In March of 1969 the literary world was changed forever by Mario Puzo’s book “The Godfather.” Gangster stories were not a completely new idea, but Puzo’s take on the story offered a glimpse at life on the inside of a New York City crime family. Readers were enthralled with the drama surrounding the legendary Don Vito Corleone and his sons. The book inspired what many would say is one of the greatest movies of all time, and its influence can be seen more recently in one of the most popular television series of all time. Here are a few mafia-related titles available at the library. Continue reading “Beyond The Godfather: Gangster Fiction at the Library”
With Daylight Saving Time in full swing, you get a whole extra hour of light for your evening reading, and perfect timing, because April’s edition of LibraryReads is ready for your perusal! There are a number of best-selling authors with new books this month, as well as some lesser-known authors. With books ranging the genres, this list is handpicked by librarians across the country.
“A Twist in Time” by Julie McElwain
“Time-traveling FBI Agent Kendra Donovan remains stranded in 1858 England. When her confidante and potential lover, Alec, is accused of murdering his former mistress, Kendra must use her modern investigative skills to work through the list of suspects and clear Alec’s name. Kendra must also decide whether to stay in the past with Alec or to continue to try to find a way back to the present. If she makes it home, what will be waiting for her? Highly recommended to readers of historical romance, romantic suspense, and time travel.”
–Glenda Ramsey, Catawba County Library System, Newton, NC Continue reading “April 2017 LibraryReads: Top Ten Books Librarians Love”
Each year the National Women’s History Project chooses a theme for Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is “Honoring Trailblazing Women in Labor and Business.” Over the last century, women saw much change and progress in many areas of their lives, but especially in employment. As men went off to war and women pursued higher education, doors that were previously shut flew open. It was not an easy societal transition, and many women have had to fight for equality in their workplaces. The efforts of these 20th century revolutionaries ended up improving working conditions for everyone and demonstrated that woman can take on any type of job.
Many women entered the U.S. workforce during the 1960s, but they often obtained jobs that offered little or no advancement. In order to reach equality in the workplace with men, some women began turning to the judicial system for help. For example, Lynn Povich’s “The Good Girls Revolt: How the Women of Newsweek Sued Their Bosses and Changed the Workplace” tells the true story of a group of women who lead the first female class action lawsuit against their employer for discrimination in hiring and promotions based on gender. Povich examines the lawsuit and the various repercussions it had on the lives of the women involved. Continue reading “Literary Links: Women’s History in the Work World”
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 March 2017.
Request: Off work today and looking for a good read. I really enjoyed Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies.” What authors like her do you recommend? Thanks!
Recommendation: Hey there! Another author known for her character-driven stories about women’s lives is Elin Hilderbrand. Start with her book “The Blue Bistro.” If you’re in the mood for something historical, give “The Ship of Brides” by Jojo Moyes a try. Another page turner about female relationships you might enjoy is “Sheer Abandon” by Penny Vincenzi. Hopefully one of these authors will strike your fancy! Continue reading “Facebook Friday Archives- March 3, 2017”
“The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen won the Pulitzer Prize and the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author in 2016. He’s clearly trending up from an already lofty perch: in 2017 he’s published an acclaimed collection of short stories (“The Refugees”) and is now officially recommended by a gentleman.
“The Sympathizer” takes the form of a confession by a communist agent embedded in the National Police of South Vietnam. Fortunately for readers, this communist agent has a talent for characterization, narrative building and sentence spinning. Rarely does a paragraph go by, let alone a page, without a sentence that is worthy of applause. While frequent breaks to stand and clap in the direction of the book definitely slow down the reading process, it does afford one the chance to savor the writing, and as the Pulitzer committee recognized (as they sometimes do), this is writing worthy of savoring. It’s also a narrative worthy of that 10-more-minutes style bargaining that inevitably leads to sleep deprivation and calluses caused by excessive clapping. Continue reading “The Gentleman Recommends: Viet Thanh Nguyen”
Here is a quick look at the most noteworthy nonfiction titles being released in March. Visit our catalog for a more extensive list.
TOP PICKS
“The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit” by Michael Finkel
The fascinating true story of Christopher Knight, who spent nearly 30 years living alone in the woods of Maine. He lived while never coming in contact with another human being and survived only through theft and ingenuity.
