This Week At Nevermore Book Club

Director Jud Barry surprised a few folk by bringing in a fiction book, Room by Emma Donoghue (F DON New Fiction, Main. The story is told from the point of view of a five year old boy Jack who lives in Room with Ma. The only other person is the frightening Old Nick, who comes at night after Ma hides Jack in Wardrobe. Gradually it becomes clear that the boy and his mother are captives: Old Nick kidnapped Ma when she was nineteen years old and has held her for seven years. While the subject may sound grim to say the least, the book has been praised for its imaginative use of language. Jack is an innocent who doesn’t understand the precariousness of their situation; he doesn’t find Room to be a prison. Room is the only world he has ever known. His mother has made a life for them there, telling him stories, playing games, teaching him as best she can and making him feel as safe and loved as possible. The result is a book you won’t soon forget.

Doris took a selection of most requested new fiction books to show off. There are a number of new books by favorite authors out now from Susan Wittig Albert’s new China Bayles (Mourning Gloria), the first of Iris Johansen’s Eve Duncan trilogy (Eve) to Miss Julia Rocks the Cradle by Ann B. Ross.

Other books:

War by Sebastian Junger (958.1047 JUN Main) follows a single platoon for more than a year for a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Junger was embedded with the troops, so he is able to give a first-hand account of life as a soldier in an inhospitable landscape. Publishers Weekly called it “an unforgettable portrait of men under fire.” Our reader thinks it should be a “must read.” Junger is also the author of The Perfect Storm.

The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien is another novel told from a child’s point of view, but this one is set in South Africa during apartheid. Lizzie, the white daughter of a surgeon, is deeply attached to her nanny, Salamena, and to Salamen’s daughter, Moliseng. She is devastated when the law requires Moliseng to be sent away to Soweto. This compelling book has been compared to the works of Alan Paton, Nadine Gordimer and Doris Lessing. Side note: this novel began life as a one-woman play, performed by the author. It won an Obie for “Best Play” in 2001.

The Nevermore Bookclub meets Tuesdays at 11 am in the Frances Kegley Conference Room. The library supplies coffee and the Blackbird Bakery supplies doughnuts! Everyone is welcome.

Burmese adventure: Incident at Badamya

Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman  (F GIL Main)

Reviewed by Jeanne

Most people know Dorothy Gilman for her marvelous “Mrs. Pollifax” series in which an elderly woman becomes a spy for the CIA. The books were popular enough to have had two movie adaptations, one with Rosalind Russell and one with Angela Lansbury. While there are light-hearted elements to the books, they aren’t silly slapstick things.  Instead, Mrs. P. uses her common sense, gut instinct and clear judgment of human nature to carry out missions.  Usually there was some sort of spiritual aspect to the books as well, not connected to a specific religion.

My favorite Gilman book wasn’t one of the Pollifax books, though I enjoyed them greatly. No, my favorite remains Incident at Badamya.  It’s another of those books I return to again and again, picking it up just read a favorite passage and reluctantly putting it down two hours later.

The story is set in Burma in 1950, a time of great upheaval in Asia.  Communist forces were moving in several countries.  Mao had taken over China, while the start of the Korean War was just a few weeks away.  Sixteen year old Genivieve Ferris, orphaned daughter of an American missionary, has decided it is her destiny to go to America, a place she knows only from old magazines and a few letters from relatives.  She’s grown up in Burma.  It’s been the only home she’s ever known, and these people are the only friends and family she’s ever had.  Still, something drives her to gather the last of the money, her passport and the address of the aunt she’s never met and to set out for Rangoon, where the steam ship will come.

But there are other forces abroad as well: a wounded American who may be a spy; soldiers and bandits; and passengers from the steamer, all of whom have secrets of their own: the wealthy, imperious woman in search of her son; the puppeteer; the author, the former prisoner.   They’ll all come together at Badamya, for better or worse, and all will be changed by their encounter.

