Old Favorites

There have always been some books I've read that stick in my mind forever. They range from thriller to historical to heartwarming saga, but what they all have in common is that I never forgot them. Here are just a few of those titles.

Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig

The settlement of Montana between 1890 and 1919 is recounted through the quiet but compelling life of Angus McCaskill, a young Scotsman who travels with his friend Rob Barclay to Montana's Two Medicine Country to homestead. Doig writes fervently of the voyage from Scotland and the lean first years, as the two share the work and hardship of establishing claims and building up flocks of sheep. 

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Joe Kavalier, a young artist and magician, escapes pre-World War II Czechoslovakia, making his way to the home of Sam Clay, his Brooklyn cousin. Sam dreams of making it big in the emerging comic-book trade and sees Joe as the person to help him. As the cousins gain success with their masked superhero, the Escapist, Joe banks his earnings to bring his family from Prague.  But when the ship carrying his brother to America is torpedoed, Joe joins the navy and is posted to Antarctica. What results is a novel of love and loss, sorrow and wonder, and the ability of art to transcend the hardships of this world and gives us a magical glimpse of "the mysterious spirit world beyond.

The Honk and Holler Opening Soon by Billy Letts
The neon sign had seemed appropriate when the Honk and Holler Opening Soon was being built. But twelve years later, the once-busy highway outside Sequoyah, Oklahoma, is little traveled, and "opening soon" is a tired joke. Today the sign is as battered and beaten as the cafe and its owner, Caney Paxton, a Vietnam War veteran who hasn't ventured outside since its opening. The characters who drift in and out of the Honk don't change much: Molly O, a four-times married earth mother who recognizes a wounded spirit when she meets one; Life Halstead, a widower who eats three meals a day in the cafe so he can be near Molly O; Hooks Red Eagle, Soldier Starr, and Quinton Roach, Cherokee veterans of World War II; and Bilbo and Peg Porter - Bilbo steadily puffing his smokes while Peg struggles for breath through her oxygen mask. With Christmas only days away, their lives are to be forever changed with the arrival of Vena Takes Horse, a Crow woman on a quest, and Bui Khanh, a Vietnamese refugee looking for home.

Shooters and Chasers by Lenny Kleinfeld
A young Chicago cop chases a pair of killers-for-hire who are also star-crossed lovers.As he steps from a taxi, prominent Chicago architect Wilson Willetts is murdered by an inept assassin who thereupon gets himself nabbed with indecent haste. Apart from Willetts's friends and relatives, just about everyone is happy that such a high-profile case has been cleared with such admirable efficiency. But the arresting officers, sexy Mark Bergman and grizzled John Dunegan, his mentor/trainer/partner, are excellent cops, however, and something about a case so impeccably neat and complete begins to rankle. Sensibilities alerted, they take a fresh look, and soon enough find themselves in an alternative investigation, awash in an archipelago of hidden agendas .Appealing heroes and villains, a quirky love story, wit, style and suspense with a Chicago setting.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
A mystifying puzzle involving the execution of an innocent man is interwoven into this monumental masterpiece of medieval intrigue and ingenuity. When a pious monk and an ambitious stonemason conspire to erect a magnificent cathedral, they are plagued by the malevolent machinations of an unscrupulous priest and a rapacious landowner. Though cursed by an extended series of political battles, military campaigns, and natural disasters, Prior Philip and Tom Builder transcend adversity and exploit every opportunity in order to continue construction. Follett has skillfully crafted an extraordinary epic buttressed by a succession of suspenseful subplots. A towering triumph of romance, rivalry, and spectacle.

Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy
Haunted by a series of horrifying and violent episodes in their past, Grace McBride and the oddball crew of her software company, Monkeewrench, create a computer game where the killer is always caught, where the good guys always win. But their game becomes a nightmare when someone starts duplicating the fictional murders in real life, down to the last detail. By the time the police realize what's happening, three people are dead, and with seventeen more murder scenarios available online, there are seventeen more potential victims. While the authorities scramble to find the killer in a city paralyzed by fear, the Monkeewrench staff are playing their own game, analyzing victim profiles in a frantic attempt to discover the murderer's next target. In a thriller populated by characters both hilarious and heartbreaking, a rural Wisconsin sheriff, two Minneapolis police detectives, and Grace's gang are caught in a web of decades-old secrets that could get them all killed.

