LiterariLeigh

2011-12-09T09:55:00.000-05:00

Taking a break around the holidays? Maybe looking for a book that would make a good gift? Or maybe you just want to curl up in a chair and read to relax for a bit.

If you are a member of Goodreads, you recently had a chance to vote for Goodreads Choice Awards - Best Books of 2011 in 22 categories. Books published for the first time in the United States in English between December 27, 2010 – November 30, 2011 were eligible, and over 630,000 votes were cast. If you aren't a member, you can still check out the winners and nominees. Fiction, Science Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Humor, History & Biography, Travel & Outdoors, Young Adult Fiction - there's something for everyone!

2011-11-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

One of the best gifts I received last year was a gym membership - thank you to my brother! While I haven't become a 2 hour workout every day gym rat, I've been good about doing an hour 2 or 3 times a week. I always feel better when I go and try to vary my activities each time.

I'm reading an interesting book about fitness called Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise by Alex Hutchinson. The book offers short chapters of information about common health and exercise questions, such as "How long does it take to get in shape?', "Is the elliptical machine just as good as running?", and "How should I warm up before I exercise?". Journal articles and interviews are referenced, but I really like that it's easy to understand, tells you if there is no definitive answer or if there are several possibilites, and you can skip around easily, reading what you're most interested in. While there are plenty of good tips, I don't expect to be coming anywhere close to running the New York Marathon in 2:23:15 (top women's time). I just want to walk a mile easily in less than 15 minutes.

Hutchinson also writes a fitness blog called Sweat Science if you'd like to read more.

2011-10-21T12:03:00.001-04:00

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."

~Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

I was talking about scary books with a co-worker the other day. She was looking for some recommendations to take to her children (her adult children!) and asked me "What's the scariest book you've ever read?"

After some consideration, because yes I like to be terrified by horror books sometimes, my first answer was Stephen King's It. I read It when I was in college and though I can't recall all the details, I do remember children discovering dark secrets about a horrifying evil that lives in the sewers and sometimes appears as a creepy looking clown. Nearly 30 years later they are drawn back to the town and face the terrifying danger they thought they had escaped. Mostly I remember my hands shaking as I got to the end of the book because I was afraid to turn the pages, and I slept with the lights on for several nights. Eek! I also got freaked out/enjoyed The Stand, The Shining, The Talisman, and The Running Man.

Other scary books I would suggest are I am Legend by Richard Matheson, Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill, The Terror by Dan Simmons, The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, and if you like unsettling true crime, I just finished Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi.

Now I think it's time for me to read a nice happy story with a nice happy ending.

2011-09-30T12:01:00.001-04:00

I like animal stories. I've read James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small series. I completely related to Marley and Me: Love and Life With the World's Worst Dog (I adore my beagle, but she did dig up my carpet and destroy my miniblinds). Watership Down got me to look at the world from a rabbit's point of view, and The Cat Who Went to Paris introduced me to Norton, a Scottish fold cat who adventures around the globe with his human. A few others that are on my must read list:

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Come Back, Como: Winning the Heart of a Reluctant Dog by Steven Winn

Dog, Inc.: The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend by John Woestendiek

Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship by Tom Ryan

And just so you know, I'm always open to suggestions!

2011-09-26T11:27:00.001-04:00

If you haven't picked up a copy of this year's One Book One Community title, there's still plenty of time to get one and join in the fun! This is actually my fourth year participating in this great fall event.

All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling Down House follows author David Giffels and his family as they move into a once beautiful home in Akron, Ohio. Fixer upper doesn't even begin to describe the attention and dedication needed to make the place habitable. But Giffels puts in the hard work, the perseverance, and a lot of love to create not just a liveable house, but a lifelong home.

Northern Kentucky One Book One Community started in 2007 as an annual community-wide reading partnership program between Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton County Public Libraries. The program promotes a sense of community by facilitating the enjoyment of reading and talking about a great book. People all across the region participate in public and private book discussions, attend supplemental library programs, and then meet the author at library talks and book signings.

2011-08-19T18:36:00.000-04:00

Literarileigh just had a nice vacation. Now I'm back at the library and ready for action. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think "Gosh I'm tired. But I'll have a nice cup of coffee and take a shower and head off work for eight hours." Is this a hard life or what?

The answer is NO, it's not that hard. I recently read the book Working in the Shadows: A Year of Doing the Jobs Most Americans Won't Do by Gabriel Thompson. Thompson talks about three jobs he takes over a year long period - harvesting lettuce, night shift at a chicken factory, and bicycle delivery boy for a restaurant in New York City. At each job he talks to the other employees who are mostly undocumented workers and getting paid on average $8.00/hour. They have no benefits, no sick time, no vacation. They work 10 hours a day or longer, often 6 days a week. Many work two or three jobs, or have a full time night job and spend their days caring for their children. They perform repetitive motions and monotonous line work - lift, carry, bend, repeat. Thompson is actually turned down by several employers, or offered a higher paying, easier position because as a middle class white man, no one believes he would choose to do this kind of work. Always respectful of his fellow workers and filled with both sympathy and admiration, Thompson brings the world of these hard working people to life. A must read for anyone who liked Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich.

2011-07-08T17:04:00.000-04:00

Today Space Shuttle Atlantis launched for the last time. And when it lands, it will be the end of NASA's shuttle program. As I listened to details of the launch on NPR this morning, it got me thinking about space exploration and the millions of things that could be out there. While some of the ideas may be my own, I have definitely been influenced by the great imagination and speculation of science fiction.

While the search for extraterrestrials has been written about by many sci-fi authors, the book that resonates with me most is The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. From the opening lines in which Father Emilio Sandoz is released from the hospital, we know something terrible has happened. A mission to make first contact with an alien race that produces beautiful, ethereal music began forty years earlier in 2019. Jesuit missionaries along with civilians formed an eight person expedition to Rahkat where they met and learned to communicate with the peaceful alien race they encountered. But their scientific and spiritual objectives were ended by the more powerful, dominant, and aggressive culture that inhabits the planet. Told in a series of flashbacks, Sandoz unravels the mystery of what went so horribly wrong and why he was the only one left. Beautiful language, humorous moments, vivid description and characterization make The Sparrow a visceral reading experience.

2011-06-24T13:07:00.000-04:00

When I was in Paris (much too long ago!), I saw a boy playing in the park. Perhaps ten years old, he was wearing brown shoes, plaid pants, a short brown coat, a red striped scarf and a fedora. None of it matched or looked at all like what the other kids were wearing, but he was able to carry off the look with such panache I took a picture of him.

That's how I picture twelve year old Marcus, only lacking in confidence. In Nick Hornby's About a Boy, Marcus is picked on at school and lives with a rather hippie mother who is dealing with depression, while Will Lightman is 36 and living a "sub-zero" cool life off royalty money from his father's hit song. Trying to meet women, Will passes himself off as a single dad at a SPAT (Single Parents - Alone Together) meeting and abruptly meets Marcus on a trip to the park. Though a highly unlikely duo, Will finds himself helping Marcus feel more like the "regular" kids and actually ends up learning a lot about himself. If you haven't read Nick Hornby before, this is a great one to start with. Funny and sweet. And I definitely recommend his other books, including High Fidelity and Juliet, Naked.

2011-06-17T12:48:00.013-04:00

In June I saw a charming group
Of roses all begin to droop
I pepped them up with chicken soup!
Sprinkle once, sprinkle twice
Sprinkle chicken soup with rice

Chicken Soup With Rice (A Book of Months) was originally written by children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak and published as part of his Nutshell Collection in 1962. However, my first exposure to this fun title was when it was sung by Carole King and my grade school music teacher would play it in our class. How we loved to sing along! It wasn't until later that I discovered what an amazing artist Carole King is in her own right.

Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon--And the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller interweaves the lives, loves and careers of these extraordinary songstresses. Each had a vastly different childhood and upbringing, but all three became music pioneers and a hallmark for women everywhere. King's signature album Tapestry was number one on the Billboard chart for 15 weeks (still the record for a solo female artist); Carly Simon has won multiple grammys and an academy award in 1988 for Best Song ("Let the River Run" from Working Girl); and Joni Mitchell's Blue made the New York Times list of the top 25 "most significant albums of the last century" (Jan. 3, 2000). Read Girls Like Us to experience the music, learn where it came from, and what it means to Carole, Carly, Joni, and the rest of us.

For fun, check out Chicken Soup from the 1975 TV special!

2011-06-08T11:25:00.000-04:00

NPR is the best! I present to you Summer Books 2011: The Complete List. Indie books, hot summer reads, suspense, cooking, science. Here's the start of the summer reading post:

'Indie Booksellers Target Summer's Best Reads'

Recommended by Lucia Silva, Portrait of a Bookstore
The Great Night, by Chris Adrian, hardcover, 304 pages
The Ada Poems, by Cynthia Zarin, hardcover, 80 pages
The Family Fang, by Kevin Wilson, hardcover, 320 pages
The Sisters Brothers, by Patrick DeWitt, hardcover, 336 pages
A Moment In The Sun, by John Sayles, hardcover, 968 pages

For the complete list, click here

2011-05-13T16:11:00.000-04:00

Wow, it just started raining like crazy! I'm wondering if it's all the water pouring out of the sky or the fact that I was watching the movie on TV the other night, but today I offer you The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger.

A storm, a cold front and a hurricane all crashed together on the Atlantic Ocean in October of 1991. The fishing boat Andrea Gail was caught in 100 foot tall waves and over 100 miles per hour winds. Though all the crew was lost at sea, Junger masterfully recounts what would happen to a vessel in that situation. Through interviews and research of other fisherman, sailors and ocean rescue crews who survived the storm (or who had been in similar situations), a compelling and dramatic story is told- a frighteningly real tale of modern seafaring life.

"She's comm' on, boys, and she's comm' on strong", radioed Captain Billy Tyne of the Andrea Gail off the coast of Nova Scotia. ~ Last words from the Andrea Gail before the boat and her crew disappeared.

2011-05-06T12:16:00.001-04:00

Last October, I had the pleasure of attending Cincinnati's annual Books by the Banks Festival. There were tons of authors, publishers, librarians, and people who just came to enjoy the day. I was lucky enough to host a panel of authors talking about their current books and answering questions from the audience.

One of the authors was Beth Hoffman who lives in Northern Kentucky, and I'm so glad I got to read her debut novel Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. It takes place in 1967, starting in Ohio. CeeCee is 12 and essentially taking care of her mentally unstable mother, who thinks it's still 1951 and she has been crowned the Vidalia Onion Queen. When a tragedy occurs, unknown great aunt Tootie comes to the rescue, taking CeeCee to live with her in Savannah. CeeCee is introduced into a world of wealth; odd and eccentric ladies; injustices that must be fought; and the fun that life can be. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Help, or Clare Luce Booth's play/film The Women, or just likes books with interesting and inspiring female characters.

This year's Books by the Banks is being held on Saturday, October 22 at the Duke Energy Convention Center. Mark your calendars and hope to see you there!

2011-04-22T11:06:00.000-04:00

Well everyone, I'm only one week away from finishing the Teen Reading challenge. Lots of other librarians and readers are participating, reading as many young adult books as we can within a three month period. It's a great reason to read all those books I meant to get to as a teenager, and I rather like having an adult perspective now.

Somehow, I managed to get through high school and college without reading J.D. Salinger's classic The Catcher in the Rye. I have now rectified this situation with pleasing results. Narrator Holden Caufield is sixteen years old in 1945. Although an intelligent boy, his bad grades get him expelled from his most recent fancy prep school. Unwilling to face his parents right away, Holden checks into a New York hotel not far from his family's apartment. After several awkward attempts to connect with adults and friends his own age, Holden visits his little sister Phoebe, the only person he really seems to communicate with. Although things don't work out exactly as Holden planned them, he realizes how troubled he is, and that he needs help with his passage into adulthood.

The language and style of the writing are what really impressed me. Holden comes off as just what he is - a teenager with troubles who's trying to figure out life. The Catcher in the Rye is one of the most commonly challenged books (books people ask to be restricted or removed from a library) due to profanity, sexuality, and encouraging teen rebellion, but also makes Top 100 book lists everywhere and has won countless awards worldwide. I say read it and judge for yourself.

2011-04-08T14:52:00.000-04:00

NBCC Awards : The National Book Critics Circle awards honor the best literature published in English in six categories—autobiography, biography, criticism, fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Announced in March, check out some of the winners for the 2010 publishing year:

Fiction - Jennifer Egan, A Visit from the Goon Squad

Biography - Sarah Bakewell, How To Live: Or, A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer

Autobiography - Darin Strauss, Half a Life

Poetry - C. D. Wright’s One with Others: [a little book of her days]

Non-Fiction - Isabel Wilkerson, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration

Criticism - Clare Cavanagh, Lyric Poetry and Modern Politics: Russia, Poland, and the West

2011-03-22T15:13:00.000-04:00

I just put The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls on request at the library. Several people have told me how much they enjoyed the book, which is a memoir of her nomadic and difficult upbringing, and I have been intending to read it for a while. Why now?

I finished Walls's Half-Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel last week and loved it. Based on the life of her grandmother Lily Casey Smith, the book contains true stories that have been fictionalized in order to flesh out and paint the missing details of Lily's remarkable life. Born in 1901 on farmland in Texas, Lily learns to accept challenges as they come. By age 15 she leaves home to teach school, goes to Chicago on her own in her 20's, marries and works night and day on a ranch with her family - she is always doing, always thinking, always making her way. The writing is engaging and short chapters flow easily from one to the other. With all the obstacles standing in her way, I was just so impressed with Lily's gumption and make-it-happen attitude.

A couple of people told me it was helpful to read this book before The Glass Castle, as it explains quite a bit of background (even if it is fictionalized). Guess I'll find out when my copy arrives!

2011-02-25T14:12:00.001-05:00

For anyone who likes Agatha Christie or similar books, check out the 2010 Agatha Award Nominees at Malice Domestic. Here's the basic information:

The Agatha Awards honor the "traditional mystery." That is to say, books best typified by the works of Agatha Christie as well as others. For our purposes, the genre is loosely defined as mysteries that:

contain no explicit sex
contain no excessive gore or gratuitous violence

2011-02-18T12:24:00.002-05:00

Cooking is something that I just love (when other people do it :-). If someone invites me to a meal at their home or to go to a restaurant, that pretty much makes my day. Oddly, I enjoy reading recipes. Perhaps I envision myself creating a great feast? Well, there's no telling what the future will bring!

Are you a foodie? I think you will appreciate the ambrosial book Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Set in Mexico in the early 1900's, it is a time when everyone has their place in the family. As the youngest daughter, Tita is expected to spend her life caring for her mother. When young Pedro comes to ask for her hand in marriage, he is told he must marry Tita's sister instead. In order to remain close to Tita, Pedro accepts this. Having been practically raised in the kitchen by their cook, Tita creates magical meals, literally pouring her emotions into them - including a wedding cake that has surprising effects on the guests! Structured in twelve chapters, January to December, Like Water for Chocolate uses magical realism to tell a story of a family, love, and the power of food.

Recipe bonus: Quail in Rose Petals

2011-02-10T16:07:00.003-05:00

How do you celebrate Valentine's day? Flowers? Chocolates? A romantic dinner in Paris followed by a leisurely stroll to the Eiffel tower where you go up to the top and share a kiss? Perhaps you are looking for inspiration or just love to read about love. Here are some Valentine's collections (and a few movies) for the romantic in YOU!

Bitten by Cupid with stories by Lyndsay Sands, Pamela Palmer and Jaime Rush

Cupid Calling featuring Stacy Brown, Karen L. King and Patricia Waddell

Valentine's Day is Killing Me with MaryJanice Davidson, Leslie Esdaile and Susanna Carr

The Notebook

Sabrina

When Harry Met Sally

2011-01-28T11:49:00.002-05:00

Well, I can finally add myself to the long list of folks who have read and enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. This is just one of many reasons that I love having a book discussion group. As the moderator, I read every book through to the end, but sometimes it's less interesting than others. This was a great book to settle down on the couch with, have a cup of coffee and get the dog to snuggle at my feet.

