Summer Learning 2026 for Adults

A mix of new and recommended fiction and nonfiction titles.

Updated May 27, 2026
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Lewis and Clark Library Lewis and Clark Public Library
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Summer Learning 2026 for Adults

A mix of new and recommended fiction and nonfiction titles.

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Assyria : the rise and fall of the world's first empire
Frahm, Eckart
Paper Book
A new history of Assyria, the ancient civilization that set the model for future empires    At its height in 660 BCE, the kingdom of Assyria stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. It was the first empire the world had ever seen. Here,...
Atlas of a lost world : travels in ice age America
Childs, Craig
Paper Book
Scientists squabble over the locations and dates for human arrival in the New World. The first explorers were few, encampments fleeting. At some point in time, between twenty and forty thousand years ago, sea levels were low enough that a vast land bridge was exposed between Asia and North America....
Atlas of the World: Thirty-Second Edition
Paper Book
The only world atlas updated annually, Oxford's Atlas of the World is the most authoritative atlas on the market. Full of crisp, clear cartography of urban areas and natural landscapes around the globe, the Atlas contains maps of cities and regions at carefully selected scales that give a striking...
Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life
Jabr, Ferris
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A vivid account of a major shift in how we understand Earth, from an exceptionally talented new voice. Earth is not simply an inanimate planet on which life evolved, but rather a planet that came to life. "Glorious . . . full of achingly beautiful...
Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of History
Al-Rashid, Moudhy
Paper Book
Thousands of years ago, in a part of the world we now call ancient Mesopotamia, people began writing things down for the very first time. What they left behind, in a vast region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, preserves leaps in human ingenuity, like the earliest depiction of a...
The Decline and Fall of the Human Empire: Why Our Species Is on the Edge of Extinction
Gee, Henry
Paper Book
By the award-winning author of A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: a history of humanity on the brink of decline. A Next Big Idea Club Must-Read Selection We are living through a period that is unique in human history. For the first time in more...
Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Recreating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations
Kean, Sam
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Disappearing Spoon, a romp through the entire history of humankind-from 75,000 B.C. to the dawn of the modern age. From the mighty pyramids of Egypt to the majestic temples of the Aztec, we have a good idea of...
The dinosaur artist : obsession, betrayal, and the quest for Earth's ultimate trophy
Williams, Paige
Paper Book
In this 2018 New York Times Notable Book,Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia--a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science...
Dinosaur odyssey : fossil threads in the web of life
Sampson, Scott D.
Paper Book
This captivating book, laced with evocative anecdotes from the field, gives the first holistic, up-to-date overview of dinosaurs and their world for a wide audience of readers. Situating these fascinating animals in a broad ecological and evolutionary context, leading dinosaur expert Scott D....
Dinosaur thunder
David, James F.
Paper Book
Eighteen years ago, the prehistoric past collided with the present as time itself underwent a tremendous disruption, transporting huge swaths of the Cretaceous period into the twentieth century. Neighborhoods, towns, and cities were replaced by dense primeval jungles and modern humanity suddenly...
Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life
Dorling Kindersley Ltd. (COR)/ Smithsonian Institution (COR)
Paper Book
A comprehensive pocket guide to dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and the world they inhabited millions of years ago. Packed with more than seven hundred full-color illustrations, this definitive pocket guide paints a vivid portrait of extraordinary dinosaurs and prehistoric...
Dinosaurs without bones : dinosaur lives revealed by their trace fossils
Martin, Anthony J.
Paper Book
What if we woke up one morning all of the dinosaur bones in the world were gone? How would we know these iconic animals had a165-million year history on earth, and had adapted to all land-based environments from pole to pole? What clues would be left to discern not only their presence, but also to...
Dinosaurus : a prehistoric dictionary
Charles, Rhys
Paper Book
Dinosaurs, fossils, and reptiles, oh my... The whole family can become paleontology experts with this illustrated dictionary of 100+ terms for prehistoric animals! This delightful prehistoric dictionary defines more than 100 words and phrases alongside informative entries,...
Dragon teeth : a novel
Crichton, Michael
Paper Book
Michael Crichton, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Jurassic Park, returns to the world of paleontology in this recently discovered novel--a thrilling adventure set in the Wild West during the golden age of fossil hunting. The year is 1876. Warring Indian tribes still...
