One Book, One Community

The idea of everybody reading one book was developed by librarian Nancy Pearl in Seattle in 1998, and spread rapidly across the country. Northern Kentucky One Book, One Community is a "reading program built around the shared experience of people reading and talking about the same book. Through public and private discussions, the program promotes a sense of community by facilitating the enjoyment of a great story."

This year's book choice is The Jazz Bird by Craig Holden, a gripping historical thriller based on the true story of Cincinnati lawyer turned bootlegger George Remus, who was put on trial for the murder of his wife Imogene. The story starts as Remus goes to turn himself into the police and chooses to act as his own defense lawyer against prosecutor Charlie Taft, son of former president William Howard Taft. As the trial proceeds, George and Imogene's life together is told through flashbacks- how they met, Imogene becoming "the jazz bird", their acquired fortune, the lavish and opulent parties they held, and the imprisonment of Remus that pulled them apart. Set in 1920s Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, The Jazz Bird is an evocative noir period piece, filled with local mystery, history, and crime.

KCPL will be hosting a series of Jazz Bird book discussions- please join us!

At Erlanger:
Monday, Oct. 5 at 7pm
Monday, Oct. 19 at 2pm
Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7pm
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7pm

At Covington:
Monday, Oct. 26 at 7pm

You should also check out our many 1920s themed programs in October and November. More information is available on the Northern Kentucky One Book, One Community website.

One True Thing

"At the end she was both child and mother, both teacher and student, both strength and supplicant."

Anna Quindlin, One True Thing

When I decide on a book to read, I am often influenced by my mood. Perhaps I'm in the mood to laugh out loud, or work on a puzzling mystery, or to have chills run down my spine. But sometimes I just want a book to create a visceral response- joy, anger, sadness- a genuine feeling of connection.

One True Thing by Anna Quindlin is an intimate and emotional story of a daughter who becomes the caregiver for her dying mother. At her father's insistence, 24 year old Ellen leaves her career and moves home because her mother has been diagnosed with cancer. Unsure in her nursing abilities and never comfortable dealing with feelings, the close proximity and shortness of time force Ellen into really seeing her mother's life, understanding it. And as her mother becomes sicker, and in pain, Ellen is forced to make the decision- does her mother have the right to die? Although the book may be difficult to read because of it's intense emotions, it is beautifully written and amazingly insightful.

Don't Wait! Thrillers for right now

It's finally here! The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown arrived on September 15th. The fast paced follow up to Angels and Demons and the mega popular Da Vinci Code, the story features Robert Langdon (our favorite symbologist) deciphering mysterious codes and racing through 12 tension filled hours in Washington, D.C.

If you've requested The Lost Symbol and are waiting for your copy, or loved The Da Vinci Code and want to read more books featuring intrigue, secrets, adventure, puzzles, and conspiracies, here are some reading suggestions:

Steve Berry - The Templar Legacy; The Charlemagne Pursuit; The Amber Room
Ian Caldwell & Dustin Thomason - The Rule of Four
John Case - The Eighth Day; The Genesis Code
Umberto Eco - The Name of the Rose
Katherine Neville - The Eight; The Fire
Jonathan Rabb - The Book of Q; The Overseer
Javier Sierra - The Secret Supper
Daniel Silva - The Kill Artist; The Confessor

Look for these titles and others by the listed authors. Hold on to your hats, the ride is about to start!

If Chins Could Kill

After we took the final AP English exam in 12th grade, there were still 3 weeks of school left. The teacher told us we could watch two movies during the last classes. He chose The Lion in Winter, a classic play which was turned into a great film. And one of the students brought in The Evil Dead starring Bruce Campbell. Not what you'd call an educational film, but it did make me a lifelong fan of Bruce.

If Chins could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor is not only Bruce Campbell's autobiography, but a fabulous and funny tale about the "countless working stiffs... out there, grinding away every day at the wheel of fortune." Raised in Detroit, Bruce starts working with Sam Raimi on 8mm movies in high school. They raise funds, produce, write, direct, act and do their own stunts. Devoted to making films any way they can, Bruce and Sam collaborate on the low budget Evil Dead movie, which turns out not only to be a success, but spawns two other films in a highly popular series. The book conveys the spirit of commitment and determination needed to make a truly independent film. And page 108 has a useful recipe for fake blood- it's never to early to think about Halloween!

Women of Arthurian Legend

The story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is well known throughout the world. One of the classic tellings of the tale is T.H. White's The Once and Future King, which follows young "Wart" as he meets Merlin the Wizard, pulls the magnificent sword Excalibur from the stone, and rules as the King of England.

But Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon spins the story from the female point of view. In this book, the main character is Morgaine (Morgan Le Fay), Arthur's half-sister. Taken to Avalon as a child, she is raised with magic and charms to be a pagan priestess. Determined that the old pagan ways must not be ousted by the new Christian religions, Morgaine acquires the allegiance of Arthur. However, once the religious Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere) steps into position as Arthur's great love and queen, the women struggle for power in an epic battle for control of England. Although The Mists of Avalon is chronologically the last book in the Avalon series, it is highly recommended as the starting point on your journey into Camelot.

"Even in high summer, Tintagel was a haunted place; Igraine, Lady of Duke Gorlois, looked out over the sea from the headland. As she stared into the fogs and mists, she wondered how she would ever know when the night and day were of equal length, so that she could keep the Feast of the New Year."
~Opening line from the first book of The Mists of Avalon