After a devastating split from her husband, Elizabeth Gilbert decided to spend a year traveling to the 3 I's - Italy, India, and Indonesia - with plans to write a book about her experiences. Italy is devoted to the pleasure of leisurely exploration and food indulgences. An ashram in India provides time for the spirit, inward thought, and discovery of herself and her place in the world. In Indonesia, Liz spends time with the medicine man who had told her she would come back and visit with him one day, and finds love. Eat, Pray, Love is an engaging look at Gilbert's experiences from that year, thought provoking, and filled with humor. I'm still waiting to see the movie (yes, I too get on the list at the library).

2011-01-20T15:58:00.000-05:00

The snow is snowing all around. When I look out the library windows there are big, fat, wet flakes pouring from the sky. The trees are covered. The grass is covered. My car is covered. Thank goodness I just bought a new snow brush! Whenever it gets this snowy and cold, I start thinking about survival books. There's just something about flurries that renews my appreciation for the heated indoors.

One book I remember from a number of years ago is Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read. The true story of an Uruguay rugby team whose plane crashed in the South American Andes mountains, there were 45 people on the plane, but only 16 made it off the mountain alive. Those who survived were subject to the harshest conditions the snowy mountains could offer, a small supply of food that dwindled to nothing, and finally the horrifying choice of cannibalism or death. Alive is gripping, emotional and visceral, presenting the worst and best in humanity. Not recommended for timid or tender readers.

2011-01-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

Hello 2011! After a busy holiday season, it's time to start thinking about all the great books we'll be reading this year. You have probably realized that I love to read, and this year I've decided to motivate myself even further with the 2011 Book Reading Challenge from Goodreads. If you would like to be part of this year's challenge, it's free to join Goodreads. Or just use a pen and paper to keep a list of everything you read. My goal is to read 100 books, but you can choose any number you want. Remember, it's your personal goal.

The Reference and User Services division of the American Library Association "annually recognizes the best books in eight genres: adrenaline (including suspense, thriller and adventure), fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction and women’s fiction." If you're looking for some ideas of what to read, their 2011 Genre Fiction Reading List is a good place to start. I'm listing the winners here, but check out the RUSA Blog for a full list of winners, read-alikes and those books that made the short list.

Let me know if you join the challenge!

Adrenaline: “The Nearest Exit" by Olen Steinhauer
Fantasy: “Under Heaven” by Guy Gavriel Kay
Historical Fiction: “The Invisible Bridge” by Julie Orringer
Horror: “The Dead Path” by Stephen M. Irwin
Mystery: “Bury Your Dead” by Louise Penny
Romance: “A Matter of Class” by Mary Balogh
Science Fiction: “The Dervish House” by Ian McDonald
Women’s Fiction: “Solomon’s Oak” by Jo-Ann Mapson

2010-12-30T16:14:00.000-05:00

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!!!

2010-12-22T16:18:00.000-05:00

"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!!!

2010-12-17T17:27:00.000-05:00

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!

2010-12-09T12:30:00.001-05:00

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.

2010-11-19T15:47:00.000-05:00

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.

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

2010-11-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-10-28T16:54:00.000-04:00

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.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter

Paul is Undead: The Beatles Zombie Invasion

2010-10-14T12:50:00.000-04:00

"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.

2010-09-25T13:11:00.003-04:00

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

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.

2010-09-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

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!

NKY One Book One Community Begins!!!

2010-09-07T10:32:00.000-04:00

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

2010-08-18T13:54:00.000-04:00

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.

2010-08-11T12:42:00.001-04:00

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:

Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

(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.

2010-08-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

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.

2010-07-30T15:10:00.000-04:00

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.

2010-07-22T15:16:00.000-04:00

"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.

2010-07-07T11:49:00.001-04:00

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."

2010-06-24T11:17:00.000-04:00

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.

2010-06-09T12:00:00.002-04:00

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!

2010-05-27T11:36:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-05-20T12:20:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-05-05T14:53:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-28T17:03:00.004-04:00

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.

2010-04-21T11:32:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-08T12:44:00.000-04:00

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!

April Is National Humor Month :)

2010-04-01T13:40:00.004-04:00

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:

Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Seth Grahame-Smith

How I Became a Famous Novelist by Stephen Hely

The Ask by Sam Lipsyte

The Highly Effective Detective by Richard Yancy

2010-03-18T18:06:00.000-04:00

"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.

2010-03-11T15:15:00.000-05:00

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.

2010-03-04T15:40:00.000-05:00

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!

Nebula Awards Announced!

2010-02-24T16:50:00.001-05:00

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)

2010-02-18T16:00:00.001-05:00

I just got back from Florida and although it was too chilly for swimming, it was nice not to have to wade through the snow. Now I'm turning my focus towards what I consider to be a very important event: The Academy Awards! For me, I watch the Oscars like many people watch the Superbowl - I yell at the TV and have my own running commentary. And lots of snacks, of course.

This is a great time to check out not only the fabulous Oscar winning movies that are available on DVD, but also the the excellent and expressive novels from which so many of them were adapted. Here's a just a few of my personal favorites:

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1939 winner)
The African Queen by C.S. Forester (Best Adapted Screenplay nominee 1951)
The Graduate by Charles Webb (Best Adapted Screenplay nominee 1967)
The Color Purple by Alice Walker (Best Adapted Screenplay nominee 1985)
The Cider House Rules by John Irving (1999 winner)
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (Best Adapted Screenplay nominee 2001)
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (2007 winner)

Check out the complete list of adapted screenplay winners and nominees on Wikipedia.

2010-02-10T14:44:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about being part of some of the book discussion groups at KCPL is that I always end up with some interesting reading suggestions. I don't remember exactly how we got onto the topic, but we ended up talking about books set in China. Someone mentioned that she thought Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan was an excellent book. And after checking it out of the library and devouring it at home, I must agree that it is a very good read.

Set in 18th century China, the story is told by Lily, the daughter of a farmer who is made laotong (intimate friends whose lives will always entwine) to Snowflower, a girl of much higher status. They exchange messages by writing nu shu, which is the secret language of chinese women, on the delicate folds of a fan. Brought up to believe that women are worthless unless they produce sons, both girls spend much of their time upstairs in the women's chamber, where they learn how to be good wives and daughter-in-laws. Once they have each been paired to marry, Lily discovers a shocking secret about her "old same". It is the first tiny crack in their devoted friendship. With the many difficulties and pains the women of the time suffered (including a heartbreaking depiction of footbinding), this is not an easy book to read, but I was amazed at the strength and determination of these so called delicate women.

"Only through pain will you have beauty. Only through suffering will you have peace."

From Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

2010-02-03T18:54:00.001-05:00

"42. The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything!" I used to wear a button on my coat that said this (I wonder what happened to that button?), and at least one person passing by me that day would say "That's right!" or "Don't Panic!". It was always cool when people recognized where that phrase comes from; that even though we didn't read the book at the same time, or even know each other, that commonality and enjoyment of a book made a little connection between us.

The book I refer to is one of my favorites, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Have you ever had a bad day? The kind that starts with people planning to destroy your house and ends up with you on a spaceship? Average guy Arthur Dent is saved from the destruction of the Earth by his friend Ford Prefect who turns out to be an alien from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse (of course). They are captured by Vogons, saved by two-headed Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox, meet a depressed robot named Marvin, and set off to find the Question to the Ultimate Answer. Confusing? Not at all- once you read the book!

If you've read Douglas Adams, try some other off the wall writers like Terry Pratchett, Robert Rankin, Jasper Fforde, Spider Robinson, or Tom Holt.

2010 Edgar Award Nominees Announced!

2010-01-27T16:37:00.004-05:00

Here's an exciting announcement for mystery readers looking for a good book - I know you're out there!

