My Year With Eleanor by Noelle Hancock

http://noellehancock.blogspot.com/

This is a great book. I loved it! Yes, I have fear, fear of everything. Even when I conquer one fear, it will still haunt me again and again. The only fear I overcame was public speaking, forced to do it at my job as an adult librarian. Who knew how much public speaking there would be for someone who lists reading as her favorite activity? When Noelle Hancock loses her job as a blog writer she finds Eleanor Roosevelt to inspite her to " Do one thing every day that scares you." Living in New York City she finds lots to do that is scary, ie. first she signs up for trapeze lessons on a roof top in NYC, (luckily she convinces her friends to do it with her!) She and her friends also go sky-diving for the first time, then she learns to pilot a fighter plane that chases another newbie in a dog fight! Then her father's friend suggests climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest point and the world's highest free-standing mountain, which is actually a volcano that is showing signs of renewed activity! Now that is scary! Interspersed in her narrative about her friends, her boyfriend, and her therapist are stories about Eleanor Roosevelt learning to overcome her fears. Mrs. Roosevlt really does some incedible things herself, like flying in a plane so prone to ignite the government feels it is too risky for President Roosevlt to fly in, so they allocate it to her. Another quote I like from Eleanor Roosevelt, " No one ever lives up to the best in themselves all the time, and nearly all of us love people because of their weaknesses rather than because of their strengths." 

The Ghost Writer by Philip Roth

Philip Roth

Philip Roth’s book, “The Ghost Writer,” leaves one feeling that the book should be discussed in an American Literature class. There is so much to discuss. It needs to be analyzed in detail –all the clever lines need to be underlined and studied. I haven’t read Philip Roth for some time, but reading this makes me want to change all that. This book was recommended for December reading in “ A Reader’s Book of Days” by Tom Nissley. “The Ghost Writer” was published in 1979, twenty years after his famous first novel, “Goodbye, Columbus.” I love to read books with a winter setting during the snow-filled days. The opening line of the book is, “It was the last daylight hour of a December afternoon more than twenty years ago….” A young twenty three year old published writer has been invited to the home in upper New York of his idolized writer of Jewish extraction who is fifty-six years old. This older gentleman is very self-effacing as he gains the attention of the younger generation. What draws out in the next twelve or more hours is the adoration of the twenty three year old writer looking for a father figure to understand and appreciate his art as a Jewish writer. The introduction of the famous author’s wife and a young refugee from Europe act out a drama that the writer begins a fantasy and imaginational dream about that validates him as a loyal Jew.

To The Letter by Simon Garfield

Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Years_a_Slave I just finished reading the book that was published in 1853 by Solomon Northup. It was hard to read of his misfortune and the hardships that he suffered at the hands of the slave owner in his last years on a cotton platation. I can't imagine not being able to write a letter to my loved ones, and especially loosing my name. Everytime the slave is sold he is known by his master's last name. After years of suffering and hopelessness he finds a carpenter from Canada who will write his letter and post it for him and the process begins from New York that had a law on their books since 1840 that no free black man could be sold. Money is taken from the state to send a representative to Louisana to bring him back home safely. Alas he tells of many slaves who have faced imprisonment since infancy and have no hope. The tearing apart of the children from their parents is the most hearbreaking, usually because there is little sympathy for their fellow man. I don't think I could watch the movie that was made this year for the suffering and violence that would be depicted..

Elizabeth George

El;izabeth George

An English Murder by Cyril Hare

Inspector Lynley

I read mystery series in order usually, but I jumped ahead in Elizabeth George's series on Inspector Lynley and read A Suitable Vengeance. I was surprised it was a look at the past, the beginning of the romance between Deborah Cotter and Thomas Lynley. The story has Inspector Lynley bringing his fiance back to Cornwall to announce his engagement. Long time friends and some employed on his family estate get involved in a murder of a local journalist. Inspector Lynley does his investigating with his long-time friend Simom St. James, the forensic scientist. A very good read and a basic background to Inspector Lynley's romantic background. Then I read Well-Schooled in Murder, no. 3 in the series. Lynley gets caught up in a disappearance of a student at a prep school where on of his former Eton chums is now a teacher. It becomes clear that the boy disappeared at the school and the body was dumped at the village churchyard. A sad story, but the sequence is in timing with Payment in Blood. I like the background stories of these well written mysteries as well as the mystery itself. I am looking forward to continuing the series.

Inspector Morse

I started watching the Inspector Morse series on DVD that I borrowed from the library. I like to start things at the beginning, and The Dead of Jericho was Colin Dexter's fifth book in the series. Detective Lewis is his co-worker and has been with him for awhile in the book. Lewis knows all the quicks of Morse such as his uncanny ability to solve a mystery, his moodiness, his penchant for women and his high intelligence. Morse is well read and listens to classical music. The setting is University of Oxford in England, which plays well with the series as the scenery is beautiful and historical. Lewis is married with one young daughter. I liked the story, but there were so many twists and turns I don't know if I could have followed it as well if I hadn't seen the TV version ahead of time. I like the erudite, literate writing style and I think I will try to read more of this interesting series. For the TV series The Dead of Jericho introduces Inspector Morse and Detective Lewis.

Summer Reading

I finished the Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan.  If you like Rosemunde Pilcher then you would like this English romance novel. Rose Lloyd has been replaced by her assistant as her husband, Nathans mistress. Not only has he betrayed his wife, but now he is in love and wants to leave his wife for the assistant, Minty. Then as things couldn't get worse, her company has replaced her job with the assistant. This book is filled with reminiscences, garden descriptions and lots of family drama. A good read for the summer months. I also liked the audio version with Jean Gilpin as the reader. Excellent.

Charlaine Harris and Caroline Graham

      There is more to Charlaine Harris than the Sookie Stackhouse True Blood vampire series. Although Ms. Harris is getting all the fame for that series, I prefer the Aurora Teagarden mystery series. I know its simple and fun, but there you have it. I just finished reading A Bone to Pick about a small town librarian who inherits a house and a lot of money. What fun! Only trouble there is a secret in the house and Miss Teagarden isn't about to involve the police with her name this time. How will she protect her name and the name of her benefactress with what she discovers hidden in the house? A fun read, and more in the series. Always nice to know if its a series that I like has more to continue with.
     I also finished a book by Carline Graham of the Midsomer Murder series on BBC. I know she only wrote seven of the Tom Barnaby series and I have been wanting to read all of them, but maybe I have already and just forgot. I picked up Murder at Madingley Grange hoping it was a Chief Inspector Banaby mystery, but it proved to be something else entirely. Not bad, a comedy of errors in a grange house that is owned by the protagonist's aunt who has gone off on a cruise, leaving her niece and nephew Laurie and Simon Hannaford in charge. He thinks it's a great idea to invite strangers to the house for a mystery "Murder" weekend of fun and games. Laurie is shy and hesitant, but a good cook and she is persuaded to play the part of hostess. Its a fun farce and easy reading for a summer day.

