Off the Shelves – September 17

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The following items are available at the Hancock County Public Library, 900 W. McKenzie Road. For more information on the library’s collection or to reserve a title, visit hcplibrary.org.

FICTION

“Seveneves” by Neal Stephenson

A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb in this science-fiction novel. In a race against time, the world’s nations band together to devise a plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.

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But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors remain. Five thousand years later, their descendants embark on yet another audacious journey into the unknown to an alien world utterly transformed by cataclysm and time: Earth.

NONFICTION

“Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny” by Holly Madison

A spontaneous decision at age 21 transformed small-town girl Holly Sue Cullen into Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner’s No. 1 girlfriend. In this memoir, Madison opens up about life inside the Playboy Mansion: the drugs, the sex, the infamous parties and her life with Bridget, Kendra and, of course, Mr. Playboy himself.

But like Alice’s journey into Wonderland, what seemed like a fairy-tale life inside the Playboy Mansion of A-list celebrity parties and her own No. 1-rated television show devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies, she tells readers. Life inside the mansion wasn’t a dream at all and quickly became a nightmare. A cautionary tale and a celebration of personal empowerment, “Down the Rabbit Hole” reminds readers of the importance of finding the life they deserve.

AUDIOBOOK

“American Wife: a Memoir of Love, Service, Faith, and Renewal” by Taya Kyle, with Jim DeFelice.

The widow of “American Sniper” shares their private story in “American Wife.” In early 2013, Taya Kyle and her husband, Chris, were the happiest they had ever been. Their marriage had survived the war that took Chris, a U.S. Navy SEAL, away from Taya and their two children for long stretches while he put his life on the line in the Iraq War. After struggling to readjust to post-military life, Chris had found new purpose in a lifelong dedication to supporting veterans and their families. Chris and Taya’s love had deepened, and their family was finally whole. Then the unthinkable happened. On Feb. 2, 2013, Chris and his friend, Chad Littlefield, were killed while attempting to help a troubled vet.

In an instant, Taya became a single parent of two, a widow and a young woman facing the rest of her life without the man she loved. Now, with collaborator Jim DeFelice, Taya writes in never-before-told detail about the hours, days and months after her husband’s death, the wearying battles to protect her husband’s legacy and reputation and the moments when grief threatened to overwhelm her.