Georgetown
Neighborhood Library

Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society by Cordelia Fine

Sex and Sexuality from Girlhood to Womanhood

To say that sex and gender play a complex role in the lives of everyday Americans would be an understatement. Not everyone believes that America is a patriarchy: a society where men hold the majority of power. However, many girls and women feel that the patriarchy is not only real but also impacts their daily lives, especially the romantic and sexual aspects. For young women, puberty marks important physical changes to their bodies, and standards of beauty and standards of behavior for both genders are often set by the patriarchy. Everyone seems to want a say in what wo

What Should the Georgetown Book Club Read Next?

Vote here for upcoming selections

It is time again for the Georgetown Book Club to add to its reading list. If you are a current or prospective member, please review the titles listed below and vote in the poll at the bottom of this post. The poll will close on Thursday, September 14 at 5 p.m., and the five titles with the most votes will be added to the group's reading list. The choices are

Young Adult Books Set At Summer Camp

Summer is winding down, which means it's almost time for everyone to go back to school, and vacation season is wrapping up. As fall arrives, some bibliophiles may cling to books set in summer as a reminder of the season of cookouts and beach days. When I was a child, I was fortunate enough to attend summer camp for numerous summers of my life. While these camps may have only lasted two weeks, I'd learn skills related to music and writing, and leave with friendships I still hold onto today.

Teens

More Friendships Between Women

Recent fiction focused on female bonds

Previous Read Feed entry Friendships Between Women highlights titles featuring authentic depictions of friendships between two women. The novels collected here, published since the release of that list, echo its titles in that they all skillfully portray the close bonds between pairs of women. More specifically, they capture the way that deep connections between women can contain tension alongside affection and thereby can prove nourishing one moment, challenging the next.

YA Around the World

A List of Young Adult Novels Set Around the World

There a lot of amazing young adult books that are set right here in America. While these books can serve as mirrors for some teens by representing characters and settings to which they can relate, books that act as windows into the lives of other teenagers and cultures are also important. Plus, for those who are unable to travel foreign countries, sometimes being able to read about them can be one of the next best things. Below is a list of seven different young adult novels set around the world.

Teens

After Austen

A List of Jane Austen Retellings

My introduction to Jane Austen began the summer before my sophomore year of high school when one of the books I could choose to read for school was Sense and Sensibility, which I found highly enjoyable. I was immediately prepared to read more of Austen's work, particularly since my mother had always loved watching adaptions of it.

On Pointe

Literary Fiction about Ballet

As an art form, ballet is complex -- blending grace and power, beauty and control. This complexity shapes the demands that ballet makes on those involved in its production, particularly dancers, as well as the rewards that they can achieve and in these many and various tensions and triumphs, there is opportunity for nuanced narratives, making the world of ballet an apt setting for Literary Fiction.

Movie of the Month!

A Film Series for Adults

Come see the season's must-see film at the library: Get Out Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 6 p.m. A speculative thriller from director Jordan Peele. When a young black man visits his white girlfriend's family estate, he becomes ensnared in a more sinister real reason for the invitation. c. 2017, 104 minutes, Rated R For more information, call 202-727-0232.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Teens In Space

As a child, I fantasized about being an astronaut, or even just going to space camp. In my adult years, this prospect sounds absolutely terrifying, especially after seeing Gravity and The Martian.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Young Adult Retellings of the Classics

Reimaginings of Classic Literature for Teens

Although the library constantly gets wonderful new fiction, classic literature continues to circulate well. Even readers who have not picked up a classic recently have likely read one for school. For readers who may not find the classics accessible, or just want something different, we have a variety of novels that retell classic literature. This list focuses on retellings that are written for young adults.