Month: April 2023

Short Takes!

Not all stories need to be long to pack a punch. Check out these great titles available on audio lasting less than 10 hours. Bird theft, pirates, romance, biography, and so much more are explored in these awesome audio book options.

The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson

Fans of true crime and quirky history will enjoy this remarkably interesting story of some dead birds stolen. Johnsons interest in this case is clear as he engages the reader with his engrossing storytelling.

eAudiobook

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

Mary Roach reads her book in this audio; Roach is witty and engaging as she explores questions like what to do when animals break human laws? Her well-researched book takes the reader all over the world as she speaks to professionals of different disciplines to find answers.

Audiobook

Fable by Adrienne Young

If you are looking for an audio adventure with pirates, deep sea diving, fantasy, and romance this is for you. Adrienne Young writes beautiful atmosphere, slow–burn romance, and interesting characters, follow Fable as she works to have her rightful place next to her father.

eAudiobook

Finding Me by Viola Davis

Viola Davis reads this award-winning audiobook about her life and success. Davis is honest and open as she examines the child she was and the events and people that shaped her. She does not shy from the hard stuff or the ugly in life, well worth a read that Davis hopes will inspire.

Audiobook

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

A great pick for book lovers, this audio is witty and bittersweet with quirky characters and brilliant critiques of classic stories.

eAudiobook

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

This popular contemporary, friends-to-lovers romance audio is a fun, uplifting, and spicy story. Helen Hoang’s characters are diverse and inspired by personal experience.

Audiobook

HPLD Wins 2 Financial Awards

HPLD Once Again Receives Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting AND Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

That’s right!

Forget the Oscars!

Grammy who?

HPLD continues to clean up when it comes to Government Finance Officers Association awards, the only awards that really matter!

First up, we’ve got the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Some of the standards include

…demonstrating a constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure’ to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

Well, not too bad, eh? It’s no small feat to create a financial report that’s meant for people to actually read!

Then we’ve got our Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

According to GFOA:

This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. Its attainment represents a significant achievement by your organization.

You read that right: The HIGHEST form of recognition in governmental budgeting.

If it sounds like we’re bragging, it’s because we are.

Our Finance department, or, as we call them, Natalie and Hannah, do an awesome job of keeping track of where the money is coming from, where it goes, and how to make the best possible use of it.

And if you’re not excited about this, GET EXCITED. Because it’s your money!

That cash they’re handling doesn’t just come from some angel investor or some kind of eccentric billionaire or some well-used object that granted one of our previous Executive Directors with three wishes—it comes from you!

So let’s all give it up for our Finance Department, who aren’t only doing a great job managing your money, they’re also doing a great job doing it in a transparent, ethical, well-reported way!

All Kinds of Minds

Did you know April is Autism Acceptance Month? First held in 1972 by the Autism Society, Autism Acceptance Month emphasizes the need for public awareness to promote acceptance, celebrate differences, and be more inclusive towards the autistic individuals around us. Autism advocate Temple Grandin has stated to solve real-world issues, “the world is gonna need all the different kinds of minds to work together”. To learn more about your Neurodiverse counterparts or perhaps yourself, check out this list of science-based non-fiction and own voices memoirs. Maybe together we can begin to foster a world of understanding, problem-solving, and support for all who inhabit it.

*Please note: Asperger’s Syndrome has traditionally been considered a ‘milder’ form of Autism. The current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is a diagnostical guide for mental health professionals, lumps both Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism together under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, this change happened only 10 years ago. There are people in the autistic community who feel like Asperger’s Syndrome correctly describes their diagnosis and who they are as a person. Because of this and the recent changes to the DSM, the term Asperger’s Syndrome is used in this list.*

The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek

Grandin is a famous Autism advocate, academic, and animal behaviorist. Autistic herself, she weaves her experiences with new discoveries about the Autistic brain from neuroimaging, genetic research, and much more. Grandin also discusses the raising and educating of kids on the spectrum by breaking down how they think and experience the world. She argues against focusing on their weaknesses and shows how their strengths can foster unique contributions to the world.

