Contemporary Retellings, Adaptations, and Read-A-Likes for The Iliad

If you've read or seen The Odyssey, you may also be interested in The Iliad, which  retells the story of the last few weeks of the mythical Trojan War, including the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon, the death of Prince Hector, and the kidnapping and rescue of Helen.

What makes The Iliad so compelling, after so many years?  For some it's the epic adventure; for others, the depictions of Greek culture and society, for others, it's the comedy and humor within the story, and for others, it's the detailed descriptions of battle, warfare, and weapons. The archetypal characters and universal themes of pride and glory, the heroic code, fate and free will, and vengeance and justice, speak deeply to us, and help us navigate our own trials, relationships, and emotions. Whether you are familiar with classical mythology or this is your first time experiencing the epic adventure of The Iliad, here are read-a-like suggestions to introduce you to the plot, extend your understanding, or explore the themes.

Make sure to check out WPL's Reader's Corner for more book suggestions!

Classic Translations

Many scholars have put their brains to deciphering the ancient Greek texts that make up this epic tale, each with something different to offer. Compare translations at https://www.iliadtranslations.com/.

The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
The greatest literary landmark of antiquity masterfully rendered by the most celebrated translator of our time.

The Iliad by Homer, translated by Robert Fagel
An energetic, prose translation.

The Story of the Iliad : a dramatic retelling of Homer's epic and the last days of Troy by Homer, translated by Simon Armitage
In the final days of the Trojan War, the Trojans and the Greeks are caught in a bitter stalemate. Exhausted and desperate after ten years of warfare, gods and men battle among themselves for the glory of recognition and a hand in victory. Cleverly intertwining the Iliad and the Aeneid, Armitage poetically narrates the tale of Troy to its dire end, evoking a world plagued by deceit, conflict, and a deadly predilection for pride and envy. As with the Odyssey, Armitage reveals the echoes of ancient myth in our contemporary war-torn landscape, and reinvigorates the classic epics with adventure, passion, and, surprisingly, Shakespearean wit.

Troy: The Greek Myths Reimagined 
by Stephen Fry
A retelling of the Greek myth of the Trojan war.

Graphic Retellings

Comic-style panels are used to show and tell the story of the events leading up to the Trojan War.

The Iliad: A Graphic Novel adapted by Gareth Hinds
Retells, in graphic novel format, Homer's epic tale of the Iliad, recounting the last year of the Trojan War between the city of Troy and the Achaeans, an alliance of Greek city-states, as they try to reclaim Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta, from a Trojan prince.

The Iliad adapted by Miguel Angel Sepulveda
One of the true cornerstones of Western literature comes to the Marvel Illustrated line! The ancient world is embroiled in a mighty clash of armies: Greek vs. Trojan. Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, has betrayed her husband - the Greek, Menelaus - and fled to Troy with Trojan prince, Paris. The Greeks have sailed to Troy to bring her back - and crush all that stand in their way! This is the first chapter in the saga that virtually defines the word epic. It is a tale of gods and men, heroism and betrayal. From the lips of Homer to the pages of Marvel Illustrated! Collects Marvel Illustrated: The Iliad #1-8.

Fiction Adaptations

Faithful reproductions in historical or period style, and other looser interpretations give new insights into  Helen, Jason, Achilles and other heroes and.

Horses of Fire: A Novel of Troy by A. D. Rhine
Andromache, a warrior queen, Rhea, a horse-whisperer, Helen who is beautiful and the victim of abuse and Cassandra, a prophetess, fight for their lives as their stories intertwine in the weeks leading up to the battle of Troy.

Son of Nobody by Yann Martel
A brilliant retelling of the Trojan War from two commoners: an ancient soldier and a modern scholar.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Banished from his father's kingdom, 10-year-old prince Patroclus finds sanctuary in Phthia as a foster child of King Peleus and becomes friends with Peleus' demigod son, Achilles. The two boys become devoted to each other, but it's only a matter of time before Achilles must confront his fate on the plains of Troy in this retelling of The Iliad. Try this next: Pat Barker's Women of Troy trilogy.

Songs of Penelope series by Claire North:

Ithaca #1
A thought-provoking reimagining of Penelope of Ithaca as narrated by a bitter yet witty Hera, queen of the Greek gods.

House of Odysseus #2
On the isle of Ithaca, queen Penelope maintains a delicate balance of power. Many years ago, her husband Odysseus sailed to war with Troy and never came home. In his absence, Penelope uses all her cunning to keep the peace—a peace that is shattered by the return of Orestes, King of Mycenae, and his sister Elektra. Orestes' hands are stained with his mother's blood. Now, wracked with guilt, he is slowly losing his mind. Penelope knows destruction will follow in his wake as surely as the furies circle him. His uncle Menelaus, the battle-hungry king of Sparta, longs for Orestes' throne—and if he can seize it, no one will be safe from his violent whims.

The Last Song of Penelope #3
Odysseus sailed to war and never returned. For 20 years his wife Penelope and the women of Ithaca have guarded the isle against suitors and rival kings. However, a beggar has arrived at the Palace. Ocean-battered, he is scorned by the suitors - but Penelope recognizes in him something: her husband, Odysseus, returned at last. Yet this Odysseus is no hero. By returning to the island in disguise, he is not merely plotting his revenge against the suitors but he's testing the loyalty of his queen. Has she been faithful to him all these years? And how much blood is Odysseus willing to shed to be sure? The song of Penelope is ending, and the song of Odysseus must ring through Ithaca's halls.

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
An atmospheric and witty retelling of the Trojan War, from the shifting perspectives of both familiar and unfamiliar female characters. Starring: the goddess Calliope, who decides to make the most of her role as a Muse; Penelope, who starts losing patience after learning why it's taking so long for her husband Odysseus to return; Oenone, who was abandoned by her husband Paris for Helen of Sparta.

