck

Traces the American contribution to the development of artificial intelligence from its earliest beginnings to its sometimes frightening future. Based on personal interviews with major figures in the field.

DB 22452 Inteligencia alienigena by Stuart Holroyd 

The author analyzes the human perception of intelligence and examines evidence that supports the existence of alien intelligences that are nonhuman, incorporeal, or extraterrestrial. Spanish language.

DB 117717 Artificial : la nueva inteligencia y el contorno de lo humano by Mariono Sigman and Santiago Bilinkis 

"Este no es un libro de oráculos o vaticinios, sino las reflexiones de dos autores que consideran que para aproximarse al futuro será imprescindible navegar la ola de la inteligencia artificial. En una conversación tan lúcida como estimulante, el neurocientífico superventas Mariano Sigman y el emprendedor Santiago Bilinkis repasa el origen, las utilidades y los riesgos de esta tecnología. ¿Qué hará la humanidad con esta lámpara de Aladino? ¿Cuál es el mejor escenario? ¿Cobrará más valor lo fabricado por personas? ¿Qué ocurrirási supera nuestras debilidades? Si bien exponen las razones por las que debemos ser cautos y responsables, huyen del pesimismo. Muy al contrario, nos invitan pensar que de este desafío podemos sacar nuestra mejor versión." -- Proporcionada por la editorial. -- Sin calificación. Audiolibro comercial.

DB 118868 La ola que viene: tecnología, poder y el gran dilema del siglo XXI by Mustafa Suleyman

"En La ola que viene, Suleyman (uno de los mayores expertos del planeta en sistemas inteligentes) demuestra cómo estas fuerzas amenazan seriamente las bases del orden mundial. Mientras nuestros frágiles gobiernos caminan sonámbulos hacia el desastre, nos enfrentamos a un dilema existencial: por un lado, enfrentarnos a los daños sin precedentes derivados de una exposición incontrolada a estas nuevas tecnologías; por otro, a la amenaza de una vigilancia tiránica y abusiva. ¿Conseguiremos abrir un estrecho punto de fuga entre la catástrofe y la distopía?" -- Proporcionada por la editorial. -- Traducido de la edición en inglés de 2023.

DB 124345 Nexus : una breve historia de las redes de información desde la Edad de Piedra hasta la IA by Yuval N. Harari

"Durante los últimos 100.000 años, los sapiens hemos acumulado un enorme poder. Pero, a pesar de todos los descubrimientos, inventos y conquistas, ahora nos enfrentamos a una crisis existencial: el mundo está al borde del colapso ecológico, abunda la desinformación y nos precipitamos hacia la era de la I.A. Con todo el camino andando, ¿por qué somos una especie autodestructiva? A partir de una fascinante variedad de ejemplos históricos, desde la Edad de Piedra, pasando por la Biblia, la caza de brujas de principios de la Edad Moderna, el estalinismo y el nazismo, hasta el resurgimiento del populismo en nuestros días, Harari nos ofrece un marco revelador para indagar en las complejas relaciones que existen entre información y verdad, burocracia y mitología, y sabiduría y poder. Examina cómo diferentes sociedades y sistemas políticos han utilizado la información para lograr sus objetivos e imponer el orden, para bien y para mal. Y plantea las opciones urgentes a las que nos enfrentamos hoy en día, cuando la inteligencia no humana amenaza nuestra propia existencia." -- Proporcionada por la editorial. -- Traducido de la edición en inglés de 2024. Sin calificación. Audiolibro comercial.

The VIP (Visually Impaired Persons) Book Club, also known as the Manhattan VIP Book Club, was created by a librarian at the Kansas Talking Books (KTB) subregional library in Manhattan. For many years, patrons from Manhattan and the surrounding area met in-person on the 3rd Tuesday of each month to discuss books with the help of a KTB librarian to facilitate discussion. But, when COVID happened, the book club and its members had to adapt. To keep it going, some very dedicated participants encourage the move to first a conference call and then to Zoom as the book club outgrew the capacity of the conference call. Moving to a virtual meeting platform enabled the book club to open to other KTB patrons around the state. The current members encourage other patrons to join and look forward to your participation, especially as they just finished making the final selections for the 2025-2026 book club year.

If you are unsure about using Zoom or don't have a computer or smart device, don't worry. All you need is a telephone. Let the Kansas Talking Books staff know which discussion you are interested in joining and need to do so by phone. Our staff will call you about 5-10 minutes before that book club meeting begins and will transfer you into the discussion. Contact the KTB staff at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov.

Occurrence

3rd Tuesday of each month

Dates and Books

September 17, 2025 (date changed from Tuesday to Wednesday because of schedule conflict)

DB 128356 Custodians of wonder: ancient customs, profound traditions, and the last people keeping them alive by Eliot Stein
"A vivid look at the ten key people who are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions. Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our rarest cultural rites. In Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. And in India, he discovers a family rumored to make a mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self. From shadowing Scandinavia's last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot to seeking out Cuba's last official cigar factory "readers" more than a century after they spearheaded the fight for Cuban independence, Stein uncovers an almost lost world. Climbing through Peru's southern highlands, he encounters the last Inca bridge master who rebuilds a grass-woven bridge from the fabled Inca Road System. He befriends a British beekeeper who maintains a touching custom of "telling the bees" important news of the day and crunches through a German forest to find the official mailman of the only tree in the world with its own address--to which countless people all over the world have written in hopes of finding love. These are just some of the last people on Earth still in touch with quickly vanishing rites. Let Eliot Stein introduce you to all of them."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

