the aves
ACT Contemporary Theatre and Seattle Shakespeare Company have come together as Union Arts Center to present "the aves" from April 18 to May 3, 2026. Librarians at Seattle Public Library created this list of books and films to enhance your experience of the show. Annotations provided by publisher unless otherwise noted.
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Amour
A touching tale of a loving couple whose unbreakable bonds of marriage are tested by life's greatest challenge.
Format: Blu-ray Disc
Availability: Available
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A Perfect Day to Be Alone
"When her mother moves to China, 20-year-old Chizu settles into her quirky relative's Tokyo home, where solitude, part-time jobs and fleeting relationships shows her how to gradually find strength and independence in the new rhythms of her everyday life."
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
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Elizabeth Is Missing
"When Maud, an aging grandmother who is slowly losing her memory, is convinced that her best friend Elizabeth is missing and in terrible danger, she becomes obsessed with saving her beloved friend despite the fact that no one believes her."
Format: Streaming Video
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An Artist of the Floating World
"This is the story of an artist as an aging man, struggling through the wreckage of Japan's World War II experience. Ishiguro's first novel." (NoveList Plus)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
"Johnston's first novel is a heartwarming story about growing old, grief, and learning to navigate life's many challenges." (Library Journal)
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
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Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune
"Inheriting her grandmother's restaurant in a crumbling San Francisco Chinatown neighborhood, Natalie Tan is advised by the local seer to prepare three recipes from her grandmother's cookbook to help their struggling community." (NoveList Plus)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Is A River Alive?
Is a River Alive? is a joyful, mind-expanding exploration of an ancient, urgent idea: that rivers are living beings who should be recognized as such in imagination and law.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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It's Not All Downhill From Here
"Confident that her best days are still ahead, a successful businesswoman relies on close friends and her resourcefulness when an unexpected loss turns her world upside down." (NoveList Plus)
Format: Large Print
Availability: Available
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This Music May Contain Hope
"Four-time Grammy Award-nominated global superstar RAYE is releasing her highly anticipated sophomore album This Music May Contain Hope. The album, set in 4 "seasons" with each side of the vinyl being a different season, takes listeners on a sonic journey that begins with darkness and ends with light."
Format: Music CD
Availability: All copies in use
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Tōkyō monogatari
A self-centered couple is inconvenienced by a parental visit. When the mother falls ill, her children hasten to be with her.
Format: DVD
Availability: All copies in use
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