Mystery Writers of America is proud to announce on the 201st anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe, its Nominees for the 2010 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction and television published or produced in 2009. The Edgar® Awards will be presented to the
winners at our 64th Gala Banquet, April 29, 2010 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City.

BEST NOVEL
The Missing by Tim Gautreaux (Random House - Alfred A. Knopf)
The Odds by Kathleen George (Minotaur Books)
The Last Child by John Hart (Minotaur Books)
Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston (Random House - Ballantine Books)
Nemesis by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (HarperCollins)
A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (Simon & Schuster – Atria Books)

BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR
The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano (Grand Central Publishing)
Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley (Simon & Schuster - Touchstone)
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf (MIRA Books)
A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur Books – Thomas Dunne Books)
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke (HarperCollins)
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur Books)

THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD
Awakening by S.J. Bolton (Minotaur Books)
Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof by Blaize Clement (Minotaur Books)
Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron (HarperCollins – William Morrow)
Lethal Vintage by Nadia Gordon (Chronicle Books)
Dial H for Hitchcock by Susan Kandel (HarperCollins)

For more nominees and information, visit the Mystery Writers of America website.

R.I.P. Erich Segal and Robert B. Parker

2010-01-20T20:35:00.002-05:00

This week marks the passing of two very different and well known authors.

“What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died?” is the moving opening sentence from Love Story, the popular 1970 novel by Erich Segal, which also had great success as a film. I've read the book and seen the movie- yes, they are tear-jerkers, and yes I cried. Segal died Sunday, January 17. For more, read the New York Times article "Erich Segal, ‘Love Story’ Author, Dies at 72".

And mystery author Robert B. Parker passed away on Monday, January 18. He died at his desk while working on his next book. Parker created the hard boiled P.I. Spenser (no first name) who appeared in nearly 40 novels. Further details are in the New York Times article "Robert B. Parker, the Prolific Writer Who Created Spenser, Is Dead at 77".

2010-01-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

On the left side of this blog, I have a link to Goodreads which is a "social cataloging" website. I use it to keep track of the books I've read, as well as to create a list of books I want to read in the future (it's a LONG list that just keeps getting longer!). And I like to read the reviews left by fellow book lovers. It's interesting to me that there can be so many varying opinions about the same book- one person just loves it, one person hates it, and someone else says "it was ok".

I mention this because I was just reading some of the reviews people gave the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. The book tries to detail the story of Chris McCandless, a young man who left his family and well to do circumstances to live on his own in the wilds of Alaska. Several months later, he was found dead in the wilderness. Some people say he was naive, unprepared, and reckless- hurting his family as well as himself. Others feel he was moved by idealism, undaunted, a modern day Thoreau wanting to become one with nature. Personally, I think understand what Chris was looking for, he just pursued it with the recklessness of youth, which is not always the smartest way.

If you enjoy the book, definitely watch the film with Emile Hirsch and directed by Sean Penn.

Wow, it's 2010!

2010-01-06T16:35:00.009-05:00

Welcome to a new year and a new decade! I have to say it feels kind of strange to write the date with a "10" at the end, but I'll get used to it because there's no going back. Or is there? Last year I read several autobiographies from former 70's stars, and that provided a really interesting blast from the past. No one is perfect, but life behind the scenes was pretty crazy for these three actors. Put on your mood ring, get out your lava lamp, and get groovy with:

C'mon Get Happy: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus by David Cassidy
Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert
Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick

My 2009 Favorites

2009-12-30T16:14:00.007-05:00

Looking over the books I've read this past year, I decided it's been a good reading year. With about 36 hours to go until 2010, I looked over the list I keep on Goodreads and pulled out 5 to share. Although they were not necessarily published this past year, I greatly enjoyed reading them in 2009. Alphabetically by author they are:

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews - Chronicles the years 1935-1960 in Andrews' life and rising career, including My Fair Lady and Camelot on Broadway.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - A dynamic story of life on near future earth, where teens must compete on a televised game where they are both hunter and prey.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier - "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." A new bride is haunted by the dark shadow of the first Mrs. de Winter.

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff - Sheff recounts how he and his family struggled with his son Nic's methamphetamine addiction (also read Tweak by Nic Sheff).

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger - For anyone who's ever had the boss who demands the impossible. And expects you to make it happen anyway.

Happy New year everyone! I'll see you in 2010!

The Help and Other Suggestions

2009-12-22T12:39:00.000-05:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett is set in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi. In this still segregated world, a young white woman just out of college decides to write about the lives of two black maids, a potentially dangerous venture at the time. Told in the voices of the three women, The Help has become one of the most popular fiction books of 2009. If you're waiting for a requested copy, or already enjoyed the book, here's a few other titles to try (book descriptions are from the database EBSCO Novelist):

We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
Stricken by polio, Paige Dunn, a woman of remarkable free spirit, beauty, and intelligence, continues to raise her daughter, Diana, with the help of her caretaker Peacie, in a novel set against the backdrop of Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1964.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
After her "stand-in mother," a bold black woman named Rosaleen, insults the three biggest racists in town, Lily Owens joins Rosaleen on a journey to Tiburon, South Carolina, where they are taken in by three black, bee-keeping sisters.

A Gesture Life by Chang-rae Lee
Lee's most recent novel explores ideas of alienation and assimilation through the life of a multinational protagonist. Franklin Hata was born to Korean parents, raised in Japan, and finally settles in the United States. His struggles are twofold: dealing with his adopted daughter's conflicting values and life choices, and struggling with dark secrets in his own past, gradually revealed over the course of the story.

I'm heading to Buffalo for Christmas. Weather looks good and let's hope it stays that way.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-16T18:53:00.006-05:00

The woman at Macy's asked, "Would you be interested in full-time elf or evening and weekend elf?"
I said, "Full-time elf."
I have an appointment next Wednesday at noon.
I am a thirty-three-year-old man applying for a job as an elf.
~From Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

It's 9 days until Christmas. My tree is up and decorated, the majority of my shopping is done, and I've managed to avoid the mall entirely! While I enjoy the holiday season - wrapping presents, opening presents, watching It's a Wonderful Life, spending time with family - one of my all time favorite Christmas stories is a dark little tale called "SantaLand Diaries", in the Holidays on Ice collection.

Authored by the wickedly funny David Sedaris, "SantaLand Diaries" tells the story of the season he worked as an elf in Macy's department store. Having been turned down for a UPS job, Sedaris figures he was hired as an elf mostly because he is short. He experiences first hand the children who cry when placed on Santa's lap; parents who spend all their time posing their kids for photos and never let the child talk to Santa; the corner where over excited kids tend to get sick; elves who flirt with other elves; and the Macy's Santa who claims to live at the North Pole - for real! The stories he tells are just plain strange, a bit risque, and terribly sarcastic, but I think this is a pretty realistic description of what goes on behind the scenes at the huge department store capitalizing on Christmas. There are 11 other short stories in this collection you may enjoy, but I think "SantaLand Diaries" is the best.

Looking for Holiday Favorites?

2009-12-09T17:34:00.006-05:00

With Christmas rapidly approaching, we get lots of requests at the library for holiday movies and books. Something to remember is that if you like the story, your Christmas favorite is often available in different formats. For instance, I just love to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas- it was on television the other night and I literally clapped my hands for joy! Fans of the special should definitely check out A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition which includes the original script, talks about the making of the show, interviews some of the children who performed the Peanuts voices, and presents tons of other interesting information about the now classic holiday special.

The 1947 beloved tale of believing in Santa Claus, Miracle on 34th Street, was released simultaneously with a delightful book version by Valentine Davies. Look for In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd; it's the book and audiobook that is the basis for A Christmas Story. And of course there are many versions of the time-honored A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. From an in depth annotated book including historical background and old-time illustrations; the 1951 film featuring Alastair Sim; The Muppet Christmas Carol with Michael Caine as Scrooge and Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit; and Patrick Stewart's one man Christmas Carol on audiobook, or presented on DVD with additional cast memebers. Choose one or choose them all- just enjoy the holiday season!

Festively Funny!

