A person reads a book on a sunny beach.

Cultural Reads

| Burlington County Library

New Jersey Fan Club: Artists and Writers Celebrate the Garden State. Edited by Kerri Sullivan
This is the story of New Jersey through the lens and narrative of diverse cultures and creative individuals through photographs, illustrations, personal essays, and interviews. This book highlights many shared experiences from people with a common love and interest for the Garden State.

The Animal’s Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age by Marc Bekoff
This unique book focuses on the need to address a peaceful coexistence and respectful relationship between humans and animals. The book addresses the human history and interaction with animals as sources of food, scientific experimentation and domestication.

The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food by Marcus Samuelsson with Osayi Endolyn
Bringing together top chefs, writers and activists, this book celebrates the black culinary traditions and rich diversity through food, culture and history, Authors introduce food and flavors tracing back to the Caribbean and Africa.

The Creative Wealth of Nations by Patrick Kabanda
This book explores how artistic endeavors and approach can have a holistic impact on human culture and development, and can benefit social inclusion, fair economic distribution, mental health, access to education and trade globally. The author highlights the invisible creative economy of the arts as a beneficial means to monetary and nonmonetary benefits for all beings. 

Modern Jewish Comfort Food by Shannon Sarna
The author shares traditional dishes and tells the story of Jewish food and its evolution and inclusion of diversity through immigration. Recipes are shared along with the history behind this diverse cooking experience.

Inclusion Revolution by Daisy Auger-Dominguez
This book addresses issues of racial division and exclusion in corporations and the workplace. It also offers a roadmap to address inequity and create racially inclusive spaces that can form lasting change in companies and organizations.

Culture: The Story of Us, from Cave Art to K-Pop by Martin Puchner
The author takes the reader on a tour of world history through some of the most crucial moments in human history, and elaborates stories of human achievement across cultures and millennia through ancient artifacts and architecture, collected and preserved for future generations.

Queer Heroes: Meet 52 LGBTQ Heroes from Past and Present by Arabelle, Sicardi
Meet 53 LGBTQ movers and shakers who have transformed the artistic, literary and social landscape through their creative endeavors. This Young Adult book presents colored portraits and short biographies of some well-known and famous persons.

Asian Pickles: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Cured, and Fermented Preserves from Korea, Japan, China, India and Beyond by Karen Solomon
This book offers traditional to versatile pickling and preservation methods from a wide cultural spectrum covering mainly the Far East and South East Asia. Recipes cover chutney’s, kimchi, vegetable preserves and pickling. 

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Wade Hudson – eAudiobook
Together 50 diverse authors come together to speak to children and young adults about disparity and inequity they may encounter and how to live a balanced, compassionate and meaningful life for a better future.

She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll by Gillian G. Gaar
The author highlights how women entered the rock and roll scene as performing artists, and shares the diversity of their background and persistence to showcase the power of their voice within the genre and industry. The book covers folksingers, Motown acts, punk rebels, rock chicks and many more.

Chaat by Jody Eddy – eBook
The author highlights women from all walks of life in rock and roll, showing the diversity of talent and history behind women’s rise as an emerging power and talent in this genre of music.

Muse: Uncovering the Hidden Figures Behind Art History’s Masterpieces by Ruth Millington
Muse reveals the role of diverse individuals used as models in some of history’s major artworks, stemming from art scenes in London, Paris, Italy, Harlem or Bangladesh. The author breaks down the stereotype of passive individuals dominated by the Masters who brought them to fame. It’s an empowering look into the real-life relationships between the artist and their muse.

I Never Thought of It that Way by Monica Guzman
Author Guzman shares her insights on how to cultivate conversations on even the most difficult of topics, and how to ask questions across divides with curiosity and openness. The book elucidates building bridges by overcoming fear and assumptions we make about opinions of others who think and speak and share reflections that are completely opposing to ours. This book is a guide to finding a common ground beyond boundaries.

Beyond the Plate: Top Food Blogs from Around the World by Daniela Galarza
The author brings together a diverse collection of recipes from food blogs from around the world. The chefs are home cooks, amateur chefs and general foodies all sharing their love of all things “food.” The book is filled with vibrant pictures, personal stories and recipes.

Audience: Adult, Seniors
Category:
Reading Lists