John Steinbeck said, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called ‘Huckleberry Finn.’”
That’s right; our state produced the father of American letters. And don’t think we don’t know it. Take a look at our state map: Mark Twain National Forest, Mark Twain State Park, Mark Twain Cave. Never mind that Samuel Clemens (Twain’s real name) moved away as an adult and did his writing in other locations; it’s obvious his Missouri boyhood influenced his career. A visit to the cavern now named after him leaves no doubt it was the setting for Tom Sawyer’s underground adventures. Continue reading “Literary Day Trips”
Here is a quick look at the most noteworthy nonfiction titles being released in April. Visit our catalog for a more extensive list.
TOP PICKS
“Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002” by David Sedaris
A collection of personal favorite entries from over forty years of keeping a diary reveal the bestselling author’s unique way of observing the world and the inspirations behind many of his best essays.
“Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil deGrasse Tyson
The well-known astrophysicist provides a succinct guide to the universe, clearly explaining what we should know in order to be conversant in everything from quantum mechanics to the search for life on other planets.
Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: May 2017”
Today, April 19, marks the anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. The war was long, lasting over 8 years. Countless lives throughout the colonies were affected by those seemingly endless years of fighting as the new nation came into being. The Revolutionary War years were filled with drama, so it is not surprising how many fiction titles are set during that time. Here are some novels at the library that readers who enjoy historical fiction may want to explore:
“America’s First Daughter” by Stephanie Dray: we’ve heard 
stories about our Founding Fathers, but what about the rest of their families? Dray’s book offers a fictionalized look into the life of Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph. Patsy was close to her father and served as a stand-in First Lady to her widowed father. Dray’s book, which is based on letters and historical documents, follows Patsy’s journey from Monticello to Paris and ultimately to the White House, and offers insight into the personal sacrifices she made in order to help her father achieve the presidency. Continue reading “Revolutionary War Fiction”
Now that we’re shaking off the shackles of winter and stepping into the significantly more comfortable zipties of spring, it’s a good idea to read a novel that will prepare us for the sun-scorched seatbelt buckles of summer. “The Summer That Melted Everything” by Tiffany McDaniel is exactly that novel. Partly because the word summer is in the title, but also because it is, as one might suspect, set during the titular summer, and McDaniel wields her immense powers of description with the dexterity and precision of an ice cream truck driver piloting his vehicle around swarms of children that desperately want ice cream on a hot summer day but lack the money one must exchange for it, and therefore, after the ice cream truck evades their attempts to topple it, must retreat to their homes, where, if they’re lucky, there is a freezer burned bag of peas that they can lick. (This novel is hot, and it makes you feel like you’re in the heat.)
“The Summer That Melted Everything” will remind readers that have read “To Kill A Mockingbird” of “To Kill A Mockingbird” (in a good way). McDaniel’s novel is narrated by Fielding Bliss, son of Autopsy Bliss, whose name is the perfect representation of the similarities and differences between Lee’s novel and McDaniel’s. Like Lee’s Atticus Finch, Autopsy Bliss is a noble lawyer and caring family man. Unlike Atticus, Autopsy places a letter in the local newspaper inviting the devil to visit their town. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Tiffany McDaniel”
Each month, we host Facebook Friday Recommendations online. You can get personalized recommendations — all you need to do is find our Facebook Friday post and comment with two or three books or authors you like, and we’ll help you find your next great read! Here are the recommendations from April 2017.
Request: I’ll go first! The last three books I read that I LOVED were “Americanah” by Chimamanda Adichie, “The Mothers” by Brit Bennett and “Commonwealth” by Ann Patchett. I really like fiction that tells a complex story. I love to learn something new even when I read fiction. I’m trying to read lot of immigrant and refugee books right now. I just finished “Exit West” and loved the premise but the style wasn’t my favorite. Any good recommendations for me?
Recommendation: For books that focus on the immigrant experience, you might try “The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears” by Dinaw Mengestu, or the illustrated memoir “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui. And, since dynamic, multi-layered stories are your jam, be sure to check out “Swing Time” by Zadie Smith, “Another Brooklyn” by Jacqueline Woodson and “The Nix” by Nathan Hill. Continue reading “Facebook Friday Archives- April 7, 2017”
Here’s a look at some of the most exciting books being published by first-time authors in April.
“The Witchfinder’s Sister
” by Beth Underdown
50 years before the Salem Witch Trials, there was “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins, responsible for the deaths of over 300 women who were hanged as witches. This is his sister’s story.
1645: when Alice Hopkins returns to the small town of Essex, England where she grew up, she discovers a town cowering in fear. Her brother, Matthew Hopkins, has made it his mission to hunt down and hang suspected witches. Horrified by the man her beloved brother has become, Alice digs deep into the dark secrets of her family’s past, searching for answers and a way to prevent her brother from killing more innocent women.
Continue reading “Debut Author Spotlight: April”
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Carl Sagan
Let me take this opportunity to express appreciation for science writers who open the universe of incredible discoveries to the rest of us. For those of us who are fascinated by scientific discoveries, but have neither the training nor desire to get information from academic journals, popular science books fill a need. Several outstanding titles have been published in the last year. Here are a few:
“Mask of the Sun: The Science, History and Forgotten Lore of Eclipses” is a timely work for Mid-Missourians who reside in this year’s total solar eclipse zone. The book opens, in fact, with a page showing the coverage of upcoming August 21 eclipse. Author John Dvorak provides explanations of the science aspects of eclipses and delves into the human history and beliefs surrounding these celestial events. This includes some significant changes in religious doctrine over the years. Continue reading “Popular Science Reads”
This quote by Jorge Luis Borges is rather perfect for this week: National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association, and it is April 9-15 this year. The theme is “Libraries Transform.” Libraries have gone through their own transformation in the digital age — it’s 
not just books anymore. Libraries provide everything from internet access and computer classes to film screenings and classes on cooking and exercise.
Just seeing a library is enough to inspire me, whether it is one of the creative Little Free Libraries or the Library of Congress. Libraries have always been magical places that make me want to be better and know more, and I feel so lucky to be a part of one. But you are a part of one, too, even if you didn’t know it! This library belongs to all of us! Continue reading ““I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.””
Not so many years ago, before the internet became ubiquitous, people often found passing amusement in something commonly known as “coffee table” books. These picture books for adults featured the best and rarest photographic images from all over the world, so eye-catching and interesting, they were like miniature museums. Coffee table books may not be as common today, but they can still be found at the library, often featured in the new books area on the first floor. I recently took a look at some of these dazzling volumes.
“Jungle: A Photicular Book” by Dan Kainen and Kathy Wollard is the latest in a series of nature books featuring photicular, a holograph-like technology created by artist and designer Kainen. As you turn the pages of “Jungle,” a leaf frog winks its huge eyes at you, a Bengal tiger runs straight at you through the marsh and a tarantula skitters over the forest floor. In a world overloaded with video images, it’s a delight to sit with a book that seems to come alive in your hands.
Continue reading “Literary Links: Picture This”
Here is a quick look at the most noteworthy nonfiction titles being released in April. Visit our catalog for a more extensive list.
TOP PICKS
“Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI” by David Grann
An account of the shocking 1920s conspiracy in which oil-rich members of the Osage Indian nation were murdered for their lands, the sinister efforts to cover it up and the undercover investigation by the nascent FBI that finally began to bring those responsible to justice.
“Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy” by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
Drawing on lessons from new social science research and true stories of people who have bounced back after life altering setbacks, the two best-selling authors present strategies for recovering from personal and professional hardships.
Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: April 2017”
