Staff Favorites: Volume 51

Just My Typo: From “Sinning With the Choir” to “The Untied States” by Drummond Moir
    For some of us, after we’ve spent hours and hours writing an essay or a short story or even an email, we become invested in the words written on the page. After it is finished and we’ve clicked “submit,” we read it again one more time, just in case. During that final review, we find a typo and we are devastated. After all of that time spent perfecting our work and the countless proofreads we did, still we allowed one misplaced letter, one extra comma, one too many spaces to slip past our radar. In this book, Drummond helps relieve some of that devastation by revealing typos that have a much more lasting effect than our emails, such as NASA documents, legal reports, and even lottery tickets. If you’re looking for a good laugh, Just My Typo is a must-read. It is available at Acorn and through SWAN.

~Donna D., Reference 


The Turning by Davis Bunn
The Turning by Davis Bunn (available through SWAN)  was a novel I couldn't put down.  Bunn wove together the stories of six people who were joined together to oppose a man who was power hungry with the message, "Hope is Dead."  Find out how the man tried to accomplish this message and what happened to each of the people whose lives became forever changed. 

~Jan, Youth Services


Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
Brain on Fire (available at Acorn and through SWAN) is a true story about a New York Post reporter (Cahalan) who suddenly began experiencing serious health issues in her early twenties with no apparent cause. Cahalan was admitted to the NYU Medical Center when her symptoms began to include seizures and psychosis. Her symptoms resembled someone possessed, and many with her condition may have been deemed just that. While she was in the hospital for a month with no firm diagnosis, she has little to no memory of that entire time. Finally, a doctor came up with a cause of her illness just in the nick of time – a recently discovered, rare illness that affects the brain. Cahalan uses her experience as a journalist to reconstruct her time in the hospital through interviews and records, and she recounts her experiences pre- and post-illness in this very interesting memoir. Cahalan’s story reminds us of how fragile, yet resilient the human body can be.

~Sarah R., Reference

 
I Didn’t Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain by Courtney Robertson
Fans of the popular reality show The Bachelor will love this inside look into the drama that happens both on and off camera. Courtney Robertson, winner of Season 16, tells the story of her journey before, during, and after the show. Besides a small portion of the book devoted to her childhood, successful modeling career, and some famous ex-boyfriends, the majority of the book discusses her experience on The Bachelor and her heartbreak afterward.  She certainly doesn’t hold back when talking about her past relationships, the other contestants on the show, or Ben, the Bachelor. As evidenced on the show, Courtney has no problem saying exactly what she feels regardless of who may get hurt in the process and this attitude definitely carries over into her book. She may be offensive to some at times, but at least she seems to be honest about her feelings.

This book was extremely hard for me to put down, and I found it funny, interesting, and a little bit irritating all at the same time. Although Courtney wasn’t able to change my mind about her entirely, I felt like I could understand her a little better than I did before. I may not be one of her biggest fans, but I truly did enjoy reading about the many ups and downs of becoming a reality television star.

~Lynn, Reference

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 50

Romance is My Day Job: A Memoir of Finding Love At Last by Patience Bloom
    Most people would think that someone who reads love stories for a living would have her dating life well in-hand. But such is not the case for Patience Smith, editor of Harlequin romance novels. As a teen, prompted by her roommate, Patience picks up a Harlequin book and is immediately hooked. She falls in love with the male leads and tries to manipulate all of her real-life romantic opportunities into mirroring scenes from her beloved novels. Each attempt is more unsuccessful than the last and thus we wind up at the beginning of her biography, reading about her speculations as she sits on the train and explains why, despite her occupation, she is still single at 40. She reflects on some of her great loves (and their eventual endings) and in the process we share in some of her unique experiences, such as her time living in Paris, her employment as a French teacher, and her adventure writing her own romance novel. Then one day she receives a message from Sam, a boy who was her real life romantic hero for a night when he rescued her from a Sadie Hawkins dance gone bad in high school. The only problem is that now, nearly twenty years later, he lives thousands of miles away. Can Patience and Sam find a way to make their relationship work? Find out by checking out the book at Acorn or requesting it through SWAN!

~Donna D., Reference


Uncommon Marriage: Learning About Lasting Love and Overcoming Life's Obstacles Together by Tony and Lauren Dungy
Uncommon Marriage by Tony and Lauren Dungy (available at Acorn Library) is a great biography describing how they have made their marriage a top priority despite frequent moves, public limelight as an NFL football coach's family, the loss of parents and a son, adoptions, and illnesses.  They keep the interest of readers with their back-and-forth style of writing. 