2009-12-02T15:20:00.007-05:00

My goodness, December is here! We're decorating at the library, making nifty decorations, putting up the tree, and generally getting into the holiday spirit. I put together a display featuring lots of our Christmas books (and of course there are more on the shelves!), so please take a look the next time you're here.

One of my favorite holiday books is about Christmas, yet not about Christmas. Let me explain. The book is called Hogfather and it's by humorous fantasy writer Terry Pratchett. Pratchett has created a series of books set on Discworld, and things there always seem quite familiar. On Discworld they celebrate Hogswatch, a festive time when the Hogfather flies in a sleigh pulled by four large hogs named Gouger, Tusker, Rooter, and Snouter and delivers presents to the people. When the Hogfather goes missing, who could possibly take over climbing down chimney duty but the ever helpful Death? Death puts on the red suit and does his best "HO HO HO", while his granddaughter Susan works to solve the mystery of what happened to the big guy. Along the way you will meet Violet the undertrained Tooth Fairy; Bilious, the God of Hangovers; and of course Death's favorite cohort, the Death of Rats, who says only SQUEAK. It sounds weird (and it is), but I find Hogfather, and the rest of the Discworld series, very, very funny!

KCPL also carries a highly entertaining DVD of Hogfather.

For Tomorrow We Feast!

2009-11-25T10:29:00.010-05:00

I'm going out to dinner on Thanksgiving. My brother is coming to visit and I told him I'd be happy to take him out for a fine turkey day meal (my cooking tends toward "quick & easy"). Thinking about what I might feast upon put me in mind of a few food books I've come across recently. Not necessarily cookbooks; rather about where food comes from, buying food locally, nutritional value in today's food, and why one cookie never seems like enough:

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David A. Kessler

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan

Eat This, Not That!: The Best (& Worst) Foods in America by David Zinczenko

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

All Creatures Great and Small

2009-11-18T14:48:00.005-05:00

It's nice to read a book that feels like someone is telling you a story. Just as if you were listening to a friend chat away by the warmth of the fireplace, or sitting on a front porch on a lovely afternoon. Tales are told that are happy and sad, joyful and a little romantic.

All Creatures Great and Small takes the long and winding road to tell the tale of country veterinarian and author James Herriot (the pen name for James Alfred Wight). Set in 1940's Yorkshire, the book begins with Herriot joining the practice of Siegfried Farnen and his younger brother Tristan. His work encompasses both farm and domestic animals and he describes much of the animal care in correct medical terms (aka "a little gross"). But it's all part of life in the country, including some of the oddball characters he introduces us to- I just love Mrs. Pomfrey and her pampered little dog Tricky-Woo! This is the kind of book that the word "heartwarming" was invented for. Look for other books in the series, as well as James Herriot's Dog Stoires and James Herriot's Cat Stories.

I would also recommend watching All Creatures Great and Small the BBC TV series, filmed in the 70's, but still highly enjoyable and entertaining to watch.

Girl With a Pearl Earring

2009-11-11T15:04:00.004-05:00

Have you ever looked at a picture and made up a story to go with it? I sometimes do this with friends when we walk through museums. We will see a portrait, or a painting of people gathered together, and there may be a descriptive title and information about the picture which can be interesting. But sometimes we choose to create a background for these painted people ourselves, or consider what stirred the artist to capture a particular moment. I find such fabrication delightful!

Tracy Chevalier's Girl With a Pearl Earring is inspired by the famous painting by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. Little is known about Vermeer or who the actual girl in the painting was. In the novel, Chevalier has created young Griet, sent to work for the painter and his growing family as a maid and laundress. However, as she cleans Vermeer's studio and watches as his paintings evolve, Griet begins to understand the use of colors, and has an eye for balance in the images. In time, Vermeer teaches her to grind paint colors and has her stand in as a model. Finally, he responds to the demand of his most reliable (and lecherous!) patron who wants to possess a painting of Griet. In a scandalous move, Vermeer insists Griet pierce her ears to wear his wife's pearl earrings for the portrait. And Griet knows that though she may lose her position, she must wear them to make the portrait complete.

EssentialVermeer.com has a wonderful online catalog of his work, including Girl With a Pearl Earring.

Mystery Fan Highlights

2009-11-04T18:43:00.007-05:00

Once a year, mystery authors and fans converge on a city to stage the World Mystery Convention, also known as the Bouchercon (rhymes with “voucher.”) This year’s event was held in Indianapolis from October 15-18. It’s hard to sum up how much fun this event is, but we’ll try to hit the highlights in just a few sentences:

Awards: Bouchercon attendees vote on the Anthony awards in several mystery categories. Michael Connelly won the Best Novel award for The Brass Verdict, a terrific bookl that pairs his long-running hero Harry Bosch with his newest anti-hero Mickey Haller. Stieg Larsson was posthumously awarded the Anthony for Best First Novel for his blockbuster The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Supernatural Stuff: Add a vampire to your mystery, and presto, you’re a genius. Heather Graham, Charlaine Harris, and Carolyn Hart shared a common experience: the large number of readers who come up to them, claiming to be vampires. Genial and unassuming Harris (Club Dead, Dead Until Dark, etc.) was the star of this show; her Sookie Stackhouse vampire series is the basis for HBO’s “True Blood.”

Discovering New Authors: Meeting new authors is always great fun. Everyone was abuzz over noir revival writers such as Sean Chercover (Big City, Bad Blood and Trigger City) and Megan Abbott (Bury Me Deep and Queenpin). Queenpin is not for the queasy, but, wow, what a book.

~ Contributed by John Graham, Adult Services Coordinator at the Mary Ann Mongan Branch

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-28T17:38:00.009-04:00

One summer (many moons ago), I went to a temp agency seeking a short term job. The agency in turn sent me to a candy factory. For two months I put biscotti into plastic trays, wrapped Santa Claus shaped chocolates in foils, and put ribbons on holiday candy boxes. People kept telling me that by being around candy so much, I would no longer want to eat it. Didn't happen! Chocolate peanut butter cups still top the list of favorite foods- and I wouldn't sneeze at some fine dark chocolate or a box of truffles either. I'm still waiting for an incredible craving for carrots to kick in. Maybe next year.

A man completely unabashed about his love for candy is Steve Almond, who authored Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America. Within the first pages, he tells you he eats a piece of candy "every single day of his entire life," "thinks about candy at least once an hour" and "has between three and seven pounds of candy in his house at all times." Denied access to the likes of Hershey, Mars and Nestle, Almond visits the independent candy makers: Pittsburgh (Clark Bars), Sioux City (Twin Bing), Nashville (Goo Goo Cluster), Boise (Idaho Spud). Warning: the imagery of "the enrober" pouring chocolate may make you break out in a sweat if you don't have something sweet nearby!

Another candy lover is Hilary Liftin, who chronicles her sweet obsessed life in Candy and Me: A Girl's Tale of Life, Love, and Sugar. Or if you're interested in the more corporate world of chocolate, you might try The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars by Joel Glenn Brenner. For more history and trivia check out Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light by Mort Rosenblum.

Happy Halloween everyone! May all your candy wishes come true!

The Exorcist

2009-10-21T15:18:00.009-04:00

I'm in a Halloween kind of mood. My socks have pumpkins on them, I'm getting ready to get out my Norman Bates "Psycho House" t-shirt, and I am definitely ready to be frightened. Last week's Shirley Jackson book is decidedly creepy, but today I will take it a step further and go into the world of scary. Just so you know, I am a fan of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, as well as books about vampires, zombies, and many other things that go bump in the night.

Potentially the scariest book I've ever read is The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. After watching the fantastically horrifying film, I sought out the book to find out if it could possibly be as frightening. Answer: Yes it is! Apparently the story of the young girl considered to be under demonic possession is loosely based on a true account from the 1940s. Chris MacNeil watches as her 12 year old daughter Regan becomes sick, deteriorating from something that cannot be diagnosed by doctors. She curses in evil voices, thrashes violently, and claims to be the devil. When Chris makes the desperate choice to have an exorcism performed, Jesuit priest Father Karras exhausts all options before bringing in Father Merrin who thought he had defeated the demon years ago. But the dramatic exorcism must take place. The Exorcist delves into both the the religious and the demonic, and the result is quite shocking.

