01 KAIROS～秒針～

One of the twentieth century’s most influential books, this classic work of anthropology offers a groundbreaking exploration of what culture is

With The Interpretation of Cultures, the distinguished anthropologist Clifford Geertz developed the concept of thick description, and in so doing, he virtually rewrote the rules of his field. Culture, Geertz argues, does not drive human behavior. Rather, it is a web of symbols that can help us better understand what that behavior means. A thick description explains not only the behavior, but the context in which it occurs, and to describe something thickly, Geertz argues, is the fundamental role of the anthropologist.

Named one of the 100 most important books published since World War II by the Times Literary Supplement, The Interpretation of Cultures transformed how we think about others’ cultures and our own. This definitive edition, with a foreword by Robert Darnton, remains an essential book for anthropologists, historians, and anyone else seeking to better understand human cultures.

The Interpretation Of Cultures By Clifford Geertz, Read By Tim Dixon

An Oxford mathematician, playwright, and musician reveals how creative people can harness the profound and productive relationship between mathematics and the arts  
 
When Shakespeare has the Three Witches cast Macbeth’s lot, he uses something very weird to do it: not simply “eye of newt and toe of frog,” but the number seven. And when Hamlet claims, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” Shakespeare reaches for eleven. For Shakespeare, prime numbers were magical. And he is not alone. 
 
As Marcus du Sautoy showcases in Blueprints, creativity is inseparable from mathematics. The designs of Le Corbusier and Leonardo; the music of Glass, Bach, and Debussy; the wild visions of Dali, the choreography of Laban, the animation of Pixar—all are shot through with mathematics, from primes and fractals to the weirder worlds of Hamiltonian cycles and hyperbolic geometry. And Du Sautoy argues that the relationship runs both ways. Just as mathematics inspires new art, the artistic mindset is a necessity for discovering new mathematics.  
 
Blueprints will expand your mind, but more importantly, it shows how to ignite your imagination. Anyone who wants to create needs this book.

Blueprints By Marcus Du Sautoy, Read By Mark Elstob

A diverse, inclusive reimagining of the bestselling phenomenon The Invisible String that helps more readers than ever feel connected to this transformative, healing story.

For a quarter of a century, The Invisible String has helped comfort and heal millions of readers by easing separation anxiety, loneliness, and loss, while also exploring the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us all. This newly reimagining of this celebration of love answers the call from countless fans for a diverse range of children and families to be included in this contemporary all-ages classic.

When a mom and dad tell their twins that they’re all connected by an Invisible String, the children insist that’s impossible. But still, they want to know more: What kind of string? The answer is one that people around the world have been sharing for a generation, and it’s the simple truth that binds us all: It’s an Invisible String made of love. Even if you can’t see it, you can feel it deep in your heart and know that you are always connected to the ones you love.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, The Invisible String is truly the perfect gift for all occasions and now more accessible to families of all kinds.

The Invisible String Family Celebration By Patrice Karst

The acclaimed author of Red Clocks returns with a biting, lyrical novel about an intergenerational group home run by an ex-musician determined to make a place for those without one

On a bluff above a river rises The House, where elderly and disabled residents live alongside young people who help out in exchange for free rent. The community is led by a former punk singer who never wanted to be responsible for anyone yet now finds herself the caretaker of this precarious collection of lives. It’s not a family, exactly, but it’s got the complicated, sometimes painful, sometimes hilarious, dynamics of kinship.

When two kids—Nola and her little cousin James—show up on The House’s back porch in need of refuge, the whole experiment is thrown into question. All are welcome here, or that was the idea. But the authorities are looking for these children, and The House’s finances are teetering on the edge. 

Zumas’s long-anticipated third novel wrestles with America’s crisis of care in a taut, aching, polyphonic tale that moves as fast as the crackling comebacks that fly between The House’s residents over breakfast. As the rules of the outside world start to press in on this safe haven, readers will find themselves asking, what would the world look like if everyone had a place to belong?

