Here are some new titles by debut authors to help you get through this heat wave. Best read with a cold glass of lemonade in hand. For a longer list, please visit our catalog.
“City of Lies” by Sam Hawke
Jovan’s uncle is the poison master — responsible for detecting poisons and developing antidotes — for the Chancellor of Silasta. Jovan grew up being slowly poisoned as he trains to fill the same role as his uncle for the Chancellor’s heir, Tain. But Jovan is forced to step into his uncle’s shoes far too soon when an unidentified poison kills both his uncle and the Chancellor. Jovan must now keep Tain alive amid political intrigue, rebellion and betrayal.
“Fruit of the Drunken Tree” by Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Bogotá, Colombia during the reign of drug lord Pablo Escobar is a violent, dangerous place, but young Chula and her older sister Cassandra live sheltered lives in their gated community. Then their mother hires a live-in maid from the slums — 13-year-old Petrona — and their two worlds collide, exposing Chula and Cassandra to the conflict and danger outside their gates.
Continue reading “Debut Author Spotlight: July 2018”
Anyone receive one of those new electric pressure cookers for Christmas? Still haven’t tried it? Now might be the best time to give it a go. With the ability to sauté, steam, slow and pressure cook (among other functions), you can make almost anything without heating up the kitchen. The icing on the cake? Only having one pot to wash out when you are done.
I did receive one for Christmas, but it took me a few weeks to try it. I grew up hearing pressure cooker horror stories — lids flying off and putting holes in ceilings, serious burns and huge messes. Needless to say, I was a little intimidated. I tried my first recipe with the oversight of a nuclear scientist handling an extremely volatile substance. And all it took was one recipe to make me a believer. I took kidney beans from dry to thoroughly cooked in 30 minutes. Unbelievable! So as the summer heat forces a more pared-down style of meal preparation, I encourage you to check out some of the books below to begin your love affair with minimalist cooking and electric pressure cookers. Continue reading “Too Hot to Turn on the Oven!”
“Lost Signals” is a collection of short horror/suspense stories that all include radio transmissions or other forms of electronic communication as a theme. I really liked it because I like short stories and almost every story included was tightly woven. I am fascinated with numbers stations and other unsolved mysteries of this nature. The theme did get a little repetitive when reading three or four stories in a row, so I recommend this as an occasional read (with a cup of coffee or when you have a 10 minute block of time to kill), rather than a one-sitting book.
Three words that describe this book: Unsettling, Suspenseful, Eerie
You might want to pick this book up if: You like urban legends, unsolved mysteries and abandoned buildings.
-Carolyn
Musicians who have problems with substance abuse often make tragic headlines with their struggles. Documentaries can provide a unique view of these individuals not only in their lowest moments with drugs, but also at their heights as they triumphantly take the stage to perform. Check out these documentaries featuring musicians dealing with addiction.
“Last Days Here” (2012)
A look at the life of Bobby Liebling, lead singer of seminal hard rock/heavy metal band Pentagram, as he battles decades of hard drug addiction and personal demons, to try and get his life back. The film chronicles the triumphs and downfalls of this underground icon who finds himself at the crossroads of life and death. Continue reading “Sounds & Substances: Docs Featuring Musicians Dealing With Addiction”
Forget all the rules of fight club because we want to talk about this! Who even knew that ukulele fight club was a real thing? A lot of people, evidently! It’s not just here in Columbia, or Missouri, or even just the USA. No, this is a global thing. And why not? Ukuleles are the perfect instrument: small and portable, not too expensive or complicated, and you can sing and play at the same time. Ukuleles have shown up all over the place in popular music from Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/It’s A Wonderful World” to anything by NeverShoutNever.
The library is a great place to learn this new skill. Check out some of these great books to help you get started: Continue reading “Ukulele Fight Club!”
Whether you are just beginning a job search or in the middle of one, DBRL has a multitude of resources to assist you.
Here are a few basic tips for job hunting:
- Cologne, scented hand lotion and aftershave can be a major distraction in an interview situation. The prospective employer might be turned off by the scent and your chance of leaving a good impression is greatly diminished.
- Taking the time to practice responding to possible questions can really help during the actual interview, particularly if you get nervous during these types of situations. There are a multitude of published resources in the library and online that can give you common interview questions and good responses. Practicing out loud — even writing down questions and responses — will help you if you suddenly get the deer-in-the-headlights feeling.
- Most interviews involve some type of question about your strengths and weaknesses as an employee. Make sure your responses are specific to that particular job and you have examples of experiences that highlight your strengths. When talking about a weakness, be sure to also include what steps you have taken to improve that particular skill set.
- Many companies (even smaller ones) use digital databases to search for candidates. This means that a human resource department will run search queries based on specific keywords. If those words are not found, your resume will be tossed without being seen by anyone.
- If an employer states that they want a team player, make sure your resume and cover letter highlight specific experiences that show this characteristic.Anything you claim in a cover letter or resume should be backed up by actual experience.
Continue reading “Need a Job? We Can Help!”
“The Best We Could Do” is a memoir written as a graphic novel. I read this to fulfill a requirement in the Read Harder Challenge and loved it. Graphic novels don’t do much for me, but it really worked for her memoir. I loved so much about this book. The story of her family and coming to terms with her relationship with her parents.
Three words that describe this book: Enlightening, heartfelt, and memorable.
You might want to pick this book up if: You like to read about other cultures.
-Stacy
I’m excited to share these LibraryReads with you! There are a lot of thrillers to check out this month, but if that’s not your cup of tea, fear not, there’s something for everyone. Check out these newly-published librarian favorites:
“Spinning Silver”
by Naomi Novik
“A wonderful reimagining of the Rumpelstiltskin story. A tale of love, family, magic and destiny, told from the perspective of three strong female characters.”
~Melanie Liechty, Logan Library, Logan, UT
Continue reading “July 2018 LibraryReads”
Before I donned the gentleman’s cloak, back when I was still a wayward scamp who held doors open for people with nary a bow or doffing of a top hat, I recommended the work of Nicole Krauss. “The History of Love” and “Great House” are recommended enthusiastically, but those recommendations have disappeared into the unending chasm of the internet, and while a government agency undoubtedly has copies on a floppy disk, I am unable to link you to those recommendations, and rather than use words to elaborate on those previous recommendations (when said words are clearly better spent doing whatever it is I’m doing now), I merely urge any reader with a taste for what folk call “literary fiction” to read those novels.
I also recommend Krauss’s most recent novel, “
Forest Dark.” But I concede it may require a more
voracious appetite for fanciness than her previous novels. “
Forest Dark” alternates chapters between Epstein, a retired lawyer, freshly divorced, whose parents recently died and who has developed a condition his lawyer refers to as “radical charity,” and Nicole, an author wrestling writer’s block and a dying marriage. Epstein gives away expensive paintings and timepieces. Nicole fancies she has a double. They go, separately, to Israel. Epstein loses his coat and a cherished book in a coatroom switcheroo. Nicole is informed that Kafka faked his death and is asked to finish some of his unfinished work.
Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Nicole Krauss”
How is the Read Harder challenge going for you? I was flying along until I hit some of the tasks that are truly reading HARDER for me. Now I feel like I have slowed down a little. On some of the challenges I may even be a little stuck.
If you are still trying to find a book to fulfill the Read Harder task #5 for a book set in one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China or South Africa) here are a few more suggestions for you — one nonfiction and one fiction for each country. Continue reading “BRICS: Reader Harder Challenge”
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