Women of Troy series by Pat Barker:

The Silence of the Girls #1
Reimagines The Iliad from the perspectives of the captured women living in the Greek camp in the final weeks of the Trojan War.

Women of Troy #2
A moving, gritty reimagining of the aftermath of the Trojan War, driven by complex female characters who tell first-person stories of grief, trauma, and vengeance. Starring: resilient and revenge-minded Briseis, who was enslaved by Achilles; prophetic princess Cassandra, whose visions of the war to come were ignored thanks to a curse from Apollo; Hector's widow Andromache, whose pragmatism might just help her rebuild a life worth living.

The Voyage Home #3
The Trojan War is over. Forced to be Agamemnon's concubine, Cassandra, along with her servant Ritsa (who often narrates), is taken by the victors to Mycenae, where Agamemnon's wife awaits his return with murder in her heart.

Nonfiction

Informational resources to deepen your understanding of Greek history and the Trojan War.

Athens: City of Wisdom by Bruce Clark
A sweeping narrative history of Athens, telling the three-thousand-year story of the birthplace of Western civilization.

Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece by Adrian Keith Goldsworthy
Athens and Sparta tells the definitive history of the relationship between brutal, militaristic Sparta and brash, radically democratic Athens. Adrian Goldsworthy narrates their incredible rise to prominence and how they became allies, rivals, and enemies. Goldsworthy shows that Athens and Sparta were more than competitors vying for power. They were polar opposites in ideology and culture, both driven by the Greek longing to excel, who led radically different experiments in how to run a state.

Introducing the Ancient Greeks: From Bronze Age Seafarers to Navigators of the Western Mind by Edith Hall
An acclaimed classics scholar dissects the mindset of the ancient Greeks, beyond their invention of democracy, theatre and philosophy, discussing how their achievements were due as much to their collective spirit of individuality as their mariners' contact with diverse people in distant lands.

The Trojan War: A New History by Barry S. Strauss
Drawing on the latest archaeological research, an expert account of the famous historical battle confirms many details recounted in Homer's epic account, from Troy's alliance with the Hittite Empire and the role of Greek maritime commerce in the war to the significant fire at the end of the twelfth century and the facts about the Trojan horse.

For additional pairings, including poetry and teaching resources for The Odyssey, check out freshman English teacher Kristi Moore's excellent blog post and booklist, or our suggestions for retellings, adaptions, and read-a-likes for The Iliad.

Annotations from Novelist - find your next great read with NovelistPlus!

Transparent Language

The online language learning tool, Transparent Language is back at WPL! The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) has added this resource to the statewide database offerings for FY2027, and you can access it through our database pages.

Transparent Language offers over 100+ languages covering essential fundamentals, general vocabulary, intermediate and advanced courses. In addition, it also includes American Sign Language (ASL), English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and over 40 indigenous language courses.

Lessons are designed to build skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary. Whether you’re starting at the very beginning with a new alphabet or you’re an intermediate learner, this resource has something for everyone! It is available for in-library and remote access through a computer or through iOS/Android app on a mobile device. You can use the resource as a guest or if you want to save your progress, you can create an account. 

Feel free to reach us by phone at 508-799-1655, ext.3 or via email if you have any questions about this resource or any of our other online offerings.

New Releases - August 2026 Edition

Check out these highly anticipated new releases featuring fiction and nonfiction titles. Click on the title to request a copy or get your name on the waitlist. Don’t forget to watch for more featured releases next month, and check out WPL's Reader's Corner for more book suggestions!

Fiction

Etna by Paul Yoon
Yoon's (The Hive and the Honey) story of a military working dog attempting a treacherous journey home in the aftermath of an unnamed war rarely moves in expected ways. Those looking for a penetrating study of animal psychology will be disappointed; Yoon relies on familiar canine iconography more than he offers a parseable survey of animal consciousness. More surprising is that this instinct toward anthropomorphism doesn't reflect junk science or lazy characterization and is instead used to assert Yoon's governing thesis: dogs are people too. Or, more accurately, what are considered essential human qualities can be found in abundance in the animal world, for those willing to look beyond the falsity of human exceptionalism. The novel's narrative construction, an amalgam of The Odyssey and Au hasard Balthazar, positions Etna as a heroic figure who bears witness to humanity's best and worst. Yoon's fabulist shading situates the story at a nexus of grim reality and hopeful fairy tale, enlivening and devastating readers in equal measure as they watch Etna reckon with the all-too-human conclusion that one can't go home again. VERDICT Yoon sidesteps the schmaltz of so many animal stories and delivers something far richer in emotion and conviction.--Luke Gorham, Copyright 2026 Library Journal

The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai 
In Thai's expressive sophomore effort (after Banyan Moon), sisters Vivi, a conservator, and Calla, an artist, embark on a quest to learn about the links between an enigmatic painting and their late father, Tuấn. Calla reconnected with Tuấn shortly before his death, but Vivi remained unable to forgive him for physically abusing her and Calla after their mother, May, left when they were children in Deer Creek, Wis. Calla gives Vivi a sketch found in Tuấn's shed of Blue Mirror, a painting by Vietnamese French artist K. P. Lý that was recently bequeathed to a museum where Vivi's boyfriend works. When Vivi strips a layer from Lý's work and discovers another painting of two women, she feels compelled to uncover its mysteries. The sisters travel to Arles, Ho Chi Minh City, and back to their childhood home, gathering clues about Lý's connection to the family from their great-grandmother's journal entries. Thai dots the narrative with poetic impressions of an artist's mind, for instance when the sisters retrace Lý's footsteps in Arles, where Van Gogh painted his most famous work, and Vivi imagines Lý seeing the light there as Van Gogh saw it. It's an appealing family mystery. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

