Looking for your next book, film, or podcast? Our Off the Shelf series features recommendations from our very own Countway staff! We’ll be adding new picks all summer long - check back often for fresh inspiration!
Graphic Novel: Checked Out by Katie Fricas
Recommended by: Tré Quarles, Research Public Services Librarian
Why they liked it: Checked Out by Katie Fricas is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel that follows Louise, a queer woman in her twenties working at a library in New York City, as she navigates life, love, and her artistic ambitions. The story blends witty humor, frustration, unrequited crushes, and a genuine affection for the chaotic world of public service.
While I was in Philadelphia for a conference, I attended a book launch at a local comic shop where Katie did a reading. I was struck by her whimsical cartoony art style and dry, observant humor. It made me want to read the whole book right away. If you have ever worked in a public-facing job or just love libraries, you will find a lot to connect with. The memoir is honest, funny, and surprisingly moving.
Where to find it: Checked Out on Amazon
TV Series: Building the Band
Recommended by: Tré Quarles, Research Public Services Librarian
Why they liked it: Building the Band is a new Netflix reality competition where singers form groups based only on vocal talent and perceived chemistry, without ever seeing each other. It’s basically Love Is Blind meets The X Factor. I’ve always enjoyed singing shows, and so far this one has been a mostly fun and lighthearted watch.
Where to find it: Building the Band on Netflix
Book: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
Recommended by: Tré Quarles, Research Public Services Librarian
Why they liked it: The Magicians is often described as an adult Harry Potter, but it’s much more than that. When a group of smart, moody college students discover that magic is real and enroll at Brakebills, a secret school for magicians, they soon learn the magical world is far darker and more chaotic than they imagined. Eventually, they enter Fillory, a Narnia-like world from their favorite childhood books, only to find it is just as dangerous and unpredictable.
I first discovered the world of The Magicians through its SyFy TV adaptation. As a fan of fantasy, I appreciate how this book explores a more complex and often unsettling vision of magic. It deals with mental health, disillusionment, and the difficult transition into adulthood. It also asks what happens after you get what you have always wanted.
Where to find it: The Magicians on HOLLIS
Podcast: Root of Evil
Recommended by: MJ Grein, Administrative Operations Lead
Why they liked it: This podcast is dark, horrific and strangely healing. It’s based on the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia murder in Hollywood. There are 8 episodes and I was truly captivated by the story, the craziness and the aftermath / healing of this family. It’s a wild story, it’s not for the faint at heart. If you are into crime investigation stories, this one is for you!
Where to find it: Root of Evil on Spotify
Book: Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green
Recommended by: Charlotte Lellman, MS, Collections Services Archivist
Why they liked it: This short and straightforward book is a holistic look at tuberculosis in today's world. Green (most famous for his young adult fiction) explores everything from historical medical and social understandings of the disease to the geopolitics and economics that result in its ongoing devastation in some parts of the world. The through-line is the moving story of a young man in Sierra Leone who is fighting drug-resistant TB.
Where to find it: Everything is Tuberculosis in HOLLIS
Book: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
Recommended by: Charlotte Lellman, MS, Collections Services Archivist
Why they liked it: I recently read and enjoyed Du Maurier's best known work, Rebecca. This novel shares Rebecca's careful plotting and sense of foreboding and mystery, but the deep and confusing relationships between the main characters are even more emotionally intense.
Where to find it: My Cousin Rachel in HOLLIS
Book: The Usual Desire to Kill by Camilla Barnes
Recommended by: Charlotte Lellman, MS, Collections Services Archivist
Why they liked it: It's rare that I literally laugh out loud while reading, but Barnes's wry and observant novel about a pair of aging parents and their adult daughters made me do it.
Where to find it: The Usual Desire to Kill in HOLLIS