Payment in Blood

I'm on the second in the Inspector Lynley mystery series by Elizabeth George. Payment in Blood has the typical house guests snowed in at Westerbrae, a Scottish mansion on Loch Achiemore.. The guests are all attached to a new theatre production and have come to hear the reading of a play that has been altered by the playwright. The playwright, Joy Sinclair, is found stabbed to death in her bed by a dirk found on the wall of the estate. Things become complicated when Lynley finds that the only access to the victim's room is through his best friend, Lady Helen Clyde's room. And she did not spend the night alone. Lynley's emotions take over and Sergeant Barbara Havers, Deborah and Simon St. James start their own investigation to protect Lynley's career.  A good mystery with all the drama between friends to spice up the story. Next up, Well-Schooled in Murder.

Rennie Airth

I just finished Rennie Airth's third book in the John Madden Mystery series, The Dead of Winter. The story is set in World War II England and there is much background of the time and place in detail. There is an assassin loose the likes of which Madden and the Chief Inspector Sinclair had never seen before. A young land girl working at Madden's farm is murdered as she makes her way to visit her Polish aunt. Suspicions point to a murder for hire from the continent. Things become only more mysterious when this same man seems to be on a killing spree and for what motive. Madden is retired from the Yard but he gets involved to help out his friend Sinclair, but also to seek justice for Rosa Novak, the young land girl he somehow feels responsible for. A good mystery, Airth is getting attention these days for his John Madden mysteries. "The first, River of Darkness, won the Grand Prix de Literature Policiere for best international crime novel of 2000 ans was nominated for Edgar, Anthony and Macavity awards."

The Mistress of Kings

I have been reading Alison Weir's book, Mary Boleyn: The Mistress of Kings, a biographical historical study of the sister of Anne Boleyn. It's fairly interesting, not a novel, but a factual study. Alison Weir points out inconsistencies in the story of Mary Boleyn, and why she differes from the modern version. It is not like Philippa Gregory's book, The Other Boleyn Girl, which is based on rumors and is a novelization of Mary's life. I like the historical details of the times, what was considered appropriate behavior of the players. Weir explains why it was common for kings to take mistresses during their wife's confinement during pregnancy. Although it was common to take mistresses, King Henry VIII was discrete and therefore there is little real evidence that Mary Boleyn was his mistress as his enemies claimed. Although he claimed Elizabeth Blount's child, Henry Fiztroy as his bastard child, Henry never claims the daughter by Mary Boleyn, Katherine, even though she resembles him, because Mary Boleyn was married to his cousin William Carey at the time. An engrossing study.

The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek was a fun read. Two half-sisters are united at their dead aunt's house to settle the estate. It's in the Hamptons, and the story is about the parties, the social manners, the love connections that take place in the summer of 2008, Everyone is critiqued, from their style to their entertaiment engagements. A painting is stolen on the first night they give a party and this only adds the the wild and crazy summer they are having.  Made me want to read her first novel. Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him. A long way off from some of the thrillers I have been reading. I only hope she writes more.Witty and literate. Loved it.

A Ruth Galloway Mystery

Elly Griffiths has written another Ruth Galloway mystery, A Dying Fall, published 2013. Ruth Galloway loses one of her friends from college, a Dan Golding, by a fire in his home. After she hears the devastating news, she receives an letter from him, saying that he is scared. He has uncovered the archaeology discovery of his lifetime, and wants Ruth's help in the identification.  She gets an invitation from the head of the department to help  with the discovery, as she is a forensic archaeologist. She decides to take her daughter with her and make a vacation of it. She also invites Kate's godfather, Cathbad, to go along and help with her eighteen month old. This a a good read as I always enjoy the adventures of Ruth Galloway. Elly Griffiths is the 2011 winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award and longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library award 2012. I like to see the advancement of the series as I started with the first, The Crossing Places, shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. The House at Sea's End was shortlisted for the Barry Award for best British Crime Novel (US). I can't wait for the next one in the series. Elley Griffiths lives in Britian.

A Kurt Wallander Mystery

     Henning Mankell wrote The Dogs of Riga after the Soviet Union was breaking up. It was originally published in Swedish in 1992, then translated by Laurie Thompson in 2001. Like the character Kurt Wallander I know very little about Latvia, but this novel gives a grim picture of its history. In the afterword Henning Mankell writes, "The revolutionary events that took place in the Baltic countries during the last year were the basis for this novel." In the novel Wallander is a police inspector who gets drawn into a strange case when a life-raft drifts ashore on a Swedish beach with two dead men who have been murdered in it. Trying to locate where the raft has come from and what is the identity of the men is completely baffling to Inspector Wallander. Because of the currents and the various countries along the Baltic sea, its any one's guess as to which country these men have drifted from. The raft proves to be made in Yugoslavia and used by the Russians, so Interpol is notified and a police officer from Latvia is arriving to help identify the bodies. The mystery becomes more complicated and the suspense becomes greater and I am reminded of Alan Furst's novels of spy thrillers in early World War II era, only this is 1991 and the reality of the hardships is difficult to read. This is the second in the Kurt Wallander series.

Agatha Christie

Just finished reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. Very engaging, quite different than some of her later books. Featuring Hercule Poirot in a small village as the investigating detective, the book is written in first person, with the local doctor introducing the story from his point of view. As friends with the victim, Dr. James Sheppard is at the scene of the discovery of the body found in the victim's own home. One of the few Christie novels that has drawing of the actual scene of the crime, reminding me of the Clue game. A well done mystery, from the cover of the book, " the book became a landmark in its field. In their invaluable reference work, Twentieth Century Authors, Stanley J Kunitz and Howard Haycraft call it a ' brilliant tour de force...one of the few undoubted classics of the modern detective story.'" This book was first published in 1926 and probably one of her earliest of Hercule Poirot. Must find them in order, my passion. I must say that I don't always like seeing him in the films, but the reading of this novel was enlightening as to his character.

Another Police Procedural

     Elizabeth George writes English police procedural even though she lives in America, born in Warren, Ohio. She maintains a flat in England to help her with her research. I just finished her first novel, " A Great Deliverance" with the characters Thomas Lynley as Inspector and Barbara Havers as his partner. A great novel with a psychological study to keep the mystery intriguing. With  Agatha Christie as her model, George writes the crime novel without the suspense that is usually found in the more gritty thrillers. There is a who-dun-it aspect of the novel, but the story meanders through the personal histories of the detectives and their colleagues. Her first novel was a great success winning the Anthony and the Agatha awards for best first novel. She has continued her series successfully with seventeen more mysteries in the psychological suspense genre. This was a wonderful introduction to the series and I hope to check out some of the PBS television series based on her characters as well.
    In this story Barbara Havers is taken off the street patrol duty to give her another chance as detective. She is furious and hates being partnered with Thomas Lynley, a complicated character who is of the titled gentry. Told to learn something from Lynley, Havers stutters through the beginning days, trying hard to keep up the appearance of cooperating, but the strain is too hard on her.Their case is the decapitation of a farmer in York, whose only witness is his daughter who confesses to the crime and then is put into an asylum. Lynley is unsure of her guilt and wants to understand the town and its inhabitants and the incongruity of a daughter using a ax to kill her father. This is a study of the village life and the mysteries of the villagers. Lynley wants to know who is lying and why. The story contains a runaway mother and a runaway sister to the accused. What they discover only adds to the horror of the decapitation.