Sunrise by Téa Obreht 
A Wyoming ghost town provides the stage for this spectacular novel from Obreht (The Tiger's Wife) about the enduring myths of the Wild West. It opens dramatically in 2024, when a young nanny named Nina Terzic is pushed to safety from a malfunctioning small-engine plane by her boyfriend, Ben. She lands in a lake and, after fruitlessly awaiting rescue on the shore, wanders into the wilderness, not knowing Ben's fate and equipped only with a dying phone and four protein bars. Relieved to find the ghost town of Sunrise, she takes shelter in a stable, where she discovers a corpse. Obreht then jumps to 1902, when 45-year-old Anton Vargas, a former cowboy and gunslinger whose exploits have become fodder for dime-store novels, returns to Sunrise after more than two decades ("There was something antiquated about him... no mules, no companions, totally alone"). He reunites with an old buddy and is pressured into helping to solve the case of a missing boy. Finally, Obreht introduces historical reenacter Coll, who produces an annual play in Sunrise honoring Vargas's legacy. In 2003, Coll wants to create an immersive theater experience, but he's sidetracked by mysterious threats and a controversy surrounding a dead wolf. Obreht employs impressive restraint, providing just enough clues to create intrigue as the reader pieces together the connections between the three storylines. After the novel returns to a resilient Nina, now on her last protein bar, it careens to an explosive climax. Readers will have a blast. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

NONFICTION

Are They Dead Yet? The Art of the Obit by Sam Roberts
"I wasn't dying to fill in when I was asked in 2014... to help shrink the growing backlog of unassigned prewritten obituaries" on the New York Times Obit Desk, admits Roberts (The New Yorkers), a Times journalist since 1983, at the outset of this charming account. However, in doing the work for over a decade, he found that "the sixteen hundred people whose lives I've memorialized" helped him "come to my own ways of... dealing with death." Roberts breaks down the guidelines that determine who is chosen for a Times obituary; how an obit is written, particularly the "blunt headline or first paragraph, which sets the tone"; and why, in "trying to capture the subject's soul," finding small details, such as a favorite object, can help the obituarist recreate how the subject lived. Exemplars of the craft reveal the obituarist's adroit use of language, wit, and observation: "Eugene Polley, an inventor whose best-known creation has fostered blissful sloth, caused decades of domestic discord and forever altered the way consumers watch television, died on Sunday.... Mr. Polley, the inventor of the wireless television remote control, was 96"; "Reginald Foster... who, in four decades as an official Latinist of the Vatican, dreamed in Latin, cursed in Latin, banked in Latin and ultimately tweeted in Latin, died on Christmas Day.... He was LXXXI." Readers will revel in this lively book of the dead. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

Mothers of Invention: A History of Creativity from the Greek Muses by Moiya McTier 
In this innovative history, astrophysicist and folklorist McTier (The Milky Way) chronicles the evolution of human creativity from the perspectives of the Greek Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts and sciences born to Zeus and Mnemosyne (the goddess of memory). In her narrative role as Clio, the Muse of history, the author shares how the Muses fear that human creativity is being hobbled by the cult of celebrity, the myth of the lone genius, social inequality, and the rise of AI. McTier combines a history of innovation with witty and occasionally crotchety commentary from the Muses. Ourania, the highly mathematical Muse of astronomy, traces her influence from Ptolemy's geocentric model of the universe through the launching of Sputnik and the Challenger explosion. Galileo, the narrator claims, was Ourania's first love, as well as "the mortal world's first modern genius." Terpsichore, the Muse of dance, oversees a survey of the evolution of textiles and the birth of ballet; Melpomene, the Muse of tragedy, and her twin sister Thalia, the Muse of comedy, reflect on how collaboration and competition spark creativity; and Erato, the Muse of erotic poetry, discusses the history of sex and its regulation, including the development of the birth control pill. Entertaining and wholly original, this will inspire readers to embrace and celebrate human ingenuity. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

The Yahoo Boys: Love, Deception, and the Real Lives of Nigeria's Romance Scammers by Carlos Barragán 
This outstanding debut from New York Times reporter Barragán explores the lives of Nigerian scammers who use seduction as part of their grift. Having initially traveled to Lagos to find a Nigerian man who romanced and scammed his mother, Barragán ends up closely following four such "Yahoo Boys" (so named after the email service). They include Chibuike, who strings along an Irish mother for years by posing as professional wrestler Cody Rhodes, and Richie, who fears that a woman in Kentucky may have died because of his scam. Along the way Barragán delves into how romance scams work--using fake social media accounts, the scammers seduce Western men and women into buying them gift cards--as well as the Yahoo Boys' lavish lifestyles and the lengthy pre-internet history of "impersonation scams" in Nigeria. There are plenty of eye-popping details, including alarmingly manipulative chats between the scammers and their victims, and even more nefarious alleged strains of Yahoo, including Yahoo Plus, in which scammers use "supernatural forces" to attract victims, and Yahoo Plus Plus, which "was rumored to entail ritual killings." Yet the book is most noteworthy for its affecting humanization of both the Yahoo Boys--Barragán shatters the image of romance scammers as part of "well-organized Mafia-like syndicates," instead revealing them as impoverished young men scrambling to survive--and of their victims, made vulnerable by the West's loneliness epidemic. It's a remarkably empathetic view of both sides of the con. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

Contemporary Retellings, Adaptations, and Read-A-Likes for The Odyssey

Soon to be released as a major motion picture, director Christopher Nolan brings the classic myth The Odyssey to larger-than-life IMAX format this summer. Following the events of the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon) faces a dangerous, decade-long voyage back to Ithaca and to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Circe along the way. 

