Thursday, December 30, 2010

e·pis·to·lar·y - adjective

1. contained in or carried on by letters: an epistolary friendship.
2. of, pertaining to, or consisting of letters.
 
Would you like to read a non-fiction book that is delightful, amusing, touching, nostalgic, charming, and only 97 pages long? I thought you would. The Page-Turners book discussion group that I host at the Erlanger branch just read a book of wonderful correspondence called 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff.

The book is an epistolary (see above), beginning with Hanff writing to request books from antiquarian booksellers Marks & Co in London. At first she is answered formally by FPD, who turns out to be the very helpful Frank Doel. Queries, answers and books are sent between London and New York City for 20 years. In that time Helene corresponds with many of the bookstore's staff, sending food and clothing that are near impossible to obtain in England after WWII. I am old enough to appreciate the enjoyment of writing letters and anticipating their arrival from others. This book may make you want to put pen to paper and scribe a letter of your own.

A Happy New Year to All!!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

 "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

Are you going to be rushing around this Christmas? Last minute things to do, relatives and friends to visit (or visiting you!), and did the dog just drink the eggnog out of the punch bowl? Perhaps starting a new book is not a priority this weekend. This is when I like to read passages out of my most beloved books.

Rereading is a good thing. I find it very comforting to know the friends in my books will stay the same, saying the same words and enacting the same scenes for my entertainment and enjoyment. Books I often page through around this time of year include the classic tale of the March girls in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott; the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery, my favorite being the third book, Anne of the Island; David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice, which includes an hysterical story of his experience working as an elf at Macy's; Maeve Binchey's lovely Circle of Friends; and The Princess Bride by William Goldman, where the story of master swordsman Inigo Montoya gets me everytime.

What are your favorite books to reread? I'd be interested to know.

Have a Happy Holiday Everyone!!!

Friday, December 17, 2010

The season is not only upon us, it's in full swing! My heroes at NPR have put together some fantastic Best Books of 2010 lists, including Best Book Debuts, Best Mysteries, Picks from Indie Booksellers, and more. Check out their lists of recommendations and then check out the books at the Kenton County Library!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Eating has always been a big part of the holiday season. My family puts out snacks, then appetizers, salad (nutrition!), the meal, and then dessert. Then there are candies and cookies available around the clock. And I end up saying "Why did you let me eat so much?" to whoever is close by (because I couldn't possibly blame myself :)

Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater by Frank Bruni details his lifetime love/hate and out of control/in control relationship with food. Bruni's big Italian family is highly competitive when it comes to who can put the most and the best food on the table. Saying no to offered food is an insult to the cook who is expressing their love by putting an incredible meal on the table.

Trying to find a way to master his cravings, Bruni eats in secret, pushes himself to go running and exercise at the gym, and is thwarted in his attempts to eat healthy by working on the crazy campaign trail. Buffet food everywhere! Oddly enough, it's when he takes the job as restaurant critic for the New York Times that he finally decides that portion control along with exercise are what works for him. I like that Born Round looks at eating and body image from a male point of view, but I think it will appeal to anyone, especially those who have struggled with the numbers on the scale.

Friday, November 19, 2010

I just found an interesting mystery blog out of New Zealand called Crime Watch. The blogpost from Thursday, November 18 refers to an article from The Guardian about settings for mystery books, written by crime fiction expert Maxim Jakubowski. I'm posting "The Top 10 Crime Locations" according to Jakubowski. For the full article, including explanations for these choices, click here for guardian.co.uk.



  1. Los Angeles in Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep (1939)
  2. London in Derek Raymond's I was Dora Suarez (1990)
  3. New Orleans in James Lee Burke's The Neon Rain (1987)
  4. Paris in Fred Vargas's Have Mercy On Us All (2001)
  5. Bologna in Barbara Baraldi's The Girl With the Crystal Eyes (2008)
  6. Brighton in Peter James's Dead Simple (2005)
  7. Miami in Charles Willeford's Miami Blues (1984)
  8. San Francisco in Joe Gores's Spade and Archer (2009)
  9. Oxford in Colin Dexter's The Dead Of Jericho (1981)
  10. New York in Lawrence Block's Small Town (2003)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

There are books I have to be ready to read. I don't just mean "in the mood for". Rather, I refer to books that I know are going to be painful or emotionally draining for me to read; those that cause a visceral response. But read them I do, because when I know about all the bad things that happen in the world, it makes the good things seem even better.

