I may not have finished these books (or these), but I got far enough to know that they’ll be worth the read! Sometimes, reading is a project that you see through to completion. And sometimes, reading is a buffet, or a garden: That looks good! That seems interesting! I want to try it. I wonder how this one tastes, compared to that one — I wonder what would happen if we put them together! I want to leave a little bit of this one here, for the next person to enjoy. I can’t wait to try this again, when I’m ready.
“My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer” by Christian Wiman
Why I checked it out: I had recently read some excellent Buddhist memoirs, and decided to explore Christian memoirs next. This book by Christian Wiman was recommended to me by a dear
friend, who described it as “careful, sincere and humble” — three qualities I value in nonfiction writing.
Wiman is a poet, and he writes like one, even in prose. “My Bright Abyss” is no treatise — the writing is tangled and honest. Have a taste: “It God is a salve applied to unbearable psychic wounds, or a dream figure conjured out of memory and mortal terror, or an escape from a life that has become either too appalling or too banal to bear, then I have to admit: it is not working for me.” Continue reading “Great Books I’ve Started II”
“How to be An Antiracist” discussed our role in a racist society and what we can do to be antiracist. I like how it pointed out that we are either racist or antiracist — we fit one. We all have to reflect on where we fit and start doing behaviors that are antiracist. I appreciate how the author discussed his own racism journey, as a Black man. I think that helped readers to engage with their own thoughts about race without feeling ashamed and defensive as is often the case when people are confronted with their own racist thoughts and actions.
Three words that describe this book: Challenging, encouraging, thoughtful
You might want to pick this book up if: you want to learn your part in a racist society and what you can do to be antiracist.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share reviews throughout the year.
“In the beginning, the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.” So begins not Douglas Adams’ seminal work, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, but its sequel, “The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.” Hard to find a better opening line for this blog post though, you have to admit. This year marks 45 years of “Hitchhiker’s,” if you believe in things such as time being a straight line constantly moving forward. In honor of the anniversary, as well as Towel Day on May 25 (a day dedicated to honoring Adams’ life), I thought it would be a good opportunity to reflect on the legacy of “Hitchhiker’s” all these years later. Continue reading “So Long and Thanks For All the Fish”
It’s May and spring is in full bloom. The days are long and warm and we have put away our winter things. Have you been spring cleaning? Perhaps along with cleaning your space, you would like to switch things up a little (or a lot). Maybe you would like to change the color of a room, sew a chair slip-cover, adopt some house plants or simply introduce a pretty vase of cut flowers. There are many ways to make your home fresh for spring and the library has lots of good books brimming with ideas and suggestions.
“Simple Farmhouse Life: DIY Projects for the All-natural, Handmade Home,” by Missouri blogger Lisa Bass has recipes for making your own cleaning products, instructions for hand dipping candles, and ideas for using reclaimed materials in your home decor. You don’t have to do it all, like Lisa, and have eight kids, a husband and a large, old farmhouse to experience some comforting farmhouse simplicity in your home. Try making a duvet from vintage sheets or some pretty tie-top linen curtains, to soften the look of your bedroom. Continue reading “Interior Decorating Inspiration”
Sean R. Frazier is a Columbia, MO author whose latest book is “The Last Available.” This stand alone comedic fantasy novel follows the bumbling adventures of six unlikely heroes as they attempt to quest their way into defeating an ancient creature that has awakened. Frazier is a father, a husband, a gamer, a runner and a total dork. His other work includes two fantasy book series, the completed Forgotten Years Saga and the newly started Mage Breaker Saga. He was kind enough to take the time to be interviewed via email. Continue reading “Q&A With Sean R. Frazier, Author of “The Last Available””
This DBRL staff book review was written by Max R. Carmony.
Book I Read: “Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity” by Devon Price, PhD
Why I Checked It Out: This book was recommended to me by a friend who is on the autism spectrum. Being autistic myself, I figured this book might help me understand my disorder better. Instead, I got a book that fundamentally changed the way that I view myself, my diagnosis and the way that I live my life as a whole. My quality of life as a disabled person has improved significantly after implementing the skills and advice Dr. Price offers in the book. Continue reading “Staff Book Review: Unmasking Autism”
One of my fondest memories as a kid is holding and watching cicadas. Their songs were my lullabies. In today’s environment of extreme bug-phobia and efforts to rid the world of all bugs, I’ve just come to say please be kind.
There’s been a lot of excitement around the overlapping of a 13-year brood of cicadas with a 17-year brood. What that means is that one brood has been underground for approximately 13 years and the other for 17 years and they are both coming to the surface at roughly the same time which happens about every 25 years. According to The University of Connecticut, this is the first time since 1803 that these specific broods have emerged together. That might sound scary, but the overlap will actually only be in small geographic patches of Illinois. Continue reading “Cicadas Don’t Bug Me!”
June’s First Thursday Book Discussion title, “Hollywood Con Queen” by Scott C. Johnson couldn’t get a more apt tag line its tag line “The Hunt for an Evil Genius.” The story starts when a private security consultant first comes across a corner of the “Con Queen’s” web of deception and follows a years long hunt to understand and uncover the con. Johnson’s writing stands out in answering all the questions, peering into all the crannies, including the criminal’s childhood and medical history in an effort to answer, “why?”
Maybe some of us are noble enough not to ‘rubberneck’ at the roadside accident, but I’m not, and traffic studies repeatedly show that most people can’t resist this particular type of temptation. I like to think our fascination with misfortune comes from a some basic human drive to understand danger with the hope of avoiding it yourself.
While there is no shame in reading Johnson’s book as a well-written and compelling curiosity on its own, it can also be viewed a vital cautionary tale and a study in vulnerabilities unique to our time — mostly the false sense of intimacy that can be fostered through technology without proximity.
I’m sure there will be no shortage of topics to discuss at the program in the Columbia Public Library at noon on June 6! Please join us!
Did you know that mobile applications have been around for 17 years now? Amazing! Steve Jobs brought out the first iPhone in 2007 and in 2008 the first Apple App Store launched with 500 apps. App stores for Android and Blackberry devices joined the party and “App” was voted Word of the Year for 2010. We were no longer dependent on connecting our devices to our computers to transfer games, music and photos and many people embraced the mobile life.
Public libraries believe in equal access for everyone and that we are part of an educated citizenry, helping you find the information you need when you need it. This includes your digital experience. We have created a series of in-person presentations about various apps, called Appy Hour, in which you can come learn about and interact with apps. You can also watch this space for future Appy Hour blog posts!
Today we’ll examine music apps from a program held earlier this year. Let’s start with the streaming music apps that DBRL provides! Continue reading “Appy Hour: Music”
Adventure is just a page away this summer at the Daniel Boone Regional Library as we invite you to participate in our Summer Reading program: “Adventure Begins at Your Library.”
Summer Reading starts June 1, and is free and open to all ages. Countless adventures await on our library shelves! Here are just a few to kick-start your journey as we step outside and into the great unknown! Continue reading “Literary Links: Summer Reading 2024”