What makes The Odyssey so compelling, after so many years? For some it's the epic adventure; for others, the epic romance. The archetypal characters and universal themes of homecoming and hospitality, faith and fidelity, fate and free will, vengeance and justice, and cunning over strength. speak deeply to us, and help us navigate our own trials, relationships, and emotions. Whether you are familiar with classical mythology or this is your first time experiencing the epic adventure of The Odyssey, here are some read-a-like suggestions to introduce you to the plot, extend your understanding, or just provide another perspective on the classic tale.

Make sure to check out WPL's Reader's Corner for more book suggestions!

Classic Translations

Many scholars have put their brains to deciphering the ancient Greek texts that make up this epic tale, each with something different to offer.

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
A new translation of the epic poem, and the first by a woman, brings alive Homer's tale of shipwrecks, monsters, and magic, and provides an introductory overview of the poem's major themes, controversial origin, and the scope of its influence.

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles
A new verse translation of the Greek classic describes the wanderings of Odysseus after the fall of Troy.

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald
Presents the classic poem concerning the wanderings of the hero Odysseus and his miraculous return to Ithaca and a faithful wife.

The Odyssey: A Dramatic Retelling of Homer's Epic by Homer, translated by Simon Armitage
Armitage recasts Homer's epic as a series of bristling dramatic dialogues: between gods and men; between no-nonsense Captain Odysseus and his unruly, lotus-eating, homesick companions; and between subtle Odysseus (wiliest hero of antiquity) and a range of shape-shifting adversaries―Calypso, Circe, the Sirens, the Cyclops―as he and his men are "pinballed between islands" of adversity. One of the most individual voices of his generation, Armitage revitalizes our sense of the Odyssey as oral poetry, as indeed one of the greatest of tall tales.

The Odyssey: Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry
After 10 years of war, the Greeks make their way back to their own lands but what homes now await them? Agamemnon must return to his wife Clytemnestra, who has been nursing her rage since he sacrificed their daughter to the gods for a favourable wind. Her revenge will know no bounds. Meanwhile, Odysseus has angered the god Poseidon and he is cursed to wander the seas, facing angry monsters and possessive demi-gods as he attempts to return to Ithaca and his patient, clever wife Penelope.

Graphic Retellings

Comic-style panels are used to show and tell the story of the events leading up to the Trojan War.

Age of Bronze series reinterpreted & illustrated by Eric Shanower
Drawn from the myths and legends of centuries, A Thousand Ships presents anew for the twenty-first century the complete prelude to the Trojan war- each sensual touch, every savage blow, the smiles and tears, the lust and betrayal, the entire tapestry of drama and action. Read online, via OverDrive
A Thousand Ships #1
Sacrifice #2
Betrayal #3

The Odyssey reinterpreted & illustrated by Gareth Hinds
A vivid graphic novel reinterpretation of Homer's epic poem finds the King of Ithaca cursed by the sea god Poseidon to years of shipwreck and battles against fantastical creatures.

The Odyssey reinterpreted & illustrated by Seymour Chwast
Presents a visual interpretation of Homer's classic that utilizes a black, white, and blue interior design infused with the artist's sly humor.

Fiction Adaptations

Faithful reproductions in historical or period style, and other looser interpretations give new insights into Penelope and Odysseus.

Big Fish: A Novel of Epic Proportions by Daniel Wallace
When his attempts to get to know his dying father fail, William Bloom makes up stories that recreate his father's life in heroic proportions.

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
After Inman escapes from a war hospital in 1864 and starts walking to Cold Mountain, his faithful wife Ada struggles to save her mountain farm in his absence with the help of Ruby, an illiterate but efficient farmer.

Omeros by Derek Walcott
A poem in five books, of circular narrative design, titled with the Greek name for Homer, which simultaneously charts two currents of history: the visible history charted in events -- the tribal losses of the American Indian, the tragedy of African enslavement -- and the interior, unwritten epic fashioned from the suffering of the individual in exile.

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Presents the cycle of stories about Penelope, wife of Odysseus, through the eyes of the twelve maids hanged for disloyalty to Odysseus in his absence.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Passionately in love, Clare and Henry vow to hold onto each other and their marriage as they struggle with the effects of Chrono-Displacement Disorder, a condition that casts Henry involuntarily into the world of time travel.

Ulysses by James Joyce
A day in the life of Leopold Bloom, whose odyssey through the streets of turn-of-the-century Dublin leads him through trials that parallel those of Ulysses (Odysseus) on his epic journey home.

Other Greek Myths

For additional pairings, including poetry and teaching resources for the Odyssey, check out freshman English teacher Kristi Moore's excellent blog post and booklist, or our suggestions for retellings, adaptions, and read-a-likes for The Iliad.

Annotations from Novelist - find your next great read with NovelistPlus!

Lakes Appreciation Month: Celebrating Our Freshwater Resources and Lake Life

July is National Lakes Appreciation Month! There are 117 MILLION lakes on Earth. You work and play on them, boat in the them, swim in them. You fish in them and drink from them. You can even hunt for fossils in dry lake beds. Libraries love lakes--check out our July Lakes Appreciation Month displays on the first (romance), second (near career computers), or third (pillar bookcase) floors, and dive into these freshwater resources and stories about living the lake life.

In Worcester, you can find over twenty lakes and ponds where you can enjoy a variety of recreational activities, including bird watching, swimming, fishing and boating.  Locations include Bell Pond (Belmont Street), Coes Pond Parks (Coes Street), Indian Lake Beach (Sherburne Ave), and Lake Quinsigamond (N. Lake Ave). Many of these locations are accessible for free by bus! Check the Worcester Regional Transit Authority website for bus schedules. 

