Join us for our monthly virtual book discussion on Thursday, February 3 from 12-1 p.m. This month we’ll depart from our usual format to discuss some picture books with Black history themes. Adults can find value in reading picture books, which provide an introduction to a subject and are often illustrated with beautiful artwork.
Here are the books to read for our discussion:
- “The Undefeated” by Kwame Alexander
- “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” by Carole Boston Weatherford
- “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks” by Suzanne Slade
- “Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott” by Dee Romito
- “Swish! The Slam-dunking, Alley-ooping, High-flying Harlem Globetrotters” by Suzanne Slade
- “We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song” by Debbie Levy
- “Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race” by Margot Lee Shetterly
- “Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams” by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Register for a Zoom link.
The moment. The breath. “Start Here, Start Now” focuses on these and teaches you how to come back to those whenever you should stray. With touches of a Buddhist connection, it stays mostly on the path toward finding a better you, the you that’s already there, through the simplest thing you’re already doing. You just have to focus. I enjoyed this book for the meditation instruction and tips, but was most thrilled with the humor. “Somewhere in this process, you will come face to face with the sudden and shocking realization that you are completely crazy,” is among the sharper lines that caught me off guard in this sea of calm prose.
Three words that describe this book: Calm, considered, filling
You might want to pick this book up if: You want to learn about mindfulness meditation, need a refresher, or want a fun read.
-Jim
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
Did you know that January is National Blood Donor Month? It is celebrated each January during what is traditionally one of the most difficult times of year to maintain a sufficient blood supply. The act of donating blood takes less than an hour and is virtually painless, which inspired me a few years ago to become a regular donor at our local Red Cross. Blood donations are vital for saving lives, but so are the doctors and nurses who work to ensure my donation makes it to a person who needs it. So, this month I’d like to explore some books that capture their stories and experiences with bringing people back from the verge of death. Continue reading “Literary Links: The Art of Saving Lives”
“The Anthropocene Reviewed” is a series of essays where John Green discusses, and ultimately reviews, various items and phenomenon that make up our current geological age, the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene is all about how humans have shaped the world and its biodiversity by our influence and mere existence. What I enjoyed about Green’s reviews is that while he clearly takes humanity’s effect on the planet serious, his essays are not doom-and-gloom serious. He is addressing common, often universally experienced phenomenon (such as Canada Geese and the QWERTY keyboard) in a thoughtful yet lighthearted way. His essays diverge at times in ways that make you think “where is this going and how did I get here from where we just were?” but it always comes back together. I enjoyed Green’s humor and insight, learned a few things, and appreciated the opportunity to consider some aspects of everyday life I’d never really thought about before.
Three words that describe this book: Intelligent, challenging, informative
You might want to pick this book up if: You might, as I did, pick this book up if you are a fan of John Green’s other works. If you like his writing and are interested in the human behind the YA stories, you will be rewarded for your time — you will learn both about the world around you, how Green sees it, and more about the author himself. If you are hoping for another witty set of teenagers facing the challenges of youth, you will be disappointed.
-Sarah
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2021. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
Ringing in the new year is a plethora of adult fiction debut novels. Here are just a few of the most notable titles coming out this January. These have all received positive reviews in library journals. For a longer list, please visit our catalog.
“Daughter of the Moon Goddess” by Sue Lynn Tan
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, untrained, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the Crown Prince, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the emperor’s son.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. When treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, however, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream — striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
Continue reading “Debut Author Spotlight: January 2022”
New year and new nonfiction books coming out this month that you can put on hold! All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: January 2022”
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson
We recently packed up our daughter (and her 30+ plants!) to move to the far edge of the country for college. It has been an emotional time for all of us and we have definitely felt a hole in our home. Both my husband and I have found a strange connection with her through houseplants. We have found ourselves enabling her in her quest for more and more plants while simultaneously trying to fill the space she left with more plants. It’s our way of trying to stay connected without hovering. Continue reading “Indoor Plants”
Comic fans, welcome back! We’re at it again with a list of five of Marvel’s most impactful events. The criteria for this list are that the stories herein had some lasting effect on the Marvel Universe or the featured characters. Additionally, some of these might have reached such a level of renown or infamy that they went on to become benchmarks of sorts for future Marvel content. I hope you’re as excited to get into this as I am. Here we go! Continue reading “Quintessential Comics: Marvel Events!”
The most common resolutions in our country are exercise more, lose weight, get organized and get finances under control. If these are the goals that call to you, then come to the library. We have tons of books about each of these.
I like the idea of resolutions that make my life feel fuller or richer. Check out this list of books to inspire resolutions. Whatever your plans for 2022, we probably have resources that can help you. Here are a few ideas:
Continue reading “Resolutions”
“When was the internet a good time for you?” I posed this very unscientific question to a few coworkers around the library. A Gen Xer, who only really got online around 2009 (but clarified they’re “not a Luddite”) said around that time, when Googling became second nature and Facebook was still new and not yet a source of FOMO. A fellow millennial said the early 2000s, instant messaging on AOL with middle school friends and perusing MySpace. One baby boomer I spoke to said it was after upgrading to broadband from dial-up, uploading photos to Flickr and trading music (CDs and LPs) with fellow fans online. Another boomer said, actually, now and during the pandemic, which gave her an excuse to reconnect with friends around their shared hobby/passion for art. Continue reading “TBT When the Web Was a Place”