The Emerald Mile : the epic story of the fastest ride in history through the heart of the Grand Canyon
Fedarko, Kevin
Paper Book
From one of Outside magazine's "Literary All-Stars" comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever through the Grand Canyon, atop the legendary Colorado River flood of 1983. In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River...
Footprints : in search of future fossils
Farrier, David
Paper Book
A profound meditation on climate change and the Anthropocene and an urgent search for the fossils--industrial, chemical, geological--that humans are leaving behind What will the world look like in ten thousand years--or ten million? What kinds of stories will be told about...
Frostlines: A Journey Through Entangled Lives and Landscapes in a Warming Arctic
Shea, Neil
Paper Book
A Recommended Read from Yale Climate Connections "[Frostlines weaves] together natural history, indigenous perspective, and environmental transformation in the Arctic. The book helps bring a human story to the science of climate change."--Parade A...
Geology for dummies
Spooner, Alecia M.
Paper Book
Get a rock-solid grasp on geology Geology For Dummies is ideal reading for anyonewith an interest in the fundamental concepts of geology, whether they're lifelong learners with a fascination for the subject or college students interested in pursuing geology or earth sciences....
Jurassic Park : a novel
Crichton, Michael
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the author of Timeline, Sphere, and Congo, this is the classic thriller of science run amok that took the world by storm. Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's...
Lapidarium : the secret lives of stones
Judah, Hettie
Paper Book
Inspired by the lapidaries of the ancient world, this book is a beautifully designed collection of true stories about sixty different stones that have influenced our shared history The earliest scientists ground and processed minerals in a centuries-long quest for a mythic stone...
The last days of the dinosaurs : an asteroid, extinction, and the beginning of our world
Black, Riley
Paper Book
Winner of the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books! "This is top-drawer science writing." --Publishers Weekly, starred review In The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, Riley Black walks readers through what happened in the days, the...
The Lost Tomb: And Other Real-Life Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder
Preston, Douglas
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTELLER * A GOODREADS READER'S CHOICE AWARD FINALIST From the #1 bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God, a jaw-dropping discovery of an Egyptian tomb opens up a slew of archaeological mysteries and deadly tales...
The lost world
Crichton, Michael
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the author of Timeline, Sphere, and Congo comes the sequel to the smash-hit Jurassic Park, a thriller that's been millions of years in the making.   "Fast...
The map that changed the world : William Smith and the birth of modern geology
Winchester, Simon.
Paper Book
In 1793, British canal digger William Smith noticed that the rocks he was excavating were arranged in layers, and that the fossils found in one layer were very different from those found in another. Determined to create a map that would display this hidden underside of England, he spent 20 years...
The Mesopotamian Riddle : An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman, and the Race to Decipher the World's Oldest Writing
Hammer, Joshua
Paper Book
An "adventure tale for puzzle lovers and Indiana Jones fans alike" (The Washington Post) following three free-spirited Victorians on their twenty-year quest to decipher cuneiform, the oldest writing in the world--from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bad-Ass...
The Monster's Bones : The Discovery of T. Rex and How It Shook Our World
Randall, David K.
Paper Book
In the dust of the Gilded Age Bone Wars, two vastly different men emerge with a mission to fill the empty halls of New York's struggling American Museum of Natural History: Henry Fairfield Osborn, a privileged socialite whose reputation rests on the museum's success, and intrepid Kansas-born...
The National Audubon Society field guide to North American fossils
Thompson, Ida.
Paper Book
The most comprehensive field guide available to North American fossils--a must-have for any enthusiast's day pack or home library--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers. Featuring a durable vinyl binding and over 500 stunning identification photographs...
Origin : a genetic history of the Americas
Raff, Jennifer
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! From celebrated anthropologist Jennifer Raff comes the untold story--and fascinating mystery--of how humans migrated to the Americas. ORIGIN is the story of who the first peoples...
Otherlands : A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds
Halliday, Thomas
Paper Book
*SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES CROPPER WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING* *LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE* Shortlisted for Waterstones's "Book of the Year 2022" One of:The New Yorker's "The Best Books of 2022 So Far" ...
Painless earth science
Denecke, Edward J.