Make sure to check out WPL's Reader's Corner for more book suggestions!

Nonfiction

Find additional titles at https://worcester.cwmars.org/MyAccount/MyList/32560

Beyond The Sea: The Hidden Life in Lakes, Streams, and Wetlands by David Lowell Strayer
This work brings to life the wonders of our inland waters and the vibrant species that live there.

Beyond Walden: The Hidden History of America's Kettle Lakes and Ponds by Robert M. Thorson
Chronicles the history of kettle lakes in the United States, including how they form, the different ways that Americans have used them throughout history, and threats that affect their future.

The Founding Fish by John McPhee
McPhee weaves together strands of personal, natural, and national history in this absorbing study of the (freshwater) shad fish.

The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon
On November 10, 1975, as a storm threw 100 mile-per-hour winds and 50-foot waves on Lake Superior, the 729-foot-long Edmund Fitzgerald - the biggest, best, and most profitable ship on the Lakes - found itself at the worst possible place, at the worst possible time. When she sank, she took all 29 men onboard down with her, leaving the tragedy shrouded in mystery for a half century. Bacon presents the definitive account of the disaster, drawing on interviews with the families, friends, and former crewmates of those lost.

Lakes: Their Birth, Life, and Death by John Richard Saylor
In this eye-opening tour of the most fascinating lakes around the world, including Lake Vostok beneath the surface of Antarctica and Lake Baikal in southern Siberia, we learn all the many forms lakes take and what we stand to lose if they vanish.

Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by William Geist
A "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent reflects on his coming of age in the American heartland at a Lake of the Ozarks resort owned by his uncle, and traces his evolution as a man and a writer.

Ponds and Small Lakes by Brian Moss
Ponds and small lakes support an extremely rich biodiversity of fascinating organisms. The book not only explores the fascinating world of the (microscopic) creatures within ponds and their interactions, but also explains the many ways in which ponds are important in human affairs. Ponds are being lost around the world, but they are a key part of a system that maintains our climate. In the face of climate change, it has never been more important to understand the ecology of ponds.

Our Ancient Lakes: A Natural History by Jeffrey McKinnon
An introduction to the biodiversity of ancient lakes, explaining the surprising, often controversial findings ancient lake research is yielding about the formation and persistence of species.

Still Waters: The Secret World of Lakes by Curt Stager
An exploration of the world's most remarkable lakes and our ancient connection to them draws on firsthand investigations to examine the significance of humanity's impact on iconic inland waters, sharing their stories and how they represent history, culture and the importance of conservation.

Water, Ice and Stone: Science and Memory on the Antarctic Lakes by Bill Green
A personal account of a study on the Antarctic Dry Valley lakes reveals what they can tell scientists about the evolutionary process and the life that exists in their frozen vicinity.

Memoirs/Biographies

Memoirs of living and working on a lake

Deckhand: Life On Freighters of the Great Lakes by Nelson Haydamacker
Long before popular television shows such as Dirty Jobs and The Deadliest Catch, everyday men and women-the unsung heroes of the job world-toiled in important but mostly anonymous jobs. One of those jobs was deckhand on the ore boats. With numerous photographs and engaging stories, Deckhand offers an insider's view of both the mundane and the intriguing duties performed by deckhands on these gritty cargo vessels.

The House By The Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History by Thomas Harding
Tells the story of Germany through the inhabitants of one small wooden building: a nobleman farmer, a prosperous Jewish family, a renowned Nazi composer, a widow and her children, a Stasi informant.

Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by William Geist
A "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent reflects on his coming of age in the American heartland at a Lake of the Ozarks resort owned by his uncle, and traces his evolution as a man and a writer.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Penwern: A Summer Estate by Mark Hertzberg
The life story of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed summer cottage Penwern--a stunning estate on Delavan Lake in southern Wisconsin, commissioned by Chicago capitalist Fred B. Jones around 1900. The book features beautiful color photographs of Penwern, plus vintage black and white pictures and original Wright drawings, this book transports readers back to the glory days of gracious living and entertaining on the lake.

The Italian Summer: Golf, Food, and Family at Lake Como by Roland Merullo
The author traces his 2007 summer near the shore of Italy's Lake Como, where he played on several northern-region courses of distinction, shared lavish meals with his family, and interacted with a host of eccentric locals.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau
In 1845 Thoreau built a shanty in the woods by Walden Pond, where he lived from 1845-1847, interrupted only by a day's imprisonment for refusal to pay a poll tax to a government that supported the Mexican War. This action was in accord with his belief in passive resistance, a means of protest he explained in his essay "Civil Disobedience" (1849). Walden is a treatise on the subjects of self-sufficiency, individualism, relationship with nature, and rejection of material ambition.

Fiction

Find additional titles at https://worcester.cwmars.org/MyAccount/MyList/32561

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
At thirty-three, Maren Laughlin's just turned down her boyfriend's proposal, walked away from her position as a park ranger, and returned to her childhood playground in Northern Wisconsin. She’s ready to start making her own moves, even if everyone else thinks she’s making the wrong ones. Local resort owner Josiah Cole has also made some missteps in his life, but he's proud of what he has: two awesome kids and the keys to the kind of getaway spot that has families coming back every summer. Things between Maren and Joe are easy. So easy, they're fully immersed in the middle before they even decide to begin. Are things too easy, or is this just how real love works?

The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
When her fiancé Mike is left paralyzed following a tragic accident, Carrie Bell begins to question her familiar world, from her everyday life in Wisconsin to her relationships, as she sets out to rediscover her own identity.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Persephone, a magazine writer, returns to her lake hometown for a funeral and lands straight in to the orbit of her ex- best friend and lover, Sam, and must reconcile the choices she made since their breakup.