Wolf Bells By Leni Zumas, Read By Jenn Lee

“Heart-pounding, illuminating, and ominously timeless” (Gina Frangello), this honest and poignant memoir reflects on a woman’s escape from a violent marriage and what it cost to protect her and her family’s safety. 

“Once upon a time, I disappeared.” So begins Karen Palmer’s harrowing and redemptive memoir, She’s Under Here.
 
In 1989, shortly after her second marriage, Palmer and her new husband quit their jobs without notice. They pulled her two young daughters out of school and buckled them into the rear seat of a used car purchased with cash. The trunk was packed with clothing and toys, pillows and blankets, four place settings, one pot, one pan, and a sack that contained every penny they had. Living with the fear of Palmer’s dangerous ex-husband had become untenable: This was DIY witness protection.
 
In this searingly honest and heartwrenching account, Palmer examines why she ended up trapped, how she escaped, and the ongoing perils of life constructed around a false identity. She ruthlessly explores the lines between desire and fear, victim and perpetrator, captivity and freedom, and exposes myriad aspects of what it means to make difficult choices as a woman, when none of the options are good. She’s Under Here is a haunting meditation on themes of disappearance, betrayal, and private violence, and it is utterly unforgettable.

She’s Under Here By Karen Palmer

Take a deep dive into the shadows and light of one of the most subversive, corrosively funny, and beloved suspense thriller masterworks as author Stephen Rebello unravels for the very first time the tense and drama-filled story of the making Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train.

As  entertaining as it is to watch Strangers on a Train, so too is the previously untold backstory that packs all the suspense, drama, and twists of a thriller. After all, what are the hallmarks of a great Hitchcock movie? A larger-than-life, complex cast of characters, each with something to prove, lose, or hide. Check. Tremendous risk, outsized conflict, and emotion as those men and women confront challenges off the set. Check. Feuds, deceptions, unlikely alliances, and double-crosses. Check. Coming off a 5-year-string of flops, Alfred Hitchcock gambled big on adapting Patricia Highsmith's debut novel, which critics called  “preposterous” and “unconvincing," in addition to “unsavory,” and “sick” (1950s code words for “gay” and “perverted”). Each step of the production was fraught with battles, but Hitchcock masterfully stayed two steps ahead of his opponents as he fought to bring his vision to life. Strangers on a Train became not only a creative high-water mark and box-office smash for Hitchcock, but also kicked off his unmatched decade of classics including Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Psycho.  

Richly documented, meticulously researched, and stylishly written, Criss-Cross is more than an authoritative film book. It is a portrait of an especially politically paranoid, misogynistic, and homophobic era in America, a time of dramatic transition in the entertainment industry, and a day of reckoning for Alfred Hitchcock and a few other talents with whom he made a dark, resonant, and prescient work of art.

Criss-Cross By Stephen Rebello, Read By Jefferson Mays

Ready Player One meets Heartstopper in this “fun, fast, and fabulous read” (M. K. England) as a myth-loving video game player competing in a tournament with his gamer friends and handsome crush discovers there isn't a cheat code to life—or love. 

In the real world, Keegan Thomas is a gay, eighteen-year-old mythology nerd with undiagnosed chronic pain. But in the myth-inspired, online video game world of Pantheonic, he is the glorious and powerful K.Odyssia, slaying legions of enemies and completing quests for honor and glory along with his team, the Epic Hearts. Despite his closeness to his gamer friends--and the secret crush he has on his teammate, Alix--no one knows that he is struggling with the sudden onset of chronic pain in his lower back and fears it will hinder his ability to move to NYU in the fall. 

When a quest in Pantheonic turns out to be a secret invitation to an in-person tournament in New York City, Keegan has to battle his fears of concealing and managing his pain so that his team can attend this once-in-a-lifetime event. Competing against six other teams, members of the Epic Hearts must work together to outwit and outplay the others to win the tournament and the hefty cash prize. But can Keegan as K.Odyssia be one of the heroes that Pantheonic needs while he's laser-focused on his own epic battle? Will he be able to level up his relationship with Alix and lead his team to victory? It's time for the games to begin!

