VPL - Books Just for You - Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Sci-Fi and Stories with Political ThemesLike this list

16 items

• The Weight of Ink

  Kadish, Rachel

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  Set in both 17th-century and early 21st-century London, this novel intertwines the lives of Ester Velasquez, an emigrant scribing for a blind rabbi, and Helen Watt, a historian investigating newly discovered Jewish documents. Helen, aided by…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Red Mars

  Robinson, Kim Stanley

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  in the year 2026, a group of one hundred colonists embarks on a mission to terraform Mars transforming its barren landscape into a habitable environment. As they manipulate the planet's climate with daring technology, personal rivalries and ethical…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Painted Drum

  a Novel

  Erdrich, Louise

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  Fay Travers, an expert in Native American antiquities, uncovers a rare ceremonial drum while assessing an estate and feels an irresistible urge to return it to its rightful place on a North Dakota reservation. As the drum's extraordinary history…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Cellist of Sarajevo

  Galloway, Steven, 1975-

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  In a city under siege, a musician plays his cello for twenty-two days at the site of a mortar attack that killed his friends and neighbours, honouring their memory. Meanwhile, a young man collecting water, an older man seeking bread, and a sniper…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Illusion of Separateness

  a Novel

  Van Booy, Simon

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  During World War II, one man's compassionate act sets off a chain of events that unknowingly connects the lives of several strangers across time. As each person confronts their own struggles, they gradually uncover the profound bond that ties them…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Parable of the Sower

  Butler, Octavia E.

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  In a dystopian future America ravaged by chaos and violence, young empath Lauren Olamina escapes her shattered community, determined to build a new society grounded in her belief system called Earthseed. As she journeys through the harsh landscape,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Watchman of Old Cairo

  a Novel

  Lukas, Michael David

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  Joseph, a Berkeley student with a Jewish mother and Muslim father, receives a mysterious package that leads him on a quest to uncover his family's centuries-old connection to the Ibn Ezra Synagogue in Cairo. As he explores his ancestor Ali's role as…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Altered Carbon

  Morgan, Richard K., 1965-

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  In a future where human consciousness can be transferred between bodies, ex-soldier Takeshi Kovacs is resurrected in a new body to solve a wealthy man's mysterious death. As he navigated a world of shifting identities and hidden dangers, he uncovers…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Never Let Me Go

  Ishiguro, Kazuo, 1954-

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  In a dystopian England, three friends discover the unsettling truth about their existence and purpose. As they come to terms with their fate, they reflect on their memories and the deep bonds they share.

• Lost Children Archive

  Luiselli, Valeria, 1983-

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  A family embarks on a summer road trip from New York to Arizona, each parent drawn to different aspects of the journey - one documenting echoes of history, the other consumed by the plight of migrant children at the southern border. As they travel…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The God of Small Things

  Roy, Arundhati

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  In 1969 Kerala, India, Rahel and her twin brother, Estha, face the upheaval of their family life, realizing how a single moment can alter their entire world. As they confront the challenges of their childhood, they discover the profound influence of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

  Díaz, Junot, 1968-

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  Oscar, a sweet but overweight and lovesick Dominican nerd, dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and finding love. Living in New Jersey with his old-world mother and rebellious sister, he struggles against the Fukú, a curse that has…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Left Hand of Darkness

  Le Guin, Ursula K., 1929-2018

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  A human emissary is sent to the planet Winter to persuade its inhabitants to join a galactic alliance, but he must navigate the challenges posed by their unique ability to change gender. As he struggles to understand their perspective, he faces…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Oryx and Crake

  Atwood, Margaret, 1939-

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  In a post-apocalyptic world, a man known as Snowman struggles to survive while haunted by memories of his lost friends, Oryx and Cake. As he navigates a desolate landscape, he reflects on the events that led to the collapse of civilization and the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Foundation

  Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992

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  Hari Seldon, a visionary psychohistorian, establishes a colony of psychologists to foster art, science, and technology in a crumbling Galactic Empire. Their mission is to safeguard humanity's knowledge for future generations as the Empire teeters on…Read moreRead more of this annotation

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