Funny Story by Emily Henry 🌶️🌶️🌶️
After being dumped for her boyfriend's lifelong best friend, Petra, Daphne agrees to room with Petra's freshly heartbroken ex until she can figure things out

Into The Woods by Jenny Holiday 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Summer camp heats up for a grumpy rockstar and a cynical dance instructor in this funny and heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a traveling nurse slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea... and it just might work.

The Lake Club by Lina Patton
Danika Crawley has it all - beauty, money, a successful husband, and two perfect children. Augie Elling has lost it all, reeling from a post-grad scandal in New York to her hometown of Aldon Lakes. They have one thing in common: both a little obsessed with Chat, the male nanny Danika hired for the summer. But, unbeknownst to either woman, Chat's appearance in town sets off a chain reaction that threatens the town's carefully maintained ecosystem. As the heat rises between the three of them, the truth behind a long-buried scandal comes to light, and everyone at the club must reckon with the consequences.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein 🌶️🌶️
This love letter to lake life is "the Parent Trap for adults," the story of two half-sisters who meet for the first time at their father's cabin in Maine after his unexpected death.

Meet Me At The Lake by Carley Fortune 🌶️🌶️🌶️
In desperate need of a lifeline, 32-year-old Fern Brookbanks finds it in the form of Will Baxter, who rescued her nine years ago, and, believing he is hiding something, but knowing he’s the only one who understands what she’s going through, wonders if she can do the same for him.

The Night Swimmers by Peter Rock
Twenty years after a young widow's disappearance, a man who went for mysterious but cathartic night swims with her on the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin in the 1990s revisits his memories of that summer and uncovers clues to her fate.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Good things happen at the lake. That's what Alice's grandmother says, and it's true....Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she's most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she's been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry's Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

The Suite Spot by Trish Doller 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Moving across the country to an island on Lake Erie for a manager position at a brewery, single mother Rachel instead finds a handsome, moody man who offers her the chance to help build a hotel -- and rebuild her own life -- from the ground up.

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady 🌶️🌶️🌶️
When she learns that Camp Chickawah will be sold, director Jessie plans one last hurrah, inviting past campers - including her former best friend Hilary - to a nostalgic “adult summer camp.” The two rebuild their friendship as they relive the best time of their lives. Straitlaced Hillary agrees to a "no strings attached" summer fling with the camp chef, while outgoing Jessie is drawn to a moody, reclusive writer who's rented a cabin to work on his novel. The friends soon realize this doesn't have to be the last summer. They'll team up and work together, just like the old days. But if they can't save their beloved camp, will they be able to take the happiness of this summer away with them?

Note: For romance novels, the chili peppers denote the steaminess, or spice level, of a book's romantic/intimate elements; visit https://www.romance.io/steamrating for the key.

Annotations from Novelist - find your next great read with NovelistPlus!

New Releases - July 2026 Edition

Check out these highly anticipated new releases featuring fiction and nonfiction titles. Click on the title to request a copy or get your name on the waitlist. Don’t forget to watch for more featured releases next month, and check out WPL's Reader's Corner for more book suggestions!

NONFICTION

Aging Out: An Exploration of Caregiving, Community, and How Americans Grow Old by Lucy Schiller 
Schiller, a nonfiction writing professor at Texas Tech, debuts with a moving examination of the complex reality of growing old in the U.S. After her grandmother died of Covid-19, Schiller's grief was complicated by others' assumptions that the loss was somehow less significant because of her grandmother's age. Schiller set out to learn about myriad facets of aging, including the increase in for-profit nursing homes and assisted living facilities (with a median annual cost of $110,000), the rising costs of healthcare (one retired couple she interviewed said they spend about $1,055 per month for Medicare, gap coverage, and supplemental prescription plans), and attempts to address social isolation, including a company that advertises the services of college students as "grandkids on-demand." What emerges is a series of intersecting crises that disproportionately impact the most marginalized elders. While activist groups have worked to improve the conditions that led to "the political and social carving out of old age as separate," which has "allowed for its commodification," Schiller writes, significant challenges remain. Weaving broad social analysis with personal insights, Schiller unpacks a complicated subject with curiosity and empathy. It's a deeply human portrayal of what it means to get older in a society unprepared to care for its most vulnerable. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

How to Kill a Language: Power, Resistance, and the Race to Save Our Words by Sophia Smith Galer 
The number of languages that have ever existed is placed at between 31,000 and 140,000, but at most only 4,000 will remain by the 22nd century, about half of the current total. Moreover, many of them will not have died natural deaths but been killed off, according to this erudite exploration of "systemic... linguicide." As journalist Smith Galer (Losing It) explains, the loss is more profound than many realize: "Languages aren't dictionaries, but encyclopedias, containing entire worlds of often irreplaceable information." She cites the fascinating case of prostratin, an enzyme derived from the bark of the mamala tree in Samoa that helps treat HIV; prostratin only reached the wider world because of the work of an ethnobotanist who learned about it from conversing in Samoan. As for how and why languages are intentionally destroyed, it comes down to conquest and exploitation: "Just as history is written by the winners, languages often tend to be spoken by them, too." Smith Galer weaves together heart-wrenching accounts of those who have suffered linguicide--such as 19th-century Irish schoolchildren who were "forced to wear tally sticks around their necks, notched for every time they spoke their native Celtic languages"--and interviews with people around the world attempting to reclaim and protect local dialects and languages today. It makes for a spirited reconsideration of language as a natural resource that must be protected. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