I don't recommend this for those who are easily offended, or who don't like to have the living daylights scared out of them. But if you've seen the movie, I think you'll like the book, and vice versa.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

2009-10-14T14:11:00.004-04:00

Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?

Oh no, said Merricat, you'll poison me.
Merricat, said Connie, would you like to go to sleep?
Down in the boneyard ten feet deep!
~Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle

I can't believe I had forgotten about Shirley Jackson! In high school, we read Jackson's short story called The Lottery, which provoked quite a bit of discussion among my classmates. It is a disturbing tale in which it is definitely not a good thing to be the "winner". In addition to being very well written, I liked it because it unnerved me in it's subtle horror, and gave me chills with it's startling ending.

Recently, I came across and read another wonderful Shirley Jackson title. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is narrated by 18 year old Merricat Blackwood, who tells us about her life with her sister Constance and Uncle Julian. We learn that she and her family are shunned in their town because 6 years earlier, Constance was suspected of poisoning their mother, father and brother by putting arsenic in their food. However, this strange family has stayed together and lives mostly in solitude, until their cousin Charles arrives. Charles deceptively plans to steal their father's fortune, but Merricat is not fooled and uses drastic and questionable methods to deter him. The story is creepy and may cause your spine to tingle- just great for Halloween!

Rapid Reads

2009-10-07T16:28:00.012-04:00

Fall is an active time, and that means looking for books that read fast. I mean page-turning, don’t-bother-me-I’m-busy fast. Harlan Coben really delivers. Tell No One (2001) features a New York physician who is quite surprised to receive an email with a webcam image of his wife. Problem is, she’s been dead for eight years, and the doctor actually witnessed her murder. Any more tips would ruin the book, which would be a shame. Tell No One was adapted as a satisfying and very much page-by-page retelling of the book in 2008. Only one thing was changed: the setting. The movie was set in Paris, with the French countryside as a stand in for upstate New York action in the book.

In other rapid reads recommendations, I really enjoyed Blue Heaven (2008) by C.J. Box. Two young children witness the execution-style murder in the Idaho wilderness. Oops, then the killers spot them and give chase. (2008) by Lots of local color plus many different sleuths (amateur and professional) and bad guys rolled into one. Harlan Coben’s Just One Look (2004) is terrific, too. The book opens with a convicted killer confessing to the arson murder of a U.S. Attorney’s sister 15 years earlier. Oh, just one thing. Her death had been ruled an accident long ago. That’s just the first chapter. I dare you to read just that much and stop. Can’t be done! Just One Look features martial arts assassin Eric Wu. Wu is one of those only-takes-yes-for-an-answer kind of fellows, a character Coben also used in Tell No One.

And speaking of book vs. movie, consider the “Reel Reads” book club in Covington. Join us the first Saturday of the month as we watch a movie and discuss the book on which it was based. Popcorn anyone?

~ Contributed by John Graham, Adult Services Coordinator at the Mary Ann Mongan Branch

One Book, One Community

2009-09-30T09:28:00.007-04:00

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

2009-09-23T12:44:00.004-04:00

"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

2009-09-16T15:52:00.009-04:00

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

2009-09-09T16:57:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-02T14:20:00.004-04:00

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

Guest Book Review: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

2009-08-26T09:33:00.005-04:00

Though many know Jhumpa Lahiri due to the success of her first novel, The Namesake, which was adapted to film in 2006, Lahiri is perhaps a more powerful short story-teller. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection, Interpreter of Maladies, is an amazing compilation of stories all having to do with the experiences of Indians and Indian-Americans.

Lahiri possesses a sharp attention to detail and simultaneous focus on the big themes that connect human life. For example, the story “This Blessed House” includes precise descriptions of religious trinkets found in hidden corners of a newly bought house. The story is given depth beyond the tangible, however, by allowing the discovery of the trinkets to shed light on the hidden elements of the married homeowners’ relationship.

The story that shares the book’s title is a powerful presentation of the clash between a vacationing Indian-American family and the country that has given them their ethnicity. Though the vacationers share skin color and physical appearance with the Indians around them, their difference in culture is strong enough to lead to a moving and tragic climax.

It is this quality of heart-wrenching tragedy that connects many of the stories in Interpreter of Maladies. But whether a story’s flavor is tragedy or joy, every tale in this collection is sure to evoke the reader’s emotions and imagination. I recommend this book to anyone willing to glimpse into a stranger’s heart, and consequently, their own.

-Ryan Barnette, Reference Assistant

An Affectionate Portrait of Britain

2009-08-19T09:21:00.007-04:00

One of these days I'm going to visit Great Britain. London and its environs have been on my list of places to see since I was a kid who enjoyed Doctor Who and Monty Python (still do, actually). Most of my plans for a first trip are organized around cities, towns and tourist attractions, mainly because I doubt I'll be able to take more than a few weeks for vacation, or afford more for that matter.

Now, living in England is another matter. But that's what author Bill Bryson did for 20 years. Before returning to the U.S., Bryson took a kind of farewell "lap" and wrote up his experiences in Notes From a Small Island: An Affectionate Portrait of Britain. He made the trip mostly on foot or by public transport, traveling through England, Wales and Scotland. On his tour, he vividly describes regions, landscapes and architecture, and his interactions with the locals and fellow travelers are both humorous and highly entertaining. Written with a great deal of affection, Notes From a Small Island is not only for anglophiles, but anyone looking for a uniquely delightful read.

You can see other Bill Bryson titles by clicking here. Some of them may show up on this blog at a later date!

The Chosen One

2009-08-11T09:46:00.010-04:00

“I spent a lot of time wanting to cry while writing the book.”
– Carol Lynch Williams
(from an interview with fellow Young Adult author Shannon Hale on Hale’s blog,
http://oinks.squeetus.com/2009/07/squeetus-exclusive-carol-lynch-williams.html)

Last year, when over four hundred children were seized from the YFZ Ranch in Texas, I wondered what kind of living conditions could lead to such an event. One fascinating explanation has come just recently in the form of The Chosen One, a new novel by Carol Lynch Williams. It’s classified as a Young Adult novel, but don’t let that keep you from picking it up; the beautifully crafted prose and heartbreaking events of this novel transcend labels and keep readers of any age glued to its pages.

The Chosen One is narrated by Kyra, a 13-year-old member of The Chosen. She lives a simple, happy life with her family—one father, three mothers, and twenty siblings—inside The Chosen’s desert compound. When she’s not doing chores, she loves to climb trees, take long walks outside the compound’s fence, and play the piano in the Fellowship Hall. But things change when their Prophet has a vision and says Kyra must marry her 60-year-old Uncle Hyrum. At first, Kyra believes this is a punishment for her secret sins: she has kissed a boy, and she has read books from a library bookmobile she encounters on her walks. She soon learns, however, that she has been saved for Hyrum since her early childhood, that the Prophet keeps pairing young girls with elderly men, and that the girls who disobey are punished…or worse. Kyra struggles with her limited options: should she obey and marry Hyrum? Or should she run, and risk losing her family—or her life?

If Kyra’s story intrigues you, remember: this novel is not for the faint of heart. I found myself crying often during the last third of the book. The Chosen One is full of horrifying punishments, book burnings, and the dark cruelty of certain characters. But there is also a deeply human beauty in many other characters, and Williams has much to say about love and hope. I couldn’t stop reading, and like me you might stay up with Kyra late into the night, hoping for her survival.

-From Melanie Clark, Reference Assistant

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

2009-08-05T09:33:00.005-04:00

Shakespeare said "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Smells can trigger vivid memories almost instantaneously, and the sense of smell has been referred to as the "emotional brain". But what happens when smell is both totally pervasive and non-existent at the same time?