Police Procedurals

I have been keeping up with my reading, just stuck on the police procedural by English authors, the latest being Jerusalem Inn by Martha Grimes. She has the knack of writing literary mysteries, an unusual accomplishment. Her main character, Richard Jury, the single Superintendent of Scotland Yard manages to throw in Greek characters and comparisons that go over the head of most of his companions, and mine too. This was a good mystery, it included the setting of an old English home snowed in for Christmas with a houseful of guests and a body found in the snow. The story had all the makings of an Agatha Christie mystery, only this was 1982 not 1932. Most of Martha Grimes novels are named after pubs in England and this was no different, Jerusalen Inn was within skiing distance to the home where the characters gathered for questioning, a good read.

I love to knit

Just wanted to share a link to http://www.loveofknitting.com/blog/ a knitting blog that interests me. It is afffiliated with the magazine "Love of Knitting". I have been instructing people in various techniques of knitting, the latest was teaching some ladies how to knit socks on four needles. Loved that experience.

Finding a new book to read

Looking for a new book can be quite daunting, which is why the libraries have the Reader's Advisory, either in person, or a a website such as Novelist. I tried to read " A Brew to a Kill: A Coffeehouse Mystery," by Cleo Coyle but couldn't get caught up in all the fancy writing. Maybe there are just a little too many quips and jargon-filled fodder for my taste. The author seemed to think that a smart remark was needed in every sentence. It was just a little too off-putting for me. Now then, maybe if I had started at the beginning of the series I would find that it what I was expecting. I'll have to try the first one to compare. So, I was waiting for Ian Rankin's next on my list of titles in order, "Tooth and Nail." His prose was just what I expected, the language flows, there is enough of unknown words and sayings. Because he is Scottish those new phrases pique my interest. I like learning something new. I always thought that his books would be a bit too edgy for me, but because someone likened Rebus to Cynthia Harrod- Eagles' character, Bill Slider, I thought I'd take a go at his works. Rebus is the main character, another CID, a member of the Criminal Investigation Department. In this book he is called in to be an expert in a London investigation of a serial killer. Usually he is based in Edinburgh, where the author lives. His last case was a serial killer and now the expectations are high for him to help with the investigation. Four murders have already taken place, and he is here to find the clues that link the victims to the killer. There is a visit to his ex-wife and daughter while he is in London, and an fairly interesting psychologist, Lisa Frazer to add more depth and romance to the storyline. I am only halfway through, but it is proving to be a page-turner.

Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths has written three novels in the Ruth Galloway mystery series that I have read. I like to read a series in order, so I have read "The Crossing Places,' "the Janus Stone," and "The House at Sea's End." All take place off the coast of England in a town called Norfolk. From the description of the area it seems rather desolate, but Norfolk is actually a large town with many colleges. The University of North Norfolk where Dr. Galloway teaches is a fictitious university. From wikipedia I read that there is a large section of Norfolk that is under the protection of the Broads authority and is a National Park. Much of Elly Griffiths' story is the atmosphere of the lonely, desolate areas of Norfolk, often being part of an archeology dig. This is how Ruth enters the story, finding bones in a dig brings her expertise in forensic archeology into play. Griffiths knows her area well as it is a key character in the story. Griffiths brings in interesting characters, building each story with more of their background. There is a mixture of religion, as Ruth's parents are born again Christians, which Ruth rejects. Druid Carthbad appears in every story as a friend of Ruth's, and Catholic DCI Nelson from the police has his own story as well. One gets a taste of the cultural and social life in Norfolk. It is an interesting series with something new to learn in every book without being too academic. From Elly Griffiths' website I find there are two more novels in the series I haven't read, so I have something to look forward to. A great series for the anglophile that I am.

Day After Night by Anita Diamant

Tonight at 7 pm our Booklovers Book Discussion group will discuss "Day After Night" by Anita Diamant who wrote the bestseller "The Red Tent." in her book, "Day after Night" she recreates a refuge camp in Palestine after World War II. Many Jews from all over Europe find their way to the Promised land only to end up in a camp called Atlit. There they are given food and shelter, plus lessons in Hebrew and introduction to the Zionist state. Diamant tell the story of disparate women all whom have secrets and their own personal heartbreaks they are unwilling to share. There are different jobs for some, such as working in the infirmary or the kitchen, or greeting the new arrivals and help with the delousing treatment. They are hoping for placement in Kibbutzes or perhaps freedom in the cities. They are unsure of their date as they wait to be released, some faster than others. They are young, attractive to the male counterparts, unsure if they are willing to encourage the advancements of men, as many have been raped or tortured in various ways. Little by little the stories come out, their shame and their fears. It's a good story of women surviving the worst life has to offer, and the friendships that help them cope.

Anita Renfroe

I listened to the book by Anita Renfroe, " Don't Say I Didn't Warn You, " which is a personal account of her life with children and husband. She is a comedian who usually performs at churches, for her clean comedy. My daughter had me YouTube her William Tell Overture momisms called the "Mom Song" and although it went viral in 2009, I hadn't seen it. It's really funny. Anita Renfroe has put out some videos of her performances and written a few books, but she narrates this one and it was pretty funny. I especially liked the part where she said she married Santa Claus, for his over the top decorating of the house and his personal love of anything Christmas. He was the youth pastor at his church, and they usually have to enjoy youth and fun, so it makes sense. This is a fun audio book to listen to.

We hosted our book discussion last night on Cherries in Winter by Suzan Colón. The book was about the author's adjustment to a single salary after she lost her job writing in New York City. She wanted to look at her grandmother's recipes, but found also with the recipes her grandmother's writings, which she included in her book. She looked back at her family and saw the strength they had surviving much worse than she had, and she felt inspired by their tenacity and sense of humor. We talked about our own families and how we try to stay in touch with distant relatives. We shared ideas to entertain large groups of relatives, like game playing. And we talked about the meals we cooked for our families that we have been doing for years. The economy has me brown bagging my lunches, and making homemade meals at night. Thank goodness I have a husband who loves leftovers. They are my life savers. But I sure would love to have a husband who could run down to the  beach when the blues are running, and catch some fresh fish for dinner as Suzan's grandfather did for her many years ago along Long Island Sound. That was one of our favorite memories from her stories of family.