~Jan, Youth Services

Patron Review: The Women of Genesis: Sarah by Orson Scott Card

I am a huge Orson Scott Card fan, probably best known for his series about Ender Wiggin which was just turned into a major motion picture last year called Ender's Game, but this story is far from the science fiction realm.  It chronicles the biblical story of Sarah and Abraham in the book of Genesis from Sarah's point of view.  I liked that there were a lot of the bible stories that I grew up hearing about like Lot and his wife, and how Sarah laughed.  I really like that he focused on what a strong woman Sarah was to have gone through life unable to have children in a day and age when that was how a woman's worth was measured.  It was a beautiful love story and exactly the caliber of writing I expected from Orson Scott Card.  I would definitely recommend this title, and many more of his too!

~Stephanie Kapaldo, Acorn Patron

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 49

That Girl by Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles, a member of the country duo Sugarland, takes a lot of heat from critics for her production of this solo album.  She attempts to create a soulful, bluesy feel to several of the tracks on this disc, including “Me Without You”, “Thank You”, and “This One's for You”. These ballads throw Nettles fans for a loop as they are used to more up-tempo beats from her, such as “Stuck Like Glue” and “Somethin’ More”. However, it can’t be disputed that “That Girl”, the song for which the album is named, is perhaps one of the best songs on the CD. Those of you who are familiar with Dolly Parton might remember her song “Jolene”, in which she begs Jolene not to take her man, even though she can. Nettles’ track “That Girl” responds to Parton's song by playing the role of Jolene and assuring listeners that she is not a homewrecker and doesn’t want Parton’s man. Personally, I think some other great tracks include "Good Time to Cry" and "Like a Rock", but if you're looking for a song with a more humorous feel and a faster pace, I would recommend "Jealousy". In this case, I don't agree with the assessment from critics that because Nettles strays from her customary upbeat tunes, this album isn’t good. I think that while it does push her range, she does a great job with all of the songs on the disc. You can decide for yourself by picking it up at Acorn or requesting it through SWAN.

-Donna D., Reference


Return to Me by Lynn Austin
Local author Lynn Austin has written another fantastic historical fiction book called Return to Me (available at Acorn).  This book is the first in the Restoration Chronicles which follows the journey of the exiled Israelites in Babylon and their return to Jerusalem.  Austin does a marvelous job of drawing readers into the characters' lives, getting readers to imagine they are really in that setting and wrestling with the same questions the characters do.  I am looking forward to book two in this series, which will probably be out in fall 2014.

-Janice, Youth Services  


Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
This story begins with the arrival of Eleanor, a misunderstood 16-year-old girl with a rough upbringing. On her first day on the school bus, she meets Park, a boy who feels different from everyone else around him. The two end up sharing a seat on the bus, and although they don’t talk to each other at first, Park catches Eleanor sneaking peeks at his comics while he reads them. Soon a relationship is formed, as the two find that they have much more in common than they had originally thought. Unfortunately, life at home takes a turn for the worse for Eleanor, and the young couple is forced to make a decision that could tear them apart forever.

Although this is marketed as a young adult book, it is an excellent read for adults of all ages. Rainbow Rowell does an amazing job of drawing the reader in and making the characters seem very real. I felt like I really knew Eleanor and Park, and their story was one of the best that I have read so far this year. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is available at Acorn as well as through SWAN.

-Lynn, Reference


Oscars @ Acorn

Yes, the actual Oscars have passed but a plethora of Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning films are now hitting the shelves of Acorn.

American Hustle:  If you can get beyond the really bad hair, the only slightly less offensive fashion and the seventeen unnecessary plot twists, you might enjoy this con within a con within a con trip back to the 70s.  What I came away with was a deep thankfulness that I was too young to remember the 70s.  Oh, and Jennifer Lawrence looks exactly like Ellen Barkin looked three decades ago.  Amy Adams is enjoyable and does stretch her acting chops a bit but, other than that, I'd rather rewatch the remake of The Italian Job than sit through this one again.  Ultimately unmemorable.

12 Years a Slave:  This movie did not live up to expectations.  The harrowing tale of human spirit triumphing over what can only be described as the ultimate in betrayal and existential horror was, sadly, lost throughout much of this film.  It was lost to horrible editing, a weird soundtrack that succeeded in taking me completely out of the flow of the movie multiple times and an overall amateurish feel to a movie that should have been so much more.  The acting, overall, was superb and, in the hands of a different director and editor, this movie would have been worthy of the Oscar praise it received.