Recently I decided it was time to read the highly acclaimed Night by Elie Wiesel. An autobiographical account of Wiesel's internment at the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps in 1944 and 1945, it is a short work of true life horrors. Although the people in his town were warned of the coming atrocities, they thought it was too terrible to be true. Elie and his father were separated from their family (who they never saw again), forced to work with a meager amount to eat and little sleep, Elie experienced as a teenager things that should never happen to anyone, anywhere. His love for his father is strained by contempt for his father's sickness, which in turn causes Elie no end of shame. Night is harsh, frightening, shocking and just unthinkable, but through it all there is a desperate love, camaraderie from shared experience, and for some, a bittersweet survival.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Call them reimaginings, retellings, alternative literature or historical horror. Classic literature or famous figures with a horrific something added to the story has become terrifically trendy. Not for literary purists. These books are geared to those of us who find the absurd hysterically humorous, and can easily imagine Abraham Lincoln planning the elimination of the undead to save the nation.







Thursday, October 14, 2010

"On those cloudy days, Robert Neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back." 
~ from I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Vampires, vampires, vampires! You've got Bram Stoker's Dracula, Anne Rice's Lestat, Sharon Drake's Carpathians, Bill from the Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris, Edward and the whole Cullen clan who sprang forth from the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyers, and numerous others. They're sexy. They're cool. They may not drink blood, but they want to. And right now vampires and their undead friends are riding a big wave of popularity.

The vampires of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend may not be pretty, but they are downright scary. Written in 1954, the story takes place in the future 1976. Robert Neville is quite sure that after a horrible plague, he is the last living man on earth. But he is not the only moving creature. The plague has left behind monsters, bloodthirsty vampires who fear and hate Neville for being different, and at night they attempt to attack and destroy him. Although he quests for the cause and a cure for the vampire virus, Neville is forced to realize he is the only member left of the "old race". Recommended for thrills, chills and plain good writing.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

September 25−October 2, 2010

Banned Books Week Proclamation
From the American Library Association

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is essential to our democracy, and reading is among our greatest freedoms; and
WHEREAS, privacy is essential to the exercise of that freedom, and the right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one's interest examined or scrutinized by others; and
WHEREAS, the freedom to read is protected by our Constitution; and
WHEREAS some individuals, groups, and public authorities work to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label "controversial" views, to distribute lists of "objectionable" books or authors, and to purge libraries of materials reflecting the diversity of society; and
WHEREAS, both governmental intimidation and the fear of censorship cause authors who seek to avoid controversy to practice self-censorship, thus limiting our access to new ideas; and
WHEREAS, every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of American society and leaves it less able to deal with controversy and difference; and
WHEREAS, Americans still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression, and can be trusted to exercise critical judgment, to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe, and to exercise the responsibilities that accompany this freedom; and
WHEREAS, intellectual freedom is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture; and
WHEREAS, conformity limits the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend; and
WHEREAS, the American Library Association's Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year as a reminder to Americans not to take their precious freedom for granted; and
WHEREAS, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.


For more information, go to the American Library Association website.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Did anyone else love The Tudors series from Showtime? I thought the show did an excellent job of portraying the world of Henry VIII. Although Henry was an authoritative and powerful diplomat with a roving eye and a penchant for chopping off heads, he was also charming, amiable, seductive and terribly charismatic. But overall, women and children definitely got the short end of the stick.

