New Media for December 2024

Audiobooks on CD

Longstreet: the Confederate general who defied the South by Elizabeth R. Varon ~ An authoritative biography of controversial Confederate general James Longstreet, who embraced Reconstruction and became an outcast in the South.

Inheritance by Nora Roberts ~ 1806. Astrid Poole is murdered on her wedding day. Her last words – a promise to her husband never to leave him. After finding her fiancé in a compromising position with her cousin, Sonya MacTavish needs an escape. When a lawyer turns up on her doorstep out of the blue with news that she has inherited a beautiful Victorian house, Sonya thinks maybe this is just the change of scene she needs. The house – nicknamed Lost Bride manor – is beautiful, the setting idyllic and the local town offers Sonya the smalltown comforts she craves after life in a big city. So what if there are sometimes shadows in the windows, objects move of their own accord and music starts playing out of nowhere. Sonya can live with the house being a little haunted. But things soon start to take a darker turn and it becomes clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking it.

The Wishing Bridge by Viola Shipman ~ Once the hottest mergers and acquisitions executive in the company, Henrietta Wegner can see the ambitious and impossibly young up-and-comers gunning for her job. When Henri’s boss makes it clear she’ll be starting the New Year unemployed unless she can close a big deal before the holidays, Henri impulsively tells him that she can convince her aging parents to sell Wegner’s — their iconic Frankenmuth, Michigan, Christmas store — to a massive, soulless corporation. It’s the kind of deal cool, corporate Henri has built her career on. Home for the holidays has typically meant a perfunctory twenty-four-hour visit for Henri, then back to Detroit as fast as her car will drive her. So turning up at the Wegner’s offices in early December raises some eyebrows: from her delighted, if puzzled, parents to her suspicious brother and curious childhood friends. But as Henri fields impatient texts from her boss while reconnecting with the magic of the store and warmth of her hometown, what sounded great in the boardroom begins to lose its luster in real life. She’s running out of time to pull the trigger on what could be the greatest success of her career . . . or the most awkward family holiday of her life. 

The Future by Naomi Alderman ~ When Martha Einkorn fled her father’s isolated compound in Oregon, she never expected to find herself working for a powerful social media mogul hell-bent on controlling everything. Now, she’s surrounded by mega-rich companies designing private weather, predictive analytics, and covert weaponry, while spouting technological prophecy. Martha may have left the cult, but if the apocalyptic warnings in her father’s fox and rabbit sermon–once a parable to her–are starting to come true, how much future is actually left? Across the world, in a mall in Singapore, Lai Zhen, an internet-famous survivalist, flees from an assassin. She’s cornered, desperate and–worst of all–might die without ever knowing what’s going on. Suddenly, a remarkable piece of software appears on her phone telling her exactly how to escape. Who made it? What is it really for? And if those behind it can save her from danger, what do they want from her, and what else do they know about the future? Martha and Zhen’s worlds are about to collide. An explosive chain of events is set in motion. While a few billionaires assured of their own safety lead the world to destruction, Martha’s relentless drive and Zhen’s insatiable curiosity could lead to something beautiful or the cataclysmic end of civilization. By turns thrilling, hilarious, tender, and always piercingly brilliant, The Future unfolds at a breakneck speed, highlighting how power corrupts the few who have it and what it means to stand up to them. The future is coming. The Future is here.

Movies

Daddy Daughter Trip on DVD ~ A spring-break trip with a series of unfortunate adventures is saved when the daddy-daughter duo meet a couple of famous travel bloggers.

Oppenheimer on Blu-Ray ~ The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on DVD ~ Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history. Accompanied by his goddaughter, he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA.

A Haunting in Venice on DVD ~ Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a sǎnce at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Music

Traveler’s Soul by Blues Traveler ~ Cover versions of well-known rhythm & blues and soul songs, done in Blues Travelers’ trademark blues-rock style.

Rockstar by Dolly Parton ~ Global icon and recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Dolly Parton, has joined forces with some of rock music’s most legendary artists along with today’s biggest stars for her first-ever rock album. The ever-evolving Parton teamed up with an all-star roster of musicians for the 30-song collection which includes nine original tracks and 21 covers of iconic rock anthems.