Book Reviews by Jill Halbach
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Brave Hearted: The Women of the American West by Katie Hickman
Katie Hickman’s Brave Hearted: The Women of the American West…
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1000 Design Classics by Phaidon
Phaidon’s revised and updated 1000 Design Classics (2022) is…
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Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle by Jody Rosen
I consider myself fortunate to have grown up in one of the last…
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Book That Joplin’s History Needs Doesn’t Exist Yet
This is a review of A People’s History of Joplin, Missouri.…
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Rebel with a Clause: Tales and Tips from a Roving Grammarian by Ellen Jovin
It seems to me that grammar is one of those things that people…
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Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman
Full disclosure: I chose to review this book because author Sara…
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The Happy Inbox by Maura Nevel Thomas
I have over 3,000 emails in one (of four) of my work-related…
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A Culinary History of Missouri by Suzanne Corbett and Deborah Reinhardt
One of my favorite things about traveling is experiencing the…
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Just My Type by Simon Garfield
Pity Comic Sans, the font that people love to hate. Developed…
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The Midwest Survival Guide: How we Talk, Love, Work, Drink, and Eat…Everything with Ranch by Charlie Berens
Oh, howdy. If you’re reading this, then you likely live in…
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Radius Books
A couple of times a year, we receive a box of free art books…
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DK’s Big Ideas Simply Explained Series
It’s likely that, at one time or another, you’ve perused…
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Houseplants for All: How to Fill Any Home with Happy Plants by Danae Horst
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve impulsively purchased…
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Good Mail Day: A Primer for Making Eye-Popping Postal Art by Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler
In 2014 we, meaning Post Art Library (the privately funded not-for-profit…
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Historic Missouri Roadsides by Bill Hart
This book review is a celebration of sorts of both the Missouri…
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The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman by Margot Mifflin
March is Women’s History Month. To celebrate, I encourage you…
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The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to The Hidden World of Everyday Design By Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt
I sort of stole this book review from my husband, meaning that…
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How the Post Office Created America: A History by Winifred Gallagher
I fancy sending and receiving mail: cards, letters, mail art,…
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The Penguin Book of Mermaids, edited by Christina Bacchilega and Marie Alohalni Brown
The beginning of summer is an exciting time here at the library,…
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101 Art Destinations in the U.S.: Where Art Lives Coast to Coast by Owen Phillips
This is an exciting book. Before discussing why, however, I’d…
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A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia Savage McAlester
May is Preservation Month, a celebration that promotes our heritage…
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Women of the Blue and Gray: True Civil War Stories of Mothers, Medics, Soldiers, and Spies by Marianne Monson
Lately, I’m of a mood to read everything nonfiction. As such,…
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Ukulele Resources
Imagine walking into a public library and checking out a ukulele.…
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The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine by Lindsey Fitzharris
This book review is not for the faint of heart nor for the weak…
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Patternalia: An Unconventional History of Polka Dots, Stripes, Plaid, Camouflage, and Other Graphic Patterns by Jude Stewart
What are you wearing? Plaid (tartan)? Paisley? How about stripes…
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Bugged: The Insects Who Rule the World and the People Obsessed with Them by David MacNeal
The First Day of Spring is but two days away: Easter Lilies,…
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The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore
When perusing the library's new book offerings, Kate Moore's…