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir is a historical fiction about a young woman in the Tudor dynasty forced onto the throne for nine days. Lady Jane Grey had a strict upbringing by a highly disciplinarian mother and overly ambitious father. Educated and groomed to be the wife of King Edward VI, Jane was ordered to become queen when Edward died, essentially to prevent Henry's daughter Mary from taking over. Only fifteen years old, Jane did her best to rule with intelligence and benevolence, but was usurped from power nine days later by Mary and her followers. Jane became the scape goat for those who had pushed her to the top of the ladder, but her fate was her own choice- she stayed true to her beliefs. 


If you like Innocent Traitor, Alison Weir has written many other fiction and non-fiction books set in Tudor England. You can get them at the library!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

NKY One Book One Community Begins!!!


Be part of the biggest reading event in Northern Kentucky!
Northern Kentucky One Book One Community is an annual community-wide reading series built around the shared experience of people reading and talking about the same book.

This year's excellent choice is A Pearl in the Storm : How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean by Tori  Murden McClure. Tori began rowing across the Atlantic Ocean solo in a 23-foot plywood boat without motor or sail. Within days she lost all communication. She decided to forge ahead — not knowing that 1998 would become the worst hurricane season on record in the North Atlantic!




Join us Wednesday, September 8th at 7pm for A Party Before the Storm
Celebrate the kickoff to our fourth annual NKY One Book One Community series with a free party at your Library! Join us for live Caribbean music, themed hors d’oeuvres and goodies, and to socialize with other readers. Learn about our author and her amazing journey by visiting the touring exhibit. Be the first to check out A Pearl in the Storm, and enter to win your own copy.
  
*Location: Erlanger Branch, 401 Kenton Lands Road

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

How well do you know your neighbor? Your co-worker? Exchanging pleasantries or group grumbling is certainly common enough. Maybe going out bowling or having a drink sometimes. But did you ever notice what people say when they find out the guy next door was a serial killer? "I can't believe it. He was the nicest man!"

Dexter Morgan is that nice guy. In Jeff Lindsay's debut thriller, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, he is a blood spatter expert for the Miami Dade Police Department, well liked by his co-workers, and helpful to his sister Deborah. And he is a serial killer. At times possessed by what he refers to as his "Dark Passenger", Dexter has a gruesome, ritualistic method of dealing out death, but follows a code that only allows him to kill other killers. But he evaluates emotions he knows he should possess, and has a strange sense of humor that allows him not only to pass as normal, but as a pleasantly amiable guy. This is the first book in a series.

If you haven't already seen it, I also recommend the popular Showtime series now on DVD, simply called Dexter. Dark? Yes. Grisly? Yes. Weirdly humorous? Yes.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010


I've always liked books that answer questions and present facts. Yes, I've passed an hour or two reading interesting parts of an almanac, or books like Do Penguins Have Knees? by David Felman (the answer is yes they do). Well, if you would like to know all about cadavers, the science of sex, the occult, or the intimate details of traveling in space, then try the following books by author and journalist Mary Roach:






(New this month!!!)


For a great article about Mary Roach and her work, check out the article "All the Right Stuff and the Gross Stuff" in the New York Times.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

So much of society seems to put great value into being beautiful. Where would Vogue, Cosmopolitan or Glamour magazines be without it? As a teenager, I remember thinking that I should grow up to look like a model. Now I tend to look at those covers and think "That woman is too skinny. She looks unhealthy!" Then I flip through and look at the magazine anyway. Ok, I'm a contradiction to myself.

The subject of ideal beauty is what interested me in Scott Westerfield's book Uglies. Set in a futuristic society, there are Uglies and Pretties. When a teen turns sixteen, they are given an operation that makes them beautiful and then they get to live in the wonderful world of New Pretty Town where everybody parties and has fun all the time. Tally Youngblood has been conditioned from birth to believe that this is the best thing that can ever happen to a person. But after she meets Shay, another teen who proposes that the operation is an unnecessary mutilation and that people are fine the way they are, Tally begins to question her beliefs. A twist of fate turns her into a spy and she is told she must find and turn in a band of Uglies that ran away and now live in the forest, or she will never be made Pretty. Westerfield's presentation of the desire for beauty and brainwashing of teens makes for an absorbing read. Uglies is the first book in a series, followed by Pretties, Specials and Extras.