October 21, 2025

DB 111034 Witch queens, voodoo spirits & hoodoo saints: a guide to magical New Orleans by Denise Alvarado
"A magical mystery tour of the extraordinary historical characters that have defined the unique spiritual landscape of New Orleans. New Orleans has long been America's most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem, Massachusetts, is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is acclaimed for its witches, ghosts, and vampires. Because of its unique history, New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions and spirituality in the US. No other city worldwide is as associated with Vodou as New Orleans. In her new book, author and scholar Denise Alvarado takes us on a magical tour of New Orleans. There is a mysterious spiritual underbelly hiding in plain sight in New Orleans, and in this book Alvarado shows us where it is and who the characters are. She tells where they come from and how they persist and manifest today. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints shines a light on notable spirits and folk saints such as Papa Legba, Annie Christmas, Black Hawk, African-American culture hero Jean St. Malo, St. Expedite, plague saint Roch, and, of course, the mother and father of New Orleans Voudou, Marie Laveau and Doctor John Montenée. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints serves as a secret history of New Orleans, revealing details even locals may not know." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

November 18, 2025

DB 57755 Touching the void by Joe Simpson 
Mountain climber recounts his harrowing 1985 survival story of plunging off an Andean ice ledge, forcing his partner, Simon Yates, to cut the rope binding them. Describes Simpson's grueling descent with a broken leg and Yates's emotional turmoil believing his friend dead. Some strong language. Bestseller. 1988.

December 16, 2025

DB 38703 The unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman 
Bored and depressed after her husband's death, Mrs. Pollifax decides to take her doctor's advice and do something enjoyable. Since she has always wanted to be a spy, Mrs. Pollifax heads to Washington, D.C., to apply to the CIA. She admits that she is quite prepared to offer up her life on assignment. As luck would have it, there is a pressing need for a tourist-type to smuggle a document out of Mexico. Some strong language and some violence.

January 20, 2026

DB 115207 The book of Charlie: wisdom from the remarkable American life of a 109-year-old man by David Von Drehle
"When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship-and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom. Thus armored, Charlie's sense of adventure carried him on an epic journey across the continent, and later found him swinging across bandstands of the Jazz Age, racing aboard ambulances through Depression-era gangster wars, improvising techniques for early open-heart surgery, and cruising the Amazon as a guest of Peru's president. David Von Drehle came to understand that Charlie's resilience and willingness to grow made this remarkable neighbor a master in the art of thriving through times of dramatic change. As a gift to his children, he set out to tell Charlie's secrets. The Book of Charlie is a gospel of grit-the inspiring story of one man's journey through a century of upheaval. The history that unfolds through Charlie's story reminds you that the United States has always been a divided nation, a questing nation, an inventive nation-a nation of Charlies in the rollercoaster pursuit of a good and meaningful life." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

February 17, 2026

DB 123788 Love triangle: how trigonometry shapes the world by Matt Parker
"Trigonometry is perhaps the most essential concept humans have ever devised. The simple yet versatile triangle allows us to record music, map the world, launch rockets into space, and be slightly less bad at pool. Triangles underpin our day-to-day lives and civilization as we know it. Matt Parker argues we should all show a lot more love for triangles, along with all the useful trigonometry and geometry they enable. To prove his point, he uses triangles to create his own digital avatar, survive a harrowing motorcycle ride, cut a sandwich, fall in love, measure tall buildings in a few awkward bounds, and make some unusual art. Along the way, he tells extraordinary and entertaining stories of the mathematicians, engineers, and philosophers-starting with Pythagoras-who dared to take triangles seriously"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

March 17, 2026

DB 124237 Somewhere beyond the sea by TJ Klune
"Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one. He's the headmaster of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there. Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. And there's the island's sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children. But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve. And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home -- one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from -- Arthur knows they're at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

April 21, 2026

DB 123831 Here one moment by Liane Moriarty
"A woman stands up on a plane, and predicts when everyone will die. Everyone laughs it off until it starts to come true"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

May 18, 2026

DB 122023 Vision: a memoir of blindness and justice by David S. Tatel
"A memoir by one of America's most accomplished public servants and legal thinkers-who spent years denying and working around his blindness, before finally embracing it as an essential part of his identity. David Tatel has served nearly 30 years on America's second highest court, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where many of our most crucial cases are resolved-or teed up for the Supreme Court. He has championed equal justice for his entire adult life; decided landmark environmental and voting cases; and embodied the ideal of what a great judge should be. Yet he has been blind for the past 50 of his 80-plus years. Initially, he depended upon aides to read texts to him, and more recently, a suite of hi-tech solutions has allowed him to listen to reams of documents at high speeds. At first, he tried to hide his deteriorating vision, and for years, he denied that it had any impact on his career. Only recently, partly thanks to his first-ever guide dog, Vixen, has he come to fully accept his blindness and the role it's played in his personal and professional lives. His story of fighting for justice over many decades, with and without eyesight, is an inspiration to us all."-- Goodreads. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

June 16, 2026

DB 127313 Three days in June by Anne Tyler
"Gail Baines is long divorced from her husband, Max, and not especially close to her grown daughter, Debbie. Today is the day before Debbie's wedding. To start, Gail loses her job--or quits, depending who you ask. Then, Max arrives unannounced on Gail's doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay and without even a suit in which to walk their daughter down the aisle. But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband-to-be. It will not only throw the wedding itself into question but also send Gail back into her past and how her own relationship fell apart."-- Provided by publisher. -- Some strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook.

July 21, 2026

DB 119947 Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray
"Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference. When she's not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell's Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love. But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he's a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she's a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House. Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR's most trusted lieutenant-even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she's willing to do-and what she's willing to sacrifice-to save a nation"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

August is Romance Awareness Month, a time to check the health of your romantic relationship. Take this time to build more connection and romance between you and your partner. There are many things you can do to work on your relationship whether it's a large gesture of love or something more simple but heartfelt. One simple thing you can do is spend time together. That time could doing activities you enjoy as a couple, or it could be just being together in the same room at home cuddling, watching a movie, or even reading books.

Kansas Talking Books can assist you with books. We've gathered a few romance novels and a few nonfiction books on love and human relationships. Though there are some people that disagree, romance novels are not just for women and can be enjoyed by all. While some may seem unrealistic in their expectations, others can assist you in learning about activities, gestures, or even gain insight to the emotional experiences of those in the relationship. For those less inclined to romance novels, learn about love, the psychology of relationships, and what to do to encourage connection in your relationship. 

BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, makes getting these books quick and easy with just the press of your finger on a mobile device or a few clicks on a computer. To learn more, visit our BARD Resources page or contact our office at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov.

Romance

DB 120998 Funny story by Emily Henry

"Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story. How they met, fell in love, and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. Too bad it turned out to be more of a prequel, a complication to Peter's actual love story, the one that ends with him dumping Daphne before their wedding to begin a relationship with his lifelong best friend, Petra. And so that's how Daphne's story really begins: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children's librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only other non-Peter-related person she knows: Petra's heartbroken ex, Miles Nowak. Just until she can get a new dream job literally anywhere else. Scruffy and chaotic, Miles is entirely the opposite of buttoned-up Daphne, and they mainly avoid one another until one night, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship. Miles decides he will convince Daphne to give Waning Bay a real shot. He'll show her why he loves this idyllic town and its residents, and if they happen to post deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together--for a particular audience of two--who could blame them? Miles believes Daphne deserves the chance to build a life here, her own life. As she begins to fall for the town, Daphne wonders what this summer is supposed to mean. Is it just for fun? An interlude to her own love story? Or maybe it was never meant to be a love story? Maybe it was just an anecdote to share at future dinner parties: that time she fell in love with her ex-fiancé's new fiancée's ex-boyfriend. Who's to say?"-- Provided by publisher.  --  Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language. Commercial audiobook.

DB 81845 Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Georgie McCool's career as a television writer is taking off, but her marriage to Neal is in trouble. Missing the Christmas trip with her family is the last straw, and they go to Omaha without her. When Georgie tries to phone Neal, she somehow calls the past. Some strong language. 2014.

DB 97443 The bromance book club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Baseball player Gavin Scott's marriage is in trouble, and to fix things, he's going to need some assistance. He finds a secret book club of other men who have used romance novels to fix their own relationships, and they agree to help him win back his family. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.

DB 65344 Call me by your name by André Aciman

Each summer Elio's parents host a scholar in their home on the Italian Riviera. Oliver, a young academic from America arrives, igniting in seventeen-year-old Elio a passionate longing and desire. Years later Elio recollects his search for intimacy during that transformative season. Some descriptions of sex. 2007.

DB 112344 This must be the place by Maggie O'Farrell

"Daniel Sullivan leads a complicated life. A New Yorker living in the wilds of Ireland, he has children he never sees in California, a father he loathes in Brooklyn, and his wife, Claudette, is a reclusive ex-film star given to pulling a gun on anyone who ventures up their driveway. Together, they have made an idyllic life in the country, but a secret from Daniel's past threatens to destroy their meticulously constructed and fiercely protected home. Shot through with humor and wisdom, This Must Be the Place is an irresistible love story that crisscrosses continents and time zones as it captures an extraordinary marriage, and an unforgettable family, with wit and deep affection." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Find more romance novels to browse in the Kansas Talking Books online catalog. You can narrow the results by using the filters on the left-hand side of the book list. 

Human Relationships

DB 121493 Somehow: thoughts on love by Anne Lamott

""Love is our only hope," Anne Lamott writes in this perceptive new book. "It is not always the easiest choice, but it is always the right one, the noble path, the way home to safety, no matter how bleak the future looks." In Somehow: Thoughts on Love, Lamott explores the transformative power that love has in our lives: how it surprises us, forces us to confront uncomfortable truths, reminds us of our humanity, and guides us forward. "Love just won't be pinned down," she says. "It is in our very atmosphere" and lies at the heart of who we are. We are, Lamott says, creatures of love. In each chapter of Somehow, Lamott refracts all the colors of the spectrum. She explores the unexpected love for a partner later in life. The bruised (and bruising) love for a child who disappoints, even frightens. The sustaining love among a group of sinners, for a community in transition, in the wider world. The lessons she underscores are that love enlightens as it educates, comforts as it energizes, sustains as it surprises. Somehow is Anne Lamott's twentieth book, and in it she draws from her own life and experience to delineate the intimate and elemental ways that love buttresses us in the face of despair as it galvanizes us to believe that tomorrow will be better than today. Full of the compassion and humanity that have made Lamott beloved by millions of readers, Somehow is classic Anne Lamott: funny, warm, and wise"-- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller.

DB 64174 The five love languages: how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate by Gary Chapman

Marriage counselor offers advice on affirming love to one's partner. Chapman defines five different love languages--quality time, words of affirmation, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch--that are based on psychological disposition. Suggests ways individuals can decipher their spouse's emotional preferences, providing examples from his own practice. Bestseller. 2004.

DB 128907 Attached: the new science of adult attachment and how it can help you find-and keep-love by Amir Levine

"We already rely on science to tell us what to eat, when to exercise, and how long to sleep. Why not use science to help us improve our relationships? In this revolutionary book, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller scientifically explain why why some people seem to navigate relationships effortlessly, while others struggle. Discover how an understanding of adult attachment--the most advanced relationship science in existence today--can help us find and sustain love. Pioneered by psychologist John Bowlby in the 1950s, the field of attachment posits that each of us behaves in relationships in one of three distinct ways: -Anxious people are often preoccupied with their relationships and tend to worry about their partner's ability to love them back -Avoidant people equate intimacy with a loss of independence and constantly try to minimize closeness -Secure people feel comfortable with intimacy and are usually warm and loving. [This book] guides listeners in determining what attachment style they and their mate (or potential mate) follow, offering a road map for building stronger, more fulfilling connections with the people they love."-- From publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 112671 The love prescription: seven days to more intimacy, connection, and joy by John Mordechai Gottman