Police Procedural

Because I like to read Cynthia Harrod-Eagles and her police procedurals, I was alerted to read Ian Rankin. I started at his first Inspector Rebus, Knots and Crosses written in 1987. I am glad I did start with the first one because it explains his personality as a character. Rebus has nightmares, and sudden visions of someone being trapped. During his investigation he is sent notes with references to knots and crosses, a game in England similar to Tic-Tac-Toe I am guessing. He thinks the clues are a hoax, but as an informer solves the acrostic clue, he is suddenly driven into the mystery and suspense of his lifetime. And with help from his brother, a hypnotist, his deeper knowledge solves the mystery, but not the where. A suspenseful ending to a good book.

I finished reading the Memory of Running by Ron McLarty. It was a very engaging story, with a forty three year old man who has lost both of his parents in an accident. He finds a letter to his father. The letter is about his sister and he decides he must go to California and claim his sister's body. He has been depressed all his life over the loss of his sister and her mental problems, so this "quest" that he is on brings him many positive experiences with people and helps him to reach out and claim a better side of himself. The journey starts in Rhode Island on a bike and his adventure begins without any preparation; he just knows he need to go there and resolve his relationship with his sister. He loves her very much, but has been unable to help in the past. The book flashes back to the past to understand the history of Smithy Ide.

The Booklovers Book Discussion for this month on January 28th is Hilary Mantel's 2009 Booker Prize winning novel, Wolf Hall. Set in the 1520s, King Henry VIII wants to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn. The author recreates this immensely volatile time in historical fiction, and then in 2012, presents the sequel, Bring up the Bodies. The books are available at the front desk if you are interested in joining the discussion. The group meets on the fourth Monday night at 7 p.m.

     Our Mystery Lover's Book Discussion group meets next on Monday, January 14th at 7 pm. They will be discussing the novel, The Virgin in the Ice by Ellis Peters, a Brother Cadfael mystery, no. 6 in the series. Join the group for a fun evening, and you may pick up the novel at the front desk of the Tipp City Public Library. The novel takes place in Medieval England: "In the winter of 1139, raging civil war has sent refugees fleeing north from Worcester, among them an orphaned boy and his beautiful 18-year-old sister. Traveling with a young nun, they set out for Shrewsbury, but disappear somewhere in the wild countryside. Now, Brother Cadfael embarks on a dangerous quest to find them." Barnes and Noble For further information on this novel check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Virgin_in_the_Ice

George Smiley

     I started to get interested in this book, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre, this year due to an article in Booklist magazine by Will Manley. There was a new movie of this book coming out and the author said he just couldn't see anyone else besides Alec Guiness playing George Smiley, the chief operator in the book, a M16 spy for the "circus". That piqued my interest. Then I found a copy of the book in our library catalog with Frank Muller as the reader. Another famous name, someone really known for his excellent reading of audio books and I wanted to listen to him read the book. I would also read the book myself at times. It was hard to follow at first, but the audio helps. George Smiley is retired, and the authorities come to him to research undercover for a mole in the organization. I think that Frank Muller deliberately "did" the voice of Alec Guiness, the man famous for his role as George Smiley. It is filled with tension, especially as they get closer to trapping the spy. I have read le Carre years ago, and it's his detail, his dialog, and drama that all set his work apart. Because there is so much detail, description, that it makes the novel harder to follow than the sparse, action-now thrillers that are so popular. It is worth sticking with, George Smiley is one character that grows on you, the reader feels for his desperation in finding the mole. I also found out that Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a trilogy, so I am now reading, ie. listening to The Honorable Schoolboy, part 2of the trilogy. It is read by Michael Jayston. Frank Muller died in 2008. I notice that Jayston also does the voice of George Smiley as Alec Guiness. By the way, I did watch the BBC production of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, a six hour production that was excellent. Now to compare it to the new version with Gary Oldman in the key role.

Good Reads

Here is a recommendation  for the New Year, " A Land More Kind Than Home," by Wiley Cash. It is a first novel, beautifully written, and recommended to me by Julie Smith, one of the book reviewers here at Tipp City Public Library that I can trust. From the back cover, " The narrative is strong, clean, direct and economical. He is very familiar with this part of rural North Carolina, its mountains, valleys, rivers, vegetation and farms. " by Ernest Gaines.
I am in the middle of "Memory of Running," by Ron McLarty. Julie has been trying to get me to read it for years now, and my to be read pile has dwindled until I finally caught up with it and I needed something light. Julie has recommended this book to many people and I have finally taken up her offer. I am not disappointed. It's a good read so far.

Ray Bradbury

I read this poem today and the 1974 introduction to Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine, a novel that is close to autobiographical. It looks like an interesting novel that I am just getting into. I like this poem as it is a celebration of his home town of Waukegan, Illinois. I like to read about other people's childhoods. He makes an interesting statement about how everythingis beautiful to a child, at least the child he was. Beautiful to a poet, at least.

Byzantium, I come not from,


But from another time and place

Whose race was simple, tried and true;

As boy

I dropped me forth in Illinois.

A name with neither love nor grace

Was Waukegan, there I came from

And not, good friends, Byzantium.

And yet in looking back I see

From topmost part of farthest tree

A land as bright, beloved and blue

As any Yeats found to be true.

So we grew up with mythic dead

To spoon upon midwestern bread

And spread old gods’ bright marmalade

To slake in peanut-butter shade,

Pretending there beneath our sky

That it was Aphrodite’s thigh…

While by the porch-rail calm and bold

His words pure wisdom, stare pure gold

My grandfather, a myth indeed,

Did all of Plato supersede

While Grandmama in rockingchair

Sewed up the raveled sleeve of care

Crocheted cool snowflakes rare and bright

To winter us on summer night.

And uncles, gathered with their smokes

Emitted wisdoms masked as jokes,

And aunts as wise as Delphic maids

Dispensed prophetic lemonades

To boys knelt there as acolytes

To Grecian porch on summer nights;

Then went to bed, there to repent

The evils of the innocent;

The gnat-sins sizzling in their ears

Said, through the nights and through the years

Not Illinois nor Waukegan

But blither sky and blither sun.

Though mediocre all our Fates

And Mayor not as bright as Yeats

Yet still we knew ourselves. The sun?

Byzantium.

Byzantium.