Friday, July 30, 2010

You know how when a movie gets made that's based on a book, all of a sudden there's a wait list at the library to get a copy of that book? For instance, My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult was published in 2004, and had a big rise in requests after the film version was released in 2009. Well, here's a way to get a heads up on what's coming out as a movie in the near future. Check out these books being made into movies websites:

Bookreporter.com features upcoming releases, along with the cast, director, release date, the name of the book and author, and a brief synopsis. They generally list movies several months in advance (right now they list through August 2010). Their listings go back to 2002.

Chasingthefrog.com gives the release year, the title and a basic description (example: SHUTTER ISLAND - Psychological, Thriller, Visions, Prison, Adaptation), plot, stars and author. You can also look at past releases by year, back to 1980, or by decade, from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

"According to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) historical records, Brigham Young was sealed to as many as 56 women. Many of the wives to whom Young were sealed were widows or elderly women for whom he merely cared or gave the protection of his name.

When asked by Horace Greeley in 1859, Brigham Young said that he had 15 wives, "but some of those sealed to me are old ladies whom I regard rather as mothers than wives. . ." This answer reflects the complicated nature in the definition of "plural wife." As to the number of wives with whom it is known that he had conjugal relations, sixteen wives bore him 57 children (46 of whom grew to maturity)."
~from Utah History to Go: The Wives of Brigham Young

The book The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff interweaves stories of historical and modern day polygamy from the perspectives of those who are affected by it. One narrative is about Ann Eliza Young, how she becomes the 19th (at least) wife of Brigham Young, divorces him several years later, and goes on to lecture and write about the disgrace of polygamy. The other story follows Jordan, a young man thrown out of his family and the Firsts (a fundamentalist Mormon group) as a teen, and who returns to exonerate his mother from the charge of murdering his father. And his mother was also a 19th wife. Although fictional, the story is abundant with historic details and interestingly told from a variety of narrators with differing views and opinions.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Like westerns? There is a useful website about Western Authors called Zane Grey's West Society, which includes a wide variety of categories, an index by author, articles, and additional links about westerns. Here's an interesting article about the great Zane Grey:

Why You Should Read Zane Grey by Dr. Joe Wheeler
Points West Chronicle
Spring-Summer 1996

"Zane Grey, the Western Writer, shaped the way the world will forever perceive the "Old West." Zane Grey's name on theater marquees was a bigger draw than the top Hollywood stars of his day. In 57 novels, 10 books of Western nonfiction, and 130 movies, Grey, who died in 1939 at age 67, almost singlehandedly created the "Myth of the West." His respectful treatment of Indians was ahead of its time; his word paintings of some of the worlds most spectacular country may never be equaled."

There was a Code of the West, and Ramon Adams, the Western historian, probably explained it best in his wonderful little 1969 book, The Cowman and His Code of Ethics. Adams wrote, in part:

"Back in the days when the cowman with his herds made a new frontier, there was no law on the range. Lack of written law made it necessary for him to frame some of his own, thus developing a rule of behavior which became known as the "Code of the West." These homespun laws, being merely a gentleman's agreement to certain rules of conduct for survival, were never written into statues, but were respected everywhere on the range.

When legislated laws did come to the frontier they failed to meet the needs and conditions on this fringe of civilization. Men did not respect them because they could not obey them and survive. Thus the West gained a reputation for being lawless though the blame for this condition should have been placed upon the white-collared law makers, not upon the so-called law breakers."

Thursday, June 24, 2010

And now it is summer- welcome to it! Looking over NPR's list of Best Beach Books, I noticed that although they've put together a great list of reading choices, one of my all time favorite beach reads is not on it. Today I rectify that matter.