"What makes love last? Why does one couple stay together forever, while another falls apart? And most importantly, is there a scientific formula for love? Drs. John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman are the world's leading relationship scientists. For the past forty years, they have been studying love. They've gathered data on over three thousand couples, looking at everything from their body language to the way they converse to their stress hormone levels. Their goal: to identify the building blocks of love. The Love Prescription distills their life's work into a bite-size, seven-day action plan with easy, immediately actionable steps. There will be no grand gestures and no big, hard conversations. There's nothing to buy or do to prepare. Anyone can do this, from any starting point. The seven-day prescription will lead you through these exercises: Day 1: Make Contact; Day 2: Ask a Big Question; Day 3: Say Thank You; Day 4: Give a Real Compliment; Day 5: Ask for What You Need; Day 6: Reach Out and Touch; Day 7: Declare a Date Night. There is a formula for a good relationship, and this book will show you how a few small changes can fundamentally transform your relationship for the better." -- Provided by publisher.  --  Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Looking for other books on human relationships. Try browsing the Kansas Talking Books online catalog for other titles.

Check out July's top BARD downloads in Kansas! If you aren't yet a BARD user, you can learn more at the NLS BARD website. If BARD isn't a good fit for you, we are still happy to mail books and magazines directly to your home. Just drop us a line at KTB@ks.gov or call 800-362-0699. Happy reading!

Most popular KS1A user audiobook downloads from July 2025

• DB127136 Hidden Star by Roberts, Nora

• DB126887 Guilty by Elliot, Laura

• DB127341 A.I. for Life: 100+ ways to use artificial intelligence to make your life easier, more productive...and more fun! by Quillian, Celia

• DB128900 Strangers in Time by Baldacci, David

• DB127169 Captive Star by Roberts, Nora

• DB128607 The Writer by Patterson, James & Barker, J. D.

• DB128659 Nobody's Fool by Coben, Harlan

• DB126867 Sandwiches of History: The cookbook: All the best (and most surprising) things people have put between slices of bread by Enderwick, Barry W.

• DB129316 A Mind of Her Own by Steel, Danielle

• DB128129 The Kindness of Strangers by Weinberger, Andy

• DB127765 Securing Kalee by Stoker, Susan

Most popular KS1A user audio magazine downloads from July 2025

• Atlantic Monthly July, 2025

• The New Yorker July 07, 2025

• National Geographic June, 2025

• Southern Living May, 2025

• Southern Living April, 2025

• The Week July 18, 2025

• The Week July 04, 2025

• Economist June 28, 2025

• National Geographic July, 2025

• Mother Jones July, 2025

• Guide Posts June, 2025

• Smithsonian April, 2025

• Good Housekeeping July, 2025

• Economist July 05, 2025

   

  A full list of available magazines can be found on the NLS Website. 
  

Most popular KS1A user braille book downloads from July 2025

• BR25586 Divine Rivals by Ross, Rebecca (Rebecca J.)

• BR25363 An Amish Reunion: Four stories by Clipston, Amy; Fuller, Kathleen; Irvin, Kelly; &  Wiseman, Beth

• BRG04508 Good Morning, I Love You: Mindfulness + self-compassion practices to rewire your brain for calm, clarity + joy by Shapiro, Shauna L.

• BR04563 Mysteries of the Mummies: The story of the unwrapping of a 2,000-year-old mummy by a team of experts by David, A. Rosalie

With the past week and a half of extremely hot days, one of the best ways the Kansas Talking Books (KTB) staff stayed cool was through reading. The KTB staff has various reading interests, from vampire stories to cryogenically frozen bodies to future outlooks on technology . Find out what the KTB staff has been reading recently and make these one of your next reads. 

Beat the heat this summer by staying indoors and get any of these books in seconds using BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download. BARD is a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled allowing all its patrons to have access to audio and braille materials with just a few taps or clicks. Learn more about BARD through the KTB BARD Resources webpage or by calling the office at 1-800-362-0699 or emailing KTB@ks.gov.

Maggie Witte, Outreach Librarian / Lead Readers' Advisor

DB 128903 Under a vampire moon: Argeneau, book 16 by Lynsay Sands

"Escaping a horrible marriage, Carolyn Connor has no desire to think about men--a vow she's determined to keep while on vacation in St. Lucia. She'll take the Caribbean sun and sea and plenty of tropical drinks with those cute umbrellas poolside, thank you. She absolutely does not need male company, no matter how tan and rock-hard his body may be. Easy enough, but then Carolyn meets the charming Marguerite Argeneau, who is infamous among her family for her matchmaking prowess...Christian Notte has well known the power of finding a life mate. He's seen enough of his Argeneau relatives taken down for the count, but he never imagined he'd let himself fall in love--until he meets the enthralling, charmingly skittish, and oh-so-mortal Carolyn. But how will he reveal what he is and still convince this once-bitten mortal to trust him with her heart...and her forever?"-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129208 The lady is a vamp: Argeneau, book 17 by Lynsay Sands

"One late night leads to... Kidnapped! When Jeanne Louise Argeneau left work, she never thought she'd end up tied down by a good-looking mortal. More attracted than annoyed, she quickly realizes there is more to her abductor than meets the eye. One desperate act leads to...Love? Paul Jones has need of a vampire, and only Jeanne Louise will do. He just has to convince this beauty of a Vamp to help him...never imagining that he would fall in love. But with the immortal world's answer to law enforcement hunting them, their time together is running out...and Paul and Jeanne Louise will need to risk everything to spend an eternity together."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 128994 Immortal ever after: Argeneau, book 18 by Lynsay Sands

"When she is rescued from a psychotic vampire by Anders, an immortal creature who claims that she is the woman destined to be his life mate, Valerie Moyers tries to resist her fate as Anders battles her former captor."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129128 One lucky vampire: Argeneau, book 19 by Lynsay Sands

"Luck be a vampire tonight... When Nicole Phillips agreed to hire a housekeeper, she pictured someone a little frumpy and almost certainly female. Instead, she gets gorgeous, unmistakably male Jake Colson. The man is proving indispensable in the kitchen and everywhere else..."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129297 Vampire most wanted: Argeneau, book 20 by Lynsay Sands

"For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan, she'll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can't outrun..."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129681 The immortal who loved me: Argeneau, book 21 by Lynsay Sands

"After meeting Sherry Carne when he chases some rogue immortals away from her store, Basileios Argeneau realizes that she may be his life mate and determines to win her love while protecting her from harm."-- From publisher.