Love and Video Games By Zachary Sergi, Read By Jason June

Educated meets The Queen's Gambit in this extraordinary memoir by International Master and Chess.com co-founder Danny Rensch, who describes his upbringing in an abusive cult – and how chess ended up saving his life

Born into the Church of Immortal Consciousness, Danny Rensch spent his childhood navigating the isolated confines of a cult. Despite psychological manipulation, physical abuse, and neglect, he persevered. An international chess master and world-class commentator, Rensch’s remarkable journey led him to being the face of Chess.com, one of the largest online gaming platforms in the world. 

With unflinching honesty, Rensch recounts his life, starting from the moment he discovered chess in the summer of 1995, all the way up to being at the center of the most explosive cheating scandal in chess history.

He chronicles the traumas of being “special” in a cult that forced separation from his mother. Mentored by an alcoholic, Russian chess master, he found solace alongside suffering in his obsession for an ancient game, and chess became his only escape. Rensch rose through the chess ranks until a medical emergency nearly took him out of the game forever. And it almost did, until Chess.com came along.

Deeply heartfelt, keenly reflective, and haunting, Dark Squares is the never-before-told story of Danny Rensch’s resilience, survival, and his enduring love for the game that saved him. 

Dark Squares By Danny Rensch

In this officially licensed collection, Marvel Comics heroes Thor and Loki regale us with engaging and fantastical retellings of the classic tales of Norse mythology.

It’s a beautiful day in New York City and the Avengers have arranged a surprise birthday picnic for Peter Parker in Central Park—but the celebration is violently interrupted when a menacing rainbow suddenly crystalizes in the sky, dumping a shellshocked Thor and Loki into the middle of the party with a loud crash. The Avengers swiftly decamp to Stark Tower, where Doctor Strange freezes time to give the heroes a chance to regroup and formulate a plan. Thor and Loki warn the group that Ragnorok, the end of the world, has come, but before they can take action against it, they must understand how the world began.

Thus, the brothers begin the age-old Norse tradition of storytelling. As they verbally joust, spar, and one-up each other over who can spin the most outlandish yarn, Thor and Loki weave the sagas of their people including: The Creation of Man, How Odin Lost His Eye, The Theft of Thor's Hammer, Freyja's Beautiful Necklace, Thor and Geirrod the Giant, Sif's Golden Hair, and many more. They recount the ancient stories of the Nine Realms, the first humans Ask and Embla, and the sacred tree, Yggdrasil. In recounting each tale, the brothers aim to bring the cosmos closer to salvation.

A brilliant melding of the Marvel Comic universe with traditional Norse Mythology, illustrated throughout with full-color plates and black-and-white art, Thor & Loki is a must-read for Marvel fans and mythology lovers alike.

Thor & Loki By Delilah S. Dawson, Read By Cliff Miller

Two of America’s most revered ancient nutrition experts combine forces to give you a holistic plan for creating lasting health and well-being.
 
In this breakthrough book, New York Times bestselling authors and nutrition experts Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe offer a simple and holistic plan for building strength, health, and longevity. Based on the ancient wisdom of the Bible and confirmed by modern science, The Biblio Diet’s intuitive and easy-to-follow plan invites you to experience a breakthrough in the health of your entire family by learning to eat and live God’s way.
 
In this book, you’ll receive powerful insight on:
 
-  Intermittent fasting for any experience level
-  A daily eating plan that will fuel your body and expand your dietary horizons
-  Meats, veggies, fruits, dairy, spices, salts, and oils that are vital for a truly healthy lifestyle
-  Cancer-fighting nutrition and wellness secrets
-  The best tactics to beat depression and anxiety and improve mental health
-  Common foods in your fridge or pantry that can reduce pain and boost your immune system
-  An easy-to-follow 7-day meal plan (with shopping list)
-  12 new biblically inspired recipes

Experience health and freedom like you never have before when you learn to live the Bibliotarian way.

01 KAIROS～秒針～

RolfS

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