The book is Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart, and it is a wonderful combination of humor, touching personal moments, and sadness. When Cee Cee Bloom and Bertie Barron meet in 1951 on an beach in Atlantic city, it is the beginning of a friendship that will last a lifetime. Cee Cee has great talent and over the years works her way to the top of the show business world, while Bertie decides to focus on marriage, desperately wanting a child of her own. They keep in contact with letters and phone calls, and always seem to connect with each other near beaches, from Hawaii, to Malibu, to Sarasota. Despite their imperfect lives, personal discontent, and deep misunderstandings, the love of the friends lasts through good times, and bad.

The 1988 movie of Beaches stars Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. It changes some things from the book, but the overall story and theme of friendship remains. And yes, I cried at the end.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

It's summer reading time! I know summer doesn't officially start until June 21, but I know you're ready to start picking those vacation books now! Be a part of the Kenton County Public Library Summer Reading Club and get a chance to win $25 gift cards:


Adults 
*Earn one raffle ticket for every book read or program attended
*Raffle tickets available at all reference desks and programs
*One winner will be drawn every week
*Prizes will include $25 gift cards to restaurants and entertainment organizations

I found a list on the NPR website with some perfect titles. Check out Audience Picks: 100 Best Beach Books Ever, and then reserve them from KCPL. Now grab a book and enjoy the summer!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Flashback! When I was a kid, getting up for school Monday through Friday was always hard. Morning always came too soon. But on Saturdays, there was a very important reason to be up early- Saturday morning cartoons! My favorite part was watching Schoolhouse Rock in between shows- do you remember singing along with "A noun is a person, place or thing", "Conjunction junction" and "I'm just a bill"? I can still sing the preamble to the constitution.

I Can See Clearly Now by Brendan Halpin is a fun novel set in 1972 New York City about a group of young people hired to write educational but hip jingles. These songs will run in a series called Pop Goes the Classroom and will air between cartoons on Saturday mornings (sound familiar?). Sarah is shy, Peter soulful, Levon's stage name is Apollo Von Funkenburg, and only Julie really understands the business. Taking lead of the group is semi-famous folksinger Pamela Sanchez, whose free spirited ways do not exactly mesh with the corporate world of television. It all seems like an Age of Aquarius dream, until relationships and deadlines become a very vivid reality. Forcast: Warm and Sunny. And I'd love to hear the "Funky solar system" song!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Ok, I admit when I heard the title The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, my first thought was that there would be alot of talk about cows in the book. Guernsey cows. I wondered why people would be so enamored with a book about a dairy farm. Now that I've read the book, I discovered that's not what it's about at all- and in a good way!

The book is written by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (her niece) in a series of letters, and Guernsey refers to an island in the English Channel. Set just after World War II, writer Juliet Ashton has become popular with her book Izzy Bickerstaff Goes to War. She receives a letter from a man named Dawsey Adams who found her name in a used book, and a correspondence ensues. Juliet is intriguied by Dawsey's mention of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which turns out to be a group formed on the spur of the moment to avoid capture by the Germans. Letters from other society members follow, and Juliet is so intrigued by their stories that she goes to visit Guernsey, where she learns about their lives during the war, and how the literary society brought them together. With fewer cows than I expected, but lots of both humorous and meaningful moments, this book goes in my "what an enjoyable read" category!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Recently I presented a workshop for Kentucky Public Librarians about what's happening in Contemporary Christian Fiction. Popular authors such as Beverly Lewis, Janette Oke, Jan Karon and Wanda E. Brunstetter are here to stay, but Christian fiction is really branching out. Mysteries, Thrillers, Chick Lit, Science Fiction and Fantasy, and even Horror are finding their audiences and present a wide variety of reading choices.