In mid-eighteenth century Paris, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with an incredibly heightened sense of smell. He is able to instantly retain and identify scents, and aspires to become the world's greatest perfumer. But as a young man, he comes to the shocking realization that he has no scent of his own, and thus does not feel fully human. This changes his ambition, as he determines not only to create a scent for his own body, but one that will make the world bow down before him- no matter what the cost, or who must die.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind is (translated from the German book by John E. Woods) was the 1987 World Fantasy Award Winner. It was also made into a dark and rather disquieting film with Alan Rickman, Ben Wishaw, and Dustin Hoffman.

Read About Carrie and her Companions

2009-07-29T11:49:00.009-04:00

No one would call me a fashionista. When deciding what to put on my feet, I'm going to go with the slip on flat sandals or a comfy pair of sneakers. Looking at at Manolo Blahnik shoes, my eyes say "pretty", but my feet say "ouch".

Reading about the world of fashion is much more fun. Before Sex and the City was a popular TV series, it was a book by Candace Bushnell based on her columns from the New York Observer. Some of the stories are told by Bushnell, some by her "friend" Carrie, but they all feature trendy New York lifestyles, with observations about dating and relationships. For instance, one friend attempts to impress a guy with her rollerblading skills, but ends up with a broken ankle! You'll recognize characters from Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha, to the marriage-phobic Mr. Big, Barkley the "modelizer", and many others. For fans of the HBO series, or if you enjoy books and movies like Bridget Jones's Diary or The Devil Wears Prada.

The Art of Happiness

2009-07-22T09:59:00.011-04:00

"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
~The Dalai Lama

I recently started reading How to See Yourself as You Really Are by the Dalai Lama. My interest was piqued by chapter titles such as "Discovering the Source of Problems", "Focusing Your Mind" and "Reflecting on Impermanence".

Winner of the Nobel Peace Price, the Dalai Lama also wrote The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living, which was published in 1998. Psychiatrist Howard Cutler presents meaningful questions about life, living and the pursuit of happiness, receiving answers that are philosophical and poignant, filled with compassion and kindness. Cutler includes his psychological aspects from his own training and practice, but the Dalai Lama is truly able to convey his thoughts and beliefs in an uncomplicated and universal way. You don't have to be a Buddhist to appreciate that inner peace is in our nature. Sometimes you just have to find it.

Nice and Cozy

2009-07-15T09:15:00.003-04:00

When I see a mystery book cover with an adorable pink bunny sitting at a table, I am compelled to look at it. And when the title of the book is Aunt Dimity's Death, I certainly must read it. This can be a hit or miss way to find entertaining books, but in this case taking the chance paid off.

Aunt Dimity's Death is the first book in a series of fourteen (so far!) by Nancy Atherton. Lori Shepherd is down on her luck when she finds out an aunt she didn't even know existed has died. Aunt Dimity was a friend of her mother, and was working on a collection of stories. In her will she requests that Lori write an introduction and finish preparing the book. Dimity had a lovely cottage in the English countryside where Lori can work, accompanied by Bill Willis- one of the lawyers, who happens to be pretty cute! In England, Lori finds forty years of correspondence between Dimity and her mother, and a mysterious spirit that haunts the cottage.

These books are charming and "lightweight" mysteries. Suggested for readers who like Donna Andrews, Dorothy Cannell, Joanne Pence, and other whimsical writers.

Augusta, Gone

2009-07-08T09:13:00.006-04:00

What makes a person a happy, well-adjusted person? Shouldn't a child raised in a loving home become a bright, positive teenager? Yes, there will be some teen angst and pushing of boundaries. But why would troublesome turn to anger and destruction?

Augusta, Gone: A True Story is Martha Tod Dudman's examination of this very issue. Martha is a single parent who believes she has tried her best to give her two children opportunities and encouragement. But her daughter Augusta changes from a lovely young girl to a hostile and sometimes violent and self-destructive teenager. "It's like sticking my hand into the garbage disposal," is how she describes the pain of facing what her daughter has become. Confused, hurt and feeling helpless, Martha wonders to herself over and over how much of it is her fault? What else could she have done? How could she have been a better mother? Although it is a difficult journey, she believes "You don't get to give up on your kids". And that is the hope of the book.

If you like Augusta, Gone, you may be interested in Martha's follow up Expecting to Fly: A Sixties Reckoning which focuses on her own journey from hippie, free-spirited youth to motherhood.

"Inconceivable!" Cried the Sicilian

2009-07-01T13:56:00.006-04:00

So many books, so little time. This is a phrase that many of us are familiar with. At any given time, there are a dozen or so library books in various places in my house just waiting to be read; I own an abundance of books I haven't read yet so I can "browse" my own collection; and I can't wait for the next used book sale at the library (August 15-22 at Erlanger). Yes, I am a bookaholic.

But one book I have read and reread numerous times is The Princess Bride. Enchanting in it's film version, the book includes delightful details only describable by the printed word. The full title is The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, the "Good Parts" Version Abridged by William Goldman. Goldman's father read him the tale as a young boy but left out all the boring historical and political details. The story as he knows is about Buttercup, the most beautiful woman in the world, and her true love Westley, the farm boy who will go to any lengths to be with her. They meet a cast of extraordinary and funny characters, including the evil Prince Humperdinck, swashbuckling Inigo, the mighty Fezzik, and Vizzini the Sicilian (see title above). This is definitely fantasy fiction at its best!

By the way, there's a secret about S. Morgenstern that Goldman plays beautifully throughout the book. Hmmmmm, what can it be?

Innocent or Guilty?

2009-06-24T15:34:00.009-04:00

"There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice."
~Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu in 1742

This is the perfect opening quote for the suspenseful book Primal Fear. William Diehl's narrative is fast paced and engrossing- a courtroom drama, psychological thriller, and frankly a bit of a horror novel as well. Young Aaron Stampler is found holding a bloodied knife, very near the church where a beloved archbishop was brutally murdered. Enter hotshot Chicago defense attorney Martin Vail, pushed into representing Stampler pro bono. But what looks like an open and shut case takes a surprising turn when a sordid video tape involving the archbishop is found; and an investigation of Aaron's childhood in Kentucky reveals a history of abuse. I love that just when everything seems to be explained at the end, Diehl manages a final eerie twist!

Several reviews written when the book was originally published in 1993 talk about how Primal Fear would make an excellent movie. Well, they were right! The film came out in 1996 and features Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, and a then unknown Edward Norton as Aaron- a stunning film debut.

A New Side of an Old Witch

2009-06-17T10:44:00.014-04:00

Kermit the Frog first sang "It's Not Easy Bein' Green" in 1970. While noting how common the color seems, he ultimately decides he kind of likes being green. Good for a frog, not so good for a person.

Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a parallel retelling of Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Maguire portrays the witch, whose name as Elphaba, as an unfortunate victim of circumstance. Born with green skin, she is shunned and feared by those around her. Elphaba is not portrayed as evil, but as a defender for the rights of the humanistic animals and a skeptic of the motives of the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. She and Glinda are not born enemies, but forced into those roles by passionate differences in their beliefs. Wicked is a fascinating look at a childhood land, written with the politics, values and choices faced in our adult lives.

Also a hit Broadway musical, check out the Wicked CD!

A Night to Remember

2009-06-10T16:08:00.006-04:00

I was watching James Cameron's movie Titanic the other day. Although my 25" TV screen doesn't do it justice, I remember sitting in awe at the movie theatre when it first came out in 1997- the sheer size of the boat is conveyed so amazingly with sweeping camera shots, and seeing the size of the passengers as compared to the massive sinking stern.

Viewing the film put me in mind of the book A Night to Remember by Walter Lord. A wonderfully detailed account of what happened on that fateful night, Lord based his chronicle on interviews with over 60 Titanic survivors. Recounting the event from the moment the mighty ship hits the iceberg, until the final survivors are saved by the Carpathia, the book communicates the wildly varying actions and reactions of the passengers. The best and worst of humanity was brought out that night.

A Night to Remember was also dramatized into a 1953 film written by Walter Lord and Eric Ambler.

New Book Format at the Library!

2009-06-03T13:58:00.004-04:00

I get lots of book recommendations from people in the library (which is one of the great things about working here!). And I try to stay up to date with "hot" titles- the ones everybody seems to ask for. The hard thing about those popular books is finding a copy that's not checked out, as I'm sure you know.