Book Discussions

At the Tipp City Library we have two book discussion groups. For the Booklovers we read a variety of books, from literary, non-fiction, to memoirs. Sometimes I will even throw in a romance, a light read, or a mystery. I have tried to eliminate reading an author more than twice, but it happens a few times. The goal of Booklovers is to introduce new types of books to our patrons to read. Many times the books on hold  will be picked up and read by the patrons who do not want to participate in the discussion. I like to see that. For Booklovers our next read is Ape House by Sara Gruen. She also wrote Water for Elephants which turned out to be very popular and was even made into a movie. Ape House is a novel about the bonobo apes that communicate with sign language and have special computer skills to show what they wish to have such as pears or special blankets for their "nests". Join our discussion on Agust 27, Monday night at 7 pm, the fourth Monday of the month.
      The Tipp City Library hosts a Mystery Lovers Book Discussion on the second Monday of the month. The next discussion will be Monday, September 10th at 7 p.m. The group will be discussing a Susan C. Shea Dani O'Rourker mystery: Murder in the Abstract. This a debut novel, with hopes for more demand for the series. Books are available at the front desk to pick up. Both of these groups are open to the public at any time, so feel free to join the discussion.
        For the Mystery Lovers group the fall selction is October 8: The Victoria Vanishes by Christopher Fowler; November 12: Body Line by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles; and December 10: The Confession by Charles Todd.
        The Booklovers group also have their schedule set for the fall. September 24: Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlock; October 22: In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin; November 26: Where Lilacs Still Bloom by Jane Kirkpatrick. Booklovers does not meet in December.

Book Discussion 2012

Just trying to keep the Booklovers Book Discussion list up to date:

So far this year we have read:

January: The Big Burn by Timothy Egan

February: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

March: Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff

April: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

May: The First Wife by Paula McLain

June: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

July: Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie

coming up
August: The Ape House by Sara Gruen

September: Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlock

October: In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

Espionage Fiction

While this book is still fresh on my mind I'd like to make a note that this was not one of my favorite books by Alan Furst. Maybe because it was too short, or because the drama or suspense was not up to his usual standard. Everything just seemed a little too easy. Granted it was a quick read, something I like in the summer, but I have grown to expect more from Alan Furst, one of my favorite authors. Compared to the Sebastian Faulks novel, Charlotte Gray, it seemed to be missing a lot. The story is about a film star, Fredric Stahl, who comes to Paris in 1938 to make a movie. He is Vienna born as Franz Stalka, now living in Hollywood. Thinking he will enjoy Paris again, he finds he is drawn into a spy ring and isn't too sure he likes the consequences. As he finds himself being followed, he realizes the danger he is in, along with his friends. I have to go back an reread some of my favorites that he wrote, Dark Star comes to mind. Try this other review from another source. NPR rates in on this thriller.

Booklovers Book Discussion

Our next book for discussion at the Tipp City Public Library is Ape House by Sara Gruen. This is a very scientific book of fiction. Sara Gruen wanted to meet the bonobos and to communictae with the apes. She had to pass a thorough program to be admitted to the lab. In the story, Isabel Duncan is a scientist in the lab, helping to teach the apes sign language and use of a computer with symbols for items the apes want. When there is an attack on the lab, she doesn't know who to trust in getting the apes back. A fascinating look at these unique apes and the communication skills they have mastered. Discussion of this book will be Monday, August 27 at 7 pm. Books are available at the desk for discussion. Discussion questions can be located by clicking onto the title of the book in this blog.

Signs of Life: a Memoir

Signs of Life is the story of a widow who has lost her young husband to a terrible accident. Natalie Taylor's book about her year of grieving the loss of her husband when she was twenty four has captivated me. I especially like her description of the students in her English Class. Because Gatsby is so special to me, I liked hearing her voice when she is speaking about her students discussing the book. Knowing she is pregnant now without a husband, her students are more compassionate to her. It is interesting to her what her students are saying. Each step of this new life is detailed with amazing clarity. She manages to capture the reader's attention without overwhelming sentimentality. She is grasping at her new life with amazing courage, but the grieving process is always there. She has trouble at first coping with her new young son, but you know in the end it is the joy of this new life that is bringing her to her next step in this journey of life.

It has been so long since I have posted anything. I was beginning to think I couldn't read anymore, but I think it is stress related. The Classics Book Discusson group at the Tipp City Library will not be meeting anymore. There doesn't seem to be an interest, or the timing isn't good. I read Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, then Passage to India by E.M Forster. Both books were difficult to get through, but were worth the effort. Just last night I was recommending to my daughter that if she is looking for a good book to read, check out books that were made into movies. The books are  better, and usually hold up to time. Just to get back into the swing of finishing a book in a few days I checked out one of my favorite author, Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, and she didn't let me down. Body Line was an intriquing mystery, with the good characterization and suspense that I look forward to. Just finishing that book made me breathe a sign of relief. I can still read. Even if some evenings I am just too tired and all I want to do is sleep. Happy summer reading. Check out Dead Days of Summer by Carolyn Hart. It's a fast read, with glimpses of summer on the eastern coastline of the States. It is a Death on Demand mystery, with Bookstore owner, Annie Darling doing most of the sleuthing with help from her friends, This time her husband, Max is being framed for a murder and she will stop at nothing to get him off. Risking her own life, she investigates a young female's murder, knowing that her Max is innocent. An easy read.

Eowyn Ivey's debut novel is on our "staff picks" list. Julie Smith just finished it and wanted to recommend it to the other staff members. She said that it is beautifully written. The story takes place in the 1900's in Alaska. It depicts the harsh reality of homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness. The story is based on a fairy tale so there is a magical quality to the story. Eowyn Ivey gives credit to several books in the acknowlegements for the influence on her writing, "The Snow Child as retold by Freya Littledale and illustrated by Barbara Lavallee; Russian Lacquer; Legends and Fairy Tales by Lucy Maxym, in particular the story of 'Snegurochka'; amd 'Little Daughter of the Snow' from Arthur Ransome's Old Peter's Tales." I have heard more than one person recommend this book so I am putting it on my To Be Read pile. Check our catalog to request a copy.

The Importance of Kafka

This week the Classics Book Discussions is going to take under consideration, "Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka. Born in Czechoslovakia, he studied German, finally finding his voice in writing at the age of 32. This short story is the tale of a traveling salesman who discovered upon waking, he has morphed into a giant cockroach. He is unable to speak and communicate with his family; they all assume he cannot understand them either. At first they have sympathy for him and his plight, but as the story progresses, they take a considerate amount of their frustration out on him, to the point of attacking and starving him to death. It was not the nightmare that I expected, but just the natural human tendency to take care of themselves at any cost and to blame all of their troubles on him. We are the reader, sympathetic to his arrangement, being locked in his room, with food thrown onto newspapers. Before long all the belongings in the household are being tossed into his room to make room for boarders the family is forced to take in to make ends meet. Since he had been the major breadwinner in the family, soon everyone is working and exhausted, and too busy to really care for him. Kafka is remembered for his addition to the literature of the world as someone who changed literature, having a great influence on the literature of his time. He died at the age of 41 probably of  tuberculosis. Here is a quote of his that shows him to be a sensitive man, in his 20’s:

"We are as forlorn as children lost in the wood. When you stand in front of me and look at me, what do you know of the grief's that are in me and what do I know of yours. And if I were to cast myself down before you and tell you, what more would you know about me that you know about Hell when someone tells you it is hot and dreadful? For that reason alone we human beings ought to stand before one another as reverently, as reflectively, as lovingly, as we would before the entrance to Hell."Franz Kafka written at 20 years of age-

Reading for the Month

This month is National Poetry Month, and I am going to read more poetry. I'm lucky I work in the library beacause I can browse the shelves and find interesting poetry books, and books about poetry. I have the "Complete Works" by Shaklespeare at home right now and I am going through the sonnets. I need to read commentaries about his sonnets, the first ones seem to address Queen Elizabeth, who died without having children. Sonnet I "From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die." I am also reading right now a memoir, "Signs of Life: Finding the Best in Yourself During the Worst Life Has to Offer a Memoir" by Natalie Taylor. Mrs. Taylor lost her husband ina terrible accident during her fourth month of pregnancy. She isn't afraid to share her most intimate thoughts, her fears and her feelings about the future. She teaches English in Royal Oak, Michigan.