Nonfiction—A great story

A good storyteller can mine either fact or fiction and pull a reader into another world. Nonfiction books that let readers forget they are examining real lives and events can be among some of the most riveting reads. In the case of historical stories, the facts of wars and human suffering border on the unthinkable. But if you enjoy a gripping read that happens to be factual, you will be very satisfied reading about slices of history or historical figures.

Then there are nonfiction tales about more ordinary lives and events, but their beauty lies in their ability to paint a portrait of people dealing with the human condition just like the reader.

If you enjoy nonfiction stories that read as if they were novels, you may want to consider these titles.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

  

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared--Lt. Louis Zamperini. He spent 47 days on a life raft. Captured by the Japanese and driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity, suffering with hope, resolve and humor. Published in 2010, Time magazine chose “Unbroken” as the Best Nonfiction Book of the year, while Newsweek wrote this:  “It takes only a few pages of Unbroken, Hillenbrand’s marvelous account of Zamperini’s adventures…to see why his story so captured her imagination—and to see how well her seven years of work have paid off. Unbroken is wonderful twice over, for the tale it tells and for the way it’s told.”

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This stranger-than-fiction story details how the cells of a poor Southern woman suffering from cancer were taken from her without her knowledge. The cells from Henrietta Lacks became one of the most important tools in medicine as they’ve been growing in cultures since before she died more than 60 years ago. Her cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer and viruses; helped lead to in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. Yet Henrietta Lacks is buried in an unmarked grave. Her family did not learn of her "immortality" until more than 20 years after her death, when scientists began using her husband and children in research. The story of the Lacks family is connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over our bodies.

The Glass Castle, a Memoir by Jeannette Walls
Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Later, when the money ran out, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town and family that Rex Walls had tried to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life.  For two decades, Jeannette Walls hid her roots. Now she tells her own story.

The Girls From Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow
On a much lighter note, a male writer has captured the essence of a 40-year friendship among a group of women originally from Ames, Iowa. The women, although guarded at first, let Zaslow attend their reunions, study their scrapbooks and meet their families. What develops is a very relatable story about where life takes the women—to different colleges, parts of the country and lifestyles. The story examines how friendship triumphs over a host of challenges and how it multiplies the joys in life. If you happened to come of age in the ’80s, you will find yourself in the hairstyles and gym shorts you had long forgotten. And if the times aren’t familiar, the relationships will be. 

Edgar Award Winners for 2014

The Edgar awards are chosen by the Mystery Writers of America and the winners were announced on May 1, 2014. This year the Grandmaster awards went to Carolyn Hart and Robert Crais.

This year the award for best book went to: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger 

Looking back at a tragic event that occurred during his thirteenth year, Frank Drum explores how a complicated web of secrets, adultery, and betrayal shattered his Methodist family and their small 1961 Minnesota community.

The award for best paperback original went to: The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood

A gritty, psychological thriller that asks the question: How well can you know anyone? On a fateful summer morning in 1986, two eleven-year-old girls meet for the first time. By the end of the day, they will both be charged with murder. Twenty-five years later, journalist Kirsty Lindsay is reporting on a series of sickening attacks on young female tourists in a seaside vacation town when her investigation leads her to interview carnival cleaner Amber Gordon. For Kirsty and Amber, it's the first time they've seen each other since that dark day so many years ago. Now with new, vastly different lives--and unknowing families to protect--will they really be able to keep their wicked secret hidden? 