After all these years I remain charmed by this book and by Gen herself, the waif who wonders if her thamma deva—a guardian spirit—will be able to follow her to America.  Gen is a mixture of worldly and naïve, woman and child, realist and believer, Christian and Buddhist.  As with all her books, Gilman seems to really know the locale, giving the reader a strong sense of place.   I always find Gilman’s books to have food for thought and for the spirit as well as being good adventures. This one has a bit of an otherworldly thread running through it, but it's never intrusive. For Gen, it's simply a matter of faith.

 I find it to be an uplifting book with an underlying gentleness despite some of the threats against characters.  At the end I feel all’s right with the world.

Book News from Nevermore!

For the uninitiated, the Nevermore Book Club meets every Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Main. Participants share what they’re reading, often leading to some lively discussions. It’s very informal and a lot of fun. The library supplies coffee; doughnuts come from The Blackbird Bakery! Director Jud Barry leads the group. Everyone is welcome to show up with a book and join in!

Here are some of the books discussed:

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World is the somewhat audacious claim of Jane McGonigal (306.487 MCG Main). Director Jud Barry read an excerpt in which the author and her husband race to clean the bathroom because they’re playing an online game in which you earn points by doing real life chores. Book club members immediately saw the possibilities and are anxious to try it out in their own households.

Andrew Johnson by Annette Gordon-Reed (973.81 GOR Main) This brief biography of Johnson is a part of the “American Presidents” series and was written by the author of The Hemingses of Monticello and Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. Our reader felt that Gordon-Reed’s view of Johnson was somewhat narrow and not very sympathetic and didn’t really deal with his amazing rise from illiterate tailor to President.

Swan Song by Robert McCammon has another reader riveted! It is a post-apocalyptic novel that follows the lives of a handful of survivors, including a girl called Swan. A devilish figure called The Man with the Scarlet Eye is seeking to destroy her, but a ragtag group is determined to keep her safe. The book is often compared to Stephen King’s The Stand and has won praise for the excellent characterization as well as its plot.  It was a co-winner of the Bram Stoker Award and was a World Fantasy Award Best Novel nominee, and many have commented on the compelling characterization.

Sacrifice by S.J. Bolton (SSB F BOL Main) is a thriller set in the Shetland Islands. When a body is uncovered in a bog, the local police think it’s a prehistoric burial but Dr. Tora Hamilton immediately disagrees—ancient women didn’t wear nail polish. This was the first thriller by Bolton, who now has four novels to her credit and is viewed as an up and coming thriller writer. She creates intriguing, flawed characters and develops her settings so well that it’s almost like visiting the place. Folklore often figures into her work. These aren’t cozies, and there are some rather gritty scenes.

Edie Ernst, USO Singer—Allied Spy? By Brooke McEldowney (741.5 MCE Main) chronicles the World War II adventures of a young singer who falls in love with an American soldier and a German officer. The story is told in comic strip format, but the black and white art is as expressive as a vintage movie. It got raves from one reader and convinced another to check it out!

Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series has captured the attention of another reader! These books are set after World War I when former nurse Maisie uses knowledge of psychology to become a private investigator. The setting is well done, and Winspear has a real feel for the time period. Maisie has had an eventful life, including the loss of a love in the War. The books are a good mix of history, mystery, and a bit of romance. Our reader has completed the first two books, Maisie Dobbs and Birds of a Feather, and is looking forward to the next book in the series.

Bring a book and join us next Tuesday!

Year of Three Kings: The King's Speech & more!

Reviewed by Jeanne

In January, 1936 King George V died.  His eldest son became King Edward VIII but his reign was short-lived:  he wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice divorced American woman and he wanted her to be Queen, an unacceptable condition.   He was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of his younger brother who became George VI. 

Such are the dry facts.  The lives behind the facts have made for riveting books and movies, for each has a dramatic story to tell.  For the most part, it’s been the story of David and Wallis, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, which is either the tale of a Great Romance or a Great Betrayal, depending in part on who is telling the story.