DB 129524 About a vampire: Argeneau, book 22 by Lynsay Sands

"With immortal good looks and scorching charisma, Justin Bricker has yet to meet a woman he can't win over. His potential life mate should be no different. But instead of falling into his bed, Holly Bosley runs away and ends up mortally wounded. To save her, he has to turn her. And then Bricker learns the shocking truth: Holly's already married. Holly wakes up with a bump on her head, a craving for blood, and a sexy stranger who insists they belong together. She needs Bricker's help to control her new abilities, even as she tries to resist his relentless seduction. Choosing between the world she knows and the eternity he offers is impossible. But Justin is fighting for his life mate--maybe even his life--and he'll break every rule to do it..."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129687 Runaway vampire: Argeneau, book 23 by Lynsay Sands

"Dante Notte has heard it said that love hurts. He just wasn't expecting it to run him over in an RV. Still, a punctured lung and broken ribs are nothing compared to the full-body shock he feels whenever he's near the vehicle's driver, Mary Winslow. He needs to keep her safe from their pursuers while he rescues his brother. Most challenging of all, he needs to claim this smart, stubborn woman as his life mate. The naked, injured, insanely gorgeous younger man who clambered into her RV insists they belong together. If Mary wasn't feeling their incredible connection in every inch of her being, she wouldn't believe it. But now that the men who took Dante's twin are after her too, trusting her gut means risking her life for an immortal who's the very definition of a perfect stranger."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129527 Immortal nights: Argeneau, book 24 by Lynsay Sands

"When she rescues a naked man from a plane's cargo hold, Abigail Forsythe, miles away from civilization and hunted by his kidnappers, finds a passion like no other in the arms of this immortal creature."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 114458 Ten tomatoes that changed the world: a history by William Alexander

"The tomato gets no respect. Never has. Lost in the dustbin of history for centuries, accused of being vile and poisonous, subjected to being picked hard-green and gassed, even used as a projectile, the poor tomato has become the avatar for our disaffection with industrial foods - while becoming the most popular vegetable in America (and, in fact, the world). Each summer, tomato festivals crop up across the country; the Heinz ketchup bottle, instantly recognizable, has earned a spot in the Smithsonian; and now the tomato is redefining the very nature of farming, moving from fields into climate-controlled mega-greenhouses the size of New England villages. Supported by meticulous research and told in a lively, accessible voice, Ten Tomatoes That Changed the World seamlessly weaves travel, history, humor, and a little adventure (and misadventure) to follow the tomato's trail through history. A fascinating story complete with heroes, con artists, conquistadors, and-no surprise-the Mafia, this book is a mouth-watering, informative, and entertaining guide to the food that has captured our hearts for generations." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 122000 Assassins anonymous by Rob Hart

"Mark was the most dangerous killer-for-hire in the world. But after learning the hard way that his life's work made him more monster than man, he left all of that behind, and joined a twelve-step group for reformed killers. When Mark is viciously attacked by an unknown assailant, he is forced on the run. From New York to Singapore to London, he chases after clues while dodging attacks and trying to solve the puzzle of who's after him. All without killing anyone. Or getting killed himself. For an assassin, Mark learns, nonviolence is a real hassle"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Sarah Bruemmer, Library Assistant

DB 124340 That librarian: the fight against book banning in America by Amanda Jones

"One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person's sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss "book content," she knew what was at stake. Schools and libraries nationwide have been bombarded by demands for books with LGTBQ+ references, discussions of racism, and more to be purged from the shelves. Amanda would be damned if her community were to ban stories representing minority groups. She spoke out that night at the meeting. Days later, she woke up to a nightmare that is still ongoing. Amanda Jones has been called a groomer, a pedo, and a porn-pusher; she has faced death threats and attacks from strangers and friends alike. Her decision to support a collection of books with diverse perspectives made her a target for extremists using book banning campaigns--funded by dark money organizations and advanced by hard right politicians--in a crusade to make America more white, straight, and "Christian." But Amanda Jones wouldn't give up without a fight: she sued her harassers for defamation and urged others to join her in the resistance. Mapping the book banning crisis occurring all across the nation, That Librarian draws the battle lines in the war against equity and inclusion, calling book lovers everywhere to rise in defense of our readers."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services Manager

DB 35967 Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Scientists have found a way to preserve bodies in order to bring them back to half-life. Glen Runciter, concerned about some of his firm's clients, goes to consult with his dead wife, Ella, but finds her body taken over by a stronger half-life. When Runciter is killed during an assignment on the moon, his employees hope to put his body into a state of half-life also. But strange happenings make them wonder if he is really dead. Strong language. 1969.

Michael Lang, Director

DB 128554 Cold eternity by S. A. Barnes

"Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago... The cryo program, created by trillionaire tech genius Zale Winfeld, is long defunct, and the AI hologram "hosts," ghoulishly created in the likeness of Winfeld's three adult children, are glitchy. The ship feels like a crypt, and the isolation getsto Halley almost immediately. She starts to see figures crawling inthe hallways, and there's a constant scraping, slithering, and rattling echoing in the vents. It's not long before Halley realizes she may have gotten herself trapped in an even more dangerous situation than the one she was running from..."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 130138 (in process) The starving saints by Caitlin Starling

"Aymar Castle has been under siege for six months. Food is running low and there has been no sign of rescue. But just as the survivors consider deliberately thinning their number, the castle stores are replenished. The sick is healed. And the divine figures of the Constant Lady and her Saints have arrived, despite the barricaded gates, offering succor in return for adoration. Soon, the entire castle is under the sway of their saviors, partaking in intoxicating feasts of terrible origin. The war hero Ser Voyne gives her allegiance to the Constant Lady. Phosyne, a disorganized, paranoid nun-turned-sorceress, races to unravel the mystery of these new visitors and exonerate her experiments as their source. And in the bowels of the castle, a serving girl, Treila, is torn between her thirst for a secret vengeance against Voyne and the desperate need to escape from the horrors that are unfolding within Aymar's walls. As the castle descends into bacchanalian madness -- forgetting the massed army beyond its walls in favor of hedonistic ecstasy -- these three women are the only ones to still see their situation for what it is. But they are not immune from the temptations of the castle's new masters ... or each other; and their shifting alliances and entangled pasts bring violence to the surface. To save the castle, and themselves, will take a reimagining of who they are, and a reorganization of the very world itself." -- From publisher.