Saving Mr. Banks:  Charming, if slightly heavy-handed.  The curmudgeonly P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) and the hyper-fantastical Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) square off in this tale about the journey of Mary Poppins from book to screen and, ultimately, from sad past to brightened, toe-tapping future.

Captain Phillips:  Nary an eyepatch or a parrot in sight in this harrowing true story of the taking of a cargo ship by Somali pirates.  "I'm the captain now."  The movie was excellent and kept me engaged throughout.  The final scene is the one that stuck with me.  Strength finally shattering like crystal on concrete puts an emotional exclamation point at the end of this already claustrophobically fear-laden movie.

Gravity:  As a space aficionado, I found this movie disappointing.  I was really looking forward to it but expectations can be an unwinnable game.  It was visually exciting and, I'm sure, a little vomit-inducing for the more dramamine-dependent viewers.  The repetitive nature of the danger had the effect of dulling the actual drama inherent to the situation.  Ultimately, the rebirth theme was so heavy-handed by the end that it became eye-roll inducing.  And, she totally would have burned up on re-entry!

Frozen:  A masterpiece.  Of all of these lauded movies, this is the one I'd watch again.  The story of the Ice Queen and her sister.  Simple and beautiful.  As usual for the fairy-tale dramas, love and sacrifice save the day and the world.  Not as usual for the fairy-tale dramas, it's not the prince riding to the rescue...although the ice cutter does give it a valiant try.  Icy coldness shattered by an act of true love.  You can't get more fable-tastic than that!  And, if you know how to get the song "Let It Go" out of your brain, please let me know.

- Danielle, Tech Services

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 48

The De-Textbook: The Stuff You Didn’t Know About the Stuff You Thought You Knew by Cracked.com
Here are a few things I learned from The De-Textbook:

• Velociraptor looked more like “knee-high, flamboyant little monkey birds” than the terrifying man-sized predators depicted in Jurassic Park.

• Thomas Edison was kind of like the Shia LaBeouf of his day in that he shamelessly pawned off other people’s inventions as his own.

• Science is not totally sure how many planets are in our solar system as new objects are continually being discovered within our asteroid belt.

• Abraham Lincoln was like a giant with superhuman strength who not only carried massive “stone-filled crates, weighing between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds,” when he was a mere stripling but also, at his first campaign speech, literally lifted a disorderly audience member off the ground and threw him.

• And while we are on the topic of U.S. presidents, John Quincy Adams believed the earth was hollow and wanted to use taxpayer dollars to dig into the North Pole, hoping to find a subterranean colony of mole people.

According to popular humor website Cracked.com, much of what you know is just flat-out wrong. Do you remember your favorite teacher from grade school? You know, the kindly one who always smiled and handed out gold stars and watermelon-flavored Jolly Ranchers whenever you answered a question correctly? Yeah, well, she was a stone-cold liar. Don’t worry though, Cracked.com’s The De-Textbook will you straight and undo all the misinformation that the educational system fed you throughout the years. Now a word of warning: If you are not familiar with Cracked.com, there is a strong possibility that its irreverent and vulgar brand of satirical humor will offend you. If you dislike that kind of humor, are easily offended, and object to profanity, I highly suggest you to stay far, far away.

Now, having said all that, I would be remiss in my duty as a librarian if I did not tell you that The De-Textbook is not an authoritative resource for factual information. In fact, I would highly advise you to be a little skeptical of anything you read in The De-Textbook. That’s not to say that many (if not all) of its factual claims are true, but I would highly advise fact checking anything you learn from it before citing it in a scholarly research paper. After all, the book’s purpose is to entertain and make you laugh; learning anything in the process is just an added benefit.

-Zach, Reference


The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne
I’m sure none of you will be surprised to hear that this is a book about a librarian who enjoys strength conditioning, but that is a description that only scratches the surface of this work. Josh Hanagarne is a man who suffers from Tourette’s, and he hasn’t always enjoyed employment at a public library. Before settling into that position, he spent many years bouncing from job to job because of the daily stresses of his disorder. He recounts some of these stresses--both during his childhood and his adult years--and we learn his life story in the process. He talks of his Mormon faith, his dedication to training with weights and kettlebells, and his bond with his parents and siblings as well as his wife and child and how all of these people and things have both helped and agitated his Tourette's. And, of course, he talks about his job as a librarian. He describes unique events that occur while he is working and incorporates a lot of humor that we as members of a library staff can understand. However, perhaps my favorite part of this book is how Josh continually uses references to both popular and not so popular literature to make his story relatable. It is in these moments that I find myself wanting to rush to the library to see if the books he mentions are on the shelf. His story is sad, happy, entertaining, intelligent, witty, and sarcastic all at the same time. A great read and it is available at Acorn and through SWAN.