Fierce Country: The Untold Story of Three Women Who Ignited America's Love for the Wild by Heather Hansman
Journalist Hansman (Powder Days) makes a convincing case that three largely forgotten women did more to shape America's love of the outdoors than history has recognized. The three women shared a fierce, uncompromising commitment to nature, even when it cost them credibility, comfort, and companionship. Georgie White, drawn to the Grand Canyon in the 1940s after her daughter's death, began recreationally swimming and floating down rapids, more or less creating river-rafting tourism in the process. Anne LaBastille, raised in the 1930s and '40s in a New Jersey suburb where she was pressured to "pursue polite indoor activities," became one of the Adirondacks' most passionate and controversial conservationists, driven by an ache for solitude. Dolores LaChapelle, one of the first female backcountry skiers, survived an avalanche in 1963 and was inspired to ask what it means to give oneself over entirely to a landscape. Hansman draws on psychotherapist Maureen Murdock's concept of the heroine's journey to reveal that these women's stories follow a different arc than the classic male hero's--one marked less by conquest than by spiritual communion with the natural world. She is at her best when exploring her subjects' complexity, acknowledging, for example, that LaBastille clung to her unique status as a female wilderness expert and often minimized other women. It's a nuanced and vivid portrait of pioneering outdoorswomen. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly

 

FICTION

An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton 

Cleeton (The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes) delivers a heartrending yet hopeful story of an astronaut's wife holding on to her husband's memory in the wake of a mission gone wrong. In 1968 Cape Kennedy, Fla., Vivian Mitchell faces her worst fear: her husband Joe's Moon-bound shuttle has lost contact with mission control. As Vivian struggles to come to grips with NASA's report that he and the rest of the crew are lost in space, she seeks to counter suggestions that Joe, the mission's commander, is responsible for its failure. To that end, she agrees to an on-air interview with TV news anchor Graham Carlson, whom she once dated when she was a budding journalist in Washington, D.C., and explains that she hopes to prevent future mishaps by holding NASA accountable. Meanwhile, Vivian begins finding mysterious handwritten messages that seem to be from Joe. One of them reads, "Wait for me," prompting her to seek answers from a scientist who has written about wormholes and time travel. Cleeton drives the narrative forward with her well-crafted time travel conceit and touching depictions of Joe and Vivian's once in a lifetime love. Readers won't want to miss this.-- Kevan Lyon. Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly.

The Great Wherever by Shannon Sanders

Award-winning short-story author Sanders (Company, 2023) returns with a debut novel that is part family saga, part historical fiction, part ghost story, and entirely captivating. We meet Aubrey Lamb on the night her boyfriend of four years ends things and just a year after losing her father. As she struggles to cope and navigate multiple jobs to afford her life in Washington, DC, the inheritance of a family farm in Tennessee offers not only a distraction from her heartbreak, but also an opportunity to connect with her extended family. As Aubrey contemplates the future of her family's land, the complicated and fraught origins of her heritage are told through the story of her great-grandfather. Throughout the novel, the ghosts of her ancestors observe the daily lives of their descendants and the story unfolds under their watchful eyes. Sanders expertly portrays familial relationships, imbuing her characters with pathos and humor as they grapple with the complexities of family legacy. Give to readers of The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois (2021), by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. Copyright 2026 Booklist.

Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw
Clay Lockhart carries his wife's body to the cliffside to bury her in the midst of a ferocious storm. The power of the storm and his heartbreak combine to make his piece of land split off Scotland's coastline and be set adrift as an island. Decades later, 12-year-old Ellie Mills is sent to live with her grandmother in Nova Scotia. One stormy night, she spots a light at sea and rows out, expecting a stranded sailor. Instead, she finds the lost island and Clay, unchanged since the night his wife died. Ellie returns home hours later to discover an entire week has passed. Twenty years on, Ellie has nearly convinced herself the island was a delusion until a podcaster calls with photo and video evidence of its reappearance. When Ellie finally sees it again, she swims out and becomes stranded with Clay, who still has not aged. Adrift together on their small lost island, they watch the world shift around them. VERDICT Ernshaw (A History of Wild Places) crafts a haunting tale of love, time, and climate anxiety. Fans of Matt Haig's How To Stop Time and Charlotte McConaghy's Wild Dark Shore will be entranced.--Kerri Copus. Copyright 2026 Library Journal.

WPL’s Book Club books are passkeys to other worlds. To ancient times, to foreign countries, to new knowledge, to alternate ways of thinking, and sometimes, literally, to galaxies far, far away. 

And what could be better than reading? Sharing your reactions with your fellow readers!

WPL currently hosts three book clubs: 

Librarian Olivia leads our Snacks and Suspects: True Crime Book Club, Librarian Dot leads our Best Sellers and Bites: Popular Fiction Book Club, and Librarian Melody leads our Science Fiction Book Club. 

I [Melody] interviewed Olivia and Dot about their experiences in their respective clubs, and added my own thoughts about the SF Book Club. 

Here is what we three wanted to share (lightly edited): 

Health and Fitness Resources at WPL

Whether your health and fitness goals are to move more, eat more nutrient-dense foods, or reduce stress, sugar, or alcohol, Worcester Public Library is here to help! We offer a variety of fitness and health related classes and workshops--on site and in-person--as well as online asynchronous fitness classes and online health resources available 24/7. Our Library of Things has outdoor games and health and fitness equipment for at-home use, and our circulating collections range from government publications on health topics to books, DVDS, and audiobooks on self-help topics, diseases and conditions, cookbooks to support a variety of diets, fitness resources, and sports and recreation titles.

In-Person Programs and Events

The Worcester Public Library offers a range of classes and workshops, from Zumba to probiotic pickling to aromatherapy for health and relaxation. Popular recurring programs follow; preview a complete list of health and wellness activities this summer, or visit our online calendar.