Recently, however, the story has been about George VI, the man who never expected to be King.  Bertie, as the family called him, was afflicted with a stammer which made public appearances difficult to say the least.  It has been said that his wife consented to marry him in part because she felt with such a defect he would never be king.  Imbued with a strong sense of duty and knowing that the country would need a strong monarch in the face of war, he was determined to serve to the best of his ability. 

The movie “The King’s Speech” (DVD KIN Main & Avoca) was thought to be a similar dark horse, since it didn’t feature car chases, explosions, aliens or semi-clothed people, but like Bertie it surprised everyone and became both a commercial and critical success.  The story revolves around Bertie’s struggles to overcome his speech impediment with the help of unconventional therapist Lionel Logue, an Australian with few academic credentials.   At its heart, “The King’s Speech” is about the relationship between the two men, king and commoner, doctor and patient; but it’s also about overcoming adversity and  about a nation under the threat of war.  The movie is inspiring without being preachy or saccharine.  I enjoyed it tremendously on many levels.  The cast was top-notch, from Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush as George VI and Logue to Helena Bonham-Carter as Queen Elizabeth. The excellent supporting cast included Anthony Andrews, Derek Jacobi, Claire Bloom, Michael Gambon and two actors from “Pride and Prejudice”:  Jennifer Ehle and David Bamber. The whole look and feel of the movie reflected the historical period, especially the costumes.  

As often happens when I see a “based on a true story” movie, I’m curious to find out how much is true and how much is artistic license.  Fortunately, the library has a good selection from which to choose.  For information about George VI and Logue, try The King’s Speech:  How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi (941.084 LOG Main).  The co-author is one of Logue’s grandsons who quotes from his grandfather’s journals and contemporary clippings, some of which were used in writing the movie’s script. 

As for the Royals involved in the story, there are numerous books from which to choose.  King Edward VIII by Philip Ziegler (941.084 ZIE Main and Avoca) is an in-depth, sympathetic look at David’s life before and after he met Mrs. Simpson.  The Duchess of Windsor:  The Secret Life by celebrity biographer Charles Higham (941.084 Main and Avoca) is a juicy page turner while Michael Thornton’s Royal Feud:  The Dark Side of the Love Story of the Century (941.084 THO Main) examines the rift between the brothers and their wives.  The Reluctant King by Sarah Bradford (941.084 BRA Main) gives George VI his own sympathetic portrait, while The Queen Mother by William Shawcross (941.084 SHA Main) is the official biography of Queen Elizabeth, completed after her death in 2002.

the Signal Mountain Spelling Book of JuliUn Tod

 Reviewed by Nancy

If you enjoy words, word-play and good spelling in general, Wow! Have I got the book for you! "The Signal Mountain Spelling Book of JuliUn Tod" by Jud Barry (F BAR Main & Avoca)  is a book that's all about words. I don't just mean the words in the story that allow the story to unfold. I mean that this is a book that loves words, discusses words, our understanding of words and the way we use them, the impact of words on our lives, and of course, the spelling of words.

The narrator of this book is Juliun Tod, a pet frog who hates bad spelling. In fact, his name is the result of bad spelling:  the book’s main character, Casey, intended to name him “Julian Toad” but couldn't spell Julian or toad, so when he made a name-plate for Julian's terrarium Julian Toad turned into Juliun Tod.  Julian relates to us, not just the story of how he came to be Casey's pet, but also the story of how he became a frog in the first place.

Other characters included are Casey’s brother Dudley (appropriately nicknamed Dud); Solomon, a philosopher pig; Boudiccia, the evil cat; and Rowf, the dog.  Angel, a wild girl of uncertain origins, appears late in the story.

I was on pins and needles through the greater part of the book wondering if Juliun Tod was going to survive the evil machinations of Dud. There were many evil machinations, culminating with JuliUn taking a ride on a science fair rocket. This scared the doo-wah-diddy out of me, but turned out alright in the end.

This story is also a sort of fable in which the author offers his views on religion, the afterlife, and science fair projects, among other things.