Jason Brinkman, Production Manager

DB 127088 Dead in the frame: Pentecost and Parker mystery, book 5 by Stephen Spotswood

"New York City, 1947: Wealthy financier and ghoulish connoisseur of crime, Jessup Quincannon, is dead, and famed detective Lillian Pentecost is under arrest for his murder. Means, motive, and a mountain of evidence leave everyone believing she's guilty. Everyone, that is, except Willowjean "Will" Parker, who knows for a fact her boss is innocent. She just doesn't know if she can prove it. With Lillian locked away in the House of D-New York City's infamous women's prison-Will is left to root out the real killer. Was it a member of Quincannon's murder-obsessed Black Museum Club? Maybe it was his jilted lover? Or his beautiful, certainly-sociopathic bodyguard? And what about the mob hit-man who just happened to disappear after the shots were fired? With the city barreling toward the trial of the century, each day brings fresh headlines and hints of long-buried scandals from Lillian's past. Will is desperate to get her boss out from behind bars before her reputation is destroyed. Because the House of D is no kind place, especially for a woman with multiple sclerosis. Or one with so many enemies. Her health failing and targeted by someone who wants her dead, Lillian needs to survive long enough to take the stand. With time running out on both sides of the prison walls, Will and Lillian must wager everything to uncover who put their thumb on the scales and a bullet in Quincannon's head. Before Lady Justice brings her sword down, ending Pentecost and Parker's adventures once and for all."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 129569 More everything forever by Adam Becker

"How Silicon Valley's heartless, baseless, and foolish obsessions--with escaping death, building AI tyrants, and creating limitless growth--pervert public discourse and distract us from real social problems Tech billionaires have decided that they should determine our futures for us. According to Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, and more, the only good future for humanity is one powered by technology: trillions of humans living in space, functionally immortal, served by superintelligent AIs. In More Everything Forever, science journalist Adam Becker investigates these wildly implausible and often profoundly immoral visions of tomorrow--and shows why, in reality, there is no good evidence that they will, or should, come to pass. Nevertheless, these obsessions fuel fears that overwhelm reason--for example, that a rogue AI will exterminate humanity--at the expense of essential work on solving crucial problems like climate change. What's more, these futuristic visions cloak a hunger for power under dreams of space colonies and digital immortality. The giants of Silicon Valley claim that their ideas are based on science, but the reality is darker: they come from a jumbled mix of shallow futurism and racist pseudoscience. More Everything Forever exposes the powerful and sinister ideas that dominate Silicon Valley, challenging us to see how foolish, and dangerous, these visions of the future are."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

We are bringing you more recommendations from patron to patrons. If you didn't read the last post, you can visit it here. One of our patrons, Miss Anon, is a cozy mystery enthusiast and just an overall book lover. Throughout the year, she has provided Kansas Talking Books staff recommendations for books, authors, and series that are similar to each other based on characters, plot, pacing, and more. We share these with you, our other patrons, to assist you in finding new books to read. These recommendations are from Ms. Anonymous, for the most part, in her own words 

Order just one book from this post or try several new author or series to see if these recommendations fit your needs for your next read.

Happy reading!

Other than it isn't a mystery, and shopping is only a murder to the pocketbook, fans of: Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune; Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow; Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum; Jesse Q. Sutanto's Aunties; and Jess Lourey's Mira James series will love:

• Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series

I almost missed on this due to content as I'm as uninterested in cheese making as I am in shopping (I yawn through much of Avery Aames' cheese mystery series); however, Korina Moss' Cheese Shop mystery series is an excellent series! Fans of: Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop mystery series; Joanna Carl's Chocoholic series; Nancy Coco's Candy-Coated series; Abby Collette's Ice Cream Parlor series; Jacqueline Frost's Christmas Tree Farm series, etc. would like: 

• Korina Moss' Cheese Shop series

I'm not normally fond of Carlene O'Connor's series, except I did read the first one in her Irish Village series, and it was great! The heroine lost her parents in a car accident a year ago when she was 21, so she is now guardian of her 4 younger siblings, one of which is a precocious 10-year-old. Anyway, it was funny when she had the kids distract the murder suspect (an undertaker) while she rifled through his desks for clues. Ha! So many other funny moments, yet I just don't know about other patrons because of the Irish culture/lingo, although the narrator is excellent--she makes that first book!  

• Recommended for fans of: Maddie Day, Joanne Fluke, M. C. Beaton, Vivien Chien, and Mia P. Manansala

Fans of: Ellie Alexander; Jeffrey Allen; Winnie Archer; Maymee Bell; Janet Bolin; Ginger Bolton; Leslie Budewitz; Joanna Carl; Laurie Cass; Vivien Chien; Nancy Coco; Krista Davis; Maddie Day; Daryl Wood Gerber; P. J. Howell; Sharon Mondragon; Korina Moss; Barbara Ross; and R. L. Syme might enjoy:

• A very woodsy murder: Golden Motel, book 1 by Ellen Byron

For Andrew Klavan's Cameron Winter series, what immediately sprung to mind for read-alike series was: 

• Spencer Kope's Special Tracking Unit series. 
• However, while a different gender AND venue, having a unique gift is similar as in Allyson K. Abbott's Mack's Bar series. 
• In addition, even though different professions, the following author sort of resonate with Klavan's torture protagonist/philosophical views, as well:
  • William Bernhardt's Ben Kincaid series; David Housewright's McKenzie series; John Verdon's Dave Gurney series; and possibly even Peter Swanson.