     I like to read books that deal with the weather, or time of year when I am reading them. One book I have at home is "The Crossing Places" by Elly Griffiths. The library owns a book in the series, "The House at Sea's End ". I thought I'd start the first in the series, but it starts in the raw of winter and I think I'll save it for next winter if it snows maybe. Another winter book I am saving is, "An English Murder" by Cyril Hare. I have read the first 30 pages and it promises to be a good read for a cozy, wrapped up in quilts in front of the fireplace kind of day. Cyril Hare was born in 1900, and his books are a treat.

    I think I'll share a appropriate poem for the season:

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.



Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.



The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed--and gazed--but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:



For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

Rachael Herron

I read Rachael Herron's new book, Life in Stitches: Knitting My Way Through Love, Loss, and Laughter, 20 Pieces this past winter. This book is a memoir of her life as a knitter, but more importantly, it's about her life of finding herself and her work.She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, but she is more than a romance author. She has been knitting since she was five years old, and it is truly her passion. I found out from the book she supports herself with her job as a emergency dispatch operator. She has been keeping a blog since 2003. And she writes romantic fiction built around Cypress Hollow Yarn with knitting as the theme. Each book of the series features a new character. The books in the series are:

1. How to Knit a Love Song: a Cypress Hollow Yarn novel

2. How to Knit a Heart Back Home: a Cypress Hollow Yarn novel 

3.Wishes and Stitches: a Cypress Hollow Yarn novel. I enjoyed meeting Rachael in her book, and left feeling as if I had found a friend. She lives in Washington state and she is in love with Venice. The link to her blog yarnagogo is in the title of this blog.

     I have been knitting more than ever, but since my sock knitting class at the library is winding down this week, I am turning back to quilting. I want to add classes on hand-piecing for the summer. It's light weight, portable, and busy work if you are traveling. That is where I am going next in my future focus at the library.

     But first I have to think about National Poetry month, and I am trying to have a series of things going on. Susan Hoke will be teaching on Friday afternoons during April, using the book, Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem From the Inside Out by Ralph Fletcher. Those classes will be 4-5 pm on Fridays in April. Then during the week of April 23 we will be celebrating with "A Poem in Your Pocket." Poems can be picked up off the bulliten board for your own personal pleasure. Then on April 26th, A Poem in Your Pocket Day, I will be handing out poems in town. On Friday, after Susan's class, we will be hosting a Poetry Reading. Bring your poetry or your favorites and share them with a group of like-minded people. I think I'll share some of the Mayor of New York City's poetry found on NYC Poem in Your Pocket Day.

Lost in Shangri-la by Mitchell Zuckoff

Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II  by Mitchell Zuckoff gets mixed reviews, but for me it held my interest. I was impressed by the courage of the rescuers and by the rescue plan itself, something that hadn't been tired in that type of terrain. The Booklovers Book Discussion group will be talking about this book on Monday, March 26th at 2pm and at 7 pm. You may pick up a copy at the front deak of the Tipp City Public Library if you want to join the discussion. It's an easy read, capturing your imagination immediately , and if you like historical events you will find it fascinating. The author, Mitchell Zuckoff has been awarded for his writing for the Boston-Globe. Now a professor at Boston University College of Communication, Mr. Zuckoff lives in Boston with his wife and two children. Originally I had heard the author was from Cincinnati, but maybe that was earlier in his career.

Agatha Christie Queen of Crime Sweepstakes

Acorn is hosting a Queen of Crime Sweepstakes. Win a trip to London. Follow the link in my title and enter by April 30, 2012. I have loved Agatha Christie since I was thirteen and saw the movie, And Then There Were None, followed by reading the book, Ten Little Indians, released in 1965 in the US by that name. Yes, I was thirteen in 1965, but like an elephant I can remember a lot from that time. I was a Girl Scout, I lived in Beavercreek, Ohio, and I loved to read. Ten Little Indians takes place on Indian Island. Ten people are given a written invitation to join the host for a weekend, then one by one, the guests are murdered. The movie version has the guests on a mountain that they can only access by a ski lift. I can still see someone trying to cut the cable. Try it for good escapism. So much for cozy mystery.

The Available Man by Hilma Wolitzer

.I just finished this book last night. I was taken with the characters, a widower, his two step children, his mother-in-law and all the other characters in the book. It is a slow paced novel, but the humor definitely connected with me. Edward Schuyler has been grieving the death of his wife for over three years. He is a sixty-four year old teacher, married for over 20 years to a wonderful woman that he had felt so lucky to find after 15 years of bachelorhood. His children wanted him to date, so they had set up an ad in the newspaper. Edward's dating adventures after all these year are sad and funny, and real. After reading this book I'm sure you will want to look for some of her others, I certainly did. She has written: Hearts; Summer Reading; and The Doctor's Daughter to name a few. Here is her biography from Barnes and Nobel. Her writing reminded me of Elinor Lipman who writes domestic fiction also. Lucky for us more of Elinor Lipman's books can be found at the Tipp City Public Library. Try The Pursuit of Alice Thrift for a fun novel.

Accelerated Degree host Blog Award

I have been nominated for the distinction of Most Fascinating Blog of 2012 in the category of Librarian Blog.
Here is the letter I received.