If you're looking to find a good Christian fiction read, a great place to start is with The Christy Awards, which recognizes the finest in writers and writing in a number of different genres. Here are a few of the 2010 nominees (others can be found on the Christy Award website):

 

Contemporary Standalone:

June Bug  by Chris Fabry

The Passion of Mary-Margaret  by Lisa Samson

Veiled Freedom  by Jeanette Windle 

 

Historical

A Flickering Light  by Jane Kirkpatrick

Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin 

The Swiss Courier by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey

 


 

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

 I used to drink tea in the morning. I added plenty of milk and sugar, but it started out as tea. Now I have several varieties of decaf in my cupboard that I like to drink at night because I find it very soothing before going to sleep. And one of the highlights of my trip to Victoria, British Columbia was attending the Afternoon Royal Tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel. We were served a delicious blend of tea, and finger sandwiches and tiny pastries on a tiered tray. Oh yes, I felt quite fancy!

Author Laura Childs has created the The Tea Shop Mysteries, a darling series set in historic Charleston, South Carolina. The first book, Death by Darjeeling, introduces us to shop owner Theodosia Browning; tea expert Draton Conneley; and staffers Haley and Bethany. When a local land developer keels over after drinking a cup Theo's special tea, Theodosia searches for clues to clear her good name. The series continues in Gunpowder Green with her investigation of an unusual death at the annual Isle of Palms Yacht Race in Charleston Harbor. The books are cozy and culinary (tea recipes included!) light reading. The eleventh book, The Teaberry Strangler, just came out in March.

If you like cozies, Childs also writes Scrapbooking Mysteries, and The Cackleberry Club Mysteries which are set in a cafe.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

One of my more recent reads was Hope's Boy: A Memoir by Andrew Bridge. I find it interesting to read true accounts of people who grew up in very different circumstances than I did. While I have a few friends who were adopted, or who are trying to adopt children themselves, my knowledge of foster care is far more limited.

Bridge wanted to be with his mom, but Hope's deteriorating mental health left her unable to care for him as a parent should. At age 7, Andrew Bridge was taken to a California Juvenile Facility with no idea of what was happening to him. Eventually he was moved from the nightmarish hall to a "temporary" foster care situation. And that is where Andy ended up staying until he turned 18 years old. He was never included as part of the family; always the foster child. School became his best means of escape and success, and Andy graduated to attend Wesleyan and then Harvard Law. His adult life has been dedicated to helping, protecting and improving the lives of foster children.

For more information about the author, the book, and foster care, check out Hopesboy.com

Thursday, April 8, 2010

While I was at my library conference in Portland, I went to a restaurant called The Red Star Tavern and I pulled out my book to read. The waiter brought me the most delicious organic salad and a wonderful corn bread with lavender honey on it. When he came back and inquired about my meal, I held up my book and said "This book cover describes this meal perfectly. It makes me feel like I'm running through fresh spring grass, with a great castle behind me, under fluffy white clouds, while kissing someone in the sky." Yes, it was a really tasty lunch.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith is a perfect spring read. The story takes place in the 1930's and follows seventeen year old Cassandra Mortmain, an aspiring writer who lives with her family in a dilapidated but charming castle set in the English countryside. The Mortmains have little money and Cassandra's sister Rose means to marry rich, but also hopes to find love. A chance encounter with two young gentlemen, who happen to be American and the new landlords, brings life and vigor to everyone in the family, and Cassandra discovers new emotions that cause both thrills and turmoil. And if you enjoy the book, definitely watch the film. The three words I would use to describe this book are delightful, delightful, delightful!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

April Is National Humor Month :)


Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Public Library Association's annual convention in Portland, Oregon. There were so many librarians in town, I'm sure they must have thought it was an invasion! There were so many great programs and discussions, on everything from Chick Lit to Science Fiction and Fantasy to Non-Fiction; it was very difficult to decide which ones to go to, but I really enjoyed the sessions I did get to attend. And if that wasn't enough, there were vendors giving away free books. I just barely made the weight limit for checked luggage on the way back!

One of the programs I was called "The Top 5 of the Top 5" and featured some entertaining humorous book suggestions (among others!). If you're in the mood for something funny, here are some of the titles I put on my must read list:


 

     

Thursday, March 18, 2010

"Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes–characters even–caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you?" 
~Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale

I often start a new book still thinking about the last one I read, hoping that this one will soon engage me anew with it's story. Oftentimes, the new book will cause me to reflect on or compare a previous read. In Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, I found a highly pleasurable Gothic familiarity, but with enough twists and turns to make it distinctive.