-Donna D., Reference


Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected by Kelle Hampton (available through SWAN)
This is one of those books that makes you feel like you are sitting right next to the author listening to her story.  I laughed; I cried.  She describes the journey of pain and growth when she gave birth to a daughter who has Down Syndrome.  I recommend this book so you can get a glimpse of the emotional roller coaster for any parent who has to come to terms with a child's disability.  The hopes and dreams change, but the love does not.  As a special part of the book, the pictures of the author's two daughters are so precious and beautiful.  May all of us cherish our relationships!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Janice, Youth Services

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 47

The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman
This is the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who, through luck and divine intervention, survived the German occupation of Poland. The book begins by describing a very memorable scene: Wladyslaw playing Chopin’s Nocturne in C#Minor live on the radio. His piece is interrupted halfway through by German shelling. And so begins his journey of survival. Slowly he and his family are forced into Jewish ghettos and eventually are made to board a train to Treblinka, a Jewish concentration camp. However, just before Szpilman gets on the train, he is recognized by one of the officers, separated from his family, and pulled out of line--an act that saved his life. He would find later that his parents and siblings did not survive their time in the camp. Wladyslaw seeks help from various friends who all give him temporary shelter, but soon he has nowhere else to go. He finds himself living in abandoned buildings and eating whatever food he can find. One day he discovers a piano and cannot resist playing Chopin. A German military officer discovers him but instead of turning him in, he brings him food and clothing--another act that would save his life. When Szpilman is finally able to come out of hiding after the war, he discovers that the German military officer who helped him has been captured and is in a prisoner of war camp. However, Wladyslaw had never asked his name and was not able to find him until it was too late. The book ends with Szpilman resuming his live radio rendition of Chopin’s Nocturne in C#Minor. This story is incredibly sad, but one worth reading. And it’s available in SWAN.

-Donna D., Reference


The Soldier’s Wife by Margaret Leroy
When Vivienne de la Mare’s husband is sent away to fight in the English army during World War II, she has no idea just how much her life will change. Vivienne struggles to take care of her two daughters and mother-in-law as the island of Guernsey, part of the Channel Islands, becomes occupied by German soldiers. When a couple of the soldiers move in to the house next door to hers, she finds herself falling for one of them, a German named Gunther. It becomes obvious that Vivienne has not been happy in her marriage for a long time, and Gunther seems to make her feel things that she hasn’t in a while. However, trying to keep her relationship with him a secret on a small island is something Vivienne finds difficult to do. In the end, she must decide whether this man is worth all of the risks and shame that come along with an affair with the enemy.

Although I don’t often read historical fiction, this one was very hard for me to put down. I felt many different emotions throughout the entire book, and it helped me to see what life may have been like in a different part of the world during World War II. I highly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good love story with some historical details thrown in. It is available through SWAN.

- Lynn, Reference


Wool by Hugh Howey
Any fan of dystopian fiction needs to read Wool, the start of a fantastic science fiction series by Hugh Howey.  Wool was originally self-published as a series of 5 e-novellas in 2011.  The setting depicted in the novel is familiar to many readers; it resembles our current society, though because the environment has become uninhabitable and the air toxic, humans live in a silo, built hundreds of feet into the ground.   Everything to sustain life takes place in the silo, from hydroponic farms, to the IT center.  One day, the silo's sheriff, Holston, expresses the one sentiment that is punishable by 'cleaning'- he wishes to go outside. 'Cleaners' are sent out of the silo, in a suit constructed as best as IT can configure to withstand the noxious environment as long as possible (which isn't very long), to clean the sensors on the outside of the silo, and then make their way into the unknown. Holston's replacement as sheriff is an unlikely candidate, Juliette, from 'down deep.'  Juliette has no interest in being sheriff, but she does wonder what would cause Holston, a seemingly sane man, to want out of the silo. Juliette's investigation results in sinister realizations about the silo, its history, and the uninhabitable outside.  I can see why this series did so well that it was able to make the leap from self-e-publishing to print.  Though dystopian fiction is a flooded genre at this point, this series is fresh and intriguing with many well-developed characters.  Wool is followed by two more books, Shift and Dust, and is available through SWAN.