Fans of: Isabella Alan's Amish Quilt Shop; Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow, and Jana DeLeon's Miss Fortune series might enjoy:

• Laura Levine's Jaine Austen series, as they all tap into the sarcasm factor;
• but fans also might enjoy Laurie Cass' Bookmobile Cat mystery series and Julie Chase's Kitty Couture series though they lack the sarcastic edge but maintain humor and a love of cats.

Art; the creation of something new, expressing emotions, ideas, and/or experiences through various forms and media. War; the armed conflict between states, nations, or differing cultures, ethnic groups, and ideologies, leading to the destruction or assimilation of the losing side. Art and war have been intertwined throughout the course of history.  During war, art is often destroyed or looted by soldiers for themselves, their family, or for their leaders to control. War also inspires art. Many famous artworks are depictions of war, such as The Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello.

But crimes involving art don't just occur during war. Art theft and forgery are also common. In art forgery, someone creates and sales works of art which are credited to usually more famous artists. Multiple law enforcement agencies have divisions devoted to the handling of art crimes, including the recovery of stolen art.

Kansas Talking Books presents a list of books involving art in war and true art crimes. Find out how war influenced an art movement or how the art world is impacted by forgeries. 

DB 40324 The rape of Europa: the fat of Europa's treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War by Lynn H. Nicholas 
Describes the Nazis' attack on European artworks, documenting the pillage of entire countries and the destruction of "degenerate" art. Nicholas also tells how world leaders united to protect masterpieces while fighting the enemy, how ordinary people and experts made heroic efforts to save their treasures, and how the Allies sought to restore works to their rightful owners.

DB 43362 Beautiful loot: the Soviet plunder of Europe's art treasures by Konstantin Akinsha 
The authors, art historians and former Soviet museum curators, allege the Soviets stole more than two million pieces of art from Germany near the end of World War II. The loot included the famous "Trojan gold" excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s and masterworks by Botticelli, El Greco, Rembrandt, Renoir, and Degas.

DB 68758 Loot: the battle over the stolen treasures of the ancient world by Sharon Waxman 
American journalist examines the ongoing conflict between major museums where antiquities are displayed and the countries from which they were plundered. Includes discussion by prominent personalities from Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy as well as the Louvre, Metropolitan Museum of Art, British Museum, and J. Paul Getty Museum. 2008.

DB 87662 Grand illusions: American art and the First World War by David M. Lubin 
Professor of art examines the impact of American involvement in World War I on twenty-four painters, designers, photographers, and filmmakers between 1914 and 1933. Highlights works by Man Ray, John Singer Sargent, Anna Coleman Ladd, and James VanDerZee, among others. 2016.

DB 96461 Hitler's last hostages: looted art and the soul of the Third Reich by Mary M. Lane 
Journalist examines the Gurlitt family--father Hildebrand and son Cornelius--of Germany. Discusses Hildebrand's acquisition of more than one thousand pieces of art--often through foul means--for Hitler's Führermuseum, his concealment of the collection, and the disposition of the art after it was confiscated from Cornelius. Some strong language Commercial audiobook. 2019.

DBC18236 Treasure hunt: a New York Times reporter tracks the Quedlinburg hoard by William H. Honan 
This story has elements of a good mystery novel as well as intriguing art history. New York Times reporter William Honan describes how he first became interested in the missing Quedlinburg treasures - priceless medieval manuscripts and reliquaries - which disappeared from Nazi Germany in the final days of World War II. Honan tracks the treasures to a small Texas town and unravels the mystery of how they got there. Contains strong language.

DB 125833 Paris in ruins: love, war, and the birth of Impressionism by Sebastian Smee 
"From the summer of 1870 to the spring of 1871, famously dubbed the "Terrible Year" by Victor Hugo, Paris and its people were besieged, starved, and forced into surrender by Germans--then imperiled again as radical republicans established a breakaway Commune, ultimately crushed by the French Army after bloody street battles and the burning of central Paris. As renowned art critic Sebastian Smee shows, it was against the backdrop of these tumultuous times that the Impressionist movement was born--in response to violence, civil war, and political intrigue. In stirring and exceptionally vivid prose, Smee tells the story of those dramatic days through the eyes of great figures of Impressionism. Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, and Edgar Degas were trapped in Paris during the siege and deeply enmeshed in its politics. Others, including Pierre-August Renoir and Frédéric Bazille, joined regiments outside of the capital, while Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro fled the country just in time. In the aftermath, these artists developed a newfound sense of the fragility of life. That feeling for transience--reflected in Impressionism's emphasis on fugitive light, shifting seasons, glimpsed street scenes, and the impermanence of all things--became the movement's great contribution to the history of art. At the heart of it all is a love story; that of Manet, by all accounts the father of Impressionism, and Morisot, the only woman to play a central role in the movement from the start. Smee poignantly depicts their complex relationship, their tangled effect on each other, and their great legacy, while bringing overdue attention to the woman at the heart of Impressionism."-- Publisher's description. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 74650 Monuments men: Allied heroes, Nazi thieves, and the greatest treasure hunt in history by Robert M. Edsel 
Portrays the WWII special army unit--composed of architects, museum directors, curators, and archivists--formed in 1943 to recover cultural treasures that had been plundered by the Nazis. Describes the bombed historical buildings the group preserved and works of art it salvaged. 2009.

DB 76945 Saving Italy: the race to rescue a nation's treasures from the Nazis by Robert M. Edsel 
In this companion to The Monuments Men (DB 74650), the author discusses the efforts to keep cultural treasures from Italian museums and the Vatican from being plundered by the Nazis or destroyed by Allied air raids during World War II. 2013.