Paper Book
Whether you're a student or an adult looking to refresh your knowledge, Barron's Painless Earth Science provides review and practice in an easy, step-by-step format. Perfect for: Virtual Learning Homeschool Learning pods ...
The rise and fall of the dinosaurs : a new history of a lost world
Brusatte, Stephen
Paper Book
"THE ULTIMATE DINOSAUR BIOGRAPHY," hails Scientific American: A thrilling new history of the age of dinosaurs, from one of our finest young scientists. "A masterpiece of science writing." --Washington Post A New York Times Bestseller * Goodreads Choice Awards ...
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals : A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us
Brusatte, Steve
Paper Book
By the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, a "brilliant" and "beautifully told" new natural history of mammals, illuminating the lost story of the extraordinary family tree that led to us [New Scientist; The Times UK] ...
Set in stone
Woodhouse, Kimberley
Paper Book
A dangerous scheme could bury their long-held dreams forever. . . . From the time she was little, Martha Jankowski has been digging in the dirt, much to the dismay of her mother. Now she dreams of being a paleontologist and is determined to make her parents proud by uncovering the next big...
A short history of nearly everything
Bryson, Bill.
Paper Book
A wonder-filled quest to understand everything that has happened in the history of the earth, from the Big Bang theory to the rise of civilization and beyond--revised to reflect the last two decades of scientific advancement. How did we get from being nothing at all to where we...
Some assembly required : decoding four billion years of life, from ancient fossils to DNA
Shubin, Neil
Ebook
An exciting and accessible new view of the evolution of human and animal life on Earth. From the author of national bestseller, Your Inner Fish, this extraordinary journey of discovery spans centuries, as explorers and scientists seek to understand the origins of life's immense diversity.<...
The story of birds : a new history from their dinosaur origins to today
Brusatte, Stephen
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ​​​ From the renowned paleontologist and bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, a sweeping evolutionary history of birds, from their dinosaur origins to the 10,000+ extraordinary species...
Them Bones: A McKenzie Novel
Housewright, David
Paper Book
A stolen dinosaur skull is at the center of a complex mystery laid at the feet of unofficial P.I. Rushmore McKenzie. There are two things that Rushmore McKenzie hates to turn down--a request from a friend and a challenge. Both of them show up in his wife's nightclub in the...
Thunder horse : a Gabriel du Pre mystery
Bowen, Peter
Ebook
"A terrific writer . . . Thunder Horse makes this reviewer want to race to the bookstore for the rest of the Gabriel Du Pré series" ( Rocky Mountain News).   Usually it takes more than one beer to make the Toussaint Saloon shake. When the...
Time song : journeys in search of a submerged land
Blackburn, Julia
Paper Book
**SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT GOLDEN BEER BOOK PRIZE 2019** **SHORTLISTED FOR THE HESSELL-TILTMAN PRIZE FOR HISTORY 2020** Julia Blackburn has always collected things that hold stories about the past, especially the very distant past- mammoth...
Tyrannosaur Canyon
Preston, Douglas J.
Paper Book
A moon rock missing for thirty years... Five buckets of blood-soaked sand found in a New Mexico canyon... A scientist with ambition enough to kill... A monk who will redeem the world... A dark agency with a deadly mission... The greatest scientific discovery of all time... What fire bolt from the...
Under Jerusalem : The Buried History of the World's Most Contested City
Lawler, Andrew
Paper Book
A spellbinding history of the hidden world below the Holy City-a saga of biblical treasures, intrepid explorers, and political upheaval "A sweeping tale of archaeological exploits and their cultural and political consequences told with a historian's penchant for detail and a...
The Whispers of Rock: The Stories That Stone Tells about Our World and Our Lives
Khatwa, Anjana
Paper Book
A geologist's revelatory account of how our planet's seemingly inert bones pulse with unexpected vitality "Poetic and heartfelt."--Robert Macfarlane, author of Is a River Alive? A New Scientist Best Book of the Year
Why dinosaurs matter
Lacovara, Kenneth
Paper Book
What can extinct dinosaurs teach us about our future? Plenty, according to paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara, who has discovered some of the largest creatures to ever walk the Earth. By tapping into the ubiquitous wonder that dinosaurs inspire, Lacovara weaves together the stories...
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