Hi there, It's finally here - voting starts today! The voting will continue to March 6 at 11:59 P.M (EST). The site with the most votes will win the grand prize, a $200 restaurant gift card as well as permission to display the prestigious "Winner" emblem on their website! All blogs listed on the ballot are randomized every time the poll is accessed to ensure the fairness and integrity of the results. All votes are 100% anonymous and secure through the use of a 128 bit SSL connection. The ballot contains a list of 100 nominees which have been chosen by our editorial staff and were selected from a pool of over 2,300 submissions. Click here to view the voting page. Share this link in a blog post and on your facebook/twitter to maximize your votes. Good luck and thank you for your participation! Matthew Pelletier Director of Public Relations Accelerated Degree Programs

The Healing by Jonathan Odell

This powerful novel begins in the 1933 when a woman's dead body and her small child, Violet, who was around seven years old show up at Gran Gran's home. A white man brought them to Gran Gran, an older woman who was once the healer on the slave plantation, and who knew the mysteries of root magic and birthing. Gran Gran is unsure what to do with this mute child who is traumatized by the death and disappearance of her mother. Gran Gran begins to dose her with sleeping remedies, and slowly the girl is not shaking, and twitching, and is beginning to be drawn to Gran Gran, following her around in the small home. The child finds clay masks hanging in a back room, and seems confused. Gran Gran explains about the clay masks that she had made many years ago to remember that people who once lived on the slave plantation with her. She relates her story to Violet, of how she had been brought up in the master's mansion when the master's daughter dies of fever. She is dressed up in the dead daughter's dresses on Sunday to soothe the master's wife who is dealing with her grief. When the master suddenly brings home an expensive slave woman, Polly Shine, to heal the sick slaves, Polly decides that she needs to help this young girl, called Granada, remember her people and teach her how to heal them. The book is full of slave stories that go back generations, and it is Polly who helps the people remember that the master doesn't own their freedom, and they must remember that it is God who created the world, not the master. This powerful mystery that Granada is just learning about, heals Granada herself and gives her the vision that had been lost to her. And it is these stories that are also used to heal Violet, who remembers her own story. This is an excellent story that could begin a dialog about race and personal power.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

I read this book over the winter, but I didn't know there was a movie coming out. Often I read the book and listen to the audio book. The audio version had various narrators to give voice to the mother, the child and the grandmother. The questions that kept coming up in my mind, the parts that didn't make sense, many of them were resolved at the end of the book. The boy, Oskar Schell, has lost his father during the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City on 9/11/2001. He lives with his mother, and his grandmother lives in an apartment across the street. he is very close to his grandmother, in fact he would stay with her when he was younger and his parents were at work. Now he is about nine, can go home by himself, but still he will call his grandmother and ask if she is okay. He is not coping with the death of his father very well. He is tormented by the phone calls that his father made to the apartment during the attack, but he cannot bring himself to talk to his mother about those calls. His father kept saying, please pick up, we may be going to the roof to be rescued, but he never said goodbye, or I love you, and this is something that Oskar wants to keep to himself. He is going through his father's things and finds a vase, with a key inside. He decides that this key must be important, he must find the lock it belongs to, and thus the story begins; he is meeting many people in New York City as he tries to solve the mystery his father has left for him. There are flashbacks into the grandmother's life, her childhood in Germany, the death of her family in the bombing during the war. Little by little we find out the deep secrets of her marriage, her husband, and why Oskar's father was raised by his mother alone. The story has twists that make it interesting, things the child doesn't know, but his mother does, and his grandmother cannot tell him. Those little revelations make up the book, and how all of us have to deal with grief in our own way and find our own answers. I look forward to the movie, but I know beforehand that some characters were mixed together, and that in itself makes it seem weird. My first reading of anything by Jonathan Safran Foer, a young writer.

World Book Night

The Tipp City Library supports World Book Night, April 23, 2012. I will be handing out books to new readers to encourage reading. I have chosen the title from a list of free books. I am going to chose a place to hand books out so that I can reach people who don't normally come to the library. In addition to World Book Night, April 23 is Tipp City Library's Big Read Book Discussion night at 7 pm. The Big Read for Dayton this year is Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, a true story of a Muslim man caught up in the drama of Katrina. This also coincides with the anniversary of the Flood in Dayton. Some Big Read events will be on the Dayton flood. The Miami Conservancy has on online display of pictures of the flood in the area. I was surprised to note that when they had to build the dams in Dayton, two town were moved, Fairfield and Osborne, thus Fairborn was created. Allan W. Eckert's book, A Time of Terror: The Great Dayton Flood, 1965 tells first-hand accounts of that time.

Pauline Persing has been teaching art to young people for many years. She has provided at display at the library for the month of February. She posted information about the art and the techniques she is teaching on her blog. http://www.paulinepersing.blogspot.com/ Click on to see the display at the library.

I have been nominated for the 2012 Most Fascinating Blog of the year under the category Librarian Blogger for my post on the Classics Book Discussion on The Great Gatsby. Maybe my love of the novel came through on my blog. It has been a wonderful year reading the classics and discussiong them with library patrons. We have announced the books for the next four months:

For March 5th at 7 pm and March 15th at 1 pm: Middlemarch by George Eliot, 1871
For April 2nd at 7 pm and April 12th ar 1 pm: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, 1915
For May 7th at 7 pm and May 10 at 1 pm: Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, 1961
For June 4th at 7 pm and June 14 at 1 pm: A Passage to India by E. M Forster, 1924
I hope to draw more people in by offering the discussion at two different times.
Let me know what you think about reading these books. and vote for my blog.

Announcing Poetry Appreciation Class for April 2012

Interested in poetry? Want to learn more? Tipp City Library is hosting a poetry class on Fridays in April of 2012 from 4-5 pm. Hosted by Susan Hoke, teacher and poetry writer; she will be using the book Poetry matters : writing a poem from the inside out / Ralph Fletcher. This is a very basic book. She will be introducing terms and styles of poetry. Registration is requested, drop-ins will be acceptable. We will order the books for the participants and make them available for check out. The title of the 5 week class, running from April 6th through May 4th is "April is the Coolest Month for Poetry." Once you have some of the basics down more help on poetry can be found in Stephen Fry's book, The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within. Funny thing happened to me last night. I was searching through the magazine donation box, and a man reading poetry in the rocking chair by the window asked me to recommend a poem. The first that came to mind was, "When Your Father Dies" by Diana Der-Hovanessian.  This was shared by my brother when my father died, and I love it. Of course I couldn't put my hand on it that moment. He had a big book of poems and wanted me to recommmend a poem in the book, so I found a poem by W. H. Auden , " In Memory of W. B. Yeats." It was a beautiful moment, a man sharing his love of poetry with me on the day Susan had offered to teach an appreciation of poetry class. Check out this website about Ohio Writers: http://www.wiredforbooks.org/

AncestryPlus

Just checking out some of the databases that the OPLIN libraries provide for the libraries in the state of Ohio and I just noticed that they added Ancestry, in-library version.  At the library on Feb 25 I am going to present a demonstration of AncestryPlus. It will be a computer hands-on computer class so sign-up is limited. Log in is available in the library only. Check it out, you never know what you will find.

Humor for the New Year

I have been reading so many humorous books that I have lost track. My first was "If It Was Easy, They'd Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon" by Jenna McCarthy. This was my introduction to Jenna McCarthy,  She is an author who writes for magazines. On the Self magazine website I found a listing of articles that she wrote on how to keep your relationship sexy. Her book was all about the "men are from Mars" take, how annoying he can be, and she gathered lots of quotes from women with titles that said,"at least I'm not married to him." I loved reading all the little stories of their relationship and how she adapts to his style, and how patience he is with her idiosyncrasies, especially since she is writing about their relationship. And I can understand that many of the stories were probably exaggerated but, there had to be some tiny element of truth. I found the book hillarious.