Best first novel by an American author: Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews

Russian state intelligence officer Dominika Egorova struggles to survive in the bureaucracy of post-Soviet intelligence. Drafted against her will to become a trained seductress in the service, Dominika is assigned to operate against Nathaniel Nash, a CIA officer who handles the CIA's most sensitive penetration of Russian intelligence. The two young intelligence officers collide in an atmosphere of tradecraft, deception, and a forbidden spiral of carnal attraction that threatens their careers. 

Best fact crime award went to: The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War  by Daniel Stashower  

Two-time Edgar award-winning author Daniel Stashower uncovers the riveting true story of the "Baltimore Plot," an audacious conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the Civil War. 

For the full list of the Edgar winners and nominees for each category, click here.

Forthcoming Fiction for June

Here are some titles coming out in June. You can reserve them by clicking the links to our Online Catalog. 

Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews
A Dark and Twisted Tide by S.J. Bolton
Rescue Mode by Ben Bova
Nine Lives to Die by Rita Mae Brown
Earth Awakens by Orson Scott Card
Christmas in Cowboy Country by Janet Dailey
Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich
Terminal City by Linda Fairstein
The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank
Midnight in Europe by Alan Furst
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon
Vertigo 42: A Richard Jury Mystery by Martha Grimes
Problems with People: Stories by David Guterson
A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton
Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand
The Director by David Ignatius
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
Red as Blood by Mercedes Lackey
Child of Mine by Beverly Lewis
Stormy Persuasion by Johanna Lindsey
Robert Ludlum’s the Bourne Ascendancy by Eric Lustbader
Circles in the Snow: A Bo Tully Mystery by Patrick F. McManus
The Arsonist by Sue Miller
Invisible by James Patterson
The Red Room by Ridley Pearson
The Long Mars by Terry Pratchett
China Dolls by Lisa See
Yarn Over Murder by Maggie Sefton
The Smoke at Dawn: A Novel of the Civil War  by Jeff Shaara
Cop Town by Karin Slaughter
Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer
Shockwave: A Thriller by Andres Vachss
All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner
Eyes on You: A Novel of Suspense by Kate White
A Deadly Business by Lis W. Wiehl

The Beekeeper’s Ball by Susan Wiggs

Celebration of Motherhood

Celebrate Mother's Day by enjoying titles that reflect on the true sense of the spirit of motherhood, with all its ups and downs, joys and sorrows.


The Three Daughters of Madame Liang
Buck, Pearl S.



 Madame Liang had sent her three daughters--Grace, Mercy and Joy--to America for safety and an education, while she herself continued to hold a fairly secure position as owner of a "fashionable" restaurant. However, Madame is forced to send for Grace, now a doctor, to apply her knowledge to China, which Grace is willing to do. Mercy, married to scientist John Sung, also returns so that they may share their country's future. Madame Liang, still retaining her faith in the eventual triumph of the real spirit of the Chinese people, is beaten to death by Red Guards. Inheriting her mother's stubborn dedication to the Eternal Way, Grace is determined to preserve the best of old and new through her marriage to the man of the people she loves.

The Secret Between Us
Delinsky, Barbara 



Deborah Monroe and her daughter, Grace, are driving home from a party when their car hits a man running in the dark. Grace was at the wheel, but Deborah sends her home before the police arrive, determined to shoulder the blame for the accident. Her decision then turns into a deception that takes on a life of its own and threatens the special bond between mother and daughter.

Firefly Lane
Hannah, Kristen


Tully Hart and Kate Mularkey come from different backgrounds: vivacious Tully has been abandoned by her hippie mother while studious Kate comes from a stable and loving family. After a devastating incident at a party, 14-year-old Tully finds herself confiding in Kate, thus beginning their unlikely friendship. Through dogged determination, ambitious Tully, who longs to be an anchorwoman, manages to secure them both jobs at a small television station after college; but while Tully pursues her dream of being a reporter, Kate falls for their handsome boss. The women's friendship remains strong as Tully fights her way to the top of the journalistic ladder and Kate finds a new purpose in motherhood, until a betrayal and a tragedy threaten their long-standing bond. 

