With Rhythm and Roots upcoming we decided that instead of our
usual display only featuring books about music that we would poll the staff for
some of their favorite books. Then we
could set up a display of “Staff Picks,” using guitar picks. Maybe a bit corny, but we had a lot of fun
seeing what everyone chose. The BPL
staff certainly has varied interests!
That said, there were a few books that showed up on more than
one list. Here are some of those:
Two titles by TJ Klune kept turning up on lists. Klune
writes strikingly original fantasies, peopled by memorable characters, and
leaves his readers with a warm glow. The
House in the Cerulean Sea tells the story of Linus Baker, a bureaucrat who
works in an office dedicated to checking on the care of “Magical Youth.” He
lives a colorless existence until he’s sent to check up on an orphanage where
he meets an amazing assembly, including a gnome, a dragon, and the mysterious
Arthur Parnassus. Oh, and the
Antichrist. Linus’ life will never be
the same.
In Under the Whispering Door, Wallace Price’s life will
never be the same, either—mainly because Wallace is dead. He’s very disappointed and more than a bit
angry when only five people show up at his funeral: his three law firm partners
and his ex-wife, none of whom seem particularly upset by his demise. This is probably because Wallace was,
frankly, not a very nice person. The fifth person he doesn’t recognize. It
turns out that she is his Reaper, sent to guide him to the waystation called Charon’s
Crossing so he can pass into the afterlife. Charon’s Crossing is managed by
Hugo, a ferryman who guides souls but Wallace is going to prove to be more
stubborn than most. Populated by a cast
of delightful and unforgettable characters, this is another “feel good” tale by
Klune that also tackles the big questions, like the meaning of life—and death.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by
Shirley Jackson showed up on three lists. The story is narrated by Mary
Katherine, known as Merricat, who lives in an old mansion with her sister and
an uncle. A family tragedy has made them
outcasts from the town, and Merricat must keep a watchful eye to keep outsiders
away. While Jackson’s best known book is arguably The Haunting of Hill House,
our staff members seem more drawn to this title. We found the book to be deliciously
atmospheric, with intriguing characters and a mystery at its core.
Japanese author Hiro Arikawa’s The Travelling Cat
Chronicles touched the hearts of a couple of staff members. The story is told from the point of view of a
stray cat adopted by a kind young man who takes the cat on a trip to find a new
home. Warm, poignant, and ultimately
uplifting, this tale has a special poetic charm all its own.
Another author who has done well in translation is Fredrik
Backman. His breakthrough book was A
Man Called Ove, about a curmudgeonly Swede who takes a dim view of modern
society in general and his neighbors in particular. His Beartown was the
start of a series of books set in a town whose inhabitants live and breathe for
hockey, their one claim to fame. It’s
since become a TV series for Netflix.
Jon Krakauer writes compelling non-fiction, so it’s no surprise
that his name turned up on the lists. Into the Wild examines the life
and death of Chris McCandless, an idealistic young man who set out on a search
for truth and ended up dying alone in the Alaskan wilderness, while Into
Thin Air is the author’s personal account of a climb up Mt. Everest in
1996. That’s the year that a storm hit,
causing the deaths of eight people in one day, and remains a controversial
event in the history of mountain climbing.
The Silent Patient by Alex
Michaelides was a debut novel that thrilled its readers, including two of our
staff members. Artist Alicia Berenson is
a convicted murderer who shot her husband in the face six times, but since then
has refused to speak. A new therapist is
determined to try to unlock the secrets she’s held since that awful day.
Finally, Agatha Christie is
also included on a couple of lists, proving the classic, Golden Age mysteries
never go out of style!
These are just a few of the selections that garnered more than one
mention. There could have been a lot of
others, judging from the overheard murmurs of, “Gee, I should have included
that one on my list…”
And as for displays, we do still have one set up featuring music—and genealogy!
Rhythm and Roots indeed!