-Jen, Youth Services

This Week's Staff Favorites: Volume 46

Death With Interruptions by Jose Saramago
In this novel, Jose Saramago brings death to life--literally. He turns death (small d) into a female character who is tired of constantly being insulted and hated. She decides that she is going to conduct an experiment in which no one dies. At first, the people celebrate the absence of death--no more lost loved ones and no more fear of dying themselves--but then they begin to experience the consequences of eternal life. Life insurance policies become meaningless, funeral home owners are no longer making money, and religious leaders no longer have many teachings to offer. Seeing the havoc that is being reaped, death then concocts a new plan--people will begin dying again, but they will receive a letter prior to their deaths. The scarlet envelopes start appearing on desks, in mailboxes, anywhere that the individual might happen to be 24 hours before they are supposed to die. Death, again, becomes unavoidable. All this changes, however, when death attempts to send a letter to a cellist. The letter keeps coming back to her. Finally death resolves to deliver the letter in person, but instead finds herself falling in love. Jose Saramago really captures the audience’s attention, not only with his examination of capitalism through the personification of death, but also with his love story. A must-read. And it’s available at Acorn and through SWAN.

-Donna D., Reference

Taylor's Gift by Todd and Tara Storch
I just finished Taylor's Gift by Todd and Tara Storch (available through swan). (copyright 2013) Although it was a very sad story, it offered joy and hope too.  Taylor was the Storch's 13 year old daughter who tragically died in a skiing accident during a family trip.  I can't even imagine losing my daughters at such a young age.  Through this dark moment, there is some joy and hope.  Out of death came life.  The Storch's were asked if they would like to donate Taylor's organs and they said yes for 5 of them.  They have been able to connect with 4 of the recipients and the authors tell those people's stories too.  Since then, Todd and Tara have decided to start a foundation called Taylor's Gift Foundation.  Their mission is increasing organ donation to Regift Life, Renew Health, and Restore Families. (319) Todd offers this statistic:  "Currently, only 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. are registered to be organ donors, yet there are more than 100,000 people awaiting an organ transplant" (317).   I would encourage all of you to consider donating your organs upon your death as well.  You probably can't even imagine the restored health and life you can offer to others.  I liked what Todd wrote: "Organ donation doesn't cost anything; you can't take your organs with you, and it saves lives when you leave them here."  (320).  This book was also very honest in how two parents and two siblings dealt with their grief and how the community rallied around them.

-Janice, Youth Services


SWAK
What does this wintry season bring to mind?  Snow and cold?  Hot chocolate with marshmallows and, maybe, a little bit of peppermint schnapps?  Hot-buttered rum with, maybe, a little extra rum?  Mmmmm…oh, wait, I was here to write something.  Oh, that’s right, ‘What does this time of the year bring to mind?’  Well, I’m going to tell you…kissing!  Don’t believe me, well, let me make my case and turn you into a believer.

Proof number one – Mistletoe!
Proof number two – New Year’s Eve…at midnight!
Proof number three – Valentine’s Day…all day!

Voilà, you are now all believers, right?  That’s what I thought!  Now, to celebrate your new-found belief, we simply have to start with The Science of Kissing.  Did you ever wonder why people evolved to smash their lips together as a sign of affection?  Why men are sloppier kissers than women?  How about the physiology and neurobiology of ‘the kiss’?  Whether the urge to lock lips will ever disappear?  Well, your answers to these and many more questions can be found in the pages of this wonderfully entertaining and informative little book.

Now, to balance out all that yucky science, we have The Art of Kissing.  If you need a how-to book (and, apparently, since the author covers 28 different kinds of kisses, we all need a how-to book!), this one’s for you.  We can also delve into the ambitiously titled Kissing: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about One of Life’s Sweetest Pleasures.  If you need more than that, well, I just can’t help you!

At this point, you’re at one of two places with this kissing stuff…firm believer or reluctant believer.  For you reluctant believers, we’ll take a step back and let you go study The Art of Hugging.  For the firm believers, well, it’s time for the next brave step…let me introduce you to one of my favorite authors, Mary Roach, and her exceptionally hilarious and informative book, Bonk.  Hey, there’s a reason that September and October are such popular birth months and it all goes back to winter being the Season of the Kiss!  So, bundle up, pucker up and smooch away…in the name of science, of course.

-Danielle, Tech Services