Unaccustomed Earth: Stories
Lahiri, Jhumpa



Lahiri returns to the short story, the form that earned her the Pulitzer Prize for her debut, Interpreter of Maladies (1999).  This collection's five powerful stories and haunting triptych of tales about the fates of two Bengali families in America map the perplexing hidden forces that pull families asunder and undermine marriages. The title story, dramatizes the divide between immigrant parents and their American-raised children, and is the first of several scathing inquiries into the lack of deep-down understanding and trust in a marriage between a Bengali and non-Bengali. An inspired miniaturist, Lahiri creates a lexicon of loaded images.

Labor Day
Maynard, Joyce



In her sixth novel, Maynard (To Die For ) tells the story of a long weekend and its repercussions through the eyes of a then 13-year-old boy, Henry, who lives with his divorced mother, Adele. On Labor Day weekend, Henry manages to coax his mother, who rarely goes out, into a trip to PriceMart, where they run into Frank, who intimidates them into giving him a ride. Frank, it turns out, is an escaped convict looking for a place to hide. He holds Adele and Henry hostage in their home, an experience that changes all of them forever, whether it's Frank tying Adele to the kitchen chair with her silk scarves and lovingly feeding her or teaching the awkward, unathletic Henry how to throw a baseball. The bizarre situation encompasses Henry's budding adolescence, the awakening of his sexuality and his fear of being abandoned by his mother and Frank, who are falling in love and planning to run away together.

Mothers and Sons
Toibin, Colm



The collection's title indicates the general theme upon which each story elaborates--each story taking the theme in its own direction. Whether in a 9-page sketch of an inadvertent encounter in a pub between an estranged mother, who is a famous singer, and her grown son, or a 70-page, more fully wide-ranging scenario involving a runaway mother, his exacting control over both form and material never varies; in other words, his adaptability in writing short or long, and in working with characters far different from one another, is astonishing. 

Shh....Quiet Please!

You’ve heard the proverb “Speech is silver, Silence is golden”. In the film industry, the golden age or Silent Film era was approximately between 1894 -1929. Silent films are films that have no spoken dialogues, rather, the actors communicate through muted gestures, mime and title cards. It was rumored that some of the actors at that time did not have pleasant voices, so perhaps it was just as well that they couldn’t be heard. 

Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy are the more recognizable silent movie actors who have appeared in mostly comedic films such as Our Hospitality, Modern Times, Gold Rush and The Buster KeatonCollection. Some of the more notable films are The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,originally produced in German in 1919; The Lodger, from 1927, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, set in London about a serial killer murdering blonde women;

The Birth of a Nation (1915), starring Lilian Gish in a drama about life in the South during and after the Civil War.

Don’t forget the Phantom of the Opera (1925), starring Lon Chaney.

These movies are available for you to checkout from the Library to enjoy at home, but wouldn't it also be nice to be able to watch them as they were originally intended, with live music. I can hear it now.

Browsing the Music Collection

Have you checked out our music collection lately? In case you hadn't noticed we've been working on a longer-than-we-expected project to change the way our CDs are classified and shelved. And we're almost DONE. Almost. There are NO more Dewey Decimal numbers in the music collection (ok, there's a still a handful of oversize materials -- but we're working on them!). Now you can browse the collection by genre in both the popular and classical collections. You can look for artists in POP ROCK, or maybe some new tunes from the COUNTRY, BLUES, JAZZ, REGGAE, or INTERNATIONAL genres. If you're interested in our classical music collection, you can browse for your favorite composers in CHAMBER, ORCHESTRAL, VOCAL, SYMPHONY,  or PIANO categories (for a complete list of music genre categories please ask staff at the AV Desk). Our goal is to make things more intuitive and easier to find AND also make the collection more friendly for browsing and discovery. Did I mention we we're almost done? The library catalog will still point you in the direction of that specific item you're looking for (by genre, then artist/composer) and we're always happy to help you locate it on the shelf at the AV desk, so consider stopping by today and checking out some new music!