Book / eBook /Audiobook (CD) / eAudiobook

NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman

A Baillie Gifford Prize winner, this accessible piece of science writing reveals the untold story of the father of Asperger’s Syndrome and other unknown aspects of Autism history. Weaved into the historical accounts of clinical work and theories are a plethora of sympathetic stories of parents and their Autistic children. Silberman argues for the concept of neurodiversity, comments on the emergence of Autistic-run organizations, and a growing civil rights movement that seeks to help Autistic people and their families live productive and secure lives.

Book / Audiobook (CD) / eAudiobook

The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman’s Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way Home by Katherine May

Katherine May recounts her time spent walking the 630-mile South West Coast Path in England, and all the challenges that came with it. Amongst this backdrop, May questions why she stopped coping with everyday life, her struggles with motherhood, and why she can’t meet others’ expectations. The farther she walks the more the answer begins to unfold, until she comes to the realization that she has Asperger’s Syndrome. May then re-evaluates her life, comes to terms with her diagnosis, and allows herself to be who she is.

Book / eAudiobook

Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic: A Comedian’s Guide to Life on the Spectrum by Michael McCreary

McCreary was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age five, not long after his younger brother. His memoir shows the hilarious sides of growing up with sensory issues, hypersensitivity, fixations, and quirks. It also documents his difficulties navigating school, friendships, and relationships with girls. These experiences lead to a journaling habit that turned his pain into something empowering and funny. Using this and his urge to perform, McCreary scored his first stand-up gig at 14 and hasn’t looked back.

Book / eBook

Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price, PHD

Thought-provoking and candid, Price explores the phenomenon of masking. You might be asking what masking is. Masking is when Autistic people hide their identifiably Autistic traits to fit in. Price, a social psychologist, professor, and proud Autistic person, encourages Autistic people to embrace a new understanding of themselves. This book is great for Autistic folks who want to learn to unmask (helpful exercises are housed within) and for those wanting to understand their Autistic friends and family.

Book

Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum by Jennifer Cook O’Toole

This memoir dives into the life of Jennifer O’Toole, who at the age of thirty-five was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. While this came as a shock, for the first time in her life things made sense. Geared towards girls and women on the spectrum, this book looks at the gendered ways in which Autism presents itself by using examples from her life. *Diagnostic tools have long reflected traits more prevalent in men and boys, which leads to women and girls being under or misdiagnosed* It also aims to help others view Autism as “a neurological, not pathological, profile”.

Book / eBook / eAudiobook

I Overcame My Autism and All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder by Sarah Kurchak

Sarah is autistic. She didn’t let it get in the way of any of her dreams, but she did let it get in the way of her being in the same room as someone chewing loudly. Kurchak examines her undiagnosed childhood, how she became “an autistic success story”, and how it almost ruined her life. Stuck with depression and anxiety because of her masking, she considers what might make the lives of autistic people healthier, happier, and more fulfilling.

Book / eBook / eAudiobook

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison

Not being able to recognize common social cues, body language, or facial expressions makes it hard for a child to get along with their peers. Add an alcoholic father and disturbed mother into the mix and you’ve got a painful childhood. Robison describes this in his candid memoir, and the solace he found in fixing broken audiovisual equipment which led to a fruitful career fixing things. After being diagnosed with Asperger’s at age forty, he sets off on a new mission to help those with Asperger’s realize it’s not a disease but a way of being.

Book / Large Print / eBook / eAudiobook

We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia

This impassioned and issue-oriented book, Garcia combines his experiences with being Autistic with an overview of how America is failing Autistic children and adults. He focuses on seven areas where attitudes, policies, or both must improve: work, housing, education, health care, relationships, gender, and race. Having worked as a journalist in Washington D.C., he’s particularly great at demystifying government programs that affect Autistic people, like Medicaid’s Home-and-Community-based Services waivers.

Book / eBook / eAudiobook