Margaret Lea works in her father's antiquarian bookstore and sometimes writes biographies about rather obscure writers. One day, a letter arrives from world famous author Vida Winter asking Margaret to be her biographer, although Margaret has never read any of her novels. But on a sleepless night, Margaret reads a rare copy of Winter's Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation, and finds herself not only enchanted by  the book, but also perplexed that there are only twelve stories. Drawn by a mysterious connection, Margaret pursues Vida's strange and astonishing life story- only is it truth or fiction? This vivid and complex mystery was just a delight to read.


Thursday, March 11, 2010

I spent a lot of money on comic books as a teenager. Anyone who knew me between ages 12-16 can confirm this. But the comics I read strayed away from the typical funnies, tending more toward adult characters and serious dialog that developed an engaging and sometimes emotional story.

Recently I picked up a graphic novel that reminded me of how well the use of pictures and writing can work together. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi first interested me because Marjane and I grew up at the same time, both of us being 10 in 1980. However, while I was safe in Buffalo, she was growing up in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. Forced to wear a black veil at school, her life becomes filled with true stories of torture and the horrors of war. With her parents, she protests for freedom and equality, but there are constant threats and danger is everywhere. Nikes and Iron Maiden posters provide a bit of teenage normality, but her world in Iran remains bleak. Featuring stark black and white illustration, Persepolis is harsh, strong, distinct, and connective.

Marjane's story continues in Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return, and there is also a highly lauded film version.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

This Sunday night is it - Acadmey Awards night! I like to start the evening at 7pm with The Barbara Walters Special, this year featuring Sandra Bullock and Mo'nique (and apparently this is the last year she will be hosting her Oscar special- boo!). Then I hope they can actually wrap the awards up before midnight since I work the next day. For more information, check out The Oscars online.

Over the past month, I've noticed that Turner Classic Movies has played the Oscar winning film Forrest Gump quite a few times. It is a thoroughly enjoyable film, but did you know it's based on a book? Originally published in 1986, Forrest Gump by Winston Groom presents a likable but somewhat uncouth Forrest. Like in the movie, he always seems to end up in the middle of the action or as the star of a great adventure. However, Groom's Gump is quite muscular and rather risque; he goes into space, lives on an island with cannibals, and works on a science fiction film, along with other triumphs and catastrophes. But don't worry - there's plenty of stories that did end up helping create the movie we all know and love. Go ahead, reach into the box of chocolates and see what you get!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Nebula Awards Announced!

Science fiction books often make great movies, but they never seem to do so well at the Academy Awards. Thank goodness for the Nebulas!

The Nebula Awards® are annual awards presented by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to celebrate excellence in science fiction and fantasy writing. SFWA also presents the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement, Andre Norton Award for best YA SF and Fantasy, Bradbury Award for best dramatic presentation, Solstice Award for significance to the SF field, and honors senior writers as Authors Emeriti. The awards will be announced on May 15.

Novel
  • The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi
  • The Love We Share Without Knowing, Christopher Barzak
  • Flesh and Fire, Laura Anne Gilman
  • The City & The City, China Miéville
  • Boneshaker, Cherie Priest
  • Finch, Jeff VanderMeer
The Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation
  • Star Trek, JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
  • District 9, Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
  • Avatar, James Cameron
  • Moon, Duncan Jones and Nathan Parker
  • Up, Bob Peterson and Pete Docter
  • Coraline, Henry Selick
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy
  • Hotel Under the Sand, Kage Baker
  • Ice, Sarah Beth Durst
  • Ash, Malinda Lo
  • Eyes Like Stars, Lisa Mantchev
  • Zoe’s Tale, John Scalzi
  • When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead  
  • The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making, Catherynne M. Valente
  • Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld (Simon, Oct09)