DB 72029 The Venus fixers: the remarkable story of the Allied soldiers who saved Italy's art during World War II by Ilaria Dagnini Brey 
Journalist recounts work of British and American art historians, scholars, and architects who, as Allied monument officers, salvaged Italian art and antiquities during World War II. Describes the officers' efforts to preserve Europe's cultural heritage by evacuating some pieces and restoring others that were damaged in air raid bombings. 2009.

DB 83425 The art of the con: the most notorious fakes, frauds, and forgeries in the art world by Anthony M. Amore 
Head of security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum presents eleven cases of art fraud. Discusses the individuals involved, their motives, the methods used to perpetuate the fraud, and the ways the crimes were uncovered. 2015

DB 43737 False impressions: the hunt for big-time art fakes by Thomas Hoving 
Surveys the world of art forgery through the centuries. Recounts case histories in which inauthentic art works were foisted on curators, art collectors, and other experts. Examines forgers' motives and offers methods for detecting fake works of art.

DBG08906 Hot art: chasing thieves and detectives through the secret world of stolen art by Joshua Knelman 
Knelman spent four years immersing himself in the mysterious world of international art theft, travelling from Cairo to New York, London, Montreal and Los Angeles. He befriends the slippery Paul, a master art thief; and meets Donald Hrycyk, a detective working on a shoestring budget to recover stolen art. His investigation finds there are only a handful of detectives, FBI agents and lawyers fighting a global battle against the thriving black market of international art theft, estimated to be one of the largest in the world. Includes strong language. c2011. Marrakesh title.

DB 93863 Caveat emptor: the secret life of an American art forger by Ken Perenyi 
Memoir of a man who claims to have spent thirty years forging art masterpieces. Discusses becoming involved in a local art scene as a teenager in the 1960s, his development as an art forger, and the work he did. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2012.

DB 125478 Priceless: how I went undercover to rescue the world's stolen treasures by Robert K. Wittman 
"Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBI's Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career, offering a real-life international thriller. The son of an antique dealer, Wittman built a twenty-year career going undercover, usually unarmed, to catch art thieves, scammers, and black market traders in Paris and Philadelphia, Rio and Santa Fe, Miami and Madrid. Wittman tells the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities: the golden armor of an ancient Peruvian warrior king; the Rodin sculpture that inspired the Impressionist movement; the rare Civil War battle flag carried into battle by one of the nation's first African-American regiments. The art thieves and scammers he caught run the gamut from rich to poor, smart to foolish, organized criminals to desperate loners. Wittman has saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities, but he considers them all equally priceless."-- From publisher description. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.

DB 61523 The rescue artist: a true story of art, thieves, and the hunt for a missing masterpiece by Edward Dolnick 
Chronicles the 1994 theft and recovery of Edvard Munch's The Scream, a painting valued at seventy-two million dollars. Describes the heist from Norway's National Gallery in Oslo and the subsequent three-month investigation by half-English, half-American undercover detective Charley Hill of Scotland Yard's elite Art and Antiques Unit. Strong language. 2005.

DB 62853 The Irish game: a true story of crime and art by Matthew Hart 
Journalist author of Diamond (DB 55703) examines the 1986 heist at Ireland's Russborough House during which Dubliner Martin Cahill stole eighteen paintings including Vermeer's Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid. Chronicles Scotland Yard's investigations and the sting that uncovered illicit drug connections and a stunning art discovery. 2004.

DB 67547 The forger's spell: a true story of Vermeer, Nazis, and the greatest art hoax of the twentieth century by Edward Dolnick 
Examines the dealings of small-time Dutch artist Han van Meegeren (1889-1947), who passed off his works as masterpieces by the seventeenth-century painter Johannes Vermeer, even selling one to Nazi leader Hermann Goering. Analyzes the forger's technique, talent for manipulating people, and trial for treason in Amsterdam. Some strong language. 2008.

DB 93814 Citizen Keane: the big lies behind the big eyes by Adam Parfrey and Cletus Nelson 
Profile of Walter and Margaret Keane, subjects of the 2014 Tim Burton movie Big Eyes, based on Parfrey's 1992 newspaper article of the same title. Examines their lives and works, including the fraud perpetrated by Walter in claiming Margaret's paintings as his own. Strong language, some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2014.

DB 71251 Vanished smile: the mysterious theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti 
Chronicles the 1911 disappearance of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece from Paris's Louvre Museum. Describes the investigation and search for suspects, which included Pablo Picasso and other modernist painters, before the portrait was finally recovered in Florence in 1913. Explores the crime as well as the painting's iconic, universal appeal. 2009.

DBC03893 Master thieves: the Boston gangsters who pulled off the world's great art heist by Stephen Kurkjian 
An award-winning Boston Globe journalist meticulously investigates the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum robbery, exposing the plotters behind the heist, their motives, and details that the FBI has long kept secret.

DB 103290 The woman who stole Vermeer: the true story of Rose Dugdale and the Russborough House art heist by Anthony M. Amore 
Author of The Art of the Con (DB 83425) profiles Rose Dugdale--debutante and member of the Irish Republican Army--who led the group who stole artwork including work by Johannes Vermeer in 1974 to ransom it. Topics include Vermeer and the IRA in the 1970s. Some violence and some strong language. 2020.

Make any of these your next read on cartridge sent through the mail or download on the go with BARD. BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, is a download service provided by the National Library service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) giving all patrons access to almost the entire collection of books and magazines. Patrons can download these books to your mobile device through the BARD Mobile app, to play on a computer with BARD Express, or to a flash drive to play in the player using the BARD website. There are no due dates or expiration dates, and you never have to wait for a book to be returned as everyone can read the same book at the same time. For more information on BARD, contact the Kansas Talking Books office at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov, visit the BARD Resources webpage, or the NLS BARD website.