Getting ready for the New Year

I am looking to the New Year here at the Tipp City Public Library. Our staff of two adult service librarians, Carolyn Rector and Sue Hofer are trying their best to bring new programs to the Tipp City Library. Sue Hofer offers a Mystery Book Discussion on the second Monday evening of the month at 7 pm. For January their first meeting will be on January 9th. The book under discussion will be A Grave Denied by Dana Stabenow. This novel is from the series on Kate Shugak, an Aleut who live  on a National Park in Alaska. Beginning with the novel, A Cold Day for Murder, the series now has eighteen novels in the series, with number nineteen, Restless in the Grave coming out in February 2012. If you are interested in joining the discussion pick up the book at the front desk of the library. Carolyn Rector will lead the discussion of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, in the Classic Book Discussion group that meets on the second Thursday, January 12th of the month at 1 pm. Moving away from the Big Read novels of the National Endowment of the Arts, discussion will be about Pip and Estelle and Miss Havisham. Largely autobiographical, this is one of Charles Dickens most famous novels. Discussion questions can be found on Lit Lovers: a Well-Read Online Community.  Most of us have read this novel in school, or at least an abridged version, but what will this coming-of-age- story hold for the more mature reader. Continuing with our book discussion groups, Carolyn also hosts the Book Lovers Discussion on the fourth Monday night, January 23rd at 7 pm. This month we are reading The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan. Jon Foro wrote for Amazon.com, "It's another incredible--and incredibly compelling--feat of historical journalism." This book tells about the 1910 fire that consumed acres of National Park land in three different states and made a compelling case in Congress to support the small ineffective Forest Service. Copies of this book should be arriving in the library this week for patrons to pick up for the discussion group. Copies of the discussion questions can be found on Lit Lovers.com. My review of  The Big Burn can be found in the archives of this web site. It was a very interesting account of a time in American history that I knew little about, even though I had been a fan of Teddy Roosevelt when I was younger. Join one of our discussions at the Tipp City Library this coming New Year and I hope you find the experience worthwhile. 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I took the long weekend to read this book for Book Club. I have seen the movie, I was definitly motivated, but for some reason everytime I took this book home I couldn't start it. I think it was the dialect. So, I bought my copy from Amazon and kept it til I was ready to read it. Sunday was jam day and that's want I did, all day, and into Monday morning. It is an excellent book, everyone knows that by now. Kathryn's voice was so true. All of her characters are fully developed, showing their good side as well as the difficult parts of their personalities. A native daughter of Mississippi, the author used stories from home, stories from the help that lived with her family, and stories from her Grandaddy. Demetrie was the name of the domestic help that came into the family life when her dad was a boy, who brought the babies home from the hospital, and cared for them for many years. She told stories to the children and told Miss Kathryn that, "she was beautiful," even if she wasn't, just like Abileen tells dear poor little Mae Mobley, That part of the story really toched me, I want to be the fairy godmother who whispers into my grandchildren's ear as they fall off the sleep, "you is kind, you is smart, you is wonderful." As I read this book, I became more aware how very dangerous life in Mississippi was during the turbulent years of the Civil Rights movement. The author mentions in in an interview on a website that, "Skeeter was the hardest to write because she was constantly stepping across that line I was taught not to cross. Growing up, there was a hard and firm rule that you did not discuss issues of color. You changed the subject if someone brought it up, and you changed the channel when it was on television." At the end of the book the author tells someone in New York that, My hometown is number three in the nation for gang-related murders." Because that surprised me I had to google Jackson, Mississippi gang-related murder and found this story from August 2011. This disturbs me, but we are living in a hate filled society, and the race issues are as prevelant as ever. Another thing that was brought out in our discussion was the amount of attention that a white women receives for writing the black views of the domestic help, when clearly books have been written form the black point of view and have received less attention. From the back of the book, Telling Memories of Southern Women by Susan Tucker is mentioned by the author. Interviews with forty women from both races are recored in this book published by  Louisiana State University Press in 2002. I remember a book by Dori Saunders, Clover, that shares her farming life stories from South  Carolina. Maybe other readers can suggest books that have been written by African American authors on this subject.

Intimidated by Pie Crust? or Just Love Pie

I am writing to promote a Pie Crust Program for this Thursday at the library at 1 pm. Lois Anderson and I are going to demonstrtae 2 easy pie crust recipes, and we will bring fresh home baked pie for you to sample after the demonstration. This is for the "intimidated by pie crust folks", or for the folks who just love pie. Tell me you don't need a break this week. I hope to see some friends out there. Registration is requested so we have enough pie! Even Anthony is going to get into the pie making mode if we have a lot of people sign up.http://www.tippcitylibrary.org/

ah, the Kindle question

So much is about ebooks. I was noticing that certain patrons weren't showing up in the the library, and then they told me they had received a Nook, Kindle, or a ebook reader for Christmas, anniversary, or just because. Even my daughter told me after I gifted her with a beaded bookmark, "I don't read books any more, Mom, I have  a Nook. But, I'll put it in the Bible you gave me." She went on to tell me that me that she loved her Nook, to take on trips, instead of three or so books. She liked to read in bed, it was light weight, and  the size of the font could be changed. Of course we had the patrons who needed help with their ebook reader, we learned about them when they came into the library for tips on downloading. And they also asked, can I download a library ebook onto my new Kindle? Well, Amazon caught on pretty fast and yes, you can now download a ebook from the library catalog onto your Kindle. The procedure will take you back to  your Amazon account where you will log on the complete the download. If you buy your Kindle at Staples or the like, you will need to create an Amazon account. Just this morning on the blog, Everyday I Write the Book, Gayle Weiswasser wrote about receiving a Kindle and those were the typical comments I hear from many of the book lovers that I meet every day. I suggested a Kindle to an elderly man with a handicap that he would be the perfect candidate for a Kindle, because of the weight of the books he liked to read, but also because of his eyesight was going bad, and some of those books he likes to read don't come in Large Print. I hear from a Random House representative that they may be printing less Large Print in the future, because the Baby Boomers will most likely have the ebook readers. Do you want to weight in on this? What format do you use to read your books or newspapers with? Personally, I always have a book on audio in my car, and then a different book for my night reading. Some audio book readers are better than others and then I like to browse the library catalog for performer to find them and listen to that actor read. Now if I could only convince my husband to read to me at night, I'd be covered. Must be reverting back to my childhood, it was my Dad who read to us at night. I was blessed with parents who loved books, and they passed that on to their children, with reading to us, buying lots of books for us, and then discussing their favorites with us as we became adults. Wherever you find your books, I hope you are sharing your enjoyment of them with the next generation.