De-stress with Dogs with Tufts Paws for People! - Visit with a registered* therapy dog to bring a little rest and relaxation to your day. Therapy animals* are generally privately owned pets who are brought by their handlers to places to bring joy and smiles.

Nutrition Classes with Judy Palken, Registered Dietitian - This summer, Judy will be offering programs on diet and lifestyle changes you can make to control diabetes (and to prevent it); food choices to stabilize mood and increase feelings of well-being while  avoiding energy crashes and emotional distress; and a session on our history with alcohol and how to enjoy it responsibly. 

Zumba with Alina Khaspekov, certified Zumba instructor - Zumba  is a high energy, calorie-burning fitness class that uses pop and Latin music to create a dance-party atmosphere. Low-intensity and high-intensity moves are easy to follow for all level participants who can set their own pace.  It is an effective and fun cardio workout that melts fat, strengthens core, and improves flexibility.

Online Resources, available 24/7

Craft and Hobby's Fitness Classes
Not ready to Zumba with other people? Our Craft and Hobby database has a collection of short workout videos, from cardio to beginning ballet to yoga, all of which can be done in the privacy of your own space. Modules are short, instructors are professionals, and a variety of topics allows exploration of  contemporary dance, chair yoga, and ballroom dance. Access Craft & Hobby from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or in the library -- just keep your headphones on if you're dancing in our stacks!

Health Databases

Many health researchers start off with Dr. Google, but may not realize the first results are AI generated content or ads. How do you wade through the muck to find accurate, authoritative, vetted health information? Starting your search in a health database provides encyclopedic articles, multimedia resources, peer-reviewed research studies, and evidence-based news results--without AI, and ad-free! 

America's News Magazines has a variety of articles from selected publications - here are some health and fitness related highlights from within the database. You can read issues by date, or search across 20+ years of archives. Access from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or within the library directly.

BioPharm International integrates of science and business of biopharmaceutical development, and manufacturing. This collection provides practical, peer-reviewed technical articles to enable biopharmaceutical professionals to perform their jobs more effectively and make both sound business and technical decisions.

Children's Guide: Harvard Health provides expert, evidence-based guidance on child development, and family wellness in lay-person language for parents and caregivers.

Diagnostic Tests and Surgical Procedures: Harvard Health offers detailed explanations of common Diagnostic Tests and Medical Procedures: blood work, X-rays to advanced imaging, and biopsies, with expert advice on screenings for preventative care.

Harvard Health Newsletters provides overviews on everything from hair loss to gut health to natural remedies (palmetto for prostate health?) to cardiac care at home.

Harvard Medical School Guides provides information on all kinds of health-related topics for the general public, on all kinds of health-related topics: plant-based eating, total hip replacements, emotional intelligence, weight-loss medications, migraines.

Gale Databases are accessible in full-text from anywhere in the Commonwealth, with general interest magazines and professional academic articles.

Gale OneFile: Health & Medicine is a resource for the general public--search a full range of health-related issues, from current disease and disorder information to alternative medical practices. Browse by topic, search by keyword, or limit to a specific publication. Access from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or within the library directly.

Gale OneFile: Nursing and Allied Health is a resource for nursing students and nursing professionals working in the field with full-text academic articles to support specialized care, treatment, and patient management.  Access from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or within the library directly.

Gale OneFile: Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine is a resource with academic articles on sports medicine, physical therapy and fitness. Access from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or within the library directly.

Gale OneFile: Psychology is a resource for professionals and consumers, with academic research in all fields of psychology: abnormal, biological, cognitive, comparative, developmental, personality, quantitative, social, and all areas of applied psychology.  Access from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or within the library directly.

Consumer Reports offers product reviews on health and wellness items like insect repellent, sunscreen, athletic shoes, and adhesive bandages, medical devices like hearing aids and rollators, and quality of life improvement items like bathroom scales and air filters. There is also a Health section on the database,  as well as expert articles on topics like yoga, supplements, vaccinations, and more Access from home, work, or school with your WPL card, or within the library directly.

Library of Things

The Worcester Public Library has a variety of toys, games, equipment and kits to allow consumers to try before they buy, or borrow items to improve their quality of life, from bike locks to wifi hotspots, to musical instruments. If our metal detector gets you out and walking the beach, it's a win-win! Preview the complete collection  at mywpl.libguides.com/WPLlibraryofthings, or select from the following categories:

• Wellness tools like a blood pressure cuff, a grip strength trainer, and a light therapy lamp; 
• Outdoor recreation equipment like a hammock for relaxing, binoculars for birding, and telescopes for stargazing; 
• Outdoor games like croquet, badminton, and bocce for light physical activity in your own backyard;
• Yard and gardening tools to create a space that feels healthy and happy. 

Collections

158 - Our self-help collection offers materials on psychology, positive affirmations, increasing self-esteem, transcendental meditation, and more.

300 - underlying social, political, and policy aspects of medical issues  and health care (poverty, racism).

610-618 - traditional and alternative therapies for a variety of topics, including body systems, specific diseases and disorders, nutrition, yoga, essential oils, sleep, and more.

641 - cookbooks for a variety of diets: let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food with cookbooks featuring low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar, gluten free, paleo, and other eating plans to potentially reduce disease, lower inflammation, and control symptoms.

790 - sports and recreation, including how to play/rules of the game for sportsball, and materials on swimming, fishing, and camping.

917 - travel guides to locations in New England to walk, hike, canoe and kayak.

While the library staff cannot give medical advice, we are here to help you find resources to improve your health and well-being, with your dignity preserved, privacy prioritized, and confidentiality guaranteed. Visit during open hours, or use our Ask a Librarian service to get answers to your pressing health questions. Be well!