One such book is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which is being released as a movie on June 26th. The book tells a gripping and compelling story about Anna, a girl who was genetically planned, conceived to act as a donor, for her sister who suffers from a rare form of leukemia. At the age of 13, she hires a lawyer to obtain medical emancipation and control over what happens to her own body.

We carry the book in regular and large print, and on audio CD. Now, KCPL is introducing a new format of audiobooks called Playaways. Each Playaway is about the size of stack of a dozen credit cards, and contains one, pre-loaded audiobook. All you need is a AAA battery and some headphones and you're ready to listen! Currently on Playaway, we have authors such as Dean Koontz, Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, Kathy Reichs, James Patterson and many more! When you're looking for a book, ask if it's available on Playaway.

Guest Book Review: Breathers by S. G. Browne

2009-05-27T07:56:00.004-04:00

Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy and girl wage a campaign for the rights of the reanimated. Did I mention that boy and girl are zombies?

Yes, S. G. Browne’s Breathers is a romantic zombie comedy, or a “rom-zom-com” according to the back cover blurb. Deliciously (no pun intended) different from the usual flesh-eating gore fests of zombie literature, Breathers is the story of Andy Warner, a victim of a recent car crash that leaves his wife dead, his child orphaned and himself in a precarious undead status. Zombies are the latest group to be reviled and discriminated against by the majority, which in this case are the living or “Breathers”. Zombies are treated as little more than wild animals, as they are constantly tracked by both government officials and the SPCA. They cannot vote, own a home, hold a job or even use the Internet.

Growing increasingly dissatisfied with his distant parents, his Botoxed therapist and his second class citizenship, Andy begins attending Undead Anonymous meetings. It is then that Andy meets others who he can really identify with, including Rita, a beautiful zombie with a penchant for eating her cosmetics (for the formaldehyde). Along with Rita, Andy teams up with Jerry--a giggly, porn-obsessed zombie, Ray--a rugged, survivalist zombie who makes a special brand of jerky--and the rest of the undead support group in an fight to reclaim the rights they had in their lives as Breathers.

Surprisingly bittersweet and touching, Breathers is about one man’s quest to find his place in a world that doesn’t want him. The comedy is dark, the scenes are at times graphic, but the story itself is timeless.

-Lesley Daley

Reference Librarian

Freedom Unbound

2009-05-20T09:55:00.019-04:00

I like to have a lot of variety in my reading material. Beyond adult fiction and non-fiction, I still find enjoyable and exceptional books that may be categorized as Young Adult or Children's titles.
They can be powerful, radical, intense, humorous, heartbreaking, and much more; they often appeal to my diverse tastes as a reader.

Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka is a book shelved in the Young Adult section. It follows the life of Ailin, a young girl in 1911 China who refuses to have her feet bound. After watching her sister unwrap her bound feet, Ailin at the age of 5 realizes that not only is the traditional process painful, it will also take away her freedom. She is fortunate to have a supportive father, who can see the changes happening in the world and supports her independence and education, but the rest of her family is very insistent that the custom must continue, that she will never find proper husband with her "big feet". Through the book, Ailin learns just how far her spirit and determination will take her.

Footbinding was banned right around this time, although some continued the practice. There is an interesting and affecting piece from NPR called "Painful Memories for China's Footbinding Survivors" by Louisa Lim for further reading.

Life in a Small Town

2009-05-13T16:40:00.010-04:00

Small town America certainly has its appeal. That personalized service offered at small local stores, getting excited about town events, and knowing all the neighbors. But sometimes it may feel like everyone in town is just too involved in what you feel to be private business.

Gilbert Grape is 24 years old and has lived in the same house with his family since he was born. He plods from day to day trying to be the good son to his very overweight mother and good brother to his siblings, especially simple minded- yet loving- Arnie. But life in Endora, Iowa ("Describing this place is like dancing to no music") is not easy. Desperate to get out and make some changes to his life, Gilbert is hopelessly stuck until he meets Becky, a new girl in town, who gives him some perspective and forces him to examine his obligations, and his choices. Peter Hedges' What's Eating Gilbert Grape is honest at its core, with Gilbert as a frank and genuine narrator.

The screenplay for the movie is also by Hedges, and stars a young Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio, who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Well deserved, I might add!

Book Discussions at KCPL

2009-05-12T10:43:00.009-04:00

In addition to our general book discussions, we also offer themed groups:

Movie Makers Book Club - Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 10am at Erlanger. We discuss the book, and then watch and compare a short clip from the film. The book for June is A Room With a View by E.M. Forster. For more information, contact Leigh at 859-962-4000 ext. 4108.

Foul Play: Covington Mystery Book Club - Will meet on Thursday, June 4, 7pm at Covington. The book is A Simple Plan by Scott Smith. Register for this book discussion here.

Reel Reads - The Reel Bard - Meets on the 1st Saturday of the month, Noon at Covington. Read the book and then watch a film based on the book. In June as part of the "Reel Bard" series we are discussing "Shakespeare: The World as Stage" by Bill Bryson. In addition we will be watching "Taming of the Shrew", The BBC's Shakespeare Retold version. Register here, or call 859.962.4073.

Kentucky Book Club - Beginning in June, please join us on the 2nd Monday of the month, 2pm at Erlanger to discuss a Kentucky -themed selection. The book for June is The Bluegrass Conspiracy by Sally Denton. For more information contact Lesley at 859-962-4000, ext. 4114.

Books for these and other groups can be picked up at the Reference Desk of the branch where the discussion is being held. Come and join us - all are welcome!

A Fishy Tale

2009-05-06T15:09:00.010-04:00

"People mess things up, forget and remember all the wrong things. What's left is fiction."
~Daniel Wallace

Sometimes we exaggerate. Perhaps intentionally, perhaps not. Usually it's to make a story or event sound more interesting. "When I was your age, we had to walk back and forth to school. Ten miles. In two feet of snow. Without boots. And it was uphill both ways!" (OK, I grew up in Buffalo, NY, so in my case at least the snow was real).

Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace tells the story of William Bloom, a man who is trying to deal with his feelings about Edward, his dying father. Tales of his father from when William was a child seem more legend than truth. But all Edward Wallace wanted was a life out of the ordinary. The stories he told William were not lies, exactly, but more the truth as he wanted it to be. Big Fish is both heartwarming and a little sad; it's filled with magic and mystery, and shows that everyone is important, in their own way.

If you like films, check out the movie of Big Fish, starring Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Ewan McGregor.

Come by the Durr Branch this Sunday!

2009-04-30T17:13:00.011-04:00

Independence Inklings: Make Us Laugh Reception

This is an event for those interested in writing stories, listening to some fine local folks read their original stories, or just looking for an afternoon of fun!

Authors, family and friends are invited to a reception on Sunday, May 3rd at 3p.m. to celebrate the stories of the 2009 Make Us Laugh Writing Contest. Please join us for light refreshments and an afternoon of giggles and grins. The top three winning stories will be announced and read at 3:30. All stories will be on display. The Independence Inklings Writer's Group is open to all writers, of all skill levels and genres. Receive constructive feedback, suggestions and more from group members and guest speakers. And, remember: What happens in writer's group, stays in writer's group!

William E. Durr Branch, 1992 Walton-Nicholson Road

Offbeat Activities

2009-04-29T15:44:00.003-04:00

I enjoy traveling. When on vacation, I like to see historical buildings, landmarks and renowned attractions in the area I'm visiting. But I'm also fascinated by more unusual fare, like the World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota or The Tillamook Cheese Factory on the Oregon coast.

Sarah Vowell took her interest in the murders of three United States Presidents- Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley- and turned it into a quirky, thought-provoking book. Assassination Vacation recounts Vowell's road trips around the country, touring the historic sites of the killings and their sometimes gruesome but always intriguing museums, monuments, statues, and other artifacts. The book is filled with great political facts and trivia. Did you know that Robert Todd Lincoln was present (or at least in the general vicinity) when each of these presidents were assassinated? Bad luck or jinx? You decide.