As Mr. Barry asserts, "spelling matters." He assures us that after we die we must face what seems to be some sort of judgmental committee called the Iota Subscript Subcommittee of the Hereafter Admissions Review Committee (HARK). Yes, HARK, ha ha. This is immediately followed by a reference to herald angels singing, to help us grab hold of that joke, just in case we were snoozing when we read it and it slipped by us.

In this presentation, one faces the HARK committee after going through the "Winnowing" which seems to be the term for what happens when a soul separates from the body it has been traveling around in since it was born. Somewhere in the author's vision fits a place called "Mezzanine" which I believe loosely equates with Purgatory.

Correct spelling seems to prominently feature in our success or lack of success in the afterlife. As the book states, "In the beginning was the Word; in the end will be - the dictionary." 

By the way, the author of this book, Jud Barry, is the Director of the fabulous Bristol Public Library. What a deal. He directs the library, and writes books to fill the shelves, too.

Volunteers & Events

 First of all, we wanted to mention a special program at the library this weekend.  Dr. Annette Wszelaki from the University of Tennessee will be here to talk about growing your own vegetables in containers. You'll be amazed at how much you can grow in a small space!  The program is Sunday, May 15 at 3 pm and it's free to the public.  For a bit more information (and a link to the wonderful "Homegrown Tomatoes" song) click on the link below.

 http://bplstafflounge.blogspot.com/2011/05/likes-fresh-really-fresh-vegetables-you.html


The new Teen Club at Bristol Public Library needs volunteers!  Under the direction of the dynamic Pam Neal, the club has expanded.  Ms. Neal has an exciting summer program planned, and volunteers would be welcome.  If you think you'd be interested, please pick up a volunteer application at library.

Teen and Children's Summer Reading Clubs will be starting soon!  Information will be available in the Children's Library and in the Teen area.

"I don't know which I like better-- books or doughnuts!"

  Meanwhile, the Nevermore Bookclub meets every Tuesday at 11 am in the Frances Kegley Conference Room.  Doughnuts are provided by the Blackbird bakery!  Come and tell us what you're reading!

Paranormal Fiction Stars: Kim Harrison & Kelley Armstrong

The supernatural/paranormal genre has really taken off in the last few years, fueled in part by the success of Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series.  We have some brochures at reference with suggestions of other authors and series you might enjoy.  Here are two:

 Kim Harrison

Harrison's best known work is  "The Hollows," an urban fantasy series.  Detective and  witch Rachel Morgan solves mysteries with the help of Ivy, a vampire, and Jenks, a pixie. Elves, demons, trolls, and other supernatural beings appear as well.


“Rachel Morgan/The Hollows”

• • Dead Witch Walking
• • The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
• • Every Which Way But Dead
• • A Fistful of Charms
• • For a Few Demons More
• • The Outlaw Demon Wails
• • White Witch, Black Curse
• • Black Magic Sanction
• • Pale Demon

She has a young adult series starring Madison Avery whose high school years are made a little more difficult once she's dead.

• Once Dead, Twice Shy
• Early to Death, Early to Rise

Note:  Harrison's real name is Dawn Cook.  She began her writing career under that name, writing romance books.

Kelley Armstrong

Armstrong is a Canadian writer, best known for her "Women of Otherworld" series. She began writing at and early age, and her stories had a fantasy twist even then.  She has also written mysteries and is doing a teen paranormal series.

"Women of the Otherworld"
The stories are narrated by different characters, including a werewolf, a witch and a ghost.  Armstrong has been praised for her characterizations and imaginative backgrounds for her characters.

• • Bitten
• • Stolen
• • Dime Store Magic
• • Industrial Magic
• • Haunted
• • Broken
• • No Humans Involved
• • Personal Demon
• • Living With the Dead
• • Frostbitten
• • Waking the Witch
• • Spellbound

"Darkest Powers"
This series revolves around Chloe, a fifteen year old who is able to communicate with the dead.  Her claims get her institutionalized, but it seems that the other teen inmates also have unusual powers.

• The Summoning
• The Awakening
• The Reckoning