“The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us” by Bruce Feiler
This book provides an examination of the story of Adam and Eve, their central role in shaping our beliefs about human relationships and sexual identity and the lessons they can teach us about family, togetherness and love. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: March 2017”
Here is the March 2017 LibraryReads list! From science fiction to historical fiction, boy scouts to hermits, this month’s selection is sure to have something for everyone. Take a look at the favorite books from librarians across the country, and get ready to place holds on these new releases.
“The Wanderers” by Meg Howrey
“A private space exploration company is mounting a manned mission to Mars. To prepare for the actual event, the company plans an elaborate training program to match the conditions and potential problems the team might face. The ordeal, though simulated, is no less dramatic for the astronauts, their families, and the crew. The lines cross between fiction and reality, and none of the participants are left unchanged. Part literary fiction, part sci-fi, all amazing.”
-Marie Byars, Sno-Isle Libraries, Oak Harbor, WA Continue reading “March 2017 LibraryReads: Books Librarians Love”
Presidential biography is a popular form of nonfiction. There are some true classics out there; I consider Carl Sandburg’s lyrical tribute to Abraham Lincoln one example of biography as fine literature. What about the biographies and stories of those who influenced the president — advisers and friends, even family? Where do these lie in the pantheon? As it turns out, there are a lot of them, and we carry many in our collection here at the library. (Although I do not believe a biography currently exists about Steve Bannon, one day soon there may be many.)
First, let’s go back in time about 80 years. A little known figure and private secretary in Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s inner circle, Missy Lehand, was one of the few very close advisers to the 
president. In “The Gatekeeper” by Kathryn Smith, this relationship is explored in depth. Indeed, Missy Lehand was the first person in the White House to learn about World War II: “The ringing of Missy’s bedside phone jarred her awake sometime after two on the morning of Friday, September 1, 1939. Could she authorize the switchboard operator to wake him?” Smith argues that not only did Lehand have unfettered access to the president, she was also extremely influential in the construction of the myriad government services needed for the New Deal. Continue reading “Presidential Biographies, Presidential Confidantes”
“The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.” ~ Abe Lemons
In the beginning, there was no need for retirement. Most people died well before age 30, and if someone made it beyond that, they were highly respected and everybody was happy to accommodate them. Later, though, with the increase in lifespans, the number old workers who had outlived their usefulness, but had no other way of supporting themselves rose considerably. Something had to be done about that.
In 1882, Anthony Trollope published a satirical dystopian novel “The Fixed Period.” In it, he described a society in which the length of productive life is “fixed” at 67. Once people reach this age, they’re allowed a year of contemplation and then they’re “terminated.” Fortunately, that idea didn’t take root in the Western societies. Instead, in Europe, German chancellor Otto von Bismarck broached the concept of retirement (1881), while in the United States, at the time of President Roosevelt, the Senate and House of Representatives passed the Social Security Act (1935).
Today, the number of retirees in our country is about 38 million. How do they spend their time? Some play golf, some pursue arts or crafts, some travel and some hike, and not just in nearby woods but through rugged and unforgiving terrain like the Appalachian Trail. Continue reading “Literary Links: Retirement”
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 February 2017.
Request: I like cozy mystery books like Joanne Fluke and meatier ones like Mary Higgins Clark … I’ve read all the books you have by both authors. What now?
Recommendation: Hi! Diane Mott Davidson’s work tends to be a little darker than Fluke’s, but it shares the tendency to feature quirky characters and tasty recipes. Katherine Hall Page also writes humorous mysteries that feature a lot of food. The “Faith Sibley Fairchild” series is similar in tone to Fluke’s work.
Lisa Gardner writes suspenseful mysteries featuring independent heroines, though her language and plots may be a little more violent that Mary Higgins Clark. Judith Jance is another author of fast-paced mysteries starring intelligent women.
Reader recommendation: If I may — a really unique cozy mystery series is the Morning Shade Mystery series by Lori Copeland. Very quirky and funny, and the mysteries are *really* mild — chain letters, peeping toms, harmless break-ins. I found them at DBRL years ago! Continue reading “Facebook Friday Archives- February 3, 2017”
